Category Archives: Frugality

Frugal Activities

Frugally Saving Money By Taking Advantage Of A Very Unusual Opportunity

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Roadkill is not what I consider a treasure, but this was not the case with a guy I use to work with!

The Frugal Practice of Eating Roadkill

Over decade ago, when I was working as an unskilled construction laborer, I was riding in the truck with my more skilled counterpart going to a remote job when all of a sudden, he slammed on the brakes.  This sudden stop broke me from my half sleep-like state (It was round 6:30am), and I asked what up.  But my more skill counterpart didn’t say anything and was already out of his driver door.  I watched in the mirrors to see what he was going.

I was shocked when he started checking out a deer, and hoisted it into the cab of his truck.  I had no idea why he was doing this.  He then got into the truck and told me that we are going to make a side trip on our way to the job site that we were suppose to work at.  He then proceeded to drive me another 10 minutes until we got to his house (I could hear the violin and banjo playing from the movie Deliverance the entire time), then he took the somewhat freshly killed deer out of his truck and up to his house.  He went into the house for a few minutes, then returned back and we were back on the road heading to the construction job that we supposed to go to.

It turns out that the area that we were in was very close to his house, and seeing the freshly killed deer alongside the road was an opportunity that my co-worker didn’t want to pass up.  While I didn’t want to criticize him, I posed the question of how safe it would be to eat the animal.  He that’s when he told me his logic:

The hunting season was almost over and he didn’t fulfill his quota that he was allowed to get, so he saw this as an opportunity to get one more “kill” that he could claim.  Apparently his family loves deer meat.

He then told me that he drove up this road earlier to pick me up, and the deer wasn’t on the road at that point.  This means that the deer was freshly killed, and not necessarily by a car.  Sometimes a hunter will shoot a deer, but it will continue to live running away for sometimes miles before falling.  He then told me that this was the case in this example (although, I don’t know if I believe though, nor the quota explanation either for that matter).

The Reasons this was Frugal:

While I wouldn’t have done the same as my older construction co-worker, throughout the day I found myself thinking back to his actions, and I started to see the logic and benefit of what he did.  Here are the key points to consider:

  • Had the older construction hunter not stopped and picked up the deer, it would have been wasted and possible rotting along side the road for weeks.
  • Since his family would both prepare and eat the meat, it was probably equivalent to finding a couple of hundred dollars or more laying along side of the road.  If I saw $300 laying along the side of the road, I would definitely have stopped to pick it up.
  • Since the kill  was fresh, he was able to get it back to his family where they could clean and dress the meat.  He told me that they also had grinders at his home and they would ground up the meat effectively fully utilizing the deer meat (or venison if you will).
  • He explained to me how they have a freezer and would freeze the meat for later consumption over the next month or so.

Honestly, at first I was quite repulsed by his actions, especially considering he had a crazy look in his eyes as he was going so, but now I realize how unconventionally frugal his actions were.  I didn’t know of the word frugal or frugality back then but his actions were definitely in that money saving camp.

So now, today I look back and applaud him instead of look down on his activities.  And I think both frugal and green folks would do the same.

What do you think of the older worker’s frugal and unconventional method to save money?

MR

Being Too Frugal Almost Got Me Arrested

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Frugal During College

Sometimes, I was too frugal back in my college days.

Since money was tight back then, my friends and I were always looking to do things on the cheap!

Back then, my friends and I all worked out regularly.  My best friend (at the time) and I were especially into fitness and our appearance.  We routinely worked out and not to brag, but we looked pretty good.  Well, one year along came spring break and neither of us can afford to go.

Since we didn’t want to look like we didn’t go somewhere, we decide to try and get a tan during spring break.  There were three of us that couldn’t afford to go anywhere that year.  Well, my one friend Matt decided that he wanted to sunbath on the roof of the dorm that we were staying at.

So we strolled up to the door, and it was locked.  Now, that was enough for me to start back the way we came, and that’s what I started to do, at least until I heard the loud crash.  Lo and behold, Matt (who is build like the comic book version of the juggernaut) kicked the steel door open. Both my best friend and I looked at each other, shook our heads, then went through the door to the outside with Matt.

Being Too Frugal Did Get Other Friends Arrest

While neither my best friend nor I was into the stupid act of kicking the door open, we figured, hey we’re here…  So we all went out in 40 to 50 degree weather to sunbath (we just took off our shirts, we were already wearing workout short).  After 20 minutes, I wimped out and went back to my dorm room.  We did this for the entire week, with me going out the least.  My friends, while freezing out on the roof, managed to stay out in the cold for 45 minutes sessions. 

