Things We Overpay For
Posted by Gail | Filed under Smart Shopper
We’re all guilty of indulging ourselves with small treats that over time really add up. Some of the things we buy are worth every penny because of the pleasure we derive. I love recipe magazines and can create gastronomic masterpieces after an afternoon of browsing Fine Cooking. But at $11 a pop, these can add up quickly. So recently I decided to hold off on more recipe magazines and explore what’s available on the internet instead. What a bonanza!
There are gobs of ways money leaps out of our wallets every day, week, month. And there are equally as many ways to cut back, just a little, so that you can have the things you enjoy while saving a bit of dough.
Yes, taking lunch to work instead of buying lunch can save you a whack. But if you don’t want to cut out lunch with your pals completely, you can still find ways to trim back. Rather than spend $2 a day for bottled water, get yourself filter jug for your desk, or a refillable water bottle, and rehydrate for pennies a glass. And instead of expensive protein bars as an afternoon snack, pack yourself a handful of nuts and some fresh fruit and save a bundle.
Need a caffeine fix? Love that gourmet coffee that runs $5 a cup? Why not splurge on a pound of gourmet coffee and a small drip machine or Bodum. Add a little hot water and you can have fresh brewed whenever you want for pennies on the dollar. Ditto you tea drinkers. Ever compared the price of a cup of tea in the local coffee joint to what you pay for a single bag? You should. You’d be motivated to DIY.
Planning ahead can eliminate the need to buy prepackaged food… all those “convenience” foods that are meant to save you gobs of time, but end up costing gobs of money. Do you really not have the time to slice up some cheese, a couple of pieces of salami, and slap ‘em in a container along with some crackers? A pre-packed box of sliced vegis and fruit with dip is multi-times more expensive than making it at home. Yes, I have to get up early to pack the kids’ lunches. But it’s worth it to know they’ve got good food and to cut my costs.
Lots of folks rush out to buy the latest CD by their favorite artist even though there are only one or two songs they really like? Instead of ponying up $16 for a CD, why not pay to download just those cuts you really love at just 99 cents a pop.
Car maintenance from the dealership cost way more than at a local mechanic. Once my car came off warranty, I switched to a local guy for routine maintenance and repair. While your dealerships may lead you to believe that certain work can only be done by authorized dealerships, it’s a myth. You need to find an honest and reliable mechanic and save yourself some money.
A night at the movies for two to see a first-run movie costs twice as much as waiting until it goes to a discount house. Better yet, wait until you can rent it at your local video store. And that doesn’t even count the babysitter, and the savings for snacking at home. Willing to wait a little longer for new releases? Then borrow them free from your local library.
ATM Fees, overdraft protection costs, and credit card penalties are a total waste of good money. No more need be said.
Okay, it’s your turn: How have you found ways to enjoy the things you love for less? And how much are you saving a year by being mindful of your spending? You can use the Continuous Savings Calculator to see how much you’re saving with your smart shopping.
June 23, 2009 at 6:35 am
Goodwill and Salvation army stores can offer amazing deals. If you’re handy at alterating clothing then you can save a bundle. I also reserve books on the library on-line and also have learned to cut my own hair and the whole family’s hair.
June 23, 2009 at 7:06 am
Today is my first tv-less day. Only partial to save a bit of money. Its more to motivate me to get off my butt. Giving it a try for the summer.
I found calling some of the places that provide services for me (satelitte, credit card, etc) and just asking for a better deal actually works. I am paying very little for my cell phone (would cost too much to break the contract), got a 30% discount on my satellite, got a lower interest rate and annual fee refund on my credit card, bare bones on my banking fees by just watching my use. It never hurts to ask.
I also do lots of research before I make larger purchases to make sure I am getting a quality product for the best deal. I recently picked up a water cooler on Kijiji for about 1/4 of the price of a new one. All it took was a little bleach and some elbow grease. Saves the environment (I used to buy 10L bottles) and money. Previously loved stuff is great for the budget and the environment. Saves it from ending up at the dump. And we are in prime time for yardsales! But make sure you only buy the stuff you need.
June 23, 2009 at 7:19 am
I use my age (24) for discounts to live performances – and sign up for email notifications so that I can still go see shows that don’t have age discounts, but do provide deep discounts if you’re a “member” – case in point: Sound of Music – almost front row seats at 50% off on a Wednesday is worth my $50, but that’s a once or twice a year thing, not a regular thing.
I also use the library for movies, books, magazines, and museum passes.
I go to the free festivals and events that happen (which is really quite frequently, especially in the summer!).
