What About Your Lifestyle/Habits Saves You Big $$$ ?

[tzolkin]

Again, I find it hard to believe that NC is a leader in this regard.

Surprisingly, NC actually does offer a lot more than many other places. We chose to move here for some of the educational benefits a few years ago. We lived in rural NY and none of the options in this thread were available to our oldest daughter there.

In NC, my youngest is now enrolled in an early college high school and my middle daughter decided to homeschool last year to take greater advantage of the offerings through the community college. She has finished all of her high school requirements, but since she is still technically a high school student (hasn't graduated from homeschool yet) she can take all her classes for free at the community college. She took 5 courses online last year and has a full schedule of online and in-person courses that she is registered for this year.

That said, we do still have to get them to these classes so transportation could still be a limiting factor for some kids. I work from home so I have a fairly flexible schedule and my husband gets home at 3:15 so we can coordinate transportation since the local cc is just a few miles away. This year, we will have to buy a car for our daughter since the courses she is taking are only offered at the cc campus that is 40 minutes away so I will not have the time to drive her there and pick her up in the middle of my work day.

Right. My point is that it seems like in some of what is mentioned there are quite a lot of sacrifices being made for a Disney vacation. I worry about the ends justifying the means… again- in some of the mentioned situations.

crisi made a good point about this a few posts back; that we only tend to give up things that are not that important to us. I don't really care about fancy cars, television, or dining out all the time so those are easy ways to cut back so I have extra to spend on the things that provide me with more value. We could also easily afford those things and a vacation, but I'd rather put more money into savings/retirement (because, again, stability and security are things that I value more).

I think your point is valid for some people because one vacation definitely may not be worth all the sacrifices. We have friends who get more pleasure out of small things in their daily lives (dining out, drinks, coffee, tv, etc) and they really are not interested in travelling at all. They would be absolutely miserable if they gave up all of those things throughout the year just to take a vacation. My family gets more joy out of planning, anticipating, and taking a few trips per year than we would ever get out of little daily things so we don't mind eating at home or not having cable to make that happen.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Surprisingly, NC actually does offer a lot more than many other places. We chose to move here for some of the educational benefits a few years ago. We lived in rural NY and none of the options in this thread were available to our oldest daughter there.

In NC, my youngest is now enrolled in an early college high school and my middle daughter decided to homeschool last year to take greater advantage of the offerings through the community college. She has finished all of her high school requirements, but since she is still technically a high school student (hasn't graduated from homeschool yet) she can take all her classes for free at the community college. She took 5 courses online last year and has a full schedule of online and in-person courses that she is registered for this year.

That said, we do still have to get them to these classes so transportation could still be a limiting factor for some kids. I work from home so I have a fairly flexible schedule and my husband gets home at 3:15 so we can coordinate transportation since the local cc is just a few miles away. This year, we will have to buy a car for our daughter since the courses she is taking are only offered at the cc campus that is 40 minutes away so I will not have the time to drive her there and pick her up in the middle of my work day.


crisi made a good point about this a few posts back; that we only tend to give up things that are not that important to us. I don't really care about fancy cars, television, or dining out all the time so those are easy ways to cut back so I have extra to spend on the things that provide me with more value. We could also easily afford those things and a vacation, but I'd rather put more money into savings/retirement (because, again, stability and security are things that I value more).

I think your point is valid for some people because one vacation definitely may not be worth all the sacrifices. We have friends who get more pleasure out of small things in their daily lives (dining out, drinks, coffee, tv, etc) and they really are not interested in travelling at all. They would be absolutely miserable if they gave up all of those things throughout the year just to take a vacation. My family gets more joy out of planning, anticipating, and taking a few trips per year than we would ever get out of little daily things so we don't mind eating at home or not having cable to make that happen.

I'm curious--whereabouts in rural NY? We lived in Saratoga County for 20 years. Our central school, ~100 kids per grade, had a remote learning room in the HS for virtual classes, and several of our DD's classmates took classes at a community college (we moved before my oldest hit HS, but had scoped out our options).

