Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with saving

Save Paper? Go Digital?

Willie0248 — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:54:27 -0800

Help! My job requires me to interview people. Lots and lots of people. I've been printing out my (standardized) questions, and the cost is getting out of hand. How can I mitigate the wallet damage? One aspect of my job is doing quite a few interviews each week. The questions for these interviews are legally standardized, but vary just a little depending on the situation... So basically I assess what sort of situation the person is in, then print out one of three different interview forms. These forms are for my own personal use - they don't get turned in to anyone, but the information is important for writing reports and analyzing the data. The answers people are giving are largely narrative, so I'm writing a lot of stuff down in the interview. Oh, and I'm not allowed to record anything at these interviews, either.

The paper and ink cost is getting a little out of hand. I print at the lowest draft I can read and double-sided to save paper, but I'm still tearing through ink cartridges like crazy! So I was hoping the fine community could help me come up with a better way of doing this thing. I've come up with three ideas myself:

1. Get a tablet PC and write on there. The problem is that the cheap versions of these things (like the T91) are still $500, and I'm not even sure how well these cheapies would work. Don't get me wrong, it would pay for itself pretty quickly, but I don't want to buy one and end up deciding it's too clunky to use.

2. Get a laser printer. Yeah, I'm still using just as much paper, but the toner is supposed to last a hell of a lot longer. Still, I've heard that the lower-end home laser printers chew through toner just as fast as an ink-jet using ink. If that's true, then I would need to drop a thousand bucks before seeing a benefit!

3. Get an old PDA. I seem to remember being pretty quick on the old handwriting things these suckers had, but I might be remembering wrong. I thought PDAs were basically dinosaurs and I could get one for super cheap on Ebay. Nope, they're just as expensive as they were six years ago. If it would work, I wouldn't mind paying for one, but it rubs me the wrong way to pay a premium for ancient technology, especially if I don't even know if using one is a viable option.

So those are my ideas -

Help me not turn into a hopeless Scrooge!

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 07:03:45 -0800

I rule at saving money, and suck at the alternative. Please help this frugal girl learn to spend her hard-earned cash without experiencing fits of anxiety. (I know this question might seem a bit ridiculous, but please bear with me.)

Here goes. Over the past five+ years I've managed to save up a decent chunk of cash. Around $40,000, to be more specific, with another $20,000 in retirement savings. I'm 26, so this means that in comparison to my debt-ridden friends, I'm pretty loaded. I have this money through a combination of factors - my parents helped pay for my post-secondary schooling, I worked hard at a good job for the last few years, have no car/mortgage/children/debt, and am generally pretty frugal in my day-to-day life.

This should be a good thing, but instead it's causing me no end of anxiety. I'm currently living abroad and teaching English part-time (on sabbatical from aforementioned job). I could have afforded to simply take a year off to travel, but for an anxiety-prone person this seemed like a bit too much free time on my hands. So the goal was to have the chance to travel and see more of the world, with some daily structure. And, presumably, to spend some of my savings on much-deserved rewards.

Instead I'm agonizing over price tags - whether to buy a dress I don't desperately need but like well enough, go out for dinner or eat at home, stay at a hostel when I travel or at a hotel, etc. It's a constant battle between being a total cheapo and the desire to spend in a worthwhile way, an inner debate on whether something will ultimately be worth the money, or a source of regret. The times I do buy anything remotely expensive (or even average-priced, vs. on sale), it tends to be a bit random and sometimes forced. $60,000 isn't crazy money, but it's more than a need day-to-day, and although I'm proud to have amassed this much, the result is that money has kind of lost its meaning for me. Prices feel arbitrary, and thus confusing.

None of my friends are in the same boat - most are living lives of necessary rather than voluntary frugality, given our meagre paychecks, which makes me even more cash-conscious. My savings are basically a secret, and I don't have a good reference point for what constitutes healthy spending.

