How to save large amounts of $$$

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trailerpark said:
Taking cold showers is absolutely ridiculous. Maybe after a workout or if I'm hot as balls, but in the winter time or whenever I'm cold I will take a shower as hot as my body likes it. Being frugal is great, but when your making stuff like laundry detergent when you can just buy it the dollar store, the opportunity cost just isn't worth it.
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Cold showers at home still uses up your water. Better off showering at the gym. Can have it whatever temp you want and you don't have to pay for the water or energy to heat it.

I don't actually do that, but if my hot water tank broke, I would definitely use the gym as my plan b in the meantime.
 
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No need to have your own shower or toilet. If you don't want to have an outhouse, most businesses have public bathrooms too. Why even waste the square footage of your house? This will let you buy a smaller house too, and save even more money!
 
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I make my own windshield washer fluid = dish detergent + water. Boom save $1.59! >_>

I bought boxers wholesale... 6 dozen for $72. $1 each... unlimited boxers woot! Laundry once in a blue moon.
 
I'm going to stop heating my home with regular utilities. I found a metal container and there's tons of trash to burn from my apartment complex dumpsters. And why buy groceries when there's a McDonalds dumpster a mile away? Imma stop wearing deodorant and any kind of personal hygiene. I think I should start separating 2 ply toilet paper. Wait why even use toilet paper... Why not shower with my clothes on at the gym to get free laundry. Sell my bung hole on craigslist?
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You guys are making me feel guilty for spending $28 on a boxer short today~! That is 6 months of electricity for some of you.
 
BMBiology said:
You guys are making me feel guilty for spending $28 on a boxer short today~! That is 6 months of electricity for some of you.
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I'm wearing a $27 pair of socks right now actually. Although that's only because I had a $25 gift card to use, and it was the least expensive thing I could buy to use it up. I'm sure it's all psychological, but these things are great. Maybe not "buy 1 pair for the price of a few dozen normal pairs" great, but definitely a few steps above.
 
Momus said:
I make my own windshield washer fluid = dish detergent + water. Boom save $1.59! >_
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But how much dish detergent? The price of detergent vs the washer fluid seems to make this a toss up. Plus I'd worry about it freezing up in the winter. Maybe could use alcohol instead, but that's going to affect the price.
 
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Ackj said:
But how much dish detergent? The price of detergent vs the washer fluid seems to make this a toss up. Plus I'd worry about it freezing up in the winter. Maybe could use alcohol instead, but that's going to affect the price.
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Cheap, almost free, takes me like 1 min to make. http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Windshield-Washer-Fluid

I live in SoCal so no antifreeze needed!
 
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Is anyone so cheap they find other ways to watch movies that are currently in the movie theatre? Please PM me if you have a way that's 100% "legal" of course. :shy:
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All4MyDaughter said:
The bunghole selling is genius. Also consider selling used socks on Ebay.
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Don't know if you are serious or not, but please look up how much "used" socks go for on Ebay. I know a guy over on Reddit posted an AMA about how he made some serious cash on the side selling his used socks.
 
xiphoid2010 said:
you guys are all forgetting to mention possibly the biggest decision: marry someone who has similar or better money earning power and sensible spending habits. Don't marry that money sink of a liberal arts cuttie, no matter how crazy she's in bed.
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No ?? ;)
 
confettiflyer said:
Basically make a realistic budget and stick to it. That's the tough part, sometimes the first inclination when you see money direct deposited into your account is to spend it.

That's the first thing you should avoid - only have enough net deposited into your account to cover your expenses + a small margin of error. The rest should be automatically sent to your preferred savings accounts (403b max at $17,500, Roth IRA, emergency savings account, etc...)

That's pretty much the secret, you can't make money that isn't there appear spontaneously, contrary to what some stock market gamblers may say on here. The most effective thing you can do is ratchet down your expenses (looks like you're doing that). Make sure your retirement accounts are tuned up to maximum/aggressive allocations, and make sure you have goals for saving that you are reevaluating every few months (like, $10k in your emergency savings account, once you achieve this goal, redirect the money you were putting in there to another purposed account for house down payment, for example.

