Why do YOU post/read the Budget Board?

[Colleen27]

For me, it is all about new ideas. I've seen a lot of things discussed here that I likely wouldn't have thought of on my own, and even though we have a pretty comfortable life (though a 6 figure income is still a ways off and my kids attend relatively cheap scout/YMCA camps), I'm always looking for new ways to save. My philosophy is that there are three kinds of spending; essential, on those things that I'm not willing to live without, careless, on things that a little better planning or different choices would have avoided, and enjoyable. I'm always looking for ways to further reduce the first two so that I have more leftover for the third!

 

[PaulaSue]

I come on here for the coupons & sales that others alert me to.

Ditto, plus I get my Disney fix a day.

 

[pomlover]

I read it because I'm poor but I still want to take vacations to Disney World! Gotta compromise somehow, right?

 

[MoniqueU]

Number one reason is a reality check about how life should really be lived and planned for. A close second is the great coupon codes and ideas. I never would of known about restaurant.com had it not been for this board and I have found alot of good places to eat and good gifts from there. I can't take advantage of every single sale I see here as I don't always have the money when they are posted but I love reading about them and everyones excitement when they get their things or a code works.

 

[eyor44]

I have always been a bargain/coupon shopper. My DM used to say I could get a $1 at out of a dime.
I have learned so much on this one board and I am very grateful to those who take the time to post. Especially all of the freebies. Every Monday morning I am checking for the Freebie thread of the week. How these people find this stuff I will never know, but I really appreciate them being willing to share.
For my trip last November I saved about $600 thanks to this board.

We make a decent income, but do have some debt. This board has greatly motivated me to get rid of it. I have wanted to and hate it, and now know that it is possible. I love all the encourage received here. ( I do find some threads rather entertaining especially the one-up-manships that got going on one savings thread. I mean come on a quarter size fabric sheet in the dryer?) I haven't wanted to waste one and the energy to see if it works.

 

[crisi]

( I do find some threads rather entertaining especially the one-up-manships that got going on one savings thread. I mean come on a quarter size fabric sheet in the dryer?) I haven't wanted to waste one and the energy to see if it works.

I know a half a sheet works. I can't stand spending money on something like dryer sheets - I like my laundry, but it always seems so expensive for what it is.

 

[micheleq]

I first began to visit the Budget Board to learn some tips for my WDW vacation (like www.undercovertourist.com, garden grocer, etc.). Now, it's part of my morning ritual

I agree with Belle5 that The Millionaire Next Door is a great read/take on wealth and how to retain your own wealth.

I am a SAHM with a hard-working DH. We are by no means wealthy, and in order for me to be a SAHM, I need to watch my budget and be practical about our wants vs. needs.

The budget board is inspiring, edcuational, and I find the budget board DISers to be very creative and helpful!

 

[tinkarooni]

My Dh and I both work full time jobs and make what would probably be considered a very good combined salary. I come to the Budget Board for ideas and inspiration. IMO no matter how much we earn I am always looking for ideas to save money, save the environment....(1/2 a dryer sheet is better than a whole, or hanging on the line is better than both )

So many of the Disers are like minded folks looking for ways to stretch a buck and save more of them. I have found many people who think like me.....in this world it's nice to know there are people out there like me....a little scary but nice. Those are the people and threads I look for. Some of the other threads are just downright amusing......I consider these free entertainment. Usually they are better than the soaps.

 

[BuzzPrincessMom]

Well for me DH was suddenly laid off December 3rd (started a new fantastic job March 1st) and as a SAHM, and part time professor I was consumed with how to save money. I was stressed one day so I decided to come back to the DIS (after many months) and just let my mind wander about Disney and not worry for a few minutes and I found the Budget Board. I had never visted before but I found a Coupon Train and I don't go a day without a visit since.

Now that he has a new job, I am still frugal, I have vowed to be never to be scared about money again.

I too learned how to freeze herbs, cheese, links to crock pot recipes and just opinions about WDW things - are they worth my hard earned money. Thank you to all you wonderful people, no matter if you earn $0 or $400K, sharing and caring is what makes this place great. I choose to breathe in and out and ignore the judgemental comments.

 

[Ashlander]

Does it really matter how much you earn?

I enjoy the ideas and the sales! I enjoy reading what people are writing about and that almost everyone is super duper nice and so happy to help one another.

 

[bookgirl]

I'm definitly middle class as far as my income, but with no kids (at least of my own that I have to pay everyday living expenses on), I have a decent spending allowance so I can indulge in some high ticket items. I used the budget board to help keep me on track budget wise, to find good deals, and to get frugal tips. Those tips helped me to save money, pay off my credit card debt and to make my disney trip last Janurary and my other vacations cash trips with no debt.

I think it started out with only disney tips but it has become an all over budget help, and really a community board that is specific to saving money, or other budget questions.

There is no maximum or minimum income limit to be frugal or to have vents, questions or brags about budgeting.

 

[mjantz]

One of the big things I try & teach my kids is that its not how much money you have, its how you spend it. DH & I make enough money to meet our needs & then some but we do have to make choices. If we buy them every toy & new gadget they want, we won't have enough money to take a vacation. We are definitely not poor but we have to make choices.

AFA cooking on vacation, I don't mind it & I find it helps me & the rest of the family wind down. Instead of spending another hour or so while the kids are worn out & fussy trying to eat we can go back to the room & they can relax & watch a little TV, take a shower, whatever, while I'm making something simple. I use a lot of pre-packaged & convience foods while we're on vacation so its not a chore IMO.

 

[crisi]

One of the big things I try & teach my kids is that its not how much money you have, its how you spend it. DH & I make enough money to meet our needs & then some but we do have to make choices. If we buy them every toy & new gadget they want, we won't have enough money to take a vacation. We are definitely not poor but we have to make choices.

For me this is crucial. We have a darn good income, but I expect my kids will be less fortunate (I hope they do well, I don't expect it - and even if they do well, there are always lean years right out of college). So living modestly and modeling fairly modest and frugal spending habits will help give my kids some tools. I don't need to bake bread, make jam, cook from scratch, eat the occasional rice and beans dinner, shop at Target or tell my kids "no" to ice cream cones at McDonalds. I could live in a nicer house, or take more extravagant vacations. But I knew a lot of kids who grew up well off who didn't transition well because they didn't have any clue how to live a modest life - they thought designer labels, matching furniture, and expensive dinners out were necessities - because that was what was modeled for them.

 

[Chicago526]

People of all incomes need a budget. Just look at Michael Jackson if you want proof of someone making crazy mad money but dieing up to his eyeballs in debt. Why do you think he was touring at age 50? He was out of money and all he could do was go back to work.

If you're spending more than your making over the long term, you've going to run out of money, no matter who you are or what you earn.

I've never set foot at a Value resort and likely never will. DH would divorce me if I tried. I doubt I could get him to stay at a moderate, though I'd like it just fine. That's not because we're snobs or anything, it's just not what we want in a vacation. So we work our butts off to pay for nicer diggs while traveling. Eating out is important (for lack of a better word) to us as well, we eat one sit down a day while on vacation, and counter service for the other meal (we usually don't eat breakfast, two meals a day and maybe a snack works just fine). I cook 51 weeks a year, part of my vacation is not cooking at all. But other's don't see it as a chore, or can't go for as long (or at all) unless they cook some or all of their meals. And that's fine too. I'd never in a million years look down on anyone for doing that, by either choice or necessity. Just as I don't like people calling me cheap for driving a '98 Saturn. It runs, it looks okay, it's fuel efficiant, I drive maybe 20 miles a week, what do I need a new car for?

And as it's been discused in other threads, what you earn doesn't mean you're wealthy or poor, it also depends on where you live. $100k in my area, Chicagoland, is decent money and can afford a solid middle class lifestyle, as long as you budget carefully and don't splurge too often. $100k in NYC? I don't even want to think about it!

