Frugal Living: 25 new messages in 9 topics

Sunday, August 19, 2007

25 new messages in 9 topics - digest

misc.consumers.frugal-living
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living?hl=en

misc.consumers.frugal-living@googlegroups.com

Today's topics:

==============================================================================
TOPIC: COVER LETTERS RESUME EXAMPLES AND CV EXAMPLES AVAILABLE CURRICULUM
VITAE
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/2c61bdfd560606e8?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 3:39 pm
From: rawebadvert3

Resumes and CV's examples written by people in the industry. They are
the ones who know best what to write in a resume for that industry.
High Tech people writing technical resumes and CV examples, and
Teachers writing and advising teaching resumes examples and CV
examples. Do you really want a FREE example written by someone who
has never been a teacher or someone who has never been in High Tech?
Cover Letter is included. Experienced High Tech Resumes and CVs as
well as teacher resumes and CV's. 21 Years High Tech Experience in
Development, QA, Test, and Support. Extensive Experience in writing
Teacher Resumes also. NEW INFORMATION REGARDING VIDEO RESUMES AND ALSO
THE INTERNET.

www.resumewritersguide.com

http://www.resumewritersguide.com/resumeexampur.htm

==============================================================================
TOPIC: What the heck has happened here?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/b2f712e04d6c1337?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 9 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 3:51 pm
From: "Rod Speed"

Barbara R <braine341@gmail.com> wrote

> Who owns this group?

No one does.

> Does anyone have the authority to moderate?

Nope, its not a moderated group.

== 2 of 9 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 4:01 pm
From: George

Anthony Matonak wrote:
> Wooly wrote:
>> I mostly gave up on newsgroups for quite a while...Last time I checked
>> here there was plenty of discussion going on relevant to the group
>> name. Now it looks like about 90% spam.
>> How sad.
>
> All that is required for spammers to take over is for good
> posters to do nothing.
>
> Anthony

Any suggestions are welcome. It seems about 99.97% of the spam is posted
using Google groups and usually someone trying to get officially
encouraged click revenue for their Google owned blogspot. Any spam
forwarded to Google simply generates a robatic reply that they are sure
they are not a problem.

Google is truly the spammers best friend.

== 3 of 9 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 4:07 pm
From: Warren Block

simon <simon234@zap.com> wrote:
> Anthony Matonak <anthonym40@nothing.like.socal.rr.com> wrote:
>> Wooly wrote:
>>> I mostly gave up on newsgroups for quite a while...Last time I
>>> checked here there was plenty of discussion going on relevant to the
>>> group name. Now it looks like about 90% spam.
>>> How sad.
>>
>> All that is required for spammers to take over is for good posters to do nothing.
>
> Pity that there is nothing effective 'good posters' can do about spammers.
>
> In spades with the spam done using google.

http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

== 4 of 9 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 4:15 pm
From: Anthony Matonak

George wrote:
> Anthony Matonak wrote:
>> Wooly wrote:
>>> I mostly gave up on newsgroups for quite a while...Last time I
>>> checked here there was plenty of discussion going on relevant to the
>>> group name. Now it looks like about 90% spam.
>>> How sad.
>>
>> All that is required for spammers to take over is for good
>> posters to do nothing.
>
> Any suggestions are welcome. It seems about 99.97% of the spam is posted
> using Google groups and usually someone trying to get officially
> encouraged click revenue for their Google owned blogspot. Any spam
> forwarded to Google simply generates a robatic reply that they are sure
> they are not a problem.
>
> Google is truly the spammers best friend.

It sounds like grounds for a lawsuit. If it's googles fault then maybe
they should pay for the damages they do.

Anthony

== 5 of 9 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 4:44 pm
From: "simon"

Warren Block <wblock@wonkity.com> wrote:
> simon <simon234@zap.com> wrote:
>> Anthony Matonak <anthonym40@nothing.like.socal.rr.com> wrote:
>>> Wooly wrote:
>>>> I mostly gave up on newsgroups for quite a while...Last time I
>>>> checked here there was plenty of discussion going on relevant to
>>>> the group name. Now it looks like about 90% spam.
>>>> How sad.
>>>
>>> All that is required for spammers to take over is for good posters
>>> to do nothing.
>>
>> Pity that there is nothing effective 'good posters' can do about
>> spammers.
>>
>> In spades with the spam done using google.
>
> http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html

Mindlessly silly and it aint gunna happen, you watch.

