Frugal Living: 24 new messages in 12 topics

Saturday, December 1, 2007

24 new messages in 12 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: Free Lacoste Eessential Fragrance for Men
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/11367294048ab0a6?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 10:14 am
From: "TheBestFreebies.com"

Get a free Lacoste Eessential Fragrance for Men sample for you and a friend.

--
The Best Freebies

All free products are available at http://TheBestFreebies.com/ and
are intended for families, businesses, and individuals residing in
the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Crucial Criteria for choosing equipment.
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/ee8cb2f81c0d6b16?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 10:15 am
From: Adrian C

Lordy.UK wrote:
Subsequently when buying monitors I have always paid a
>> bit more for a known name.
>
> Last time I checked "Samsung" *was* a known name...
>

This is just Skoda-nomics in action.

There still exists a lot of snobbery against LG and Samsung in the UK
consumer mindset. Some folks won't even touch a Humax or Topfield, even
though their machine are currently top in the field, because the name
strays outside their comfort zone of Panasonic and Sony.

Then, take a look at the sets with most reported user issues in this and
newsgroups - Panasonic and Sony. Nothing really wrong with the sets -
it's just that the equipment is often too complicated for the user's
application and money has been wasted...

--
Adrian C

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 2:58 pm
From: "AllEmailDeletedImmediately"

"johngood_____" <time.dream95@REMOOVEvirgin.net> wrote in message
news:RH_3j.103$jy3.24@newsfe7-win.ntli.net...
> Recently I saw in a newsgroup topic about 'choosing' a new laptop
> computer, I saw that somebody cut through the endless, "thats a good make
> or that's not a good make" by what looked like to me as going to the
> heart of the matter.
>
> That is, by considering from their relevant web sites; what the
> 'specification' of specific computer chips of either of the two main
> makers, AMD or Intel, the laptop computer had inside it. Then after that
> perhaps other criterion can be looked at like customer service, etc, etc.
>
> When it comes to buying a new flat screen television is there an
> insightful way to give priority to one or two criterion for choosing a new
> set from the massive and bewildering array of new models now on the
> market?
>
> I am a novice in this area, but I have heard that there a only a very few
> makers of the actual flat screens, who then go on to supply most of the
> famous brands. So might that be a crucial area to consider first?

do not buy a plasma. they will run up your electric bill way high.
i'll check with dh, a broadcast engineer and see what he has to say.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Free Lacoste Essential Fragrance for Men
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/6569258556539d0b?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 10:23 am
From: "TheBestFreebies.com"

Get a free Lacoste Essential Fragrance for Men sample for you and a friend.

--
The Best Freebies

All free products are available at http://TheBestFreebies.com/ and
are intended for families, businesses, and individuals residing in
the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Where did the 400 billion USD in subprime mortgage losses go
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/4b5ad94e9eb8e056?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 3 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 10:47 am
From: "mich"

"FrediFizzx" <fredifizzx@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:5qhfkiFvj35pU1@mid.individual.net...
> "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:5qgub4F103pskU1@mid.individual.net...
>> FrediFizzx <fredifizzx@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>> Good example. The money is still out there. The people that sold at
>>> the top have the money.
>>
>> No they dont when the whole market drops significantly due to the large
>> oversupply of houses that are the result of mortgage defaults with those
>> who should never have been given that mortgage in the first place.
>
> What the heck does that have to do with people that sold at the top? This
> totally answers the OP's original question as to where the money went. It
> doesn't just vaporize.

The seller of the $300 000 house has $300 000 in cash.

The buyer had a $300 000 house that's only worth $250 000.

== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 11:15 am
From: "FrediFizzx"

"mich" <copkat@vidotron.cr> wrote in message
news:J_h4j.91889$qP4.124233@weber.videotron.net...
>
> "FrediFizzx" <fredifizzx@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:5qhfkiFvj35pU1@mid.individual.net...
>> "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:5qgub4F103pskU1@mid.individual.net...
>>> FrediFizzx <fredifizzx@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>> Good example. The money is still out there. The people that sold
>>>> at the top have the money.
>>>
>>> No they dont when the whole market drops significantly due to the
>>> large
>>> oversupply of houses that are the result of mortgage defaults with
>>> those
>>> who should never have been given that mortgage in the first place.
>>
>> What the heck does that have to do with people that sold at the top?
>> This totally answers the OP's original question as to where the money
>> went. It doesn't just vaporize.
>
>
> The seller of the $300 000 house has $300 000 in cash.
>
> The buyer had a $300 000 house that's only worth $250 000.

So what? That is an "unrealized" loss of $50K if the buyer hangs on to
it. In five years or so the house might be worth $350K for an
unrealized gain of $50K on the worth of the house. If the buyer
defaults and the bank losses the $50K, the seller is the one who has the
real money gain that the bank lost.

Fred

== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 12:18 pm
From: "Rod Speed"

FrediFizzx <fredifizzx@hotmail.com> wrote
> mich <copkat@vidotron.cr> wrote
>> FrediFizzx <fredifizzx@hotmail.com> wrote
>>> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>>>> FrediFizzx <fredifizzx@hotmail.com> wrote

>>>>> Good example. The money is still out there. The people that sold at the top have the money.

>>>> No they dont when the whole market drops significantly due to the large
>>>> oversupply of houses that are the result of mortgage defaults with those
>>>> who should never have been given that mortgage in the first place.

>>> What the heck does that have to do with people that sold at the top?
>>> This totally answers the OP's original question as to where the
>>> money went. It doesn't just vaporize.

>> The seller of the $300 000 house has $300 000 in cash.

>> The buyer had a $300 000 house that's only worth $250 000.

> So what? That is an "unrealized" loss of $50K if the buyer hangs on to it. In five years or so the house might be
> worth $350K for an unrealized gain of $50K on the worth of the house. If the buyer defaults and the bank losses the
> $50K, the seller is the one who has the real money gain that the bank lost.

Usually not, because hardly any of the sellers just kept the pile of
cash. The vast bulk of them upgraded to a higher value property
and got fanged by the property downturn just like everyone else did.

And the original seller wouldnt normally have had the place fully paid off anyway.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: china cheap wholesale timberland boots, smith shoes, adidas nba shoes ,
juicy purses, bass sneakers, hogan shoes, gucci prada shoes&handbag, Louis
Vuitton Sneakers&bags
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/53221b28cc74f8e8?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 10:48 am
From: globwholesale15@126.com

