Author Topic: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!  (Read 6841 times)

Dyk

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I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« on: October 29, 2014, 11:30:08 AM »
MMM cost me my $720 rebate check!!!
http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/personalfinance/the-dollar720-boost-from-falling-gas-prices/ar-BBbTnDD

I knew there had to be a catch!

:)

DeepEllumStache

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2014, 12:01:55 PM »
We're missing out on some fantastic money! Sound the materialistic consumerism alarms!!!

From the article -

"The average individual spent as much as 4% of his annual income on gasoline in mid-2008 during the last big global spike in oil prices. Now the percentage each person spends is about to fall below 3% for the first time since 2010."


I don't spend even close to 3% of my annual income on gasoline.  I think I'll still be ok without this "savings"...

rocksinmyhead

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2014, 01:18:42 PM »
LOL. Just looked it up in Mint and I spent 0.9% of my after-tax income on gas in 2013.

And I actually work for an oil and gas company, so I don't like these low oil prices at all. Balls.

slugline

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2014, 01:23:14 PM »
That $720 is the estimated savings for a 90-gallon-burning family if gasoline prices remain depressed for an entire year. I'm not in a hurry to call all that money banked yet!

frugalnacho

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2014, 02:22:11 PM »
That $720 is the estimated savings for a 90-gallon-burning family if gasoline prices remain depressed for an entire year. I'm not in a hurry to call all that money banked yet!

Count those chickens.  I've already bought a $720 flat screen.

okashira

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2014, 05:02:27 PM »
LOL. Just looked it up in Mint and I spent 0.9% of my after-tax income on gas in 2013.

And I actually work for an oil and gas company, so I don't like these low oil prices at all. Balls.

Hah. Support your industry. I work in oil & gas and spend ~1.2% of gross salary on gas.

ender

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2014, 06:29:05 PM »
I don't like thinking how much I spend on gas per year at my current rate.


Paul der Krake

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2014, 07:03:10 PM »
Those numbers are bogus, who can afford to get by with just 90 gallons a month?

Elderwood17

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #8 on: October 30, 2014, 09:41:00 AM »
I confess I likely was over the average back in the 90s.  We lived in suburban Dallas, I commuting far onto work each day, drove kids all over the place for their structured activities.  What a waste, as I look back.

Tami1982

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #9 on: October 30, 2014, 11:37:45 PM »
I do about 30 gallons a month (that's two tanks.)  I paid $2.79 a gallon at Costco today.  This made me happy:)

dragoncar

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #10 on: November 03, 2014, 04:43:59 PM »
Those numbers are bogus, who can afford to get by with just 90 gallons a month?

Seriously, who has that kind of gallons just laying around?

seattlecyclone

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #11 on: November 03, 2014, 05:24:03 PM »
90 gallons per month? I can't even imagine. That's enough to drive a Prius the circumference of the earth about twice per year.

eyePod

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2014, 02:18:28 PM »
We budget 2.7% of my annual salary. This also covers trips to my parents/in-laws about once a month, those are 100+ mile trips each way. But I drive about 16 miles/day (most of which is 55mph highway with little congestion). I can understand why the 4% isn't that ridiculous for someone making less. I don't bike since I'm dropping my daughter off at daycare and would need to cross highways with her to get her there.

Gone Fishing

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Re: I knew I was missing something by living frugally!
« Reply #13 on: November 05, 2014, 03:17:58 PM »
90 gallons per month? I can't even imagine. That's enough to drive a Prius the circumference of the earth about twice per year.

I'm sad to say we are terribly close to that number, but it should get better when I RE!  Rural living has its expenses, but some of that comes back to us in the form of lower RE taxes.