Its stupid killfiling all googlegroups posts, because they arent all spam, and
that wont do a damned thing about the fools that respond to spam either.

Killfiling both googlegroups and outlook is even more terminally silly.

== 6 of 9 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 4:46 pm
From: "simon"

Anthony Matonak <anthonym40@nothing.like.socal.rr.com> wrote:
> George wrote:
>> Anthony Matonak wrote:
>>> Wooly wrote:
>>>> I mostly gave up on newsgroups for quite a while...Last time I
>>>> checked here there was plenty of discussion going on relevant to
>>>> the group name. Now it looks like about 90% spam.
>>>> How sad.
>>>
>>> All that is required for spammers to take over is for good
>>> posters to do nothing.
>>
>> Any suggestions are welcome. It seems about 99.97% of the spam is
>> posted using Google groups and usually someone trying to get
>> officially encouraged click revenue for their Google owned blogspot.
>> Any spam forwarded to Google simply generates a robatic reply that
>> they are sure they are not a problem.
>>
>> Google is truly the spammers best friend.

> It sounds like grounds for a lawsuit.

Only to fools.

> If it's googles fault then maybe they should pay for the damages they do.

Taint gunna happen, try it and see.

== 7 of 9 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 4:55 pm
From: William Souden

simon wrote:

Look, after a few weeks of coherency welfare Rod has a new name. The
means the childish bots are on the horizon as he went off his meds again.

> Warren Block <wblock@wonkity.com> wrote:
>> simon <simon234@zap.com> wrote:
>>> Anthony Matonak <anthonym40@nothing.like.socal.rr.com> wrote:
>>>> Wooly wrote:
>>>>> I mostly gave up on newsgroups for quite a while...Last time I
>>>>> checked here there was plenty of discussion going on relevant to
>>>>> the group name. Now it looks like about 90% spam.
>>>>> How sad.
>>>> All that is required for spammers to take over is for good posters
>>>> to do nothing.
>>> Pity that there is nothing effective 'good posters' can do about
>>> spammers.
>>>
>>> In spades with the spam done using google.
>> http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html
>
> Mindlessly silly and it aint gunna happen, you watch.
>
> Its stupid killfiling all googlegroups posts, because they arent all spam, and
> that wont do a damned thing about the fools that respond to spam either.
>
> Killfiling both googlegroups and outlook is even more terminally silly.
>
>

== 8 of 9 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 5:25 pm
From: Warren Block

simon <simon234@zap.com> wrote:
> Warren Block <wblock@wonkity.com> wrote:
>> simon <simon234@zap.com> wrote:
>>> Anthony Matonak <anthonym40@nothing.like.socal.rr.com> wrote:
>>>> Wooly wrote:
>>>>> I mostly gave up on newsgroups for quite a while...Last time I
>>>>> checked here there was plenty of discussion going on relevant to
>>>>> the group name. Now it looks like about 90% spam.
>>>>> How sad.
>>>>
>>>> All that is required for spammers to take over is for good posters
>>>> to do nothing.
>>>
>>> Pity that there is nothing effective 'good posters' can do about
>>> spammers.
>>>
>>> In spades with the spam done using google.
>>
>> http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html
>
> Mindlessly silly and it aint gunna happen, you watch.

Already happened for me and more than a few others. Every so often I
turn off the filters to see if I'm missing anything. So far, there's
been nothing that stopped me from turning those filters back on.

It's made this group usable again.

> Its stupid killfiling all googlegroups posts, because they arent all spam, and
> that wont do a damned thing about the fools that respond to spam either.

I'm willing to give up the 1% of GG posts that aren't spam in order to
keep newsgroups usable. As far as responders, there are a few, but it's
not nearly as bad once all the real spam has been filtered.

> Killfiling both googlegroups and outlook is even more terminally silly.

I don't filter Outlook at present. Oddly enough, the worst top- and
mis-posters disappeared along with GG.

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

== 9 of 9 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 5:48 pm
From: "simon"

Warren Block <wblock@wonkity.com> wrote:
> simon <simon234@zap.com> wrote:
>> Warren Block <wblock@wonkity.com> wrote:
>>> simon <simon234@zap.com> wrote:
>>>> Anthony Matonak <anthonym40@nothing.like.socal.rr.com> wrote:
>>>>> Wooly wrote:
>>>>>> I mostly gave up on newsgroups for quite a while...Last time I
>>>>>> checked here there was plenty of discussion going on relevant to
>>>>>> the group name. Now it looks like about 90% spam.
>>>>>> How sad.
>>>>>
>>>>> All that is required for spammers to take over is for good posters
>>>>> to do nothing.
>>>>
>>>> Pity that there is nothing effective 'good posters' can do about
>>>> spammers.
>>>>
>>>> In spades with the spam done using google.
>>>
>>> http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html
>>
>> Mindlessly silly and it aint gunna happen, you watch.