Dear my friend
It is our pleasure to meet you here.
we are wholesaler sport shoes,clothing,electrons in Fujian of China.
our website: http://www.globwholesale.com
We are professional and honest wholesaler of all kinds of brand
sneaks and apparel.the products
our company supply are as follows:
1).Nike Jordans
Jordan 1 jordan 1.5 jordan 2 jordan 3 jordan 3.5 jordan 4 jordan 5
jordan 5.5 jordan 6 jordan 6.5 jordan 7 jordan 8 jordan 9 jordan 9.5
jordan 10 jordan 11 jordan 12 jordan 13 jordan 13.5 jordan 14 jordan
15 jordan 16 jordan 17 jordan 18 jordan 18.5 jordan 19 jordan 20
jordan 21 jordan 21.5 jordan 22 jordan King jordan Dub Zero Jordan 23
Jordan 7.5
2).Air Force One Air Force one (low) Air Force one (High) Air Force
one (Mid) Air Force one (clear) Air Force One 25 year
3).SHOX Shox R3 Shox R4 Shox R5 Shox TL1 Shox TL2 Shox TL3 Shox NZ
Shox OZ Shox Turbo Show GO Shox CL Shox Coqnescenti Shox Energia Shox
Explodine Shox Monster Shox Rhythmic Shox Warrior
4).Bape Shoes Bape Bape (transparent)
5).Air max AirMax 90 AirMax 95 AirMax 97 AirMax 2003 AirMax 2004
AirMax 2005 Air Max 2006 AirMax 180 AirMax LTD AirMax TN AirMax solas
AirMax 87 AirMax Rift
6).Puma Puma Rpt2 Puma SK6 Puma Jayfi Puma Cir Puma Speed Puma Repli
Puma Future Cat Puma Mostro Puma Lifestyle
7).Dunk SB Dunk High Dunk Low
8).Timberland Timberland High Timberland Low
9).Adidas Adidas 35 Adicolor Country city sense Adidas NBA
11).Prada & Gucci Prada Gucci
12).Footballer Shoes Footballer
13).Locaste
14).converse & Reebok converse Reebok
15).D&G shoes
16).Dsquared2 shoes
17).James shoes
18).Nike King
9).Children shoes Jordan Shox
20).Women shoes Women Jordans Women Shox R3 Women Shox R4 Women
AirMax
95&97 Women AirMax 03&06 Women Dunk Women Shox NZ Women AF1
21).sandal & baboosh Nike Puma Gucci Prada
CLOTHES 1).Bape 2).ED Hardy 3).BBC 4).CLH 5).LRG 6).Artful Dodger
Hoodies 7).GINO GREEN GLOBAL 8).10 Deep 9).A&F Coat 11).Jersey NBA
Jersey Football Jersey 12).Juicy Bikini 13).Adidas Coat 14).F1 Coat
15).D&G Coat 16).Superman Coat 17).NBA Coat
JEAN 1).E&D Jeans 2).BBC Jeans 3).BAPE Jeans 4).D&G Jeans 5).EVSIU
Jeans 6).Red monkey 7).COOGI Jeans
T-shirt 1).POLO 2007 polo(women) 2007 POLO IIII(Men) POLO (stripe)
polo (small )
2).Lacoste Lacoste (LONG) Lacoste (SHORT) 3).Name Brand shirt D&G
Shirt Giorgio Armani TN Shirt 4).BBC T-shirt 5).LRG & gina green
glalal 6).Triumvir 7).ED handy 8).Evsiu 9).R.M.B 10).CLOT
Burse & Handbag 1).LV Bag 2).Gucci Bag 3).Dior Bag 4).Chanel Bag
5).Fendi Bag 6).Coach Bag 7).Burberrys Bag 8).Prada Bag 9).Man
Leisure
Bag 11).D&G bag 12).nike bag 13).Wallet 14).Suitcase
Electronics 1).Vertu Mobile 2).New iphone Mobile 3).Nokia Mobile
4).moto Mobile 5).PSP Game & memory card 6).Sony Mobile 7).Samsung
Mobile 8).Ipod nano 9).Sony PS3 10).Laptops IBM laptops DELL laptops
Sony laptops ASUS laptops
CAP 1).ED Hardy Cap 2).New Bape & NY Cap 3).RMC Cap 4).New era NBA
5).F1 6).Chanel 7).D&G 8).gucci 9).LV 10).Prada 11).PUMA 12).wool
WATCH 1).Rolex 2).Omega 3).Cartier 4).Chanel 5).Piaget 6).Breitling
7).Bvlgari 8).Corum
Sunglasses 1).Gucci Sunglasses 2).D&G Sunglasses 3).Dior Sunglasses
4).LV Sunglasses 5).Chanel Sunglasses 6).Prada Sunglasses 7).Versace
Sunglasses 8).Giorgio Armani
Strap 1).Bape Strap 2).D&G Strap 3).Gucci Strap 4).LV Strap 5).Scarf
Other 1).Lighter

size chart
Men Size:
US: 7 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5 12 13 14 15
UK: 6 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 11 12 13 14
EUR: 40 41 42 42.5 43 44 44.5 45 45.5 46 47.5 48 49
Women Size:
US: 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5
UK: 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
EUR: 35.5 36 36.5 37.5 38 38.5 39 40