When we go to the movies, we cheap it out by clipping coupons from the newspaper for the free popcorn/combo (or print it from my email), and we collect points for going, which gives us free seats, and with the AMC, we go before noon on the weekend for $6 tickets, or go to Rainbow cinemas before 6 for $6 tickets. We do have cable, which we find saves us a lot. Before, we were relying on renting movies (our old places didn’t have cable), and that adds up, even at $2 a movie when you’re watching multiple movies a week – cable is cheaper for us. Suer, it’s not a necessity, but we need fun too
After my coworkers realized I bring a lunch everyday, they started doing the same, and we just chat in the office – once in a while, we’ll go out for lunch, but usually we don’t. I don’t really have any money saving tips though – we just tend to do things that are free/discounted. My boyfriend is saving for a car while I am paying down my loans, then it’s “save for a house” time.
June 23, 2009 at 7:40 am
We maintain a minimum balance in our chequing account so that we don’t pay any bank fees. I hate paying bank fees. I figure that the bank is getting more than enough money from us every month with the mortgage.
We do not debit. We use the CC instead and pay it off every month. We have a no fee, cash back CC which actually makes us money every year. So the bank pays us to debit instead of us paying it.
We have drastically reduced our amount of spending money. After watching TDDUP we realized that should Gail do a show on us she would point out the amount of cash we go through each month. The amazing thing for us was that we learned that we were spending our weekly allowance just for the sake of spending it as we always knew that every week we were getting more. We now take out way less, only go for more when we have actually spent it and the money saved is automatically transferred into our savings account.
We plan our meals every week so that we know exactly what to buy at the grocery store. We do not have cell phones. We do not smoke, gamble or drink. We don’t have expensive toys like bikes, ski-doos or campers. And one vehicle really saves us a ton of money.
We haven’t rented a movie in years. We do though enjoy going to the movies and buy discounted passes whenever we can. These costs are all part of our entertainment budget.
I am also very handy and have saved lots of money on home repairs.
June 23, 2009 at 7:48 am
Here in Alberta, an AMA (Alberta Motor Associaion) membership is, of course, a great deal for auto emergencies. But it also offers super savings on movie tickets! You have to visit one of their ofices in person, but coupons are around $8.00 each! Well worth it and great for gifts, etc.
I love the show and the website, Gail!!!
Thanks SO MUCH!
June 23, 2009 at 8:15 am
Gail,
I noticed you enjoy the art of saving money, so I wanted to quickly tell you about my website BOGOfetcher:
You can get local BOGO (Buy One, Get One) deals emailed to you weekly from BOGOfetcher! Over 90 nearby grocery stores, more than 15 neighborhood pharmacies, plus the shoe stores, fast food and other places you already shop have amazing bargains you can receive weekly, at no cost. No personal info is required other than your email address, city and state so we can send you the BOGOs in your area. You can even do a local search without signing up using the “Find BOGOs” tab! After that the BOGO’s will begin to roll in. And simply unsubscribe if you’re not satisfied.
June 23, 2009 at 8:18 am
I would shop around and compare prices before saying that dealerships are more expensive for maintenance such as oil changes. I work at a dealership that has many honest and reliable technicians and we offer very competitive pricing. While it’s true that you don’t have to have your service done at a dealership to keep your warranty valid it’s not necessarily true that it’s more expensive. Newer models are becoming more and more computerized and your local mechanic may not be equipped with the most up to date technology. As always it’s a case of compare the prices, weight the pros and cons and make the best decision to get the most benefit for you dollar.
June 23, 2009 at 8:24 am
Only go into a store for what you need exactly and never shop casually in mall!!!!
What are you looking at anyway?
Don’t buy Tims/any expensive coffees, everytime you want one put the money away see how much you wind up with in just a month
you really want to idle in a drive thru for a coffee?
They should be paying you.
Don’t buy or rent movies,cds a total waste of money
Do you know what it costs to drive there and back PLUS the rental fee?
If you need to watch who dun its and life as hollywood sets it you got issues.
Don’t buy off “gut” trucks..thats what your factory friends that do are poor.
Only have pay as you go cell phones..$100 for a year should be lots can use it for a year(I talked enough as a mechanical contractor on a phone)
You didn’t? go to it and rack up your bill over idle pratter.
watch for excellent used merchandise(no its not all junk) you need
yes its out there.
Theres forms for that.
Many are explicit to what you want.
You never buy a new camera,speakers or such
sometimes the other party has to sell it money troubles,estate sales,tired of it,doesn’t know how to utilize what he bought
Always build your own computer.
can’t do it? get a friend that does to help.
Do your own operating system and programs reloading save a whack.
Find someone like us to teach you.