> Already happened for me and more than a few others.

All that has happened is that the amount of spam you see
is reduced a little. Plenty use a news server that drops the
worst of the spam and that doesnt lose the non spam posts
from those who choose to use groupsgoogle.

> Every so often I turn off the filters to see if I'm missing anything. So far,
> there's been nothing that stopped me from turning those filters back on.

> It's made this group usable again.

Its perfectly useable without the filters, its trivial to
recognise the spam and just ignore it, dont even read it.

>> Its stupid killfiling all googlegroups posts, because they arent all spam, and
>> that wont do a damned thing about the fools that respond to spam either.

> I'm willing to give up the 1% of GG posts that
> aren't spam in order to keep newsgroups usable.

Its perfectly useable without the filters, its trivial to
recognise the spam and just ignore it, dont even read it.

> As far as responders, there are a few, but it's not
> nearly as bad once all the real spam has been filtered.

>> Killfiling both googlegroups and outlook is even more terminally silly.

> I don't filter Outlook at present.

Only a fool would do that given that thats what the majority of posters use.

> Oddly enough, the worst top- and mis-posters disappeared along with GG.

And plenty of worthwhile posts as well.

Sure, you can ignore anything you like, but its silly to be dropping what
is worth reading, you might as well just stop reading the group entirely.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Psychological Warfare Techniques Used on Your Doctor
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/f35fb63a1849c153?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 3:54 pm
From: "aemeijers"

"simon" <simon234@zap.com> wrote in message
news:46c8a6dc$0$27828$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
The half-life on Rod's alternate accounts seems to be getting shorter.
Getting harder to keep him in the kill file.....

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Sonicare: Where do you buy your brush heads?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/48c9cf6ea55cc3b4?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 3 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 4:00 pm
From: Ablang

I have the Sonicare 4100, and it is recommended to change the brush
head every 6 months. A 2-pack of replacement brush heads usually go
on sale for $24.99 (when one is lucky to find it). I'm sure not
everyone is paying these prices for their brush heads, so where do you
buy yours and for how much?

== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 7:44 pm
From: "John Weiss"

"Ablang" <ron916@gmail.com> wrote...
>I have the Sonicare 4100, and it is recommended to change the brush
> head every 6 months. A 2-pack of replacement brush heads usually go
> on sale for $24.99 (when one is lucky to find it). I'm sure not
> everyone is paying these prices for their brush heads, so where do you
> buy yours and for how much?

From my dentist. Ten bux.

== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 8:17 pm
From: Abe

>I have the Sonicare 4100, and it is recommended to change the brush
>head every 6 months. A 2-pack of replacement brush heads usually go
>on sale for $24.99 (when one is lucky to find it). I'm sure not
>everyone is paying these prices for their brush heads, so where do you
>buy yours and for how much?
That's an average price. Try nextag.com or pricegrabber.com to look
for any specials.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Chinese kitchen cabinets
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/558d2213e9678a4f?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 4:29 pm
From: pc

