misc.consumers.frugal-living
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living?hl=en
misc.consumers.frugal-living@googlegroups.com
Today's topics:
* Inexpensive commuter car - 5 messages, 5 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/ea340ea468b880bd?hl=en
* Fake microsoft "your computer is infected" call - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/fc91538c09253cb0?hl=en
* Expensive new glasses! - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/c47878997e4a5f21?hl=en
* Montreal Wedding Dresses - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/bacbe7b3c15162ba?hl=en
* alternative to Google Voice to use with Obihai voip? - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/8927d6ec9e4423a8?hl=en
* Google Worsening Google Voice on May 15, 2014. Dropping XMPP support. No
more free "landline" service. - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/dd2212bdda4c6b03?hl=en
* Montreal Weddings Planner - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/4c1e35f66d8bc57b?hl=en
* Online Tea Source - 7 messages, 2 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/ba10f265d783c389?hl=en
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TOPIC: Inexpensive commuter car
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/ea340ea468b880bd?hl=en
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== 1 of 5 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 21 2014 12:10 pm
From: wilma6116@gmail.com
On Tuesday, January 21, 2014 8:52:31 AM UTC-8, br...@rosenthalmn.com wrote:
>
> Very! The best way to be frugal driving is to not drive...but I need to get to work.
Bicycle, public transportation, walk, move closer, or change jobs. I drove a taxi for many years, more than 50K miles a year. There are many ways to avoid driving, and I am trying to figure them all out.
Eliminating an automobile commute (see above) can save more than $10,000 a year just in car expenses, not even considering the health benefits. And that $10K is after taxes $10K which is like $15K salary.
== 2 of 5 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 21 2014 5:33 pm
From: "terrable"
"BrianRosenthal" <brian@rosenthalmn.com> wrote in message
news:1b12877e-908b-4d00-a933-e3915a54838b@googlegroups.com...
> Elio is planning a 3 wheel 2 person car.
>
> * 49/84 MPG
> * Fully enclosed
> * Heat, A/C, radio, power windows
> * 5 star crash rating
>
> All for $6800. Shipping early 2014 (perhaps).
>
> ElioMotors dot com.
Just a modern ripoff of the Messerschmitt KR200.
== 3 of 5 ==
Date: Wed, Jan 22 2014 11:15 am
From: sms
On 1/20/2014 2:57 PM, wilma6116@gmail.com wrote:
<anip>
> One can lease a Smart Car for $99 a month for 36 months.
It should be called the "Dumb Car" since you have to be really dumb to
buy one.
== 4 of 5 ==
Date: Sat, Jan 25 2014 4:56 pm
From: Ivan The Not-So-Bad <1suf41n@yahoo.com>
On 2014-01-22, sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:
> On 1/20/2014 2:57 PM, wilma6116@gmail.com wrote:
>
><anip>
>
>> One can lease a Smart Car for $99 a month for 36 months.
>
> It should be called the "Dumb Car" since you have to be really dumb to
> buy one.
>
Were you going to follow up with some reasons or...?
== 5 of 5 ==
Date: Tues, Jan 28 2014 6:35 pm
From: Sofa Slug
On 1/25/2014 4:56 PM, Ivan The Not-So-Bad wrote:
> On 2014-01-22, sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:
>> On 1/20/2014 2:57 PM, wilma6116@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>> <anip>
>>
>>> One can lease a Smart Car for $99 a month for 36 months.
>>
>> It should be called the "Dumb Car" since you have to be really dumb to
>> buy one.
>>
>
> Were you going to follow up with some reasons or...?
>
How about...
- Slow; scary to drive on the freeway, especially in windy conditions
- Very limited carrying capacity
- Crappy transmission is notorious for failures
The 2014 Ford Fiesta is close in price & fuel economy but is a much
better vehicle. For a bit more $, the Honda CR-Z is even better, and
gets about the same mileage as a Smart. You also don't look like a dork
driving it :)
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TOPIC: Fake microsoft "your computer is infected" call
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/fc91538c09253cb0?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Wed, Jan 22 2014 5:45 am
From: Shoe-Chucker 2
In article <l60emd$j8u$1@dont-email.me>,
Moe DeLoughan <moe@notmine.null> wrote:
> On 11/13/2013 10:35 AM, Bob F wrote:
> > I just got my second one of these calls.
> >
> > Hi: I'm from microsoft support calling to warn you that your computer has
> > many
> > infections...... and I am calling to help you get rid of them"
> >
>
> > I wonder how many people get scammed by this? Must be a lot to have a room
> > full
> > of people doing this.
>
> One of my sisters was taken in by this, because she was desperate for
> help regaining access to her third Gmail account (she keeps losing her
> password and totally losing access, thus requiring her to create a new
> account). He strung her along using the standard ploy and she bought
> into it completely - well, until he told her he needed $300 to clean
> her pc and regain her password. She's broke and unemployed. She told
> him she didn't have that much in her savings account. He obligingly
> lowered the fee to just below what she told him was left in her
> savings account. She belatedly acquired some common sense, declined,
> and hung up.
>
> He called back. This time the fee was a mere ninety-nine cents. She
> refused and hung up again.
>
> He kept calling the rest of the afternoon.
>
> >
> > If you get such a call, have a little fun too. Let's really waste their
> > time.
> > Anyone think my action will get me off their call list?
>
> No, because they haven't got a call list. They have sequential
> diallers that phone numbers in sequence.
>
> If you annoy them, they're ready and willing to annoy you right back.
> Personally, I see nothing to be gained by interacting with criminals.
> Safer and faster to just hang up.
Once , I got such a call. They asked for me and I said Oh, I'll go get
him. then I left the phone off the hook for 1/3 hour. I wonder how long
they waited for me to come back. Hey, I'll never know.
Another thing i'll never know.
Oh, well.
Now, I let the machine field all incoming calls. My friends don't call
the land line.
--
Karma ; what a concept!
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Expensive new glasses!
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/c47878997e4a5f21?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Wed, Jan 22 2014 5:51 am
From: Shoe-Chucker 2
In article <b6383d65-e19a-4955-b40d-6e3e79d1343e@googlegroups.com>,
21blackswan@gmail.com wrote:
> i got a little carried away and
> bought about 6 pairs of glasses,
> for under $100, from
>
> ZenniOptical.com
>
> can't be beat
>
> marc
Some can actually improve their vision and not need glasses at all.
Hey, I've done it.
Google; Vision Improvement.
--
Karma ; what a concept!
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TOPIC: Montreal Wedding Dresses
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/bacbe7b3c15162ba?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Jan 24 2014 10:12 pm
From: Montreal wedding
Montreal weddings celebrations can be done without the help of a wedding planner. Partly true but there are actually a number of benefits that couples get when having a professional wedding planner plan out everything for their wedding compared to planning everything for themselves.
See more at: http://www.marketplaceweddings.com/Montreal
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TOPIC: alternative to Google Voice to use with Obihai voip?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/8927d6ec9e4423a8?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Wed, Jan 29 2014 11:35 pm
From: SMS
On 1/6/2014 10:08 PM, The Real Bev wrote:
> On 12/28/2013 09:45 PM, Ohioguy wrote:
>
>> I have a ~30 Obihai VOIP box that I use with Google voice to get free
>> phone service. I hooked up a cordless phone, and can't tell the
>> difference between this and a landline.
>>
>> Trouble is, I've read that as of about 130 days from now, Google
>> Voice will no longer work with these little boxes, so I'm looking for an
>> alternative.
>>
>> Everything else I've seen charges a cent per minute or more. That
>> doesn't sound like much, but it is a lot more than free. I was hoping
>> to find something that charged about a tenth of a cent per minute.
>>
>> Anyone else on here use Google Voice with a voip box like the Obihai?
>> Have you found any cheap alternatives to Google Voice?
>
> Ooma uses its own VOIP system. The device is $100-$140 and service is
> $5-$15 month.
You can get outgoing service for 0.5¢/minute with Localphone. It's the
most like Google Voice. No E911 service.
This whole situation is being discussed on the Obihai forums
<http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=6968.0>, you must log in
to see them.
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Google Worsening Google Voice on May 15, 2014. Dropping XMPP support.
No more free "landline" service.
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/dd2212bdda4c6b03?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 30 2014 5:56 am
From: SMS
Google is dropping support for Extensible Messaging and Presence
Protocol (XMPP) in Google Voice on May 15, 2014.
If you are using Google Voice with an ATA (analog telephone adapter),
such as one of the Obihai or Grandstream VOIP devices (or a hacked
MagicJack Plus), this combination will no longer work after May 15,
2014. Google Voice is very popular with these devices since together
they enable local phone service completely free of any monthly charges
(but no E911).
