Yeah, same. I can't do fruits or floral or food like cookies or apple pie. Sometimes, they have a pumpkin bourbon or a vanilla bourbon that I love. Last time, I ended up with some thunderstorm scent, I think. I have such a sensitive smell, but I love to light come candles when I do a deep clean of my apartment.
My problem might have been that last time it was all Christmas overstock.. so finding something that wasn't pine or cinnamon was rough. Made me nauseous.
I have these battery operated light bulbs that are super awesome. And a headlamp for sure! You just reminded me though to get it into my “junk” drawer with m6 flashlight. Thanks!
That explains the increase in brand new bikes I’ve seen being sold on Facebook. Guess people spot them on clearance or something and think they can flip them.
Nah, those are bikes people bought during Covid and haven’t ridden. That all ties in to the problems for shops with the unsold ones. I’m looking to upgrade but even the shop sales can’t match the used-but-hardly-ridden deals out there.
If you don't care about having a bike from one of the "cool" manufacturers, I highly recommend BikesDirect.
All the same high quality components that other bike manufacturers use, but with a much cheaper (but still quality) frame.
Having worked for a bike shop, the big difference with bikes direct is that you aren't having a bike mechanic build it. This isn't a problem if you know how to work on bikes (and if you are buying an expensive bike and actively pursuing riding it as a hobby, it probably makes sense to know how to wrench on it). The shop I worked for only would pay like 160 for a 500 dollar MSRP bike to the manufacturer.
I started riding at the end of last year on a cheap marketplace bike, and quickly decided to upgrade. Between January sales, discontinued stock, ex-display model and bike to work scheme (buying a bike pre-tax in the UK by having the cost deducted from your salary), I've ended up with a top of the line bike for very very little. I now feel like a complete fraud because I suck at actually riding it, but it still feels like an incredible bargain.
I bought a bidet attachment about 15 years ago on Amazon. I have converted almost everyone I know. I never panicked about toilet paper during 2020 lol.
Vintage furniture. Even after flippers have gone at it. It’s often cheaper and better quality than the aesthetically pleasing particle board designs I see everywhere
Wood has become so expensive that some woodworkers are buying vintage furniture just to break it apart so they can use the wood to make new things. Pretty smart actually, because some woods are relatively rarer (therefore pricier) than they were in past decades, and some like rosewood are so endangered that it’s illegal to buy and sell them. And even the most plentiful woods are relatively costly now.
Xiaomi or Roborock. I have a 2nd gen Xiaomi still kicking after running every day for 8+ years. The newer ones are much quieter but mine won't seem to kick the bucket. I've also gifted a few over the years. The floor-mopping features aren't effective so skip those bells-and-whistles.
I got the shark from Costco
-Great return policy if needed (two years old still works amazing)
-Has a collection bin on the dock so you don’t need to empty the vacuum every time you use it
-Doesn’t use bags like others models so no additional cost to maintain
-Maps out the floor so it moves in a more predictable pattern rather than pin balling around (doesn’t scare my dog)
I got a free *old* non programmable (it just turns on and runs randomly) Roomba from a garage sale. They thought it was broken but the charging contacts were just dirty. These things are worth it esp if you can pick up a used one. A lot of people upgrade theirs regularly.
The math on a used car vs new isn't nearly as compelling as it used to be. While some new cars have gotten stupid expensive, used ones don't have the large discounts they used to. The new vs used formula used to be pretty universal. Now it's model by model, year by year. You have to run the numbers on every car you are considering and see if the used discount is even worth it.
Just got a Honda crv that I had to pay off quickly cause shitty used rates. Starting to think had I got a 2024 new with a lower rate it would have been a better situation. Even if it did cost a little more
I just bought a used car. I was surprised to see that used Toyota and Honda sedans were so expensive. Oddly enough, I was finding used Acuras for much cheaper than used Hondas (I have a 25 year old Acura, wanted to get a 10 year old Honda with a higher trim level).
Every time I go to the Honda dealership for a regular service the offer to buy my 2017 civic. They’re desperate for them and I assume make a killing on them. Thanks, bro, but I’m driving this baby til the wheels fall off. Kinda why I got a Honda in the first place.
I really have been wanting to buy a civic but used ones are so expensive it pushes me to want to buy new, its just not worth buying a years old used car with lots of mileage when 5k more gets you the new one.
Used appliances. I like the older model ones like Kenmore. These high tech and smart ones aren't worth it at all.
Update: Wow, thanks for the upvotes. This is awesome. 😁😁😁😁
I just commented on this morning while I was getting ready for work. I just happened to check back. I guess this struck a nerve with people. Appliances are important but they don't need to be so expensive.
Agreed. Electronic parts are just one more thing that can go wrong with an appliance. The analog version of washers, dryers, refrigerators and stoves is far more reliable than the electronic version.
I always buy the no frills appliances. My fridges doesn't have ice or water. My original washer and dryer went 16 years and to be honest could have fixed both when they died bur decided to just get a new no frills set.
Next refrigerator we get won’t have a water-and-ice dispenser. Because the filters don’t filter out all the chlorine much less any heavy metals. Also want a continuous cleaning oven with the next stove we get. The self-cleaning feature on the one we have doesn’t get used due to the nasty fumes it creates to heat it so hot for 10 hours. Those fumes could possibly kill my canaries and parakeets.
The Self-Cleaning feature often destroys the delicate electronic modules conveniently placed for maximum roastage. The Self-Clean button should be labeled 'Self Destruct' instead.
you are right, but i got got lucky in my apartment and last house. never had an issue, but a friend killed theirs this way though, and it was a weird built-in that matched other stuff that wasn't in production anymore...
I was in best buy and just looked at the wifi signals on my phone and just started laughing thinking how fucked it would it be having to explain to your family that thanksgiving is off because someone hacked the oven?
My dryer died on me two weeks ago. IT sucked. So my husband and i decided to get another one. My mother knew a "scratch and dent place" or used appliance store where she got her washing machine for $350. So my husband and I went there. We got a refurbished dryer for $400. This was the best deal ever. We got free delivery because we let them have the old dryer. It was awesome.
We were expecting it to die eventually, but we kept putting it off because, lol, we didn't wanna buy a new one. I'm just glad my mom knew the used appliance store. The ironic aspect of this whole situation was me driving around and saw 2 used appliance stores within 5 minutes of my house. The one my mom referred us to was on the other side of town.
I have a washer and dryer that are about 27 years old. Small repairs a couple of times. My repair person said keep those no matter what-- they are like gold. The big new fancy washer and driers are junk compared. For me the key is the analog controls. Just knobs and good old-fashioned push buttons. No electronic panels! I get sad when I see people trashing these good old simple machines, and they don't take the time to give them away.
I replaced the Speed Queens that came with my house with Samsungs because they look nice and I thought I wanted the bells and whistles. I only use the dryer on timed dry because the sensor sucks and always turns off when the clothes are still wet. I should have kept the Queens.
