blackpudd1n Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 So I'm really interested in being financially self-sufficient, and I have been looking at budgeting and money management websites tonight. I put a search into Google for savings tips, and I come upon a website which has apparently sifted through 50,000 saving tips to find the best ones... But I can't see those tips, unless I get a membership for $47 a year. Is it just me, but does that strike anyone else as a self-defeating exercise? Like saying, "we can help you save money, but we're not going to tell you how, until you pay us money." Fuck that website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue elephant Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Hey Pudd I think I get a newsletter from that website, but I have never shelled out the $47. I can forward it on to you, but I found after a while that I had thought of most of the things they said. 1. Get out of credit card debt 2. Cook your own food and take your own lunches to work You know the sort of thing! btw, learning to like lentils can save a lot of money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybaris Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 "we can help you save money, but we're not going to tell you how, until you pay us money." "we can tell you how to get to heaven but along the way we're going to use peer pressure and guilt until you give us money" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wester Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Here is a theory: pay the minimum on debts, and put as much extra cash into gold and silver coins as humanly possible. just stash the coins and forget it. Don't follow the prices or numbers except maybe 4 or 5 times a year. As long as interest rates stay at 0%, you can be sure that gold and silver and other commodity prices will be going up. Someone I know started this in 2007 and by 2009 had tripled the investment and was able to move to Thailand. Returned about 50%-60% per year. Take that hedge fund douchebags Financial planning is easy - cut expenses - ruthlessly. If the rent is to.o expensive, downsize. Invest in the most electricity efficient appliances. Eat potatoes, rice and vegetables instead of hamburgers or steaks. Grow your own vegetables. Make your own pizza. Walk or ride a bike instead of driving. Enjoy the party. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Here is a theory: pay the minimum on debts, and put as much extra cash into gold and silver coins as humanly possible. just stash the coins and forget it. Don't follow the prices or numbers except maybe 4 or 5 times a year. I need to strongly disagree here. Silver and gold are both not behaving well here (ask me again next month and maybe I'll change my mind ) but generally stocks are the better way to go as they have massively outperformed commodities over time; always have and probably always will. Historically, the performance of metals here has been an anomaly. You don't want to bet your future on anomalies. Also, no! don't pay the minimum on your debts. Pay the max. If you have a credit card that you pay 18% a year on, paying this off is like getting a guaranteed 18% return on your money. Where are you going to get an 18% guaranteed return on investment? After your debts are paid off, do what Wester says and reduce costs and sock money away, but pay off your debt first if you have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 We don't have any credit cards. I got into trouble with the one and only one I have ever had, and when I went on the pension, I worked out an agreement with the company whereby I pay $25 a fortnight off the debt, and there is no interest. I will never have another credit card again. What I want to do is save money so as I never have to borrow ever again. The only time I ever want to borrow money again is for a home loan. That's it. Overall, I think we do pretty well with managing the finances. However, I would like to do better. So I'm looking into things like recipes for making cleaning products instead of buying them, and other ways to cut down on household costs. I allocate a certain amount of money each week for each thing, like fuel, groceries, etc, and when we don't use all of that money, I chuck it into a sludge fund so that when we need it, it's there. I'm also building up a savings fund for the cats. I'd like to get that up to about $2000, so that we don't have to stress about sudden vet bills. Basically, I'm trying to get us really well set up, so things like the car breaking down or needing to replace the fridge at short notice aren't an issue anymore. And I want to do that without the use of credit cards or loans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Hey Pudd I think I get a newsletter from that website, but I have never shelled out the $47. I can forward it on to you, but I found after a while that I had thought of most of the things they said. 1. Get out of credit card debt 2. Cook your own food and take your own lunches to work You know the sort of thing! btw, learning to like lentils can save a lot of money! I think I may have found a better website, and for free, Blue. It seems to cover more topics. It's here: http://www.savingsguide.com.au/ Might want to check it out- it's got some thought-porvoking articles and stuff on there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 So I'm really interested in being financially self-sufficient, and I have been looking at budgeting and money management websites tonight. I put a search into Google for savings tips, and I come upon a website which has apparently sifted through 50,000 saving tips to find the best ones... But I can't see those tips, unless I get a membership for $47 a year. Is it just me, but does that strike anyone else as a self-defeating exercise? Like saying, "we can help you save money, but we're not going to tell you how, until you pay us money." Fuck that website. If