http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living?hl=en
misc.consumers.frugal-living@googlegroups.com
Today's topics:
* Recommended non-slip shoes - 2 messages, 2 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/528f10a7cc9551e9?hl=en
* How McDonald's responds to cheap bastards like us - 11 messages, 7 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/23d05596d9ead4e6?hl=en
* Wall St. Journal: On saving on phone service and cable - 2 messages, 2
authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/159cdc61827d4f54?hl=en
* Bathtub question - 2 messages, 2 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/a4bc99a41d21a966?hl=en
* CIGARETTES, SAVE MONEY AND SAVE YOURSELF - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/bc3a04fb3f70d426?hl=en
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Recommended non-slip shoes
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/528f10a7cc9551e9?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 4:44 pm
From: albundy2@mailinator.com
On Feb 5, 4:41 pm, m...@privacy.net wrote:
> noel888 <harri85...@aol.com> wrote:
> >This post is directed to those who live with snowy winters who may
> >have more experience than others..but of course, all I welcomed to
> >chip in if they care to. My 80 year old uncle, slipped on black ice
> >here in the east as he was walking to church. Miraculously, nothing
> >was broken, but he did feel the effects a few days later. I've been on
> >line searching for such shoes and there are such a wide variety
> >available..from 'lite' to heavy duty...for recreational to sport
> >types..from $14 dollars to 149 which makes it all the more confusing.
> >Also, some 'cleats' wear out and need to be replaced...any suggestions
> >please?
>
> Here is what I did with an older pair off boots
>
> http://www.skyrunner.com/screwshoe.htm
>
> Seriously ... this works as well or better than
> anything on the market
There you go. That's what I've been doing for decades except for
avoiding the points.
== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 8:48 pm
From: "Nicik Name"
<albundy2@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:7dafa330-3057-4d76-8571-08ddb606d082@r37g2000prr.googlegroups.com...
>
>
> noel888 wrote:
>> This post is directed to those who live with snowy winters who may
>> have more experience than others..but of course, all I welcomed to
>> chip in if they care to. My 80 year old uncle, slipped on black ice
>> here in the east as he was walking to church. Miraculously, nothing
>> was broken, but he did feel the effects a few days later. I've been on
>> line searching for such shoes and there are such a wide variety
>> available..from 'lite' to heavy duty...for recreational to sport
>> types..from $14 dollars to 149 which makes it all the more confusing.
>> Also, some 'cleats' wear out and need to be replaced...any suggestions
>> please?
>
> I run one to two hours per day 350 days a year or more. All winter
> long we contend with snow and black ice. What I do on black ice days
> is use shoes that I have screwed 1/4" hex screws in from the bottom. I
> use 3-4 around the heel and up to five in the forefoot in sort of a
> penta-star formation. The heel can take screws of 3/4" length with no
> problem while the forefoot screws need to be 1/2" or shorter to
> prevent feeling them inside. I use the blunt ended screws rather than
> pointed. Sometimes a predrilled hole is needed to start the screw.
> This really works and the screws would last most of the season when
> used for walking short distances. My brother is partly disabled and
> this is a must for him.
What I do is have studded snow tires installed on my car so I wont hit a
jogger jogging on black ice on the roadway.
==============================================================================
TOPIC: How McDonald's responds to cheap bastards like us
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/23d05596d9ead4e6?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 11 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 4:45 pm
From: "Woody"
"John A. Weeks III" <john@johnweeks.com> wrote in message
news:john-84E29D.18250905022009@news-1.octanews.net...
> In article <%5Jil.237644$NN4.224524@en-nntp-08.dc1.easynews.com>,
> "Woody" <email@munged.com> wrote:
>
>> Any business will keep their prices as high as possible, as long as
>> possible, in order to fatten their bottom line.
>
> The facts show that is not true. Walmart has a policy of always
> trying to offer the lowest possible price. They account for a
> major slice of the retail market.
The "lowest possible price" is zero! AFAIK Wal-Mart doesn't give stuff away
for free. Failing that, the lowest feasible price is at cost, and AFAIK
Wal-Mart does not avoid making a profit.