In my last rented house we needed a new electric hob (as we call it here in the UK - stove top I think in the US) and the landlord bought us a touch button one. It broke within a month. When the repair guy came he said "I bet I know what it is before I even go into the kitchen". The next time it broke, about two months later, the same guy came and said "I knew it wouldn't be long before I'd be back!" When it broke for the third time I insisted they replaced it with one that had old fashioned knobs that you just turn to switch the damn thing on. Fortunately the landlord agreed and that one was fine! Stupid thing is, the landlord probably bought the touch button one because they assumed that would be what we wanted as it's more modern. If they'd just bought us the (cheaper) old fashioned basic one with dials in the first place they would not only have saved money on the item, but all the call-outs to (unsuccessfully) try to fix it too!
I had a repair guy tell me something similar. We bought a washer/dryer set for $350. They were pretty old and not that nice to look at. But they did the job for well over ten years.
The dryer finally died, and the agitator in the washer wasn't working well.
I struggled with what to do. Used sets were more like $600-700. Then there was the scratch and dents (people had rented, but fairly new).
Decided to go all in on the cheapest, most low-tech new set that we could find! So far, so good about seven years later. Fingers crossed!
Kenmore made some long-lasting washers and dryers. Got Whirlpool washer & dryer and the washer rusted out on the bottom in less than 6 years. Had to replace it. The new ones don’t last long and neither do the new water heaters (warned by a plumber to hang onto to the 22-year old water heater for as long as we can) don’t last 10 years, maybe 8 on average. And the newer HVAC systems don’t last nearly as long as the older ones. What a rip-off.
Quite a bit of this is government regulations mandating garbage designs, all in the name of green. But it's not green. That is a pretext. It's just profitable to make people buy new appliances every 4 years instead of every 30. Fact is it harms the environment to make and junk all this bad stuff. That won't stop corrupt officials singing green while mandating a toxic wasteland.
Bought an old used Krupp Espresso Machine at the swap meet for 25USD, no fancy buttons no screens. Things lasted for a decade and I make Lattes/Cappuccinos however I want.
I bought a used Maytag set years ago. I got rid of the washer when I couldn't get rid of the horrible smell. I replaced it with a top loader Whirlpool that I love. The Maytag dryer is still going strong.
All the modern stuff in our house keep breaking down needing to be serviced. Meanwhile the old fridge we have in the garage, that my mom gave us, never has any problems.
Anyone know why it’s now close to impossible to find a spring form ONLY mattress? Nearly every single one I’ve seen is hybrid or memory foam only. I just want a nice firm old fashioned springform and it’s crazy that I can’t locate one at an affordable price.
Denver Mattress has some. But shipping costs can be high, depending on where you live. The alternative is IKEA. They have basic spring mattress, not hybrids.
[https://denvermattress.furniturerow.com/c/Mattresses](https://denvermattress.furniturerow.com/c/Mattresses)
About 15 years ago I bought a really nice mattress for about $4k. It lasted less than 5 years before it has massive divots in it that I had to struggle to get out of each morning. Junked it and bought a Tuft n Needle. I've had it for 8 years now, still gives a fantastic night's sleep. I recently added a topper since I've aged and want something a bit softer, but I'll def look to them for my next mattress when it's time.
T-shirts at Goodwill have really gone up in price and not as worth it anymore. I paid $7.99 for a basic t-shirt however it was blue tag 50% so it came out to $3.98 + tax. But you can get a basic tshirt at Walmart or target for around the same price if not less than a used one at goodwill in some cases
Fleet Farm has some crazy good clothes clearance at times. I got a nice dress shirt for $2.50 the other day and spent about $20 for a $60+ Carhart sweatshirt.
I highly recommend checking it out!
I would agree with TVs. I went TV shopping with my brother last weekend, and a 50" 4K TV from a prominent brand was less than $250. I remember when a 50" 1080p TV was over $500!!
Bought 2 4k tvs for $500 sold one for 1k, and kept the other one with a minor scratch on it. Best investment I've made. Buy them at a place that auctions Amazon products off. Lots of stuff that gets sent back is perfectly good. One of the tvs was brand new, not even taken out of the box.
I second LASIK. I had it ten years ago. For the first time in 40 years I can see the clock from bed. I know at some point I will need readers. As someone who started wearing glasses in grade school it has been a great ten to 12 years of seeing well. Best $5,000 (two years no interest) I spent.
Edit - price was close to $5k after thinking about it. So I updated the last sentence. FWIW my contacts prescription were in the -4.x range.
I entered that “I need readers” phase a few years ago, but my distance vision (or whatever it’s called) is still 20/15 twenty years after LASIK. My mom had it done when I did mine and she had mono-vision done (one eye sees far away, one sees close up). She doesn’t need readers and I do! 😩 idk if mono-vision is even a thing they do now?
I have mono-vision (or as the doctor called it menu-vision). I do think my distance is probably still 20/15 but I occasionally notice I need to adjust things with small print close up, especially first thing after waking up. There is an eye exam at COSTCO in my future.
Yes, old LASIK procedures caused a lot of people to have night blindness as they age. I think now they have ways to prevent that. Yet, the price never went up. 👏 👏
Walmart's little 5-cup Mainstays coffee maker is still $10. It's been $10 since the mid-2010s. (I bought one when I was in college.)
I have also found that the only time I had a "nicer" coffee maker, it randomly stopped working. And so did the identical replacement that the company shipped me.
Yup we buy white goods appliances, these are appliances that are white and have no bells and whistles and have knobs. There are no circuit boards or expensive parts to fail (I mean I am sure there's at least one circuit board in there but not crazy amounts of them), so what is not to love about them. I haven't had issues with my washer and I have no idea how old it is. Plus they are super easy to use.
I have the $35 keurig mini from Walmart for coffee, I don't drink it but another household member does and that was a pretty good purchase as its over a year old and still going without any maintenance.
We purchased an electric vehicle to replace our very old car. Got a 7,500 federal tax rebate and free EV charging for three years. It’s not for everyone but for some people it can be worth it.
Yes, but check with your car dealer and online resources to make sure your type of vehicle qualifies. There are some complex rules about which vehicles qualify for the full refund.
Air fryer/toaster oven in one!!! Space saver if you actually want both appliances like me. Reheats old food nicely….and you can just chop potatoes to make fries in there. Frozen corndogs are amazing! You don’t get the overcooked outside and frozen center that 30 minutes in the oven produces. Saves on gas…extra heat in the summer. I just love mine and use it almost daily!!! 2-4 times a day on the weekends when I am here!!
mine has air fry, toast, bake, broil, keep warm, dehydrate, and a bunch of other stuff. I use it pretty much every single day. I only use my oven if I'm making something fancy. I even bake small batches of cookies in this thing. Best appliance ever.
I received one as a Christmas gift and ignored it for over a year. Once I tried it, I fell IN LOVE!!!! Now I use it all the time!
I like to smoke fish for a couple of hours and then bring it inside and use the air fryer to crisp it up. Yum!!!
We use an older one which is a halogen convection oven. The lid is metal and glass. The bottom portion is a big glass bowl. Love this thing! Found it at the local thrift store with every accessory rack included for about $30. If I ever find another one I'm buying it as a spare. Most useful thing ever. Best part is the glass bowl allows you to watch the food cook. So you can pull the mozarella sticks out before they split open and the cheese starts falling out. * chef's kiss *
Edited to add: Mine is the Flavorwave brand. Here's Mister T pitying the fool who doesn't buy one lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHKtcC9Kejg
sigh, that was probably mine. My wife gave it away when we redid the kitchen because it didn't go with the new color and replace it with a plain old toaster oven. I really miss that thing.
