101 Ways to save money

[money tree]

Turnup at your friends house just before dinner and mention something about not having had dinner yet.

wont have many friends left doing that!

thats just RUDE (and transparent)

 

[x2rider]

Hey money tree
I think it is more a standing joke between our friends . You will always get feed, as I will always find some thing for friends to if they come around dinner time too .
Cheers martin

 

[theblip]

When ya catch a flick at the local mega-plex cinema, always jump into the next cinema upon leaving, that way you get to see two films for the price of one.

Not going to the flicks would save more though...

 

[gordon2007]

When ya catch a flick at the local mega-plex cinema, always jump into the next cinema upon leaving, that way you get to see two films for the price of one.

I have two problems with this. First, that's not saving money. It's stealing. If you were stealing for the sake of feeding a starving person I would probably be OK with it. Stealing just because you can get away with it is just plain poor character. What's next...stealing toilet rolls from work?

Secondly, I can barely stay awake for one movie, never mind two!

 

[RamonR]

Learn what weeds are good to eat
I eat cobblers pegs, dandelion,plantains and a few more I cannot remember the name of right now but the best for you by far is purslane.

Its not about saving money per se but more about recognizing and utilizing the bounty all around us

 

[Mr J]

I've yet to meet the person who found being poor was character building or anything else positive.

Then you haven't met me . I'm effectively poor, because I greatly restrict what I spend. Over the years, I've found I have a much greater appreciation for the simple things because of this. Not only that, but in the future I'll spend far less, as I realise what actually brings me pleasure in life (and these are often free).

I just realised how far this thread dates back.

 

[kenny]

There are many retirees living on incomes far below what younger generations would consider comfortable that are happy with the lifestyle they lead.

Being contentedly oblivious or immune to the new "needs" and "must haves" of today's society driven at the Gen Y's etc is an easy way to control spending.

Could there be a campaign by the various media to instill a sense of unhappiness if one does not have "stuff"? Making people spend certainly helps the economy though.

Cheers,

Kenny

 

[Uncle Barry]

Good afternoon
Julia,
"I've yet to meet the person who found being poor was character building or anything else positive."

Really suggest, in the nicest way, you really should get out and about just a bit more and mix with all levels of people.
As you have missed some of the wealthest people on the plant, the people with only a couple of dollars in their pockets.

AND I guess it would supprise you, these same people would give you their very last dollar or meal and think nothing about it.

Wealth, rich or what ever you would like to call it,
is a state of the mind
and not
a state of someone's Bank account.

Kind regards,
UB

 

[Chris45]

There's a lot of common sense (sadly lacking in many people these days) in those last few posts.

I once wanted to make a salad but had run out of lettuce. I went out to the back yard and picked some soft leafy weeds and was amazed how good they tasted.

Very occasionally I buy go to maccas and buy one of their greasy hamburgers just to remind myself what absolute rubbish they are.

 

[Julia]

Then you haven't met me . I'm effectively poor, because I greatly restrict what I spend. Over the years, I've found I have a much greater appreciation for the simple things because of this. Not only that, but in the future I'll spend far less, as I realise what actually brings me pleasure in life (and these are often free).

.

Restricting what you spend is totally different from being poor.
Being poor is literally not having any availability of enough to pay the rent, buy decent food, afford to buy needed prescriptions etc.

Good afternoon
Julia,
"I've yet to meet the person who found being poor was character building or anything else positive."

Still can't use the Quote tags, huh?

Really suggest, in the nicest way, you really should get out and about just a bit more and mix with all levels of people.

For your information, dear Uncle Barry, I have spent more than 12 years working on a volunteer basis with society's poorest people so kindly don't tell me with whom I should be mixing.

And I've - also on a voluntary basis - tutored many illiterate adults in basic literacy.

And continue to work with at risk children in the schools, these children almost always coming from poor families.

And I first engaged , again on a volunteer basis, with Lifeline counselling some 30 years ago.

And I've also been poor myself for quite a period of time, after leaving a violent marriage, lucky simply to be alive.

So you can just stuff your pious, ignorant and patronising remarks about how I should mix more with poor people.

You clearly have no idea.

 

[Mr J]

Restricting what you spend is totally different from being poor.
Being poor is literally not having any availability of enough to pay the rent, buy decent food, afford to buy needed prescriptions etc.

My point was there was something to gain from it. I may not have been struggling, but the fact is the lack of money and credit showed me how much they were worth to me - not much.

 

[Julia]

My point was there was something to gain from it. I may not have been struggling, but the fact is the lack of money and credit showed me how much they were worth to me - not much.

OK, but until you have actually been without money, e.g. a sick child and no money for a taxi (no way you could afford to own a car) to get him/her to a doctor, you cannot know the feeling of powerlessness involved.

 

[Mr J]

I'm not suggesting I do.

 

[Julia]

I'm not suggesting I do.

Well actually, you did, which is why I responded as I did:

"I've yet to meet the person who found being poor was character building or anything else positive."

My original remark.

Then you haven't met me . I'm effectively poor, because I greatly restrict what I spend.

You are engaging in a purely voluntary exercise. I'm simply explaining that it has no connection with the realities of just having no money.

That beautiful sunset is pretty hard to appreciate if you have an empty stomach, or are homeless.

 

[ThingyMajiggy]

Just a quick question.

I was wondering today, how does someone actually become homeless? Has anyone here ever been homeless? Like the actual process, how it happens and where/when that point comes where you have no other choice but to pick a spot in a park or whatever the situation may have been, I'm not having a go, just genuinely curious, I would have thought at least a friend or family would take them in for a while a support them until they found their footing again?

Just after a quick explanation if anyone has one, don't mean to drag the thread off topic too far.

Must be pretty rough for those that have been through it

 

[Julia]

Sam, sadly there are many people who have no family support at all.

People become homeless for a multitude of reasons. Usually people who were renting rather than those who at a pinch can borrow further against their homes to get them through a difficult period.

All it needs is for someone to lose a job, and then be unable to meet rent commitments. There are many, many people who have no savings (often because of inability to manage money, but sometimes just because there's simply never enough to pay for everything.)

Take, say, someone with a chronic, severe illness who receives a Disability Pension of about $600 per fortnight plus a small amount of rent assistance.
Often they will have large pharmaceutical bills and other medical expenses.
Rent for a very, very average apartment is more than $200 p.w., so you can see how little is left over for food, medical or anything else.

A single parent with several children does quite well, in contrast, and often receives more per fortnight than some working people.

Then there's unexpected illness or accident, rendering people unable to work often for an extended period. A sickness benefit is way less than a pension so it's almost impossible for someone to pay rent and live.

Then there are the victims of domestic violence, often with small children whom the violent partner has threatened to kill. These women can spend their whole lives moving from place to place, costing a good deal in the process, just to escape the threat. They can take out AVO's but these are useless unless the bloke actually does them physical harm, and even then they appear in court and get the usual admonition to 'not do it again, son.'

Hope this at least begins to explain some of the ways homelessness can happen.

I haven't even touched on addictive behaviours.

 

[Mr J]

You are engaging in a purely voluntary exercise.

No, I'm not. This really doesn't have anything to do with my point, which was having less may allow one to appreciate the simple pleasures of life.

That beautiful sunset is pretty hard to appreciate if you have an empty stomach, or are homeless.

Then I would become even more appreciative of food.

 

[ThingyMajiggy]

Thanks for that Julia