Frugality In Practice: Don’t Call The Plumber

May 29, 2008 · Filed Under · 7 Comments 

Last week my 3 year old daughter decided to see how much toilet paper could fit down the commode. We were made aware of the problem when I saw water coming out from under the bathroom door. I felt like I was in a bad episode of the Brady Bunch. Do you remember the washing machine episode?

I plunged and plunged that toilet to no avail! I refused to call a plumber as I knew I was staring at a $50 service call charge, plus probably another $25 in labor charges. Not going to happen! I was determined to fix the problem myself. So, the next day I went down to the hardware store and bought a toilet snake. I snaked and snaked to no avail! I could feel the blockage but it was as thick as a grapefruit. Did she actually flush down some citrus? I was starting to wonder!

I knew now I was going to have to pull the toilet. So back to the hardware store for a new wax toilet ring. So yesterday, I got all the water out of the toilet, disconnected the water line, unscrewed the two bolts holding down the crapper, and pulled that sucker from the floor. What happened next will amaze you! Well, not really. I just set the toilet on it’s side and went digging for some toilet paper.

Another problem. The TP was so thick and far enough down, that I couldn’t reach it from the hole on the bottom with my hand or any other improvised tool. So after a few choice words, I decided to carry the toilet onto the back porch and enlist the garden hose for some assistance. I lay the toilet on its back and I stuck the hose up the bottom and turned it on full blast. All the sudden, I had what resembled Old Faithful in my backyard. I had to prod and finagle that hose like a trained surgeon until I loosened up that citrus resembling wad of toilet paper. Success! I had finally fixed the clogged toilet. I celebrated by taking a well deserved break on the toilet, in the middle of the backyard. I officially have no pride, but I did save a ton of money!

Moral of the story: Even if you are not real handy, you can learn how to do stuff around the house, and by doing so, avoid calling in a professional! Unless of course, your daughter actually does try to make orange juice in the toilet. Professional help may then be required!

 

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Guest Post: Power of Snowflaking

May 27, 2008 · Filed Under · 3 Comments 

repoman.jpgProud to offer another excellent guest post on frugal living! The following is a post by Ryan from Uncommon Cents.  … (RSS) Enjoy! Thanks Ryan!

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The Underrated Power of Small Amounts and Snowflaking

A recent comment on my blog in response to my post on maximizing the reward on a Discover Open Road Card stated:

“Seems like a lot of work for $60 per year. Don’t you value your time more than that?”

I replied with a question and a smiley:

“How much work is it to use the proper card at the proper time?”

However, what the comment brought to light for me is just how underrated the power of small amounts of money are. $60 is not a huge amount of money, but there are many ways to equate $60 with real world situations:

$60 is more than three hours of work for the average social worker with a Master’s degree in Hawai’i, and probably closer to four hours of work for the average social worker nationwide;

$60 is more than a tank of gas still for my truck, even in these difficult times;

$60 is enough for me to go out with a friend to an overpriced movie with dinner afterwards too!

$60 may seem more important if it’s the last $60 of a credit card debt that’s been going on for years, or the dollars that turn $999,940 into a million.

Beyond that, $60 a year on this one credit card is just one of many areas in my life where I might get similar amounts. $15 every month or so on recycling cans isn’t a large amount either nor is the $15 rebate on items in the Sunday paper. But added up, these are the kinds of dollars that can end up making a tremendous difference in my personal finance life. As has been shown time and again in the personal finance blogosphere, snowflaking–the art of taking these small amounts of money and combining them to pay off debt or save for goals–is a powerful way of accumulating cash that many seem to overlook.

So, in the end, no, I guess that my time isn’t worth more than that–not when I look at $60 in so many different ways and realize that the amount isn’t huge, but it can be the start of something gigantic. Don’t overlook the power of small amounts of money and the tremendous potential of snowflaking!

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New Theme and Other Stuff….