PaPaPeng wrote:
> On Tue, 14 Aug 2007 17:09:29 -0400, pc <pc@somewhere.com> wrote:
>
>> We are just awestruck. Coming from the "granite capitol of the world"
>> [NH, VT]..it amazes me that I can get cheaper granite shipped all the
>> way from China!
>>
>
> My one way of getting adventure was to take a bus at random in Beijing
> and let it go to strange places. This one took me to the east end
> combat zone that had something like 10 acres of barracks like
> buildings next to a busy rail marshalling yard on one side, a large
> dirty storm drainage canal on the other and under the massive main
> electrical grid towers. The barracks were filled with dozens of
> stores of each kind of building trades and supplies. I was like a
> kid in a candy store and spent five hours wandering through that
> place.
>
> Each business had had only about a thousand sq. ft. of store space.
> Kitchen cabinets, bathroom fixtures, luxury lamps, closet modules
> and hardware. I can't remember them all but they had much better
> stock than many an upsacle home decorations and fixtures store in
> North America. I was impressed by a section that had at least a 100
> businesses dealing in cut dressed stone. They were the usual white
> marbles and grey or black granite. But there were also fantastically
> colored red, crimsons, yellows, beige, browns, blues, all manner of
> greens and purples. Among the colored slabs were equally intriguing
> natureal stone patterns some of which suggested swirls of clouds or
> water or range upon range oif hills receding into the distance. The
> slabs were commonly 10 feet by 8 feet, of course with their natural
> rock edges. One could order any size or shape of cut from these
> slabs. At one section of this stoneware area were readymade stone
> sculptures like those giant stone lions in front of a bank entrance,
> the stone lanterns, dragons, etc. Don't like Chinese? You can also
> buy ready carved stone facades and carvings to customize your
> restaurant in Spanish Meditterreanean, classical or modern Roman
> Italian, Egyptian; in fact in any style if you can show them a picture
> of. And these are expertly carved stonework any museum will be proud
> of.
>
> In another part of Beijing closer to downtown was a whole district
> devoted to building and home renovation supplies. Whole floors with
> something like 300 stores on one floor dealing with just hardwood
> floors. The next floor with plumbing fixtures and bathroom fixtures.
> The third one with vefry modern kitchen cabinets and appliances that
> no Chinese house can afford. The kitchen are is already bigger than
> the average Chinese apartment.
>
> Whatever, you ain's seen nothin' till you have visited these stores.
>
>> While I am a bit creeped out by the price differential between the
>> Chinese products and the other products we priced out, I am comforted by
>> the fact that we will not be ingesting our cabinets and countertops.
>
>
> I'm not boasting. I'm just as awed as you are.

Well PaPaPeng..

We just finalized the cabinet layouts and paid half the money.

While we were there I overheard a fellow who had been trying to rectify
a problem that had gone on for many months. While we were waiting for
some printouts, I went outside and talked to him. Seems there some
problems with finish on a few doors and a few other minor defects. He
bought the cabinets flatpack and had his own installer. He needed new
doors, extra stain, some hardware. His installer was long gone and the
repairs were up to him.

I've heard this before...that sometimes quality control can be bad. So,
we opted for the company [owned by a Chinese man..I don't know if he
owns the factory in China though] to assemble and deliver the cabinets
to us for a rather small fee. That way I can inspect the cabinets right
away and reject any that do not meet our expectations. They are also
giving me some matching stain for small touchups.

Because we are installing them ourselves, I thought that this was good
insurance.

I'm really looking forward to getting them. And, with half my kitchen
already demo'd I'm even excited about the thought of installing them!

I'll give an update when it's all done.

..PC

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Botnets and Hackers and Spam (Oh, My!)
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/d5630de4e6159188?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 4:45 pm
From: Joe

Hackers and spammers may be using your computer right
now. They invade secretly and hide software to get
access to the information on your computer, including
your email program. Once on your computer, they can
spy on your Internet surfing, steal your personal
information, and use your computer to send spam -
potentially offensive or illegal - to other computers
without your knowledge. Learn how to protect your
computer following some advice from the U.S. Federal
Trade Commission.

To read the full text, please go to or click on:
http://www.contactomagazine.com/computers/hackersandspam0808.htm

More Computer News:
http://www.contactomagazine.com/computers

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Top 10 money drains
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/4b4f42b2c99e847d?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 5:03 pm
From: Ablang

< Can you think of any not on this list? >

Top 10 money drains

It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
piles up with interest.
10 money drains
1. Coffee 6. Car washes
2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships

1. Coffee -- According to the National Coffee Association, the average
price for brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per
year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per
year.

2. Cigarettes -- The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids reports that the
average price for a pack of cigarettes in the United States is $4.54.
Pack-a-day smokers fork out $1,660 a year. Weekend smoker? Buying a
pack once a week adds up, too: $236.

3. Alcohol -- Drink prices vary based on the location. But assuming an
average of $5 per beer including tip, buying two beers per day adds up
to $3,650 per year. Figure twice that for two mixed drinks a day at
the local bar. That's not chump change.

4. Bottled water from convenience stores -- A 20-ounce bottle of
Aquafina bottled water costs about $1. One bottle of water per day
costs $365 per year. It costs the environment plenty, too.

5. Manicures -- The Day Spa Magazine Price Survey of 2004 found that
the average cost of a manicure is $20.53. A weekly manicure sets you
back about $1,068 per year.

6. Car washes -- The average cost for a basic auto detailing package
is $58, according to Costhelper.com. The tab for getting your car
detailed every two months: $348 per year.

