Until I canceled my auto insurance outright I was paying over $1 a mile.
@il-besa: 2000 a year for a van tax?! That is the cost of registration where? Note to self, don't own van where you live!
Embarrassing Expenses
$150 a month in booze and bar expenses... This is actually down from years past. I gotta admit though, I do enjoy the drinking.
Until I canceled my auto insurance outright I was paying over $1 a mile.
@il-besa: 2000 a year for a van tax?! That is the cost of registration where? Note to self, don't own van where you live!
Until I canceled my auto insurance outright I was paying over $1 a mile.
@il-besa: 2000 a year for a van tax?! That is the cost of registration where? Note to self, don't own van where you live!
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runrunruneateateat
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 7:47 pm
Eeek, I know my expense is embarrassing because I don't really want to confess it: $90 haircuts. Gulp. I hope I'm not kicked off the ERE message boards for this admission.
I only go 3 times a year but I know it's totally exhorbitant. It's my one true luxury that I just can't bear to part with. I tried a $40 salon based on Yelp! reviews and my haircut and experience left me feeling terrible. At my favorite place they serve me wine, use fancy, great-smelling salon products, never make me wait, and I always leave with a haircut I'm happy with. Gosh, this makes me sound so high-maintenance, but I swear I'm darning socks and cooking from scratch all the time...
I only go 3 times a year but I know it's totally exhorbitant. It's my one true luxury that I just can't bear to part with. I tried a $40 salon based on Yelp! reviews and my haircut and experience left me feeling terrible. At my favorite place they serve me wine, use fancy, great-smelling salon products, never make me wait, and I always leave with a haircut I'm happy with. Gosh, this makes me sound so high-maintenance, but I swear I'm darning socks and cooking from scratch all the time...
I am in the same boat as RePete... I am into long-distance triathlon and racing a major race costs about 400€ plus travel costs...
Besides that you need more food not to speak of power bars, gels and carbo drinks. I am figuring out to make these for myself.
Also expensive equipment...
It's absolutely against ERE but it's good for me for a variety of reasons so I'll stick to it.
Besides that you need more food not to speak of power bars, gels and carbo drinks. I am figuring out to make these for myself.
Also expensive equipment...
It's absolutely against ERE but it's good for me for a variety of reasons so I'll stick to it.
@il-besa: wow, I wonder what my 2.5 metric ton vehicle would cost there
Sounds like the idiotic US cash for clunkers. Flawless logic on that one. However, in the US taxes are based on age and appraisals, so local govts are probably loving cash for clunkers... My car cost $128 for a permanent tag 10 years ago.
My neighbor that commutes 90 miles a day in a hybrid is a much better environmentalist than me, who drives a few hundred a year in an old truck.
Sounds like the idiotic US cash for clunkers. Flawless logic on that one. However, in the US taxes are based on age and appraisals, so local govts are probably loving cash for clunkers... My car cost $128 for a permanent tag 10 years ago.
My neighbor that commutes 90 miles a day in a hybrid is a much better environmentalist than me, who drives a few hundred a year in an old truck.
@Johnny: yep, governments, especially in countries with strong car industry, love people to change car continuously.
I've seen this in Italy where I'm from (thanks FIAT-Chrysler)
Netherlands is different, they just tax cars as much as they can! hehe but they're discussing on change the road-tax from weight-based to mileage-based, that would be better for me but probably will increase the number of seldom-used cars around.
Anyway, I land every now and then my van to colleagues/friends that need it for moving stuff/buying furnitures/carrying families around and I'm happy to find crate of beers or full tanks in it
I've seen this in Italy where I'm from (thanks FIAT-Chrysler)
Netherlands is different, they just tax cars as much as they can! hehe but they're discussing on change the road-tax from weight-based to mileage-based, that would be better for me but probably will increase the number of seldom-used cars around.
Anyway, I land every now and then my van to colleagues/friends that need it for moving stuff/buying furnitures/carrying families around and I'm happy to find crate of beers or full tanks in it
@runrunruneateateat: Just close your eyes and imagine you are a guy living in Finland that needs a haircut every month. About the lowest here is $30. Regular prices are about $39. See, now you are saving money at just $270/year.
My biggest anti-ERE expense is travel. I simply love it and I am trending at about €3000($4000) per year for many years now. Ouch.
My biggest anti-ERE expense is travel. I simply love it and I am trending at about €3000($4000) per year for many years now. Ouch.
I like riding my motorcycle and going on multi-day trips through the Sierras, California coast, death valley, southern Oregon...more extensive trips on the cards too. Mostly do backroads and little towns along the way since I really love the countryside and would like to have my own piece of land, trees, plant lots of vegetables, put up solar and wind for some level of grid independence, dome for my telescope. So in my mind I am scouting areas where this is possible as I travel.
Of course this costs some money in insurance, maintenance and gas etc that could conceivably go towards Financial Independence. But I like what I get in return - does good things for my soul
However other expenses I don't have:
- no haircut (actually no hair, $15 clippers bought 10 yrs ago have given me all the haircuts I need.
- moved closer to work so 15 min commute, low gas
- totally cut down eating out for 6 months now..in most cases I like my cooking better than what I get outside. Only thing I miss sometimes is Sushi.
- basic cable and internet rates negotiated down to 65% of original by just a couple of phone calls..don't watch TV but mom is visiting and she needs some entertainment while I am at work.
Of course this costs some money in insurance, maintenance and gas etc that could conceivably go towards Financial Independence. But I like what I get in return - does good things for my soul
However other expenses I don't have:
- no haircut (actually no hair
, $15 clippers bought 10 yrs ago have given me all the haircuts I need.- moved closer to work so 15 min commute, low gas
- totally cut down eating out for 6 months now..in most cases I like my cooking better than what I get outside. Only thing I miss sometimes is Sushi.
- basic cable and internet rates negotiated down to 65% of original by just a couple of phone calls..don't watch TV but mom is visiting and she needs some entertainment while I am at work.
I tend to buy and eat a box of Entenmann's Softees donuts and a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream about 1x/week. This is my "paleo cheat" and at the local liquor store it costs ~$10, so $40 per month. My hopeful solution: learn how to make some paleo-friendly (coconut) ice cream and vaguely WAPF (grain-inclusive cousin of paleo)-friendly baked goods, which should bring the cost down to ~$15-20/mo.
@Zev: You should try baking with coconut flour. Very low carb and you can make some mock treats that are pretty good... My GF can make some amazing biscuits with it. Maybe I'll fry some in coconut oil to make donuts
I've had success with coconut ice cream. I use a mix of coconut palm sugar, xylitol and stevia... Since I get good milk locally, I've switched to that. Not primal, but it doesn't seem to irritate me too much, and I don't eat a ton of it.
Funny story about ice cream; I got some Splenda ice cream and figured it wouldn't spike my blood sugar and all that... Well I ate almost the whole thing over the course of a Saturday. First came the worst, and most hilarious, gas I've ever had. After a few days I had a pretty bad breakout of acne and a bunch of hair fell out. That stuff was freakin poison!
I've had success with coconut ice cream. I use a mix of coconut palm sugar, xylitol and stevia... Since I get good milk locally, I've switched to that. Not primal, but it doesn't seem to irritate me too much, and I don't eat a ton of it.
Funny story about ice cream; I got some Splenda ice cream and figured it wouldn't spike my blood sugar and all that... Well I ate almost the whole thing over the course of a Saturday. First came the worst, and most hilarious, gas I've ever had. After a few days I had a pretty bad breakout of acne and a bunch of hair fell out. That stuff was freakin poison!
@ JohnnyH You're right about Splenda--I'm pretty sure it gave me headaches when I overdid it on Diet Hansen's a few years ago. I'm also wary of sugar alcohol, but interested in trying some of the new stevia formulations. Have you tried making ice cream with raw milk? Do you use an ice cream maker or is there a good hack you would recommend?
Thanks for the coconut flour rec too. I will also be looking into some of Sally Fallon's recipes using non-gluten, soaked/fermented grains to make some baked stuff. I try to do an 80/20 paleo/other regimen, so I'm hoping to fill that 20% with better vices than hydrogenated, industrial desserts.