What Wal-Mart does is what every other retail operation does: Balance how
many pieces they're going to sell against how much to charge for each piece,
in order to maximize the total amount of money taken in. They make a big
noise about "rollbacks" but, in fact, the effect of rolled-back prices on
the operation are calculated long before the initial, not-rolled-back,
_false_ price is first posted. This is a marketing principle that has been
known and used for decades.
Any business that claims to give a shit about whether its customers save
money or not is lying. Don't believe the hype.
Woody
== 2 of 11 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 5:08 pm
From: "Lou"
"Woody" <email@munged.com> wrote in message
news:IKLil.238165$NN4.136334@en-nntp-08.dc1.easynews.com...
>
>
> The "lowest possible price" is zero!
Where do you get this stuff? With extremely rare exceptions, zero is not a
sustainable price. Any company that wants to stay in business cannot simply
give its product away, any more than you could go to work every day without
being paid.
> AFAIK Wal-Mart doesn't give stuff away
> for free. Failing that, the lowest feasible price is at cost, and AFAIK
> Wal-Mart does not avoid making a profit.
"Cost" of course, includes the costs of doing business - store
rent/construction, paying for the help, utilities, taxes, etc. And that's
still not a feasible price - how much of your money have you put into an
enterprise with the **intention** of not getting a return?
== 3 of 11 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 5:30 pm
From: SMS
OhioGuy wrote:
> Now that the price for food commodities has started going back down,
> how many of you think that McDonald's will decrease their retail costs?
> Will they, or will it be more like how the gas stations keep prices up
> for a while?
It's interesting to me how much the mid-price restaurants have gone up
in price. A few restaurant chains seem to be actually doing some
marketing to attract new customers, i.e. Hometown Buffet, where the food
isn't terrific, but it's as good as what you'd get at a Denny's,
Applebee's, TGIFridays, etc.. They have a BOGO deal that brings the cost
down to about $6/person, and you can get as many of the coupons as you want.
== 4 of 11 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 5:31 pm
From: James
On Feb 5, 3:32 pm, OhioGuy <n...@none.net> wrote:
> http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=11887463&...
>
> I found myself occasionally going to McDonald's after I discovered
> their Double Cheeseburger on the dollar menu. Normally, I went to
> Wendy's and got the Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe, or sometimes to Burger King
> to get the Whopper Jr.
>
> However, our local McDonald's raised the price of their double
> cheeseburger from $1 up to $1.38. The one still on the dollar menu has
> two burger patties, and just a single slice of cheese. A 38% increase
> to keep that second piece of cheese seemed a bit much, so I don't go to
> McDonald's much at all any more.
>
> Now that the price for food commodities has started going back down,
> how many of you think that McDonald's will decrease their retail costs?
> Will they, or will it be more like how the gas stations keep prices up
> for a while?
The thing that pissed me off was they no longer give comp paper cups
for water. They now sell bottled water. Anyway I like the Wendy 99
cent double stack special better. I also like Wendy onion better than
the chopped onion that McD uses on the burgers.
== 5 of 11 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 5:41 pm
From: clams_casino
John A. Weeks III wrote:
>In article <%5Jil.237644$NN4.224524@en-nntp-08.dc1.easynews.com>,
> "Woody" <email@munged.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>>Any business will keep their prices as high as possible, as long as
>>possible, in order to fatten their bottom line.
>>
>>
>
>The facts show that is not true. Walmart has a policy of always
>trying to offer the lowest possible price. They account for a
>major slice of the retail market.
>
>-john-
>
>
>
Of course, the key is "keep their prices as high as possible". If
they aren't competitive (making / maximizing a profit), they will either
drop the price, force a supplier to lower the cost or drop the item,
keeping the price as high as possible to maintain market share, etc..
== 6 of 11 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 5:41 pm
From: "Woody"
"Lou" <lpogoda@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:gmg2if$lb9$1@news.motzarella.org...
