These boards ever make you feel like a slacker?

[MissBritt]

Nope. I do good about saving 30-40% on grocery bills and finding less pricey vacation options and not having any debt, but sometimes my time is more valuable than the few bucks I can save. I don't have time to be a hardcore couponer who does trips to 10 stores to get the best deals, and I'm happy with that.

 

[Pembo]

Somebody takes an 8 day trip for $650 or feeds their family of 5 on $150/month.

I had a great trip to the grocery store, saved $11, and then I read someone who bought the same stuff PLUS will be getting a mail in rebate.

Usually these boards inspire and entertain me. But, do they ever make you feel like a slacker?

ROFL---

 

[shortbun]

Somebody takes an 8 day trip for $650 or feeds their family of 5 on $150/month.

I had a great trip to the grocery store, saved $11, and then I read someone who bought the same stuff PLUS will be getting a mail in rebate.

Usually these boards inspire and entertain me. But, do they ever make you feel like a slacker?

To be honest, I often doubt the sincerity of some posts. Do I feel like a slacker? Never. My life is good.

 

[Colleen27]

We have a small home with very limited storage, if I were to go crazy with coupons or bulk sales, I would literally have nowhere to store the items. I know I try my best and don't spend if we can't afford it. I try to be thrifty. My Disney obsession on the other hand... that's a different story

I can't believe what a difference storage space makes as far as that goes. We were in a small house until a year ago, and I went from not enough cabinet/pantry space for my dishes and staples to a walk in pantry and a root cellar. Budgeting is so much easier when I can stock up on the free/near free deals, especially on things like TP and toothpaste that just don't go bad, and I can do a lot more canning now too.

I am currently NOT working outside the home either. When I worked I DID NOT spend so much time cooking from scratch, bargain hunting, yard sale-ing, coupon clipping, etc.....I just did not have the time.

Now I consider my "job" to see how much I can save by bargain hunting.

Same here. I consider that a big part of my role as a SAHM, along with caring for the kids and the house. I manage the household and the budget, and I do spend a lot of time and thought on the most cost-effective and efficient ways to do/buy things.

 

[iheartdisney]

Posting coupons and trip savings and the like doesn't bum me out...
The "queens of the budget board" (as I call them) do bum me out.
The no-debt, college fund saving, judgemental posts.
I am almost afraid of posting anything on the BB, in fear that someone will google all my past posts to see if I said anything in the last five years that they can hold over my head.

i wish all the wanna-be Suze Orman's around here could refrain from attacking other's life choices unless a poster specifically asks if they are approved or denied.

 

[SoonerSarah]

I even tried grocery game but some of the deals didn't match up with the stores in my area and it was really annoying.
Trish

I tried it once as well, and after doing it for more than 4 months, and never having things match up completely, and after cancelling and the owner emailing me, she got rather nasty with me after I told her that I was frustrated with coupons not actually being in my papers and sales not being in my stores.


OP-In my experience, the ones that I know that have a same family size that spend significantly less also eat differently than we do. Mainly not a lot of fresh fruits and veggies. And for my family, we aren't willing to compromise on that.

And, as others have said, location truly does matter. Where we lived 2 years ago, food is quite a deal cheaper. As was eating out.

 

[Owlpost23]

OP-just consider the super budgeteers as having a talent.Everyone has a talent or talents,and because of this board they are able to tell others about it.I'll bet you have a wonderful talent that you could lord over everyone else,but it would sound strange on a budget board!!!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

No. I am a slacker and know it.

I will pay for convenience. Especially when it comes to cooking. I hate, hate, hate to cook.

I do save plenty of money when we travel on our lodging. I'm in the process of trying to find a good deal on a drop in stove/oven combo for our kitchen. That's turning into a major project since I need it now and there aren't many sales for that stuff at this time. Darn.

As much as I hate to cook, I do need a working stove/oven.

 

[thebigkahuna]

thebigkahuna - you're a riot! Thanks for giving me a laugh and making me feel better about my mediocre 401k.

welcome!! (mines pretty meager too)

 

[edk35]

We do our best knowing we're saving "something" every time we go shopping. It's not always the lowest price we could possibly get but it's still not full retail price.

