I'll just have water

[old and tired]

• Bonus Answer: If you get married, find someone who does not have expensive taste and is not enamored with material possessions.

...and is really smart (other than marring me), who makes a ton of money!!!

(now, off to read the whole thread...)

 

[crashlandy]

I can't believe I forgot the number 1 thing: (puts on flame-proof suit)

• If you want to save money, don't have kids. That is not my main reason for foregoing having children, but it is definitely an advantage.
• Bonus Answer: If you get married, find someone who does not have expensive taste and is not enamored with material possessions.

I failed on both of those, but it's turned out to be a pretty good life.

I can't believe I forgot the number 1 thing: (puts on flame-proof suit)

• If you want to save money, don't have kids. That is not my main reason for foregoing having children, but it is definitely an advantage.
• Bonus Answer: If you get married, find someone who does not have expensive taste and is not enamored with material possessions.

I failed on both of those, but it's turned out to be a pretty good life.

 

[BackRoad]

Kids may cost the equivalent of a CAT D9 dozer to raise, but done right, they're not 'kids' forever. Wouldn't trade either of my adult children for $10,000,000.00

The older I get, the less we need the $$ and the sweeter their company (...and those Grandchildren!)

And my "poor-man's habit": I'll always mow my own lawn...and keep a few coffee cans filled with nuts and bolts...

 

[old and tired]

I'm back... slow reader! Just about everything mentioned already, we've done...

No kids, cost too much. I hate owing money or paying interest, if I couldn't pay cash - I went without. Drive vehicles until the wheels fall off... Have two now that are 2009, decided a long time ago that would be my last vehicle I would need to buy!!! Wife is the same way about cars...

We do spend money to make life easier, and we had a pack to travel twice a year out west. Summer for hiking backpacking and winter to ski. Every trip we would live our life to the fullest. Hawaii, we did it up right with boat/helicopter rides. Spent a grand or so per day.

Got to splurge sometimes, not worth saving everything. We paid for lots of good memories!!!

 

[Runner]

And my "poor-man's habit": I'll always mow my own lawn...and keep a few coffee cans filled with nuts and bolts...

I always laugh when I get flyers in the mail from lawn care companies offering to mow my lawn. Really? I can't even imagine how much someone would charge to mow a 2 acre lawn, but probably more than I make per month. Can't blame them for trying though....

 

[2manyrocks]

Wife got ad for replacement windows saying they were needed if over 5/years old. Who makes up these scams?

 

[Runner]

Wife got ad for replacement windows saying they were needed if over 5/years old. Who makes up these scams?

I don't know, but a LOT of people sure want to paint my vinyl siding and buy my house....

 

[2manyrocks]

miracle hearing aids, extended car warranties, and free investment seminars.

 

[Snobdds]

Repair instead of Replace
Maintain to Extend service life
Do my own lawn and garden
Never had cable… avoid monthly fees and subscriptions.
Still use a 45 year old TV
Still use appliance from the 60’s
Drive the same $800 car from high school 20 years daily and still have it.
Gladly accept hand me downs.

I've never seen a hurst towing a uhaul full of money.

Damn, that is next level frugal.

 

[Jstpssng]

I don't know, but a LOT of people sure want to paint my vinyl siding and buy my house....

I'll buy your house if you decide to sell it for the prices they are offering.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've never seen a hurst towing a uhaul full of money.

Damn, that is next level frugal.

Makes a difference when just about everyone around experienced war and the Depression being self employed scrapping to make ends meet.

It’s amazing what our society throws away… see it as a property manager.

Section 8 families with this years Christmas gifts in the Dumpster… bikes with the chain off or tires flat… throw it out.

Last week I got a like new Echo straight shaft trimmer…

Saw a guy putting it out for clean up day… asked what’s wrong with it and he said the plastic button pressed to start it broke… so throw away a $250 trimmer because of a $3 primer bulb?

I’m the first in my family to have a job with benefits… one side of the family 7 day a week dairy farmers and the other self employed small business… it’s a totally different mindset when I was growing up with friends with parents that worked for the city or utilities or even the garbage company sharing their family vacations and driving new cars.

 

[not2old]

Last summer I went to the scrap yard looking for a piece of angle iron and came home with a chipper/shredded/vac for $25.

My last 30 years working, I operated a handyman service repairing condos. I would drag home bed frames from the garbage room, and sometimes got paid for it. I've been retired 15 years and still have a few pieces left.

 

[Snobdds]

Makes a difference when just about everyone around experienced war and the Depression being self employed scrapping to make ends meet.

It’s amazing what our society throws away… see it as a property manager.

Section 8 families with this years Christmas gifts in the Dumpster… bikes with the chain off or tires flat… throw it out.

Last week I got a like new Echo straight shaft trimmer…

Saw a guy putting it out for clean up day… asked what’s wrong with it and he said the plastic button pressed to start it broke… so throw away a $250 trimmer because of a $3 primer bulb?

I’m the first in my family to have a job with benefits… one side of the family 7 day a week dairy farmers and the other self employed small business… it’s a totally different mindset when I was growing up with friends with parents that worked for the city or utilities or even the garbage company sharing their family vacations and driving new cars.