paying 47 can save you 470 it's worth it. They did some work and need compensation. BUT you have no idea if their tips are good or just shit. You're believing them in faith if you buy in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 So I'm really interested in being financially self-sufficient, and I have been looking at budgeting and money management websites tonight. I put a search into Google for savings tips, and I come upon a website which has apparently sifted through 50,000 saving tips to find the best ones... But I can't see those tips, unless I get a membership for $47 a year. Is it just me, but does that strike anyone else as a self-defeating exercise? Like saying, "we can help you save money, but we're not going to tell you how, until you pay us money." Fuck that website. If paying 47 can save you 470 it's worth it. They did some work and need compensation. BUT you have no idea if their tips are good or just shit. You're believing them in faith if you buy in. Well, that's pretty much it. I don't like the idea of having to just take something on faith. And neither do I like the idea that a site that people would turn to who are looking at getting themselves out of trouble would insist on payment upfront before giving them a hand, when there are plenty of other sites out there that will do the same thing for free. $47 is half my weekly groceries budget. If I'm trying to save money, then I can think of one way immediately to do so: by not joining that site lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Too bad you're not in the USA. If you were sued by the Credit card bank, I could help you. If you went to court and requested that they produce a signed copy of the written contract, more often than not, they won't have it and the case would be thrown out. Oh I wasn't sued by them. We made an agreement that I would pay off the debt without interest at fortnightly intervals. As long as I pay, and don't use the card, they have no ability to take me to court. I can also cease payments in times of extreme hardship, so long as I call them first, and I can also put the regular amount up or down depending on my situation. Doing it this way actually works in my favour, because it gives me a good credit rating, despite the fact that I am in debt collection. If I had gone to court, I would have ended up with a mark against my name which would have made it hard to gain credit in the future. So far, I have paid off two debts in this manner, I have another which will be finalised by this time next year, and this one will take a few more years. But either way, I have made myself an even better candidate for a loan in the future should I require one, because I have proven that I will pay my debts. A lot of people fear debt collection, when they shouldn't. Debt collection allows a person to pay their debt off in regular amounts that they can afford, without interest. The key is to not be intimidated by the collection agency and to know your rights. They will try and push for you to clear the debt as quickly as possible, especially at first. The fact is, though, if you are willing to pay the debt off at a certain amount at regular intervals, there's not a damn thing they can legally do. And if they refuse to accept your terms, you just call the Financial Ombudsman Service and usually it will be sorted out with one phone call, and you'll get your terms. For the most part, though, the collectors are pretty reasonable as soon as they realise that you're willing to come to the party and pay the debt and that you're not going to scream at them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 The way manufacturers buy in bulk and make cheap products in china these days, I'd be really surprised if you could do much at home cheaper than you can buy it in the store. My brother's wife makes their own wet wipes for their twin babies, but it's a pretty simple process. I'm betting making your own ketchup will end up costing you more than buying a bottle of ketchup. OTH, you may like your homemade stuff better and it will probably be healthier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 The way manufacturers buy in bulk and make cheap products in china these days, I'd be really surprised if you could do much at home cheaper than you can buy it in the store. My brother's wife makes their own wet wipes for their twin babies, but it's a pretty simple process. I'm betting making your own ketchup will end up costing you more than buying a bottle of ketchup. OTH, you may like your homemade stuff better and it will probably be healthier. I wouldn't go as far as making tomato sauce and wipes. Just cleaning products. I still can't get those damn tiles clean in the bathroom/laundry, and I've had enough of spending money on trying different products. What idiot puts dark grey fine porous tiles on the floor, anyway?! I can't find a product that works on the bastards, and neither can I find out where the bastard tiles came from because the builder went bankrupt just after I moved in. Every tile shop in town can't believe they put those tiles down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Valk0010 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Pud try this stuff I swear by it http://www.kaboomkaboom.com/ I recommend the foam spray that turns from blue to white. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 The way manufacturers buy in bulk and make cheap products in china these days, I'd be really surprised if you could do much at home cheaper than you can buy it in the store. My brother's wife makes their own wet wipes for their twin babies, but it's a pretty simple process. I'm betting making your own ketchup will end up costing you more than buying a bottle of ketchup. OTH, you may like your homemade stuff better and it will probably be healthier. I wouldn't go as far as making tomato sauce and wipes. Just cleaning products. I still can't get those damn tiles clean in the bathroom/laundry, and I've had enough of spending money on trying different products. What idiot puts dark grey fine porous tiles on the floor, anyway?! I can't find a product that works on the bastards, and neither can I find out where the bastard tiles came from because the builder went bankrupt just after I moved in. Every tile shop in town can't believe they put those tiles down. Have you ever tried "Hints from Helloise"? She's a news paper columnist in the US who has given tips on how to solve these types of issues for decades. I just checked and she has a website with tips: http://www.heloise.com/hints.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Pud try this stuff I swear by it http://www.kaboomkaboom.com/ I recommend the foam spray that turns from blue to white. Too bad they don't sell it in Oz :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Have you ever tried "Hints from Helloise"? She's a news paper columnist in the US who has given tips on how to solve these types of issues for decades. I just checked and she has a website with tips: http://www.heloise.com/hints.html No, but thanks for the tip, I'll check her out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Valk0010 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 http://www.amazon.co...c/dp/B003IX0QK0 I am not sure how much it costs in aussie money, but it looks cheap from where I am sitting. Its like 4 dollars a can in a store here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 http://www.amazon.co.../dp/B003IX0QK0 I am not sure how much it costs in aussie money, but it looks cheap from where I am sitting. Its like 4 dollars a can in a store here. There's no way it would make it into the country, though. It's an aerosol can. I'm not big on buying from Amazon anymore after reading about how they treat their staff. My conscience won't let me do it. Positivist sent me this article: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/02/mac-mcclelland-free-online-shipping-warehouses-labor?page=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Valk0010 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 http://www.motherjon...es-labor?page=1 Holy Shit, to put it mildly 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 http://www.amazon.co..../dp/B003IX0QK0 I am not sure how much it costs in aussie money, but it looks cheap from where I am sitting. Its like 4 dollars a can in a store here. There's no way it would make it into the country, though. It's an aerosol can. I'm not big on buying from Amazon anymore after reading about how they treat their staff. My conscience won't let me do it. Positivist sent me this article: http://www.motherjon...es-labor?page=1 That's pretty messed up. I worked for almost 9 years in a similar environment. They weren't so quick to fire you, but they pushed you pretty much as hard. I'm sorry to say, I was more often than not the one doing the pushing. I didn't have a choice. The work had to get done and if I didn't get my crew to do it, we all stayed longer and I had to do more of their share. We worked until our fingers were bloody and had dried white lines of sweat running down our faces and chests. If someone couldn't hack it, I or someone else on my crew would push them until they quit so we would get someone to replace them who could hold their own. One guy cut his uniform off with a knife and threw it at me as he walked out the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 http://www.motherjon...es-labor?page=1 Holy Shit, to put it mildly Pretty much. It's up there as one of the most dehumanising things I've ever read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 http://www.amazon.co..../dp/B003IX0QK0 I am not sure how much it costs in aussie money, but it looks cheap from where I am sitting. Its like 4 dollars a can in a store here. There's no way it would make it into the country, though. It's an aerosol can. I'm not big on buying from Amazon anymore after reading about how they treat their staff. My conscience won't let me do it. Positivist sent me this article: http://www.motherjon...es-labor?page=1 That's pretty messed up. I worked for almost 9 years in a similar environment. They weren't so quick to fire you, but they pushed you pretty much as hard. I'm sorry to say, I was more often than not the one doing the pushing. I didn't have a choice. The work had to get done and if I didn't get my crew to do it, we all stayed longer and I had to do more of their share. We worked until our fingers were bloody and had dried white lines of sweat running down our faces and chests. If someone couldn't hack it, I or someone else on my crew would push them until they quit so we would get someone to replace them who could hold their own. One guy cut his uniform off with a knife and threw it at me as he walked out the door. It's the barbaric side of an unregulated market. The thing is, it's shit like this that actually harms the American economy and doesn't help it in any way. You can argue against such practices using economics. Having employees treated in this manner is only harmful for an economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 It's the barbaric side of an unregulated market. Yup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 I went looking at some other websites for tips on cleaning, and I found one that suggested soaking paper towels in vinegar and sticking them to the walls of your shower in order to break down the soap scum. You've got to leave them on there for about half an hour. I'll let yas know if it works; it'll be awesome if it does. I hate cleaning soap scum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Wow, it worked. It actually worked! I only needed to give the tiles a slight scrub with a scourer and then a wipe. Damn, it came off really easily! This home remedies cleaning shit is awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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