We, too, were surprised at all the school options here in NC. When we moved here, we deliberately bought a house with the HS we wanted for our younger two. Come to find out, there's school choice, and each HS in our city has a "magnet"--our home school has the IB program, which DD did, another school has a STEM-focused program, another has a marine biology, etc. They also have a gifted program here--in NY, the school had gutted this, and in NH (where we lived between NY and NC) didn't have one at all.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

So any coins after a couple weeks go into a jar. Think of that as uber/taxi/gas/tips/currency exchange/emergency funds (my parents have been doing this since they got married-apparently they paid for the entirety of their flowers for their wedding from a jar and a half of coins-its was the 80s so that probably wouldn't happy today but it started something with them).
We also all save money and gift cards for trips. I usually start the next trips savings with what was leftover from he trip prior unless it is not worth it (it very rarely is because I watch what I spend). So I can get sometimes a year and a half worth of change and gifts and gift cards saved up.
The last thing I started doing a few years ago. Before I go anywhere I look up merchandise I want and write out the price. I even categorize it into definitely want/maybe want/wouldn't be mad if I didn't get it want and it helps SO MUCH!

 

[tzolkin]

I'm curious--whereabouts in rural NY? We lived in Saratoga County for 20 years. Our central school, ~100 kids per grade, had a remote learning room in the HS for virtual classes, and several of our DD's classmates took classes at a community college

Looks like your county is about the same size but has about 3x the population.

Morrisville-Eaton school district. #1 & #6 on this list of "fastest shrinking upstate NY communities".
The fastest-shrinking Upstate NY communities: 50 towns, cities ranked for 2017 - newyorkupstate.com
Morrisville also came it at #1 for the greatest population decline percentage for New York in the 2020 census. A 19.8% decrease since 2010 and it was decreasing already for decades before that. The year before we left they tried to merge school districts with a neighboring town to combine resources to provide more opportunities for the students, but the other town voted "no".

I think most other states divide their school districts by county, not by town like NY does. Doing it by county may not be even throughout the entire state, but it does distribute the resources a bit better for counties that have smaller/poorer towns within them. For example, the rural county we live in NC has a wealthy area and some very poor areas, but there is only one high school so all the students within the county have the same educational opportunities.

 

[dpswift]

So any coins after a couple weeks go into a jar. Think of that as uber/taxi/gas/tips/currency exchange/emergency funds (my parents have been doing this since they got married-apparently they paid for the entirety of their flowers for their wedding from a jar and a half of coins-its was the 80s so that probably wouldn't happy today but it started something with them).
We also all save money and gift cards for trips. I usually start the next trips savings with what was leftover from he trip prior unless it is not worth it (it very rarely is because I watch what I spend). So I can get sometimes a year and a half worth of change and gifts and gift cards saved up.
The last thing I started doing a few years ago. Before I go anywhere I look up merchandise I want and write out the price. I even categorize it into definitely want/maybe want/wouldn't be mad if I didn't get it want and it helps SO MUCH!

We do pretty much the same thing as far as coins and rolling over vacation funds. I do not however start shopping for merchandise before I leave home. It would most likely get me to buy more stuff. We are at the point where we don’t buy many souvenirs

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

We do pretty much the same thing as far as coins and rolling over vacation funds. I do not however start shopping for merchandise before I leave home. It would most likely get me to buy more stuff. We are at the point where we don’t buy many souvenirs

Its mainly just to see what prices are. We love holiday decor and various other things but in 2019 I had a list-when I tell you I actually got less of what I wanted and was able to save because I had the list and if there was something I wanted that I didn't see or I ended up needing ( like tylenol or a water) I was able to get it and I still came home with a good amount of money left over.
Its almost reverse psychology for me. Looking up merch before I leave also allows me to make sure I have no duplicates, enough room for something, etc. For example: I collect venetian style masks. I have masks from Rome, from Disney, from Busch Gardens Williamsburg, from Universal, from antique stores, from museums. You name it I got it. Before my 2019 trip I looked at how many I had (plus I reorganize what I am currently holding them in as I am still indecisive of how I want to display them. I realized I did not need any more masks until I figured out how I was going to display them. Of course a couple weeks prior to the trip they mentioned that EPCOT had a design your own mask. I put it under my "maybe want" list and went about my time. Second day in EPCOT I found myself wandering amongst the masks (and doing my best not to fall in love with any) when I came across a small ceramic mask holder (think a jewelry holder but in the shape of a mask). It was only $20. I ended up getting it because I a) hadnt spent even half my money and b) i could use it and display in on my vanity or put it on my book shelf (which is where it is now). Was it still an impulse buy? Absolutely Did knowing how much the masks cost and about the make a mask help? I honestly do not know but having that extra money I saved helped immensely. I did not come home with a plethora of items (clothing items yes but souvenirs? No)