I also have no specific goal in mind for this money. I'd like to do an MA some day, but not yet. I'd like to put a down-payment on a house, but later. I don't want a car or anything else with a sizable price tag. I'd be happy to invest my savings (and $20,000 is already invested), but the rates are so awful right now that it doesn't feel like I'm doing much of anything.

Any advice for how to be a healthy saver AND spender, or similar experiences? I'd really like my money to feel like a blessing, and not a burden. I know I could try making a budget, setting monthly allowances, etc, but in the past I've had a hard time sticking to rigid plans in part because my natural inclination is to spend less, which makes a budget feel like needless work. (I could also try to find wealthier friends, I suppose, but I'm a far cry from a trust fund baby, so I don't know if that would do much to engender healthy habits.)

No throwaway email, but I will send follow-up comments/responses to question to mathowie or jessamyn for posting. Thanks in advance.

Student Loans vs. Investing/Saving with a Twist

1901gunner — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:11:46 -0800

The paying back student loan vs. investing/saving question - but with a bit of a twist So, I graduated from college back in May, building up approximately $40k in private student loans from Sallie Mae. (Yes, I know; private loans are not the best choice, but I've become much better educated in personal finance now and more wary etc.)

However, thanks to good credit, my interest rate is pretty low (based off the Prime Rate and right now <3%). Nevertheless - it is a variable interest rate, and I imagine it will begin to rise in the somewhat near future.

Since my graduation, I've worked in a part-time job with good pay, and have found a very good full-time position I'm starting next month. Take home will be ~$2k/month, and I live in a very low-cost area.

I've already budgeted dedicating $500/month to paying off my student loan (minimum monthly payment about $270 right now, my grace period just ended).

I know people such as Suze Orman advocate not worrying about paying a whole lot more beyond the minimum when interest rate is low, but since my loan has a variable interest rate, I want to pay down enough before the interest rate becomes more sizable. At the same time, I'm investing in a Roth IRA and building an emergency fund, so I want to allocate sufficient funds there, as well.

My question: What would you do if you were in my shoes? Is $500/month reasonable? I'm not well versed in economics, so I'm not sure how easy it is to predict the Prime Rate's future (I've checked out a couple of forecast sites, but not sure how trustworthy they are)-- is there a certain percentage rate where I should start to look at finding a loan from a bank/credit union to move my student loans into at a fixed rate?

Other details: currently I am funding my Roth IRA at $100 every other week, which hits about half of the maximum limit for the year (but I would like to max it out once my full-time job starts). By the end of the year, I should have about $1,000 in my emergency fund. Also, I just don't like being in debt, and am motivated to pay my student loans off quickly, but reasonably.

Thanks so much in advance! I've been lurking on here for a while and thought some people here might have good guidance for an approach :)

Companies that bargain down your medical bills for you?

El Curioso — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:09:20 -0800

Have you ever used one of those companies that bargain down your medical bills, then take part of what they saved you as payment? I'm wondering if it's a legit service, and if so what kind of results you can expect.

A little extra cash each month

little_c — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:35:14 -0800

What would you do with an extra $600 a month? I'm about to move into a new position where I work, one that comes with more responsibility and more money.

I'm 26 years old with no kids and no mortgage. I've thought about paying down my student loans more, but not sure if that's the best idea in the short run (either it takes me 20 years to pay them off, or 15.. does it really matter?). I don't really know anything about investing (I have a 403b portfolio through work), or saving for that matter! I've thought about opening an ING savings account...

But I'm rambling.

What would YOU do with that extra money each month?

Student discount directory for the Arlington, TX area?

ShawnStruck — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:36:32 -0800

I'm starting my first day as a college frosh tomorrow. I want to take full advantage of everything the college experience has to offer-- like student discounts! But repeated Googling has failed me; I can't seem to find a directory of local business or events that offer student discounts! I live in Arlington, TX. Can the hive-mind point me towards any comprehensive directories for student discounts in the area?