Got a virrus? or unremovable malware?
get off what you need and then reload as above.
Alway have your stuff on a computer as if you had it to get it off immediately!!
June 23, 2009 at 9:33 am
Our biggest is movie rentals. We download everything we watch and save a bundle.
For those with expensive hobbies, make a club and share the costs. I love to scrapbook, but had to go on a hiatus last year because I couldn’t stop buying fancy stuff. In reality, you always end up buying excess because 1-2 pages never uses up something. Having a party or club night where you share supplies spreads the cost and ensures nothing goes to waste.
I always brew my own coffee & pack my lunch.
When dining out casually on those instances where you’re just doing it for the social sake, order an appy instead of a full meal. They are often a meal’s portion for one person and almost always 1/2 the price of a full meal. I avoid drinking when out with friends because the costs are astronomically higher for booze in a restaurant. And once you’ve had one it’s much harder to think about the cost of that $8 glass of wine!
Take back the empties! It floors me how many people don’t actually return their empties. Although I recently heard that Ontario doesn’t have bottle deposits? Here there are recycling deposits added to all beverage container purchases. People literally throw money in the recycle bin out of sheer laziness. My students took on the recycling project at our school this year and as a class we made $500 on juice boxes alone! It paid for a fantastic year end field trip for the kids.
Start a book or magazine exchange with friends with similar tastes.
June 23, 2009 at 10:05 am
- We bring our lunch to work everyday
- We brew our own coffee at home
- We stopped paying service charge on our chequing account – just for asking.
- We haven’t bought CD’s in a long time – we take advantage of our library
- We “rent’ movies from our gym for free
- I use vinegar,baking soda and elbow grease for all my cleaning.
- We get by in one car – haven’t had any conflicts so far.
- We try to not pay retail in all of our purchases. We either wait till it goes on sale or we negotiate the price.
June 23, 2009 at 10:11 am
I’m an avid knitter and while knitting your our clothes and gifts can save you money, the cost of some knitting supplies, patterns and magazines can be outrageous. Try a knitting swap with friends…trade yarn, supplies and magazines. Knitting magazines can be really expensive , try FREE knitting patterns online- there are thousands. No need to spend 8$ on a mag! Try http://www.ravelry.com.
My kids and hubby love baked goods…I can make them homemade for much cheaper, buying healthier ingrediants in bulk.
The library is awesome for new released books…no need to spend 30$ on a book! Second hand book store are fantastic too.
I also got a very low interest credit line, put the balence of my 2 high interest credit cards on it…and paid it off at 5% intr instead of 28%
June 23, 2009 at 10:17 am
I buy Tim Horton’s coffee grounds at Sobey’s and make coffee to take to work in a thermo’s. A small can of coffee will last me several months and costs $10. Compared that to how much you would spend if you bought coffee every day from Timmy’s!
Also we use Airmiles. I do most of my shopping at Safeway and always make use of the bonus Airmiles. Easy to collect and you can save lots of money redeeming them for rewards.
June 23, 2009 at 10:21 am
I am the QUEEN of used goods/yard sales.
We got our living room furniture (chair, hideabed sofa, ottoman) for $150 from an estate sale. Perfectly good condition. Wooden coffee table for $10. Our neighbour moved and sold us his brand new custom built computer for $800 less than he paid. Breadmaker at a yard sale, again $10, works great. Kitchen table w/ 2 chairs $50, moving sale, perfect condition. Washer and dryer, $250, 2yrs old, moving out sale. Beautiful entertainment centre with rolling doors and etched glass inserts for $50, moving sale (but boy was it heavy!). Nightstands at a hotel sell-off 2 drawer, 2 for $25.
Seriously, you can find just about anything you need for far less than retail store prices, if you’re willing to look. Pawn shops are also a great place for stereo systems, and hubby even picked up his guitar for cheaper there.
Only thing I won’t buy used is a bed. And I am very cautious about furniture–usually from someone I know and trust.
I used to go to Booster Juice quite regularly–now I buy frozen fruit in bulk when it’s on sale, add some vanilla yogurt, juice, handful of fresh fruit and blend. Much much cheaper. Same with iced caps, I just make my coffee really strong, let it cool, add a little extra flavored creamer, and blend with a bunch of ice. Yummy.
June 23, 2009 at 10:39 am
Potlucks in, instead of dinners out.
Buying books from chapters.ca instead of in-store. Delay the gratification. It’s surprising how many times you go to buy a book while browsing and can convince yourself to wait, and if you are still interested in it a week later, you can get it cheaper online. More often than not, I browse and then don’t buy the book at all.
Buying books used instead of new.