7. Weekday lunches out -- $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most
work days. If you buy rather than pack a lunch five days a week for
one year, you shell out about $2,350 a year.

8. Vending machines snacks -- The average vending machine snack costs
$1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per
year.

9. Interest charges on credit card bills -- According to a survey
released at the end of May 2007, the median amount of credit card debt
carried by Americans is $6,600. Rate tables on Bankrate.com indicate
that fixed interest rates on a standard card average 13.44 percent.
Making the minimum payment each month, it will take 250 months (almost
21 years) to pay off the debt and cost $4,868 in interest. Ouch!

10. Unused memberships -- Costhelper.com reports that the monthly
service fee at gyms averages between $35 and $40. At $40 per month, an
unused gym membership runs $480 per year.
-- Posted: July 23, 2007

http://www.bankrate.com/nltrack/news/financial_literacy/July07_savings_money_drains_a1.asp

== 2 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 6:07 pm
From: Ward Abbott

On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:03:52 -0700, Ablang <ron916@gmail.com> wrote:

> < Can you think of any not on this list? >

Text messaging.

== 3 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 6:41 pm
From: "Rod Speed"

Ablang <ron916@gmail.com> wrote:

> < Can you think of any not on this list? >

Kids. Leaves the rest for dead.

> Top 10 money drains
>
> It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
> these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
> Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
> piles up with interest.
> 10 money drains
> 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
>
> 1. Coffee -- According to the National Coffee Association, the average
> price for brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per
> year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per
> year.
>
> 2. Cigarettes -- The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids reports that the
> average price for a pack of cigarettes in the United States is $4.54.
> Pack-a-day smokers fork out $1,660 a year. Weekend smoker? Buying a
> pack once a week adds up, too: $236.
>
> 3. Alcohol -- Drink prices vary based on the location. But assuming an
> average of $5 per beer including tip, buying two beers per day adds up
> to $3,650 per year. Figure twice that for two mixed drinks a day at
> the local bar. That's not chump change.
>
> 4. Bottled water from convenience stores -- A 20-ounce bottle of
> Aquafina bottled water costs about $1. One bottle of water per day
> costs $365 per year. It costs the environment plenty, too.
>
> 5. Manicures -- The Day Spa Magazine Price Survey of 2004 found that
> the average cost of a manicure is $20.53. A weekly manicure sets you
> back about $1,068 per year.
>
> 6. Car washes -- The average cost for a basic auto detailing package
> is $58, according to Costhelper.com. The tab for getting your car
> detailed every two months: $348 per year.
>
> 7. Weekday lunches out -- $9 will generally cover a decent lunch most
> work days. If you buy rather than pack a lunch five days a week for
> one year, you shell out about $2,350 a year.
>
> 8. Vending machines snacks -- The average vending machine snack costs
> $1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per
> year.
>
> 9. Interest charges on credit card bills -- According to a survey
> released at the end of May 2007, the median amount of credit card debt
> carried by Americans is $6,600. Rate tables on Bankrate.com indicate
> that fixed interest rates on a standard card average 13.44 percent.
> Making the minimum payment each month, it will take 250 months (almost
> 21 years) to pay off the debt and cost $4,868 in interest. Ouch!
>
> 10. Unused memberships -- Costhelper.com reports that the monthly
> service fee at gyms averages between $35 and $40. At $40 per month, an
> unused gym membership runs $480 per year.
> -- Posted: July 23, 2007
>
> http://www.bankrate.com/nltrack/news/financial_literacy/July07_savings_money_drains_a1.asp

== 4 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 6:48 pm
From: hchickpea@hotmail.com

On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 21:07:03 -0400, Ward Abbott <presby@terian.com>
wrote:

>On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:03:52 -0700, Ablang <ron916@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>
>Text messaging.

Auto and home interest payments.

Taxes

== 5 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 7:58 pm
From: Gordon

Ablang <ron916@gmail.com> wrote in
news:1187568232.963854.244670@z24g2000prh.googlegroups.com:

> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>
> Top 10 money drains
>
> It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
> these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
> Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
> piles up with interest.
> 10 money drains
> 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
>

Premium gas.
Cable TV
Too big of a cell phone plan(IE: lots more minutes than you use).
Intrest on car payments.
Boxed dinners (Hamburger helper)
Cable ISP

== 6 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 8:17 pm
From: Wooly

Ablang wrote:
> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>
> Top 10 money drains
>
> It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
> these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
> Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
> piles up with interest.
> 10 money drains
> 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
> 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
> 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
> 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
> 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
>
> 1. Coffee -- According to the National Coffee Association, the average
> price for brewed coffee is $1.38. There are roughly 260 weekdays per
> year, so buying one coffee every weekday morning costs almost $360 per
> year.