Thanks for the coconut flour rec too. I will also be looking into some of Sally Fallon's recipes using non-gluten, soaked/fermented grains to make some baked stuff. I try to do an 80/20 paleo/other regimen, so I'm hoping to fill that 20% with better vices than hydrogenated, industrial desserts.
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jennypenny
- Posts: 6858
- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 2:20 pm
I'm so glad this thread popped up. I run, and paying for shoes, basic gear and a handful of short races doesn't bother me. But now that I'm doing half marathons, and I'm looking to try a full, the cost is starting to bother me. Full marathon fees are high. Add in extra training costs and travel and I'm a little embarassed. The problem is I enjoy racing, and if I don't have a race on my schedule I don't push myself.
Luckily my husband's vice is beer so I don't have to add that to my list of vices. I just drink his
Luckily my husband's vice is beer so I don't have to add that to my list of vices. I just drink his
@ktn- how many months of travel does 4K USD last you? My biggest expense- right up there with rent- is around 7K USD for about 2.5 months for travel - the airfare can't be reduced but I rented cars in two countries and I made the mistake of going to developed countries where everything is expensive.
Yay to this thread!!
Embarrassing expenses summary:
-Spa treatments, I usually go whenever I see them at at deep discount on group buying sites
-Lunches, I've only recently cut out buying my lunch every day, but it's sooo hard
-Within the next few months I'm going to replace a $250 bracelet I lost. This bracelet means a lot to me for personal reasons, I have to get a new one like it
-ALCOHOL. I can spend hours in a pub, I'm like a crotchety old man trapped in a 20-something year old female body.
[rant]
More on palmera's relationship with alcohol:
I'm not a shopaholic, but I'm a huge drinker, ya at times maybe I overdrink, but man, I loves me some booze! I spend an embarrassing amount at the bar (around $150-$200/month, like @JohnnyH)...especially when the weather gets warm. I'm trying to reconcile my boozy ways with ERE, as well as my mental and physical health, but it's so hard. When I drink with dudes they are shocked at how I can keep up with them drink for drink.
At some point, I'm going to have to scale back the alcohol consumption but frankly, I don't know if I'm ready yet. I LOVE lounges, pubs and kickin' with my best girl friends who are also boozy and into mixology.
I fairly easily gave up smoking (was an occasional smoker) and shopping, but going to bars and having a glass (half a bottle) of wine while watching TV is...something I'm having trouble letting go of. My friend and I picked up weekend jobs as bartenders as a way to remedy the going out drinking part. That helped a lot in university.
Being in Advertising/PR doesn't help. Even tonight, I'm going to an event sponsored by a popular whisky brand. Oh well, free whiskey, I hope.
[/rant]
Embarrassing expenses summary:
-Spa treatments, I usually go whenever I see them at at deep discount on group buying sites
-Lunches, I've only recently cut out buying my lunch every day, but it's sooo hard
-Within the next few months I'm going to replace a $250 bracelet I lost. This bracelet means a lot to me for personal reasons, I have to get a new one like it
-ALCOHOL. I can spend hours in a pub, I'm like a crotchety old man trapped in a 20-something year old female body.
[rant]
More on palmera's relationship with alcohol:
I'm not a shopaholic, but I'm a huge drinker, ya at times maybe I overdrink, but man, I loves me some booze! I spend an embarrassing amount at the bar (around $150-$200/month, like @JohnnyH)...especially when the weather gets warm. I'm trying to reconcile my boozy ways with ERE, as well as my mental and physical health, but it's so hard. When I drink with dudes they are shocked at how I can keep up with them drink for drink.
At some point, I'm going to have to scale back the alcohol consumption but frankly, I don't know if I'm ready yet. I LOVE lounges, pubs and kickin' with my best girl friends who are also boozy and into mixology.
I fairly easily gave up smoking (was an occasional smoker) and shopping, but going to bars and having a glass (half a bottle) of wine while watching TV is...something I'm having trouble letting go of. My friend and I picked up weekend jobs as bartenders as a way to remedy the going out drinking part. That helped a lot in university.