Shopping for produce at little indy grocery stores. Vancouver has much cheaper Chinese grocery stores on Broadway near Macdonald and if you can’t find everything you need there (which it typical), a Safeway is on the same corner to supplement your purchases.
Buying no name brand over-the-counter drugs. Amazing how much less Life Brand stuff costs than Band Aid and Tylenol brand stuff.
Walking with a friend and her dog on the beach instead of going to the movies. Especially in the summer. Take advantage of time spent outdoors in nice weather. Why be inside a restaurant for dinner or a theatre for a movie when you can be outside enjoying what Mother Nature offers for free. (This can be replaced with frisbee tossing, rope skipping, stretching, sleeping or reading a book under a tree, feeding ducks or going for a bike ride.
I routinely go for much cheaper Tim Horton’s coffee than Starbucks or other pricey coffees. And it tastes better too (IMHO).
I’m high fiving the library idea. You can get all sorts of movies and music from the library free of charge.
Do a clothing exchange with friends. Everyone brings clothes they don’t wear anymore. It’s a free for all … in more ways than one.
Wait for sales. I know Nood has a chair I want for half off in August 2009. Why would I buy it now for full price when I can delay until August 1st and get it for way less?!
June 23, 2009 at 11:04 am
Beverly: I’m a knitter too! I was going to add that knitting presents can be cheap and entertaining, but you beat me to it. Just think, a 1 lb ball of cotton yarn plus 1 set of 5.5 mm needles will cost about $15 and will make around 8 dish cloths.
Now I’m on to knitting socks for all my friends and family; I felt bad the first time I gave someone socks (and only socks) because I thought is was so old fashioned that people wouldn’t really like them. Once I did for one person, I had 20 more people asking me for socks! As another plus, knitting is a great way to relax and is entertaining for hours!
Beverly is right about yanr and patter swapping, I have a friend and we get together once a month to swap yarn and ideas.
June 23, 2009 at 11:12 am
We have rediscovered enjoying a beautiful day, if only to spend an hour, at the beach and feeling the cool breeze hit you as the hot sun warms your toes. We have rediscovered entertaining ourselves without spending money and really enjoying it.
June 23, 2009 at 11:28 am
If I order online, I Google until I find a coupon code!
June 23, 2009 at 11:30 am
Interesting blog post for the same issue – http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ManVsDebt/~3/nVE9hUJcfsw/
June 23, 2009 at 11:49 am
I have learned so much from TDDUP and Gail’s blog. I always thought I was thrifty because in some areas of our budget I would squeek while in others I was a horrendous spend thrift. I decided recently that there are so many areas where we can cut back, but my favourite is plant/perennial sharing. Plants grow well when taken care of so why not share them with someone. I also have so much wool from various projects that I am now making squares to make blankets to give to the homeless shelter. It’s a good feeling to give these and I am still doing something that I enjoy and it’s not costing any MORE money to get the supplies because I have them all. I have stopped buying magazines in favor of going to the library to look at them. I always re-make last night’s supper into something else for tonight. As an example, we had meat, veggies and potatoes for supper on Sunday and for Monday, I cut the potatoes and meat into bite sized pieces and pan fried it with onions and garlic, made a cheese sauce and poured it over the meat mixture. This then went over pasta. I used to leave left overs in the fridge and what a wake up call that is to realize how much $$ you throw out from left over food. Not anymore! Thanks Gail for your insight, your wisdom and this venue for sharing. You cannot even begin to imagine how much I have appreciated it and learned from it.
June 23, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I have a weakness for Starbucks and a $25 a week budget for anything I want that isn’t a necessity. So I buy tea mistos instead of a tea latte ($2.85 vs 4.28), or a shaken iced tea or iced tea lemonade instead of a frappuchino. My husband and I have taken a liking to Marble Slab Creamery ice cream as well – so we always use a “buy one get one free” coupon, never buy any extras, and save up our stamp cards for a free ice cream. It still costs money, but it costs less, and makes it more affordable so that we can go once a week, instead of once a month.
We also use our PC Financial mastercard for every single purchase we can, and shop solely at Zehrs for groceries. This allows us to save between $20 – 60 a month in groceries with PC points. We also use a Shoppers Optimum card for diapers and formula, and collect extra points on items that we would buy anyway, to save another $25 every two months. Since we would buy these items, it’s actual savings, instead of the “oh look, a sale! it’s cheap!” on something we would never buy in the first place.
I also make use of our local areas free services as much as I can. I take my son to the library instead of the mall or Chapters when I want to read a new book, get him a book, watch a new movie or even just enjoy the air conditioning. I use free services like EatRight Ontario (free dieticians), Early Years Centres and public health nurses with Healthy Babies/Healthy Children to help my son develop and grow, instead of spending money on special classes or buying special toys.