Kid's
US: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5 12 12.5 13 13.5
UK: 13 1 2 3 4 5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 11 11.5 12 12.5
EUR:17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 24.5 25 25.5 26 26.5 27 27.5 28 29 30
30.5
31

Clothing Size:
S M L XL XXL XXXL XXXXL XXXXXL

7.because the space of the website is limited,we can also supply many
other products which be not showed out in our site. if you have the
photos of the products you need , we are pleasure to supply for your
orders.
And our company can supply for our customers ,as follow:
1. top quality.all our products have top quality.
2. most rational price. we offer the most competitive price to you
to
open your market. So today most of our products have sold well in the
America, Europe, Middle East, Southeast Asia etc..
3. safe and fast shipment. As different country you are in, we will
deliver the products to you by different ways and pledge to arrive to
your address 100%.and we will send the products to you within 24h
after we get your payment.
4.many products in stock. We have many products in stock and kinds of
size you need , also include kid's.
5.our credit. If the products can be not delivered to your address as
our reason, we will refund the money you paid.
Hope sincerely to have glad and long term business relationship with
you.
If you are interested in our products and have any problem, welcome
to
contact us.
Please trust us , we will be your best choice !!!

Website : http://www.globwholesale.com
Yahoo ID:globwholesale@yahoo.com.cn
Michael
Fashion Footwear Industrial Co.,Ltd.(Fujian,CHINA)

==============================================================================
TOPIC: CVS weekly deals 12/2-8
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/e3a58cc2a0297954?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 11:31 am
From: Tree

Here are the weekly deals for cvs starting tomorrow

http://budgetdial.blogspot.com/2007/12/cvs-weekly-extra-care-bucks-deals-122.html

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Full Moving Services Company, Local movers, Long Distance movers,
international movers auto shipping, provide local and cross country movers.
CALL 818-439-3474 http://www.losangeles-movers.com
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/aa21993b23d3774f?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 12:25 pm
From: movers

Full Moving Services Company, Local movers, Long Distance movers,
international movers auto shipping, provide local and cross country
movers. CALL 818-439-3474 http://www.losangeles-movers.com

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Christmas Shopping Deals
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/64fdb4a5ce690d27?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 4 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 12:45 pm
From: efp90uzd

I am always in search of the best deals online. Check out
http://www.cashsavingsonline.com that I came across.Great onestop
marketplace.Also check out the large job search section,which
definitely came in handy.

== 2 of 4 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 1:21 pm
From: clams casino

efp90uzd wrote:

> I am always in search of the best deals online. Check out
>http://www.scam.com that I came across.Great onestop
>marketplace.
>
>

When you purchase off your own site, do you still have to pay sales tax?

== 3 of 4 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 1:43 pm
From: Anthony Matonak

clams casino wrote:
> efp90uzd wrote:
>
>> I am always in search of the best deals online. Check out
>> http://www.scam.com that I came across.Great onestop
>> marketplace.
>
> When you purchase off your own site, do you still have to pay sales tax?

Yes, you have to pay sales tax even if you buy from your own store.

Then again, you could simply shop-lift and place it under the
'shrinkage' category. If you were good, you could then turn yourself
in to the police and collect the reward from yourself and then refuse
to press charges and let yourself off with a warning. :)

Anthony

== 4 of 4 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 1:48 pm
From: "Don K"

"Anthony Matonak" <anthonym40@nothing.like.socal.rr.com> wrote in message
news:4751d4f6$0$9548$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> clams casino wrote:
>> efp90uzd wrote:
>>
>>> I am always in search of the best deals online. Check out
>>> http://www.scam.com that I came across.Great onestop
>>> marketplace.
>>
>> When you purchase off your own site, do you still have to pay sales tax?
>
> Yes, you have to pay sales tax even if you buy from your own store.
>
> Then again, you could simply shop-lift and place it under the
> 'shrinkage' category. If you were good, you could then turn yourself
> in to the police and collect the reward from yourself and then refuse
> to press charges and let yourself off with a warning. :)

Better yet, you could illegally detain yourself in the store and then
sue the store for false imprisonment. It's tricky. You could either end up
owning the place or being banned from the store if the scam doesn't work.