Once you set things into motion, just sit back and stick to the plan. Also, pick up some basic personal finance books (Suze Orman...ugh, I hate her sometimes, but for newbies I recommend her stuff as basic reading), subscribe to Money Magazine to start, and try to read into Bogleheads.org but don't worry if it doesn't make sense.
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There are many many other ways, different and wiser, to make money depending on your skills and guts. If you do not like trading stocks, you can start a business. No risks no rewards !!

My thought on reading this thread: there is no point to live like a fakir slaving long hours as a pharmacist making all that money without rewarding yourself for all that hard work by living well. But to each their own :)
 
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trailerpark said:
Taking cold showers is absolutely ridiculous. Maybe after a workout or if I'm hot as balls, but in the winter time or whenever I'm cold I will take a shower as hot as my body likes it. Being frugal is great, but when your making stuff like laundry detergent when you can just buy it the dollar store, the opportunity cost just isn't worth it.
images
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LOL but is that how some people become millionaires, yeah ??.... Jesus Christ LOL :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
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Hi guys. I am still trying to learn 401K and there is a question that I would like to ask. Let's say that my salary is 100,000 and my employer will match dollar for dollar up to 4% of my salary. Let's say I put in the max amount into my 401K, which is $17,500. The employer contributes the $4,000 so now my total contributions for that year is $21,500. And let's say that this exact scenario occurs for the next 35 years. My question is: does this money have to be invested? Can I just settle for the $21,500/year and tell my employer that I do not want any of this money to be invested and that I would like my 401K to work like a savings account where I get benefits and tax breaks?
 
PistonFan531 said:
Hi guys. I am still trying to learn 401K and there is a question that I would like to ask. Let's say that my salary is 100,000 and my employer will match dollar for dollar up to 4% of my salary. Let's say I put in the max amount into my 401K, which is $17,500. The employer contributes the $4,000 so now my total contributions for that year is $21,500. And let's say that this exact scenario occurs for the next 35 years. My question is: does this money have to be invested? Can I just settle for the $21,500/year and tell my employer that I do not want any of this money to be invested and that I would like my 401K to work like a savings account where I get benefits and tax breaks?
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When you put money into 401k, you have numerous funds to choose. Stock market, bond, or money market/stable funds. So, yes, you can put into money market (the worst choice to park your long term money), and it acts just like a regular saving account (earning essentially $0, with negative return every year because of inflation).
 
I need to go check out the other health professions forums sometime and see if they have these cheapskate threads…or if this is more of a pharmacist quality.
 
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Step 1: Don't spend money.
Step 2: Put the money you aren't spending into index funds and tax sheltered accounts.
Step 3: Repeat
Step 4: Wait
Step 5: Profit.
 
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B Wong said:
Don't know if you are serious or not, but please look up how much "used" socks go for on Ebay. I know a guy over on Reddit posted an AMA about how he made some serious cash on the side selling his used socks.
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What? You don't think there are people who can't afford new socks and would buy used? ;)
 
would it be a big fiscal mistake to spend a bunch of money (>$2k) on a new mattress?
 
waiter said:
would it be a big fiscal mistake to spend a bunch of money (>$2k) on a new mattress?
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If you don't sleep well, your mental performance can suffer. You may miss out on promotions, bonuses, job opportunities, etc. On the other hand, being well rested allows you to excel and perform at a higher level than others. This might put you first in line for raises, bonuses, promotions. What's $2k if it will boost your long term earning potential?
 
waiter said:
would it be a big fiscal mistake to spend a bunch of money (>$2k) on a new mattress?
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That is too expensive! Try to find a gf/bf first. That usually would cure all sleep problems.
 
BMBiology said:
That is too expensive! Try to find a gf/bf first. That usually would cure all sleep problems.
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And have them share your granite mattress? No way, they'll be out of there looking for some hunk with a Hypnos.
 