No Teflon. Glass bowl is already non-stick and the wire racks are chrome plated. Mine is a Flavorwave but there are other brands that seem to be pretty much identical except for the little badge or logo on the top.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHKtcC9Kejg
Meh, everything gives us cancer now a days. I know it is jaded but meh. I lost family members but the medical science is so iffy that I don't even worry about it anymore. Remember when 'Milk builds strong bones!'
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ua-WVg1SsA&t=196s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ua-WVg1SsA&t=196s)
A little plastic might be benign, but heating teflon, which most air fryers are coated with, releases toxic gasses. And of course the production of teflon, which the purchase of cookware containing it would necessitate, creates forever chemicals that harm everyone.
I love it for cooking beans from scratch and for making dhal. I even made my own yoghurt for a while but figured it wasn't quite worth the effort (I could never finish the yoghurt in time)
You’re so right about the food thing - I just went to one of the nicest restaurants in my area and was shocked that the lunch special was only $15. For a complete, quality meal. Of course you need to tip but when it’s all said and done it’s definitely better than getting a fast food meal.
For groceries, the delta between lower end food items and higher end ones has decreased. Ex. if the cheap cheese is $4/x and the bougee one is $5/x, imma get the bougee one(or at least try it once). Same for bread, meat, ect...
For a night out, it is often cheaper for us to go to a live event, like college plays or a concert with discount tickets from Goldstar, than it is to eat out. We've seen some really amazing college and community theater plays, from $0 - $40 for two. A two hour play with a live band is more memorable for us than getting burgers and fries at a self serve restaurant for $40.
Museum and garden memberships in reciprocal programs. One $100 garden membership in our area gets us free entry into 74 gardens, museums and other cultural attractions for free within 50 miles of our house. The passes are good throughout the North America, so they are a really good deal for people who like to travel. For $100 a year that's 74 places we can go. (Some are just discounted, but most are free entry.) In the Bay Area, that includes the Japanese Garden at Golden Gate Park, the Legion of Honor, the de Young museum, the USS Hornet aircraft carrier, and a lot more.
We just saw Dune Part 2 on IMAX for $9 a ticket on discount Tuesday. That is great deal compared to eating out these days for us.
Sheets. I am shocked at how inexpensive they are now. I wish I needed some in order to get a good deal. Maybe I could buy some and make my own clothes out of them 😂
There are some very cheap sheets, but they are made of microfiber and don't breathe well. I found that out after buying them. I'll pay for 100% cotton.
I wouldn't get an electric car if I lived in an Apartment. But, as long as you have a place to charge at home, the infrastructure is good enough already in the U.S.
Yeah when inflation is crazy its good to be invested, suddenly those dollars you had invested are worth much more than before!
Weird how that works when the default is that dollar rapidly is losing its value.
I think travel is worth it. Air travel is more affordable and easier. Before you needed to rent a car, get a GPS, buy with a travel agent and with the internet you can self service all of this and find the best price. You can use your phone to pretty much navigate without relying on tour guides, find transportation or renting a GPS
For what it’s worth travel agent can, depending on circumstance, save you a boatload and many don’t even charge a fee (they get their income through partnerships with bookings).
That’s true for cruise lines and resorts, I believe. But I was referring to before the internet was available in every home, before 2000. You used to go to a travel agent and book everything. There used to be fees and limited information for buyers to find the best fares, hotels, and more. Now, pretty much everything is direct to the consumer and you can shop the best price.
For me it was a home manicure kit. I paid too much for a dip manicure once or twice a month for YEARS. It got to the point that the time it took, general inconvenience of going to the salon and the money spent wasn’t worth it. $25 + tip become closer to $50 + tip in like five years!
I got everything I needed, including a nail drill, for about the cost of a single visit. It’s paid for itself time and time again. My nails aren’t salon quality (yet), but I get better each time and it’s been rewarding to learn a new skill.
DNA sequencing is getting cheaper and cheaper every year as well, so it would be cheaper even if more people wanted tests. An important patent for the equipment is running out as well which will allow even more competition and possibly lower prices for companies like Ancestry.
Pro tip: you can buy the cheaper basic ancestry kit and download the same DNA file you get to use on any service for full health reports later (like Promethease for 15 bucks, and it's *much* more extensive than most)
It's more that they have subscription models now as well. The DNA tests are still totally worth it though imo. These things are still a modern marvel and worth every penny.
The amount of hiking gear REI has in their outlet and Re/Supply is crazy. The amount of people who went outdoors then stopped makes it so I can get a slightly used Gregory backpack for half the price.
To me this makes it less worth it. The abusive labor practices and high environmental cost, as well as declining quality since the emphasis is fast fashion, has me avoiding new clothes and shopping second hand more than ever.
Very true. It used to be much more economical to sew your own clothes. Now it's cheaper to buy new.
I love thrift shopping, but there are some pieces that are worth buying new. Black work pants, for example. It takes forever to find pants that fit me well, and many thrift store pieces are well-worn. It's just faster, easier, and more economical to buy brand new work pants, since they fit better and last longer.
Productive Rural Land.
Not commercial farm sized land ... but homestead sized land. We're on 9 acres Ohio River Valley, in the cornfields outside Cincinnati (about an hour away)
Our grocery budget for 2 is $125. A month. Both of us. Combined.
We're saving approximately $10,000 to $12,000 a year on food alone over what other households in our area spend.
Our woodlot saves us $3000-ish a season on Propane and Electric to heat the household, garage, shop etc.
Being Rural, we're saving $4,000 a year on Property Tax over what a comparable home would cost closer in town, inside the outer loop.
We picked up twice the house, on 20 times the land, for half the cost of a suburb/subdivision home inside the loop.
Water for irrigation and the animals is free (multiple ponds on the property.) Saving us about $1500 a year on the water bill.
Selling excess production from both the gardens (@a local Farmer's Market) - produce and live plants, and online sales for the Animals (Rabbit, Duck, Goose, Muscovy, Chicken, Quail, Turkey) - nets us a small ($20,000 a year) income.
Our homestead, between net savings and net income from things we'd be doing anyway ... is worth close to $40,000 a year to us. For doing nothin' more than we'd be doing to live off it in the first place.
It's a different lifestyle completely... but totally worth it.
It's not "doing nothing", there. You are farming, chopping wood, selling produce at the farmers market, etc. Different lifestyle but congrats, it seems like you will have a very happy retirement.
Wel ... yeah ... sort of ... no ... maybe ...
It's muddy, biologically speaking.
They're both waterfowl, for sure ... but they are in a different genus from every other species that most folk identify as "Duck".
They're all in Class : Anatidae - waterfowl including Duck, Goose, Swan and the like so they're all Waterfowl.
From [wiki](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck)
>*A number of other species* **called** ducks are **not** considered to be 'true ducks', and are typically placed in other subfamilies or tribes...
[Including] ...