May 26, 2008 · Filed Under · Comment 

I am spending some time working on a new and improved theme, so please excuse the sawdust as I get some things straightened out. My blog actually got hacked and I am in the process of upgrading some security measures and a new theme was part of the solution. I will tell you what….sometimes I want to pick up this computer and hurl it out in the street!!!!! And hopefully it would land on the scum that do this kind of stuff to respectable sites and blogs.

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Top Ten Wednesday – Watch Out For The Repo Man

May 21, 2008 · Filed Under , · 2 Comments 

repoman.jpgTop Ten Reasons You Might Need to Watch Out For The Repo Man!

According to this article in the NY Times, Economic Tide Is Rising for Repo Man, the weakening economy is keeping the repo man real busy. So let me get this straight, if I buy a bunch of stuff I can’t really afford to pay for, the bank is going to want it back eventually? What a novel concept.

It is with this in mind that I present the Top Ten Reasons You Might Need To Watch Out For The Repo Man:

  1. If your financial advisor is MC Hammer, you might need to watch out for the repo man.
  2. If that new 62″ plasma TV hanging on your living room wall cost more money than you make in a year, you might need to watch out.
  3. If the boat you bought last year is bigger than your house, you might need to watch out.
  4. If you have ever appeared on The Surreal Life reality TV show, you might need to watch out.
  5. If you have to sell your own blood and/or sperm to buy gas for your Cadillac Escalade, you might need to watch out.
  6. If you actually try to fill the gas tank in your Cadillac Escalade with your own blood and/or sperm, you might need to watch out for the repo man (and your local mental health agency).
  7. If you were in any way related to the making of the movie, Repo Man, starring Emilio Estevez, you might need to watch out.
  8. If you have champagne taste on a beer budget, you might need to watch out.
  9. If you measure your success in life on how much stuff you can accumulate, you might need to watch out.
  10. And lastly, if you park your 2008 Dodge Viper on the lawn next to your 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass, which is on blocks, you might need to watch out for the repo man.

Feel free to add to my list!

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Barack Obama Endorses Frugal Living

May 19, 2008 · Filed Under · 9 Comments 

obama.jpgNot much time to blog today, but I wanted to get your thoughts on what Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama said the other day in Oregon. In case you missed it, the quote went like this,

We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times … and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK.

A Few Thoughts:

  • I think he has a good point. But unfortunately I don’t think it will play with most of the country. People don’t want to hear that they need to have a hotter home, a tiny car, and they can’t eat as much as they want.
  • He has it right that we as Americans are a society of excess. How did that work out for the Romans?
  • I think global responsibility is a big part of frugal living.
  • During WWII, Americans made the sacrifices necessary out of a responsibility to our country. They saved everything, planted victory gardens, they did their part. This is certainly missing today.

Your thoughts?

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Personal Finance Tip from Brooks and Dunn!

May 15, 2008 · Filed Under · 3 Comments 

I’m a big country music fan and I was watching CMT the other day and they had Brooks and Dunn on and they were being interviewed. Kix Brooks was talking about their road to fame and fortune when he said something that made me freeze in my proverbial cowboy boots. Kix said,

My Daddy would always say, “If money can fix it, it ain’t a problem.”

brooks_dunn.jpg

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Festival of Frugality is Up At Four Pillars!

May 13, 2008 · Filed Under · 3 Comments 

Mike over at Four Pillars is hosting the Festival of Frugality #125 at his great blog this week! Mike has a very creative theme and some hilarious pictures! Head on over and check it out. I was lucky enough to have my post When Are You A Brand Name Shopper? included as an Editor’s Pick!

Here are some of my favorites from this edition:

  • Free From Broke uncovers deceptive gas pricing. I am still on my gas kick, gotta check this one out.
  • SquawkFox has some frugal dessert recipes. Man, I have a weakness for desserts!
  • Pinyo at Moolanomy has come up with a great Frugal or Cheap Test. I am proud to say I am officially frugal!
  • Mrs. Nespy’s World post Living In The Dark has some great tips on what to do when the power goes out. Excellent ideas for families with young kids!

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Ask The Reader: What Have You Done To Beat Gas Prices?