The reason for this change is probably because users of these devices
are not seeing any advertising when using Google Voice.
There are no no-cost alternatives, though Localphone and Callcentric are
pretty low cost alternatives, especially if you're not making thousands
of minutes of local calls per month. Ooma is a good alternative as well,
but it costs a bit more and you must use their VOIP adapter.
<http://blog.obihai.com/2013/10/important-message-about-google-voice.html>
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Montreal Weddings Planner
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/4c1e35f66d8bc57b?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Fri, Jan 31 2014 4:08 am
From: Montreal wedding
Marketplaceweddings.com introduces you the unique and best florists in Montreal for Weddings and the wonderful impact the floral designs and floral center pieces will have on your Montreal Wedding.
website:http://www.marketplaceweddings.com
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Online Tea Source
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/t/ba10f265d783c389?hl=en
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== 1 of 7 ==
Date: Fri, Jan 31 2014 12:46 pm
From: hchickpea@hotmail.com
http://uptontea.com/shopcart/catalog.asp?begin=0&parent=Teas%3EBlack%3ECeylon&category=All+Ceylon+Teas
On Thu, 30 Jan 2014 18:30:48 -0500, Derald <derald@invalid.net> wrote:
>Since the online tea merchant, "Specialteas", was assimilated by the
>"Teavana" amoeba there has been a dearth of online sellers offering
>quality estate-grown teas at moderate prices. Finally "found" Lupicia,
>a Japanese firm with a large USA presence, online at:
><http://www.lupiciausa.com/>. The loose Pettiagalla OP1 (sorry, no FOP)
>is right nice at only $6.00 (plus s&h) for 50g.
>
>Hey: Tea drinkers want to know these things. It's one of life's little
>relatively inexpensive pleasures.
== 2 of 7 ==
Date: Fri, Jan 31 2014 6:07 pm
From: hchickpea@hotmail.com
On Fri, 31 Jan 2014 17:55:33 -0500, Derald <derald@invalid.net> wrote:
>hchickpea@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>>http://uptontea.com/shopcart/catalog.asp?begin=0&parent=Teas%3EBlack%3ECeylon&category=All+Ceylon+Teas
>>
> Thanks, Harry. Didn't see any Pettiagalla or Kenilworth, my Celon
>preferences. As a rule, I don't buy the lowest price because there's
>always a reason that it is and with tea that reason usually is old age
>but will check out their keemun and/or lapsang souchong very soon.
Friend of mine uses the site and has sent me some samples of Earl Grey which I
like (yeah, I know, the stuff is shamelessly plebian and floor sweepings of
stems masked with OOB.) The lavender accented one is interestin, but I may have
to toss it on the floor and mix in some straw to get the dusky flavor I like..
RE the PS
I have the various disks from about 6 years ago, is there something you need?
== 3 of 7 ==
Date: Sat, Feb 1 2014 10:20 am
From: hchickpea@hotmail.com
Yeah, Bergamot and dirt. :-) Guess it relates to my liking scotch (except
Laphroaig, which tastes similar to an anti-dandruff shampoo I once used)
I've been considering dumping my hard copies from the 1970s or turning them into
art projects as the company has trashed any value to collectors. For a while
TMEN had the archives available for free online (soon after I bought the CD
set). They now have them on a DVD and readable in various formats for $50 The
CDs are a pain in the tuckus and I wouldn't recommend them. At least the DVD
has enough space that it is a unit search.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/shopping/detail.aspx?itemnumber=6899
I've referenced the wood gas articles a couple times, but there is better info
in one of the Yahoo groups. Didn't the early issues have yearly indexes?
On Sat, 01 Feb 2014 00:06:35 -0500, Derald <derald@invalid.net> wrote:
>hchickpea@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>>The lavender accented one is interestin, but I may have
>>to toss it on the floor and mix in some straw to get the dusky flavor I like..
> Never could get to like Earl Grey, guess it's the ergamot or
>whatever it is that's added. Have you tried keemun or lapsang souchon?
>Fully fermented and then dried over fire and smokey, the keemun less so
>than the other.
>>
>--
>>RE the PS
>>I have the various disks from about 6 years ago, is there something you need?
> I have the original hard copies from issue 1 through year 1984,
>when I stopped subscribing. Never bought the index and thought I might
>bum a copy from you, since I'm dragging the mags out of storage to
>reference a couple of things I remember and an index would save some
>page-tuming and cussing. Could kick myself for not buying the indexes
>back in the day. Frankly, I haven't even checked the web site to see
>whether it's available online free or cheap. What years do your disks
>cover and might they be for sale?