 

[DisneyHardin]

Right. My point is that it seems like in some of what is mentioned there are quite a lot of sacrifices being made for a Disney vacation. I worry about the ends justifying the means… again- in some of the mentioned situations.

If you been around the Disboards for a while, you probably have also noticed that EVERYTHING on these boards is a competition, so if I say I save money by only eating out once per week, someone will have to come along and top me by only eating out once per month, then then next person can't be outdone by their thriftiness, so they post they only eat out once per year, and it just snowballs from there. Keep in mind that some of these "thrifty" comments may be a little stretch on the truth in order to top someone else.

 

[MrsPete]

When I was a young wife there was a woman who got rich by being frugal. She started a newsletter and then wrote books on being cheap. I would not spend the money for her newsletters but did read the book. One thing she said was that by being cheap you can afford what is really important to you

I think you're talking about Amy Dacyczyn. If so, yes, her books are great -- though the prices are a bit outdated at this point. What I like about her books is that she "walks you through" her decision-making process /doesn't just say "Do it this way". I've always been frugal, but I learned a lot from her books when I was younger.

She has finished all of her high school requirements, but since she is still technically a high school student (hasn't graduated from homeschool yet) she can take all her classes for free at the community college. She took 5 courses online last year and has a full schedule of online and in-person courses that she is registered for this year.

That's good planning -- delaying her high school graduation date so she can continue to take CC classes for free. If more people took the time to research their options, they'd find this type of thing exists!

This year, we will have to buy a car for our daughter since the courses she is taking are only offered at the cc campus that is 40 minutes away so I will not have the time to drive her there and pick her up in the middle of my work day.

It's true that not every CC class is available online, but the basics that most high school students will choose -- English 101, etc. -- can be done without transportation. Sounds like your daughter has progressed beyond those basics.

So any coins after a couple weeks go into a jar.

You've gotta be careful with that "saving coins in a jar" thing. If you put away your change and then go to the ATM for more cash, it won't save anything; on the other hand, if you put the change away and then don't spend on piddly little things that don't matter ... that'll work. You just can't fall for fuzzy math.

We are at the point where we don’t buy many souvenirs

Yep, that's us too.

If you been around the Disboards for a while, you probably have also noticed that EVERYTHING on these boards is a competition, so if I say I save money by only eating out once per week, someone will have to come along and top me by only eating out once per month, then then next person can't be outdone by their thriftiness, so they post they only eat out once per year, and it just snowballs from there. Keep in mind that some of these "thrifty" comments may be a little stretch on the truth in order to top someone else.

The term for "I'm more thrifty than you" is Humble Bragging.

 

[shawthorne44]

I think you're talking about Amy Dacyczyn. If so, yes, her books are great -- though the prices are a bit outdated at this point. What I like about her books is that she "walks you through" her decision-making process /doesn't just say "Do it this way". I've always been frugal, but I learned a lot from her books when I was younger.

I was proud that I bought the complete book used for cheap. It was a life-saver when DD was young and I was flipping out about picking the 'right' sippy cup. I reread the book and realized they were just to save my carpet from spilled milk.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So we finally got to test drive a Palisade which is just slightly bigger than a Santa Fe but quite similar too (of course it was also the top of the line model and we're looking at slightly lower trim level). We got a call and a text from the dealership as soon as it came in. My husband had off work and we had just gotten to Costco when they contacted us. We said we would be there within 10-15 mins. As we were getting off the highway we saw the Palisade (we knew it was a blacked out one as that is part of the top of the line model) but by the time we got off on the exit we saw it being driven away..it was being test driven by a couple. They got back within about 5 mins and we were ushered into it. We drove it for about 10mins came back and another couple was already lined up and we were ushered right out. That car was getting sold today (likely within a few hours too) no doubt. It had 9 miles on it when we test drove it (like many of the cars they come right off the boat and have virtually no miles).

