Spend money to save money???

[FarmerChick]

Where do you draw the line at spending money to save money?

I have noticed I buy more things "just to save money" in the long run. I am going to stop that NOW.

My Dad's old saying is----to save money you DON'T spend money....So true and I have gotten away from that.

Does anyone get that feeling sometimes that they are spending money to save money and it isn't a good thing?????

Example is while in Lowes to ONLY buy my CFL bulbs, we spotted a BBQ on sale from $300 to $189....while a great deal for what it was, and ours is dying but not dead yet, Tony wanted it....I said nope. But then I think in the car, hmm...good deal and I need one anyway probably next year....hmmm...then I think, but I am going camping next week and need money...hmmm...so no buy! But I hate the "what if" I can't get that good of a deal next season....OH WELL....LOL---worry about that deal when it happens..LOL

doesn't it get old being in a quandry when to spend, how much to spend to save, etc. etc.

just rambling and wondering what ya'll think!

 

[attack-cat]

I can relate! I used to go down the clearance isle at Walmart and pick up little goodies. Now I take my list of what I need and go to those isles that have items I need and I avoid the goody rows. But recently Walmart has caught on to the trick of avoiding the clearance isle and started putting things on racks with big clearance signs up by the registers. There were some curtains that would have been soooooooooooooo pretty in the kitchen the other day. But mine still work and I really don't need new ones so I left them.

And at the end of summer sale they had those wonderful wood benches with the wrought iron ends on clearance. I left it. The fold out chairs work just fine. But I sure wanted to get a bench! Maybe next year at the end of summer.

 

[annmarie]

I can totally relate! This past summer, ever since I've tried to really focus on self-sufficiency, I've had to buy all my canning equipment, then of course I needed a blender/food processor to make tomato sauce, apple sauce, pesto, soups, etc., then of course I needed to buy a crock pot so I could save lots of money and time, plus a magazine subscription to learn more about self-sufficiency, plus a cookbook for the crock pot. Self sufficiency sure is expensive!!!

 

[FarmerChick]

Self sufficiency sure is expensive!!!

*******annmarie you sure had me laughing on this statement....so true. Sometimes we can't recycle or re-use to make things cheap....we gotta buy! LOL

 

[FarmerChick]

oh attack cat----curtains I can pass up but that bench I am sure I would want also. I love all "cutsy" nice outdoor stuff like that....I want an outside fountain to replace my old birdbath....but I am not spending the money on it, yet I want it sooooo bad. Again, something I can live without....yea, like you, maybe next year!

 

[roosmom]

I just went tothe store. I needed spag sauce-on sale 4 - 4.98, spag noodles 3 2lb boxes - 4.00, and zip lock bags 4 - 4.98. I bought all the deals but I felt like I spent lots of money. WE dont even eat spaghetti often, maybe one every two months. sigh.

 

[Cassandra]

Apparently there is practically no limit to what I will spend to save money!

John was ribbing me last night about buying a meat grinder.... One day, it will pay for itself (at $20 that shouldn't be hard!) And the chickens... geeze, I have spent a fortune on them. They'll have to lay eggs for 20 years to pay for themselves. And I haven't even kept up with how much money I have spent on canning/preserving equipment. Wow... and garden equipment.......

Yet, our grocery bill has been about the same.

still... at least I'm not spending money on purses or shoes...

LOL

Cassandra

 

[pioneergirl]

I guess I always say "ok, the start up is the worst, the rest is cheap" when it comes to projects like canning, quilting, etc. That seems to help justify some of it, lol.

But I guess I'm like a lot of you, I try to think, "Ok, can I use it? Will it do something helpful? Do I NEED it? " Those seem to help me say NO, LOL

I will admit, its hard to pass up some deals, and lately, I've been glad I took advantage of them...i.e. food!

 

[Dace]

After years of being self employed I definitely believe that you have to spend in order to save.....when we have money I stock up because it is inevitable that we will hit a dry spell and it saves my butt that I have stocked up.
Plus I buy things on sale with coupons, so if I find a good deal on pasta I will load up knowing that I will not have to pay full price because I have enough to last me until I find the next good sale.

I guess what keeps me on the right path is being very clear about need items vs want items...that is where you can get into trouble!
Do I WANT new jeans?
Yeah. Are they a good price? Yeah.
Do I NEED new jeans? No.

 

[attack-cat]

I'll let you gals in on my secret shopping place ................ www.shopgoodwill.com check what postage will be before you bid! But you can get great stuff cheap! I bought a great big Mirro canner still in the box for 9.00 for a friend of ours that wanted a canner. New never worn boots for 4.95! A couple of camo rain coats (one for hubby and one for me) 3.95 for both!

FarmerChick, my curtains are only valances and I recently wandered into the kitchen wearing a bath towel and green fuzzy houseshoes and the UPS man was standing at the kitchen door. I so wanted longer curtains that could hide my quick dash into the other room! He left the package and I have avoided him ever since! I send hubby to the door or pretend to not be home!

Roosmom, sales are the only way to shop! I used to make lasagna and freeze it but I lost the recipe and can't find another really easy one! The one I had used spaghetti sauce with meat in it. I hate putting things in a "safe spot" where I know I can find it later. I'm still trying to find a key to a lock that I really need to find. I've been looking for about 6 months now. Where ever it is ..... it is very safe!!! Who knows ..... it might be with my recipe! I lost a recipe to a tamale pie that was really easy to. It had a can of olives, a can of corn and some kind of topping of corn meal. I think I put some brain cells somewhere safe many years ago. Boy I'd like to have those back!!!