# Rising Prices: Techniques To Save Money- Post Yours



## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

With the crazy inflation we are all experiencing money isn't what it was even a year ago.

Do you have any tips to save money?


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

Quit browsing Craig’s List and Facebook Marketplace. Unsubscribe from Long and McQuade and Tom Lee advertising emails.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

My PC Optimum Mastercard gets me ten cents off a litre of gas at Esso. I'm selling stuff I no longer need. Stopped using Instacart, stopped using meal kits such as Good Food. Run the appliances during off-peak hours, charge the Tesla during off-peak hours. Buying more no-name stuff. Buying stuff on sale at the grocery store instead of just grabbing the closest item. Stopped travelling much.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Interesting thread!

I think it is prudent to frequently ask oneself "Do I really need this?" in comparison to "I want this."


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

I recently got some sets of strings at L&M for less in cdn than juststrings had them in US dollars. I assume the prices WILL go up when new stock comes in, but if you're looking for Autoharp strings or Thomasik flatwounds, L&M is currently the place to go.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

The other day I was in Costco looking at the top of the line sirloin steaks. Instead of buying the package with 3 steaks for $50, I bought the package with 3 steaks for $75.


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)




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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Three pack of strip loins in Sobeys used to be $12. Now it’s $30 or more and they ain’t any bigger. But yeah, let’s jack up the carbon taxes and donate billions to corrupt developing countries so they can put up a few windmills and pocket the rest of the cash. Canada has a lot of resources and could look after its own people a bit better than it does. Part of the problem is watch how fast someone complains about this post and it gets deleted.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Wardo said:


> Three pack of strip loins in Sobeys used to be $12. Now it’s $30 or more and they ain’t any bigger. But yeah, let’s jack up the carbon taxes and donate billions to corrupt developing countries so they can put up a few windmills and pocket the rest of the cash. Canada has a lot of resources and could look after its own people a bit better than it does. Part of the problem is watch how fast someone complains about this post and it gets deleted.


It's not political, it's about saving money. Like did you know you can put old bottles of aftershave in your gas tank to stretch out the mileage?


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

player99 said:


> It's not political, it's about saving money. Like did you know you can put old bottles of aftershave in your gas tank to stretch out the mileage?


The Facebook ads that I see show them using toothpaste for that.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Wardo said:


> The Facebook ads that I see show them using toothpaste for that.


For shaving gas tanks?


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

Finally got to eat steaks tonight from Sobeys, $15 for 2 Sterling sirlion steaks. 
Was in No Frills a few days ago and it just disgusts me at how exspensive their food has gotten. Schneiders half hams are being sold by the LB there so the price was $18! 
No Frills in North Bay is Fortinos Hamilton prices now.
Cheaper to just eat out in restaurants these days.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

player99 said:


> For shaving gas tanks?


No, for saving gas. You squirt some toothpaste into the gas tank every time you fill up. Apparently, it’s one of them things that the gas companies don’t want you to know about.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Money saving tips:

1: Stop eating
2: Walk to work
3: Drink water instead of coffee, pop, juice, etc.
4: Cancel all your credit cards.
5: Turn on your computer only to pay bills or correspond with family. Better yet, just use the computer at the library.
6: Use a headlamp at night instead of turning on the lights in the house
7: Jog in the rain with soap in all your pockets so you and your clothes get washed for free.
8: Sell all your electric guitars and amps. Keep only one non-electric acoustic to save on electricity bills.
9: Turn your thermostat down to 10C/50F. Just wear more clothes.
10: Get rid of your cell phone. Tell everyone to email you from now on. You can use the computer at the library, remember?
*11: STOP LIVING!*


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

BTW, Is there a shortage of French wine now. I noticed that in the local boozer they only have a few shelves compared to before where it was like an entire row of the stuff. Doesn’t much matter because I usually buy Australian plonk but every now and then I’d pick up a few bottles of Wardeaux.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I do not shop at the big stores. Meat from Lococos a local store. 3 weeks of meat costs me 120 bucks. I have not seen any 250 dollar roasts like I see on tIk tok videos at places like Sobeys etc...


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

I can honestly and truly say, I dont try and save money. At least not in any active way.

I buy the things I can convince myself I need, long for the things I want and begrudgingly purchase that which I cannot live without.

Once a tank of fuel cost you 240 dollars, what's the point fighting anymore.


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

I avoid driving. Don't go out drinking unless there's live music. Rarely eat out. And don't buy stuff I don't need.

But then, I alway did that.


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

player99 said:


> The other day I was in Costco looking at the top of the line sirloin steaks. Instead of buying the package with 3 steaks for $50, I bought the package with 3 steaks for $75.


Don’t talk to the person who told you that sirloin is the top of anything.

Walk into Costco, go over the freezer with the massive chunks of meat in it. Pick up the tenderloin and look for the one with the most consistent girth from end to end.

It’ll be $170-220 depending on weight. I don’t look at the price or the weight.

Take it home, bust out the vacuum sealer. Two finger wide cuts. I usually get 18-24 steaks. They are round. They don’t need any bullshit seasoning or sauce. Just 2 minutes on each side or 12 in the air fryer.

I do that and then I buy 4 whole chickens, I quarter them and freeze 16 meal portions. A big fat salmon, again, girth, not length lol. 2-3 inch wide fillets. 15-20 portions. Big fat ground beef. Endless portions.

For $500 you walk out with 2-3 months of meat. Depending on how you eat. I eat a lot of sweet potatoes fries and rice and beans as a side. I hate malls and shopping and public places. It’s worth buying in bulk and looking at what monthly expenses add up to at the end of a year. You’ll save money.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Mark Brown said:


> I can honestly and truly say, I dont try and save money. At least not in any active way.


I have always been the same way. And I can tell you that it makes for a rough end game.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Wardo said:


> I have always been the same way. And I can tell you that it makes for a rough end game.


While I can respect that sentiment, I sont actively try and spend money either. Sometimes it happens.....

At 36 my house was paid for
I'm 38 now and have just over 100k in retirement monies. I also hold no debt, that shit is bad for your health. That should increase about 60k a year for the foreseeable future, barring any extreme economic downturn. While I can easily see that coming to pass, I also know that my household only "made" 39K last year. The one benefit of having done my taxes this weekend is that I know exactly what I paid my wife and myself in dividends.

I'm not really a lavish kinda guy. This last year was a little uncharacteristic of me as I spent a little over 10K on various guitars, amps and assorted paraphernalia. Other than that, I wear the same worn out pair of sweat pants when I get home every night, have 3 pairs of jeans that I have had for 10 years or more and still have some dress shirts I had in high school.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

1SweetRide said:


> My PC Optimum Mastercard gets me ten cents off a litre of gas at Esso.


That's not really correct. You can redeem 4000 PC points in exchange for ten centres off a litre up to 40L. So you can redeem $4 worth of PC points for $4 of gas.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Always12AM said:


> Don’t talk to the person who told you that sirloin is the top of anything.
> 
> Walk into Costco, go over the freezer with the massive chunks of meat in it. Pick up the tenderloin and look for the one with the most consistent girth from end to end.
> 
> ...


Tenderloin was what I bought and always buy.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Mark Brown said:


> my household only "made" 39K last year.


I spend more than that in a month on hookers and blow… lol


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Wardo said:


> I spend more than that in a month on hookers and blow… lol


Then sir, I think perhaps your "end game" is not as rough as you would elude to


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Don't buy meat or buy very little of it. North Americans eat way too much meat. Our bodies don't need that much protein. Buy more fish. You will save money. You will also be healthier so you will live longer and able to make money longer.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Steadfastly said:


> Don't buy meat or buy very little of it. North Americans eat way too much meat. Our bodies don't need that much protein. Buy more fish. You will save money. You will also be healthier so you will live longer and able to make money longer.


Fish are all poison now.Don't eat fish.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Wardo said:


> I spend more than that in a month on hookers and blow… lol


Well, I just went and took a look at what I paid myself this year and buddy, I don't think hookers and blow is gonna be on the menu for me any time soon.

Ready for this?

This year, my gross annual taxable income was....

$13,900

Yup. You read it here first folks.


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## Guitarantula (Dec 21, 2020)

1. Cut your own firewood and heat yourself twice
2. Vote carefully


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## MetalTele79 (Jul 20, 2020)

We're eating less meat. Meat we do get is either on sale or from a small store nearby that is owned by a local slaughter house. The meat is super fresh and sells for considerably less than the grocery stores do. 

Keeping our car as long as we can and doing maintenance to make it last. New car prices (and used car prices) are pretty terrible right now.

Fill up at the cheaper gas stations. Near me, the No Frills and one called Race Trac are cheaper than the local Esso or Shell stations.

Limit gear spending. I currently prefer to trade gear so you can get new stuff without touching the gear fund. Also selling unused gear. If I haven't touched it in a year, do I need it?


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Guncho said:


> That's not really correct. You can redeem 4000 PC points in exchange for ten centres off a litre up to 40L. So you can redeem $4 worth of PC points for $4 of gas.
> 
> View attachment 453094


That is true. But the points don’t cost me anything to accumulate.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

player99 said:


> For shaving gas tanks?


Who doesn’t shave with toothpaste?


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Guitarantula said:


> 1. Cut your own firewood and heat yourself twice


One year I thought that was a good idea, one year. Never again. Bucking and splitting rounds to match a cord of wood was not worth the effort. That is something I will happily pay someone to do!

Hell, I would burn money in my fireplace to stay warm before I would ever contemplate doing that again.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I don't drink, smoke, gamble (except for the odd lottery ticket), drive unnecessarily, or buy new unless I have to. We turn the heat down, use the A/C sparingly, wash clothes in cold, only wash full loads of anything, hang dry about half the clothes (especially mine), self-impose a cooling off period when considering purchases to consider their worthiness, look after what we have. 

The wife picks up the odd side job dog sitting or tutoring, but I'm actively trying to work less though it's still more than I want. Even a few more appointments for me makes it easier to survive. 

We used to dine out way more, now a picnic is more likely. 

We grow a lot of food in the better months, haven't canned much in recent years but are considering restarting that. Three fruit trees, two current bushes, rhubarb, raspberries, require very little work for great returns. Veggie gardens are more work but we eat way better and way cheaper in the summer.

