Author Topic: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?  (Read 26715 times)

I Love Cake

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #50 on: May 07, 2013, 01:56:00 PM »
I spend $60 per month on waxing
$230 every 6 months on my hair-cut and colour

Expensive cable-$110 per month

citrine

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #51 on: May 07, 2013, 04:44:31 PM »
We eat out or order in about 2 times a week.
DH refuses to give up HD cable.
Home Depot...we love to renovate and update our house :) but we do it only with cash saved up.

yolfer

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #52 on: May 08, 2013, 02:07:49 PM »
For our family it's a tie between:

1. the amount we spend at restaurants
2. we still have a car and a scooter, even though we live in a dense urban area with great walk/bike paths, 2 car-share programs, and multiple modes of public transit.

(But for the restaurant thing, my wife owns a food truck so we often use the excuse "competitive analysis" when we dine out)

starbuck

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #53 on: May 08, 2013, 08:14:17 PM »
My $35 container of hair styling cream. It's fucking awesome.

LizzyBee

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #54 on: May 08, 2013, 09:41:21 PM »
A couple people have mentioned it, but I eat out. Usually once a week (sometimes 2) and about once a month at a really fancy place. This weekend we will probably spend close to $150 on one meal out and I am super excited for the food and atmosphere. When we eat out I want it to be super delicious and super cheap ethnic food or I want to it to be one of the best restaurants my city has to offer (which are usually pretty expensive). To me, this is part of the fun of living in an urban city. I wouldn't give it up (though we have cut back considerably) and plan on maintaining my eating out habit into FI.
« Last Edit: May 08, 2013, 09:43:49 PM by RebeccaE »

meadow lark

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #55 on: May 10, 2013, 07:03:17 PM »
Eating out.  I spend a ridiculous amount on it.

BZB

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #56 on: May 10, 2013, 08:44:36 PM »
rent a 3 bedroom house for 2 adults, one toddler $1350/month
also spend too much on groceries

snellbert

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #57 on: May 10, 2013, 09:56:38 PM »
We spend a crap-ton of $ on our fancy organic groceries. Usually $600 a month for two adults and two wee kids.  It'll actually probably be closer to $900 this month, since we've had out-of-town family stay with us twice and are hosting a large-ish party next week.

Sometimes I buy $2.50 cans of soup. And it's friggin delicious and BPA free, so I'm not stopping!

KidneyBeansMD

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #58 on: May 11, 2013, 08:46:49 AM »
Right now for me it's probably the amount of soda I consume. I loooove the taste of Diet Coke and probably drink 3-4 cans a day.

I've cut my spending in other areas to accommodate this.

Theadyn

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #59 on: May 11, 2013, 09:14:09 AM »
Dating.  Don't like feeling like I'm looking for a free ride and will try to pay or offer to pay my share most of the time, and get taken up on it quite often.  (wonder if that's something I should think about while considering if I should continue to see them, I don't know)

Alcohol.  Does me no good and can get expensive.

Dish.  Under contract for another year and half.

Online shopping.  I loathe physically going to a place to shop.  I don't buy useless stuff, though.  For example, I needed medical scrubs for new part time job a few months ago.  Instead of going to a store to try them on to purchase them (the closest are about 100 miles away, so I justify the shipping costs to gas consumed to drive), I shop online and purchase.  It's worth any shipping cost to not have to suffer the torture of going shopping.  If I get something that doesn't fit right I'll donate to our local thrift shop, who's earnings go to feed our local aging residents. 

Live alone.  Could rent out the spare room, but as a previous poster said, it's worth my peace of mind to have my own space to come home to.  (if mortgage was a lot higher than my $350 a month or I was desperate, there would be that option though)

daverobev

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #60 on: May 11, 2013, 10:37:30 AM »
Dating.  Don't like feeling like I'm looking for a free ride and will try to pay or offer to pay my share most of the time, and get taken up on it quite often.  (wonder if that's something I should think about while considering if I should continue to see them, I don't know)

Ha, which way do you lean on that?? Takes you up on it = mustachian themselves, or takes you up on it = money you could've saved?

Funny old business, this gender equality thing.

psychomoustache

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #61 on: May 11, 2013, 01:26:50 PM »
I love this thread.  It makes people seem so much more human...

Amen!

OK - do we start with the Coke Zero addiction that I mentioned in another thread...? Nah.

How's this then (though I too can find non-mustachian things in Every Line of my Budget)... I love Flea Market/Junk Sales/Antique fair crap. Today, I bought my sixth old radio dating from about the late 50's. They don't work, they are in a pile, and I use them as plant stands. I love how they look - the old wood, the dials with all the cities in the world, the funky curves and swirls...

The one I bought today weighs like 10 pounds and looks kind of like an old suitcase - it's suppposed to be "portable". It's beige and green and looks like it's from another planet. Love, exciting and new...

If I could have today - I would have bought a bunch of old telephones. Same thing, to sit in a pile and look cool in a corner of my living room. Oh, there was also an old Fencing Helmet/Mask - I'd have put that on the wall. Because. It's cool and strange. There were piles of old pipes - I'd have hung them up too...

I have a thing for strange clutter.

Soccermom2b

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #62 on: May 11, 2013, 02:23:07 PM »
NBA playoff tickets (just once this year), as I had never been to a playoff game before.  Sat in the nosebleeds, but had to pay a sitter while we were gone.  Ultimately, it ran about $100 for the two of us to have a night out and return with a free t-shirt, but our team won and it was tremendously entertaining.

mikefixac

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #63 on: May 11, 2013, 11:01:30 PM »
Today I rode my 85 MPG scooter to the library and on the way I'm thinking, "Boy, I hope MMM doesn't see this";-)(you know, instead of riding my bicycle)

No shit, I sometimes wonder what he'd think if I had him over my house. SUV, house-keeper, and who knows what else he'd find. That's okay though, he'd still be welcome anytime.

Prairie Gal

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #64 on: May 12, 2013, 09:22:13 AM »
 - Living in a 3 bedroom house by myself, well with my dog and cat. Thinking of downsizing in the next 1-2 years.
 - Have both a land line and an I phone. I need the land line so I can have a fax machine for a side-gig job I do from home. I phone will be gone once the contract is up. Will go back to a cheap pay as you go phone.
 - Satellite dish. I have cut down the programming but I'm not ready to give it up completely. I have looked at Net Flix, but at least here in Canada the programming looks pretty crappy.
 - Probably spend too much on groceries for one person, plus the pets. Have gone to a cash system to see if that helps me be more mindful of what I am spending.

MMMdude

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #65 on: May 12, 2013, 10:00:18 AM »
For me it's golf. Probably spend 1200 per year on green fees and driving range.  I love it though and plan to play until i can't

daverobev

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #66 on: May 12, 2013, 11:03:17 AM »
I don't think hobbies are particularly un-mustachian - when the doing of the thing directly brings enjoyment.

Even flying a plane and skiing? Hmm. I'd say figuring out a way of *lowering* those costs is mustachian (eg, not flying to the French Alps, when there are perfectly good ski hills close by!), and obviously doing any of them when you are in serious debt is bad, but... playing golf? I don't think so...

For me, the computer thing is just... collecting junk. I don't need so many computers, it's stupid, it's wasteful. But playing golf (environmental impacts completely aside)... no, no. I think it doesn't count.

Jane

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #67 on: May 12, 2013, 12:32:06 PM »
Drive everywhere. Drive to the gym, drive to the grocery store (2 mi away), drive to my job (3 mi away). I love to exercise but hate (hate) biking. Just give me my curly wig and big red nose and call it a day.

Bought a new car last year, but we do plan to keep it until it dies...at least 15+ years hopefully.

We still have basic cable. It's my husband's big vice. He really does get a lot of enjoyment from it, even watching it on an old 20 inch tube TV. We did get rid of the cable box and DVR for our HDTV recently.

FiveSigmas

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #68 on: May 12, 2013, 06:40:45 PM »
- Have both a land line and an I phone. I need the land line so I can have a fax machine for a side-gig job I do from home. I phone will be gone once the contract is up. Will go back to a cheap pay as you go phone.

Prairie Gal, have you considered using an internet-based fax service? I haven't used one myself, but a web-search for "internet fax" turns up quite a few. Depending on the cost of your home line and the number of faxes you need to send/receive, it may be a little bit cheaper.

travelbug

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #69 on: May 12, 2013, 09:03:04 PM »
We have a weekly house cleaner. I would give up alot of things before she will go!!!

We have monthly massages. Bliss. But very indulgent.

We travel alot. This will continue in FI and is our huge luxury that is not negotiable. Our drug of choice..

That said, we save 90% of our income and are on track to be retired next year.

icefr

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #70 on: May 12, 2013, 09:13:46 PM »
We have monthly massages. Bliss. But very indulgent.

Does your health insurance cover this? I have a high deductible plan, but my health insurance still covers massages at only 10% coinsurance (up to a certain maximum), so long as you get a referral from your doctor, which is pretty easy to do at your free preventative annual check-up.

imustachemystash

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #71 on: May 12, 2013, 11:01:59 PM »
We budget $400 per month ($50 a week each) for our "fun money".  It's nice not having to consult with my husband over every frivolous purchase.  That money covers entertainment, outings, and occasional eating out.

vern

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #72 on: May 12, 2013, 11:04:54 PM »
First class airfare.  (In my defense I'm really tall.)

But it's a 13 1/2 hour flight from Seattle to Taipei and I slept 9 hours in a row last year.  You can't put a price on that!
« Last Edit: May 12, 2013, 11:06:41 PM by vern »

The Dutchman

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #73 on: May 13, 2013, 07:28:57 AM »
Shooting!

I love going to the range and squeezing a couple of boxes down range at some paper.  Equally as fun is going and shooting trap and skeet for a hour or two.  I end up sending 50 bucks of lead down the range in an afternoon.  (I love it and will not stop)

I have a .44 mag which previously cost me 1 $/round to shoot.  I now reload and it is down around .24 $/round.

The Dutchman

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #74 on: May 13, 2013, 07:31:26 AM »
We are about to spend $50k+/year of our own money to send our kids to a better private school. 

My kids are 2 years and the second is 2 months.  Wife and I have already talked about this and will be doing the same.  We both came from private Lutheran schools and wouldn't change it for the world.  We want our kids to have the same great experience. 

MorningCoffee

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #75 on: May 13, 2013, 07:47:15 AM »

 - Satellite dish. I have cut down the programming but I'm not ready to give it up completely. I have looked at Net Flix, but at least here in Canada the programming looks pretty crappy.


Prairie Gal - You can get American Netflix in Canada. We haven't done it yet but have many friends who have. It's an extra $5 per month to get a US DNS, which will then let you access American Netflix. It's supposed to be really simple to do.

There's also the option of OTA antanna... have you tried to see if you'd get any reception? Try your address on tvfool.com to see if you would catch any stations. All we have right now is an indoor antanna (that just sits on our tv stand) and we get 14 channels. For free. Party on.

Starstuff

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #76 on: May 13, 2013, 12:07:54 PM »
I've got a couple.

My worst is that I end up buying things for friends/my lady friend. My friends are cheap so I often buy things with no reciprocation ie. drinks, food, and even a train ticket or two. The girl I'm dating tries to pay here and there but I feel so un-chivalrous accepting that I just don't.

In second, I've just acquired a puppy as a first time dog owner. Doesn't eat as much as a horse, but still an unnecessary expense.

I also drive more frequently than I ought to, and it's a truck I'm driving. A truck that's been financed! (almost paid off) I could take the bike to work but it wouldn't leave me enough time to come home and take the dog out. Makes it kind of tough.

Oh don't pull that chivalry bull. I wouldn't date a guy who wouldn't let me pay because he felt "un-chivalrous." But I'm with you on the biking... It would add a like two hours every day to my already obscenely long work days.

I also eat out... and drive to places I shouldn't... But biking hurts my back, and I'm paying $1,500 a month towards my debt. So I don't feel too awful.

catmustache

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #77 on: May 13, 2013, 12:57:53 PM »
Road trips with associated eating out in new places. Every once in a while, especially in spring, I experience crazy wanderlust. Little road trips keep me sane before I spend ridiculous amounts on other things.

icefr

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #78 on: May 13, 2013, 01:12:22 PM »
The girl I'm dating tries to pay here and there but I feel so un-chivalrous accepting that I just don't.

Oh don't pull that chivalry bull. I wouldn't date a guy who wouldn't let me pay because he felt "un-chivalrous."

+1 Absolute deal breaker, hands down and one of the main reasons I ended my last relationship. I'm serious. Paying for someone else constantly goes beyond the socially acceptable rules of being polite to other people. It treats a woman as not an equal when a relationship is a partnership of two people. First few dates, as you're getting to know each other, nbd, but months in? Ugh! It's actually unchivalrous to not let her pay. How long have you been dating her?

Apocalyptica602

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #79 on: May 13, 2013, 01:28:18 PM »
Home theater equipment /  Gaming / PC enthusiast. Like someone earlier in the thread every ~5 years or so I'll build a near top of the line computer, my most recent one built in November 2011 was $1700 in parts alone for just the tower.

Typing this from a 60'' LCD TV as well... it's a barebones Sharp, $1100 new ~2 years ago. Funny thing about TV's: all that 'smart' crap adds thousands of dollars that could just as easily be added on by connecting your existing computer with a cable worth a few bucks from a reputable website like monoprice.com

(Also, those $80 HDMI cables you see at best buy are the worst dollar for dollar mark ups I can think of. Worse than restaurant wine or bottle service at a nightclub vs liquor store.)

...Also I downhill ski.

And... I drink probably more than I should with friends on the weekends as well. Although the past year or two I've taken to bringing a flask out or having beers at one of our homes with us instead so the days of 'buying rounds after rounds' are long gone thankfully.

Arbor33

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #80 on: May 14, 2013, 06:20:06 AM »
The girl I'm dating tries to pay here and there but I feel so un-chivalrous accepting that I just don't.

Oh don't pull that chivalry bull. I wouldn't date a guy who wouldn't let me pay because he felt "un-chivalrous."

+1 Absolute deal breaker, hands down and one of the main reasons I ended my last relationship. I'm serious. Paying for someone else constantly goes beyond the socially acceptable rules of being polite to other people. It treats a woman as not an equal when a relationship is a partnership of two people. First few dates, as you're getting to know each other, nbd, but months in? Ugh! It's actually unchivalrous to not let her pay. How long have you been dating her?

About 3 weeks as of the writing of my previous comment. We don't have a title, still in that getting to know each other phase. For what it's worth, she has bought me a drink once or twice so my previous comment wasn't 100% truthful.

DreamingofFreedom

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #81 on: May 14, 2013, 06:27:12 AM »
My cable subscription.  But I've calculated the exact number of extra months of work it takes to pay for cable and decided it was worth it.

hybrid

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #82 on: May 14, 2013, 08:25:27 AM »
Games. I enjoy a variety of games, video games, board games mostly. So every 5-8 years I build a fairly beefy PC that can handle for another 5-8 years with occasional upgrades.

I'm a Eurogamer (that's nerdspeak for games like Settlers of Catan and Carcassone that you might have heard of and literally hundreds you may have no idea even exist, and are mostly developed in Europe where they are passionate about strategy board gaming) and I think strategy board gaming is a very Mustachian thing to do.  It's social, inexpensive, and genuinely fun.  Also, many of these games reward the most efficient way to accomplish the games goals, so they help train the mind to look for efficiencies and to think outside of the box IMO.  As for the video games, if that's the most non-stache thing you still do then I tip my virtual hat to you!

I'm new to the site (one of the Washington Post newbies) and I have a laundry list of things to change.  But first and foremost is exiting my local country club (which requires 30 days notice and the blessing of missus stasche, the latter of which was just secured).  I've really enjoyed golfing there the past eight years, but I know I would enjoy retiring early that much more!  That money is queued to paying off our rental a lot earlier than we figured.  After that eating out too much, after that I drive entirely too much, but I do have the bike at least.

ScottEric

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #83 on: May 14, 2013, 08:41:47 AM »
We bought a house that needs tons of work.  We're spending ridiculous amounts of money on it right now, about half of which is for stuff we don't need, but decided was important to us.  We paid for all of it from savings, and by putting down a really small down payment.

It's also farther away from both our jobs, we're going from less than 5 miles away to about 10 miles away.  I plan on biking it/working from home at least one day a week/bike to commuter rail sometimes.  It's gonna more than triple our commuting budget from like $150 a month for both of us to potentially as much as $300-400.

Didn't pay off the last of our student loans before buying a house.  We still have 6K left that we should probably just pay off.

Partner works 3/5ths schedule to pursue creative/artistic career. 

I have a decent bike/roadbike habit...but haven't spent anything on that this year since we're in house renovation mode.

We also eat out a lot, especially lately since we're renovation-exhausted. 

Frankies Girl

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #84 on: May 14, 2013, 01:57:30 PM »
I'm guilty of the following:

Professional haircut and color every 6 weeks.

Husband and I eat out quite a bit per month. (we both keep saying we need to cut back, but we really like food)

Pedicure about 2 times a year.

When we take vacations (once a year, usually 4 day long weekends) we stay at fancy hotels.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2015, 04:59:03 PM by Frankies Girl »

lauren_knows

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #85 on: May 14, 2013, 02:12:22 PM »
Groceries for sure.  We spend ~$650/mo for 2 adults and an infant.  We like to buy organic meats, berries, and some veggies. I like a good dark chocolate bar.  We don't eat a lot of cheap grains, so that hurts this category.  But, I figure that if this is our worst expense, we're doing alright.


MrsStubble

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Re: What is the most non-stache thing that you still do?
« Reply #86 on: May 14, 2013, 02:47:21 PM »
So glad someone created this post.   Feel a little less guilty now.   I also drive to/from work.   It's not far but I work nights and the little city I work in is surprisingly unsafe, so im just plain scared.  I do try to limit the other driving though.  We live close enough to other stores to not have to drive on weekends or after work (we bike or just walk) unless we are hitting up lowes/home depot and Costco which is one big trip since all those stores are in one shopping center.

Last year my 15 year old beater died and i went out I and bought a newer (2009) used Subaru Forrester for 15000 that is not quite paid off yet (4 more months). This is the 2nd car I've ever owned (I'm in my mid 30's) and I think we can make it last for another 12-15 years as well. I love this car and I will gladly take the face punch for it after spending those last few years constantly tinkering with that other car to keep it running.  My husband and I needed a break from car repair.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!