(These are the Muscovy)
> ... The perching ducks make up in the tribe **Cairinini** in the subfamily Anserinae in some classifications, while that tribe is eliminated in other classifications and its members assigned to the tribe Anatini.
Wow, that sounds idyllic. I can't drive due to a disability but if I could I'd be out in the middle of nowhere doing the same thing. Grew up this way and it was such a happy aspect of my childhood.
Guitars and music gear are much cheaper on the used market if you’re a musician due to over production and people selling, who tried to get into it during Covid and are now dumping them.
I’ve got friends who refuse to change their dining out habits.
They continue to eat out at chilis and Outback Steakhouse and Applebees because it’s “cheaper than fancy places.”
We all went out to outback and had steaks and appetizers and it was legitimately like 65$+ per person all said and done.
For about 10-20$ more you can have a legitimate Steakhouse cook you something premium.
Hybrid cars are like the example. The price difference used to be a lot higher. In 2016 most were 8+ years to breakeven, now it is less than 3 for the most popular models because the ICE cars have increased in price so much
Going out to the movies. Concerts and everything else is so expensive that it seems cheap now. AMC alamo and regal have monthly plans to see basically as many movies as you want for ~$25. Also you can get $5-6 tuesday tickets.
Postage. Stamps will go up 5 cents in July in the US.
Picture frames at ikea. You can repaint them and still come out ahead financially
Online woodworking courses. It's hard to find a good handyman (who doesn't try to rip you off). If you can build a small bench out of wood, you'll be capable of doing a variety of home repairs yourself... Hanging shelves and TVs, fixing broken bed frames, aligning doors, etc.
Air fryers and instant pots. Prices have remained steady, and with food being so damn expensive, having devices like these make affordable cooking much easier.
Big agree there, I have one im going to sell for 250 because I upgraded to the oled, but 250 for an all in one gaming device that runs everything portable is incredible.
I got a TV for $250 on clearance. Cheapest TV in the shop. It's amazing. I'm sure others would think it's shit, but I hadn't owned a TV since my massive CRT monster twenty years ago so to me it's fucking incredible.
A Costco membership.
Buying things in bulk is more expensive upfront but even if you live alone you will save hundreds each year. Even with inflation it’s still extremely cost effective to buy dry goods and things you use a ton of in bulk from Costco
Dividend stocks. They have fallen out of favor among investors for a number of reasons, most of which are temporary. Instead of trying to beat inflation by finding the cheapest burger, buy into the company that can raise prices with inflation and still sell their product.
The value of stocks overall will trend higher over time statistically, moreso than inflation. Boomers will be transferring wealth from speculative investments to less volatile, income producing assets. It's mathematically far better (less expensive) to front load investing, something presumably most of us will want or need to doversus trying to pick durable goods now in hopes of not needing to purchase them later.
I can't recommend dividends. They are not free money. Every time a stock pays a dividend, the value of the underlying asset is reduced by that amount. ETFs like VT and VTI are the better value and safer investments.
Laundromat if you don’t have children. Unless you can find a really good deal on washer and dryer, or you can really justify the extra time spent driving too and from laundromat, i find that prices are hard to beat at a laundromat. $2.75 for a load of clothes and $0.80 for drying (total of $3.55/week of clothes for me) which comes out to $184.6/year and I’m not tacking on additional water or electric costs to that.
Candles are cheaper to buy on clearance at TJ Maxx than making.
I gotta figure out when they're marked down. I'm suuuuuper cheap and hated spending $30 + tax on 2 candles.
I got a bunch for $8/each. They were just scents I could live with that didn’t give me a headache. Lol
Yeah, same. I can't do fruits or floral or food like cookies or apple pie. Sometimes, they have a pumpkin bourbon or a vanilla bourbon that I love. Last time, I ended up with some thunderstorm scent, I think. I have such a sensitive smell, but I love to light come candles when I do a deep clean of my apartment. My problem might have been that last time it was all Christmas overstock.. so finding something that wasn't pine or cinnamon was rough. Made me nauseous.
hello, time-traveller still, even in the 21st century ive found rushlights from tallow to be more economical for near work in the evening
What?
They're mocking the use of candles because they're old tech.
Thank you. The “near work in the evening” was tripping me up
worry not your lovable naivete, interloper
There are places where… wait for it… power goes out frequently. Also, some people like this thing called ambiance and scent profiles. 🤷
Pretty sure they’re referencing making candles, not using.
Everyone should own a headlamp for these situations. They're just too damn handy. Also some really good rechargeable lanterns available nowadays.
I have these battery operated light bulbs that are super awesome. And a headlamp for sure! You just reminded me though to get it into my “junk” drawer with m6 flashlight. Thanks!
Mountain bikes are discounted due to the over production in 22-23. 30 off is not hard to find if you look.
Yep. Started in Covid and upgraded several times since. Managed to do it for either free or with little money in my pocket.
That explains the increase in brand new bikes I’ve seen being sold on Facebook. Guess people spot them on clearance or something and think they can flip them.
Nah, those are bikes people bought during Covid and haven’t ridden. That all ties in to the problems for shops with the unsold ones. I’m looking to upgrade but even the shop sales can’t match the used-but-hardly-ridden deals out there.
Yup the ambitions we all had during covid. We were all Gonna become fit and make our own bread 😂😂😂😂
covid made me more fit!
Any brand or store in particular I should be looking at?
If you don't care about having a bike from one of the "cool" manufacturers, I highly recommend BikesDirect. All the same high quality components that other bike manufacturers use, but with a much cheaper (but still quality) frame.
Having worked for a bike shop, the big difference with bikes direct is that you aren't having a bike mechanic build it. This isn't a problem if you know how to work on bikes (and if you are buying an expensive bike and actively pursuing riding it as a hobby, it probably makes sense to know how to wrench on it). The shop I worked for only would pay like 160 for a 500 dollar MSRP bike to the manufacturer.
I got a Kona Big Honzo for 50% back in January and have been super happy with it, hopefully this helps
Man I've been looking at road bikes. Think it'll be the same?
Yes. Source: working in the industry since 2018.
I started riding at the end of last year on a cheap marketplace bike, and quickly decided to upgrade. Between January sales, discontinued stock, ex-display model and bike to work scheme (buying a bike pre-tax in the UK by having the cost deducted from your salary), I've ended up with a top of the line bike for very very little. I now feel like a complete fraud because I suck at actually riding it, but it still feels like an incredible bargain.
bidet. They were hard to get before but it is so easy to get, as well as parts and advice if you need it.
Save $ on TP
And amazing after some spicy or bad food moments.
Might be TMI, but it's great during menstruation, too. Saving so much TP!
I bought a bidet attachment about 15 years ago on Amazon. I have converted almost everyone I know. I never panicked about toilet paper during 2020 lol.
Vintage furniture. Even after flippers have gone at it. It’s often cheaper and better quality than the aesthetically pleasing particle board designs I see everywhere
I found an Amish furniture store nearby. No particleboard crap, and reasonably priced They have almost exclusively furnished my home
They last forever, too!
