Comments on: Things We Shouldn’t Pay For

By: Bill R.

Bill R. — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:28:00 +0000

I agree with most of what you’ve said, but I have to echo the sentiments of Tom Donaldson. Maintaining a swimming pool is not as easy as it seems. Storage of chemicals, etc… makes it a bit more complex than “set it and forget it.” Regardless, there are many things that we have become accustomed to that perhaps we should rethink.

Thanks.

By: Damon

Damon — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:32:14 +0000

Television

Almost forgot this but this one really irks me. If you buy satellite radio, you get commercial free radio.

If you buy satellite or cable tv, you get just as many commercials as you do on free tv.

I’m down with OPT, (yeah you know me!) That’s our flavor of Public Television / PBS, and there really are some great programs on there.

But we really shouldn’t be spending a lot of time in front of the tv anyway. Then pay $35 to hundreds a month, just to see a bunch of mediocre entertainment interspersed with a ton of advertisements for crap we shouldn’t be buying anyway (or talking to our doctor about), that seems insane as well.

By: Damon

Damon — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:25:02 +0000

Software

Go to osalt.com, type in your favorite commercial application (like Photoshop, Windows, etc) and it will come back with the commercial apps as well as open source apps, with user ratings and a description.

Then get crazy and throw Ubuntu (a flavor of linux) on a spare computer and see what you think. I promise, if you give it a couple weeks, you’ll be hooked.

Just check out the add/remove feature… it actually lets you download software!!! What a novel idea.

And in case you feel like there’s no way you could do it, my mom is running it; she’s 56, and not the most tech savvy.

There are plenty of free online resources to help you, and you’re already here so you know how to get around. Add up what you pay for commercial software, then what you pay for someone like me to take all the adware and viruses off, and it just doesn’t make sense.

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:59:25 +0000

Haircuts – I do get my hair cut at a salon, as no one here is able to cut it. I don’t consider that an extravagance as I go to a reasonably priced place. I do color my hair myself.

By: Gail

Gail — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:50:19 +0000

Haircuts! I’ve saved our household much money over the years with cutting hair. Even now I cut my hubby’s hair and if I’m not up to it, he trims it himself. I however go and get my haircuts done professionally during the spring through fall. I missed my last appointment in Dec. and haven’t made another one and won’t until the snow quits. This is a luxury for me as most of my life (even as an adult) my mother cut my hair or I just let it grow as there was never enough money in the budget for me with the ex. My husband knows how getting my hair done increases my self-esteem and sense of well-being and he likes me looking nice, so this is a splurge yet needful thing.

This is part of being frugal and that is to be able to afford the things that are important to us and for me about $100 over the course of a year for my hair to get fixed is worth it especially as the meds I take make my hair fall out and a decent hair cut is the only thing way to make my hair look decent.

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:58:58 +0000

Taxes – yes, I do mine with Turbotax also. I do have to pay as I need the longer form, but it’s still reasonable and guides you through the process quite well.

I like doing things myself whenever possible, it gives me a feeling of independence.

Dog grooming is another one! I can’t believe people pay someone to bathe and groom their dogs regularly. I bought the equipment years ago, replace as needed and do it myself. If you don’t want to do the grooming get a short haired dog!

I also cut both my sons’ hair (ages 17 & 22) and now my boyfriend’s hair as well. I’ve saved 1000s of $ over the years on haircuts.

After learning to groom dogs I taught myself to cut hair when my 1st son was a toddler.

By: Gail

Gail — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:20:54 +0000

I am disabled but find that doing housework, especially the sweeping and mopping, are very beneficial to loosening the muscle tension in my neck and shoulders. Maybe someday we will need to hire someone in to help me out, but for now I take it a little bit at a time and do what I can. We rarely have company so as long as we find our house liveable, who cares. My disabilities flare up and down and I have ‘chores’ and things to do for every stage of how I feel. Even on super bad days, if needed, I can shove laundry in the washer.

Due to allergies, we can’t do our own lawn cutting, so that is hired out. Hubby works at home so if we get snowed in, so what? Although I have had a lot of cabin fever this winter, I used the time productively. Some things we pay to have down to free up hubby to do his paid work and other things we don’t even have like a pool so those aren’t worries that we have.

By: Patti S.

Patti S. — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:17:27 +0000

Taxes. Every year since I can remember I have done my own taxes. And I have done my fiancee’s taxes. Turbotax costs minimal to electronically file state taxes and charges nothing to file federal taxes. They have an audit monitor tool and online assistance should you need it. Also, they keep past records on file so if you lose your paper copies or your electronic copies in a computer crash, you can log in and get them at any time.
As far as oil changes, around here they cost the same as doing it yourself as we are charged an oil disposal fee. Not worth the hassle since the cost remains the same.
One thing I think is funny that people use are interior decorators (not trying to stir up trouble here for those who do this line of work). Unless you avidly show your home and need everything in its place, what would you need an interior decorator to do?

By: Cindy M

Cindy M — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:54:15 +0000

I really can’t identify with any of this but also can’t resist making a few comment. I shovel my own snow, clean my own house, have never worried about home security even though I live in a borderline neighborhood (I say let them have my stuff; there’s almost nothing I own I could not do without or replace easily). I used to buy gourmet coffee but found I could easily live without it; cut my own grass and grow my own flowers (and my own hair, for that matter). I was the proud owner (where I lived before) an in-ground pool I maintained myself for 11 years with few problems (but quite a few worries with the ornery neighbor kids, nonetheless). I’ve been divorced 20 years and managed/manage to do all the above pretty much on my own; have even changed the oil in my car. I will say I can certainly understand, aging as I am, why people end up wanting to live very simply, with no yard (and a very short driveway if any). Downsize, downsize, downsize. When I retire, I swear I plan to live in a cracker box, eat every meal out and be gone all day long, doing volunteer work when I’m not on the road traveling.

By: Persephone

Persephone — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 13:50:19 +0000

I think indefinitely using a personal trainer at the gym is a waste of money for the vast majority of us who are not wealthy. I know women at the gym who have been working out with a trainer for years. They seem to chat with their trainer as much they exercise. I think the trainer has become a crutch for them. For the record, the fittest people at the gym do not use trainers.