And finally, instead of working out in the gym, I used Google Maps to find out the distances between my home and certain locations around it (like the library, the park, etc.) so I know that I can get a two mile walk in by walking to the library and back, which gives me a sense of accomplishment and helps me reach my goals without spending money.
Cheers!
June 23, 2009 at 12:04 pm
We are a low income family so saving money is a must in our house.
)
For Baby Shower gift, when my son was comming along, I asked for different bands and different sizes of diapers and wipes (VS toys or clothes) It wasn’t until my son was in a size 4 diaper that I had to buy them myself. By then I knew what brand I liked best and was able to budget for them. (And let me just say that we use a store brand)
For his clothes, we were lucky. My Brother-in-law has a son who is 2 years older than my son. He saved every lick of clothing that his son wore and gave it to us. He still visits with bags of clothes. It wasn’t until this month that I had to go out and buy clothing for my son. (His cousin isn’t growing as fast as he is
We don’t own a cell phone either. Mostly because I’m clutzy and would forget it on the roof of the car or something.
We do own 2 cars. We live a little way from town. I use the second car to get to town, then I use the stroller to walk around. On the plus side of owning 2 cars, my husband is a mechanic. That means that we only pay for parts when something is wrong. WHoo Hoo!
We are lucky to have a Drive-in theatre near here. $15 for a carload and $5 for a popcorn. We take our own Kool-aid and chocolate bars (Which we buy in bulk) I love it because no one can hear my son cry inside our car, we control the tempature and sound. We go a few times in the summer.
I looked though the junk mail (Which we usually thow away) and found a cupon to get my favorite magizine for just $20 a year. (VS $6.99 a month at the store)
I do have to admit that I over pay on groceries. We eat out maybe twice a month (usally once on a bucket of chicken or something that we go halfs on with my parents and once out with friends) and we have gormet tastes (along with my bowel disorder which limits me from cheap foods like canned tomato’s and milk products) so our grocery bills are high. (Just spent $147 last night for a week)
June 23, 2009 at 12:08 pm
i’m an avid reader, so the library is my best friend! haven’t bought a book in years-has saved me hundreds
we home brew our morning coffee or tea and take it to work in a travel mug
we cash in Airmiles for Blockbuster coupons and magazine subscriptions
I’m always sure to watch when diapers and wipes go on sale and tag team the sale with a coupon-havent’ spent full price on diapers once in a year!
June 23, 2009 at 12:33 pm
We volunteer.
There are great events that are looking for volunteers that allow you to get in for free. In Ontario there is a huge Country Jamboree that lasts for 4 days adn they only ask you to put in 16 hours, some of which can be done before hand. Tickets for this event cost over $200 per person. My husband worked extra hours last year and he was given an extra ticket.
This is just one of the events we help at. Lots of fun, meet new people and huge savings.
I also like to ask for a discount on items in store. Many times you can get money taken off a purchase if it is the display model or the package is damaged.
Many stores will also price match. Who wants to go from store to store shopping and wasting gas and being tempted to buy. Pick one store and take the competitors flyer in and they will normally give it to you for that price with out any hassle.
The worst that can happen is they say NO!
June 23, 2009 at 12:55 pm
I am not sure where to begin!
Buying groceries with a list (and a menu plan) has saved us a huge amount of money! There is never the option of not knowing what to make, so we don’t eat out very often at all… and convenience foods are jsut disgusting so we avoid them whenever possible. I can whip up a healthy meal in under 20 minutes so why would I reach for a frozen entree or ask for takeout that takes 40 minutes to get here?
I have bought GORGEOUS clothing at the consignment and thrift stores…. sometimes I will see something that is stunning at the mall, and I “gotta have it”, but I always nearly faint at the price. If I wait a season (or 2) 70% of the time I will find that item barely worn at my favourite thrift store for under $5. Waiting makes it all the sweeter when I finally get it. It sounds silly, but it kind of feels like destiny has brought us together instead of getting buyers remorse at the mall.
I plan all my errands in one day, revolving around a circuit that takes me to them all with the least amount of wasted fuel and time. Because I have no time to browse, the list is the master plan!
I married a mechanic!!! He can fix anything!
I trade my graphics services for all sorts of other trades, carpentry, fencing, restraunts, they all need business cards. I even had our wills done up in exchange for a lawyer’s business card design and yellowpage ad. (Do you have hobbies or skills that have trade value? I know I would trade for original art, scrapbooking service, photography, yardwork, dog walking, babysitting, etc, etc, etc) and my mechanically inclined husband gets traded out all the time for stuff! LOL
Making friends with a neighbour with boys slightly bigger than mine has saved a fortune in clothes, and so far they think it’s cool the they wear “Dave”s hand me downs, it may not last long, but I’ll take it while I can. Then I pass the surviving articles to the next youngest on the block… give and take network.
