In what aspect of life are you best a cheapskate (aka summoning your inner Dave Ramsey thread)?

creepycoug said:

I would say, yeah, I have right-leaning tendencies. I am skeptical of solving all problems with government and tax increases, I think the idea to forgive student loans is incredibly misguided and tend to default to free-market economics with as few externalities and interference as possible.

I also think regulation has its place, I have to pay some amount of my wealth to fund some social programs that don't benefit me, and have sympathetic views on some traditionally "liberal" ideas.

Today, I think they call me a RINO or an establishment Republican, who are as reviled by the populist movement as a card-carrying communist.

These are interesting times we live in.

Yeah, but does she allow you to tag along?

creepycoug said:

Fishpo31 said:

The wife and I are a good mix...since we started dating (20 years ago), she has driven a BMW; 2 Passats; an A4: 2 A6s; and is now in a Benz (cash, no payments). I have put 230K on my Highlander, and intend to drive it until it croaks. I am a borderline minimalist, still wearing a pair of top siders I bought 20 years ago, and wearing clothes until they fall apart. We both paid off student loans years ago (mine for grad school). I shop like crazy for shit I want, at the lowest price possible, and buy it. She has her baubles, but is really reasonable about it (unlike some others in the past).

I think I got it from my parents, who both lived through the depression. My dad was tight as shit with money.

We save and budget like crazy for vacations, and tend to travel top-shelf. It helps that she has worked in the travel business for ever, so she knows how to do it right, buying plane tix and reservations months in advance.

The one line that I have drawn is: Nothing less than Copenhagen, nothing less than Jack Daniel's. We saved for Dawg tix for a few years, had them for about 10, and dumped them when it went to Pac at nite...

Liquor should be the good stuff. Also, TV sets. We watch enough of it that I don't compromise on that.

And, when we're not in the Vid, we like to go out to eat, and when we do, I don't mind paying so that I get what I want. Fuck it. Life is short.

I'm also just as happy grabbing a burger at the Hum Dinger on the way out to 101.

I only like actually eating at a restaurant every once in awhile. It's usually mediocre food and I prefer cooking. Plus the portions are too large. So I just sit there super full like fuck I don't even want to drive home.

Sushi on a date with some booze is fine.

EwaDawg said:

USMChawk said:

EwaDawg said:

YellowSnow said:

USMChawk said:

EwaDawg said:

creepycoug said:

Great pole. All of the above minus one offspring, and that's a big one. Three girls. Very $$$$.

And in reality, while I like to drink, I've spent far less on booze in my lifetim than most of my contemporaries because of seeing alcoholism up close. It ain't pretty, and there are few things more annoying than a drunk. Even more annoying than liberals who lie, and who love to be lied to.

Creep. Can you please keep the vitriol at the tug?

I will other wise interpret your refusal to mean:

- you are nowhere near being a centrist (as you have claimed);

- you like to be lied to by the right (which is more likely to happen than your example); or

- the promise of a politic free zone was (close my eyes) another lie by a conservative.

I am trying my best, except in the case where someone brings cross-over (from another) bored.

Creep is pretty centrist, all things considered. If he seems right to you that’s a good indicator of how left you are. I would place Creep at about Tip O’Neil, on the political spectrum.

Creep is a pragmatic, center-right dude.

Okay, some say that makes him something other than a centrist with right leaning tendencies but potato/potatoe. . .

Thanks

How narrow is your definition of centrist?

Everyone claims to be. Very few are. In other words, I am and the creep isn't.

HTH

And, yes, he could say I am not and he is. That is kind of the point. But I refer you back to what my siblings think. I pretty much could've written the Creeps post above about myself. Loan forgiveness, no. Minimum wage - not $15. Texas? Deregulate all you want, I'll loan you the money to fix your fuck up.

He is a boomer meme

SFGbob said:

Has to be the one about the car. I never really intended to be this way but I've never owned a new car and every car I've ever owned but for my first car that was totaled in an accident, I've held onto for over 20 years. My current car 8 years old and there's no way I'm getting rid of it any time soon. It runs great, great gas mileage and since I use it for as my commuter car and park it on the street in SF, I don't care if it gets scratched or dinged up.

Love not having a car payment.

Agree

I would still be driving our 2013 years from now, but we gave it to one of the kids because it's dependable.

We do have a car payment, but only because it's zero percent and they would have knocked off only $500 if we'd paid cash. Still, it bugs me to have a car payment.

I always like the confused look merchants get on their face when I counter an offer for near-zero financing with an equal up-front discount. Whether it's people selling washing machines or cars, 8 out of 10 have no idea the two are connected.

I splurged on myself once for a car, and that was the 2007 BMW coupe. First year of the body change, I loved driving it and bought it. I got like 120,000 miles on it and it broke me ever inch of the way. It was a lemon and I learned first hand that mechanics don't open the hood of a German sports car for < than $1,000. Never again.

We bought a new 2004 Toyota Sequoia and drove that thing into the ground ... > 350,000 miles. I bought a Highlander to replace it.

We have an MDX that has like 70,000 miles on it. I will not likely buy another car before I retire, and we intend to own only one. We currently have the insurance on the MDX suspended because we barely need one car as it is.

They are a necessity, and when they aren't running you feel the infringement on your freedom ... you appreciate what they do for you. But as much as I love a nice looking car, they aren't important enough to me to burn $$ on them. The BMW was the first and last time for that.

I also hate car payments.

RaceBannon said:

@creepycoug nice crew you

SFGbob said:

HHusky said:

SFGbob said:

Has to be the one about the car. I never really intended to be this way but I've never owned a new car and every car I've ever owned but for my first car that was totaled in an accident, I've held onto for over 20 years. My current car 8 years old and there's no way I'm getting rid of it any time soon. It runs great, great gas mileage and since I use it for as my commuter car and park it on the street in SF, I don't care if it gets scratched or dinged up.

Love not having a car payment.

Agree

I would still be driving our 2013 years from now, but we gave it to one of the kids because it's dependable.

We do have a car payment, but only because it's zero percent and they would have knocked off only $500 if we'd paid cash. Still, it bugs me to have a car payment.

Full disclosure, my wife drives a new car. It's her car. I never see a payment. We got married in our late 30s. Had been doing our own finances for all those years prior. We still now don't have any joint credit cards or checking accounts. I make more money so I pay the mortgage and all the household bills. She pays the insurance and whatever clothing/kid expenses we have. It works for us. She buys cars that I would never even think of purchasing. Way too much money for a car.

Same

My money is our money her money is her money

Same with us. Amazing how that works. Personally, I don't care. What else am I going to do with my money. I'd have to make twice of what I'm making now to even thinking about buying an expensive car. My desire to drive expensive sports cars went out the window 20 years ago.

No student loan debt, haven't had a REAL vacation in close to 5 years, no stupid UW tickets, housing is relatively affordable, 50/50 on the car thing since I finally got a new car for myself. I don't think any of those are necessarily the result of some Ramsey method to be cheap and save money, though.

I most identify with not blowing money on luxury stuff since I've never gotten in to those types of purchases.

I would love to know what he defines as a luxury vacation. People need breaks. Even a tame, 4-day vacation to Chelan is going to rack up $2k pretty damn quick.