Economics 101

thesailor — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:10:58 -0800

What is the difference between spending and consuming? And what is the meaning of "luxury goods"? I'm reading a very insightful book called In the Jaws of the Dragon by Eamonn Fingleton, basically about how Western leaders are idiots and that China is set to take over the world. The author talks about how significant East Asian savings will become, comparing it to the Age of Discovery. Then he goes onto say how East Asians are forced to save by their governments through clever policy which "suppresses consumption" but I'm having trouble comprehending the explanation. He writes:

"...there are several ways consumption can be suppressed. Sometimes the increased saving arises in the household sector, sometimes in the business sector. In the latter case often this occurs when artificially induced shortages of luxury goods generate huge profits for oligopolistic local suppliers. Provided such profits are reinvested, they count as part of the national savings rate. This helps explain the paradox that while the macroeconomic data indicate that East Asians under-consume, Western news media often run stories about big-spending East Asian shoppers who think nothing of paying exorbitant prices - far higher than in the West - for Louis Vuitton handbags or Rolex watches. The key point is that while it is easy in East Asia to spend (because prices of luxuries are so high), it is difficult to consume (because big spenders get so little for their money). The larger economic point is that suppressed consumption creates savings somewhere. Exactly where is secondary."

1) I don't think I understand the true meanings of "spending", "consuming", and "luxury goods", which leads to the questions:
2) Why is it easy to spend because prices of luxuries are so high? What is the relationship between "easy to spend" and "high prices of luxuries"?
3) When he says "it's difficult to consume because big spenders get so little for their money, does he mean that "consuming" means spending money on luxury goods?

Many thanks for you help!

How to get cash-back on credit cards, and other sweet deals?

idyllhands — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:00:03 -0800

My first credit card..looking for cash-back (and other sweet deals) I have never had a credit card before, and have basically no credit. I recently got a well-paying job, and am seeking recommendations for cards that offer cash back perks. I don't want to pay more than a few bucks in yearly fees, and plan on paying back everything I purchase immediately. I am just a penny-pincer, looking to make the most of my money =)
It seems most banks these days aren't offering any savings interest (a few tenths of a percent), so I figure this is one way to make some money (by saving on purchases). As a sub-question, I would appreciate any other ways to make my money work for me; I can put a few grand away for a year, but a few tenths of a percent interest doesn't really appeal to me...
I recently found out about Bing cashback, so am looking for other sweet deals like that as well.

Fun Money Sites & Games For Kids

maryh — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:25:36 -0800

My 7 year old son has developed a passion for money. He enjoys collecting unusual coins and bills, spotting bargains at the grocery, playing 'store' and (yikes) making bets for cash. His favorite character is Mr. Crabs. Finance is not my specialty *snort* so any suggestions for age appropriate sites/activities that revolve around the wise use of filthy lucre will be appreciated. My husband and I are both artsy, broke dopes when it comes to anything financial, so we're not exactly the go-to grownups when it comes to teaching a kid about commerce. I'm impressed by the kid's grasp of monetary value- he's a pretty critical consumer for a first grader- but he's also a bit of a gambler and a wheeler-dealer. I've overheard him making bets with his friends (25¢ heads, double or nothing tails, that sort of thing). Another mom recommended investing websites, but it seems the ones I'm finding are either geared toward older kids or their parents. A good investment game simple enough for a second grader would be right up his alley, if one exists.
I know there are plenty of financial wizard mefites out there; what inspired you when you were a sprout?

Better than a CD?

Anonymous — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:11:07 -0800

Saving for an engagement ring... Are there better options than a multi-year Certificate of Deposit? I'm looking for something safe, secure and higher yielding than a savings account. A 3 or 4 year CD seems like the best option, as it matches my time frame, but is there anything else out there that I might not be aware of that I should consider? General advice and tips welcome as well.

Cheap fun things for the weekend

lilyflower — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:01:34 -0800

What cheap/free things can a couple do for fun during afternoons/evenings/weekends? My husband and I are currently saving and have a small budget left over for fun (£100p/m or $150p/m). We are struggling for ideas on what we can do together that doesn't involve spending much if any money. We would like ideas on what we can do as a couple that is cheap or free in our spare time, which can be afternoons, evenings and weekends. For info we live in a flat (no garden) in a town (Hampshire, UK) and have a car to get around in. I would like us to have a balance of going out and staying in, always been in makes me restless!

So far I can think of picnics, going to the beach, walking in the woods, mini golf, flying a kite, body boarding when the waves are right (very infrequently), board games, cards, computer games, cycling, reading, listening to music, ... and then I get stuck for ideas! May seem like a lot, but it is starting to get a bit repetitive.

We aren't too fond of team sports, avoid crowded places, and prefer to be in places where children typically aren't!

Please help us so that we can save but still have a nice time together.

Outsourcing hard drive space. Y/N?

gnutron — Wed, 06 May 2009 10:45:46 -0800

Is there a way to batch download pictures from my Flickr account? How reliable is Flickr as a resource for saving photos? My wife uses our Flickr pro account extensively. There are currently over 4,400 photos in our stream. After uploading pictures to Flickr, she deletes the local copies on our computer. Having the sole copies of these pictures of family & friends exist only on Flickr's servers makes the little data geek in me slightly nervous. I'd hate for some catastrophic Flickr failure to cause us to permanently lose all these memories.

So....is there a way I can download these pictures (or a portion of these pictures) in a batch? There are obviously way too many photos to go one-by-one. Furthermore, how reliable is Flickr as a service that can be counted upon to store all our pictures? I imagine Yahoo's servers are more reliable than my PC and external HDD. Am I just being paranoid?

Screensaver Scheduler

edbyford — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 01:50:36 -0800

I want to only have my screensaver come on during certain parts of the day, but still want to have JKDefrag running. I have an LG Flatron LCD screen, and I have just discovered Rainmeter. So now I have a big fat clock (the SUPERCOLOSSAL skin) sitting on my desktop, which I'd like to be able to see all day.

BUT previously, I've had my screensaver set up to be JKDefrag, with it powering down my monitor after 30 mins (so that if I fall asleep while watching a movie, the screen isn't on all night).

So - what I would like is for my screensaver/power saving only to be active during the night (between, say, midnight and 8am). I don't think I can use Task Scheduler for this, as if I'm still using my computer at midnight, then it'll interrupt me - and if I start using it after midnight, when I stop using it I want the screensaver to run.

This is less important than the point above, but I would also like JKDefrag to be able to run throughout the day (when I'm not using my computer). I know I could use Task Scheduler to set it to run when idle, but that seems messy. Could I run it in the background/hidden?

Thanks in advance

Saving Money by Keeping Hot Water Heater on "Low"?

Andrea2880 — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:13:39 -0800

Am I saving myself money by turning my propane heater to "Low" when I'm not using hot water? I live alone, and usually only use hot water to shower, once a day. About 20 minutes before I take a shower, I turn it up only as hot as I need it, and turn it back to low before getting in the shower, as there is more than enough water for one shower, and I don't need it making me more hot water that's only going to get cold before tomorrow's shower.
I don't have laundry or a dishwasher, and after the shower there is usually enough hot (or at least warm) water left to do dishes if needed.

So am I really saving myself money by doing this? Or is it costing me money because once a day the water has to go from luke-warm to hot?

Is penny-wise pound-foolish with replacement filters?

daisyace — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:15:58 -0800

With some products, the off-brand is as good as any other brand, sometimes even coming off the same production lines in the same factories. With other products, there is a quality difference between brands. How about for replacement HEPA filters for a Kenmore air cleaner? (And, as a bonus, should I believe the warning against washing and reusing the charcoal pre-filters?) My Kenmore air filter has charcoal prefilters to replace every three months, and a HEPA filter to replace yearly. The Kenmore replacement HEPA filter is $110, while this aftermarket one, for example, is $68 including shipping. Both claim to capture 99.97% of particles down to .3 microns. I picked my air filter carefully based on reading about tested differences in performance, so I don't want to cheap out now if there's a quality difference, but I don't want to pay extra if there's not.

For the bonus question, the charcoal pre-filters come with the warning, "DO NOT try to wash and reuse either the HEPA filter or the pre-filter," but when I take out the pre-filters, they sure look like a good hosing off and a thorough drying in the sun might make them perfectly serviceable again. Would performance be degraded?

[iPhone Filter] Do I need to upgrade my plan?

brandoniain — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 21:42:06 -0800

iPhone 3G without 3G Plan? I have the first generation iPhone. I want the GPS functionality of the iPhone 3G but I don't need the 3G speeds or the excess monthly charges.

Can I buy a new iPhone, take the sim card out of my old iPhone, put it in the new one, and be good to go without having to activate or deal with a higher data price?

Secondly, is there a way/might I need to turn off the 3G functionality in the system prefs of the new iPhone?

Saving flash movies

lahersedor — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:01:18 -0800

I want to download flash movies from a particular website. Keepvid does not work since the custom flv player uses flashvars to identity the clip. This is a sample of the video that I want to download. Thanks for any tips.

I Can Haz Pierogies?

mrhaydel — Mon, 19 May 2008 07:46:52 -0800

Is anyone going to the Pierogi Fest this year? Has anyone ever been? The SO and I are considering making the trip up to the Chicago, IL/Whiting, IN area for the Pierogi Fest this year.

Airfare will certainly be our biggest expense, but I'm wondering if anyone is going this year, and has any ideas on how to save on all of the other expenses - that is, transportation, lodging, etc. We're willing to talk about sharing in any of these expenses if there are people wanting to.

We're in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area FWIW.

I'm also curious if anyone has gone to this particular festival before and has any tips - did you find that all 3 days were worth attending? What were the food prices like? Any must-sees/dos?

Thanks HiveMind!

What's the safest possible thing that I can do with my money?

Afroblanco — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:18:24 -0800

What's the safest possible thing that I can do with my money? Anyone who's seen me around the finance threads knows that I take bearishness to an extreme. Having witnessed the 2000 tech crash, I have no faith in the stock market or the US economy. I keep all of my money (USD) in a savings account. However, with the recent financial turmoil, I have a few questions :

1) Is it conceivable for the FDIC to fail?
2) If so, is there a place where I can put my money that will be safer than a savings account?
3) What's the safest, most risk-free way for me to save money and not get killed by inflation and the tanking US dollar?
4) If there is a safe way for me to save money and not be punished by inflation and the depreciating dollar, is there a way that I can do this without having to stress out and micromanage my finances? I don't want to be checking the finance page and making adjustments every day.

One thing that I must ask of you all - please do not turn this into a political debate. I know that issues of economics are often politically charged, but I ask you to please not address that aspect of the situation. Also, please take it easy on me. Even though I follow finance news, I've never done any investing or money management other than socking money away in my savings account. I'm a n00b, I admit it, so please don't talk down to me.

Any links to relevant articles or informational resources - especially those readable to the layman - will be appreciated.

Thank you.

This squash is a wash: I baked a pumpkin pie without sugar!

unixrat — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 23:33:42 -0800

Fresh off of making chicken that was too hot to eat, my wife and I have baked a pumpkin pie that has no sugar in it. Before you take away my spatula, please help me rescue what's left... Okay, no excuses but this concoction came to be due to two circumstances: (a) A pregnant wife who really, really wanted pumpkin pie in March and (b) an important phone call during the mixing process.

Anyways, we now have 7/8th of a large, perfectly cooked pumpkin pie sitting in the fridge. It's... very bland and what isn't bland is squash-flavored. I can eat squash, but I doubt that I can do two pounds of cold, bland pumpkin and the wife won't go near it in it's present state.

I have pretty much every major utensil and food-stuff available and am pretty deft (and daft, apparently) in the kitchen. I have no problem throwing away the crust, so feel free to suggest something from your bevy of "reused sugarless pie filling" recipes. I beseech thee, Julia Children of AskMefi: Can this pumpkin be saved?

