What's the most frugal thing you have done?

[ojm]

still on vehicles, I am a fanatically light braker, pads and discs last an eternity when I am the driver. (this could be a whole new thread!)

Another good tip is get to know a mechanic. Saves bucket loads.

My next door neighbor is a mechanic, and services my car at his home. Costs bugger all. Normal service is around $85. When brakes are done also, add about $100 on. A major 200,000km service on my Commodore cost about $240. Most of these costs are parts cost. He doesn't charge much at all for labor.

If I eventually move away/whatnot, a good mate of mine is an apprentice mechanic, so he can take over.

 

[awg]

Another good tip is get to know a mechanic. Saves bucket loads.

My next door neighbor is a mechanic, and services my car at his home. Costs bugger all. Normal service is around $85. When brakes are done also, add about $100 on. A major 200,000km service on my Commodore cost about $240. Most of these costs are parts cost. He doesn't charge much at all for labor.

If I eventually move away/whatnot, a good mate of mine is an apprentice mechanic, so he can take over.

You are correct.

I do many repairs myself, but that is on my vintage cars

however, on modern vehicles, self service is increasingly impractical, for a variety of factors.

Like I said, probably should be a new thread...but,

On a recent car, an older Audi, a fault developed, which, I diagnosed myself.

I rang the dealer for a quote on parts and labor, Parts $100, labor $440.

When i said how come, they told me you had to remove manifold.
I said "no you dont".....Service manager dissed me over the phone.
End result, fitted the part myself, without removing ANYTHING except the faulty bit, took 30 minutes.

Charges for mechanical service is about $65 per hour, and that includes the mechanic farting & scratching his ar$e, phone calls, talking to customers etc etc

 

[Calliope]

In the last two years my hairdresser put up her prices from $12 to $15 to $18. Each time I extended my time between haircuts by a week.

 

[RP_Automotive]

Something else I like to do is when I come home from work/nights out/sport etc I just empty whatever loose change is in my pockets/wallet and throw it all in a big bin. You'd be amazed at the amount you end up with when the bin is full!

I do this too except chuck it all in my bag.....I work in the oil & gas industry so lots of travel...it got to the point where my bag was nearly overweight for some flights so I emptied it....$300 odd in change sittin there, and I got lots of exercise lugging the heavy bag around

The most frugal thing I do? Invest 50% of my pay in the stock market every paycheck...Hopefully it will pay off one day.

P.S. I love that story about ordering a delivered pizza and catching a ride home with the delivery guy.....

 

[Warren Greenspan]

The wife and I NEVER spend a $5 note. We put them in a container and periodically bank them for a future holiday. $4000 since feb 08. Pain free.

 

[matty2.0]

I usually don't worry with small petty things, like coffee. I just pay and don't think about it.

But when it comes to BIG ticket items, like investing your capital, buying a car, buying a house, or renting accomodation ... I get really, really analytical and frugal. e.g. I know I need a new car, but I've been analyzing and assessing all the angles for almost 6months to 1 year now ... same with buying a house.

But I plan ahead, and plan early, and I budget well ... so that's all good.

I think your quality of life decreases a bit when you worry about small things everyday/constantly - you'll save a lot more by doing the math properly on the bigger ticket items.

I like the saying; "penny wise, but pound foolish".

 

[theasxgorilla]

I think your quality of life decreases a bit when you worry about small things everyday/constantly - you'll save a lot more by doing the math properly on the bigger ticket items.

I like the saying; "penny wise, but pound foolish".

Agree on all counts Matty. I think paying attenting to big ticket items and recurring costs is more important. Doing so allows you "not to sweat the small stuff".

 

[theasxgorilla]

In the last two years my hairdresser put up her prices from $12 to $15 to $18. Each time I extended my time between haircuts by a week.

Unfortunately that wouldn't work in slob-allergic Sweden...I'd be evicted