>
> "Woody" <email@munged.com> wrote in message
> news:IKLil.238165$NN4.136334@en-nntp-08.dc1.easynews.com...
>>
>>
>> The "lowest possible price" is zero!
>
> Where do you get this stuff? With extremely rare exceptions, zero is not
> a
> sustainable price. Any company that wants to stay in business cannot
> simply
> give its product away, any more than you could go to work every day
> without
> being paid.
>
>> AFAIK Wal-Mart doesn't give stuff away
>> for free. Failing that, the lowest feasible price is at cost, and AFAIK
>> Wal-Mart does not avoid making a profit.
>
> "Cost" of course, includes the costs of doing business - store
> rent/construction, paying for the help, utilities, taxes, etc. And that's
> still not a feasible price - how much of your money have you put into an
> enterprise with the **intention** of not getting a return?
>
You're missing the point. I'm saying exactly what you're saying, except
that, unlike you, I'm not buried alive inside the peculiar logic of
profit-making. The other poster said Wal-Mart offers "the lowest possible
price." Well, like it or not, the lowest _possible_ price is free of charge!
It doesn't lead to a sustainable business, but the other poster didn't say
"the lowest possible price sustainable by a business." S/he said simply the
lowest possible price. And so on.
Woody
== 7 of 11 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 5:42 pm
From: "Woody"
"James" <j0069bond@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3bc95612-7b42-4c31-8a8d-e9977ff91b5e@r10g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
On Feb 5, 3:32 pm, OhioGuy <n...@none.net> wrote:
> http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=11887463&...
>
> I found myself occasionally going to McDonald's after I discovered
> their Double Cheeseburger on the dollar menu. Normally, I went to
> Wendy's and got the Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe, or sometimes to Burger King
> to get the Whopper Jr.
>
> However, our local McDonald's raised the price of their double
> cheeseburger from $1 up to $1.38. The one still on the dollar menu has
> two burger patties, and just a single slice of cheese. A 38% increase
> to keep that second piece of cheese seemed a bit much, so I don't go to
> McDonald's much at all any more.
>
> Now that the price for food commodities has started going back down,
> how many of you think that McDonald's will decrease their retail costs?
> Will they, or will it be more like how the gas stations keep prices up
> for a while?
The thing that pissed me off was they no longer give comp paper cups
for water. They now sell bottled water. Anyway I like the Wendy 99
cent double stack special better. I also like Wendy onion better than
the chopped onion that McD uses on the burgers.
------------------------------------------------------
McDonald's doesn't use real onions on its burgers. It uses something called
"recons," which are freezedried virtual onions that look like rice until you
add water to them. I worked in a McD's and therefore know this.
Woody
== 8 of 11 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 5:47 pm
From: "Woody"
"clams_casino" <PeterGriffin@DrunkinClam.com> wrote in message
news:FzMil.3597$Vk5.2112@newsfe13.iad...
> John A. Weeks III wrote:
>
>>In article <%5Jil.237644$NN4.224524@en-nntp-08.dc1.easynews.com>,
>> "Woody" <email@munged.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Any business will keep their prices as high as possible, as long as
>>>possible, in order to fatten their bottom line.
>>>
>>
>>The facts show that is not true. Walmart has a policy of always
>>trying to offer the lowest possible price. They account for a
>>major slice of the retail market.
>>
>>-john-
>>
>>
> Of course, the key is "keep their prices as high as possible". If they
> aren't competitive (making / maximizing a profit), they will either drop
> the price, force a supplier to lower the cost or drop the item, keeping
> the price as high as possible to maintain market share, etc..
All true. And the very last thing that crosses the mind of anyone in the
company except the marketing-department lie machines is saving the customer
money!
Woody
== 9 of 11 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 6:30 pm
From: OhioGuy
>The thing that pissed me off was they no longer give comp paper cups
>for water. They now sell bottled water.
Are you serious? They decided that if you wanted something to drink,
they would be getting at least a buck out of you, no matter what?