> Take this to email, if you want; it don't matter to me. The "real"
>addey still works. If you've 86'd it, use
>money_for_nothing@earthlink.net (those spaces are underlines).
== 4 of 7 ==
Date: Sat, Feb 1 2014 8:01 pm
From: hchickpea@hotmail.com
On Sat, 01 Feb 2014 16:39:08 -0500, Derald <derald@invalid.net> wrote:
>hchickpea@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>>
>>I've referenced the wood gas articles a couple times, but there is better info
>>in one of the Yahoo groups. Didn't the early issues have yearly indexes?
>>
> Don't remember; guess I'll unpack a few and see. I'm investigating
>low voltage or direct wind-powered well pumps--home-brew, if possible.
>Low volume against one atmosphere, 20' suction, 12' lift. Want to keep
>the pump at the well head, if that's practical. Thought "mother" might
>offer some guidance from the dark ages ;-)
The 20' suction is right at the upper limit because of atmosphere pressure. If
you want the pump on the surface, a jet pump is the usual way to go. I have one
on a well. It pushes water down a small pipe which then goes through a 180
angle and an eductor (pointy nozzle) and uses B's principle to force up more
water than was used in a larger pipe, in the jet stream. Problem is that it
does take some power and a pressure tank is needed. It also needs a good foot
valve.
One of the cooler things I've seen is a coarse rope, with a pulley at the bottom
of the well and a simple pvc sleeve where the rope is coming up. At the top is
the motor, which drives a top pulley at a fair rate of speed. The rope goes
down, around the bottom pulley and pulls water along with it as it rises within
the loose fitting sleeve.
If you use a foot valve at the bottom of the well, and prime the pipe, you may
be able to use a standard 12 volt rv water pump. Those little suckers are
decent. Or... you could make a mini-jack pump.
For emergency usage, a bucket lift is just a section of pipe to fit the well
with a cap at the bottom and a leather patch on top of a hole in that cap. Tie
a rope to it, drop it in the well, wait for it to sink as the flap opens and
allows the water in, pull up.
There are (pricey) solar sumbersible pumps.
I keep all this trivia in my head.
== 5 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Feb 2 2014 10:51 am
From: gheston@hiwaay.net (Gary Heston)
In article <mkpqe91d10kf1q6g8r1uagk8u5kme28fs2@4ax.com>,
Derald <derald@invalid.net> wrote:
[ ... ]
> Don't remember; guess I'll unpack a few and see. I'm investigating
>low voltage or direct wind-powered well pumps--home-brew, if possible.
>Low volume against one atmosphere, 20' suction, 12' lift. Want to keep
>the pump at the well head, if that's practical. Thought "mother" might
>offer some guidance from the dark ages ;-)
There are other sources; here's a sampling from searching for "windmill
water pump":
Nice description of how it all works:
http://www.ironmanwindmill.com/how-windmills-work.htm
Article by a woman who installed a windmill, built a 10,000 gallon
holding tank, and piped an irrigation system, apparently by herself:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ainsworth90.html
Article including step-by-step construction and how to build a pump
mostly from PVC plumbing pieces (Step 5):
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Wind-Powered-Water-Pump/
People who repair, rebuild, and sell windmills, parts, info on making
wood towers and holding tanks:
http://www.windmills.net/
Depending upon how ugly you're allowed to be in your area, you can also
build a windmill from three 55 gallon drums. Cut them in half top to
bottom, mount the halves in pairs facing opposite directions on a
vertical pipe, offsetting the pairs 120 degrees. Mount on a pivot and
brace the top with another pivot and use a chain or belt drive on the
top to drive your pump.
Gary
== 6 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Feb 2 2014 11:06 am
From: gheston@hiwaay.net (Gary Heston)
In article <2qise9tq8g5m17d74enevec5l7f2h64j02@4ax.com>,
Derald <derald@invalid.net> wrote:
[ ... ]
> Ah, but you don't know the rest of the story. It's a 3" well,
>which should give you some idea how long the casing's been in the
>ground. [ ... ]
Iron Man Windmill sells pumps as small as 1" in diameter:
http://www.ironmanwindmill.com/pricing/price-list.htm
If you have reliable wind, you can let the windmill pump continuously
and when the main tank fills, just divert the overflow to a safe place.
