Frugal February 2014

[Dave Gray]

I am doing Frugal February again.  If any of you want to join me, here are the rules:

1) Create a monthly budget.
2) Track every cent spent on a ledger.
3) No clothing or accessory purchases allowed.
4) No eating at restaurants or ordering in (means packing your lunch every day)
5) No drinking out.
6) No impulse purchases.

Last year, I did very well and saved quite a bit of money.  This year, I'm making a few exceptions, which I will budget for.  My brother is visiting, so I will go out with him while he's here.  It's also my wife's birthday and I will take her out to dinner.  But I plan on not spending frivolously.

[Brian Fein]

I want to participate.  I do a lot of this already anyway (1, 2, and usually 3 and 6).  How do we hold each other accountable?  Honor system?  Do we get to buy things like groceries?  Just not restaurants? 

Packing lunch every day is going to be the hardest part.  So far, so good this week...

[Dave Gray]

I want to participate.  I do a lot of this already anyway (1, 2, and usually 3 and 6).

I encourage you to look at this same thread from last year.  You said the same thing (that you already do these things), but in the follow-up, you talked about how you ended up spending a bunch of money throughout the month.  So, I think a lot of people think they do these things, but when confronted with hard and fast rules, they end up realizing that they spend more than they think.

How do we hold each other accountable?  Honor system?  Do we get to buy things like groceries?  Just not restaurants? 

You hold yourself accountable + we'll talk about it in this thread.  If you want to go to a restaurant and lie about it, that's on you.  You are allowed to go shopping for groceries, of course.  You can buy things.  ...just not impulse buys or things that have a premium price tag for convenience (like restaurant food or served booze).

Packing lunch every day is going to be the hardest part.  So far, so good this week...

Good.  It's a start.

Have you done the budget yet?  That's helpful.  Also, starting the ledger, so that you can see what you're spending is helpful.  So far, I've spend $10 this month on Super Bowl Squares.  That's it...but it's only been 4 days.

[Phishfan]

How do we hold each other accountable? 

I don't see why anyone would bother cheating since Dave has cheated once already (SB squares) and admits he will cheat at least twice more (going out with brother & wife) before we have even finished a week. 

[Dave Gray]

I don't see why anyone would bother cheating since Dave has cheated once already (SB squares) and admits he will cheat at least twice more (going out with brother & wife) before we have even finished a week. 

SB squares isn't cheating, so long as it was a planned expense (which it was).  Now, I won't be doing any more gambling throughout the month, because I haven't budgeted it.  But it's also a matter of setting your own rules to live within reason.  This is just the starting guideline.

[Brian Fein]

To me, a budget doesn't help.  I can budget to spend 3 million dollars in February but because I planned for it, that makes it OK?  I'm not saving any money at that point for sure.   

I have a budget, I try to follow it every month.  Sometimes I go over, sometimes under, but for most categories, I'm spot-on on average over the course of a year.

I think what you mean is to plan and predict what you're going to spend and don't exceed that.  However, where I struggle is typically unplanned expenses like doctor visits or auto repairs.  Without fail, every month, it seems there is 1 or 2 big (couple hundred dollars) expenses that are unplanned and unavoidable.

So, yes, I have tracked every penny I've spent and received since 1997.  So what? 

Moreover the part I want to focus on is the "no eating out" thing, but occasionally convenience has to win out.  For example, I have tickets to the Panthers tomorrow night.  I typically go to the arena straight from work.  Am I expected to cook dinner at 8 AM and bring it to work with me?  How would you handle that?

[Dave Gray]

To me, a budget doesn't help.  I can budget to spend 3 million dollars in February but because I planned for it, that makes it OK?  I'm not saving any money at that point for sure.  

I have a budget, I try to follow it every month.  Sometimes I go over, sometimes under, but for most categories, I'm spot-on on average over the course of a year.

If you already have a budget that you're happy with, great.  Maybe that part won't help you.  I'm guessing that many people spend and don't really realize how much they're spending.

I think what you mean is to plan and predict what you're going to spend and don't exceed that. 

No, not really.  It's not to make you stick under that.  It's more to realize what you spend.  If you think that you spend 400 on groceries, but you compare your spending and see that you actually spend 600, maybe there is an opportunity to adjust your budget or change those particular habits.