Don

==============================================================================
TOPIC: What's the difference?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/df54fd76af90ced4?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 5 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 12:46 pm
From: Vic Smith

On Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:06:43 GMT, "AllEmailDeletedImmediately"
<derjda@hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>"J Young" <youngopinions@aol.com> wrote in message
>news:474fa2a2$0$26032$b9f67a60@news.newsdemon.com...
>> Can anyone tell what the difference is between being frugal and being
>> cheap? Not Webster's definition, just life in general.
>let me give you an example:
>
>frugal is when you use a coupon and take your wife out to a reasonably nice
>restaurant for your anniversary. cheap is when you can afford to take her
>above restaurant and instead make her a pbj sandwich for dinner. now, if
>that pbj is really all you can afford, then that's not being cheap.
>
>cheap is also when you insist that she and the kids shop at a second hand
>store, even though you can afford better, while you head out and get an
>expensive suit.
>
>imo, cheap always involves someone else. if you choose to shop/eat/etc way
>below your means, that doesn't make you cheap. you can only be cheap when
>your refusal to spend legitimate money affects others negatively.
>
IMO, you're close in describing cheap. If enough people think
somebody is cheap, they probably are.
Frugal is a real problem, and always is relative, and philosophical.
Three equally "rich" guys have houses of 50, 75, 100 thousand square
feet. They could all easily afford 200 thousand square feet.
They all think they are being frugal and "understated."
The ones with the biggest houses may - or may not - consider the one
with smallest house "cheap."
Others may not consider them frugal at all.
My own view on frugality is probably best summed up by "waste not,
want not." But it's probably more complicated than that.

--Vic

== 2 of 5 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 12:56 pm
From: Dennis

On Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:38:03 -0500, "J Young" <youngopinions@aol.com>
wrote:

>Can anyone tell what the difference is between being frugal and being cheap?

If you stop watering your lawn or turn out lights to save money on
utility bills, you're being frugal.

If your neighbor does it, he's being cheap.

Dennis (evil)
--
"There is a fine line between participation and mockery" - Wally

== 3 of 5 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 3:00 pm
From: "AllEmailDeletedImmediately"

"231" <231@alok.com> wrote in message
news:4750882d$0$19775$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
> AllEmailDeletedImmediately <derjda@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> "J Young" <youngopinions@aol.com> wrote in message
>> news:474fa2a2$0$26032$b9f67a60@news.newsdemon.com...
>>> Can anyone tell what the difference is between being frugal and being
>>> cheap? Not Webster's definition, just life in general.
>> let me give you an example:
>>
>> frugal is when you use a coupon and take your wife out to a
>> reasonably nice restaurant for your anniversary. cheap is when you
>> can afford to take her above restaurant and instead make her a pbj
>> sandwich for dinner. now, if that pbj is really all you can afford,
>> then that's not being cheap.
>> cheap is also when you insist that she and the kids shop at a second
>> hand store, even though you can afford better, while you head out and
>> get an expensive suit.
>
>> imo, cheap always involves someone else.
>
> Nope, you are being cheap when you buy crap just because its the
> cheapest available, and you end up spending more over the long haul
> because it doesnt last as long as the more expensive better quality item.

no. that's being wasteful or unfrugal, but not cheap.