May 12, 2008 · Filed Under · 7 Comments 

On the heels of my post the other day, Top 10 Ways To Beat High Gas Prices, I saw a survey in The USA Today talking about steps people are taking to beat the high gas prices. Here is what folks are doing according to the survey:

Old Gas Station

  • Considered A Different Car - 71% of folks surveyed have seriously considered getting a more fuel efficient vehicle. What does that mean? Have you sat in a friend’s Hybrid and said, “Wow, what do you get on the highway?” Or maybe you have glanced at a MotorTrend magazine at the dentist office. Is that ’seriously considered’? Not sure what we should take from this survey question. Either you have you done it or you haven’t.
  • Look For Cheap Gas – 74% of people surveyed have sought a gas station with the cheapest gas. Why wouldn’t you do this? I wonder if the 26% of people that don’t do this have a reason. Are you in that category?
  • Try To Boost Gas Mileage - 76% have taken steps to boost gas mileage. These 76% say they are driving slower and keeping their car better maintained. Personally, I have mastered the art of coasting. One of the worst things you can do in terms of gas mileage is to accelerate up to a red light then slam on your breaks. Take your foot off the gas and let er’ coast up to a stop sign or stop light, and if it is the middle of the night on some rural road, coast right on through….
  • Consolidate Trips – 84% of people surveyed consolidate errands to cut back on trips to the store, etc. One word, smart!
  • Do You Think The Price of Gas will reach $6 a Gallon in the next five years? – 54% of people surveyed said YES! If they only surveyed oil analysts I might be interested in this question. Asking the average person on the street does not do much for me or give much insight. If anything, questions like this give the green light to the semi-humans that do control the price of gas to nail it to us for years to come! Essentially, 54% of the people are saying, “we are ready for it, and expecting it, so bring it on.”

What have you done to beat the high gas prices?

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Last Minute Mother’s Day Gifts That Are 100% Off

May 8, 2008 · Filed Under · 8 Comments 

toilet.jpgIf you are a procrastinator like me, you may not have an actual gift for Mom yet. Don’t worry I won’t say anything, and it’s not too late to do something kinda special. It’s with this in mind that I came up with a few completely free gifts for Mom. I saw an add the other day for free kittens that read “beautiful kittens on clearance, 100% off”. It made me laugh out loud! So here is my list of gifts for Mom that are 100% off:

  • Show up at Mom’s house and be her indentured servant for a few hours. Laundry, weeds, VCR blinking 12 noon, toilets, they all need tending!
  • If you don’t live in the same town, call her on Sunday and serenade her. Memorize one her favorite songs and tell her how much she means to you.
  • Free Mother’s Day Card. It is probably too late to get a card in the mail for Mom. So your best option at this point is to Google, ‘Free Mother’s Day Card’, and you can email Mom an original card.

What did I miss? ”Hit me with your best shot, fire away.” (Also my Mom’s favorite song, that could be weird over the phone)

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Top 10 Ways To Beat High Gas Prices

May 6, 2008 · Filed Under , · 5 Comments 

gas.jpgEver feel like you need to just be a dork every once in a while? I am feeling that way right now, and since I have been really busy lately with work and life, I needed to take a break and post something really, well, stupid. So here is my attempt.

 I paid $3.89 per gallon here in northern California the other day?!?!  As the numbers on the pump were moving and whirling around in circles faster than the eyes could follow, it gave me time to ponder some new things I am going to start doing to beat the high price of gas. I wanted to jot them down on my blog so I could forget about them.

  1. Start pricing a hover scooter.
  2. Look into a mule.
  3. Start thumbing my way to town.
  4. Look into a helicopter.
  5. Start pricing a golf cart.
  6. Look into a horse.
  7. After horse is procured, look into a rickshaw.
  8. Look into a moped.
  9. Search ebay for Jet Packs.
  10. Two words: SIPHON BABY!

And of course some real ways to beat high gas prices:

  • Dust off my bike. 
  • Sell my truck and get a more fuel efficient vehicle.
  • Start riding the city bus more often.
  • Carpool to work.
  • Plan errands into one trip.
  • Two words: SIPHON BABY!

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