--------

I spent $6 today.  I bought a new A/C adapter for my old modem.  I went over my cable/internet bill that was under a limited promotion that was ending.  My bill was increasing by $30.  Instead, I removed and changed some things and got a new promotion.  Doing this will allow me to use my old modem again and not have to pay the $8/monthly rental fee.

I'm still a bit bent that I'm renting a cable box from the cable company.  The regular monthly price (which I'm not paying at the moment) is $18/month to rent.  We have 2 boxes.  That's $36 to rent equipment, which is just dumb.  I imagine the cost of the box is less than $200. 

I'm going to do some research and see if I can replace one of the boxes with some 3rd party equipment.

[Brian Fein]

Ask your cable company if you can get CableCARDs and then you can purchase a Tivo and use it as a cable box/DVR.  Of course then you have to pay for Tivo service, but often the CableCARD is free.  So it would cost reduce your equipment by half and instead of paying rental you'd be paying for a service.

Personally, I think the cable company should give you boxes for free because you cannot use their service without them.  It should be included in the cost of the plan.  (Sometimes they are, check your plan details, they won't volunteer it).

[Dave Gray]

Ask your cable company if you can get CableCARDs and then you can purchase a Tivo and use it as a cable box/DVR.  Of course then you have to pay for Tivo service, but often the CableCARD is free.  So it would cost reduce your equipment by half and instead of paying rental you'd be paying for a service.

I'm still not too keen on paying a monthly fee for a service.  What's stopping me from, say, contacting the distributor of the box that comcast uses and just utilizing the same box, but one that I own?

[Brian Fein]

^^ Probably nothing.  Best buy used to sell those boxes.  Not sure if they still do.  You can probably buy compatible ones on Amazon.  Here's one that I had before I gave it back, a basic converter:
http://www.amazon.com/Comcast-Motorola-Digital-Converter-DCT2500/dp/B000P962S0/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1391709175&sr=8-8&keywords=motorola+comcast+hd+dvr

And here's the DVR version I have now:

http://www.dvrcableboxes.com/MotorolaDCH3416.html

Its just a matter of paying the $250 up front and, if it ever has a problem, you buy another one instead of them bringing you a new one for free.  I can tell you that, for me, my HD-DVR broke after about 4 years.  If I had to go spend $250 instead of just making a phone call, I might be pretty miffed.

Besides, Comcast made it very clear to me, after many months of fighting with them, that the fee I pay on my cable bill is NOT for lease of the cable box, but rather for the service going TO the cable box.  So, potentially, they could tell you that, even though you have your own box, they are still going to charge you.

[Dave Gray]

Besides, Comcast made it very clear to me, after many months of fighting with them, that the fee I pay on my cable bill is NOT for lease of the cable box, but rather for the service going TO the cable box.

I believe it.  But it's bullshit.  It says right on the bill "HD DVR Rental" for each box you have.

I find it hard to justify paying $35 a month to have a channel listing appear on 2 boxes.

This whole thing is a racket.

[Brian Fein]

^^ it sure is.  I hate Comcast with a passion.  I fight with my cable company almost monthly because they have some ridiculous charges on the bill.  I guess my bill is different than yours, it says "Additional outlet service" or something.

My cable plan specifically states that it includes 1 free cable box.  However, because I have a DVR (upgraded box) on what THEY consider my "primary" tv, they are making me pay $10 a month for the second box.  In my understanding, 1 free box means one free box, regardless of which TV it is hooked to.  Then, I said "fine, I'll move it to the other room" they said, "then your other TV will be the primary."  So essentially, they told me that, because I have a DVR, my included box is no longer valid, and tried to sell it to me by saying that I'm not paying for the DVR box ITSELF, but for the DVR SERVICE, and the other fee is for the SERVICE to an additional outlet, not the box rental.

I have been having this fight with them perpetually for over a year.  Every time I call them and have this fight, they give me discounts in other places.  So I will continue having this fight every 6 months to keep my bill affordable.

What they don't realize is that, because they keep dicking with me, and I am the president of the HOA, they are about to lose the entire contract for our whole community.  Hundreds of thousands of dollars for them per year.  I'll show you...

[dolphins4life]

A great way to save money is to open a change jar.

Anyway, just out of curiosity, why was February chosen and not another month?

[Tenshot13]

^ because it sounds better than "Man I'm going to be a cheap ass" March

[fyo]

^ Miserly March?

Meager May

Got nothing for April. Borrowing from Tenshot, that's gotta be Ass-cheap April.