And we try to save on everything, not just groceries. Our food bill may be one of our biggest budget challenges (have you seen how much 3 boys can eat? ) but if we can save a little bit on "everything" we buy, then I'm happy. Clothes, pet supplies, household goods, phone service, utilities... every little bit helps.

When we get our paychecks and those dollars come marching into our checking account, I like to make sure they're working at least a little bit before they go marching back out. Some of them could certainly work harder but so long as each one puts in some effort it's a good thing.

I like this!!

 

[C.Ann]

Nope.. I'm naturally thrifty - having been raised by very thrifty parents - and I know how to make what I have stretch to cover all it needs to cover.. I'm very disciplined about "want" vs "need" and it allows me to live below my means - without running all over heck and high water to do it..

I like to read the budget board, but for a person like me, a great "discount" on a designer purse - or "free dining" as the final determination of scheduling another trip to Disney means nothing at all to me..

Some of the topics here are very interesting - but I don't really "need"' them in order to keep my own house in financial order..

 

[Brancaneve]

If anything, the Budget board causes me to SPEND money! I can't turn down a good deal that I hear on the boards. In fact, just wore my $30 Lands End Down coat today that was marked down from $150. I just can't resist it!

 

[thebigkahuna]

Just because it's not my way, doesn't make it wrong....hard to remember.

what a wonderful thing to keep in mind

 

[mousefanmichelle]

I feel like a slacker now that the mortgage threads are up! I won't have mine paid off for the next 20 years - I will be 60 :-0
Oh well - I guess I will learn to live with myself knowing I'm a slacker!!!!!

 

[asmit4]

I feel like a slacker now that the mortgage threads are up! I won't have mine paid off for the next 20 years - I will be 60 :-0
Oh well - I guess I will learn to live with myself knowing I'm a slacker!!!!!

I just wrote something to this effect on the mortgage thread You are not alone.

 

[Nettle]

I too am a SAHM. I try to spend as little as possible, but there are some things the budget just runs over for. I try to do the coupons for the paper products, and am trying 'green' cleaning items...like baking soda, vinegar, tea tree oil, and lemons. I also buy 80% of my vegetables and fruit at Farmer's markets. Nothing better than supporting your local farmers! Especially since my dad is one! We also buy our beef and pork by the half a cow or half a pig, from a local small farm slaughterhouse and butcher. I know where my meat comes from, and I feel good about it. It's a big investment at once, but it lasts Forever...

I do what I can, and sometimes I envy what others have...but that's just life. I just have to remember it's not always greener on the other side of the fence..

 

[beansmom]

I had stockpiled about 10 boxes of cereal when DH decided he did not want to eat cereal anymore for breakfast because it gave him gas. .

is he related to my kids? once I was able to get chef boyardee for next to nothing, they no longer liked it. Likewise certain cereals, ramen noodles (that they ate by the WASHTUB full before!), etc, etc, etc.

i do coupon...i try to never buy retail...economize wherever I can. But I can't take my family to Disney for 5 days for $650! we eat and go to the parks...and even doing just counter service, using our APs and only buying tickets for the 2 kids, and staying in the pop, it's still gonna cost us about $1200 for 4 days next month.

 

[annsteere]

OP-just consider the super budgeteers as having a talent.Everyone has a talent or talents,and because of this board they are able to tell others about it.I'll bet you have a wonderful talent that you could lord over everyone else,but it would sound strange on a budget board!!!

OP here. THANKS for this idea. Combining it with the idea that "every dollar is a soldier and some do more than others but each has to do a little bit extra" makes me smile.

I am an excellent money manager. Just not as excellent every single day as the person who posts their exciting victory for that day

I DID buy 12 boxes of Betty Crocker blueberry muffin mix, 20 boxes of Green Giant frozen vegetables and 4 large boxes of Cheerios last week and made a $7 something profit on them. Maybe the idea is to remember that we usually post here when we have a super day and want to share our excitement. . . .

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

cant win em all