You worked your entire life to enjoy life. Enjoy it.

As I have gotten older, money is less and less important, as I've made plenty. What has become more important to me is time.

I can throw a $100 out the window and make it back tomorrow. I can't throw a day out the window and make it back tomorrow.

 

[MossRoad]

I always laugh when I get flyers in the mail from lawn care companies offering to mow my lawn. Really? I can't even imagine how much someone would charge to mow a 2 acre lawn, but probably more than I make per month. Can't blame them for trying though....

MIL is too feeble to do her own labor anymore. She has a man that cuts her lawn, and several others' lawns in her neighborhood. 1/3 acre. Cut and string trimmed. Driveway blown off. $40. The two guys take about 20-25 minutes to get it done, then walk to the next client. They've got a pretty good system. His wife cleans my mother in-law's house every other week, as well.

He'll do her leaves in the fall, and fertilize if requested. Pretty reasonable rates.

 

[MossRoad]

Makes a difference when just about everyone around experienced war and the Depression being self employed scrapping to make ends meet.

It’s amazing what our society throws away… see it as a property manager.

Section 8 families with this years Christmas gifts in the Dumpster… bikes with the chain off or tires flat… throw it out.

Last week I got a like new Echo straight shaft trimmer…

Saw a guy putting it out for clean up day… asked what’s wrong with it and he said the plastic button pressed to start it broke… so throw away a $250 trimmer because of a $3 primer bulb?

I’m the first in my family to have a job with benefits… one side of the family 7 day a week dairy farmers and the other self employed small business… it’s a totally different mindset when I was growing up with friends with parents that worked for the city or utilities or even the garbage company sharing their family vacations and driving new cars.

My sister in-law has pretty much furnished her house and gotten all of her lawn care equipment by cruising her neighborhood the night before trash day. Amazing stuff.

 

[MossRoad]

My last 30 years working, I operated a handyman service repairing condos. I would drag home bed frames from the garbage room, and sometimes got paid for it. I've been retired 15 years and still have a few pieces left.

I work as a handyman now. Shocking what people throw out VS at least donating to Goodwill or some other charity. I get that it costs more to move it across country than it's worth, but trash it? Sheesh.

 

[bigtiller]

I made $50 hauling an old loveseat and recliner to town to a family that needed them.

I hauled them on my miniature hayrack and pulled it with the Gator. Fun 2 mile evening ride and profitable.

 

[ultrarunner]

You worked your entire life to enjoy life. Enjoy it.

As I have gotten older, money is less and less important, as I've made plenty. What has become more important to me is time.

I can throw a $100 out the window and make it back tomorrow. I can't throw a day out the window and make it back tomorrow.

My brothers new favorite saying is “It’s later than you think”

I excel at deferred gratification… work today for tomorrow, build a nest egg… etc.

I also know first hand that a family with nothing can live well given the myriad of government programs.

Example… live 25 years in a neighbors of 900k homes and pay $50 for rent each month with gardener and paid garbage service.

Buy a brand new Toyota Yaris, receive Free Cell and Internet, Health Insurance, Family Income, Food Program, Free Higher Education, Free School Lunches, Free Summer Lunches, send the kids to grad night, etc…

Contrast this with my good friend, career ATT lives in a 2 bedroom home with wife and 4 daughters and mother in law in the basement… life is good but like most working guys he has to be careful making ends meet.

The home next door rented Section 8 and the lady and her son were nice enough… she became pregnant giving birth to a daughter so now she was moving to a 3 bedroom because her family size increased…

So we have the hard working family man supporting 7 doing the best he can yet his neighbor with new baby is now under housed and eligible for a 3-bedroom voucher.

It’s enough to at least make one wonder?

 

[MossRoad]

I have a loveseat/sleeper that belonged to my mother. She passed away in 1988. We used it in our nursery when the kids were born. Nice place to sit and read to them, or sleep in there if they're ill. As they got older, it was a nice place for them to have friends over for sleep over. It went into our garage storage about 8 years ago. We're taking it to one of the kids for their first house in the next few weeks. It still looks like new. It's gotta be over 40 years old.

 

[ultrarunner]

In my current home the only furnishings I bought are the mattress and sheets.

The family was downsizing and I said leave whatever you want… I gave a 90 day no cost rent back to make the deal happen.

Ended up with a nice dining table for 10 with pads, hutch, entertainment center, sofa, dressers and tools like a table saw, arc and gas welders, planer, radial arm saw and bandsaw…

Another friend moved to AZ and gave me 4 high end leather recliners.

America is the land of plenty and with a little patience amazing things can happen… like the Honda Mower in the shed that only needed carb cleaning.

I often say to the owner this can be fixed and it matters not…

It’s not difficult if you make it a win/win…

I feel sorry for friends with spouses that max the credit cards…

Oh, when the Section 8 grandmother paying $50 a month rent daughter became pregnant in high school she wanted new paint so everything would be nice for the new baby.

I mentioned a doctor at work was giving a away a stroller, crib and changing table free…

The Section 8 grandmother said no hand me downs for my grand baby…