Why is saving money so hard?

[brianmanahan]

Ground beef is really expensive these days, but $100 for "maybe" 3 days worth of food? lol. Enjoy overpaying for everything.

at least it wasnt 20$/person/meal like safeway was paying

 

[HamburgerBoy]

at least it wasnt 20$/person/meal like safeway was paying

Yeah, I'm talking just in the context of buying groceries and preparing your own food, because restaurants are always very expensive compared to that. But then again, I missed where he mentioned his fancy cheese and overpriced lettuce so he pretty much says straight up that what he pays for a meal grossly exceeds the requirements for "subsistence".

 

[SSSnail]

Because $80 trashcans yo.

 

[Belegost]

Because $80 trashcans yo.

How did I know this was coming...

 

[Red Squirrel]

Because $80 trashcans yo.

:biggrin:

 

[Safeway]

Yeah, I'm talking just in the context of buying groceries and preparing your own food, because restaurants are always very expensive compared to that. But then again, I missed where he mentioned his fancy cheese and overpriced lettuce so he pretty much says straight up that what he pays for a meal grossly exceeds the requirements for "subsistence".

Of course it does. I was paying for convenience. I can avoid having to make trips to the store, spending time preparing a meal, and spending an hour or more commuting to and eating lunch at a restaurant. It is financially worth it for me to buy prepared food, since it allows me to bill an extra 0.5 to 1.5 hours per day. The alternative is fast food, which is generally unhealthy and still takes time commuting to and from the Chipotle or whatever, waiting in a lunch line, etc. I stopped using this service and similar prepared food services when we hired a full time nanny++ that prepares and packages food for my wife and I when my son is napping.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

If you think that having nannies or never having to prepare food isn't lavish, sure.

 

[Safeway]

If you think that having nannies or never having to prepare food isn't lavish, sure.

Lavish, no. But this is definitely a luxury.

Though, the cost of a nanny is roughly equivalent to the cost of 1 child in daycare. It would be cheaper for a family with two children to hire a nanny rather than send both kids to daycare. I happened to find a nanny that was willing to do additional work around the house for additional money. More like a personal assistant nanny, hence the nanny++.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Speaking of lavish life I've been debating on getting a maid. I always dread cleaning, it feels like a never ending chore. I know someone who charges 50 per visit, 2 times a month would probably be fine so that's $100/mo. She's also in a tight financial situation due to a divorce and looking for more customers so it would help her out too. Win win situation.

I also sponsor two children in a poor country which I guess could sorta count as lavish. It's like telling people I make so much money I can afford to give some to people I don't know. I do admit I make pretty good money though and have been blessed, I bring home about $3,800 per month which is very high considering most jobs here are minimum wage service jobs. There's really not much in tech. So I feel that I should help those who are not as fortunate.

I really have to stop spending money on so much toys though, I should have more than 3k in my savings account by now. It definitely does take discipline to save money. I need to plan better for if I ever lost my job, because there's no way I'm finding an equal paying job here. I'd be lucky to find one that pays half that.

 

[Ns1]

This thread reaffirms my belief that the solution to saving more money is to make more money

 

[Safeway]

Speaking of lavish life I've been debating on getting a maid. I always dread cleaning, it feels like a never ending chore. I know someone who charges 50 per visit, 2 times a month would probably be fine so that's $100/mo. She's also in a tight financial situation due to a divorce and looking for more customers so it would help her out too. Win win situation.

Do it. But make sure that you shop around as much as your location allows you to. Some maid services will only clean. They will clean your bathrooms, dust, vacuum, etc. If you want them to be able to do a good job of cleaning kitchen counters, etc., you have to pre-clean. They will refuse to do anything other than clean. Bullshit.

The maid that we hired two years ago is independent. She will do whatever we want her to do. She comes twice a week, Monday to clean up after the weekend, and on Thursday to clean for any guests we may have over the weekend. Not only does she clean, she organizes, picks up, washes and puts away the laundry, runs and empties the dishwasher, etc. She took the time to learn where we store things and, when she picks up the house, will actually put stuff where it belongs.

All of this for roughly the same amount that the maid services charge. And I know that she is able to pocket 100% of the cash that I give her, rather than having to split it with any employer.

 

[JSt0rm]

You weren't talking about $2 frozen pasta entrees.



Not everyone has to shop at Whole Foods. You can buy plenty of decent quality produce and foods at other places like ethnic markets.

I didnt initially bring up whole foods. I dont shop at whole foods.

 

[JSt0rm]

Eating veggies isn't healthy?

I think I understand why you seem to have such a warped view of food and nutrition.

When did I say that eating veggies isnt healthy? Stop being a fucking douche bag.

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Classic Favorites Creamy Rigatoni with Broccoli & Chicken, 9 oz









IS not healthy. Thats like saying fucking pizza is a vegetable. Enjoy your 240 calorie "meal" Eat 3 of those a day and you are malnourished.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

He never said he ate those for every meal every day in the absence of everything else. How would eating those make him malnourished?

 

[Imp]

Speaking of lavish life I've been debating on getting a maid. I always dread cleaning, it feels like a never ending chore. I know someone who charges 50 per visit, 2 times a month would probably be fine so that's $100/mo. She's also in a tight financial situation due to a divorce and looking for more customers so it would help her out too. Win win situation.

I also sponsor two children in a poor country which I guess could sorta count as lavish. It's like telling people I make so much money I can afford to give some to people I don't know. I do admit I make pretty good money though and have been blessed, I bring home about $3,800 per month which is very high considering most jobs here are minimum wage service jobs. There's really not much in tech. So I feel that I should help those who are not as fortunate.