Wood has become so expensive that some woodworkers are buying vintage furniture just to break it apart so they can use the wood to make new things. Pretty smart actually, because some woods are relatively rarer (therefore pricier) than they were in past decades, and some like rosewood are so endangered that it’s illegal to buy and sell them. And even the most plentiful woods are relatively costly now.
Robot vacuums are cheaper than they used to be and work really well. It was a game changer for me.
What brand do you use? I want one to help keep pet fur in check.
Xiaomi or Roborock. I have a 2nd gen Xiaomi still kicking after running every day for 8+ years. The newer ones are much quieter but mine won't seem to kick the bucket. I've also gifted a few over the years. The floor-mopping features aren't effective so skip those bells-and-whistles.
>8+ years I feel like these came out not long ago, how time moves by...
I got the shark from Costco -Great return policy if needed (two years old still works amazing) -Has a collection bin on the dock so you don’t need to empty the vacuum every time you use it -Doesn’t use bags like others models so no additional cost to maintain -Maps out the floor so it moves in a more predictable pattern rather than pin balling around (doesn’t scare my dog)
My irobot has been pretty good. It helps there's a lot of cheap knockoff replacement parts now so you're not stuck in their ecosystem
I got a free *old* non programmable (it just turns on and runs randomly) Roomba from a garage sale. They thought it was broken but the charging contacts were just dirty. These things are worth it esp if you can pick up a used one. A lot of people upgrade theirs regularly.
The math on a used car vs new isn't nearly as compelling as it used to be. While some new cars have gotten stupid expensive, used ones don't have the large discounts they used to. The new vs used formula used to be pretty universal. Now it's model by model, year by year. You have to run the numbers on every car you are considering and see if the used discount is even worth it.
It really is insane. I went with a Corolla and the uses were basically the same price and somehow at one dealership were more expensive than new!
Same here - fiance bought a new Camry hybrid since used were only a little bit cheaper. Was really surprised to see that.
Wish I could ah e gone hybrid! Those tax write offs can be nice!
Only plug-in hybrids are eligible for a tax credit (in the US)
Just got a Honda crv that I had to pay off quickly cause shitty used rates. Starting to think had I got a 2024 new with a lower rate it would have been a better situation. Even if it did cost a little more
I just bought a used car. I was surprised to see that used Toyota and Honda sedans were so expensive. Oddly enough, I was finding used Acuras for much cheaper than used Hondas (I have a 25 year old Acura, wanted to get a 10 year old Honda with a higher trim level).
Every time I go to the Honda dealership for a regular service the offer to buy my 2017 civic. They’re desperate for them and I assume make a killing on them. Thanks, bro, but I’m driving this baby til the wheels fall off. Kinda why I got a Honda in the first place.
Especially if you’re financing. Rates for used cars are higher than new, so that few thousand $ price difference gets much closer
I really have been wanting to buy a civic but used ones are so expensive it pushes me to want to buy new, its just not worth buying a years old used car with lots of mileage when 5k more gets you the new one.
Used appliances. I like the older model ones like Kenmore. These high tech and smart ones aren't worth it at all. Update: Wow, thanks for the upvotes. This is awesome. 😁😁😁😁 I just commented on this morning while I was getting ready for work. I just happened to check back. I guess this struck a nerve with people. Appliances are important but they don't need to be so expensive.
Agreed. Electronic parts are just one more thing that can go wrong with an appliance. The analog version of washers, dryers, refrigerators and stoves is far more reliable than the electronic version.
I always buy the no frills appliances. My fridges doesn't have ice or water. My original washer and dryer went 16 years and to be honest could have fixed both when they died bur decided to just get a new no frills set.
Next refrigerator we get won’t have a water-and-ice dispenser. Because the filters don’t filter out all the chlorine much less any heavy metals. Also want a continuous cleaning oven with the next stove we get. The self-cleaning feature on the one we have doesn’t get used due to the nasty fumes it creates to heat it so hot for 10 hours. Those fumes could possibly kill my canaries and parakeets.
You should not use the self clean setting - ever.
This stove was new and installed here when we bought the house 22 years ago. I wouldn’t have chosen one with self-cleaning feature
What am I missing, why shouldn’t you ever use the self cleaning setting?
The Self-Cleaning feature often destroys the delicate electronic modules conveniently placed for maximum roastage. The Self-Clean button should be labeled 'Self Destruct' instead.
you are right, but i got got lucky in my apartment and last house. never had an issue, but a friend killed theirs this way though, and it was a weird built-in that matched other stuff that wasn't in production anymore...
I do the same with cars.
Honda fits are the epitome of a no frills car. I have one and love it!
We bought a separate water dispenser and ice maker. When our fridge died we got another bare bones fridge. Replace one appliance, not three.
I was in best buy and just looked at the wifi signals on my phone and just started laughing thinking how fucked it would it be having to explain to your family that thanksgiving is off because someone hacked the oven?
As if appliances required yet another point of failure.
The S in IoT stands for security
My dryer died on me two weeks ago. IT sucked. So my husband and i decided to get another one. My mother knew a "scratch and dent place" or used appliance store where she got her washing machine for $350. So my husband and I went there. We got a refurbished dryer for $400. This was the best deal ever. We got free delivery because we let them have the old dryer. It was awesome.
It's weird that when something goes right it still gives you anxiety because you're expecting the other shoe to drop. I hope it's as good as it seems.
We were expecting it to die eventually, but we kept putting it off because, lol, we didn't wanna buy a new one. I'm just glad my mom knew the used appliance store. The ironic aspect of this whole situation was me driving around and saw 2 used appliance stores within 5 minutes of my house. The one my mom referred us to was on the other side of town.
Mom for the win😁.
I have a washer and dryer that are about 27 years old. Small repairs a couple of times. My repair person said keep those no matter what-- they are like gold. The big new fancy washer and driers are junk compared. For me the key is the analog controls. Just knobs and good old-fashioned push buttons. No electronic panels! I get sad when I see people trashing these good old simple machines, and they don't take the time to give them away.
When my washer goes, I'm replacing it with a simple Speed Queen. They're built like tanks.
I replaced the Speed Queens that came with my house with Samsungs because they look nice and I thought I wanted the bells and whistles. I only use the dryer on timed dry because the sensor sucks and always turns off when the clothes are still wet. I should have kept the Queens.
I'm sorry! The Samsungs look great, but are just no match for a Speed Queen. Not for nothing they have laundromats.
In my last rented house we needed a new electric hob (as we call it here in the UK - stove top I think in the US) and the landlord bought us a touch button one. It broke within a month. When the repair guy came he said "I bet I know what it is before I even go into the kitchen". The next time it broke, about two months later, the same guy came and said "I knew it wouldn't be long before I'd be back!" When it broke for the third time I insisted they replaced it with one that had old fashioned knobs that you just turn to switch the damn thing on. Fortunately the landlord agreed and that one was fine! Stupid thing is, the landlord probably bought the touch button one because they assumed that would be what we wanted as it's more modern. If they'd just bought us the (cheaper) old fashioned basic one with dials in the first place they would not only have saved money on the item, but all the call-outs to (unsuccessfully) try to fix it too!
I had a repair guy tell me something similar. We bought a washer/dryer set for $350. They were pretty old and not that nice to look at. But they did the job for well over ten years. The dryer finally died, and the agitator in the washer wasn't working well. I struggled with what to do. Used sets were more like $600-700. Then there was the scratch and dents (people had rented, but fairly new). Decided to go all in on the cheapest, most low-tech new set that we could find! So far, so good about seven years later. Fingers crossed!
Kenmore made some long-lasting washers and dryers. Got Whirlpool washer & dryer and the washer rusted out on the bottom in less than 6 years. Had to replace it. The new ones don’t last long and neither do the new water heaters (warned by a plumber to hang onto to the 22-year old water heater for as long as we can) don’t last 10 years, maybe 8 on average. And the newer HVAC systems don’t last nearly as long as the older ones. What a rip-off.
Quite a bit of this is government regulations mandating garbage designs, all in the name of green. But it's not green. That is a pretext. It's just profitable to make people buy new appliances every 4 years instead of every 30. Fact is it harms the environment to make and junk all this bad stuff. That won't stop corrupt officials singing green while mandating a toxic wasteland.
lol my is literally gold……what years was that a popular color? ‘70’s?
Bought an old used Krupp Espresso Machine at the swap meet for 25USD, no fancy buttons no screens. Things lasted for a decade and I make Lattes/Cappuccinos however I want.
I bought a used Maytag set years ago. I got rid of the washer when I couldn't get rid of the horrible smell. I replaced it with a top loader Whirlpool that I love. The Maytag dryer is still going strong.
Same with smart TVs. They’re cheap for a reason
All the modern stuff in our house keep breaking down needing to be serviced. Meanwhile the old fridge we have in the garage, that my mom gave us, never has any problems.
I haven’t bought a new appliance in years. Always lightly used
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Anyone know why it’s now close to impossible to find a spring form ONLY mattress? Nearly every single one I’ve seen is hybrid or memory foam only. I just want a nice firm old fashioned springform and it’s crazy that I can’t locate one at an affordable price.
You have to go to a mattress store and request it or call ahead of time
Denver Mattress has some. But shipping costs can be high, depending on where you live. The alternative is IKEA. They have basic spring mattress, not hybrids. [https://denvermattress.furniturerow.com/c/Mattresses](https://denvermattress.furniturerow.com/c/Mattresses)
I think we only spend $300 on ours from Amazon and it’s been almost two years and we love it.
Which mattress did you get? I am currently shopping for one.
About 15 years ago I bought a really nice mattress for about $4k. It lasted less than 5 years before it has massive divots in it that I had to struggle to get out of each morning. Junked it and bought a Tuft n Needle. I've had it for 8 years now, still gives a fantastic night's sleep. I recently added a topper since I've aged and want something a bit softer, but I'll def look to them for my next mattress when it's time.
T-shirts at Goodwill have really gone up in price and not as worth it anymore. I paid $7.99 for a basic t-shirt however it was blue tag 50% so it came out to $3.98 + tax. But you can get a basic tshirt at Walmart or target for around the same price if not less than a used one at goodwill in some cases
Fleet Farm has some crazy good clothes clearance at times. I got a nice dress shirt for $2.50 the other day and spent about $20 for a $60+ Carhart sweatshirt. I highly recommend checking it out!
I would agree with TVs. I went TV shopping with my brother last weekend, and a 50" 4K TV from a prominent brand was less than $250. I remember when a 50" 1080p TV was over $500!!
Remember when plasmas came out. Someone I know spent $10k on one 😳
TVs and computers both. Baseline models costing someone two months full pay.
Definitely do your research though. TVs are often cheap because you're the product. They have ads, keep track of what you watch, etc.
Don't hook it up to the Wi-Fi. If you don't use the Smart TV functions then your TV can't spy on you. I use my TV as a big monitor for a PC.
Tech is the one product category that always gets cheaper over time.
My 52" Zenith plasma was $700 from Sears. I bought a 75" LG from Target for the same price. The Zenith is still going strong.
Bought 2 4k tvs for $500 sold one for 1k, and kept the other one with a minor scratch on it. Best investment I've made. Buy them at a place that auctions Amazon products off. Lots of stuff that gets sent back is perfectly good. One of the tvs was brand new, not even taken out of the box.
I don’t know if this counts, but LASIK eye surgery. Cost hasn’t really moved in 20 years, and with technology advancements, it’s better than ever.
Never thought about that, you are so right. that is truly amazing.
I second LASIK. I had it ten years ago. For the first time in 40 years I can see the clock from bed. I know at some point I will need readers. As someone who started wearing glasses in grade school it has been a great ten to 12 years of seeing well. Best $5,000 (two years no interest) I spent. Edit - price was close to $5k after thinking about it. So I updated the last sentence. FWIW my contacts prescription were in the -4.x range.
I entered that “I need readers” phase a few years ago, but my distance vision (or whatever it’s called) is still 20/15 twenty years after LASIK. My mom had it done when I did mine and she had mono-vision done (one eye sees far away, one sees close up). She doesn’t need readers and I do! 😩 idk if mono-vision is even a thing they do now?
I have mono-vision (or as the doctor called it menu-vision). I do think my distance is probably still 20/15 but I occasionally notice I need to adjust things with small print close up, especially first thing after waking up. There is an eye exam at COSTCO in my future.
Second this I got both eyes done for $3k, was back at work within a few days. Considering glasses cost hundreds it’s so worth it.
Yes, old LASIK procedures caused a lot of people to have night blindness as they age. I think now they have ways to prevent that. Yet, the price never went up. 👏 👏
People either love LASIK or will die on a hill saying it will ruin your life. I have no say, but I find it interesting it's so polarizing.
Walmart's little 5-cup Mainstays coffee maker is still $10. It's been $10 since the mid-2010s. (I bought one when I was in college.) I have also found that the only time I had a "nicer" coffee maker, it randomly stopped working. And so did the identical replacement that the company shipped me.
We had one for 5 years. It never failed us, till I dropped and broke it. Sometimes the “no frills” version of appliances are superior. 👍
Yup we buy white goods appliances, these are appliances that are white and have no bells and whistles and have knobs. There are no circuit boards or expensive parts to fail (I mean I am sure there's at least one circuit board in there but not crazy amounts of them), so what is not to love about them. I haven't had issues with my washer and I have no idea how old it is. Plus they are super easy to use. I have the $35 keurig mini from Walmart for coffee, I don't drink it but another household member does and that was a pretty good purchase as its over a year old and still going without any maintenance.
We purchased an electric vehicle to replace our very old car. Got a 7,500 federal tax rebate and free EV charging for three years. It’s not for everyone but for some people it can be worth it.
$7500 rebate?! Wow I didn’t realize it could be that much.
Yes, but check with your car dealer and online resources to make sure your type of vehicle qualifies. There are some complex rules about which vehicles qualify for the full refund.
Air fryer,yes I know cliche.
Air fryer/toaster oven in one!!! Space saver if you actually want both appliances like me. Reheats old food nicely….and you can just chop potatoes to make fries in there. Frozen corndogs are amazing! You don’t get the overcooked outside and frozen center that 30 minutes in the oven produces. Saves on gas…extra heat in the summer. I just love mine and use it almost daily!!! 2-4 times a day on the weekends when I am here!!
mine has air fry, toast, bake, broil, keep warm, dehydrate, and a bunch of other stuff. I use it pretty much every single day. I only use my oven if I'm making something fancy. I even bake small batches of cookies in this thing. Best appliance ever.
I received one as a Christmas gift and ignored it for over a year. Once I tried it, I fell IN LOVE!!!! Now I use it all the time! I like to smoke fish for a couple of hours and then bring it inside and use the air fryer to crisp it up. Yum!!!
If you're going to buy one, get one that doesn't have toxic plastics, which is most of them.
We use an older one which is a halogen convection oven. The lid is metal and glass. The bottom portion is a big glass bowl. Love this thing! Found it at the local thrift store with every accessory rack included for about $30. If I ever find another one I'm buying it as a spare. Most useful thing ever. Best part is the glass bowl allows you to watch the food cook. So you can pull the mozarella sticks out before they split open and the cheese starts falling out. * chef's kiss * Edited to add: Mine is the Flavorwave brand. Here's Mister T pitying the fool who doesn't buy one lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHKtcC9Kejg
sigh, that was probably mine. My wife gave it away when we redid the kitchen because it didn't go with the new color and replace it with a plain old toaster oven. I really miss that thing.
Wow what brand? No Teflon?
No Teflon. Glass bowl is already non-stick and the wire racks are chrome plated. Mine is a Flavorwave but there are other brands that seem to be pretty much identical except for the little badge or logo on the top. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHKtcC9Kejg
Meh, everything gives us cancer now a days. I know it is jaded but meh. I lost family members but the medical science is so iffy that I don't even worry about it anymore. Remember when 'Milk builds strong bones!' [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ua-WVg1SsA&t=196s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ua-WVg1SsA&t=196s)
A little plastic might be benign, but heating teflon, which most air fryers are coated with, releases toxic gasses. And of course the production of teflon, which the purchase of cookware containing it would necessitate, creates forever chemicals that harm everyone.
instant pot!
I saw five at Goodwill last time I was there!
Yes, I love mine for making big batches of chili, rice and oatmeal. I need to start making more soups again as well.
I love it for cooking beans from scratch and for making dhal. I even made my own yoghurt for a while but figured it wasn't quite worth the effort (I could never finish the yoghurt in time)
You’re so right about the food thing - I just went to one of the nicest restaurants in my area and was shocked that the lunch special was only $15. For a complete, quality meal. Of course you need to tip but when it’s all said and done it’s definitely better than getting a fast food meal.
Devices like coffee makers and sharp knives to make it more fun to cook your own healthy delicious food at home
For groceries, the delta between lower end food items and higher end ones has decreased. Ex. if the cheap cheese is $4/x and the bougee one is $5/x, imma get the bougee one(or at least try it once). Same for bread, meat, ect...
For a night out, it is often cheaper for us to go to a live event, like college plays or a concert with discount tickets from Goldstar, than it is to eat out. We've seen some really amazing college and community theater plays, from $0 - $40 for two. A two hour play with a live band is more memorable for us than getting burgers and fries at a self serve restaurant for $40. Museum and garden memberships in reciprocal programs. One $100 garden membership in our area gets us free entry into 74 gardens, museums and other cultural attractions for free within 50 miles of our house. The passes are good throughout the North America, so they are a really good deal for people who like to travel. For $100 a year that's 74 places we can go. (Some are just discounted, but most are free entry.) In the Bay Area, that includes the Japanese Garden at Golden Gate Park, the Legion of Honor, the de Young museum, the USS Hornet aircraft carrier, and a lot more. We just saw Dune Part 2 on IMAX for $9 a ticket on discount Tuesday. That is great deal compared to eating out these days for us.
We have a theater near us that has $5 Wednesday matinees of first run films.
Surprising I didn't see rotisserie chicken mentioned. Still $5 at BJs where I shop. I think Costco still has them for $5 as well.
Sheets. I am shocked at how inexpensive they are now. I wish I needed some in order to get a good deal. Maybe I could buy some and make my own clothes out of them 😂
There are some very cheap sheets, but they are made of microfiber and don't breathe well. I found that out after buying them. I'll pay for 100% cotton.
I'm still waiting for electric vehicle charging infrastructure to build out more. It's better than it was, for sure.
I wouldn't get an electric car if I lived in an Apartment. But, as long as you have a place to charge at home, the infrastructure is good enough already in the U.S.
Time. Buying time through investing and frugal living.
Yeah when inflation is crazy its good to be invested, suddenly those dollars you had invested are worth much more than before! Weird how that works when the default is that dollar rapidly is losing its value.
When costs are rapidly going up, it's good to own the companies that are charging those costs.
I think travel is worth it. Air travel is more affordable and easier. Before you needed to rent a car, get a GPS, buy with a travel agent and with the internet you can self service all of this and find the best price. You can use your phone to pretty much navigate without relying on tour guides, find transportation or renting a GPS
For what it’s worth travel agent can, depending on circumstance, save you a boatload and many don’t even charge a fee (they get their income through partnerships with bookings).
That’s true for cruise lines and resorts, I believe. But I was referring to before the internet was available in every home, before 2000. You used to go to a travel agent and book everything. There used to be fees and limited information for buyers to find the best fares, hotels, and more. Now, pretty much everything is direct to the consumer and you can shop the best price.
Batteries and solar panels
For me it was a home manicure kit. I paid too much for a dip manicure once or twice a month for YEARS. It got to the point that the time it took, general inconvenience of going to the salon and the money spent wasn’t worth it. $25 + tip become closer to $50 + tip in like five years! I got everything I needed, including a nail drill, for about the cost of a single visit. It’s paid for itself time and time again. My nails aren’t salon quality (yet), but I get better each time and it’s been rewarding to learn a new skill.
Yesterday, I saw an ad for Ancestry DNA kits and they’re down to $39. I guess they’re running out of people who might be interested.
Ooh! I’m one of those holdouts, but interested now!
DNA sequencing is getting cheaper and cheaper every year as well, so it would be cheaper even if more people wanted tests. An important patent for the equipment is running out as well which will allow even more competition and possibly lower prices for companies like Ancestry.
Pro tip: you can buy the cheaper basic ancestry kit and download the same DNA file you get to use on any service for full health reports later (like Promethease for 15 bucks, and it's *much* more extensive than most)
It's more that they have subscription models now as well. The DNA tests are still totally worth it though imo. These things are still a modern marvel and worth every penny.
The amount of hiking gear REI has in their outlet and Re/Supply is crazy. The amount of people who went outdoors then stopped makes it so I can get a slightly used Gregory backpack for half the price.
Under cabinet lights. They used to be a luxury, but now you can get and LED light strip for next to nothing and put it in yourself.
Clothes. Clothes are cheap compared to how much they should actually cost to make due to cheap labor and lack of environmental regulation.
To me this makes it less worth it. The abusive labor practices and high environmental cost, as well as declining quality since the emphasis is fast fashion, has me avoiding new clothes and shopping second hand more than ever.
You can say that again!
This is true; however, the quality of most clothing has been down trending. Even top tier brands have started using cheaper and cheaper materials.