Being in Advertising/PR doesn't help. Even tonight, I'm going to an event sponsored by a popular whisky brand. Oh well, free whiskey, I hope.
[/rant]
I'm happy to report that my my most costly embarassing out-of-control expense, eating out, is being reduced. I cooked more in Sept. than I probably have in my entire life.
This leaves my last most embarassing expense-my addiction to buying DD iced coffee almost daily. Yes folks, I make coffee at home before I shower and THEN, inexplicably, I still make my way to DD on the way to work for the yummy iced coffee that just makes me so happy! (I'm not a morning person by any means.) I blame it on the fact that there are 17 Dunkin Donuts within a 5 mile radius in my neighborhood... they should call it Crack n Donuts-I'm convinced there is something addictive in that coffee!
This leaves my last most embarassing expense-my addiction to buying DD iced coffee almost daily. Yes folks, I make coffee at home before I shower and THEN, inexplicably, I still make my way to DD on the way to work for the yummy iced coffee that just makes me so happy! (I'm not a morning person by any means.) I blame it on the fact that there are 17 Dunkin Donuts within a 5 mile radius in my neighborhood... they should call it Crack n Donuts-I'm convinced there is something addictive in that coffee!
Has to be some of the alcohol...I don't drink all that much but I prefer REALLY good stuff.
Ports, Sherries, Cognacs, Armangac. Basicly I will spend as much on a bottle as I would pay if that bottle was the cheap rotgut sold shot by shot in a bar....ie. $4 or $5 a drink in the bar makes the the entire bottle of battery acid sell for $125. I'd rather pay the $125 for a bottle of Sempe and drink it at home...same price without the bar markup...and do it in a much more comfortable chair barefoot in my skivvies reading a book and listening to only the music "I" want to listen too.
Ports, Sherries, Cognacs, Armangac. Basicly I will spend as much on a bottle as I would pay if that bottle was the cheap rotgut sold shot by shot in a bar....ie. $4 or $5 a drink in the bar makes the the entire bottle of battery acid sell for $125. I'd rather pay the $125 for a bottle of Sempe and drink it at home...same price without the bar markup...and do it in a much more comfortable chair barefoot in my skivvies reading a book and listening to only the music "I" want to listen too.
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DividendGuy
- Posts: 441
- Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:58 pm
I would have to say my embarrassing expenses are also food related.
Namely:
My soda addiction and my propensity to purchase non-concentrate orange juice. If I drank more water my grocery budget could probably be slashed by 20% or more. I drink 2-3 12 oz. cans of soda a day. I figure each can is 25 cents. The orange juice is usually $3 per 59 oz. container.
Soda is probably my only pure splurge. I don't smoke and very rarely drink alcohol. I don't go out a lot. I also validate it by having a relatively low food budget of ~$170/mo, which includes restaurants and pizza/fast food.
Namely:
My soda addiction and my propensity to purchase non-concentrate orange juice. If I drank more water my grocery budget could probably be slashed by 20% or more. I drink 2-3 12 oz. cans of soda a day. I figure each can is 25 cents. The orange juice is usually $3 per 59 oz. container.
Soda is probably my only pure splurge. I don't smoke and very rarely drink alcohol. I don't go out a lot. I also validate it by having a relatively low food budget of ~$170/mo, which includes restaurants and pizza/fast food.
DividendGuy...
I absolutely CANNOT believe you live in Florida...you HAVE to be a northern transplant...LOL!!!.
I was born and raised here and Floridians NEVER drink Orange Juice....I think it has to do with we could have all we wanted by picking the fruit from the trees in the yard and squeezing it ourselves.
Now Apple Cider is another story....YUM....LOL!!!
I absolutely CANNOT believe you live in Florida...you HAVE to be a northern transplant...LOL!!!.
I was born and raised here and Floridians NEVER drink Orange Juice....I think it has to do with we could have all we wanted by picking the fruit from the trees in the yard and squeezing it ourselves.
Now Apple Cider is another story....YUM....LOL!!!