I bought a small home roaster, an espresso machine, and a moderately
high-end grinder. I did the amortization on the basis on one "grande"
CharredShit latte per day and paid for the equipment in less than a year.

I now buy green coffee beans and roast my own, then pull my own shots
and foam my own milk. I should figure out what a cup costs on a raw
materials basis, then add my time pro rata at the local average barista
hourly wage for the roasting and the making of the coffee beverages.
I'm sure I spend a LOT less than I'd be forking out at a retail
establishment for crappier product.

Of course, my friends now come to my house preferentially for coffee, so
they're saving a LOT more than I am :D

The rest of the stuff on that list doesn't pertain to our household: we
buy what we need, we need what we buy. We pay with plastic to
accumulate "points"; we don't use plastic to buy crap we don't need and
we pay the bill in full every month so as to avoid interest charges.

== 7 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 8:26 pm
From: George Grapman

Gordon wrote:
> Ablang <ron916@gmail.com> wrote in
> news:1187568232.963854.244670@z24g2000prh.googlegroups.com:
>
>> < Can you think of any not on this list? >
>>
>> Top 10 money drains
>>
>> It's easy to fritter away money on daily expenses. If you fall into
>> these money traps, learn to avoid them and pocket the savings. Use
>> Bankrate's Simple savings calculator to see how quickly your money
>> piles up with interest.
>> 10 money drains
>> 1. Coffee 6. Car washes
>> 2. Cigarettes 7. Weekday lunches out
>> 3. Alcohol 8. Vending machines snacks
>> 4. Bottled water 9. Interest charges on credit cards
>> 5. Manicures 10. Unused memberships
>>
>
> Premium gas.
> Cable TV
> Too big of a cell phone plan(IE: lots more minutes than you use).
> Intrest on car payments.
> Boxed dinners (Hamburger helper)
> Cable ISP
I agree with some,disagree with others.

Coffee-Many offices supply coffee. If not, you can bring a single cup
coffee maker to work.

Water-Only time I buy the bottled stuff is when I am traveling and
then it is always the cheapest one.

Smoking- add the health problems and the time lost from work because
in most places you have to leave the building.

Drinking-can be relaxing after work and very cheap at home.

Manicures-never had or wanted one-

Car Wash-Spend a few dollars every few months as a self service place.

cable TV- I actually have satellite but ,same idea. I find it worthwhile
for news and sports.

credit card-pay bill in full. When making a large purchase I try to
time it for the day after the billing cycle.

cell- I have two land lines a cell and DSL and I know people who pay
more for their cell than I do for everything. Then again, in 7 years I
think I sent one text message.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Hand wash???
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/3dd642fdb1e8579d?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 6:00 pm
From: "teleflora"

"Chloe" <justsayno@spam.com> wrote in message
news:46b844a8$0$29651$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> DH went on a spree a while back buying those white terrycloth shop towels.
> We use them in the kitchen now as hand towels and they work well as dish
> towels, too.
>

Bar rags. White terry cloth. Cost about $3 for 12 of them. They are the
best. Bleach them, then throw them away when they get holey.

Cindy

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Our $500 1969 van Canadian adventure
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/e2fdae77d25d735f?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, Aug 19 2007 7:06 pm
From: The Real Bev

OhioGuy wrote:

> So, my wife and kids didn't mind at all, since it meant sleeping in more
> comfortable hotel with pool those days, and getting better night's sleep. I
> guess there's an upside to everything - even auto repair!

What brand? Dodge?

--
Cheers,
Bev
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"History I believe furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people
maintaining a free civil government."
-- letter from Thomas Jefferson to Baron vonHumboldt, 1813

==============================================================================

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "misc.consumers.frugal-living"
group.

To post to this group, visit http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living?hl=en

To unsubscribe from this group, send email to misc.consumers.frugal-living-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

To change the way you get mail from this group, visit:
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/subscribe?hl=en

To report abuse, send email explaining the problem to abuse@googlegroups.com

==============================================================================
Google Groups: http://groups.google.com?hl=en

Frugal Living

Blog Archive

Sunday, August 19, 2007

25 new messages in 9 topics - digest

No comments: