| | Living on a shoestring budgetPage 6 of 13 (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) | Two years before I retired I decided to cut back on everything that was not absolutely necessary. I put the money in a special account. After three months I was shocked & disgusted with myself for being so frivolous with money I had worked so hard to earn. Now it is a way of life but, I have expanded on it.
A group of us meet for dinner & drinks at least three times a week, spending $50 or more each time. I did some research & found numerous places that had $2 drinks, instead of the $10+ we had been paying & also has free food. My friends were laughing at me, but now it’s become a contest to see who can find the place with the best free food. Instead of paying $50+ tips three times a week, we are spending, maybe $10 & that includes a tip.
I search the web for coupons & now my friends are too. When we get together we exchange coupons. We have everything from apples to Victoria Secret. Some have come up with some really great money saving tactics. 2 of my friends advertise websites on their cars & get free gas for doing it. The same two work at 4 grocery stores, for free, removing the expired products, they get to keep the items.
I do lots of road trips. I plan my trip then get on the web & print coupons. I also do mini surveys & get numerous freebies, groceries, at restaurants, designer bags, discount coupons, I Pads, cell phones, manicures, spa treatments, haircuts, etc, etc. I sign up for the one hour presentation at resorts too.
I just spent 10 days at the Grand Canyon, not once did we pay full price for a meal. I had coupons for free appetizers & numerous discounts at the tourist trap stores. I signed up for a tour at one of the resorts & received a $50 gas coupon & $100 off the sun set tour of the Canyon. While having dinner at a high dollar restaurant at the Canyon a guy sitting next to us saw my “buy one get one meal free” coupon & was seriously jealous. LOL, I gave him all the info so he too could get freebies. He was very impressed.
The guy I’m dating is a serious golfer & has been looking at buying a new set of clubs. I signed up to do a tour of a golf resort & you guessed it, the giveaway is a free full set of Titleist clubs & the bag to match, which I wanted to keep for myself. I told bf I would give them to him if he’ll take me to Puerto Rico. He agreed, what he doesn't know is I have a coupon for 2 free nights at a resort & a hundred dollar off airline ticket. We are going to have a great time.
Don’t even worry about living on “a shoe string”, logical men appreciate a woman that can stretch a penny & knows how to be thrifty. The guy I am dating is always impressed with the deals I come up with. He has no problem using the coupons &/or bringing home leftovers. Bf thinks it's hilareous & braggs to his friends about how I can manage to find just about everything free or almost.
I'm not naive, I realize what I consider "living on a shoe string" may not be the same as others. But I do know most men appreciate a woman that takes into consideration the money he spends on showing her a good time & has no problem when she comes up with creative ideas in helping him spend less. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/24/2012 3:51:10 PM | Notricksters!!! You are officially invited to join "GrandmaBooBoo's Home for Wayward Seniors!" LOL!
I'm so sorry to hear of your financial struggles and I know that you are not alone. I read so many articles about how many folks in our age bracket will never be able to "retire" with any kind of comfortable pleasure. I have many girlfriends who have forced to move in with grown children and "babysit"....men (and some women) who've lost everything in their late mid-life divorce....and those who didn't even try to plan for retirement....believing they would never live this long!
This is why I'm seriously thinking that when my grandkids are gone in a few years, I'm not going to sell my huge 5 bedroom home....I'm going to "invite" select seniors to share my home (rent free)...paying only for their share of utilities and groceries, and helping keep up with the cleaning and yard work. I am NOT on a "shoestring budget", but can't afford to take on "dependents". LOL! If I could, I would.
I think that a lot of seniors are going to find themselves "co-habitating" for financial reasons...and some of us just because our homes are too large to keep up by ourselves....or...we want the companionship of another person...without the romantic drama. | |
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cil314
| | Joined: 5/12/2011
Msg: 128 | |
| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/24/2012 5:59:16 PM | Lots of interesting comments on this subject. yes, I have met men who weren't interested in dating me due to income not high enough for them. it is condescending. so I say their integrity wasn't high enough for me to date them. good that I didn't waste time w/materialistic & superficial men.
I feel if a man asks you out, then he should pay for the date. unless you come to an understanding that due to unemployment, etc., etc., etc., that you go to free events OR that as the two of you really want to be together & you (the woman) are willing to foot the bill for a night out & he cannot afford it, & no one is being taken advantage of here, then in special cases, the woman pays. I still think the man may feel bad about it.
But the wealthy marry wealthy, not those from the other side of the tracks . . . | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/24/2012 6:42:00 PM |
. Personally, I buy new cars and then hold on to them for a long time, long enough that I get a tax write off on the entire purchase price. Works for me. Leasing is a much worse deal than buying and holding.
You must have a strange tax code in the U.S.Leasing is far more advantageous here.It encourages new vehicle sales.Writing off the entire purchase can take some time. | |
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pfif
| | Joined: 6/11/2012
Msg: 130 | |
| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/24/2012 6:44:15 PM |
We have everything from apples to Victoria Secret.
Those kind of go together. ;)
Ahem.
I've seen a few instances where two older women who were sisters became roommates. I don't think I've seen two older men who were brothers do this, but I suspect that was (is?) also a common living arrangement at retirement age. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/24/2012 7:03:12 PM | | I would happy eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a blanket over looking the lake as long as she enjoyed my company and our feeling were mutual. It is what's in the heart that counts unless your heart is with Wells Fargo..... | |
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tbicon
| | Joined: 5/6/2012
Msg: 132 | |
| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/24/2012 7:04:25 PM | | State, Most people who buy cars cannot write them off unless used in a business, so for most people leasing is better. However, I do use my car in business, and for tax year 2011, when I bought it, I will be able to write off about 11,000 of the purchase price through accelerated depreciation, which in my tax bracket, saves me over $3000 in taxes. If leasing, I could deduct the monthly payments which would have been less than $11,000, probably closer to 6000 or so. Anyway, leasing is for people who want to drive new cars every few years, but financially it is much better to buy and hold for at least five years. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/24/2012 7:09:32 PM | | I would be happy just being a dish washer at Chinese restaurant. Free food and a chance to meet a nice senior woman who does not care what the buffet has to offer... | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/24/2012 7:20:30 PM | I would have to take a bus across town and change buses 3 times before arriving at my date. we would then get back on the buses, change 2 more times to arrive at the park where we would feed the birds, eat popcorn and share a soft drink together. I would take her back to the bus stop, pay her fare and then head in the opposite direction home...
What a wonderful shoestring budget date................. Next time we meet we may ride the subway, its more romantic in those dark tunnels. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/24/2012 7:20:55 PM |
State, Most people who buy cars cannot write them off unless used in a business, so for most people leasing is better
I assumed you were writing off under business.My acct tells me that leasing is far better up here.This is for trucks used in business.Repairs or replacement of major components can be shocking. | |
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tbicon
| | Joined: 5/6/2012
Msg: 136 | |
| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/24/2012 8:10:15 PM | | Well my car has a four year . .50 K warranty everything covered, including maintenance. Besides, most cars these days can do about 100K miles without serious problems. Japanese cars 200K miles. Anyway, it all depends on your tax bracket, how often you use the car for business, etc. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/25/2012 6:30:53 AM |
yes, I have met men who weren't interested in dating me due to income not high enough for them. it is condescending. so I say their integrity wasn't high enough for me to date them. good that I didn't waste time w/materialistic & superficial men.
It is easy to be critical of someone when you are not the one that would be making an economic sacrifice in a potential relationship. Bottom line, you weren't compatible with them. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/25/2012 6:31:01 AM | I've been keeping up with this thread, lots of good suggestions. Do you realize you can apply for SS Disability, for your knee, & more than likely receive more than you would if you applied for SS retirement? Also, if you don't own your home you can get housing assistance, your rent would be calculated according to your income. But if you do own your home you can put it on the housing list for a low income elderly roommate. (Not a bad way to find a nice man to date, not necessarily live with.)
There are numerous programs for the elderly through the various housing programs. There is also a program that hires the elderly to do part time work at the county,city,state,fed gov't offices. Easy sit down reception/telephone jobs. (Check out the blue pages in your phone book.)
The thought of working in my 60's & with a bad knee scares me. What if, what if would be going through my mind.
I have several friends that were living on a shoe string budget. In my previous post I mentioned 2 women that remove expired items from grocery store shelves. They now live with 3 other women & if it wasn't for that they would be in serious financial trouble. I think my number one priority would be finding someone to share expenses. My friends that now have room mates think it is the best thing they have done & wished they would have thought of it years ago. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/25/2012 6:54:25 AM |
I've seen a few instances where two older women who were sisters became roommates. I don't think I've seen two older men who were brothers do this, but I suspect that was (is?) also a common living arrangement at retirement age.
I have known older brothers who live together to save money. In fact, I know two middle-aged brothers right now who do this. Both are bachelors and I doubt that either will ever marry.
I think that sisters tend to live together more than brothers based on societal reasons. In the past, women didn't work or worked at low-paying jobs compared to men. When they could no longer work, they lived together in order to eke out their meager savings--remember, for centuries, there was no social security. This would have been true if they were unmarried or were widows. A sister might come to live with her married sister, as well. If they were unmarried and there was an inheritance, they might have lived together in the family home.
Men were taught to be independent; women were taught to rely on men--first, their fathers and then, their husbands. This isn't to say that there were not many independent women who made it alone; women who were widowed with children had to make a go of it.
I remember two "old maid" sisters when I was in high school. One was a teacher and the school and her sister kept the house. Neither even married, whether by choice, I can't say. It worked for them but we snickered about their situation.
I can't imagine living with anyone right now, my sister or my boyfriend. We have come a long way. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/25/2012 10:40:28 AM | ""Men were taught to be independent; women were taught to rely on men--first, their fathers and then, their husbands. This isn't to say that there were not many independent women who made it alone; women who were widowed with children had to make a go of it."" This is true Gwen, even in our generation. Our 30 year old daughters and their generation probably think differently and good on them.
But we are in our 50's and beyond and so are the men we are dating. So SOME men that are comfortable financially still want a partner that is comfortable financially as well - if a guy (for example) likes a 3 week winter vacation in Mexico, likes his boating in the summer and loves golfing every weekend, he's not going to like having to foot the bill for a minimum wage worker living in a trailer park that just barely makes ends meet and has no interest in travel. - just an example, not gospel...
We all tend to want someone to share our interests, hobbies, vacation plans, life in general with and we want to do this with someone who is in the same position as us to be able to partake. Yes, we can all clip coupons and shop sales and get cheap flights - nothing wrong with that. But still for the most part, we want to be on equal-ish footing with those we date. And men don't need to foot the cost just because WE are of a generation that is used to men paying our way. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/25/2012 11:43:03 AM |
This is true Gwen, even in our generation. Our 30 year old daughters and their generation probably think differently and good on them.
Welsh, you are absolutely right! I was not taught to be self-sufficient or independent.
I think the difference now is that women in our generation have the option of finding their independence. I found mine very late in life, but I did find it! | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/25/2012 12:10:13 PM |
I would happy eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a blanket over looking the lake as long as she enjoyed my company and our feeling were mutual. It is what's in the heart that counts unless your heart is with Wells Fargo.....
I would be even happier eating butter and jelly off her belly. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/25/2012 12:28:17 PM | I would be even happier eating butter and jelly off her belly.
Good call.
Way to save money on bread.
Ice cream and blueberries off the belly for dessert.
Less containers to own and carry around for those meals away from home.
Better for the environment. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/25/2012 4:13:33 PM | SmartBlonde I loved your response. Lets add in my particular problem When I was 12 years old I had basically experimental surgery to remove a non cancerous tumor from my brain, the side affect is at age 54 I became deaf.
So I had no other choice but to retire and live on disbility. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/25/2012 4:52:13 PM | | If Denzel Washington does not come to his senses, Grandma BooBoo, may I move in? I'll have money from my pension, and I don't mind cooking and cleaning...... | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/25/2012 4:55:39 PM | | fyre....not a criticism but just curious...why can't deaf people work? I assume (perhaps incorrectly) that thousands of deaf people are employed at 'whatever'. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/26/2012 12:03:54 AM | | Science I know what your saying and I wrestled with that. First off there are 2 jobs that were available to a deaf person but the last position was 2 years ago and is 250 miles away from me. The other one was posted in 2007 and 200 miles away. The biggest problem is being deaf is a safety issue. I'm continuing to look for a job where I can work from home on my computer and communicate by email. | |
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| Living on a shoestring budget
Posted: 6/26/2012 8:08:50 AM |
If Denzel Washington does not come to his senses, Grandma BooBoo, may I move in? I'll have money from my pension, and I don't mind cooking and cleaning......
I wanna live at BooBoo's Party House! YEE HAH!!!
LOL! It's a cryin' shame that Denzel Washington will probably never have to live on a "shoestring budget' LOL! But maybe we could entice him to come over and be a bingo caller for a charitable cause! LOL! (Can we think up some "charitable cause???)
Seriously though, there are ways to live with dignity in our old age that do not have to revolve around being someone else's "dependent". | |
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