Something I've been doing for a while that saves a ton of money is buying food at indian/chinese markets. The produce and meat are very high quality and also very cheap. At my local indian market I get avocados for about 90 cents each, and they make a great lunch when combined with some other carbohydrate source like rice, wheat bread, or pita. Also, smoothies - bananas, some grape nuts equivalent cereal, frozen berries, peanut butter (post workout), and almond milk = a great dinner/breakfast. It also helps that I get several free meals per week, as well as free coffee at the hospital I am doing my residency at. I also locked in a great deal for a 660 sqft mother in law suite for $650 with ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED. hot showers and cold AC galore!
 
oldstock said:
No ?? ;)
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I can just imagine what life would be like shackled to an alimoney and/or child support. I guess among the love fools I was lucky. But damn those liberal arts cuties for things that I'll take to my grave without my wife ever knowing. ;);)
 
xiphoid2010 said:
I can just imagine what life would be like shackled to an alimoney and/or child support. I guess among the love fools I was lucky. But damn those liberal arts cuties for things that I'll take to my grave without my wife ever knowing. ;);)
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Why just liberal arts? LOL

What did she do?
 
BMBiology said:
Why just liberal arts? LOL

What did she do?
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Maybe not just liberal arts, but I didn't meet any girls in my molecular bio/chem classes that were freaky in bed. As to what she did, well, that's for all the stuff we did... I did say I was taking it to my grave without even my wife knowing. :D
 
xiphoid2010 said:
but I didn't meet any girls in my molecular bio/chem classes that were freaky in bed.
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Man...what college did YOU go to? Cuz...that's where all the freaky people were at my school. They were just closet freaks.
 
xiphoid2010 said:
Maybe not just liberal arts, but I didn't meet any girls in my molecular bio/chem classes that were freaky in bed. As to what she did, well, that's for all the stuff we did... I did say I was taking it to my grave without even my wife knowing. :D
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Apparently you didn't get some from a physics major!
 
xiphoid2010 said:
Maybe not just liberal arts, but I didn't meet any girls in my molecular bio/chem classes that were freaky in bed. As to what she did, well, that's for all the stuff we did... I did say I was taking it to my grave without even my wife knowing. :D
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Share it with wife... sh1t gets boring fast.

We, men, want women act as a lady in the street, a slut in bed!
 
confettiflyer said:
Man...what college did YOU go to? Cuz...that's where all the freaky people were at my school. They were just closet freaks.
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UT-austin. :) Did date couple of fellow pre-meds, not that sex was ever bad in undergrad but they just didn't compared to.... that one. I mean, c'mon, it was so crazy that I was 15 minutes late to my MCAT test, ran into the room wearing my last night's shirt and shorts all wrinkled. All the other pre-meds taking the MCAT were looking at me like "who the f is this dude". I walked in with a grill on my face, all relaxed, BAM, scored a 32. Yeah, it was good like that.
 
xiphoid2010 said:
UT-austin. :) Did date couple of fellow pre-meds, not that sex was ever bad in undergrad but they just didn't compared to.... that one. I mean, c'mon, it was so crazy that I was 15 minutes late to my MCAT test, ran into the room wearing my last night's shirt and shorts all wrinkled. All the other pre-meds taking the MCAT were looking at me like "who the f is this dude". I walked in with a grill on my face, all relaxed, BAM, scored a 32. Yeah, it was good like that.
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See, having sex with her helped you academically. If I were a boy, I would marry that girl. I would do twice the sex and I would prob score a 40's on the MCAT :) lol
 
xiphoid2010 said:
I can just imagine what life would be like shackled to an alimoney and/or child support. I guess among the love fools I was lucky. But damn those liberal arts cuties for things that I'll take to my grave without my wife ever knowing. ;);)
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sometimes you never know what kind of past that those good housewives are carrying ;) :)
 
Ackj said:
If you don't sleep well, your mental performance can suffer. You may miss out on promotions, bonuses, job opportunities, etc. On the other hand, being well rested allows you to excel and perform at a higher level than others. This might put you first in line for raises, bonuses, promotions. What's $2k if it will boost your long term earning potential?
Click to expand...

Geesh, all you really need is the cheapest (well decent brand/quality) and firmest mattress you can tolerate.
 
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