== 4 of 5 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 3:01 pm
From: "AllEmailDeletedImmediately"

"Douglas Berry" <penguin_boy@mindOBVIOUSspring.com> wrote in message
news:res1l3ta0jj1323netpvlp5t9nmma4p9o4@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:38:03 -0500 "J Young" <youngopinions@aol.com>
> carved the following into the hard stone of alt.atheism
>
>>Can anyone tell what the difference is between being frugal and being
>>cheap?
>>Not Webster's definition, just life in general.
>
> Frugal is making intelligent choices designed to minimize your
> spending. Researching the car that isn't only lower in price, but gets
> good mileage and need fewer repairs is frugal thinking, as is clipping
> coupons, waiting for sales, etc.
>
> Cheap is the tendency to always choose the least expensive option,
> regardless of quality, appropriateness, or public reaction. Taking
> your wife to Denny's for your anniversary dinner because you have a
> coupon is cheap.

only if you could have afforded better. using a coupon to afford 2
dinners at dennys is just fine.

> --
>
> Douglas Berry Do the OBVIOUS thing to send e-mail
> Atheist #2147, Atheist Vet #5
> Jason Gastrich is praying for me on 8 January 2011
> and
> "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the
> source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a
> stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as
> good as dead: his eyes are closed." - Albert Einstein
>

== 5 of 5 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 3:03 pm
From: "AllEmailDeletedImmediately"

"Vic Smith" <thismailautodeleted@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:4qg3l3pvrgjdm4f1ll38s10l7qkbhuce83@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:06:43 GMT, "AllEmailDeletedImmediately"
> <derjda@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>"J Young" <youngopinions@aol.com> wrote in message
>>news:474fa2a2$0$26032$b9f67a60@news.newsdemon.com...
>>> Can anyone tell what the difference is between being frugal and being
>>> cheap? Not Webster's definition, just life in general.
>>let me give you an example:
>>
>>frugal is when you use a coupon and take your wife out to a reasonably
>>nice
>>restaurant for your anniversary. cheap is when you can afford to take
>>her
>>above restaurant and instead make her a pbj sandwich for dinner. now, if
>>that pbj is really all you can afford, then that's not being cheap.
>>
>>cheap is also when you insist that she and the kids shop at a second hand
>>store, even though you can afford better, while you head out and get an
>>expensive suit.
>>
>>imo, cheap always involves someone else. if you choose to shop/eat/etc
>>way
>>below your means, that doesn't make you cheap. you can only be cheap
>>when
>>your refusal to spend legitimate money affects others negatively.
>>
> IMO, you're close in describing cheap. If enough people think
> somebody is cheap, they probably are.

no. several "snoots" may thing you're cheap, but that may not be the case.

> Frugal is a real problem, and always is relative, and philosophical.
> Three equally "rich" guys have houses of 50, 75, 100 thousand square
> feet. They could all easily afford 200 thousand square feet.
> They all think they are being frugal and "understated."
> The ones with the biggest houses may - or may not - consider the one
> with smallest house "cheap."

snoots.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: I take it this group has died and...???
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/86a3b9e19a68832b?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 2:29 pm
From: "The Henchman"

now where does everyone go to hang out and discuss frugual living??

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Black Friday scams
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/d88b4ca08eaef9f9?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 3 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 3:15 pm
From: The Real Bev

The Trucker wrote:

> On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 09:35:22 -0800, Steve wrote:
>
>> The Real Bev <bashley101+usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> This is an old argument. I'll do rebates because you can't get the
>>> same or equivalent stuff at a better price without the rebates. I
>>> pay attention to what I'm doing and have been burned for less than
>>> $10 over a 10-year+ period.
>>
>> Same here, have saved literally thousands of dollars, and always wait
>> at least 4 months before following up.

I guess we can crab about SOMEBODY using our money for free until we cash
the rebate check, but the current return on such amounts isn't worth
worrying about -- the truly observant can make up the difference just by
picking up change on the ground.