How do I grocery shop and cook?

pedmands — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:41:48 -0800

I've been living on my own for about five years now, but I still cannot for the life of me understand grocery shopping. I've tried buying the staples, easy-to-cook meals, and even specific recipes. But I always end up ordering take out after a week. I know that one needs to grocery shop about once a week to replenish the perishables, etc. But I never feel like I'm buying the right things, that I have staple supplies at the ready, that I have a decent 'kitchen'.

I want to start eating healthier, as I wholly believe it contributes to a better life all-around. But eating take out 95% of the time leaves little room for this.

I've tried compiling a book of recipes that focus on healthy eating, but these recipes are so damned expensive and call for such specific things that I have all but given up on their conception.

So what I'm really asking is, what advice do the experienced MeFites have when it comes to grocery shopping and putting together a seven-nights-a-week meal plan? What should I expect to spend (I thought it was supposed to save money)? Where do I begin?

I'm overwhelmed with it, hope the hive mind can help. Thanks.

When is the best time to buy a vacation package to get the best deal?

sevenyearlurk — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 06:25:18 -0800

When is the best time to buy a vacation package to get the best deal? A friend and I are planning a week's all-inclusive resort vacation for March, and we're starting to get psyched out trying to figure out when to pull the trigger and buy the tickets to get the best deal. We missed one good deal already, and now it seems like the number of options available are rapidly diminishing and increasing in price. Can we expect prices to fall again closer to the travel date? We're flexible enough to be okay with last-minute options but worried that these much-ballyhooed last-minute deals might be more myth than reality. If it matters, we're in Toronto hoping to go to the Mayan riviera in Mexico but we'd consider going somewhere else if a great deal came up.

Download flash based games?

bbranden1 — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 14:30:37 -0800

USAToday has embedded crosswords in Adobe .swf format: Is there any way to save these to my computer for later offline use? I tried Amazing Media Browser but it wants to re-download the game when I try to work the crossword.

Is quitting my job crazy?

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 07:42:24 -0800

Is it crazy to consider quitting my job? I'm giving myself a deadline of four months so I have time to prepare. I really hate my current job, where I've been for a year and a half. It's far away from friends and family, it's not what I expected I'd be doing, and my boss has been reluctant (to say the least) at talk of me switching to a different division. Since I've been here, I've gained 40 pounds, an ulcer, and $13,000 in credit card debt. I've been job-hunting for a few months and despite several promising interviews, haven't gotten any offers. I recently was turned down for a position in a city where I lived for five years and have lots of friends; it's much closer to my family as well. I was sure I'd get the offer and was quite devastated to learn otherwise (to the point where I was idly thinking about suicide at the thought of having to work here for any more months. Only idly, mind you--please leave comments about my mental state out of this).

So basically, I'm miserable in my current job. I'm starting to consider quitting within the next few months and moving to the city where I'd like to be--I'd try to save some money, only pay the minimum on my debts, etc--and temping until I find a real job. I'm actually in such despair over my current situation that I'm willing to give up my career entirely (even though I've loved it at past jobs).

I guess I'm looking for advice on packing up and moving to a new city with no job prospects. I would have about four months to prepare going by my current timeline. What's the best way to save up a bunch of money? How much should I try and save? I currently have no savings to speak of and I don't want to touch my retirement funds.

Is this totally insane? Should I suck it up and keep working at a job that makes me miserable? (In theory I could even have a new job in four months, but I'm not willing to count on that.)

What's a good bank without lots of CDO/ABCP/etc exposure?

paul_smatatoes — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:56:19 -0800

Which major American bank is least-sketchy right now? I'm thinking about switching and I don't want to reward bad management. If it helps, someone with good presence in the greater NYC area would be best. By "least sketchy", I guess I mean "having the least to do with the M-LEC and/or CDOs, ABCP, etc.", so no Chase, Bank of America, or Citibank. I'm open to online banks, I guess, if the deal is good.