I wish the wife would walk to work more often but she drives a Matrix so I can't complain too loudly. If that car dies we'll only have the pickup and the plan is to be a one vehicle family then. As for me, I work from home so my truck is parked most of the time. We buy gas at Cdn Tire for price and points, plus it's convenient to the grocery store.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Personally for me, the biggest thing I'm doing to save money is paying off as much of my mortgage before the next renewal date. I negotiated 2% on my mortgage rate in May of 2020 for a 4 year term. Since then I've paid off almost 60k. I'm hoping to pay off at least another 40k before May of 2024. If I'd have just paid my regular mortgage payment only 15k would have come off the principle. I don't know what the mortgage rates will be when I have to renew but I'll only have (hopefully) 65k left that I should be able to clean up in 3 years (after my next renewal date)


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## Brian Johnston (Feb 24, 2019)

I recall six or so months ago when I warned people (on a different forum) of what was coming down the pipe and how intense things will get (deaths and money) in the next two years. "Conspiracy Theory." Yah, OK


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I used to love cutting and splitting my own firewood. We removed the wood stove to make room for the lesson studio when I needed the more spacious room. That woodstove, because we got most of the wood for free, was a Godsend. Free wood you ask? We got on the list for the town's disposal of limbwood and the occasional trunk, usually cut to something close to length so we had more splitting than cutting. They would just dump it in the end of the driveway without warning, and we would split and stack (we even had the dog trained to drag it between ax falls to the pile). For seasoned wood I generally traded salmon or trout with a guy who hated fishing but loved the fish, or scavenged it up north from friends. 

I guess the moral of the story is barter. Whether it's fish for firewood, labour for materials, instrument for instrument, or foodstuffs for foodstuffs, trade is a great way of saving/acquiring.


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## AlexOT (10 mo ago)

We decided not to start a family during the pandemic and now we both work 36 hours a week, we share one car. I buy my clothes second hand or try to patch it myself. We go out to a restaurant only a few times a year. Cook all our meals, meat reduced to 4 times a week. Drink less milk, we don't drink soda or sugary drinks. I stopped consuming alcohol.. etc

Having worked and lived through years of bank crisis recession in Europa, I picked up a few tips. Most savings can be done by evaluating what you put in your mouth!!


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

I'm following my retirement plan - I eat a little cat food every day.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Don't have kids. Failing that, make them pay for (or at least contribute to) things they don't need.

Thrift.

Get help for addictions and compulsions that cost you money (or excessive time).

Walk or ride.

Buy the best you can afford, within reason.


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## Okay Player (May 24, 2020)

bw66 said:


> Don't have kids. Failing that, make them pay for (or at least contribute to) things they don't need.


I've tried extorting my 2 year old, but I'm really starting to think he doesn't have any money.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I buy only the very best of scotch. Knowing what that bottle cost me, I drink it very seldom and it lasts a lot longer.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

guitarman2 said:


> Personally for me, the biggest thing I'm doing to save money is paying off as much of my mortgage before the next renewal date. I negotiated 2% on my mortgage rate in May of 2020 for a 4 year term. Since then I've paid off almost 60k. I'm hoping to pay off at least another 40k before May of 2024. If I'd have just paid my regular mortgage payment only 15k would have come off the principle. I don't know what the mortgage rates will be when I have to renew but I'll only have (hopefully) 65k left that I should be able to clean up in 3 years (after my next renewal date)


Being mortage free is such a great feeling. We got lucky during the home buying panic and made a good deal more on our home sale than we ever imagined. Moved to a smaller, less expensive town and voila! No mortgage!


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

Wardo said:


> Three pack of strip loins in Sobeys used to be $12. Now it’s $30 or more and they ain’t any bigger. But yeah, let’s jack up the carbon taxes and donate billions to corrupt developing countries so they can put up a few windmills and pocket the rest of the cash. Canada has a lot of resources and could look after its own people a bit better than it does. Part of the problem is watch how fast someone complains about this post and it gets deleted.


But I get a rebate cheque in the mail that exceeds what I spent in carbon taxes. Also it's odd hearing complaints about Canada's taxes from an American.


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Being debt free, we are in a fortunate position but day-to-day, not extravagant, well maybe a good bottle of wine now and again, eat out hardly ever. 

Last week, roast chicken, leftovers, chicken soup, 3 meals for $18, another chicken purchased for $9, deflation!


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

This thread is hilarious. The entitlement we live with these days. "_I can't afford to eat steak! Waaaaaaaaah!_" I grew up poor as shit. There was never steak in my house.

Capitalism and advertising has taught us that we all should have everything we ever wanted - and you definitely need all this stuff. Vacations? New TV? Newest video game system? Nice vehicle? Big house? Expensive guitars? Restaurants? Fancy accessories? Newest phone? You're entitled to all of it! In fact, you _DESERVE IT._

I always used to laugh at that Scotiabank slogan: "You're richer than you think!" Having worked in banking as a lender, no, no you are not. In fact most people are poorer than they think.

It's called living within your means. So maybe steak is a treat. Maybe that vanity truck that costs $200 a week to fill up isn't the vehicle for you. Maybe you can't actually afford to jet off on a resort vacation once a year every year. It's about choices. There's a lot of us that have never had to make those choices and now we're mad that we're being confronted with our own working class status in the scheme of things.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> In fact most people are poorer than they think.


Financially and psychologically/emotionally.


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

Lifestyle choices are everything when it comes to budgeting.

First and foremost, stop paying for convenience. Convenience is the number one commodity in North America right now. It's amazing how much more people are willing to spend to make the task faster or easier. UberEats, SkipTheDishes, drive-thru, etc. I don't know why I'm only coming up with food choices, but those are some examples.

Stick to honestly necessary expenses, and shop for deals on those.

Stop paying more when you can pay less. Buy gas during off-peak hours (it's often up to $0.10 cheaper in the evenings). Drive less in general, if possible for your area. Driving less (and driving less aggressively) doesn't just reduce fuel costs, it significantly reduces vehicle maintenance costs.
Choose cheaper food options. You'll save $50-$100 per visit shopping for groceries at Walmart or No Frills instead of places like Farm Boy or Loblaws. Also, buy no-name or in-store brands instead of the big brand names, and avoid eating out (except maybe some limited special occasions).
You might also be able to save money on internet and phone services by choosing a cheaper option in your area. I'm astonished at what some people pay for these services. If you're paying more than $50 a month for anything, seriously take the time to find a better deal.
If you review your content choices, it's quite possible you can choose cheaper/slower plans as well. I've watched 480p content since the dawn of streaming services. I don't see the need for 4K, or even HD for that matter. It's cool, but unnecessary. My enjoyment of entertainment media has to do with the quality of the writing, not the sharpness of the image. If the quality is as good as my old CRT TV's from the 80's/90's, it's good enough for me. That may not change much in terms of the cost of streaming services, but I save a fortune on internet by being ok with slower speeds and less bandwidth.
Of course, avoid unnecessary spending.

Remove yourself from all mailing lists from retailers and get ad blockers for your browser.
Avoid eating out and/or splurging on anything that isn't in the "strictly necessary" category.
Self control is vital with this one.
Hungry? Don't eat out of buy snacks on the road (unless you have a medical condition requiring it).
Thirsty? Drink water, not juices/pops.
Feel the need to buy something, ask yourself, do I/we absolutely need this? Or, is this purchase going to improve my financial situation? If the answer is no to both of those (which it most often is), don't buy it (or go on that trip).

There's a ton more, but that's enough to fix most household budgets. Yes, there are people who genuinely struggle for legitimate reasons, and it won't be that simple. But, for most of the people I know, their struggles are due to their lifestyle choices, not unexpected/outside factors. The most broke and in debt people I know have larger homes, nicer cars, and are always splurging on nicer foods, vacations, buying stuff, eating out, expensive hobbies, etc. Then they whine about their money problems constantly, and are killing themselves with the related stress-induced illnesses.

I don't get it. Like, "I keep banging my head against the wall, and now my head hurts." No shit! Stop banging your head against the damned wall!


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

jbealsmusic said:


> Lifestyle choices are everything when it comes to budgeting.
> 
> First and foremost, stop paying for convenience. Convenience is the number one commodity in North America right now. It's amazing how much more people are willing to spend to make the task faster or easier. UberEats, SkipTheDishes, drive-thru, etc. I don't know why I'm only coming up with food choices, but those are some examples.
> 
> ...


You forgot "Dont buy hammond Transformers a week before black friday"

🤣


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> This thread is hilarious. The entitlement we live with these days. "_I can't afford to eat steak! Waaaaaaaaah!_" I grew up poor as shit. There was never steak in my house.
> 
> Capitalism and advertising has taught us that we all should have everything we ever wanted - and you definitely need all this stuff. Vacations? New TV? Newest video game system? Nice vehicle? Big house? Expensive guitars? Restaurants? Fancy accessories? Newest phone? You're entitled to all of it! In fact, you _DESERVE IT._
> 
> ...


Who's mad? I mean other than you. Someone started a thread asking what we do for money saving in these inflationary times. I grew up in a household that had money and could afford steak. Unfortunately my parents were abusive to me and my brothers and sister. They ate steak in front of us and told us they weren't wasting steak on kids. They would order pizza and give us the crust. We were beaten regularly. My mother spent lots of money on the best clothes for us but that was just to keep appearances of the family and how great we had it. I think I'd have been happier to grow up with great parents who were poor.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

jbealsmusic said:


> ...and are killing themselves with the related stress-induced illnesses.


This is a huge issue. I would include obesity with that.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Okay Player said:


> I've tried extorting my 2 year old, but I'm really starting to think he doesn't have any money.


Depends how high your wallet and purses are above the floor.


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## Judas68fr (Feb 5, 2013)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> This thread is hilarious. The entitlement we live with these days. "_I can't afford to eat steak! Waaaaaaaaah!_" I grew up poor as shit. There was never steak in my house.
> 
> Capitalism and advertising has taught us that we all should have everything we ever wanted - and you definitely need all this stuff. Vacations? New TV? Newest video game system? Nice vehicle? Big house? Expensive guitars? Restaurants? Fancy accessories? Newest phone? You're entitled to all of it! In fact, you _DESERVE IT._
> 
> ...


Yeah, same here. When I was going to university back in France, I would end the month with a couple euros on my bank account. My parents didn't have any money, so I had to make ends meet with my job (I was a guitar teacher on the side), and nobody could help me. The whole credit card thing didn't exist over there, or at least it wasn't as developed as here, so I had to balance things out. Made me develop a much better relationship with money, even if it was tough. You really learn how to live within your means. 

Back to the truck thing, I was just chatting with a colleague here in the department complaining about the same thing, that his gas and parking bills for his commute were adding up to a substantial amount ($800+ a month, he's driving a big Dodge Ram truck). This just sounded completely surreal to me. I also don't get the truck thing, coming from Europe, I don't understand the fascination with these vehicles, but to each their own. I can understand that some people may enjoy these, but if they become a money pit, buy a small compact car.

We only own one car, usually my wife drops me off at work, and find my way back home walking/biking or running. Combines commute and exercise, I love it, great way to unwind after a day at work. We are not big meat eaters, but we still eat some. We just eat less, but of better quality. I do exercise a lot, so I need proteins, but meat twice a week is working really well. 

We also treat savings like it's a bill, so we don't have a choice. It makes some months look tough financially, but then you check what you put aside, and it's really reassuring. We've also made the choice to pay our mortgage faster, and when we bought our house, the last thing we wanted to do was become house poor. Sure we got a smaller house, sure it's a bit further away from downtown, but mortgage payments aren't eating up our monthly budget.

You can still buy what you want, but I like to force myself to wait when I'm thinking about making a substantial purchase. I replace my phone every 4-5 years, I might have to get a battery replacement at some point during this period of time, and I only buy used phones (you can get an open box previous generation iPhone for $600-700 usually). My phone plan is super cheap ($15 with Koodo), but I spend 95% of my time on WiFi. Compared to a $60/month plan with 'automatic phone renewal', I'm actually spending a lot less money. We've got the cheapest Fibre plan, a cheap $500 TV. I like to fix stuff, so I'm not afraid of repairing appliances myself. You can limit your expenses a lot this way, and actually save up a lot in the long run.

To be completely honest, my mindset isn't so much about the money, it's about trying not to be wasteful. I work as research scientist (geochemist/geologist), and one of the biggest challenge I can see coming up is the limited amount of resources for 'critical minerals' (basically all the chemical elements that we need for tech stuff). I think we need to drastically change our ultra-consumerist approach to tech products if we want to enjoy our high-tech word in a more sustainable way. I really don't think a new generation of smartphone/car/tv/you-name-it a year is a smart sustainable move.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

guitarman2 said:


> Who's mad? I mean other than you. Someone started a thread asking what we do for money saving in these inflationary times. I grew up in a household that had money and could afford steak. Unfortunately my parents were abusive to me and my brothers and sister. They ate steak in front of us and told us they weren't wasting steak on kids. They would order pizza and give us the crust. We were beaten regularly. My mother spent lots of money on the best clothes for us but that was just to keep appearances of the family and how great we had it. I think I'd have been happier to grow up with great parents who were poor.


I'm sorry to hear that and am sorry that happened to you. No child should be treated that way.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> This thread is hilarious. The entitlement we live with these days. "_I can't afford to eat steak! Waaaaaaaaah!_" I grew up poor as shit. There was never steak in my house.
> 
> Capitalism and advertising has taught us that we all should have everything we ever wanted - and you definitely need all this stuff. Vacations? New TV? Newest video game system? Nice vehicle? Big house? Expensive guitars? Restaurants? Fancy accessories? Newest phone? You're entitled to all of it! In fact, you _DESERVE IT._
> 
> ...


We grew up extremely poor also. Spam was a stable and cheap, fatty bacon was a rare treat. I live within my means but many do not. Look at the proliferation of bankruptcy specialists and credit counselling agencies.


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## Derek_T (10 mo ago)

I might be missing something, but I don't understand the rush to pay off a mortgage in your 30s' if it's well planned.

Unless you bought your house in cash, you had to take a mortgage. So you spent at least the first 5-10 years paying a lot of interest over capital. So if you reimburse after 10 years, you will be reimbursing mostly the principal balance, while you already have paid most of the cost of the mortgage in interest.

Let's take a simple example: for 200k at 4% over 20 years the first 10 years are going to cost you 65k$ in interest, while the remaining 10 will cost you only 25k$.

Seems to me the real question is, if you have X amount of cash available is it better to repay your mortgage or invest the money (Retirement...) ? Everyone has an opinion on that, my personal take is do the math. Every situation is different.

Also, generally speaking, inflation tends to have a positive effect on mortgage as revenues generally increase with inflation while your mortgage remains fixed (+/- variations in interest rate). Which means over time the % of disposable income allocated to your mortgage is getting smaller.

For the rest, as a saving tip, number #1 for me is to do a budget.
Take your bank statement, look at where the money goes, don't do it based on what you think is happening. Then it's quite straightforward to identify what needs to be done. For me, being savvy on the groceries is one of the main sources of savings.


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## Derek_T (10 mo ago)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> This thread is hilarious. The entitlement we live with these days. "_I can't afford to eat steak! Waaaaaaaaah!_" I grew up poor as shit. There was never steak in my house.
> 
> Capitalism and advertising has taught us that we all should have everything we ever wanted - and you definitely need all this stuff. Vacations? New TV? Newest video game system? Nice vehicle? Big house? Expensive guitars? Restaurants? Fancy accessories? Newest phone? You're entitled to all of it! In fact, you _DESERVE IT._
> 
> ...


Good point, this is also cultural. Growing up in Europe, people in North America have a very different relationship with money.
Most people where I grew up don't know what a credit card is nor a line of credit.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Derek_T said:


> I might be missing something, but I don't understand the rush to pay off a mortgage in your 30s' if it's well planned.


I agree to a point. For me I'm 62 and plan to hopefully work till 68. I'm playing major "catch up" after years of financial abuse. 
Knowing what I know now, If I were in my 30's I'd have a plan to pay off my mortgage in 15 years. Then I'd concentrate on investments, RRSP, tax free savings account, Real Estate, etc. 
It could have been so much better for me if I was that smart in my 30's. But better late than never to smarten up.


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## Okay Player (May 24, 2020)

Derek_T said:


> Good point, this is also cultural. Growing up in Europe, people in North America have a very different relationship with money.
> Most people where I grew up don't know what a credit card is nor a line of credit.


Europe really shouldn't be compared to North America everything is just so vastly different.


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

Think i'll sell one of my pedals and buy steak, eat it in front of my dog and give her the grizzle to chew on. I have a frozen pizza i might eat front of her tonight and maybe,, just maybe i'll give her a piece of the crust. 😜jk she gets everything she wants.

Ever since my ex left and started fucking a landscaper i dont have to worry about that sick feeling in my gut when she spent money we didnt have.
She looks like a coke whore now, breast implants, tattoos.
I havent drank in 6 years and quit weed 3 months ago. I have money i dont need to worry about that. No bills, no worries.
I read an interview with Steve Vai about how he still budgets his money because it became nessecary for him during times of famine. Live within your means and invest in yourself were his words of wisdom and ever since i read that interview ive assesed what is really important. And now i have no monetary concerns going forward.
Because i wait till i see steaks for $15 then indulge with gratitude and happiness.
Sorry to hear guitarman about your upbringing...i recall going for a piece of bread and getting stabbed in the hand by a fork by my step father. Im a kinder, gentler, loving person because i would NEVER EVER do that to soneone i loved.


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## Judas68fr (Feb 5, 2013)

Derek_T said:


> I might be missing something, but I don't understand the rush to pay off a mortgage in your 30s' if it's well planned.
> 
> Unless you bought your house in cash, you had to take a mortgage. So you spent at least the first 5-10 years paying a lot of interest over capital. So if you reimburse after 10 years, you will be reimbursing mostly the principal balance, while you already have paid most of the cost of the mortgage in interest.
> 
> ...



With our mortgage (which was over a 25 year period when we signed), I made an amortization table (semi-annual compounded interest rates) accounting for accelerated payments (we do the 'accelerated bi-weekly') and potential lump sum payments. Knowing that 100% of the extra money you put goes straight to the capital, the difference is that our 25 year mortgage goes down to 15 years (+/- a month or 2), with the accelerated payments and a yearly lump sum payment of $10K. There's a substantial difference in the interests paid at the end of the mortgage too, which is a nice side-effect. Our goal personally isn't to pay off our mortgage in our 30s, but take advantage of the flexibility of the system to finish paying off our house in our mid-40s, while still living comfortably, and having to think about money all the time.


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

I don't care if I ever pay off my mortgage. It's a secured loan so I get a preferred rate and I could never rent accommodations for what I pay in principle, interest and taxes. My extra cash is better put toward improving my home, helping out my kids who are just starting out, or growing the guitar hoard. We don't have any credit card debt (I only keep a credit card for monthly expenses that require it like Netflix and other subscriptions, plus one for emergencies or travel). For many years I've been buying vehicles on loans with 3-4 year amortizations - you get a better lending rate usually, and you'll have some equity in the vehicle at some point during your ownership. Cars (and trucks!) are expensive, the 8-year loan is not your friend. We have two vehicles under three years old which are required for work, and one is paid for. Don't get me started on cell phones, I intend to keep mine until it cries to be put out of it's misery - no need to upgrade this thing ever.

There was some short-term pain getting to where I am, but we're pretty comfortable and not really that extravagant (usually). I also gave up some bad habits that put a surprising amount of cash back in my pocket. I think (hope) some people may benefit from the current economic situation by making some forced lifestyle decisions.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

BlueRocker said:


> I don't care if I ever pay off my mortgage. It's a secured loan so I get a preferred rate and I could never rent accommodations for what I pay in principle, interest and taxes.


Back in the 80's interest rates got so carried away that the rates were 21-23%. Even on a small mortgage that would be a significant bump in monthly payments. For me going in to retirement mortgage free removes the worry of my budget being controlled by interest rates.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> I always used to laugh at that Scotiabank slogan: "You're richer than you think!"


Seems to me that one of the credit card companies had a "Can you afford not to?" campaign a while back.

With regards to mortgages, we had a 15 year mortgage when we bought our house. Just switching from twice monthly payments to bi-weekly (two extra payments a year) shaved two years off of it.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Buy on sale and in quantity so you're never short for meals. It shouldn't just be the fear of calamity that makes us prepared. Buy the makings rather than the preprepared meal.


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## Okay Player (May 24, 2020)

guitarman2 said:


> Back in the 80's interest rates got so carried away that the rates were 21-23%. Even on a small mortgage that would be a significant bump in monthly payments. For me going in to retirement mortgage free removes the worry of my budget being controlled by interest rates.


If the BOC is serious about curbing inflation interest should be about 30% and that should scare everyone. 

That being said, I don't think they have the stomach to throw half the country out in the streets nor are they prepared to deal with the consequences of it.

As an economist*, I predict we'll see rates dialing back by mid next year.


* Not an economist.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Mark Brown said:


> While I can respect that sentiment, I sont actively try and spend money either. Sometimes it happens.....
> 
> At 36 my house was paid for
> I'm 38 now and have just over 100k in retirement monies. I also hold no debt, that shit is bad for your health. That should increase about 60k a year for the foreseeable future, barring any extreme economic downturn. While I can easily see that coming to pass, I also know that my household only "made" 39K last year. The one benefit of having done my taxes this weekend is that I know exactly what I paid my wife and myself in dividends.
> ...


Kind of similar standards here.

Though we have a summer cottage in Îles de la Madeleine, we don't make tons of money, I mean like never in our 46 years together did we make more than 50, 60K. We're not poor, but far from wealthy. We played our cards right and we are very frugal. Both properties that I built are paid for. 100% of our 2 months vacation in les Îles for the past 15 years, is paid by one month of renting the place.

We've always looked up the sales flyers for groceries and clothes. We never buy prepared food. We don't go out much, movies once a month, restaurants less than that.

I have to say we've always had our priorities set and our timing was excellent for our properties investments.

I have a hard time with people complaining they can't make ends meet, but wear $200 shirts and $500 sneakers.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

Gas was $1.38 today. Used the dollars saved compared to 4 months ago to buy bacon, $23 for a 4 pack at Costco. 

Been frugal my whole life, learned from parents that grew up on farms in the 1930s depression then raised us with real inflation of the 70s and the crazy interest rates of the 80s. Farms around us were taken by the banks when they couldn't make interest payments. Just not seeing that happen with this recent bit of inflation and a rise in rates from near zero to a manageable 5%. But wages have been stagnant, and homes are much more expensive, it's probably pretty hard to make comparisons from then and now.


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## Arek (Jan 24, 2009)

1. Educate yourself - history, economy, climate change scam, alternative energy scam, using independent media (easier than reading books ;-)
2. Vote in all elections and/or get involved - petitions, protests, politics….

It MAY save you money in long term.
It WILL keep you busy and the misery will go by quickly.

If it gets you depressed - ask proper channels for help - they will offer you euthanasia - solves all problems.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Okay Player said:


> As an economist*, I predict we'll see rates dialing back by mid next year.
> 
> 
> * Not an economist.


My very uneducated prediction is this as well. At least its my hope they'll settle down or come down a little before I renegotiate my final term. Still interest rates would have to be unbelievably high to thwart my plan of paying off the mortgage by 2026-27.


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

Judas68fr said:


> Yeah, same here. When I was going to university back in France, I would end the month with a couple euros on my bank account. My parents didn't have any money, so I had to make ends meet with my job (I was a guitar teacher on the side), and nobody could help me. The whole credit card thing didn't exist over there, or at least it wasn't as developed as here, so I had to balance things out. Made me develop a much better relationship with money, even if it was tough. You really learn how to live within your means.
> 
> Back to the truck thing, I was just chatting with a colleague here in the department complaining about the same thing, that his gas and parking bills for his commute were adding up to a substantial amount ($800+ a month, he's driving a big Dodge Ram truck). This just sounded completely surreal to me. I also don't get the truck thing, coming from Europe, I don't understand the fascination with these vehicles, but to each their own. I can understand that some people may enjoy these, but if they become a money pit, buy a small compact car.


I mean, a truck is a legit work vehicle and I'll never judge anyone who owns one because their job or lifestyle requires it. However well over half of them on the road are just the new muscle car. _"I want the biggest, loudest, manliest vehicle on the road!"_ Usually they're easy to spot as they also have the specialty plate of the local NHL or CFL team. A bunch of my neighbours have trucks. Only one of them actually uses it for - you know - truck stuff. The rest are all vanity trucks. Nothing ever touches the cargo bed. So yeah, if you're going to choose drive a vehicle like that as an urban commuter vehicle then don't go crying about the price of gas and carbon taxes and how Trudeau is the devil.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

GC never fails to disappoint, holier than thou and political on anything not Tele vs Strat, and oten there too.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Well, I was already quite minimal : Do not use my car to go to a few corners away grocery store. But that once made my brakes to be grinded by rusted discs ! Was it actually an economically good idea ? Well I made more exercises… So I used to go twice a week with my two big bags. My wife hates restaurants and used to make much cooking. We cut restaurant deliveries that were already rare. 
The gas cost made me drive at only 100 km/hr on highways instead of 118-119 and that cut more than 10-15% on my whole gas expense. 
The wife lowered living room temperature to 22 degrees while she use to keep it at 24 and got it to 20 degrees in the rooms (after years hearing me say 22 degrees was more than enough). The laundry could ALWAYS be made out of peat hours though.
Fortunately, we are not quite impacted by recent price increases yet, but it makes me remember the 60,5% income taxes and the 18,75% interest rate on mortgages by the end of the eighties while I had also to reimburse my student debts…


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Thunderboy1975 said:


> Think i'll sell one of my pedals and buy steak, eat it in front of my dog and give her the grizzle to chew on. I have a frozen pizza i might eat front of her tonight and maybe,, just maybe i'll give her a piece of the crust. 😜jk she gets everything she wants.
> 
> Ever since my ex left and started fucking a landscaper i dont have to worry about that sick feeling in my gut when she spent money we didnt have.
> She looks like a coke whore now, breast implants, tattoos.
> ...


You should check out Costco's tenderloin steaks. They are usually 3 in a package and there are packages for as low as $44. I usually pay $55 for steaks that are a bit bigger, but all in all they are not too much over your $15 per steak. I bought 3 bigger steaks for $75 the other day, but I cut them in half yielding 6 steaks. I cook one the next day and freeze the rest. If I let them thaw before cooking they are still absolutely the best tasting steaks. Even if they are overcooked they still taste sooo good.
Most other meats at Costco are mechanically tenderized, so I stick to the tenderloins.

Another great buy is their pork loin chops. There is about 8-10 in a package for around $20. They are very good, and I usually slice them into 2 thinner chops as they are so thick. So you can get 18 to 20 chops for around $20.


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## Jim Wellington (Sep 3, 2017)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> I mean, a truck is a legit work vehicle and I'll never judge anyone who owns one because their job or lifestyle requires it. However well over half of them on the road are just the new muscle car. _"I want the biggest, loudest, manliest vehicle on the road!"_ Usually they're easy to spot as they also have the specialty plate of the local NHL or CFL team. A bunch of my neighbours have trucks. Only one of them actually uses it for - you know - truck stuff. The rest are all vanity trucks. Nothing ever touches the cargo bed. So yeah, if you're going to choose drive a vehicle like that as an urban commuter vehicle then don't go crying about the price of gas and carbon taxes and how Trudeau is the devil.


Safety is one thing that larger vehicles offer. Better in inclement weather and better survival rate in collisions when compared to compacts or subcompact cars. What`s your safety worth?

For the dude who doesn't get it because he`s from Europe...well, you answered your own question. It`s a Canadian culture thing. Not all that long ago, Canada had more of a rural identity, the open country, and more remote natural areas are more safely accessible in a 4X4 pickup.

As a dude who owns a truck, I`d rather be driving a Golf R in the city.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Another good way to save cash is to get off the major cell providers and go with some cheaper offering. I use Lucky Mobile (still a Bell owned business) which charges me $25 per month for unlimited Canada calling, world wide texting, and 1 gig of data. More data of course costs more. I use MyTello for any long distance calls required in the world. I've called in the US, Prague, Germany, Australia etc.

Don't buy a new phone, especially on payments and contracts. I bought a Samsung Galaxy Note from a small cell repair store for $100 like 5-6 years ago. Still working fine, and best thing is I don't get the alert alarms as my phone is older.

Internet is the same thing. I live in the country so I am limited to choice, but I have a ground wireless point to point provider for $50 per month I get 25 down, 6 up unlimited. I don't pay for any TV signal provider, rather I watch whatever I can see on the internet.

In summary, I pay $75 plus tax per month for phone, internet and TV.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Jim Wellington said:


> Safety is one thing that larger vehicles offer. Better in inclement weather and better survival rate in collisions when compared to compacts or subcompact cars. What`s your safety worth?
> 
> For the dude who doesn't get it because he`s from Europe...well, you answered your own question. It`s a Canadian culture thing. Not all that long ago, Canada had more of a rural identity, the open country, and more remote natural areas are more safely accessible in a 4X4 pickup.
> 
> As a dude who owns a truck, I`d rather be driving a Golf R in the city.


Safety from larger vehicles you mean ? I bet most of all city monster pickup owners never see what the country looks like. Better survival rates ? Sure, if that pickup truck's bumper is at my windshield level.


Arek said:


> Educate yourself - ... climate change scam, alternative energy scam ...


You make my teeth bend.


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

I’m willing to give up expensive meats and chicken. Eat more ichiban and cans of beans. Cut out soda pop, butter, mayonnaise, bread, sweets, any baking. Seafood is full of mercury anyway so that was easy to give up. Cheaper to eat a McDouble combo meal at Don’s than make your own burger and fries at home. We don’t eat at any sit down restaurants any more. Travel? Nope. Such a pre-2020 thing. All those savings allowed me to blow $5K on a new acoustic!


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

keithb7 said:


> I’m willing to give up expensive meats and chicken. Eat more ichiban and cans of beans. Cut out soda pop, butter, mayonnaise, bread, sweets, any baking. Seafood is full of mercury anyway so that was easy to give up. Cheaper to eat a McDouble combo meal at Don’s than make your own burger and fries at home. We don’t eat at any sit down restaurants any more. Travel? Nope. Such a pre-2020 thing. All those savings allowed me to blow $5K on a new acoustic!


I draw the line at giving up butter


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Only shit at work to save on buying toilet paper.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

BGood said:


> Safety from larger vehicles you mean ? I bet most of all city monster pickup owners never see what the country looks like. Better survival rates ? Sure, if that pickup truck's bumper is at my windshield level.
> You make my teeth bend.


U agree the SUV designer decided to move the bumpers up so when they hit a car they do not contact the bumper but they crush the body. This was done on purpose.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Wardo said:


> BTW, Is there a shortage of French wine now. I noticed that in the local boozer they only have a few shelves compared to before where it was like an entire row of the stuff. Doesn’t much matter because I usually buy Australian plonk but every now and then I’d pick up a few bottles of Wardeaux.


You should be supporting local Ontario wine you hearless bastard!


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

One can always join an ORC (organized retail crime) group?


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)




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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Reduce the amount of food you eat; learn to live on eating hardly anything. 

Apparently I'm doing this a little too well. See my post about my weight concerns.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

knight_yyz said:


> I do not shop at the big stores. Meat from Lococos a local store. 3 weeks of meat costs me 120 bucks. I have not seen any 250 dollar roasts like I see on tIk tok videos at places like Sobeys etc...


I like Lococo's, although the produce room is chilly enough that you don't want to stay in there too long.

Haven't eaten a steak since 2006, and even that was a rare surprise to me. I tend to eat a very modest amount of meat, and that's generally restricted to chicken breasts, hamburger, and those odd instances when a chain has beef roasts for under $4.50/lb. Don't really like fish of any kind, so there's no $13/lb salmon in our fridge.

We don't really eat out. Every couple of weeks I'll get a chicken shawarma platter from the place near us to break up the monotony. The $20 dinner-for-one generally gets us dinner for two, and another meal the following day. I don't know how those guys make a profit. My diabetes has meant that little to no money is spent on desserts of any kind.

We have basic cable and Netflix, and no other streaming services. I _might_ spend as much as $500 on gear in a calendar year. That includes all kijiji purchases, strings, electronic components, and building materials.


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## puzz (5 mo ago)

I see a lot of meat posts and to that I say, buy a cow. Many farmers love keeping things local and have a butcher booked a year in advance. Whole, half or quarter sections are available for purchase in our area and cost is $4.75/lb. After the butcher fees and packaging it came to $6.10/lb all in. I have all the roasts, steaks, ground chuck, etc. needed for the next several months.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Oh yes ... forgot. Never buy new music gear. Did that once in 2020, never again.
Except for pedals


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

One out BEFORE one in.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

puzz said:


> I see a lot of meat posts and to that I say, buy a cow. Many farmers love keeping things local and have a butcher booked a year in advance. Whole, half or quarter sections are available for purchase in our area and cost is $4.75/lb. After the butcher fees and packaging it came to $6.10/lb all in. I have all the roasts, steaks, ground chuck, etc. needed for the next several months.


It's best to go out a year or 2 before and pick one out. Give it a name. Visit it regularly.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

There's always cannibalism.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

butterknucket said:


> You should be supporting local Ontario wine you hearless bastard!


Fuck that. The Oz stuff is better and cheaper...lol


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

player99 said:


> It's best to go out a year or 2 before and pick one out. Give it a name. Visit it regularly.


Some friends of mine from years ago raised one on their pretend farm and got to know it too well...lol


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> This thread is hilarious. The entitlement we live with these days. "_I can't afford to eat steak! Waaaaaaaaah!_" I grew up poor as shit. There was never steak in my house.
> 
> Capitalism and advertising has taught us ....


Doesn't matter if it's steak or craft dinner it's just an example. The way I see it is that stuff is getting stupid expensive, tax money is raised and spent on idiotic virtue scams while people are falling behind and it's only gonna get worse in a place where that shouldn't be happening to such an extent. Total disconnect between the donkey people running the place those who have to live with their decisions.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

I keep meaning to buy half a cow. We did half a pig a few years back. I wasn't thrilled with how it was butchered or how some of the stuff was cured/smoked. Kinda ruined the experience a bit.

I bought the deepfreeze to fit a half a side of beef so it would be a financial loss not to utilize it. I think that's how that works....



BGood said:


> I have a hard time with people complaining they can't make ends meet, but wear $200 shirts and $500 sneakers.


I was having this exact conversation with my wife last night. No matter how hard I try, I can't figure out how life is "unaffordable". Just stop buying the things you cannot afford.

I wasn't making it up when I said our household income was 39K. I wasn't pretending when I said I paid myself under 14k this year, honestly looking at this year I think our household allowance was under 30K. Even if you tack 24000 dollars on for "rent" its still hovering around minimum wage. 

I came from a family that didn't have a lot of money, I know what that looks like. I also saw how the "entitlement" of deserve makes people make really bad choices. I was probably 10 years old arguing with my mom about how we couldn't afford the higher tier cable. Her response was she deserved it. While I wouldn't argue that point, nor am I trying to lay a heavy on my dead mother, but that mentality is a pit fall.

I have been blessed in life to have the ability to work, the drive to succeed and an entirely unhealthy fear of debt. Success to me does not come with material status, but a piece of mind that was hard won with financial prudence and the feeling of being relatively secure.

To each their own, but I think the world would be better served if folks spent more time consuming less and contemplating more.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

Mark Brown said:


> I keep meaning to buy half a cow. We did half a pig a few years back. I wasn't thrilled with how it was butchered or how some of the stuff was cured/smoked. Kinda ruined the experience a bit.
> 
> I bought the deepfreeze to fit a half a side of beef so it would be a financial loss not to utilize it. I think that's how that works....
> 
> ...


We must be soul brothers ...


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

BGood said:


> We must be soul brothers ...


Nah, I've seen your art work. Thats some serious talent! There is no way even our souls are distantly related. 

On point with the whole money thing, when people ask why a person would be in a hurry to pay off their mortgage, let me tell you that watching the "For Sale" sign go up on your house before your balls drop is not something that you easily forget or a fate you wish to subject your own children to.

Plus, I expected the current round of interest rate rise to be about 8 years ago... which clearly indicates I don't know shit, but I knew it was coming and the last thing I wanted is to be leveraged when that time came.


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## Rudiger (1 mo ago)

Mark Brown said:


> Nah, I've seen your art work. Thats some serious talent! There is no way even our souls are distantly related.
> 
> On point with the whole money thing, when people ask why a person would be in a hurry to pay off their mortgage, let me tell you that watching the "For Sale" sign go up on your house before your balls drop is not something that you easily forget or a fate you wish to subject your own children to.
> 
> Plus, I expected the current round of interest rate rise to be about 8 years ago... which clearly indicates I don't know shit, but I knew it was coming and the last thing I wanted is to be leveraged when that time came.


The rate hikes are going to keep coming. You made the right call.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)




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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I live alone so I have my own systems. With food shopping it's not always what's the cheapest, it's what I can sort out for a per meal price for my meals. By combining things, what can I stretch it the furthest and still have a varied healthy diet.

With meat, after rarely eating pork through my life it's a staple for me now. It's always on sale somewhere. I just made pulled pork out of a 1.5 kg roast I got for $9 at Metro. I will freeze half of that because it's a crapload of pulled pork for one person.

The summer is a lot easier because there's a dozen roadside stands I can hit within 5 minutes for produce. Fresh produce lasts way longer too.

Beyond that, I never ate out at restaurants much even before the Covid break. I don't feel I miss out on anything with that. I don't drink alcohol or smoke so that helps a lot.

I am hooked up to the library in town with Hoopla. I can get ebooks, tv shows, and movies through that for free with my library card. I have Prime for buying my work supplies and I get prime video and prime music with that. Firefox browser can block ads on YouTube, so I cast it to my tv. Living/being alone I do need entertainment like this.  It's an unneeded expensive for some, but I do active stuff alone all the time. I need the time to just stare at a movie/show.

I hike a crapload. I live near the Bruce trail. I am a part of the trail angels program where we share rides. I'll do 50km or more a week easily. It's a fantastic, relaxing hobby that costs very little. There's massive benefits to my mental health too.

That's a few things I can think of.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Jim Wellington said:


> Safety is one thing that larger vehicles offer. Better in inclement weather and better survival rate in collisions when compared to compacts or subcompact cars. What`s your safety worth?
> 
> For the dude who doesn't get it because he`s from Europe...well, you answered your own question. It`s a Canadian culture thing. Not all that long ago, Canada had more of a rural identity, the open country, and more remote natural areas are more safely accessible in a 4X4 pickup.
> 
> As a dude who owns a truck, I`d rather be driving a Golf R in the city.


People don't stop for red lights in toronto. They also dive bomb the intersection to make a right on their red and traffic already flowing on the green has to back off to let them in - a lot of them are driving compact cars. I see this multiple times a day and I would rather be driving something big that has a better chance against some entitled idiot in a toyota crapolla. 

As for trucks, I've always had one initially because they were good cheap transportation and easy to work on and up until recently to tow my race cars. Daily now is a 2010 F150 cost me 20K new off the lot and since then just brakes, tires gas and oil - over twelve years that's good cheap transportation; it's getting to rust a bit and I haven't washed it in 5 years but I expect to get another 3 years out of it. Most of its predecessors went 15 for years. Another thing too is that trucks are cheaper to insure; a similar size SUV will cost more to insure than a half ton and that's because of the demographics on who drives what.

Drive what you like. What kind of lame ass takes any notice of what other people think you should be driving or how you should be living. As for small cars, I'm 6'3" and don't fit into them so the virtue creeps can take their opinions and fuck off.

Saw a few good ones today. I live right by the highway so it's out the door and away to work. Got stuck behind some cracker in a small SUV and he has the left turn signal on for about 10 minutes driving in the middle lane - the vehicle has flashing lights on its side mirrors so what the fuck is going on that he doesn't see the flasher in his side mirror, it means he hasn't checked anything in 10 minutes. Get up beside him and he's got the 1000 yard stare nothing going in his brain.

Coming home. On an off ramp and the crapolla two ahead of me is going real slow and everything backed up behind him. The guy in front of me rears the crapolla a good hit. Loud bang and 1500 - 2K body damage to both vehicles but the crapolla keeps going without missing a beat - the stunned fucker driving it didn't even know he'd been hit .. lol


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

1. I pledge to do even more hunting and fishing to fill the freezer for pennies compared to hunting for food in the grocery store. Increase the size of the garden next year.

2. Invest in an outside wood burning furnace, home wind generator and solar panels over the next few years. I've had some experience in the past incorporating these technologies into a home but that was a couple decades ago when these technologies were in their infancy for the most part. Now that things have greatly advanced with these alternative energy sources it's time to give the utility companies the double barrel middle finger and reinvest to avoid being further victimized/price gouged by traditional energy costs.


















Also changing up the transportation method,









And one for the wife too,


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Midnight Rider said:


> 1. I pledge to do even more hunting and fishing to fill the freezer for pennies compared to hunting for food in the grocery store. Increase the size of the garden next year.
> 
> 2. Invest in an outside wood burning furnace, home wind generator and solar panels over the next few years. I've had some experience in the past incorporating these technologies into a home but that was a couple decades ago when these technologies were in their infancy for the most part. Now that things have greatly advanced with these alternative energy sources it's time to give the utility companies the double barrel middle finger and reinvest to avoid being further victimized/price gouged by traditional energy costs.
> 
> ...


The Craziest shit I ever did see, me and buddy stopped into maybe Inglis Manitoba and buddy had an old locomotive boiler in a cinder block shed he used to heat hot water he piped under ground to hydronic radiant heat in his house. That blew my mind man.

I cannot help think a purpose built boiler might be a better solution, but I gotta admit it was impressive.


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## Jim Wellington (Sep 3, 2017)

Wardo said:


> People don't stop for red lights in toronto. They also dive bomb the intersection to make a right on their red and traffic already flowing on the green has to back off to let them in - a lot of them are driving compact cars. I see this multiple times a day and I would rather be driving something big that has a better chance against some entitled idiot in a toyota crapolla.
> 
> As for trucks, I've always had one initially because they were good cheap transportation and easy to work on and up until recently to tow my race cars. Daily now is a 2010 F150 cost me 20K new off the lot and since then just brakes, tires gas and oil - over twelve years that's good cheap transportation; it's getting to rust a bit and I haven't washed it in 5 years but I expect to get another 3 years out of it. Most of its predecessors went 15 for years. Another thing too is that trucks are cheaper to insure; a similar size SUV will cost more to insure than a half ton and that's because of the demographics on who drives what.
> 
> Drive what you like. What kind of lame ass takes any notice of what other people think you should be driving or how you should be living. As for small cars, I'm 6'3" and don't fit into them so the virtue creeps can take their opinions and fuck off.


I bought a loaded Nissan Titan in 2008. 385,000 kms later I consider it the most reliable and fun vehicle I`ve owned. Trucks are safe and well built... You`ll get no argument from me about that.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Midnight Rider said:


> 1. I pledge to do even more hunting and fishing to fill the freezer for pennies compared to hunting for food in the grocery store. Increase the size of the garden next year.
> 
> 2. Invest in an outside wood burning furnace, home wind generator and solar panels over the next few years. I've had some experience in the past incorporating these technologies into a home but that was a couple decades ago when these technologies were in their infancy for the most part. Now that things have greatly advanced with these alternative energy sources it's time to give the utility companies the double barrel middle finger and reinvest to avoid being further victimized/price gouged by traditional energy costs.
> 
> ...












I found one while driving around near Sauble last year.

I would love to do some of the items on your list. Due to family obligations I am stuck in a town I can't afford to live in for at least the next couple of years. I can work on the road though, and I am out of here hiking and camping pretty much every week. I'd love to be able to get just enough land to be able to actually grow and store some food. Plus I live alone and have for 6 years at this point. I have no issues being a little more isolated. I've had a first hand look of what happens to towns when they turn into "bedroom communities" and its crappy (this used to be a rural town). There is zero "community" aspect in that term. When I get out on the hiking trails etc. it helps me remember what its like to run into nice people and have conversations with people who appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. I went for a walk at our local conservation area here the other day and out of the 10 or so people I passed, 2 said hello. 2 flat out looked at me with ugly looks like the concept of being friendly is crazy, and didn't even reply. Others just looked at the ground and wouldn't even make eye contact. I don't even get the point of living in an area like this.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

There are lots of pictues like these in the city I live in.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Just got back from the grocery store. $8.83 for a pound of butter plus 13% tax. WTF?


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

player99 said:


> Just got back from the grocery store. $8.83 for a pound of butter plus 13% tax. WTF?


$6.50 here last night. They say there's a big egg shortage right now, due to bird flu and other factors, so watch for that price to move (probably already has, I didn't look)


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

player99 said:


> Just got back from the grocery store. $8.83 for a pound of butter plus 13% tax. WTF?


I don't use a ton of butter, but even at that when I see a deal I always grab a couple of pounds and put them in the freezer.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

10 bucks for butter that’s cool. There should be a carbon tax on butter because cows must produce a lot of carbon from cradle to grave. The non nation state is working out real good .. Anyway, unless you are Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris what do you need butter for.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Wardo said:


> 10 bucks for butter that’s cool. There should be a carbon tax on butter because cows must produce a lot of carbon from cradle to grave. The non nation state is working out real good ..


That's methane. Different taxing model.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Mark Brown said:


> That's methane. Different taxing model.


Yeah, I know that but truth doesn’t matter and people believe what they’re told so it can be pitched as carbon and no one will be the wiser. Carbon is big these days, methane not so much.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Get me the scissors and the butter.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)




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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

torndownunit said:


> View attachment 453284
> 
> 
> I found one while driving around near Sauble last year.


What km/foot-step ya getting? What's the max RPF?


----------



## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Thunderboy1975 said:


> Whats your malfunction.


Hey, I take offence to your hate speech. I call for a life long ban and cancellation.


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

Midnight Rider said:


> Hey, I take offence to your hate speech. I call for a life long ban and cancellation.


This aint MyLesPaul sport. Take your anger somewhere else.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Thunderboy1975 said:


> This aint MyLesPaul sport. Take your anger somewhere else.


WTF,...😂
Nothing to do with anger or hate,... just pointing out the obvious absurdity.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Freedom to deny what’s right.
No common cause to stand and fight.
Freedom it has slipped away and waits upon your dyin day.
No faith no change just tales and lies.
Blame it on the other side.
Insurrection search for truth.
Smoke and mirrors on your TV screen.

Well that’s one verse culled out of this thread. Next verse gonna be something about bridges burn and shed no light liars say gonna be alright. Sounds to me like it should be in drop D.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Wardo said:


> Freedom to deny what’s right.
> No common cause to stand and fight.
> Freedom it has slipped away and waits upon your dyin day.
> No faith no changed just tales and lies.
> ...


Write a verse about fat people can't afford butter.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

player99 said:


> Write a verse about fat people can't afford butter.


Well they call me they call me the fat man.
Cause I’m stinkin fat and I got piles too.
But every time I shave my belly.
AOC come runnin round.


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

Midnight Rider said:


> WTF,...😂
> Nothing to do with anger or hate,... just pointing out the obvious absurdity.


Keep editing your response sport.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Thunderboy1975 said:


> Keep editing your response sport.


It's worse than I thought,... the freedom to edit is also now at risk of being eradicated,... but can we or should we initiate this as a clever approach to saving money due to rising prices? 

Hoping I don't have to return to edit due to grammatical or spelling error,... God forbid!









(oh shit!)


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

l broke down and joined twitter a few days ago and there are guys with pages full of vitriol on this woman. So when see a member posting it here i would question their motive is all. But your response says it all.


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Thunderboy1975 said:


> l broke down and joined twitter a few days ago and there are guys with pages full of vitriol on this woman. So when see a member posting it here i would question their motive is all. But your response says it all.


With all due respect I suggest you dig a little deeper and investigate all available information to better educate yourself on the M.O., agenda and dogma of certain individuals.


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

Respect. Go and read up on what that word means.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

My Infiniti requires 91 octane, but in the winter i switch to 89. I doubt very much I have to worry about detonation when its below 10* C. Adds up when you have an 80 liter tank


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Thunderboy1975 said:


> Respect. Go and read up on what that word means.


Ah,... so now we know who really has the anger issues here.


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

You proving to everbody who has much healing to do. Thank you for this conversation. Aho!


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

knight_yyz said:


> My Infiniti requires 91 octane, but in the winter i switch to 89. I doubt very much I have to worry about detonation when its below 10* C. Adds up when you have an 80 liter tank


I see a lot of Mercedes and BMWs running round where my office is and the motor is tweaked so far that it’s cracklin and poppin at parking lot speeds. You can tell by the smell that they’re running race gas to drive up and down Finch Avenue .. lol


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## Midnight Rider (Apr 2, 2015)

Thunderboy1975 said:


> You proving to everbody who has much healing to do. Thank you for this conversation. Aho!


I only find myself having to heal when crossing paths with certain individuals on this planet,... an aspirin and a couple brews will put this episode of discussion in the rear view mirror. 

Good luck with your genuflecting when in the presence of the self-proclaimed anointed ones.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

No Frills, Drive less, Don't rationalize spending $$$ on anything that isn't essential. Cash/Debit. No credit unless it it urgent ...............


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

knight_yyz said:


> My Infiniti requires 91 octane, but in the winter i switch to 89. I doubt very much I have to worry about detonation when its below 10* C. Adds up when you have an 80 liter tank


I have an old 2003 Toyota Celica GTS which has a Yamaha block tuned for more hp that the GT. It takes high octane as well. When I got it, a mechanic who had a lot of experience working with souping up cars told me it will cost less to use the high test over regular because the firing is off. The compression isn't complete on the low octane but it fires when it would be complete on the high octane. This causes issues. I looked it up and he was correct about the firing. So I just fill it up with high test and don't think about it. It's put away for the winter. It's been some time since I read this so things may have changed.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

This came across my feed this morning. Not assuring its accuracy, but it’s a good thing to consider. We always buy our dog food on senior’s day at Pet Valu on the last Thursday of the month.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Mark Brown said:


> I can honestly and truly say, I dont try and save money. At least not in any active way.
> 
> I buy the things I can convince myself I need, long for the things I want and begrudgingly purchase that which I cannot live without.
> 
> Once a tank of fuel cost you 240 dollars, what's the point fighting anymore.



Dang man, what are you driving that has a tank that big? Tractor Trailer?

Fill ups in my wife's Altima are around $80 give or take.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Milkman said:


> Dang man, what are you driving that has a tank that big? Tractor Trailer?
> 
> Fill ups in my wife's Altima are around $80 give or take.