Gary
== 7 of 7 ==
Date: Sun, Feb 2 2014 12:42 pm
From: hchickpea@hotmail.com
3" is small enough I would be half tempted to have another well driven.
Some web pages that might give you ideas:
http://www.fdungan.com/well.htm
http://web.mit.edu/2.972/www/reports/sucker_rod_pump/sucker_rod_pump.html
http://www.survivalblog.com/2009/06/seven-letters-re-advice-on-dee.html
Energy useage - the only energy you might save is in the inefficiencies of the
system being reduced or new energy you bring to the table.
The extra 12' lift is nothing worth worrying about.
If the pressure tank is a bladder tank or one that uses a compressor to inject
air, it is a lot larger than what I am used to, but one is essential to even out
the pressure from a pump and that size tank for a two family setup is likely
correct, since about 1/2 of it is air. Removing it or making it open would not
be a good thing.
What you could do is purchase one or more food grade 275 gal shipping container
(+-$100 used) and convert the well over to a sucker pump or whatever you decide
you want.
As a comparison - I push water up 100' from a creek to an 1100 gal cistern. It
requires a couple of ganged pumps and some time. 10 amps x 120 volts x 7 hours
for 500 gallons works out to about $1 at our electric rates. I fill about five
times per month, so pay about $5. However, I go through a $40 pump about once a
year, so water is a $100/year cost before it gets to the pressure pump under the
house. Neighbors pay $25/month for municipal water, so I'm $200/year ahead and
don't have to worry about fee increases.
I'd bet that your current costs are on a par with mine, even with two families.
Have you stuck a meter on the line to the pump or a flow meter on the system
output?
On Sun, 02 Feb 2014 12:08:47 -0500, Derald <derald@invalid.net> wrote:
>hchickpea@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>>
>>The 20' suction is right at the upper limit because of atmosphere pressure. If
>>you want the pump on the surface, a jet pump is the usual way to go. I have one
>>on a well. It pushes water down a small pipe which then goes through a 180
>>angle and an eductor (pointy nozzle) and uses B's principle to force up more
>>water than was used in a larger pipe, in the jet stream. Problem is that it
>>does take some power and a pressure tank is needed. It also needs a good foot
>>valve.
> Ah, but you don't know the rest of the story. It's a 3" well,
>which should give you some idea how long the casing's been in the
>ground. 3" two-pipe extractors are inordinately expensive and, while it
>would resolve the static pressure, volume would not improve and I'd
>still be paying the electric co-op far more than I care to for its
>participation. Compounded by a 12' pressure lift into a 1250-gal
>vertical buffer/storage tank that is in series and pressurized. No, I
>didn't do any of that and the storage tank was installed vertically over
>my objections. I had considered a packer but I don't even know if 3"
>packers exist or, if they do, can be retrofitted. I've never seen one
>smaller than 6" and they all, 100%, eventually blow out. With a casing
>that old, I'm not sure I'd take the risk.
> My thought is to check off the large tank, open it to the
>atmosphere, use a low-power float-controlled pump to keep it filled and
>the existing half-horse shallow well pump to maintain service pressure
>and volume, reducing its power requirements significantly.
> The well serves two, two-person households and my drip irrigation
>system. Highest volume demands are laundry and showers, although, it is
>nice to be able to open a valve to a good high pressure stream.
> Ideally, I could simply use the existing drop pipe and foot valve
>but that works best with an open tank, which this one is not. The
>"ultimate" solution might be a submerged piston pump but, as you point
>out, low-voltage submersibles are expensive and would complicate, and
>possibly eliminate the use of of direct wind power, when available.
>Also, laying that damned stock tank down horizontally would eliminate
>some unnecessary (to my mind) pressure lift--reducing power requirements
>somewhat--but I might have to win a fight before being able to accomplish
>that.
> Prefer home-brew because keeping as much cash in my pocket as
>possible is highly desirable. I haven't sounded the well since 1996 so
>don't even know whether a simple PVC piston pump at the well head might
>be practical. I could easily set one on top of the existing drop pipe
>and use the existing foot valve as one of the checks. I have only begun
>to investigate possible solutions. At any rate, I won't begin seriously
>attacking the project until the installation of a '84 300 I-6 into a '96
>4WD F-150 chassis, a work in progress, is complete. Lordy, will I be
>glad to get rid of all of that high-maintenance plastic electronic
>crap....
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