Frugality

[Doofy]

I was in the local salvage chain last week and they had a lot of those stonewashed Levis- the really scuzzy looking kind. Some were in my size. I couldn't picture myself buying them, even for work; the moose and bear would be laughing every time that I walked past.

Agree. Such a waste of good denim.

 

[flyerdan]

I'd always make patches for my coveralls from an old pair using stitch witchery and then sew down the edges, if possible. Any hole or tear would turn into a tinderbox after a trip through the washer, so a bunch of small patches prevented a lot of fires.

 

[California]

I'd always make patches for my coveralls from an old pair using stitch witchery and then sew down the edges, if possible.

Thanks! I just learned something here. I'm going to try this tape on some Levis here that are a little too long, cut them shorter and glue them myself. Tucked-under and glued cuffs should work ok for a while.

 

[California]

I just got 5 brand new Mead Note Books for my kids at the dump and other brand new school stuff. A couple of college kids were cleaning out their apartment and throwing the stuff away.

You wouldn't believe what rich peoples kids from overseas leave behind when they graduate and go home.

We helped younger daughter pack up after she finished grad school at Princeton. Dorm-size refrigerators, stereos, floor-standing computers, monitors, all kinds of furniture were piled at the curb in front of her dorm. The janitors there to prep the rooms for summer school arrivals, were going nuts getting commitments from kids to be given really valuable stuff.

That was a small peek into a different world from how we raised our kids, for example with $10 thrift store North Face parkas for camping.

But far surpassing what I saw that day - I've read of crazy rich overseas kids leaving behind supercars, departing Vancouver.

 

[MossRoad]

You wouldn't believe what rich peoples kids from overseas leave behind when they graduate and go home.

We helped younger daughter pack up after she finished grad school at Princeton. Dorm-size refrigerators, stereos, floor-standing computers, monitors, all kinds of furniture were piled at the curb in front of her dorm. The janitors there to prep the rooms for summer school arrivals, were going nuts getting commitments from kids to be given really valuable stuff.

That was a small peek into a different world from how we raised our kids, for example with $10 thrift store North Face parkas for camping.

But far surpassing what I saw that day - I've read of crazy rich overseas kids leaving behind supercars, departing Vancouver.

Notre Dame used to have the Old To Gold sale in the stadium concourse every year. They'd collect all of the fridges, futons, bikes, floor and desk lamps, etc. that the kids would donate when they moved out each spring, and then sell them to the public and donate the money to charity. It was a big deal. But it was such a logistical chore that they ended the sales, and now just donate the items directly to Goodwill, who then uses the proceeds for their programs.

Having had two kids go through college, you have to ask yourself, the kid got 4 years of use out of a $100 dollar fridge, a $100 futon, and $50 worth of lighting, and maybe a $100 bike, and maybe $150 of used furniture. Let's say $500 for all that stuff. How much does it cost to pack it up and move it across country? You've already paid about $300 to store it over each of the 3 summers. $300 to store $500 worth of stuff. Then hundreds of dollars to rent a truck or trailer or have it shipped. It's just not financially responsible to spend $600 to move and/or store $500 worth of used stuff.

One of my kids had a 1 semester roommate from Australia. The roommate gave her all of her sheets, blanket, desk lamp, fridge, and a bunch of other small stuff, because it would cost thousands to ship it back.

What I find really crazy, is the money that really wealthy folks spend on private jets to take their kid to and from school many times during the year.
- Fall drop off.
- Thanksgiving pickup.
- Thanksgiving drop off.
- Christmas pickup.
- Christmas drop off.
- Spring break pickup.
- Spring break drop off.
- End of school year pickup.
- Plus a couple football game in and outs.

Yikes!

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I often dress in two layers. -15 isn't bad as long as you dress for it, much better than 90 which is just way too freaking hot.

Likewise. I can't understand people who think 90 degrees and sunny is "nice weather." As far as I'm concerned, summer is just the hell you have to live through to enjoy the rest of the year.

I have a 35 year-old pull-over hoody that still keeps me warm, and a 25 year old Thinsulate stocking cap that I guard with vigilance. I have tried to buy another, and can't find one. When things get really cold, I pull on a pair of insulated coveralls. I learned that 40 years ago, from a tow truck driver in Kearney who hauled the truck off the freeway when the diesel gelled up. I learned about anti-gel in the same day.

There are also some nice long johns on the market. I have one pair that is triple layers. I used to wear two pair of pants, but the modern fabric is more comfortable. Both two layers of pants and long johns will keep wet pant legs from slapping your skin. The nice thing about layers is that the shabby clothes go on first, and can be topped with decent looking stuff. I was over at the coast once on a salvage operation wearing a light denim jacket. The temperature was around freezing, with a 35 mph wind out of the north. Everybody else was running around in those floofy insulated coats and wanted to know why I wasn't cold. I think I had five layers on my torso and three on my legs.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Yall are all big spenders! The real savings are in not wearing pants at all! lol

Once you're naked, you're done. Hot weather just gets worse after that.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

You wouldn't believe what rich peoples kids from overseas leave behind when they graduate and go home.

We helped younger daughter pack up after she finished grad school at Princeton. Dorm-size refrigerators, stereos, floor-standing computers, monitors, all kinds of furniture were piled at the curb in front of her dorm. The janitors there to prep the rooms for summer school arrivals, were going nuts getting commitments from kids to be given really valuable stuff.

That was a small peek into a different world from how we raised our kids, for example with $10 thrift store North Face parkas for camping.

But far surpassing what I saw that day - I've read of crazy rich overseas kids leaving behind supercars, departing Vancouver.

College town thrift stores are a gold mine about a month after graduation. Some of them throw everything out at the end of the school year. It used to be great for audio equipment.

 

[jyoutz]

Likewise. I can't understand people who think 90 degrees and sunny is "nice weather." As far as I'm concerned, summer is just the hell you have to live through to enjoy the rest of the year.

I have a 35 year-old pull-over hoody that still keeps me warm, and a 25 year old Thinsulate stocking cap that I guard with vigilance. I have tried to buy another, and can't find one. When things get really cold, I pull on a pair of insulated coveralls. I learned that 40 years ago, from a tow truck driver in Kearney who hauled the truck off the freeway when the diesel gelled up. I learned about anti-gel in the same day.

There are also some nice long johns on the market. I have one pair that is triple layers. I used to wear two pair of pants, but the modern fabric is more comfortable. Both two layers of pants and long johns will keep wet pant legs from slapping your skin. The nice thing about layers is that the shabby clothes go on first, and can be topped with decent looking stuff. I was over at the coast once on a salvage operation wearing a light denim jacket. The temperature was around freezing, with a 35 mph wind out of the north. Everybody else was running around in those floofy insulated coats and wanted to know why I wasn't cold. I think I had five layers on my torso and three on my legs.

As far as I’m concerned, hot, cold, rainy, or snowy are all nice weather compared to these damn spring winds. Every year from March through Memorial Day, the winds blow; one Pacific low pressure system after another. And as the climate changes it seems to be getting worse every year. We used to have a week or two reprieve between frontal systems, but the past few years they come one after the other. I’ll take 90 degrees any day, as long as the damn wind isn’t blowing.