Right now, the BB is helping me stay on track to pay off our wedding debt. We plan to be consumer debt (CC's and auto debt) in about 18 months or so. After that, we want to save up so DH can afford time off for knee surgery and so we can have a 8-12 month emergency fund. Know where we'er going once we meet all these goals? Two weeks at the Poly, baby!

And I'll be on the Budget Board the whole time we're paying down debt and saving up for our goals.

 

[mjantz]

crisi: To bounce off you a bit (as you bounced off me) I also see a real problem with saying 'We can't do that because we're poor' when we're really not. I know people that were raised that if, for example, a few of your friends have Coach handbags & you don't its because they have money & we don't. Knowing these people as adults I find it to be detrimental because its set up an 'us vs them' mentality & a feeling that everyone is doing better than they are financially because of the stuff other people have.

My kids & I have had long talks in Target about buying stuff. Now I only have to say 'What happens if we buy every toy & gadget you want?' & they will say 'We can't go on our vacation next summer'.
For the record I do treat them sometimes. Just today they picked out some Harry Potter candy at Walgreens & over the weekend I was cleaning out my closet & found some books I had bought & gave them to them. And when we vacation we buy lots of goodies & eat out much more than usual.

It really, truly is about choices.

 

[mamaof2]

Budget board!!! Where else can we keep it real?

 

[crisi]

crisi: To bounce off you a bit (as you bounced off me) I also see a real problem with saying 'We can't do that because we're poor' when we're really not. I know people that were raised that if, for example, a few of your friends have Coach handbags & you don't its because they have money & we don't. Knowing these people as adults I find it to be detrimental because its set up an 'us vs them' mentality & a feeling that everyone is doing better than they are financially because of the stuff other people have.

Agree. I don't want "classist" kids.

I do tell my kids when I am "broke" - which for us is the relative state of not having enough cash on hand at the moment which could be cleared up fairly quickly if I wanted to - at worse - sell some stock at a loss.

I read something on the 'new' economy where its now ok to say "sorry, I'd love to, but I can't afford to go out to lunch." And I thought if it didn't USED to be ok to say that, that explains a LOT about why we are where are are. I want my kids to be completely comfortable saying "I can't afford that" - even if what that really means is "I choose not to afford that."

 

[UCFALUM]

Agree. I don't want "classist" kids.

I do tell my kids when I am "broke" - which for us is the relative state of not having enough cash on hand at the moment which could be cleared up fairly quickly if I wanted to - at worse - sell some stock at a loss.

I read something on the 'new' economy where its now ok to say "sorry, I'd love to, but I can't afford to go out to lunch." And I thought if it didn't USED to be ok to say that, that explains a LOT about why we are where are are. I want my kids to be completely comfortable saying "I can't afford that" - even if what that really means is "I choose not to afford that."

Exactly!!! I was raised to put money in savings (stocks, MM, CD's etc) and it does not come out. We frequently tell our kids "it's not in the BUDGET" there's that word. Then remind them of all the cool experiences we do instead of things. Float plane in Alaska last Monday for instance.

This is my second time reading this thread and did anyone else notice the OP's name is HIGHCLASS. Really? She's the one complaining about the perceived high class people on the budget board with that name?

 

[maddhatir]

I have gotten tons of free stuff from the Freebie Thread.

I met my favorite Diser friend AND got to meet her in person-from the BB.

How's it hangin' freebie sista!?

Yup- we know how to save- I bought a gift certificate for $10 off from Restaurant.com for only pennies when we had lunch all b/c of the BB!!!!

I love Restaurant.com!

I am addicted to that place. DH said I have to stop buying the gift certificates- he does not understand that you can get great deals when they have 80% off! And yes, we do use them

 

[enchantingodin]

I'm a tightwad. Plain and simple. I want the MOST out of my money.