2019 Sprinter with diesel at $2.37.

To be fair, we are down to 2.08 last I looked, but this is now, not then. I was paying over 70 dollars to fill my 92 civic when gasoline was 2.68 at the height of the crazy.

I just try not to think about the fact that it hurts so bad.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

My morning commute is now a quick walk to the washroom and then down the hall to my office. That means I often don't drive a car all week, and only drive on Saturdays and Sundays. Saves a fair bit of gas et cetera.

We almost never dine out anymore. We were once avid foodies but covid pretty much put that to bed.

I rarely drink booze. (<$).

Christmas will be pretty modest this year. Gifts for the kids, baked goods for friends.

I buy peanuts for my squirrelfriends in 50 lb bags. (cheaper in bulk).


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Mark Brown said:


> 2019 Sprinter with diesel at $2.37.
> 
> To be fair, we are down to 2.08 last I looked, but this is now, not then. I was paying over 70 dollars to fill my 92 civic when gasoline was 2.68 at the height of the crazy.
> 
> I just try not to think about the fact that it hurts so bad.



Ouch.

Well I suppose being a status Indian helps. These days on the Rez, I pay $1.15 ~ $1.35 / litre on average for regular. It gets a bit more expensive for high test in the summer (my Infiniti demands that).


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Milkman said:


> Ouch.
> 
> Well I suppose being a status Indian helps. These days on the Rez, I pay $1.15 ~ $1.35 / litre on average for regular. It gets a bit more expensive for high test in the summer (my Infiniti demands that).


I just charge people more money to compensate for my loss. 12 months ago I was installing tile for $8 dollars a sqft, now it is $12, sometimes $14. Problem solved


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

LMAO, sometimes all you can do is tread water.

This spring I paid around $5K for a new high efficiency furnace, having already replaced old doors with modern ones.

Then they jacked the gas rate up by 30%.

FFS!!


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Wardo said:


> Sounds to me like it should be in drop D.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Milkman said:


> LMAO, sometimes all you can do is tread water.
> 
> This spring I paid around $5K for a new high efficiency furnace, having already replaced old doors with modern ones.
> 
> ...


That sucks. Heating is a killer man. Especially since there is almost no way to avoid it and commodity pricing can do just about whatever crazy nonsense it wants to.

Looking on the bright side however, imagine if you hadn't gotten a more efficient furnace and replaced the windows and doors, then that 30% increase would just be flying out of your wallet instead of at least heating your, how do I put this politely, uninsulated sexy nogging


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Mark Brown said:


> That sucks. Heating is a killer man. Especially since there is almost no way to avoid it and commodity pricing can do just about whatever crazy nonsense it wants to.
> 
> Looking on the bright side however, imagine if you hadn't gotten a more efficient furnace and replaced the windows and doors, then that 30% increase would just be flying out of your wallet instead of at least heating your, how do I put this politely, uninsulated sexy nogging



Yes, and we try to keep a "cup is half full" mindset as much as possible.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Milkman said:


> Yes, and we try to keep a "cup is half full" mindset as much as possible.


You know, as much as the Canadian attitude really is "what can ya do" it isn't untrue. There isn't much point making complaints about things you cannot control. No amount of protest is going to lower the price of gasoline or natural gas and as long as they are globally traded commodities we are subject to market conditions not entirely of our own making. Might as well just tighten the belt and carry on.

Sounds to me like you at least insulated yourself (pun intended) from the worst of the pricing shock by modernizing your home, that is the best one can do.

My solution to spending less is typically just working more. When I don't have the time to be a consumer, I am much less likely to spend money and much busier generating it.

Fun thought though, by simply taking coffee in a mug and lunch in a box, I save myself anywhere from 12-15 dollars, on an average of 13.50 over a 21.75 working days a month that is 293.62, minus the hard cost of a brewed cup of coffee and 2 slices of bread the the like, so lets just round it down to 200 dollars a month savings.

It really is the little things that add up quickly. I think back to when I was smoking 2 packs a day and drinking no less than 6 beer a night, well no damn wonder I never had any money. Not to mention during that fun episode of life, buying lunch out every day was just a given.

The funny thing about saving money is that it is rather simple when you boil it down, you just simply spend less money. When you take the time to examine what you purchase there is usually a lot of room to trim the fat as it were.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Mark Brown said:


> You know, as much as the Canadian attitude really is "what can ya do" it isn't untrue. There isn't much point making complaints about things you cannot control. No amount of protest is going to lower the price of gasoline or natural gas and as long as they are globally traded commodities we are subject to market conditions not entirely of our own making. Might as well just tighten the belt and carry on.
> 
> Sounds to me like you at least insulated yourself (pun intended) from the worst of the pricing shock by modernizing your home, that is the best one can do.
> 
> ...


We have plenty of fat to trim in my opinion.

Another benefit of working from home is that my lunches are modest and inexpensive. My weed habit is pricey, but I don't consume nearly as much as I used to. I'd say I'm less than a gram a day now. The problem is, I have expensive tastes.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Oil heat here and it's expensive. Got the thermostat set a bit lower. Had most of the windows replaced when we moved in, and after spending the summer of '21 taking them all out and putting them in properly, they seem to work quite well. Never using that guy again...lol.
We go to the Soo about once a month for shopping. Still do a lot locally, but only 1 grocery store here, so it's a bit pricey, if they have it in stock. Amazon is pretty popular around here. Gas is about 20 cents cheaper in the Soo too, so alway fill up before we leave. I put gas in the truck about every 3 weeks or so, when it gets under 1/2 a tank, so we don't really do a lot of driving.
I'm getting fatter, so I don't think we have cut back on groceries much. We never know what's for supper, but you can be pretty sure it was something on sale. When things go on sale we stock up. Lot's of room for storage around here. Other than that, if something needs doing, we do it ourselves instead of hiring someone....if we can.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

player99 said:


> I have an old 2003 Toyota Celica GTS which has a Yamaha block tuned for more hp that the GT. It takes high octane as well. When I got it, a mechanic who had a lot of experience working with souping up cars told me it will cost less to use the high test over regular because the firing is off. The compression isn't complete on the low octane but it fires when it would be complete on the high octane. This causes issues. I looked it up and he was correct about the firing. So I just fill it up with high test and don't think about it. It's put away for the winter. It's been some time since I read this so things may have changed.


I monitor my mileage and it is also dispayed on my viewscreen. Whether i use 89 or 91 I get around 13l per 100km, which is not bad for a 400 horsepower V8. 

If you are tuned and you have upped your timing, then you should run high octane. There is a bigger chance of detonation when you have increased your timing. I'm not tuned, im running normal timing.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

knight_yyz said:


> My Infiniti requires 91 octane, but in the winter i switch to 89. I doubt very much I have to worry about detonation when its below 10* C. Adds up when you have an 80 liter tank


And that's ok for the engine? I sold my trucks and got a car, but I'm putting in premium and would rather not, lol.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

First of all, if your car doesn;t specifically tell you to run premium you are wasting money. But if you have the little sticker on the fuel door telling you to run premium then you do have a choice. Do you know what knocking sounds like? It's also called detonation. The timing is so high and the temps so hot that you are actually getting two explosions from the cylinder. 1 from the spark plug and the other caused by high heat and compression. You don't want that. It is more prone to happen on very hot days in stop and go traffic. Have you ever driven somewhere in 40C heat and you shut off the engine but it sputters coughs then dies? Again, octane is too low for the conditions... For the winter you don't have to worry about heat soak, so the chances of knock/detonation are very low. You might be losing a few horsepower, but you're street driving. Going to the track for a fun day? Try to run on empty until you are close to the track and put about 1/3 tank of 91 and call it a day. ( no need to weigh the car down with a full tank)

On the flip side, if you decide to run race gas at 100 octane (with stock timing) and you jump on the highway and do a buck 40 for an hour and you get out of the car, you'll probably notice that your exhaust is red hot and ready to melt....

Try it once, check your mileage. Listen to the engine. I know some people who will fill up 89, then next time 91, then 89 etc. Filling up with a quarter tank you're running somewhere between 89 and 91 most of the time. And those octane boosters you can buy? They say they raise octane by one point? If you run 89 and use an octane booster you paid 5 bucks to go from 89 to 89.1 

A few BMW's, the 328i for example requires 95 octane, but would prefer 98 octane... where the heck do you buy that? I know someone who had a 90's BMW M5 that wanted 98 octane. She ran it on 93 with zero problems, she probably lost a few horsepower but who is going to pay for race gas? AFAIK the only country that sells 98 octane at a standard gas station is Australia.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I started being thrifty about 8 months ago. Here are some of the things I have done:

I go to the butcher and buy dry-aged beef fat for $0.75 per pound. I render the fat and use it instead of butter.
I smoke the beef bits from above and use them as bacon bits and fry
I get creative with leftovers. Here's a re-fried (from frozen) pulled ham on polenta with cilantro, scallions, and peri peri.
I shop at asian grocers. 6 limes for a dollar versus 1 for a dollar at my local grocery shop.
I avoid my local grocery store. Criminal.
I make my own pizza - about $2.50 each and cooked on those big-ass iron oven plates during mid-peak.
All less desirable veg parts (broccoli, zucchini, cabbage, celery, carrots) go into a chicken drumstick soup.
I am able to use my neighbours heat to offset my costs, lol.
I use the free stuff where I live for fun/entertainment: shows, internet (rogers only), games room, gym, hiking trails, hockey rink, winter bikes, etc.
I'm not embarrassed to say that I'll go to dollarama for specific items when I'm in the area. whisks, tongs,sponges, etc
I don't go out for dinner anymore.
There's a lot of giveaways in the crypto world, so I keep an eye out. Last year I made at least $18k before taxes (on freebies).


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

knight_yyz said:


> First of all, if your car doesn;t specifically tell you to run premium you are wasting money. But if you have the little sticker on the fuel door telling you to run premium then you do have a choice. Do you know what knocking sounds like? It's also called detonation. The timing is so high and the temps so hot that you are actually getting two explosions from the cylinder. 1 from the spark plug and the other caused by high heat and compression. You don't want that. It is more prone to happen on very hot days in stop and go traffic. Have you ever driven somewhere in 40C heat and you shut off the engine but it sputters coughs then dies? Again, octane is too low for the conditions... For the winter you don't have to worry about heat soak, so the chances of knock/detonation are very low. You might be losing a few horsepower, but you're street driving. Going to the track for a fun day? Try to run on empty until you are close to the track and put about 1/3 tank of 91 and call it a day. ( no need to weigh the car down with a full tank)
> 
> On the flip side, if you decide to run race gas at 100 octane (with stock timing) and you jump on the highway and do a buck 40 for an hour and you get out of the car, you'll probably notice that your exhaust is red hot and ready to melt....
> 
> ...