> All either one of you has actually done is to participate in the scam.
> People normally attempt to take advantage of the rebate. They then find
> that it is more trouble than it is worth or that the sales people and the
> manufacturers have already stuck it in em by making the window of filing
> opportunity to short.

OTOH, it's extremely gratifying that stupidity and/or carelessness SOMETIMES
have actual penalties. It's even more gratifying to find that *I* profit
from those penalties.

BTW, the "short window" provided by Staples recently was 60 days after
purchase. I can gripe about the design of Staples' 'easy rebate' program,
but it's certainly easier and cheaper than filling in, xeroxing and mailing
all those forms.

> If it was a legitimate sales activity it could be done by the retailers
> and/or the wholesale price could be cut and these practices would be much
> more efficient.

If it was NOT a legitimate sales activity, surely there would be lawyers
filing class-action suits against the companies involved. Seen any of those?

> Why would the manufacturer suffer the overhead of dealing with the
> rebates if he could just lower the price and get the same gross margins?

Because the current system is more profitable?

> The answer is that it is a scam that depends on deception concerning the
> amount of customer effort required to obtain the rebate.

What deception? I understand how it works and act accordingly. What part
of "Follow the instructions TO THE LETTER" do you not understand? Is it MY
fault that you have reading comprehension problems?

> It really is very much like private health insurance.

Actually, no. You are punished for using private health insurance; you are
rewarded for using rebates.

--
Cheers, Bev
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. However,
this is not necessarily a good idea...."

== 2 of 3 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 3:18 pm
From: The Real Bev

Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:

> Has anyone mentioned that the rebates are also pretty useless if you
> want to give the item as a gift? (I don't know about you, but I would
> not feel right about giving a gift with the UPC code cut out!)

So you don't want to give a nice practical gift that might make you look
cheap? Do you think that your friends and relatives will think less of you
because you look for bargains? What other inadequacies do you possess that
you fear others will discover? Just lie down on that couch and tell me
about your mother...

--
Cheers, Bev
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. However,
this is not necessarily a good idea...."

== 3 of 3 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 3:19 pm
From: The Real Bev

Steve wrote:

> "Evelyn C. Leeper" <eleeper@optonline.net> wrote:
>>Has anyone mentioned that the rebates are also pretty useless if you
>>want to give the item as a gift? (I don't know about you, but I would
>>not feel right about giving a gift with the UPC code cut out!)
>
> I've seen people cut the UPC off another box in the store. Just goes
> to show ya...

I know somebody who used to switch price tags at the Goodwill store.

--
Cheers, Bev
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. However,
this is not necessarily a good idea...."

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Coinstar Warning
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/0a78df299577cc2f?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sat, Dec 1 2007 3:26 pm
From: The Real Bev

Goomba38 wrote:

> When I was a teenager in the 80's,I used to work for Maryland National
> Bank's Cash Processing Center and we'd often get bags of coins which
> when counted we'd find silver. We were allowed to buy those coins at
> face value and I'd collected hundreds of dollars (at face value) of
> silver which was increasing in price. We sold the silver to dealers for
> a nice bit of money.. but silver dropped in price and I've never cared
> to play that way again. I don't have the patience or ability to store or
> haul coins about waiting for silver to go up.

Remember when there was a penny shortage and grocery stores and banks were
offering a premium to turn in your pennies? After that I saved pennies,
waiting for the next windfall. Years later hen I got tired of tripping over
the jars I decided to turn them in to the bank at face value. Imagine my
joy to discover that the local banks no longer had change-counting machines.
They DID, however, give me a lot of free paper tubes...

The Coinstar machines here have NEVER not charged a fee.

OTOH, I indeed will profit from aluminum-can and plastic-bottle arbitrage
when I turn them in -- I'd collected many pounds of them before they raised
the CRV.

--
Cheers, Bev
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. However,
this is not necessarily a good idea...."

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

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

Saturday, December 1, 2007

24 new messages in 12 topics - digest

No comments: