shaking my head...

[featherynscale]

Ok - so I'm profoundly interested in reducing my lifestyle costs, right, because I'm broke these days all the time. So I start looking for places I can cut back, things I haven't thought of. I spend time thinking about these things, I talk to other people, I read, I join discussion groups looking for new ideas.
So today, when I checked my email at M$N, I noticed a link on the mail page: Painless ways to save, or something like that. So, just on the off-chance that some clever bugger in Redmond knows something I don't, I click. You know what I found?

Manicure less often - $15.
Get take-out instead of eating out once a month - $45.
Buy regular coffee instead of cappucino during the week - $55.

Yeah. I think that will help. I typically live on $75-$90 a week, which covers food, gas, entertainment, household supplies, clothing, everything that doesn't go in an envelope to pay for a utility, loan, or debt-service. I'd like to someday be in the class of people who can improve their financial situation by manicuring less often, but I'm not sure I'll ever get there.

Comments

[diermuid.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure what kind of bubble-head would be spending $55 a week on Cappachino when you can get it for under a buck at Quik Trip. The only folks I know getting manicures are West Coasties and gals from the 'hood. High school girls go through that phase when they have expendable income, but usually drop it when they have to live on their own.

Some people (Elle Woods comes to mind) are 'principled' and will not 'let themselves go' after high school. Which is fine... I need someone to snicker at come time for the reunion. Sure they look younger... but they generally have the attitude to go with it, which only makes them attactive to similarly brain-warped guys.

There is an exception when it comes to successful women, or those who married a successful man and actually have the extra cashflow... but this scenario does not play out much since the turn of the millenium.

You want real hints? A few we used to give to the Marines drowning in debt:
Eat at home instead of take-out. And not microwave-meals either. Don't buy from Price Chopper, buy from the farmers market. Get your ingredients from places you normally wouldn't hit after dark. These people are poor, the prices here are very good, otherwise people would go hungry. If you shop for food in South Overland Park you get to pay approx 50% markup.

Do your own nails... and even then, why bother? Guys aren't generally impressed, and if they are, they are likely the same sort that will dump you when you start to grey, sag, or wrinkle. Ditto 80% of other cosmetics. Deoderant is a must, lip liner is a bust.

Screw car washes... a) wash at home, b) buy a car old enough that washing doesn't matter. Whatever you can muster for a 5% down on a new car... use that as half the down on a used car. And f*ck American... they're disposable.

Video rental? Wait until it comes out on cable. Cable? Wait until it comes out on FOX. Most likely, Fox will leave more in than any of Turner's cable channels, which accounts for most of the 'free' movies on cable.

Cappuccino??? Work has coffee for free. Pepsi is less damaging to everything except teeth, but still unneeded. Addictive as meth though, so buy Sam's Choice cola.

Other neat things I have found -
Running 4-5 fans during the day burns more power than A/C.
Running a space heater or two burns more cash than central heat.
Wearing clothes 2-3 times before washing (assuming no BO or dirt) makes them last 2-3 times as long. (Washing underclothes is still reccommended)

[chainwoman.livejournal.com]

LoL I understand your frustration. Good luck on your budgeting...