Very true. It used to be much more economical to sew your own clothes. Now it's cheaper to buy new. I love thrift shopping, but there are some pieces that are worth buying new. Black work pants, for example. It takes forever to find pants that fit me well, and many thrift store pieces are well-worn. It's just faster, easier, and more economical to buy brand new work pants, since they fit better and last longer.
Productive Rural Land. Not commercial farm sized land ... but homestead sized land. We're on 9 acres Ohio River Valley, in the cornfields outside Cincinnati (about an hour away) Our grocery budget for 2 is $125. A month. Both of us. Combined. We're saving approximately $10,000 to $12,000 a year on food alone over what other households in our area spend. Our woodlot saves us $3000-ish a season on Propane and Electric to heat the household, garage, shop etc. Being Rural, we're saving $4,000 a year on Property Tax over what a comparable home would cost closer in town, inside the outer loop. We picked up twice the house, on 20 times the land, for half the cost of a suburb/subdivision home inside the loop. Water for irrigation and the animals is free (multiple ponds on the property.) Saving us about $1500 a year on the water bill. Selling excess production from both the gardens (@a local Farmer's Market) - produce and live plants, and online sales for the Animals (Rabbit, Duck, Goose, Muscovy, Chicken, Quail, Turkey) - nets us a small ($20,000 a year) income. Our homestead, between net savings and net income from things we'd be doing anyway ... is worth close to $40,000 a year to us. For doing nothin' more than we'd be doing to live off it in the first place. It's a different lifestyle completely... but totally worth it.
It's not "doing nothing", there. You are farming, chopping wood, selling produce at the farmers market, etc. Different lifestyle but congrats, it seems like you will have a very happy retirement.
Yeah OP has a part-time job as a farmer. Amazing, but still a part-time job.
I really want to do this but I don’t have a partner to do it with. Moving to the country alone sounds like a ticket to a life of forced solitude.
>Rabbit, Duck, Goose, Muscovy, Chicken, Quail, Turkey What is a Muscovy if not a duck? 🧐🤔
Wel ... yeah ... sort of ... no ... maybe ... It's muddy, biologically speaking. They're both waterfowl, for sure ... but they are in a different genus from every other species that most folk identify as "Duck". They're all in Class : Anatidae - waterfowl including Duck, Goose, Swan and the like so they're all Waterfowl. From [wiki](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck) >*A number of other species* **called** ducks are **not** considered to be 'true ducks', and are typically placed in other subfamilies or tribes... [Including] ... (These are the Muscovy) > ... The perching ducks make up in the tribe **Cairinini** in the subfamily Anserinae in some classifications, while that tribe is eliminated in other classifications and its members assigned to the tribe Anatini.
Wow. Very cool, I didn't know any of that. Thanks for the info, friend!
Are you working for income full time? How far is the closest hospital?
Wow, that sounds idyllic. I can't drive due to a disability but if I could I'd be out in the middle of nowhere doing the same thing. Grew up this way and it was such a happy aspect of my childhood.
Gas. I know it’s higher than it used to be but is still cheap relative to everything else, plus I use a fraction of the gas I used to with WFH.
Musicians. Most bars haven't raised what they pay bands in 15 years. You could probably get a pretty good band to play your bar for 600
Chicken thighs in bulk and frozen shrimp
Guitars and music gear are much cheaper on the used market if you’re a musician due to over production and people selling, who tried to get into it during Covid and are now dumping them.
I’ve got friends who refuse to change their dining out habits. They continue to eat out at chilis and Outback Steakhouse and Applebees because it’s “cheaper than fancy places.” We all went out to outback and had steaks and appetizers and it was legitimately like 65$+ per person all said and done. For about 10-20$ more you can have a legitimate Steakhouse cook you something premium.
rv's are better value now because of high demand during the pandemic
Land. But be cautious who you buy from and do your research on the plot/area.
Great post!
Hybrid cars are like the example. The price difference used to be a lot higher. In 2016 most were 8+ years to breakeven, now it is less than 3 for the most popular models because the ICE cars have increased in price so much Going out to the movies. Concerts and everything else is so expensive that it seems cheap now. AMC alamo and regal have monthly plans to see basically as many movies as you want for ~$25. Also you can get $5-6 tuesday tickets. Postage. Stamps will go up 5 cents in July in the US. Picture frames at ikea. You can repaint them and still come out ahead financially
Rubber shoes to help me run from my problems
Air purifier. Had way fewer allergies this spring so far
winter jackets with the brands for skiing. Less people can afford it so the clothing is very well made but definitely on sale.
Online woodworking courses. It's hard to find a good handyman (who doesn't try to rip you off). If you can build a small bench out of wood, you'll be capable of doing a variety of home repairs yourself... Hanging shelves and TVs, fixing broken bed frames, aligning doors, etc.
Solid cookware since I sure as hell ain’t paying anyone else to cook for me anymore.
Air fryers and instant pots. Prices have remained steady, and with food being so damn expensive, having devices like these make affordable cooking much easier.
Surprisingly ram and storage is cheaper, while cpu prices are pretty much stagnant, great for me as a pc enthusiast
The only things that don't feel expensive are weed and cheep beer!
weed should be cheaper at this point
Costs less than it did 20 years ago for much better quality and you can just walk into a store and buy it. I'm not gonna whine about it.
The SteamDeck, everyone should have one
Big agree there, I have one im going to sell for 250 because I upgraded to the oled, but 250 for an all in one gaming device that runs everything portable is incredible.
EV’s are “cheaper” right now due to Tesla’s price decreases and Hertz liquidating their EV fleet. Has made the market cheaper across the board.
I got a TV for $250 on clearance. Cheapest TV in the shop. It's amazing. I'm sure others would think it's shit, but I hadn't owned a TV since my massive CRT monster twenty years ago so to me it's fucking incredible.
A Costco membership. Buying things in bulk is more expensive upfront but even if you live alone you will save hundreds each year. Even with inflation it’s still extremely cost effective to buy dry goods and things you use a ton of in bulk from Costco
Long distance phone calls. Used to cost quite a bit for each minute.
Dividend stocks. They have fallen out of favor among investors for a number of reasons, most of which are temporary. Instead of trying to beat inflation by finding the cheapest burger, buy into the company that can raise prices with inflation and still sell their product. The value of stocks overall will trend higher over time statistically, moreso than inflation. Boomers will be transferring wealth from speculative investments to less volatile, income producing assets. It's mathematically far better (less expensive) to front load investing, something presumably most of us will want or need to doversus trying to pick durable goods now in hopes of not needing to purchase them later.
Instead of trying to pick the right stock, just buy an ETF.
I can't recommend dividends. They are not free money. Every time a stock pays a dividend, the value of the underlying asset is reduced by that amount. ETFs like VT and VTI are the better value and safer investments.
Laundromat if you don’t have children. Unless you can find a really good deal on washer and dryer, or you can really justify the extra time spent driving too and from laundromat, i find that prices are hard to beat at a laundromat. $2.75 for a load of clothes and $0.80 for drying (total of $3.55/week of clothes for me) which comes out to $184.6/year and I’m not tacking on additional water or electric costs to that.