Various ways to live life and save money?

[Pullstart 63,529]

We all know there’s 20% off coupons every three days from Harbor Freight, 11% rebate sales at Menards year round (that place gives me heebie jeebies!), etc.  does anyone have methods to save money on a regular basis, by doing what they like?

 

Mrs. P’s cousin told her about this free app called Get Upside.  You enter a portion of your credit card number (sounds sketchy already) and check in to places you plan to shop.  Most often, it’s used for fuel,  it there are big discounts/returns in store as well.  The supporting store pays the app company to advertise on their behalf.  For example, there are four gas stations in the neighboring town… all on the main drag.  We typically use the one at the grocery store, but the BP next to the car dealer supports get upside.  If we fill up there, we can get big returns in a quick hurry.  Especially when we can dump $100 filling up her new Suburban.  So far, there have actually been monies returned into our account and it actually works.  
 

I’d rather do cash transactions, but using the debit or a credit card is the only way this works.  Anyone else have tips and tricks to keep the money in their pockets?

[WHX?? 49,917]

1 minute ago, Pullstart said:

tips and tricks to keep the money in their pockets?

Yep maybe not the best option but quit buying tractors... 

[Pullstart 63,529]

1 minute ago, WHX?? said:

Yep maybe not the best option but quit buying tractors... 

 

Maybe this thread is intended to build up a bigger tractor budget?

[SylvanLakeWH 26,587]

1. Put everything on a CC that has cash back rewards. Then pay it off totally automatically each month. Depending on card and what you buy, 1, 2, 3 or 4 % cash back on everything…

 

2. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need. By definition this excludes …

 

(which I can afford because I follow both rules above).

[Pullstart 63,529]

Does anyone travel often?  We recently purchased a travel membership because we don’t see that slowing down any time soon.  I don’t understand the entirety, but I have an offer to extend 50% of our savings to anyone with a name, country of residence and email.  Since we’ve been to Mexico twice in 12 months, Germany 4 times previously, a couple cruises, etc… it pretty much covers every type of travel including transportation.  

[Rusty Tinsnips 477]

We use a credit card with good "rewards" to pay for everything, like phone bill, energy bill, groceries etc. Pay it off every month. Got a free tv and some good luggage with the rewards.

[AMC RULES 37,144]

Stop spending it.

[Tractorhead 9,065]

Never used any of the offered „rebatte code“ before.

who will give you any gifts except a few friends, they be in office to sell things, that simple.

Mostly they added the rebatte before on top, that are basic dealer tricks to sell more.

 

I just can speak for my own experiences, so i just take a closer look of things i be interested in

and estimate what they be worth for me or how urgent i need them.

Than i compare few known stores who has a reasonable price.

If it fit‘s into my personal estimations i simply buy it, if it ain't, no rebatte code is a decision maker for me either.

 

 

[Gregor 4,847]

My wife gets a LOT of 11% rebate checks from Menards. It could be if we quit going to Menards, we could save 100% of it.  For those of you who don't know Menards, big box store in the midwest. Like Lowes, or Home Depot.

[Pullstart 63,529]

30 minutes ago, AMC RULES said:

Stop spending it.

 

 I see the allure of not having monetary things or spending for entertainment or vacations, but we can’t take it with us… might as well enjoy it.  I’m just looking or sharing ways to get kick backs, discounts and otherwise 

[Pullstart 63,529]

1 minute ago, Gregor said:

My wife gets a LOT of 11% rebate checks from Menards. It could be if we quit going to Menards, we could save 100% of it.  For those of you who don't know Menards, big box store in the midwest. Like Lowes, or Home Depot.

and the 11% rebate spent in store qualifies for 11% rebates!  

[Gregor 4,847]

1 hour ago, Pullstart said:

anyone have methods to save money on a regular basis

I started making my own cigaretts. $12 per carton, as opposed to $92. At 1 carton every 4 - 5 days, that's a lot. I KNOW  I KNOW................

[Rusty Tinsnips 477]

9 minutes ago, Gregor said:

My wife gets a LOT of 11% rebate checks from Menards

My couch was purchased with Menards rebates. Wait, doesn't everybody shop for their furniture at Menards?

[oldredrider 2,553]

10 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

 

 I see the allure of not having monetary things or spending for entertainment or vacations, but we can’t take it with us… might as well enjoy it.  I’m just looking or sharing ways to get kick backs, discounts and otherwise 

Send me your money and in return, I will send you ALL the good Karma you deserve!!!

[Gregor 4,847]

7 minutes ago, Rusty Tinsnips said:

My couch was purchased with Menards rebates. Wait, doesn't everybody shop for their furniture at Menards?

No one west of Iowa, south of Illinois, or east of Ohio does.  Unless they travel.

[WHX?? 49,917]

2 hours ago, Pullstart said:

(that place gives me heebie jeebies!),

Why is that Kev? I love going there as long as I don't have to deal with some employees ... Yah I know can't find good help! 

[Pullstart 63,529]

16 minutes ago, Rusty Tinsnips said:

doesn't everybody shop for their furniture at Menards?

 

 

Yeah, it’s right next to the ribs, toilet bowl cleaner and lumber!

 

5 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Why is that Kev? I love going there as long as I don't have to deal with some employees ... Yah I know can't find good help! 

 

I’m an Orange box store guy.  I know where to find everything I need or how to look for it.  Menards employees can find their head with their scratchin’ finger and that’s about it.

[Mikey the Monkey 697]

Kevin the greatest thing you could do in my opinion you have recently done. Unload the car payments. Now that you have done that start making a car payment to yourself in a savings account so that next time you have to buy a vehicle you have the cash. 

We don't have a credit card only debit cards. I don't know much about rewards programs but I feel they are designed to get people to feel better about spending, so they spend more money. 

Finally, I have been self employed for 11 years and I have no pension, So I started a roth IRA. That is very easy to do if you haven't already. I promise you will never regret doing that. Sorry I've gone off topic but it's one of my things I like to preach about. 

[Gregor 4,847]

5 minutes ago, Mikey the Monkey said:

So I started a roth IRA.

I was self employed for 40 years. Without an IRA, I could not afford to fart.

[Pullstart 63,529]

2 minutes ago, Mikey the Monkey said:

Preach about

AMEN BROTHER! 

 

We are very happy to have no auto payments.  We’re working hard to catch everything else up now too.  As for credit card perks, I couldn’t agree more.  We have began retirement funds as well and are thankful for that.  Luckily, our last big purchase this year was the land next door.  Dirt doesn’t much get manufactured any more, that’s been an obsolete unsupported product for a while.  If we can shake it, it’ll be a great retirement even for our kids or at least their first properties.

[Snoopy11 5,717]

 

1 hour ago, Mikey the Monkey said:

Unload the car payments

Yep, that's why I like old cars... I can buy an old Ford for 1,500 and make it faster.... louder... newer... and nicer... without a 500$ payment... 

 

Don

[Snoopy11 5,717]

2 hours ago, Pullstart said:

I’m just looking or sharing ways to get kick backs, discounts and otherwise

Lowes gives 10% for vets and first responders. I get 10% off all purchases for that. 

 

Don

[ebinmaine 69,707]

Buy in bulk and/or buy online when it makes cents sense. 

 

I absolutely believe in supporting the local market whenever possible. "Local"  to me includes the vendors on this site even though they aren't physically local.

 

There are times when that just does not make cents sense. 

 

If it's only a few dollars. Fine. If it's a lot, I have to default to the lower price.

 

To that end, I've also started trying a little harder to eliminate flea Bay and the jungle site purchases and buy direct from a vendor so they get the profit in full.

 

As far as bulk goes, look at your fleet of tractors for instance. Air filters, spark plugs, points, fuel line, things that get replaced often.

If you buy one air filter you might spend $12 to $15. If you buy three or five air filters you might spend 9 to $12 each. So you spend a little more money in the beginning but you saved it in the long run.

 

I keep a selection of nuts and bolts, clips, whatever other hardware I use often.

 

If I put a tractor to parts, I try to remember what is on that that would be reusable or resellable for another member if it isn't any good for me for another tractor.

 

 

I would absolutely love to have no car payment but for Trina and I it just does not make financial sense. Both of us drive 24,000 to 26,000 miles a year. Each.

If I was going to buy a car and then resell it after a year then maybe I could get away with no payments but then I would have to go through the extremely irritating process of buying and selling all over again....

My old Ford now? That's not going anywhere. So on that one I shopped a little bit more and I got closer to what I wanted because it isn't considered disposable to me like our daily commuters are.

 

 

[Snoopy11 5,717]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

To that end, I've also started trying a little harder to eliminate flea Bay and the jungle site purchases and buy direct from a vendor so they get the profit in full.

I would agree. BUT... think about this:

 

Vendor wanted 50$ for a coil for my recent project.

 

Guy on Ebay wanted 35$

 

Who am I going to buy from...? Who would YOU buy from?

 

Having previous experience tells me that it is the exact same coil whether I buy it from the guy on ebay or from the vendor. 

 

I will buy from Ebay... 

 

Don

[Gregor 4,847]

6 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I would absolutely love to have no car payment

My wife and I have "our" money. She doesn't have her money, and I don't have my money, it's OUR money. I do know a couple who operate under the mine and yours criteria. When she buys a car, she buys new, and finances. She buys a car every 4-5 years. At least she did when she was driving 70 miles round trip to work every day. She has been retired 2 years now. Has a 2021 van. I on the other hand buy slightly used, and pay cash. I just prefer it that way. I have a 2012 Titan, bought in Jan 2013, with 7500 miles on it. The odometer reads

It does not get driven much. Until this fever took hold, it never even sat outside. Unless something drastic happens, this truck will last me until I no longer need a truck, car, tractor, mower, or a computer. Just a TV, a remote, and a towel to drool in. What does an old man smell like?  Depends.......