Just thought I would update because we did like it (and it stays on the list) and after a month and multiple attempts we finally got to drive it and now we know it's very comparable to the Santa Fe with some slightly different features (like 3rd row, slightly longer, different wireless charging, but for the most part the same feel, same road smoothness, although a higher price tag lol).

Also my husband is trading in his S9 for an S20 and due to the chip shortage the new phone won't come in til mid to late August (he's just doing the trade in because the phone is free and we've had the S9's for 3 years just about, I'm keeping mine for now as I'm in a grandfathered in Sprint plan).

 

[DisneyHardin]

It had 9 miles on it when we test drove it (like many of the cars they come right off the boat and have virtually no miles).

We bought our very first brand new car last fall - it was pretty neat to drive it off the lot with 6 miles on it.

 

[MrsPete]

We bought our very first brand new car last fall - it was pretty neat to drive it off the lot with 6 miles on it.

I've bought most of my cars new ... but I keep them 'til the wheels fall off, and they don't make new ones any more.

For example, I got a new car on December 31, 2019 -- so wisely purchased just before the pandemic began -- and I gave my 13-year old car to my college daughter. If she hadn't needed a car, I wouldn't have purchased a new one.

Buying used is one way to "win the car game"; buying new and keeping it forever is another way.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Buying used is one way to "win the car game"; buying new and keeping it forever is another way.

My car was used when I bought it but was driven hard prior to my ownership of it (since then the most I drove in a year was 6,000-9,000 or so). It's a 2002 that I bought at the very end of 2005 and it had 54,000 miles on it. It's at over 139,000 at this point.

My husband's car was new 2010 had I believe 6 miles or so on it. It has 152,000+ miles on it. If we trade in a car it will be his (we're still undecided).

So while my car has been kept for a long while and while my husband's car was brand new when he got it and has been kept for 11 years at this point not sure there's really a hard and fast rule on "winning the car game" much depends on how you drive and how hard its driven (as in miles per year), where you live (for how your car wears and tears), the features of the car and if it still works for you, etc.

 

[Timandalicia]

If you been around the Disboards for a while, you probably have also noticed that EVERYTHING on these boards is a competition, so if I say I save money by only eating out once per week, someone will have to come along and top me by only eating out once per month, then then next person can't be outdone by their thriftiness, so they post they only eat out once per year, and it just snowballs from there. Keep in mind that some of these "thrifty" comments may be a little stretch on the truth in order to top someone else.

(In my Kristin Wiig voice)- Well just so you know I’ve been on this board the longest. Probably much longer than you. I was on it when it was an actual board made of wood and people used to nail their comments to it. And I’ve always known about the competitiveness. In fact I invented the word competitive. Actually it was my dad’s name: Jerry Competitive. And I used to stretch the truth the farthest. I stretched it so far it snapped and then I tied a knot in it and stretched much farther than you have. I’m just saying…

 

[dvcgirl67]

My car was used when I bought it but was driven hard prior to my ownership of it (since then the most I drove in a year was 6,000-9,000 or so). It's a 2002 that I bought at the very end of 2005 and it had 54,000 miles on it. It's at over 139,000 at this point.

My husband's car was new 2010 had I believe 6 miles or so on it. It has 152,000+ miles on it. If we trade in a car it will be his (we're still undecided).

So while my car has been kept for a long while and while my husband's car was brand new when he got it and has been kept for 11 years at this point not sure there's really a hard and fast rule on "winning the car game" much depends on how you drive and how hard its driven (as in miles per year), where you live (for how your car wears and tears), the features of the car and if it still works for you, etc.

Well, based on your scenario, you're killing it as far as the "car game" goes.

The only reasonable "rules" I've ever heard are from Clark Howard. He says that if you buy a new car to keep it at least 10 years. And if you do finance the car, to take no more than a 42 month loan....and to have financing lined up from a credit union before you begin to shop for the car. He says 10 years because of the depreciation hit you take when purchasing new. I believe he says that if you buy a used car...to keep it at least four years. But that would obviously depend on how old the used car is....after about four years, a lot of the "depreciation hit" has occurred and a car will depreciate far slower from that point.