I really have to stop spending money on so much toys though, I should have more than 3k in my savings account by now. It definitely does take discipline to save money. I need to plan better for if I ever lost my job, because there's no way I'm finding an equal paying job here. I'd be lucky to find one that pays half that.

Perfect timing. Maid confessions:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...kest-secrets-rooted-spread-neighbourhood.html

 

[Red Squirrel]

Perfect timing. Maid confessions:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...kest-secrets-rooted-spread-neighbourhood.html

Haha yeah I'd have more trouble deciding on a random maid, but this is someone that goes to my church and I trust and is independent so think I'd be ok.

 

[stockwiz]

Wages these days assuming you are working for someone else do not pay what they did 30 years ago, even college educated fields are coming down.

My parents would start in the factory at $6 per hour in the early 1980's and quickly work their way up to $10/hour. 30-35 years later they are starting people at $9-11 per hour while you might work your way up to $11-14 per hour years later meanwhile the price of houses, vehicles, gas, etc. has more than tripled.

About the only stuff that hasn't gone up in price is stuff that is mass produced in China... televisions, clothing (assuming you shop wally world) .. cheap disposable plastic appliances, etc...

I do realize most people posting on the internet are in high paying fields pulling in well over $100k.. the average person is not however.

 

[brianmanahan]

When did I say that eating veggies isnt healthy? Stop being a f***ing d****e b*g.

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Classic Favorites Creamy Rigatoni with Broccoli & Chicken, 9 oz

IS not healthy. Thats like saying f***ing pizza is a vegetable. Enjoy your 240 calorie "meal" Eat 3 of those a day and you are malnourished.

well i am only eating 1600 calories a day right now to lose weight

i drank some milk with it and also had some corn

and later i ate an apple and a little popcorn as a snack

 

[Coulrophobia]

I am able to save about 35%. Ynab helped me streamline things so I could see where money was going and increased my saving rate.

 

[Fritzo]

Speaking of lavish life I've been debating on getting a maid. I always dread cleaning, it feels like a never ending chore. I know someone who charges 50 per visit, 2 times a month would probably be fine so that's $100/mo. She's also in a tight financial situation due to a divorce and looking for more customers so it would help her out too. Win win situation.

I also sponsor two children in a poor country which I guess could sorta count as lavish. It's like telling people I make so much money I can afford to give some to people I don't know. I do admit I make pretty good money though and have been blessed, I bring home about $3,800 per month which is very high considering most jobs here are minimum wage service jobs. There's really not much in tech. So I feel that I should help those who are not as fortunate.

I really have to stop spending money on so much toys though, I should have more than 3k in my savings account by now. It definitely does take discipline to save money. I need to plan better for if I ever lost my job, because there's no way I'm finding an equal paying job here. I'd be lucky to find one that pays half that.

$50 for a maid seems awfully cheap. We priced them out when my wife was recovering from surgery and the best price we could get was $85 for 3 rooms, and $120 for two hours.

 

[Ns1]

Wages these days assuming you are working for someone else do not pay what they did 30 years ago, even college educated fields are coming down.

My parents would start in the factory at $6 per hour in the early 1980's and quickly work their way up to $10/hour. 30-35 years later they are starting people at $9-11 per hour while you might work your way up to $11-14 per hour years later meanwhile the price of houses, vehicles, gas, etc. has more than tripled.

While wages aren't what they used to be, many parents put in their dues so their kids don't have to work the same low level jobs.

FFS on my 2nd job I make more than both my parents ever made combined.

Of course I also have mad crazy student debt and no housing prospects. So I guess it kinda evens out.

 

[stlc8tr]

I didnt initially bring up whole foods. I dont shop at whole foods.

But you did say that $1K/month isn't enough for food in a big city.

$1000 a month is not enough for quality food in a big city.

Which is pretty absurd for most folks. Sure, it isn't enough to purchase the prime cuts of meat and $40/lb cheeses but you can certainly purchase quality food for $1000/month in any large US city.

 

[JSt0rm]

But you did say that $1K/month isn't enough for food in a big city.



Which is pretty absurd for most folks. Sure, it isn't enough to purchase the prime cuts of meat and $40/lb cheeses but you can certainly purchase quality food for $1000/month in any large US city.

I was referring to the fact that soylont studied how to get maximum nutrition for the cheapest dollar and they are $300 per month per person. So a family of 4 would be $1200.

This is complete nutrition 2000 calories a day per person. Obviously this is a unique situation but I find it hard to believe a family of 4 is eating healthy meals for less then $1000 a month.

 

[Ns1]

I was referring to the fact that soylont studied how to get maximum nutrition for the cheapest dollar and they are $300 per month per person. So a family of 4 would be $1200.

This is complete nutrition 2000 calories a day per person. Obviously this is a unique situation but I find it hard to believe a family of 4 is eating healthy meals for less then $1000 a month.

what the fuck is "maximum nutrition" defined as. $1000 a month will buy you at least 15 whole chickens + enough veggies to fill up your fridge + a whole shitload of other stuff

I would love to see this study you are referring to, my googlefu fails me.

This is the only thing I could find, which is not what you are saying (it's basically a product ad):

$85 will buy you a week's worth of the product (28+ meals, according to the site). For $300, you get 112+ meals, which the company says is enough for 4 weeks of sustenance.

 

[JSt0rm]

https://faq.soylent.com/hc/en-us/articles/200789315-Nutrition

There you go.