At the end of the week, then they told me something interesting.  After they were done and coming in out of the cold, they saw some other guys coming up.  Matt told the other guys what we were doing but obviously didn’t tell them he kicked in the door.  The other guys were friends with us too, but not very close.  Well they decided that they liked the idea too, and got towels and a radio so they could sunbath too.

Unfortunately, the security guard came around, and they left the door ajar slightly and with a small portable radio playing… well he caught them, and they got busted.  I’m not sure of the exact details, but I think the police were involved, but the boys that were caught were just made to pay the damages to the door.  My friend that kicked in the door also payed a percentage of the cost of the door, but he wasn’t arrested, he just felt guilty.

If we just went to the tanning beds, it would have been the safest route to get a tan so that we wouldn’t be outcast in our social group, and looked good for those tanned girls coming back from spring break.  Ironically, the door upstairs was never the same and could be opened with a bit of work.  I didn’t want anything to do with that door after the sunbathing session on the roof, but that didn’t stop my friends…

If I were one of the boys caught it would have been a large expense that I didn’t want to pay, not to mention potential vandalism charges!

Have you ever done stupid things to save a buck?

Cheers,

MR

Frugal Confessions: I Do Not Own a Cell Phone

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Before I begin this confession, let me give a shout out to Amanda at Frugal Confessions!  Her blog is about all kind of frugal activities and smart money management in general!  Since meeting her in person at FinCon11, I can honestly say she’s is a truly beautiful individual inside and out!

Apple iPhone

Smart devices make it possible

I Don’t Own a Cell Phone!

Actually I have never owned a cell phone!  Now people that know me see me with a cell phone in a holster at my side at all times.  To be completely honest, I would feel kind of naked without that silly phone bouncing on my side like I’m toting a gun…  Yet, while I carry a cell phone, I don’t own it!  It’s a company phone…  All of my cell phones have been company phones.

At one time to encourage employee’s to always have their phone on them, my employer would buy phone and tell everybody that it was okay to use them for personal use too (if it’s not done too much).  So for over the past decade, that is what I’ve done.  I’m sure I’ve saved thousands of dollars in the process.  But times have changed…

Why I Now Need a Cell Phone…

I was raised frugally, so the only time I buy something expensive is when I absolutely need it.

So, the question is… “Do I absolutely need it now?”

No, not yet, but I know eventually I will need one!  The evolution of this blog mandates that I become a more actively social person.  Much to my surprise, I enjoy the social aspect…  It’s grown on me lately (probably because of meeting so many great people at fincon11).  So now I get by with Google Voice and Skype, but eventually I’ll need a smart phone too.

What Cell Phone Would I Buy:

Any cell phone beats nothing, but probably a droid or a iPhone…  What even type of phone I buy, I need internet access so I can tweet and check my email at a drop of a dime!  I might even bypass a phone all together and buy an Apple iPad instead.  Then again, perhaps I’ll just take my son’s old iPod touch when it’s time to get him the newest model (being frugal, this is probably what I will do).

What do you think?  Is a smart phone (cell phone) necessary?  Or are you fine without?

Cell Phoneless me,

MR

Saving Money On Lattes

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I really enjoy lattes, whether they are from Starbucks, Arabica or McDonalds.

Yes McDonalds!  While the lattes from McDonalds aren’t as good as Starbucks, they are still very good, but are they worth it?  I drive past McDonalds on the way to work, so naturally, I’ll go thru the drive-thru for a quick liquid treat in the morning occasionally.

Lately, I’ve been getting a small coffee with two creams, and ironically, this combo isn’t that far off from a regular latte (at least from McDonalds).  The different is the price, the small coffee with two creams is half the price of a latte.  So I have taken it upon myself to switch to the small coffee with two creams for my occasional treat instead of the slightly better, more expensive latte.

After thinking about it, a latte is just coffee with steammed milk.  But just because it’s steamed doesn’t make it that far off from a coffee with a decent amount of cream in it.  Oh sure, I’m missing out on the foam, but does that really make the coffee worth twice as much?  I’ve decided not!

While I have the craving for McDonald’s latte under control, I still find myself getting a latte at Starbuck whenever I’m near one.  Luckily, to get to Starbucks, I have to drive out of my way to get there, so it’s not as tempting as McDonalds.

After thinking about it, do you think lattes are worth the extra money versus a coffee with two or three creams?

MR