Dave Ramsey yells at anyone who buys a new car at all....unless they're a millionaire....and then you have to pay cash for it. I understand his schtick...but that rule is one of the sillier ones.

When we were younger we drove our cars for a long time...we were in the "until the wheels fall off" crowd. But as our financial picture changed....and we paid off all debt and our net worth grew, we eased up on that. We did go down to one car, but it is a lease...just a two year lease, and the payment is a small part of our world. And right now we're in love with the idea of getting a new car 18 months from now. We created a "sunk fund" for the cash we know we'll need to put down on the next one. So far the "one car" situation is going really well...even as I get busier and my husband has a couple of places he needs to be...etc. Worst case, he can always Uber.

Our vacation spending doesn't line up with what most advisors suggest either, but our house is paid for and so property tax and homeowners insurance is a little under 5% of our net income. So, I think priorities change a bit as our financial picture evolves.

 

[DisneyHardin]

(In my Kristin Wiig voice)- Well just so you know I’ve been on this board the longest. Probably much longer than you. I was on it when it was an actual board made of wood and people used to nail their comments to it. And I’ve always known about the competitiveness. In fact I invented the word competitive. Actually it was my dad’s name: Jerry Competitive. And I used to stretch the truth the farthest. I stretched it so far it snapped and then I tied a knot in it and stretched much farther than you have. I’m just saying…

LOL!! You win the internet today.

 

[KittyKitty]

We bought our very first brand new car last fall - it was pretty neat to drive it off the lot with 6 miles on it.

My car is 20 years old, getting new parts this year. But hope to get that "New Car" thrill in a couple of years. Or at least "Mostly New Car" thrill!

 

[MrsPete]

The only reasonable "rules" I've ever heard are from Clark Howard. He says that if you buy a new car to keep it at least 10 years.

I don't know what Clark Howard espouses, but I agree with that.

My personal thought had been, "When I buy a new car, I expect it to last 10-12 years. More than that means I'm getting more than expected." But my last car -- a Honda -- is still going super strong (in my daughter's possession) and I could see it lasting near 20 years. So now I'm adjusting my thoughts.

I'm not so sure my new Honda will last as long. It's the same model Honda, but it has that newer style transmission and a whole lot more fiddle-faddle electronics. I'm not sure it's as solid as my last Honda -- and I hate thinking that. Time will tell.

I think another part of "winning the car game" is to stick to lower-priced cars. Admittedly, I am not a car-status person; I care about my car's safety features and that it's paid off. Not only am I not impressed by a fancy-schmancy car, I won't even notice whether you're driving one.

Dave Ramsey yells at anyone who buys a new car at all....unless they're a millionaire....and then you have to pay cash for it. I understand his schtick...but that rule is one of the sillier ones.

I kinda buy into that concept. You should be financially stable before you buy "more than is necessary"; however, I don't think I'd specify those specific "must haves". Too many variables exist; for example, let's say we have two families who both have a net worth of half a million. In family #1 the parents are both 30-year old engineers, and they have only one child who's in school. In family #2 one parent is a 45-year old school teacher and the other is a stay-at-home parent to three small children. Clearly these families may have the same net worth, but their future earnings /future financial commitments aren't the same -- so one is better prepared to buy a new car.

So, yes, as a general rule of thumb, I agree with "You need to be financially stable before you buy a new-new car", but I can't agree with "the rule".

And right now we're in love with the idea of getting a new car 18 months from now. We created a "sunk fund" for the cash we know we'll need to put down on the next one.

I am missing the "I love getting a new car" gene. In future years I'll want a new car, but I'm not particularly emotional about it.

Yes, we too have a car fund -- essentially we make a car payment "to ourselves" so that when we need it, we will be ready. Just don't let the car dealership know that you're able to pay cash -- they want you to finance. Staying "a car ahead" is a definite way to win the car game.

LOL!! You win the internet today.

Agree! The best part was the wooden board thing.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well, based on your scenario, you're killing it as far as the "car game" goes.