Thanks for the detailed response. I'll do a bit of research (I'm really not a car guy). I'm afraid that if I fuck up the engine, the money I save on gas would be laughable, comparatively.

Edit: yeah, all forums say 91 or higher. most people using 93. Apparently, if I look at the cover it may say E85. Ethanol, I guess?I'll check to see if E85 is cheap. I have no idea how to even look for it, lol.


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## Derek_T (10 mo ago)

knight_yyz said:


> First of all, if your car doesn;t specifically tell you to run premium you are wasting money


Yes, a good buddy of mine did his Master degree in engineering in Montreal years ago, he was studying modeling fluid mechanics in injectors. He ask his teacher once what was the difference between the different grade of gas.
Answer was: None. Put was the manufacturer recommend, the rest is just marketing.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

My Celica runs better on the high test.


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

To echo what's been said regarding octane. Always put whatever the manufacturer recommends for your vehicle (or the closest you can get to it). The majority of daily drivers require 87 octane. Higher performance engines generally require more.

If you use higher or lower octane, you'll lose power, reduce your fuel efficiency, increase pollutants, and potentially do damage to your engine. The gas companies market higher octane as more powerful, cleaner, etc, but that simply isn't true unless you have an engine designed for it.


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Grow your own from vegetables to cannabis...big savings, especially the cannabis.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Paul Running said:


> Grow your own from vegetables to cannabis...big savings, especially the cannabis.


Cannabis can be costly to grow. If you don't use tons it may be cheaper to buy it.


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

player99 said:


> My Celica runs better on the high test.


Because the tuner maxed out your timing, maxed out your fuel injector cycles and made it a little lean for max horsepower. Dyno tuned or street tuned, require those parameters. When you run lean that is another reason for high octane. For example Stoich is 14.7. The perfect ratio of air to fuel. But lean that out use a little less air you increase horsepower. Lean it out too much you fry your pistons. The more you lean it out the higher the octane required to prevent detonation. My 02 nissan maxima put out 230hp and 240tq, but after adding a piggyback écu, bigger injectors, headers and a larger plenum it was dyno tuned to 302hp/321tq on 91 octane at 12.5 air to fuel If I tried to run that in 40c temps at the track on 87 it would ping and knock and run like pure shite and never hit a 13 second quarter mile. If it was turbo I'd blow the engine. 

I should have mentioned that earlier. If you have a turbo, run the highest octane you can.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

knight_yyz said:


> Because the tuner maxed out your timing, maxed out your fuel injector cycles and made it a little lean for max horsepower. Dyno tuned or street tuned, require those parameters. When you run lean that is another reason for high octane. For example Stoich is 14.7. The perfect ratio of air to fuel. But lean that out use a little less air you increase horsepower. Lean it out too much you fry your pistons. The more you lean it out the higher the octane required to prevent detonation. My 02 nissan maxima put out 230hp and 240tq, but after adding a piggyback écu, bigger injectors, headers and a larger plenum it was dyno tuned to 302hp/321tq on 91 octane at 12.5 air to fuel If I tried to run that in 40c temps at the track on 87 it would ping and knock and run like pure shite and never hit a 13 second quarter mile. If it was turbo I'd blow the engine.
> 
> I should have mentioned that earlier. If you have a turbo, run the highest octane you can.


My motor has a cam lifter thing that acts like a mini turbo near the red line.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

The motor is the same as the one they used in some Lotus cars when they imported them into N America. This sounds impressive (or not) but the reason they used it was the motor had already passed a bunch of regulatory hoops. It is tuned for more HP too as I remember. 

Here are the engine specs. 





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Loading…






www.engine-specs.net


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

The same engine in this Lotus 2 11











This Lotus:











and this one:


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

I’ve seen detonation clean the carbon off the top of a piston and leave little indentations on it looking like a needle bearing got in there. If your motor is tuned up, race cam, timing advanced, high compression etc then you need to run high octane fuel as has been referred to in one of the posts above. High octane fuel lets you run the motor close to the edge. If you are just dickin around in some kind of four banger appliance car then you probably don’t need it.


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## Okay Player (May 24, 2020)

keithb7 said:


> Cheaper to eat a McDouble combo meal at Don’s than make your own burger and fries at home.


That stopped being true about 6 months ago. For me to eat at Micky D's is 15 bucks.


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

Okay Player said:


> That stopped being true about 6 months ago. For me to eat at Micky D's is 15 bucks.


2 can dine for $12.99 coupons man.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

The easiest way to save money is to just get arrested. 3 square and a place to sleep. Cannot top that!


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Mark Brown said:


> The easiest way to save money is to just get arrested. 3 square and a place to sleep. Cannot top that!


Thats about the most useful contribution to this thread that I’ve seen so far.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Wardo said:


> Thats about the most useful contribution to this thread that I’ve seen so far.


It is my retirement plan if all else fails. Being a ward of the state has its advantages.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Mark Brown said:


> The easiest way to save money is to just get arrested. 3 square and a place to sleep. Cannot top that!


Legal fees, court fees, penalties... Not worth the balony and white bread sandwiches.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

player99 said:


> Legal fees, court fees, penalties...


Just don’t pay any of it.

The court-appointed lawyer.
Couldn’t look me in the eye.
He stood up and closed his briefcase.
When they sentenced me to die.


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## Okay Player (May 24, 2020)

Thunderboy1975 said:


> 2 can dine for $12.99 coupons man.


The last time a 1/4 pounder and a medium fry was a meal for me I was in the 7th grade.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Wardo said:


> Thats about the most useful contribution to this thread that I’ve seen so far.


Sorry nobody's showing you how to save on your next limited edition jar of Grey Poupon.


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

Okay Player said:


> The last time a 1/4 pounder and a medium fry was a meal for me I was in the 7th grade.


Then eat both meals, surely 2 QP's and 2 med fries and 2 soft drinks will tide you over till elevenzies? I dont think i could eat 2 med fries. A&W now i could eat 2 teen burger meals. mmm. teen burger.😂


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

player99 said:


> Sorry nobody's showing you how to save on your next limited edition jar of Grey Poupon.


I don’t even have OHIP coverage and can’t buy private medical insurance here so getting incarcerated for 20 years would solve that .. lol


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Wardo said:


> I don’t even have OHIP coverage and can’t buy private medical insurance here so getting incarcerated for 20 years would solve that .. lol


You can use my ohip card.


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

It's okay to buy items from the reduced for quick sale carts...I believe that your never too good for B stock items.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

The Difference Between Best Before and Expiry Dates


Don't know what the date on a food package means? Read on to learn the differences between these important dates.




www.foodsafety.ca













10 Foods That Never (or Almost Never) Expire


Stocking up on chow for a potential emergency? Canned tuna and dried fruit will last for quite a while in your pantry, but if you really want foods that will last for the long haul, reach for one of these endurance champs.




www.mentalfloss.com





Maybe look for more authoritative sources, but the idea of saving on food costs is valid.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

The stamp that says "best before" does not mean "bad after" the date indicated.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I didn't realize it at the time but the reason we fished so much in the summer growing up was to help feed the household. A stringer of perch went a long way.

My grandmother, born in 1897, told childhood stories of helping her father fish in the Thames River within London (Ontario) city limits. They ate what was caught. Apparently my great grandfather was a dedicated sustenance fisherman.


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

we fished too.
mainly walleye , pike and mooneye (white fish family), lots of 'em out of the ottawa river.

had an old native indian that squatted on the beach in a shack ... we brought him the eels and any catfish we caught

but if it wasn't going to be eaten , it went back in the water.


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

Native Indians dont squat. Immigrants do. We camp and we prefer to be called First Nations @oldjoat


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Here's a throwback memory. Catalogues under your socks for shin pads, hand me down skates, hand knit sweaters in NHL colours, rocks for goal posts...


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Thunderboy1975 said:


> 2 can dine for $12.99 coupons man.


You can give me all the coupons in the world--but I will gladly spend more money & eat elsewhere.
(Although there are worse places to eat)
I'll find a way to save on other things.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

zontar said:


> You can give me all the coupons in the world--but I will gladly spend more money & eat elsewhere.
> (Although there are worse places to eat)
> I'll find a way to save on other things.


I never eat out. Especially at those crappy places. The only restaurant I'd eat at in my area (if there was no Covid) would be the Green Door in Ottawa. Self serve organic vegetarian restaurant.


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## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

player99 said:


> Self serve organic vegetarian restaurant.


So it is just a garden?


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

Thunderboy1975 said:


> Native Indians dont squat. Immigrants do. We camp and we prefer to be called First Nations


no disrespect intended ... 

back in my youth , that's what they called it ... perfectly legal and nothing the "city council " could do about it.
only when he got too old and had to be hospitalized, they tore his shack down.

great gentle old soul and wise beyond his years till the end .

FYI , the wife's mother was pure "first nations" , her father was french , 
making the wife "metis" , and now my 2 kids have 2 proud heritages.
I too have "some" first nation blood from somewhere in the past of NS. ( but relatives won't discuss it )


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

Same old song and dance @oldjoat. Moving on.


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## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

I moved on years ago .... now I cuss and swear at everyone , (treat 'em all the same)


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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

oldjoat said:


> I moved on years ago .... now I cuss and swear at everyone , (treat 'em all the same)


Okay then, i'll let you go with a warning.


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## RouseTheBoroughs (4 mo ago)

Just thought I'd share a few things :

Got a smart thermostat, I can't tell you guys what a difference it's been on the bill.
I have a lot of appliances set on a smart plug that cuts them off from electricity when not needed.
We have it figured out for weekly dishes with ingredients at local small grocers, consistency really helped with costs, it's insane to say but between biking more for non essential trips, groceries etc and everything else we cut back on, we're putting together an additional 700$ a month we used to spend.

Also you wouldn't believe the amount of stuff that's cheaper at Dollarama and Salvation army vs Amazon


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