Author Topic: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not  (Read 35603 times)

Le Poisson

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #50 on: April 28, 2015, 11:18:51 AM »
I'm sortof on-side with you Kite, but not entirely. I think some of your logic is based on a higher power rate than we are paying or something. Our deep freeze only cost us $600.00 new. It's now 4 years old, so capital cost is $12.50/mo if it dies tomorrow (which is unlikely) - I am sure we see more than that in a month of meat savings.

We do buy ahead, but usually only by a month or two. Once a year we go in with friends and buy a quarter of beef. Often we will buy a flat of canned goods.

Now that we are making our own bread, it makes better sense to buy at the local bakery supply (20 kg bags of flour instead of 10 kg) for breadmaking supplies. By buying the huge quantities there (5 kg jugs of molasses anyone???) I can reduce the cost of a loaf of bread from $2.50 (regular price) or $1.25 (Home made price) to $0.30 (Home made bulk price).

I find that our Costco's (Canada) are regularly beat by 'normal' grocery stores, so apart from buying at farmgate or restaurant/bakery supplies, there is little we get in bulk. BTW - prices at the bulk barn are almost always higher than at local grocery stores.

The one emergency we were really caught off guard by was when our union walked out on our employer putting both my wife and I out of work for 3 weeks. Having food in the basement meant we were fine at a time when were living paycheque-to-paycheque.

When we do see a power failure, there are a couple of responses we turn to to minimize losses. If its winter (ice storm) we put everything outside in coolers or cardboard boxes, then tarp it or cover in snow. In the summer we cook/smoke as much as we can on the BBQ, but only after a day or so. Keeping the mass of the frozen food in the freeze will forestall thawing.

Using these methods we need a full 48hrs without power before things get desperate. A 48hr power failure up here is a very rare event.

Le Poisson

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #51 on: April 28, 2015, 11:27:19 AM »

EDIT: I checked into purchasing a whole cow (or a half, or a quarter) and it was not frugal at all.  I assumed I would be getting a deal by purchasing so much meat at one time, but the unit price was pretty high.  It was a decent price for the steaks and more expensive cuts of meat, but it was way over priced for the cheaper cuts of meat.  Overall it was more expensive than buying all the different cuts piecemeal, and you were forced to take it in proportion that the cow grew it, where as I can just go to costco and buy only my favorite cuts and pass up the cuts I don't favor, and it ends up being cheaper.  Obviously I never ended up purchasing the cow.  The whole thing left me perplexed and I wondered why anyone did when it was more expensive than the grocery store option.

We do this with regularity.

The trick is getting the right farmer and butcher combo. For a long time we lived next door to a farm, and we would regularly wander over, chat with the farmer, point to a cow and say "We'll take that one." Then we'd serenade the cow with Brahms each day to keep it calm and the beef would never get tough.

OK, that last bit's a lie.

But with knowing the farm, we knew that his claims of grain-fed, steroid free, etc. were on the up-and-up. It also meant we could negotiate on the price a little. The butcher he used charged a kill fee and a butchering fee. All butchers do this or something similar. The less he had to butcher, the less we had to pay. If you want steaks, that's a bunch of butchering. If you want roasts, that's less.

SO we would get as many roasts as possible, then cut them down. With hunters for friends, it isn't hard to get our hands on a bandsaw to cut up frozen meat. Any Kitchen Aide can have a grinder attachment slapped on it. Together with everyone else that went in on the cow we could grind the round up and cut up roasts after the meat arrived. Its not that hard to do. <EDIT TO ADD> The beef is usually delivered frozen - you can arrange an unfrozen pickup for grinding up the round but you have to have really good timing to be at the butcher's. Once the meat is frozen you cannot grind and refreeze. </Edit>

Our roasts may not be as pretty as other folks would find, but we are able to save a lot on the butchering side. 
« Last Edit: April 28, 2015, 11:31:14 AM by Prospector »

Cookie78

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #52 on: April 28, 2015, 11:28:59 AM »

EDIT: I checked into purchasing a whole cow (or a half, or a quarter) and it was not frugal at all.  I assumed I would be getting a deal by purchasing so much meat at one time, but the unit price was pretty high.  It was a decent price for the steaks and more expensive cuts of meat, but it was way over priced for the cheaper cuts of meat.  Overall it was more expensive than buying all the different cuts piecemeal, and you were forced to take it in proportion that the cow grew it, where as I can just go to costco and buy only my favorite cuts and pass up the cuts I don't favor, and it ends up being cheaper.  Obviously I never ended up purchasing the cow.  The whole thing left me perplexed and I wondered why anyone did when it was more expensive than the grocery store option.

I'm curious to do the math here to see how it works out. I don't remember the last time I bought meat at the grocery store (unless you count canned tuna) so I'm not sure of the prices. I know my dad buys beef in bulk, but it's from a neighbor and friend who often trades for other items/favors, so I'm sure he gets a good deal. I know for him it is also more about the quality of meat. We were talking about this the other day with respect to chickens. He'd just purchased a dozen large chickens from Hutterites nearby who raise them. He said it doesn't cost that much less than the grocery store, but the quality is so much better that it's worth it.


frugalnacho

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #53 on: April 28, 2015, 11:38:37 AM »

EDIT: I checked into purchasing a whole cow (or a half, or a quarter) and it was not frugal at all.  I assumed I would be getting a deal by purchasing so much meat at one time, but the unit price was pretty high.  It was a decent price for the steaks and more expensive cuts of meat, but it was way over priced for the cheaper cuts of meat.  Overall it was more expensive than buying all the different cuts piecemeal, and you were forced to take it in proportion that the cow grew it, where as I can just go to costco and buy only my favorite cuts and pass up the cuts I don't favor, and it ends up being cheaper.  Obviously I never ended up purchasing the cow.  The whole thing left me perplexed and I wondered why anyone did when it was more expensive than the grocery store option.

I'm curious to do the math here to see how it works out. I don't remember the last time I bought meat at the grocery store (unless you count canned tuna) so I'm not sure of the prices. I know my dad buys beef in bulk, but it's from a neighbor and friend who often trades for other items/favors, so I'm sure he gets a good deal. I know for him it is also more about the quality of meat. We were talking about this the other day with respect to chickens. He'd just purchased a dozen large chickens from Hutterites nearby who raise them. He said it doesn't cost that much less than the grocery store, but the quality is so much better that it's worth it.

I don't have the numbers with me.  Ground beef is about $3.69/lb, and the higher end cuts I like (ribeye, ny strips) are around $6.99-$9.99 depending on how you time it.  The cost for a half cow was something like $10/lb straight up.  Of course I don't know any farmers, or live by any farms, so I am pretty much at the mercy of whatever the going rate for a half cow is in the suburbs.  I've heard the argument that the quality is so much better, but I don't know if I believe it.  Costco's meat is fantastic quality.  I guess I won't find out because i'm sticking with costco.

BlueHouse

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #54 on: April 28, 2015, 11:41:27 AM »
Bulk buyers at Costco or Sam's Club who load up "because it's cheaper to stockpile" according to them.  I put a lot of coupon users in this category, too. 
I've been there myself and would likely still be convinced of the superiority of buying in bulk until a layoff and hurricane convinced me otherwise.  When your income unexpectedly drop to zero, you realize the folly of spending your savings on toothpaste you won't need for four months, and paying a membership fee for the privelege!  When the power goes out for long enough to thaw everything in the freezer, that beef or chicken tenders is no longer a bargain.  It, plus the money to run that extra appliance is money down the drain.  The big-box shopping mentality has people convinced they need bigger cars, bigger homes with a second fridge in the garage for beverages, and a freezer in the basement....because they're saving money. 
Bag of lentils = frugal.
Family package of pork chop for a 2 person household?  Not so much.
This is true for me.  Single person in a household and I'm not a skilled shopper.  If I buy something in bulk, I get tired of it and stop eating it or it expires before I can finish it.  I understand that this is because I lack skill, but for me, I'm better off staying away from Costco, with the exception of my bi-monthly booze-runs.  I have a house in a neighborhood that people like to visit for various reasons, and my "thing" is to always have enough champagne in the fridge for a party. 

MLKnits

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #55 on: April 28, 2015, 11:44:17 AM »
Bulk buyers at Costco or Sam's Club who load up "because it's cheaper to stockpile" according to them.  I put a lot of coupon users in this category, too. 
I've been there myself and would likely still be convinced of the superiority of buying in bulk until a layoff and hurricane convinced me otherwise.  When your income unexpectedly drop to zero, you realize the folly of spending your savings on toothpaste you won't need for four months, and paying a membership fee for the privelege!  When the power goes out for long enough to thaw everything in the freezer, that beef or chicken tenders is no longer a bargain.  It, plus the money to run that extra appliance is money down the drain.  The big-box shopping mentality has people convinced they need bigger cars, bigger homes with a second fridge in the garage for beverages, and a freezer in the basement....because they're saving money. 
Bag of lentils = frugal.
Family package of pork chop for a 2 person household?  Not so much.
This is true for me.  Single person in a household and I'm not a skilled shopper.  If I buy something in bulk, I get tired of it and stop eating it or it expires before I can finish it.  I understand that this is because I lack skill, but for me, I'm better off staying away from Costco, with the exception of my bi-monthly booze-runs.  I have a house in a neighborhood that people like to visit for various reasons, and my "thing" is to always have enough champagne in the fridge for a party.

Yup, I'm with you. As a singleton, bulk buying almost anything is just an exercise in risk. The only exception I can really think of is toilet paper--but even there, "bulk" to me means 36-48 rolls, not a garage full, because I don't HAVE a garage, and I don't want one to fill up with stuff.

I do sometimes forget that bulk is a bad call, which is why I have ten bags of sunflower seeds in my pantry and a waning desire to eat them. Grocery points problems!

frugalnacho

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #56 on: April 28, 2015, 11:45:21 AM »
Bulk buyers at Costco or Sam's Club who load up "because it's cheaper to stockpile" according to them.  I put a lot of coupon users in this category, too. 
I've been there myself and would likely still be convinced of the superiority of buying in bulk until a layoff and hurricane convinced me otherwise.  When your income unexpectedly drop to zero, you realize the folly of spending your savings on toothpaste you won't need for four months, and paying a membership fee for the privelege!  When the power goes out for long enough to thaw everything in the freezer, that beef or chicken tenders is no longer a bargain.  It, plus the money to run that extra appliance is money down the drain.  The big-box shopping mentality has people convinced they need bigger cars, bigger homes with a second fridge in the garage for beverages, and a freezer in the basement....because they're saving money. 
Bag of lentils = frugal.
Family package of pork chop for a 2 person household?  Not so much.
This is true for me.  Single person in a household and I'm not a skilled shopper.  If I buy something in bulk, I get tired of it and stop eating it or it expires before I can finish it.  I understand that this is because I lack skill, but for me, I'm better off staying away from Costco, with the exception of my bi-monthly booze-runs.  I have a house in a neighborhood that people like to visit for various reasons, and my "thing" is to always have enough champagne in the fridge for a party.

Not sure how booze pricing works in your state, but michigan regulates the prices and has a minimum price that liquor can be sold at.  Frequently party stores will sell the liquor at state minimum, and have large signs advertising as such.  Costco can't beat those prices by law.  I don't think there is the same regulation on beer or wine though.

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #57 on: April 28, 2015, 11:48:44 AM »

EDIT: I checked into purchasing a whole cow (or a half, or a quarter) and it was not frugal at all.  I assumed I would be getting a deal by purchasing so much meat at one time, but the unit price was pretty high.  It was a decent price for the steaks and more expensive cuts of meat, but it was way over priced for the cheaper cuts of meat.  Overall it was more expensive than buying all the different cuts piecemeal, and you were forced to take it in proportion that the cow grew it, where as I can just go to costco and buy only my favorite cuts and pass up the cuts I don't favor, and it ends up being cheaper.  Obviously I never ended up purchasing the cow.  The whole thing left me perplexed and I wondered why anyone did when it was more expensive than the grocery store option.

I'm curious to do the math here to see how it works out. I don't remember the last time I bought meat at the grocery store (unless you count canned tuna) so I'm not sure of the prices. I know my dad buys beef in bulk, but it's from a neighbor and friend who often trades for other items/favors, so I'm sure he gets a good deal. I know for him it is also more about the quality of meat. We were talking about this the other day with respect to chickens. He'd just purchased a dozen large chickens from Hutterites nearby who raise them. He said it doesn't cost that much less than the grocery store, but the quality is so much better that it's worth it.

I don't have the numbers with me.  Ground beef is about $3.69/lb, and the higher end cuts I like (ribeye, ny strips) are around $6.99-$9.99 depending on how you time it.  The cost for a half cow was something like $10/lb straight up.  Of course I don't know any farmers, or live by any farms, so I am pretty much at the mercy of whatever the going rate for a half cow is in the suburbs.  I've heard the argument that the quality is so much better, but I don't know if I believe it.  Costco's meat is fantastic quality.  I guess I won't find out because i'm sticking with costco.

Even in a rural area, you're going to pay more if you buy a whole/half cow of meat than buying things as needed from the grocery story. When we lived in Mississippi, we had some friends who tried to talk us into buying a half cow directly from a farmer with them. To pay the farmer plus the butcher, it would have been $6/lb. Um, no thanks. That's a great price for steaks, not so much for ground beef. Which do you think you'll get more of? Plus, and this is the biggie for me: Yeah, the quality may be better. Probably will, in fact. But if sucks, you've got a whole damn freezer's worth of crappy beef that you have to eat. Which reminds me of one more issue. You're buying frozen beef, when you could be buying fresh beef for cheaper. Nope, I don't get it.

I have a few family members who raise cows, so most years, we'll get what's left over after they clean out their freezers in preparation for butchering the next one. We usually end up with plenty of roasts and ground beef, which is mostly what we eat anyway. As far as frugal goes, you can't beat free :)

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #58 on: April 28, 2015, 12:00:31 PM »
I agree with the others that stockpiling doesn't pay off for us either.  I hear people complain that the price of groceries keeps going up and up, but I honestly haven't seen it.  About 70% of our protein is from chicken and I still pay $1.99 a pound for boneless chicken breasts and that is the same price I paid 10 years ago.  Why should I pack freezers full of chicken if the price never changes? 




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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #59 on: April 28, 2015, 12:09:10 PM »
For me it's frugal to stockpile, because I factor the cost of transportation into the cost of whatever I'm buying.  So, the less trips I have to make by bus, the better off I am.  (I don't ride a bike because of balance issues and the nearest Costco is not within easy walking distance.  There are, however, two buses that pass by the Costco, and I arrange my trip so I ride down on one bus and back on the other, thus saving a one-way fare since it's technically a "transfer".)

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #60 on: April 28, 2015, 12:16:29 PM »
I agree with the others that stockpiling doesn't pay off for us either.  I hear people complain that the price of groceries keeps going up and up, but I honestly haven't seen it.  About 70% of our protein is from chicken and I still pay $1.99 a pound for boneless chicken breasts and that is the same price I paid 10 years ago.  Why should I pack freezers full of chicken if the price never changes?
Holy crap, where do you live?
Chicken breasts have been $5/lb where I live for at least a year, and this is a LCOL area. I can still remember them being in the $2-3 range and buying indiscriminately, then watching them gradually ascend to the point where I only buy at the commissary or on BOGO sales.

frugalnacho

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #61 on: April 28, 2015, 12:24:02 PM »
I agree with the others that stockpiling doesn't pay off for us either.  I hear people complain that the price of groceries keeps going up and up, but I honestly haven't seen it.  About 70% of our protein is from chicken and I still pay $1.99 a pound for boneless chicken breasts and that is the same price I paid 10 years ago.  Why should I pack freezers full of chicken if the price never changes?
Holy crap, where do you live?
Chicken breasts have been $5/lb where I live for at least a year, and this is a LCOL area. I can still remember them being in the $2-3 range and buying indiscriminately, then watching them gradually ascend to the point where I only buy at the commissary or on BOGO sales.

Chicken breasts are $2.99/lb at costco and come in prepackaged freezable packages.  I can find them on sale at the local grocery store for $1.99 pretty regularly, but it's worth the extra cost to me to get the costco packs and just freeze it.  I don't have to clean it, or package it, just pop it in the freezer, and pop out a 1 lb package when ready to use it. 

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #62 on: April 28, 2015, 12:34:23 PM »
Chicken breasts are $2.99/lb at costco and come in prepackaged freezable packages.  I can find them on sale at the local grocery store for $1.99 pretty regularly, but it's worth the extra cost to me to get the costco packs and just freeze it.  I don't have to clean it, or package it, just pop it in the freezer, and pop out a 1 lb package when ready to use it.
I'm starting to think my local stores just count on selling most of their chicken at BOGO sales, now that I'm thinking about it... it's gone up faster than most other things in recent years and they do run the sales pretty often. I guess it all averages out to a small increase from their earlier prices.
I get most of mine for around $2 at the commissary anyway, but I only get there monthly (ish), and the regular store is just a leisurely walk from home.

MgoSam

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #63 on: April 28, 2015, 12:36:12 PM »
 

EDIT: I checked into purchasing a whole cow (or a half, or a quarter) and it was not frugal at all.  I assumed I would be getting a deal by purchasing so much meat at one time, but the unit price was pretty high.  It was a decent price for the steaks and more expensive cuts of meat, but it was way over priced for the cheaper cuts of meat.  Overall it was more expensive than buying all the different cuts piecemeal, and you were forced to take it in proportion that the cow grew it, where as I can just go to costco and buy only my favorite cuts and pass up the cuts I don't favor, and it ends up being cheaper.  Obviously I never ended up purchasing the cow.  The whole thing left me perplexed and I wondered why anyone did when it was more expensive than the grocery store option.

What were you quoted? You might need to shop around, but a farmer I know in Minnesota charges $3.80/lb hanging weight plus processing. I worked out the numbers with a guy I know that raises cattle in Arkansas and said that it would work out to around $5.60/lb at the end. When I get my own place I'll consider a quarter share cause that is a really good price for grass-fed and finished beef that I can trust. Even the ground beef is cheap imo if you compare it to what you would buy at Whole Foods or a farmer's market for grassfed/finished ground beef.

frugalnacho

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #64 on: April 28, 2015, 12:39:52 PM »
 

EDIT: I checked into purchasing a whole cow (or a half, or a quarter) and it was not frugal at all.  I assumed I would be getting a deal by purchasing so much meat at one time, but the unit price was pretty high.  It was a decent price for the steaks and more expensive cuts of meat, but it was way over priced for the cheaper cuts of meat.  Overall it was more expensive than buying all the different cuts piecemeal, and you were forced to take it in proportion that the cow grew it, where as I can just go to costco and buy only my favorite cuts and pass up the cuts I don't favor, and it ends up being cheaper.  Obviously I never ended up purchasing the cow.  The whole thing left me perplexed and I wondered why anyone did when it was more expensive than the grocery store option.

What were you quoted? You might need to shop around, but a farmer I know in Minnesota charges $3.80/lb hanging weight plus processing. I worked out the numbers with a guy I know that raises cattle in Arkansas and said that it would work out to around $5.60/lb at the end. When I get my own place I'll consider a quarter share cause that is a really good price for grass-fed and finished beef that I can trust. Even the ground beef is cheap imo if you compare it to what you would buy at Whole Foods or a farmer's market for grassfed/finished ground beef.

I don't remember exactly what I was quoted.  This was like 5-6 years ago I think. I think I asked around until I found a few people that had done it (purchase a 1/4 cow) and asked them for the details and who to contact.  I just remember that when I did the math it wasn't even close.  It was a pretty open and shut case of it not being competitively priced, so I decided to just buy my meat from the grocery store and moved on.  I don't know any farmers either. 

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #65 on: April 28, 2015, 12:44:04 PM »
.  About 70% of our protein is from chicken and I still pay $1.99 a pound for boneless chicken breasts and that is the same price I paid 10 years ago.

I'm guessing that's standard, frozen chicken. It ends up being a bit more if you get fresh (wife won't let me buy frozen) and free-range (to me it definitely tastes better). But that is a conscious choice we make - we know it can be had cheaper if needed, we just prefer the quality / taste.

Le Poisson

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #66 on: April 28, 2015, 12:58:05 PM »
Curious on the stocking up thing - what about stuff that doesn't go bad - like dried beans etc.

I have no issue holding a reserve on them to offset costs in other places, and it isn't unusual to see a bag or two of some weird bean on the manager's special racks at the back of grocery stores. SWMBO won't cook them, but everyone seems happy enough to eat a soup or bean dinner if I cook them up. It just means an overnight soak and popping them in a pot the minute I get home from work so we don't have a late dinner.

I have about 4 bags in the pantry right now.

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #67 on: April 28, 2015, 01:22:44 PM »
Bulk buyers at Costco or Sam's Club who load up "because it's cheaper to stockpile" according to them.  I put a lot of coupon users in this category, too. 
I've been there myself and would likely still be convinced of the superiority of buying in bulk until a layoff and hurricane convinced me otherwise.  When your income unexpectedly drop to zero, you realize the folly of spending your savings on toothpaste you won't need for four months, and paying a membership fee for the privelege!  When the power goes out for long enough to thaw everything in the freezer, that beef or chicken tenders is no longer a bargain.  It, plus the money to run that extra appliance is money down the drain.  The big-box shopping mentality has people convinced they need bigger cars, bigger homes with a second fridge in the garage for beverages, and a freezer in the basement....because they're saving money. 
Bag of lentils = frugal.
Family package of pork chop for a 2 person household?  Not so much.

Uh...what?  This is utter nonsense.  I've done the math and I purchase things at a lower unit price by buying in bulk. 

This is like saying exercise and healthy living is bullshit.  I mean I used to be convinced of it, then BAM I got run over by a bus and died.

Clearly, I've hit a nerve.
As with all things, YMMV.
But two not uncommon events showed us that we weren't saving what we'd thought.  Hurricane Sandy wasn't our first extended power outage  (there was an ice storm in the 90's, Floyd in 99, Irene in 2011 plus a few downed trees over the years) but Sandy was the one that made me realize just how useless most of our material goods are, including the foolishness of stockpiling when you live in suburbia.  The capital costs of a freezer plus the kwh costs to run it in a perfect scenario are still $11 per month for us.  We aren't seeing that big a savings each month to buy in bulk on an amount of food we can reasonably expect to consume to shop at Costco; not with Aldi and a farmers market within a mile of our home.

Others asked --
We used to get the whole cow and pig.  Delicious, but not actually frugal.  Frugal was cutting way down on meat in our diet. 
We can fruits and pickle or freeze produce from our garden, but don't use more than the typical refrigerator freezer.  Because we mostly keep it seasonal.

It's not so much a nerve,  It's just utter nonsense.  Buying non perishable items for discounted unit prices is anything but a folly, it's just math.  I don't understand how it's even debatable unless you aren't buying at discounted prices (then why are you stocking up?) or are buying/using things you wouldn't normally buy (if you weren't buying in bulk).  As long as the discount you received is larger than the expected return from investment, you should stock up.  Of course don't stock up on toothpaste if you are living paycheck to paycheck and couldn't weather a lay off, but I can't believe that even needs mentioning.

As for the meat, i'm fairly certain I have saved enough money by preplanning meals and buying freezable items in bulk that I could stand to lose the contents of my entire freezer and I would still come out ahead.   You only named 4 disasters over the past 25 years that could have potentially destroyed perishable items in your freezer.  Surely you could have been saving significant amounts of money during that 25 year period and have either afforded the losses, or purchased yourself a generator. 

EDIT: I checked into purchasing a whole cow (or a half, or a quarter) and it was not frugal at all.  I assumed I would be getting a deal by purchasing so much meat at one time, but the unit price was pretty high.  It was a decent price for the steaks and more expensive cuts of meat, but it was way over priced for the cheaper cuts of meat.  Overall it was more expensive than buying all the different cuts piecemeal, and you were forced to take it in proportion that the cow grew it, where as I can just go to costco and buy only my favorite cuts and pass up the cuts I don't favor, and it ends up being cheaper.  Obviously I never ended up purchasing the cow.  The whole thing left me perplexed and I wondered why anyone did when it was more expensive than the grocery store option.

I think it matters who you go to.  Us, we can get organic, 100% grassfed beef for $4 a lb packaged weight for a side, cheaper for a whole.  Right now ground beef by me is 5 bucks a lb and steaks are 10 and up, roasts are running around 6 and that's not for grassfed beef.   I take the offal too and make stock and treats for the dogs.  However, I have to drive 2 hours to the farmer, try to find that inside of the Beltway and then you end up in your situation where people are charging more because it's trendy to be local.

Giro

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #68 on: April 28, 2015, 02:26:15 PM »
.  About 70% of our protein is from chicken and I still pay $1.99 a pound for boneless chicken breasts and that is the same price I paid 10 years ago.

I'm guessing that's standard, frozen chicken. It ends up being a bit more if you get fresh (wife won't let me buy frozen) and free-range (to me it definitely tastes better). But that is a conscious choice we make - we know it can be had cheaper if needed, we just prefer the quality / taste.

We do not buy frozen chicken.  5ish pounds fresh chicken breast at the commissary. $1.99 a pound.   I'm with Penn and Teller on the taste.  I have seen too many people fail the test taste.  My friend even put on a taste test on base and the number of people that could tell the organic, free-range with any consistency was less than 10%.  Now, if it's about ethics and animal abuse, I can see that. 

FatCat

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #69 on: April 28, 2015, 02:32:59 PM »
.  About 70% of our protein is from chicken and I still pay $1.99 a pound for boneless chicken breasts and that is the same price I paid 10 years ago.

I'm guessing that's standard, frozen chicken. It ends up being a bit more if you get fresh (wife won't let me buy frozen) and free-range (to me it definitely tastes better). But that is a conscious choice we make - we know it can be had cheaper if needed, we just prefer the quality / taste.

We do not buy frozen chicken.  5ish pounds fresh chicken breast at the commissary. $1.99 a pound.   I'm with Penn and Teller on the taste.  I have seen too many people fail the test taste.  My friend even put on a taste test on base and the number of people that could tell the organic, free-range with any consistency was less than 10%.  Now, if it's about ethics and animal abuse, I can see that.

I get $1.99 skinless boneless breast meat all the time too. Not frozen. Not on sale. That's the standard price to me.

However, most of the meat in the fresh meat area has been previously frozen before being shipped to the store.

cerebus

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #70 on: April 29, 2015, 01:25:21 AM »
Can we get the topic back on the rails?
 

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #71 on: April 29, 2015, 08:57:37 AM »
That's a cool looking truck. I wonder what the monthly payment would be on that...






On topic.... Hm... I know somebody that buys one roll of toilet paper every time. He always grabs whatever is the cheapest package of anything. Even if it's obviously a better deal to buy the bigger package. He also buys precisely the amount of food he will eat on that day. When I asked him why he does this he got irritated and acted like it's wasteful to buy the big packs of toilet paper.

And I have one friend who does the opposite. He always buys the biggest package of everything. And he supersizes everything he buys at fast food restaurants. He thinks you must always buy the biggest package because it's the best deal, then wastes all the excess food. Remember that to be a smart spender you need to buy the biggest soda and the biggest popcorn every time you go to the movies. Even if you just left a buffet and are full. Never pass up a deal.

I know one lady who is a super penny pincher. She bought plasticware because it's cheaper than silverware and washes it all the time like it's silverware. She collects the tags off Christmas gifts after they're opened and tapes them back on again next year. She cut down on that too because she told everyone that she won't buy them Christmas gifts anymore. She'll only buy Christmas gifts for her two grandkids and nobody else because adults can buy their own stuff. But yet, she and her husband get brand new trucks every few years. So all the penny pinching just pays for the depreciation on the new trucks.

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #72 on: April 29, 2015, 12:35:50 PM »
People think that it's a smart idea to buy a new car once you've paid off the old one because that way you don't get used to the extra money being available each month. So if you have a $300 car payment and you just paid it off, you need to look for a new car with a similar payment before you become accustomed to the extra $300 being available and lifestyle inflation "prevents" you from buying a new car when you do need one.
Is this your interpretation or have people actually told you that they believe this? Because that is seriously one of the most insane things I have ever heard...

As messed up as this sounds, it makes sense. The point of it is that if you say have $1000 disposable income every month and this suddenly becomes $1300, because you paid off your car. You will spend more and when you need a new car, you will have to cut back spending to afford it.

Now lets say you take that extra money and rent an apartment for 300$ more a month. Then your car breaks down and you need a new one. You now cant afford that apartment, because you will need to finance another car.

I'm not saying its a good idea, but for the average pay check to pay check guy, I bet it works.

Yeah, I sort of get the general idea. But that just makes it particularly weird to me because it betrays that there was actually some rational thought that went into this. And then at some random point the rationality went completely out the window. Unless we assume that the genius that thought of this has absolutely no idea of the concept of saving. And I mean not in the sense that they think something like "saving is impossible for an average person since live is too expensive". But in the sense that they have no clue that the concept of saving exists at all. If you assume that all of the money that comes in each month also has to be spent in that very month, then the train of thought is suddenly perfectly logical.
Sounds kind of like a co-worker of mine whose young, single son is in the military.  When he decided he wanted a sports car, she encouraged him to go ahead and do it while he was young and had the disposable income.  She cautioned him that he'd better "get it out of his system" before he has a family and is required to spend everything on needs.  These weren't her exact words, but the gist of it was, "You're going to spend every penny anyway, and a sports car is something more permanent than living in an upscale apartment or going to the bar every night. 

On the other hand, I'm talking to my slightly-younger daughter about working this summer before her senior year in college and saving every penny so that IF she chooses to relocate after graduation for a good job offer, lack of an apartment downpayment, etc. won't hold her back.  And I'm already talking to her about beginning her 401K from the day she first sets foot in the hospital as an RN, then moving towards other investments as soon as she's able.  If she told me she planned to spend every penny and be broke on the last day of every month, I'd feel I'd done poorly by her.   

The trick is getting the right farmer and butcher combo.
Yeah, we used to do this, but the price has skyrocketed lately, and I can't justify it any longer. 
I'm starting to think my local stores just count on selling most of their chicken at BOGO sales, now that I'm thinking about it... it's gone up faster than most other things in recent years and they do run the sales pretty often.
If you start keeping a grocery price book, you'll be able to predict with very good accuracy WHEN those BOGOF sales will pop up -- for us, we see chicken on that good sale about every 5-6 weeks.  So we stockpile about what we'll need for that time frame ... and no more.  Information is power.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2015, 12:42:58 PM by MrsPete »

BlueHouse

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #73 on: April 29, 2015, 12:46:12 PM »
She collects the tags off Christmas gifts after they're opened and tapes them back on again next year.
I do this.  Even the most spendy people in my family do this.  I used to put post it notes on the tags so they could be re-used, but we finally decided to just write the person's name on the tag and then reuse the same tag for each person each year.  Some of those fancy tags are expensive!  And they're really pretty too.

FatCat

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #74 on: April 29, 2015, 01:50:51 PM »
She collects the tags off Christmas gifts after they're opened and tapes them back on again next year.
I do this.  Even the most spendy people in my family do this.  I used to put post it notes on the tags so they could be re-used, but we finally decided to just write the person's name on the tag and then reuse the same tag for each person each year.  Some of those fancy tags are expensive!  And they're really pretty too.

It's a good idea really. Especially if they are nice tags and bows. I just think it's weird they do all these little things to save money, then overspend on big things.

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #75 on: April 29, 2015, 02:04:53 PM »
If you start keeping a grocery price book, you'll be able to predict with very good accuracy WHEN those BOGOF sales will pop up -- for us, we see chicken on that good sale about every 5-6 weeks.  So we stockpile about what we'll need for that time frame ... and no more.  Information is power.
It actually happens so often here that I don't feel the need to stash more than a couple of pounds. One of my biggest MMM-inspired moves in the last year was moving to a walkable neighborhood, where I can hit the store 2-3x a week for fresh stuff. My dogs love the walk and it reduces stockpiling needs.

Neither of us has ever been picky about fresh/frozen meat - we normally buy in bulk and freeze in small bags anyway.

Le Poisson

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #76 on: April 29, 2015, 02:09:15 PM »
She collects the tags off Christmas gifts after they're opened and tapes them back on again next year.
I do this.  Even the most spendy people in my family do this.  I used to put post it notes on the tags so they could be re-used, but we finally decided to just write the person's name on the tag and then reuse the same tag for each person each year.  Some of those fancy tags are expensive!  And they're really pretty too.

And here I am writing on the wrapping paper with a sharpie like some kind of sucka. I wonder if buying a sharpie once a year is cheaper more frugal than reusing the same tags.

Nice thing about the tags is that they limit the giftage to match the number of tags.  We have grandparents who give in quantity over quality, and we end up with millions of dollar store 'treasures' every year. Seriously who buys a 3 yr old boy a glass ring (jewelry) holder, leaves the $1 sticker on it, and then wraps it in a box from Bombay company to pass it off as a valuable? But I digress. I wonder if we could make cloth tags from clothing scraps and have it become a sort of tradition.

FatCat

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #77 on: April 29, 2015, 02:17:27 PM »
And here I am writing on the wrapping paper with a sharpie like some kind of sucka. I wonder if buying a sharpie once a year is cheaper more frugal than reusing the same tags.

Stop using wrapping paper every year like a sucka. Make one gift box/bag per person you shop for. Always take it after they open it. Always buy a gift that fits in that same gift package every year.

Le Poisson

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #78 on: April 29, 2015, 02:25:37 PM »
But some of our favourite wrapping paper is paper grocery bags that we let the kids colour on... We can't give that up!

CommonCents

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #79 on: April 29, 2015, 02:30:51 PM »
She collects the tags off Christmas gifts after they're opened and tapes them back on again next year.
I do this.  Even the most spendy people in my family do this.  I used to put post it notes on the tags so they could be re-used, but we finally decided to just write the person's name on the tag and then reuse the same tag for each person each year.  Some of those fancy tags are expensive!  And they're really pretty too.

We do this in my family.  And we also save the wrapping paper.  Except for my nephew, who was not really trained up the same way (my sister has become quite consumerist).

BlueHouse

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #80 on: April 29, 2015, 02:54:11 PM »
She collects the tags off Christmas gifts after they're opened and tapes them back on again next year.
I do this.  Even the most spendy people in my family do this.  I used to put post it notes on the tags so they could be re-used, but we finally decided to just write the person's name on the tag and then reuse the same tag for each person each year.  Some of those fancy tags are expensive!  And they're really pretty too.

We do this in my family.  And we also save the wrapping paper.  Except for my nephew, who was not really trained up the same way (my sister has become quite consumerist).
I don't save the wrapping paper, but I do love those reusable boxes and bags that you buy at Costco.  We've been using the same 2 sets of boxes for over 10 years.  The bags wear out faster but can generally make it 2 or 3 years at least.

Edit:  oh, and if I save on the small stuff, then I can buy the big things that I want (within reason)

FatCat

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #81 on: April 29, 2015, 03:10:19 PM »
But some of our favourite wrapping paper is paper grocery bags that we let the kids colour on... We can't give that up!

Carry on then! ;)

CommonCents

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #82 on: April 29, 2015, 03:44:59 PM »
She collects the tags off Christmas gifts after they're opened and tapes them back on again next year.
I do this.  Even the most spendy people in my family do this.  I used to put post it notes on the tags so they could be re-used, but we finally decided to just write the person's name on the tag and then reuse the same tag for each person each year.  Some of those fancy tags are expensive!  And they're really pretty too.

We do this in my family.  And we also save the wrapping paper.  Except for my nephew, who was not really trained up the same way (my sister has become quite consumerist).
I don't save the wrapping paper, but I do love those reusable boxes and bags that you buy at Costco.  We've been using the same 2 sets of boxes for over 10 years.  The bags wear out faster but can generally make it 2 or 3 years at least.

Edit:  oh, and if I save on the small stuff, then I can buy the big things that I want (within reason)

Yep, we reuse boxes too.  My mom has a box of boxes and even at 35, I still dig through it to find boxes to put presents into.

For that reason, I highly doubt the Bombay outside box was intended to "hide" the value of the present inside by making them think it was worth more.  I suspect it was just a convenient box.  (If Bombay is the alcohol that I'm thinking of, it's even more likely it wasn't intended as a nefarious coverup scheme!)

dorothyc

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #83 on: April 29, 2015, 03:53:43 PM »
She collects the tags off Christmas gifts after they're opened and tapes them back on again next year.
I do this.  Even the most spendy people in my family do this.  I used to put post it notes on the tags so they could be re-used, but we finally decided to just write the person's name on the tag and then reuse the same tag for each person each year.  Some of those fancy tags are expensive!  And they're really pretty too.

We do this in my family.  And we also save the wrapping paper.  Except for my nephew, who was not really trained up the same way (my sister has become quite consumerist).
I don't save the wrapping paper, but I do love those reusable boxes and bags that you buy at Costco.  We've been using the same 2 sets of boxes for over 10 years.  The bags wear out faster but can generally make it 2 or 3 years at least.

Edit:  oh, and if I save on the small stuff, then I can buy the big things that I want (within reason)

Yep, we reuse boxes too.  My mom has a box of boxes and even at 35, I still dig through it to find boxes to put presents into.

For that reason, I highly doubt the Bombay outside box was intended to "hide" the value of the present inside by making them think it was worth more.  I suspect it was just a convenient box.  (If Bombay is the alcohol that I'm thinking of, it's even more likely it wasn't intended as a nefarious coverup scheme!)
I think they mean the store - Bombay Company, something like this:

http://www.bombaycompany.com/store/decorative-storage-boxes/jordan-studded-boxes-set-of-3/87649-3

Le Poisson

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #84 on: April 29, 2015, 06:17:13 PM »
She collects the tags off Christmas gifts after they're opened and tapes them back on again next year.
I do this.  Even the most spendy people in my family do this.  I used to put post it notes on the tags so they could be re-used, but we finally decided to just write the person's name on the tag and then reuse the same tag for each person each year.  Some of those fancy tags are expensive!  And they're really pretty too.

We do this in my family.  And we also save the wrapping paper.  Except for my nephew, who was not really trained up the same way (my sister has become quite consumerist).
I don't save the wrapping paper, but I do love those reusable boxes and bags that you buy at Costco.  We've been using the same 2 sets of boxes for over 10 years.  The bags wear out faster but can generally make it 2 or 3 years at least.

Edit:  oh, and if I save on the small stuff, then I can buy the big things that I want (within reason)

Yep, we reuse boxes too.  My mom has a box of boxes and even at 35, I still dig through it to find boxes to put presents into.

For that reason, I highly doubt the Bombay outside box was intended to "hide" the value of the present inside by making them think it was worth more.  I suspect it was just a convenient box.  (If Bombay is the alcohol that I'm thinking of, it's even more likely it wasn't intended as a nefarious coverup scheme!)
I think they mean the store - Bombay Company, something like this:

http://www.bombaycompany.com/store/decorative-storage-boxes/jordan-studded-boxes-set-of-3/87649-3


You are correct - that is the Bombay Company - expensive knick-knackery to gather dust at exhorbitant prices. And was it a nefarious plot to raise the price of dollar store crap? Well, we'll never know for sure, but if you met my mother and if you saw the stuff she comes up with as Christmas gifts, you might agree with me, that there ins nothing unplanned about her little mistakes, hints and nuances when it comes to gift-giving.

Which brings us back to people who pretend to be frugal but aren't. Bragging to your daughter-in-law about how you managed to get your grandchild "All this stuff for only $25.00 at Dollarama!!!" Then pointing out that other grandparents only got one outfit for each kid doesn't make you frugal. It makes you dumb. All that plastic will be in a landfill in 2 weeks, but the clothes will be worn until they're worn out, and the kids will remember them long after they've forgotten the glass jewelry holder they never had use for in the first place. I know I sound ungrateful and awful, but our basement can only hold so much plastic and lead-based paint. That same $25 could have bought shoes or legos or a lot of other things the kids could actually enjoy.

As for Bombay alcohol - I didn't know there was such a beast - I'll have to go look it up. Mostly I drink rum, so that may be the reason behind my ignorance.

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #85 on: April 29, 2015, 07:10:08 PM »
Bulk buyers at Costco or Sam's Club who load up "because it's cheaper to stockpile" according to them.  I put a lot of coupon users in this category, too. 
I've been there myself and would likely still be convinced of the superiority of buying in bulk until a layoff and hurricane convinced me otherwise.  When your income unexpectedly drop to zero, you realize the folly of spending your savings on toothpaste you won't need for four months, and paying a membership fee for the privelege!  When the power goes out for long enough to thaw everything in the freezer, that beef or chicken tenders is no longer a bargain.  It, plus the money to run that extra appliance is money down the drain.  The big-box shopping mentality has people convinced they need bigger cars, bigger homes with a second fridge in the garage for beverages, and a freezer in the basement....because they're saving money. 
Bag of lentils = frugal.
Family package of pork chop for a 2 person household?  Not so much.
(emphasis mine)
I don't understand how it could possibly be advantageous to stockpile things like toothpaste. I bought a family pack for $12 four years ago and I'm not even halfway through the bloody thing. In my experience, having large supplies of whatever just makes you consume more of it without you realizing it. You instinctively put more toothpaste on the toothbrush, or eat larger portions of food.

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #86 on: April 29, 2015, 07:29:24 PM »
Bulk buyers at Costco or Sam's Club who load up "because it's cheaper to stockpile" according to them.  I put a lot of coupon users in this category, too. 
I've been there myself and would likely still be convinced of the superiority of buying in bulk until a layoff and hurricane convinced me otherwise.  When your income unexpectedly drop to zero, you realize the folly of spending your savings on toothpaste you won't need for four months, and paying a membership fee for the privelege!  When the power goes out for long enough to thaw everything in the freezer, that beef or chicken tenders is no longer a bargain.  It, plus the money to run that extra appliance is money down the drain.  The big-box shopping mentality has people convinced they need bigger cars, bigger homes with a second fridge in the garage for beverages, and a freezer in the basement....because they're saving money. 
Bag of lentils = frugal.
Family package of pork chop for a 2 person household?  Not so much.
(emphasis mine)
I don't understand how it could possibly be advantageous to stockpile things like toothpaste. I bought a family pack for $12 four years ago and I'm not even halfway through the bloody thing. In my experience, having large supplies of whatever just makes you consume more of it without you realizing it. You instinctively put more toothpaste on the toothbrush, or eat larger portions of food.

You realize that's what stock piling is? A 4 year supply is a stock pile. I also don't think it makes me use more.  I use toothpaste, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, toilet paper, and kleenex as much as I need to, but no more.  I get your point if I had a stock pile of perishable stuff, or stuff that I could simply consume more of like beer, but for a lot of things having excess won't cause me to use any more.

hodedofome

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Re: People who claim to be &quot;frugal&quot; but are not
« Reply #87 on: April 29, 2015, 09:35:23 PM »
My boss thinks he's frugal because he lives in an average sized paid off house, drives new economic cars and raises rabbits in his back yard for meat. And endlessly talks about his frugality. But he also has a spare newer F150, an RV trailer, a motorcycle, an airplane, and eats out often. Yeah you paid off your house but then you spent an equal amount of money on toys!

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #88 on: April 29, 2015, 10:07:36 PM »
I love stockpiling non-perishables (of foods with long shelf-lives) from BJ's Wholesale.  I save a ton of money doing it all the time.  I also eat the same breakfast and lunch everyday, though, to minimize cost and calorie count while maximizing nutrition, so maybe I'm a little weird.  I recently bought 4 lbs of yeast for $11.98, so now I have yeast for baking bread and pizzas for many months.  It saves me a ton of money.

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #89 on: April 29, 2015, 10:29:08 PM »
I attended a happy hour last night for a coworker who was leaving. So many people were claiming to be trying to "save money" yet were pounding back expensive fancy drinks and ordering food. I had one $3 beer on special then went home and ate leftovers.

I think St. Augustine's cousin said something like, that. "Lord, make me frugal, but not yet."

+1. I am such a nerd for getting this reference.

cerebus

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #90 on: April 30, 2015, 12:04:37 AM »

You realize that's what stock piling is? A 4 year supply is a stock pile. I also don't think it makes me use more.  I use toothpaste, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, toilet paper, and kleenex as much as I need to, but no more.  I get your point if I had a stock pile of perishable stuff, or stuff that I could simply consume more of like beer, but for a lot of things having excess won't cause me to use any more.

Yea but like... really stockpiling just becomes clutter. It's fine to a certain extent but I can't cope with years worth of toilet paper clogging up my limited space. I imagine you would save on it though. It's not like you're going to become a profligate pooper now that you can wrap your house with TP.

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #91 on: April 30, 2015, 06:14:00 AM »
Um, I'll put myself in this category.

I stopped buying women's magazines, because you're basically paying money to read a catalogue made up entirely of adverts and articles about how you're doing life wrong, the £50 exfoliator you must own, etc. So I feel smug that I'm not taking part in that consumerist BS.

Yet I still buy takeaway coffees at the weekend AND eat out waaaaaay too much.

I feel smug that I don't have a financed car. But actually I have nowhere to drive and couldn't afford to buy a car paying cash second-hand.

But I still cling to the smug feelings like I'm a frugal superhero. With a little cape on. I need to up my game a little bit.

Giro

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Re: People who claim to be &quot;frugal&quot; but are not
« Reply #92 on: April 30, 2015, 07:15:21 AM »
My boss thinks he's frugal because he lives in an average sized paid off house, drives new economic cars and raises rabbits in his back yard for meat. And endlessly talks about his frugality. But he also has a spare newer F150, an RV trailer, a motorcycle, an airplane, and eats out often. Yeah you paid off your house but then you spent an equal amount of money on toys!

Depending on how much of this is financed, it could be frugal for him.  I guess I'm defending myself as well.  Outwardly, we appear extremely anti-MMM.  We have 3 motorcycles, 3 new vehicles, 3 gym memberships and send our kid to private school.  On the inside, everything is paid off and we save 70%+ of our income. 


cerebus

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Re: People who claim to be &quot;frugal&quot; but are not
« Reply #93 on: April 30, 2015, 07:52:41 AM »
Depending on how much of this is financed, it could be frugal for him.  I guess I'm defending myself as well.  Outwardly, we appear extremely anti-MMM.  We have 3 motorcycles, 3 new vehicles, 3 gym memberships and send our kid to private school.  On the inside, everything is paid off and we save 70%+ of our income.

Unless he has a net worth over say... $10 million, there's no possible way that behaviour is frugal for him.

maco

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #94 on: April 30, 2015, 09:24:16 AM »
My boss calls himself frugal but buys lunch out every day.

My neighbor was so excited to tell me he picked up my frugal ways and used a Groupon to get a weekend deal at a ski place. But he never used it because there wasn't any snow.
On the plus side, if you don't use it by the time it expires, you can request a refund.

BlueHouse

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #95 on: April 30, 2015, 11:57:56 AM »
What are thoughts on replacing all light bulbs with more energy efficient bulbs?  I get the long term energy savings, but I see a lot of people in my neighborhood pulling ALMOST NEW CFLs to replace with LEDs, then they either toss or give away the CFLs.  I'm scooping them all up and storing them.  I replaced the CFLs anywhere that I want dimmables, but I'm keeping CFLs for garage, closets, hallways, etc.  I probably have 40 years of CFLs in my garage now.  I can't stand to throw something away if it still has useful life in it. 

maco

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #96 on: April 30, 2015, 01:05:44 PM »
What are thoughts on replacing all light bulbs with more energy efficient bulbs?  I get the long term energy savings, but I see a lot of people in my neighborhood pulling ALMOST NEW CFLs to replace with LEDs, then they either toss or give away the CFLs.  I'm scooping them all up and storing them.  I replaced the CFLs anywhere that I want dimmables, but I'm keeping CFLs for garage, closets, hallways, etc.  I probably have 40 years of CFLs in my garage now.  I can't stand to throw something away if it still has useful life in it.

CFL v LED is like 12W v 9W, so it probably makes sense to just wait for them to burn out. However, the halogen bulbs on the side of the house for security lighting? Halogens are just fancy incandescents. Replace those. Cree makes a outdoor dimmable flood light LED now (I know because I was waiting for them to come into existence for my dim-then-bright-on-motion security lights, and they did last year).

LeRainDrop

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #97 on: May 06, 2015, 06:09:53 PM »
I don't understand how it could possibly be advantageous to stockpile things like toothpaste. I bought a family pack for $12 four years ago and I'm not even halfway through the bloody thing.
Sounds like you could probably stand to brush your teeth a little more often!

MLKnits

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #98 on: May 08, 2015, 08:29:55 AM »
I don't understand how it could possibly be advantageous to stockpile things like toothpaste. I bought a family pack for $12 four years ago and I'm not even halfway through the bloody thing.
Sounds like you could probably stand to brush your teeth a little more often!

I admit, I'm trying to picture eight years' worth of toothpaste for $12 and I'm coming up with either "maybe brush more" or "maybe don't let that substance touch you."

I definitely use too much toothpaste (never quite mastered the "pea-size" amount, usually have more like the length of the bristles) but at best I think I could get down to one value-size tube a month, brushing twice a day with the correct amount each time. So that's 96 tubes for eight years (if, at four years, it's roughly halfway used). 96 tubes' worth for $12 ... that doesn't sound like anything I want to expose my mucous membranes to, I gotta say. Sort of like I'm not going to buy sushi at the dollar store.

Paul der Krake

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Re: People who claim to be "frugal" but are not
« Reply #99 on: May 08, 2015, 10:14:14 AM »
I don't understand how it could possibly be advantageous to stockpile things like toothpaste. I bought a family pack for $12 four years ago and I'm not even halfway through the bloody thing.
Sounds like you could probably stand to brush your teeth a little more often!

I admit, I'm trying to picture eight years' worth of toothpaste for $12 and I'm coming up with either "maybe brush more" or "maybe don't let that substance touch you."

I definitely use too much toothpaste (never quite mastered the "pea-size" amount, usually have more like the length of the bristles) but at best I think I could get down to one value-size tube a month, brushing twice a day with the correct amount each time. So that's 96 tubes for eight years (if, at four years, it's roughly halfway used). 96 tubes' worth for $12 ... that doesn't sound like anything I want to expose my mucous membranes to, I gotta say. Sort of like I'm not going to buy sushi at the dollar store.
You guys, I'm clean, I swear! It was a pack of 4 large tubes, each the size of a large banana. I brush twice a day (three times a day on the weekends), it goes reaaaally slowly when you only put a little bit on the brush.