Author Topic: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life  (Read 6949 times)

wrangler05

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Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« on: April 07, 2016, 11:43:26 AM »
I joined MMM last year, sold my 2 door expensive FR-S (though I love this car), cleared my loans, paid off my cousin's debt, credit cards and now recently did a wonderful thing - opening a savings account for emergency fund. I never thought about savings or investments until an year ago. I owe all these changes to MMM and the forum members. All these changes made me happy, so what about the title - 'humor'

This morning on the way to work, I was listening to the local radio station

Radio Ad 1: "Come visit our XXYY store, You never know what you want until you see it in our store"

Me thinking: Why would I not know about something I want until I see it? Oh gosh! here's toothpaste, I forgot to brush my teeth daily for over a month until I saw this toothpaste here in XXYY store....

Radio Ad 2: "if you have a job (no mention of salary here) and $5 down payment, you can own a 2016 YYZZ car (typical $25,000 sedan) today, why wait? bad credit? no credit? no problem!!"

This ad made me chuckle a little because pre-MMM, I would have thought of visiting and checking out the awesome deal with only $5 down.

All these outrageous ads were normal or awesome deals for me pre-MMM, now they add a little humor to my life, Thanks again MMM!!!!

forummm

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2016, 12:31:39 PM »
Glad you could change the way you look at things--and make changes as a result too!

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2016, 04:10:37 PM »
DW and I were on a trip recently and I was befuddled by a lot of the billboards.  Pandora jewelry, expensive watches, perfume, luxury cars, etc.  I don't know about the rest of the world, but we simply don't have the time and energy (not to mention the money) to worry about things like that.

TheAnonOne

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2016, 09:30:52 AM »
I love Vegas, for walking around and seeing some cool stuff, but I get the same shocked feeling when I see the random ads for $X,XXX bag or whatever.

I am also a fan of the radio ads we have here in MN.... "DO YOU HAVE A JOB????, DO YOU HAVE ONE DOLLAR???? YOU CAN HAVE A BRAND NEW CAR TODAY!!!!"

Oh well, this is the stuff that keeps my holdings high and growing I suppose. You and I have a good view in that we find comedic value in it and don't let get too deep.

TravelJunkyQC

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2016, 08:56:08 AM »
I had the misfortune of going to the mall last Friday (recent back injury means that I need flat work shoes, of which I have none). Went comparison shopping and settled on buying them at a big department store that was having a sale. I loved the stickers in the shoes that said "the more you buy, the more you save!" (it was a buy 2 get 20% off, buy 3 get 30% off... etc). I found it hilarious. The cashier also asked me if I wanted to store card... it's free! And what my e-mail was to receive coupons. My reply to both was "I'm here on doctors orders... literally, I don't shop."

ketchup

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2016, 09:37:51 AM »
I've avoided advertising so much that when I do see this sort of thing, it's *very* amusing.  Caught a show on live TV at a friend's house a few weeks ago.  All the commercials: GET A NEW CAR!  EAT SHITTY FOOD!  CELL PHONES!  ASK YOU DOCTOR ABOUT DRUGS BECAUSE DRUGS!  GET ANOTHER NEW CAR!  EAT MORE SHITTY FOOD!

Very distracting.  I can't believe people subject themselves to that willingly every day (and pay Comcast for the privilege!).

Fuck ads.  Don't "watch TV."  If there's a show you want to watch, find a way to watch it without ads (Netflix/Amazon Video/etc. lots of options these days compared to 10 years ago).  Don't listen to the radio in the car.  Podcasts and your own music are better anyway.  Install an ad-blocker in your web browser.  If you have "free with ads" apps on your smartphone, cough up the few bucks and get rid of the ads.  Go to the gas station that doesn't blast ads in your face while fueling up.

It saves so much mental bandwidth (even compared to "just tuning it out").  And probably helps curb any potential subconscious consumerism.  The advertisers are smarter than you and I are.

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2016, 03:22:25 PM »
I had the misfortune of going to the mall last Friday (recent back injury means that I need flat work shoes, of which I have none). Went comparison shopping and settled on buying them at a big department store that was having a sale. I loved the stickers in the shoes that said "the more you buy, the more you save!" (it was a buy 2 get 20% off, buy 3 get 30% off... etc). I found it hilarious. The cashier also asked me if I wanted to store card... it's free! And what my e-mail was to receive coupons. My reply to both was "I'm here on doctors orders... literally, I don't shop."

If you bought 10, could you save 100% off all of them and have shoes for the rest of your working career?

coolistdude

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2016, 10:05:50 PM »
I've avoided advertising so much that when I do see this sort of thing, it's *very* amusing.  Caught a show on live TV at a friend's house a few weeks ago.  All the commercials: GET A NEW CAR!  EAT SHITTY FOOD!  CELL PHONES!  ASK YOU DOCTOR ABOUT DRUGS BECAUSE DRUGS!  GET ANOTHER NEW CAR!  EAT MORE SHITTY FOOD!

Very distracting.  I can't believe people subject themselves to that willingly every day (and pay Comcast for the privilege!).

Fuck ads.  Don't "watch TV."  If there's a show you want to watch, find a way to watch it without ads (Netflix/Amazon Video/etc. lots of options these days compared to 10 years ago).  Don't listen to the radio in the car.  Podcasts and your own music are better anyway.  Install an ad-blocker in your web browser.  If you have "free with ads" apps on your smartphone, cough up the few bucks and get rid of the ads.  Go to the gas station that doesn't blast ads in your face while fueling up.

It saves so much mental bandwidth (even compared to "just tuning it out").  And probably helps curb any potential subconscious consumerism.  The advertisers are smarter than you and I are.

+1 for podcasts. Dan Carlin, Car Talk and Dave Ramsey helped me get through a difficult time in life. If you like music but hate commercials, Google Music is nice. You can upload your entire library and download it onto devices (like a phone) to avoid using data. Back when I commuted, I had my favorite albums on it (yes, you can listen without shuffling. I'm looking at you Spotify).

Tyson

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2016, 10:14:15 PM »
I check out books on CD from the library and listen to them in my car.  The library also has a bunch of cd sets of "The Great Courses" from the Teaching Company, which are awesome.  I alternate between fiction and non fiction.  Really cool stuff, and free.

MgoSam

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2016, 07:41:33 AM »
I check out books on CD from the library and listen to them in my car.  The library also has a bunch of cd sets of "The Great Courses" from the Teaching Company, which are awesome.  I alternate between fiction and non fiction.  Really cool stuff, and free.

+1, I still recall grabbing "The Millionaire Next Door," on a complete whim, thinking that it would be nonsensical stuff like so many 'get rich,' books are, until I started listening to it and realizing that it was completely different. Through that book and my friend I was able to discover MMM.

JoRocka

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2016, 09:53:35 AM »
I find car commercials the most absurd.
I listen to the radio a lot b/c the vehicle for work I have has no other options- and since there is no way to charge my phone I can't use my phone all day for a 2 hr drive- 8 hrs on site 2 hrs back home. So radio it is.

Mostly I just laugh.

I'm trying really hard to trim down my spamming accounts- I realized I get sucked up into email spam for ads on make up much more frequently b/c of it- even watching make up tutorials (I'm an amatuear MUA) that I get sucked up into "product reviews" from random youtubers and I'm like MUST HAVE THAT.

It really contributed quite a bit to my spending in the winter- so I'm knocking that off quite a bit as well. I have more than enough make up to make do. No need for more. Ever.

MgoSam

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2016, 10:02:31 AM »
I find car commercials the most absurd.
I listen to the radio a lot b/c the vehicle for work I have has no other options- and since there is no way to charge my phone I can't use my phone all day for a 2 hr drive- 8 hrs on site 2 hrs back home. So radio it is.

Might I recommend audiobooks? I have an Audible account and also go to the library to borrow cds that I use when driving.

JoRocka

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #12 on: April 12, 2016, 11:06:50 AM »
I find car commercials the most absurd.
I listen to the radio a lot b/c the vehicle for work I have has no other options- and since there is no way to charge my phone I can't use my phone all day for a 2 hr drive- 8 hrs on site 2 hrs back home. So radio it is.

Might I recommend audiobooks? I have an Audible account and also go to the library to borrow cds that I use when driving.

That would be great... assuming that the super extra special chevy cavalier base model I get to drive (affectionately known as the hoopty)- had a CD player- or a casset player.

But I work for da gubment.
 
the base model is what I get. So- radio it is :(

projekt

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #13 on: April 12, 2016, 03:12:18 PM »
There are little FM transmitters that you can get that will play your ipod or whatever to an unused frequency, such as the Griffin iTrip. Reviews say they seem to work for most people.

ketchup

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #14 on: April 12, 2016, 03:44:00 PM »
There are little FM transmitters that you can get that will play your ipod or whatever to an unused frequency, such as the Griffin iTrip. Reviews say they seem to work for most people.
They work if your FM antenna is close to where you're using your iPod.  Years ago I tried to use one in my dad's '94 Buick, but its radio antenna was way at the back of the car so it was crackly and awful.

jinga nation

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Re: Thanks MMM for adding little humor to my life
« Reply #15 on: April 13, 2016, 03:05:31 PM »
There are little FM transmitters that you can get that will play your ipod or whatever to an unused frequency, such as the Griffin iTrip. Reviews say they seem to work for most people.
They work if your FM antenna is close to where you're using your iPod.  Years ago I tried to use one in my dad's '94 Buick, but its radio antenna was way at the back of the car so it was crackly and awful.
My FM transmitter worked even though my car's antennas are embedded in the rear windshield. It is the top portion above the defrost circuits (long horizontal lines).
JoRocka, if you want a free FM transmitter (for the cost of shipping only), please PM me your address. I've used it with my iPod Touch when I drove to Toronto... sometimes you have to scan and find an unused frequency.