Yeah true haha but I was giving my example and saying there's no hard and fast rule because the poster said "Buying used is one way to "win the car game"; buying new and keeping it forever is another way."

I got my car when I was 17, my husband when he was a month shy of 21. Our needs were different back then. My car was paid for 100% when it was bought and my husband had a car loan that has obviously been paid off for a while now. Mine is a Ford Escort ZX2 my husband's is a Mazda 3 Touring.

My husband is very tall and his 4 seater is really a 3 seater (it's incredibly uncomfortable to sit behind him). My car is a coupe and while it's a 4 seater hardly anyone has ridden in the back (willingly lol) and if my husband is with me it becomes a 3 seater and realistically a 2 seater (because ya no one really wants to ride in the back). We live in a climate where you will get salt wear and tear during the winter but it's not nearly as bad as other places, however my car has rust on parts of it and so storing it in the garage is the way to go if we want it to last longer but it's missing a fog light (was held on by cheap plastic lol although I don't use the fog lights so that's fine), the motor mount has always been an issue so it vibrates especially idling (really bad in the winter), it has no recirculating air, does leak oil (despite installing a new valve cover gasket) although having an epoxy garage floor helps with stains, my husband hardly fits in it honestly but I love my car and insurance and property tax-wise it hardly costs anything and maintenance is minimal for now (which is why it wouldn't be traded in). My husband is tired of his car and having to call his stepdad to borrow his truck (or use the flatbed that can be hitched to the truck) to haul stuff (although we don't haul a lot of things he has a point on it) so the SUVs we've been looking at towing capabilities (and cost of a hitch) have been very important as has cargo space. We're 50/50 right now on do we want a 3rd row just to have (because most of the SUVs we've looked at the 3rd row hardly fits a toddler lol) or do we go with a 2 row vehicle that typically has more cargo space.

Basically what has kick started our car shopping is the vehicles we own no longer serve the best purpose for our needs. That happened for us long into our car ownership of the vehicles we own but isn't the case for other people and I don't think that should be viewed as not winning.

I think another part of "winning the car game" is to stick to lower-priced cars. Admittedly, I am not a car-status person; I care about my car's safety features and that it's paid off. Not only am I not impressed by a fancy-schmancy car, I won't even notice whether you're driving one.

We're going for value of dollars spent. Low priced cars don't equate to that by default. Safety features add cost depending on what they are (lane assist, adaptive cruise control,360 cameras,side camera activation when turn signal on, blind spot monitoring, etc). Maybe you'll be like me and find when you're ready to car shop what you thought was important no longer is. We can sure find a base model car in the mid-20s to upper 20s but in the vast majority the value of what you get in comparison to the cost isn't there and going up anywhere between 1 to 3 model trims is a better value per dollars spent. The opposite is the case at times too in the some of the top of the model trims don't give the best value for the money. We're not needing 20inch rims, or blacked out wheels or blacked out color and trim and Napa leather, etc.

But what we've found is many cars are different to each other in the value. An 2022 Outlander (fully tricked out was $36,000 or so for the one we looked at) has a better value per dollar spent than the Nissan Rogue even though both cars share the exact same platform (the Rogue only had 2 rows, the Outlander had 3 but the 3rd row is very small). The trim level above the base model of the Rogue had cloth seats (which we are totally fine with) but the driving experience awful with the suspension and you could feel bumps badly. Go 1 trim level above the one we test drove (so 2 levels above the base) and it had leather seats that had better shock absorption and impact of the road and holy cow what a difference that made. Why spend less money to get a terrible road feel? That's just one example though.

 

[afan]

Mine is a Ford Escort ZX2

That's what I have too! I love that car and mine has always idled hard too, so it's nice to know it's just the make. I've never known anyone else to have one. It also frustrates me how there are no options for a 2 door coupe now under 30k. We don't all want a 4 door car, crossover or suv. Why I went with the mustang, anything else would cost more. But my zx2 has been a great little car and I'll be sad to get rid of it but at almost 193k on it, turning 20 in August and knowing I need new tires and break pads in the next 3k miles it's time. I'm going to see if the local college that has an auto program will take it as a donation to work on, otherwise I'm not quite sure what I'll do with it other than not trade it in. Too much hassle for what I'd get and what they'd get.