I guess I'll have to remember to start bringing along a thermos to
fill up from the tap in the bathroom, then. If I also fill it up with a
lemonade mix ahead of time, it will be almost like we had paid for a
drink, but with no cost.
Regarding the price hikes - how many of you tend to keep buying the
same thing at a higher price, and how many stick with the dollar menu?
== 10 of 11 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 7:27 pm
From: "aineecumi@gmail.com"
i don't think so
xoxo,
aineecumi
neway, my secret to release tension is playing this game <a
href=http://www.gamestotal.com> http://www.gamestotal.com </a> <a
href=http://uc.gamestotal.com> http://uc.gamestotal.com </a> <a
href=http://gc.gamestotal.com> http://gc.gamestotal.com </a> <a
href=http://3700ad.gamestotal.com> http://3700ad.gamestotal.com </a>
<a href=http://manga.gamestotal.com> http://manga.gamestotal.com </a>
== 11 of 11 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 9:15 pm
From: SMS
John A. Weeks III wrote:
> In article <%5Jil.237644$NN4.224524@en-nntp-08.dc1.easynews.com>,
> "Woody" <email@munged.com> wrote:
>
>> Any business will keep their prices as high as possible, as long as
>> possible, in order to fatten their bottom line.
>
> The facts show that is not true. Walmart has a policy of always
> trying to offer the lowest possible price.
Funny stuff!
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Wall St. Journal: On saving on phone service and cable
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/159cdc61827d4f54?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 5:16 pm
From: Gordon
lenona321@yahoo.com wrote in news:54159e57-d28d-4ecf-b939-e087ddfacdc3
@e24g2000vbe.googlegroups.com:
>
> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123310097165622001.html
>
> Granted, this article isn't exactly aimed at people who are truly
> struggling, but I thought I'd post it anyway.
>
> Lenona.
Good point. You have to keep watch on what you pay.
I dropped CATV about a year ago. I got a DTV converter
for Over the Air TV (BTW: There are extra channels).
There is also TV over the internet (Hulu, Joost, etc).
So no real reason to have CATV.
My basic stratagy is to get a big fat internet connection
and stuff everything (TVoIP and VOIP) down that pipe. It
should be cheaper than buying everything separately.
Cel phones are another story. I'm now Month to Month on my
Sprint contract. So I'm looking at other options there too.
== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 8:13 pm
From: me@privacy.net
Gordon <gonzo@alltomyself.com> wrote:
>Cel phones are another story. I'm now Month to Month on my
>Sprint contract. So I'm looking at other options there too.
What abt using T Mobile prepaid and then buying a sim
based GSM phone that has wifi built in
That way you can use Skype and wifi to "talk" within
wifi hotspots..... and save the cell minutes for times
nothing else available?
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Bathtub question
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/a4bc99a41d21a966?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 6:20 pm
From: Art
Kompu Kid wrote:
> Hello All:
>
> I want to remove the knob that moves my pop-up plug for the drain up
> and down.
>
> I tried to pull this knob but it is not moving. I looked around for a
> set screw. There is none.
>
> I have photos of the knob at:
>
> http://cid-eb85de77506ba8ba.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/BathTub?authkey=Y9O!9fLQTTI%24
>
> Is there any trick to removing this type of knob?
>
> I need to remove it to open the clogged drain.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Deguza
This looks just like one I encountered at my parents house about a year
ago. You need to go to the back of the tub. Likely the knob is pressed
onto a shaft that goes into the vertical drain. That shaft will have a
nut on it. Remove the drain pipe and or nut and it will all come apart.
I recall it was a bitch to reassemble.
--
Art
== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 7:34 pm
From: "aineecumi@gmail.com"
i have no idea bout it
xoxo,
aineecumi
neway, my secret to release tension is playing this game <a
href=http://www.gamestotal.com> http://www.gamestotal.com </a> <a
href=http://uc.gamestotal.com> http://uc.gamestotal.com </a> <a
href=http://gc.gamestotal.com> http://gc.gamestotal.com </a> <a
href=http://3700ad.gamestotal.com> http://3700ad.gamestotal.com </a>
<a href=http://manga.gamestotal.com> http://manga.gamestotal.com </a>
==============================================================================
TOPIC: CIGARETTES, SAVE MONEY AND SAVE YOURSELF
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/bc3a04fb3f70d426?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Feb 5 2009 6:58 pm
From: NoSpamForMe@LousyISP.gov
The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> wrote:
>NoSpamForMe@LousyISP.gov wrote:
>> The Real Bev <bashley101@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>ecignews@gmail.com wrote:
>>>> Suppliers are being advised not to make cessation claims unless you
>>>> have the clinical studies to back them up lest you ruin it for all
>>>> users. Keep e-cigs legal !
>>>I assume there's some sort of law that requires that they be sold as
>>>quit-smoking aids rather than environmentally-friendly nicotine delivery systems.
>> Quite the contrary. If they were sold as quit-smoking aids they'd fall
>> under the control of the FDA and the classed as a drug which would
>> entail all sorts of high cost testing and approval procedures. I
>> believe it costs over $100 million to gain FDA approval for any new
>> drug. You can be sure Nicorette, Pfizer, and even big tobacco are just
>> hoping to catch them in a quit-smoking claim.
>I googled. Every one I saw touted itself as a quit-smoking aid.
You must have googled some places I don't visit. I checked:
http://www.mysafesmoke.com/index.htm
http://jantyusa.com/index.php?
http://www.e-smokeytreats.com/
http://www.njoythefreedom.com/
http://www.puresmoker.com/default.asp
None of them make claims that their e-cigs are a quit-smoking aid. In
fact Pure Smoker states in their FAQ:
"5. Can Electronic Cigarettes Help Me Quit Smoking?
This is probably the #1 question I get day in, and day out. The short
answer is, an electronic cigarette is NOT advertised/marketed as a
smoking cessation (quitting) device. There have been ZERO studies
done on the success/failure rate of those who choose to try and quit
smoking via electronic cigarettes, therefore, at this time, it is only
being marketing as a traditional tobacco cigarette alternative. Now,
this doesn't mean its impossible to quit. Anything and Everything is
possible, and perhaps there are people out there reading this who have
quit! Some users have even reported having no desire to smoke
traditional tobacco cigarettes after they had adapted to the
electronic cigarette/cigar. In the end, its the user, not the device,
who chooses to quit."
> As a cigarette
>substitute they're incredibly expensive.
You must have visited some truly bizarre sites. When I was a smoker
smoking 2 packs per day at around $8 pack (current legal NYC price for
Marlboro) I'd spend around 30 * 16 or $480 per month.
If I take the last-mentioned site (Pure Smoker) they sell the standard
classic e-cig kit for $49.95 which includes 10 assorted cartridges and
two batteries. The atomizer and wallwart will last essentially
forever; each battery lasts about a month in my experience; and I
change cartridges once per week. I also use e-liquid to refill the
cartridges and one dispenser ($9.99) lasts about a month. New
cartridges would cost $0.69 each if I wanted to use that route.
So let us presume I have to buy a complete new outfit each month (this
would be ridiculous but maybe I'm stupid and keep losing them) the
total cost would be:
Classic set = $49.95
20 extra cartridges (going for the most expensive deal here) = $13.80.
TOTAL cost (OK I'm ignoring shipping which might be an extra $10) =
$63.75 (say $75 including shipping to make it easy). $480 (real cigs)
less $75 (e-cig). I SAVE $405!!!
BIG SAVING over cigarettes!
>Maybe it's possible to buy nicotine bug-killer, saturate a cotton ball and stuff
>it into one of those large straws they use for boba tea...
For those who question the safety of the ingredients see
http://www.healthnz.co.nz/ecigarette.htm
I don't have a US or UK analysis so you'll have to put up with New
Zealand. It looks like a serious study though. If you want a detailed
analysis of the ingredients see the links at the bottom of the page,
particularly:
http://www.healthnz.co.nz/Portland2008ECIG.pdf
You might also look at the e-cig forum at:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/
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