Otherwise I am the same as you listed Gail, the brown bag lunches, make enough dinner for leftovers is an easy one. We always make a thermos of good quality coffee to take along in the morning. And the other’s here mentioning library and internet resources too!
The best is delayed gratification…. if I can live without it now, I can probably live without it — period.
June 23, 2009 at 1:05 pm
No cable or satellite. Any TV shows I want to watch are on the Internet or can be borrowed from the library. That’s a savings of $60-$80 per month.
June 23, 2009 at 1:09 pm
@ Cassandrasl – MBNA has a no-fee credit card (Smart Cash card?) that will give you 3% cash back on groceries and gas (on the first $600 per month) and 1% on everything else (no limit). That’s better than the PC MasterCard deal.
June 23, 2009 at 1:13 pm
@ Marcie – “Our biggest is movie rentals. We download everything we watch and save a bundle.”
I believe that’s piracy…unless it’s a legal site like Hulu.
June 23, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Going out for supper I eat half of the main course and take home the other half for lunch the next day. It doesn’t save a lot, but somehow seems to make eating out a better value.
P.S. Does Hulu work in Canada?
June 23, 2009 at 2:53 pm
We buy a show and save coupon book every year. There are wonderful coupons for bakeries, restaurants, stores, etc. With the first use the $15 cost is absorbed.
Plan the meals for a week and make a list and only buy what is on the list. Once a month go to Costco and buy all our meat and frozen veg. The meat is wonderful – buy a whole pork loin for $18 dollars and cut it into chops, roasts, and stewing meat – makes 8 to 10 meals for 2 people. The frozen veg is the same price as no name frozen veg at Superstore but tastes way better.
Use airmiles for movie nights out and gift certs. for clothing stores. Only buy clothes on sale. Was trying to go to second hand stores, but the last two I visited the prices were skewed – wanted some shorts and t-shirts – was actually cheaper to buy new at Costco.
Make due with what we have – our microwave is over ten years old – but it still works well (takes longer then the new models according to my dad and sister – but still works). We only get rid of electronics if broken and beyond affordable repair.
Any big purchases are thought on for long periods of time – do we really need it. If yes, do research to get best price on what we need.
We have discovered that there has to be a balance on how much time is spent on trying to save money – we own our own business and sometimes you have to take into account the cost of find a good deal. Spending too much time trying to get the best deal can cost us time and money – so we try to find a balance.
We enjoy just being in nature – hiking in the summer and cross country skiing in the winter (we were both given skiis as gifts when we were teenagers which we still use 20 years later).
We buy books and movies at garage sales. Hard to beat those prices.
June 23, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I cancelled the cable for the summer and checked out Bell’s website for a cheaper price. Their website states a cheaper price for a new or existing customer…so you don’t get the runaround.
UsedOttawa or other sites are awsome. With a little scrub, you have good as new toys and can barter over the internet which is much easier for me than in person.
I want to try out that skype thing that Operah is always using. I’m sure it cuts down on her costs for interviewing so it should cut down on traveling to see a friend face to face or talking over the phone.
Consiegnment stores such as Boomerang kids are awsome too.
We do alot of board game nights with our children, have a community pool that our condo fees pay for (that said our fees are no higher than any other neighbourhood where we live), parks, watch movies, garden, walks along NCC pathways, and take in all the free festivals in the city.
Even facebook has groups that everyone updates of free places to visit in different communities.
We are going to have a Staycation at a family members place in Toronto. Purchasing city passes from Costco ($60) for a week of site seeing for us and our host.
June 23, 2009 at 3:40 pm
You can get free subscriptions for a lot of good magazines using Airmiles or similar points programs. I have a subscription to Today’s Parent thanks to that. Also, you can collect more Air Miles for things like that by buying online through airmilesshops.ca You just log-in to your airmiles account and then pick your store (babiesrus.ca, chapters.indigo.ca, ebay.ca and many many others). You’re using the exact same web shopping site as you usually do, but you’re collecting airmiles on your purchases!
June 23, 2009 at 3:46 pm
@AnnieA – Hulu doesn’t technically work in Canada, no…but there are ways to do it. For those less inclined to do that, iTunes IS getting more TV shows and movies all the time, as is XBox live, if you have an XBox 360
June 23, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Some of the things I do to save a few extra bucks include:
- Planning ALL my meals. At the beginning of each week, I plan out my meals and snacks and buy my groceries in one shot. As a result, I go to work each day with a tonne of Tupperware;). My grocery list dictates what I need for the week and I buy what I need-nothing else. So I never have anything sitting and going bad in my fridge. It gets emptied out every week.
- Go to the library. I don’t rent movies, buy books or magazines anymore. I’m fortunate that my library has all of the latest books, magazines, and movies. If I have to wait for it, that’s fine.
- Become a DIYer. I’m a new homeowner so instead of hiring people to paint or do some light handy work, I’ve been googling everything (or making the odd trip to Home Hardware to pick the brain of the staff;). I’ve not only saved a few extra dollars but have become more “house proud”.
- Buying yarn at the discount stores. Knitting can be an expensive hobby (I’ve seen yarn go for $50 a ball!). To save money, I’ve gone to places like Michaels or Walmart to buy my yarn. People don’t care where my yarn came from and are always appreciative of the gift.
- Go “car-free” twice a week. I commute during the week and on weekends, I don’t drive and just walk everywhere or if necessary, take public transit.
June 23, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Great tips everyone!
I am still shocked when my co-workers or friends throw out their bottles or empties (they have already paid for the bottle – why throw more money down the drain).
June 23, 2009 at 6:29 pm
My biggest savings have been cell phone bills since we discovered Skype. My husband works out of town once in a while and our phone bills were huge, also most of my family are overseas and now we skype for free and you get to see the person youre talking too which is a bonus.
June 23, 2009 at 7:51 pm
We do many things discussed previously–pack our lunches, cash in airmiles for all kinds of gift cards and transfer the cash saved to a savings account (clothes for the kids at Zellers! gas at Shell! hubby’s coffee indulgences at Second Cup! gifts for the rellies from Chapters!), etc. The thing that has made the single biggest difference is grocery shopping from a list made when I peruse the weekly flyers. I find doing this cheaper (though more time) than buying from Costco-type stores. When something is BOGO at Safeway, plus you have a coupon, plus it is 10% off Tuesday….well, the savings are substantial.
For anyone else in Alberta, we found a great deal this past weekend: the Experience Alberta History Pass, which grants unlimited admissions to 18 different museums in the province (including the Royal Tyrrell, where my dino-crazy sons are kept VERY happy). The price for a family pass is $75 for the year. Since we’re doing only small day-trip type vacations this year (who isn’t?) this will save us quite a bit.
And we are heavy users of the library. I added it up one year, and we borrowed approx. $10K worth of books, CDs and DVDs! So I don’t begrudge the library their $12 annual fee.
June 23, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Okay, maybe I am the wrong sort of person to be hooked on Gail and TDDUP, but I will now confess:
My husband drives a yuppie car.
I have a designer LV purse ( a gift from my husband).
I don’t buy clothing at Value Village and sometimes even buy things that are NOT on sale.
I buy real books.
We go out for an spontaneous meal occasionally.
And yes, we DO buy lottery tickets.
We do not have an Excel spread sheet to keep track of every darn dime.
We are not in debt, except for mortgage.
We do have RRSP and savings. I have a great pension plan at work.
My son has a college fund.
We are living the one short life that we are given.
We enjoy a moderate life of comfort and gentile civility without apology.
I am not understanding some of the posts. A lifestyle of being extremely penuriousness would seem to be equally stifiling (although perhaps less stressful) as one of living beyond one’s means.
Can there be no happy balance?
Is there anyone else on this blog who is like me?
June 23, 2009 at 8:46 pm
I have a ss bottle for water at work. I bring my pop from home. In the winter, I bring hot water from home, even though available freely in the cafe. I have my own mug, spoon and hot chocolate (bought in a club pack size container) at my desk. Some workplaces don’t allow plugged in coffe makers in the work area, but a french press would work for most people!
Our lunch group takes our lunch 4x a week and buy once a week. Sometimes lunch is supplied if there is a special occassion at work.
June 23, 2009 at 9:56 pm
once again awesome posts from everyone!
Diana…glad to hear you are doing so well, I don’t really think this sight is about penny pinching just for the sake of being cheap…rather it is about living within your means…not everyone can afford to do all the things you listed without running out of money and going to credit to pay for it, so for some on this site these tips are great. as Gail says you still have to have fun…but really if the money isn’t there is it worth the expence? Tracking your money is always wise…even if you have lots of it!
June 23, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Kim,
I apologize if I came off sounding snooty.
I only meant that after reading so many posts ( and not just today’s) I feel like a lot of writers only seem to be having fun when they are counting their money.
I just was hoping there were other regular people out there simply trying to maintain some balance.
June 23, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Diana, no need to apologize, I really am glad you are doing well. I must admit when you find youself in a tight situation it is easy to become a bit obsessed with saving, to the point where it seems miserly, so I do see where you are coming from. For myself my marriage recently ended and while that meant a 20% reduction in the population of our family it also came with a 50% decrease in net worth and a 60% decrease in income. Unfortunately most bills stayed the same ( I still have to heat the entire house, my property taxes didn’t go down etc…). I admit it is hard for me to find a balance since I am so worried being suddenly solely responsible for family finances. You are right however that balance is key to living a well rounded life…Thats what I’m working towards. Cheers Kim.
June 23, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Hi! Diana,
Since I cancelled cell his going to cancel his when it’s up. Use some airmiles points to do some stuff that we find to pricey to go.
We r half or some like u! Hubby buys a lottery ticket very wk, buy half of the clothes most of time not on sale, he goes to Timmy’s very morning [ He's hooked with his bro. on that coffee] We buy 500ml water bottles for work, we buy new books at the book store once a yr since his a fast reader once he gets into a book… WE bought motorcycle for entertainment to get out city for a day, and eat out least once a wk. but when it’s not raining he rides his motorcycle to work… We have ONE car since I don’t want a full time job to pay for second car.. To get some exercice I got a flyer routes instead the gym… Extrra earn Money in pocket for a holiday.. and still have a cc to pay off!!
But!!! I make big home cook meals to put leftovers in freezer for days no time to cook but we cut back eating on fast food joints and some goes for lunches too… I return the bottles and cans and now he brings home extra ones from work each wk since the silly fee has gone up to ten cents with the silly enviromental fee
We’ve always made a budget but since I’ve learned alot from Gail site we have a better one with savings for a raining day!! ALso we’ve also had entertainment but tame it back alot since we cut bac on cc and only use the cash
June 23, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Diana, I rarely post, although I read daily
But let me share that you are not alone… I make a good salary and I’m single. I have a pension plan, max my RRSP, now, my TFSA, and I have a bit of non-registered investments. I’ve also put together an emergency fund in the last year, after listening to Gail. I live in an apartment, by choice (I like to be mobile and hate “house maintenance stuff” … been there, done that.)
So, I do go to the library, a lot, but I also splurge on brand new books that I want to keep. I go the the movie theater when I want to see brand new releases. I sometimes bring my lunch to work, sometimes buy food. I love restaurants and I do splurge a few times a month, and also on good bottles of wine. I don’t spend much in cash so I do keep track with the debit and credit cards (credit card paid off monthly – I have not paid interest charges in 7 years, and I don’t pay bank fees either).
I had a car accident in the Fall and instead of buying a cheap car, which is what I usually do, I bought myself a brand new, very cute toy, I admit it. It’s cheap on gas, but it wasn’t cheap. It’s not paid off, but it’s my only debt and I’m making accelerated payments on it so it will be paid off very quickly (and the interest rate I got is quite low). I’m not apologizing for it. It’s my money, I work hard for it, I can spend it how I want. Which includes giving to charity.
I’ve been where I had zero in the bank, and 55,000$ worth of debt (after a bad breakup) and I worked hard to get it paid off in 2 years. I know I can watch my money very closely if I need to. But right now, I don’t need to. And I saw my father have to retire quite young for health reasons, and never be able to enjoy his retirement. I am planning for the future, but enjoying the present too.
June 23, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Diana……… I am one of the “regular people” as you call it. We drive nice vehicles, have a nice RV, holiday in Cuba every year, love my designer handbags etc etc and are not in debt.
I enjoy Gail’s advice because it keeps me in check, we live within our means and I take pleasure in knowing that we are doing everything she suggests. It also reminds me that many years ago we were living paycheque to paycheque and in debt and never, ever want to go back there.
There is a balance and reading theses posts and advice helps me maintain it.
June 23, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Sorry to learn of your recent change of circumstances, Kim.
I was on my own with my son for 12 years after a divorce. I certainly had many sleepless nights wondering what the future held. I wish Gail had been around then and I would have struggled less and learned more quickly how to get my affairs together. It was a bit of a steep learning curve for someone who can’t count higher than the number of fingers and toes she has. I was fortunate to have an good paying job so that was one less concern. The fear added to the grief can become all encompassing and sometimes paralyzing.
Not to be trite, but things slowly do get better. It was not always easing sailing, but my son and I managed. And I am truly appreciative of all that is good in my life now.
Your children are lucky to have a mom that has her priorities in clear sight. I hope things improve.
All the best to you and your family.
June 23, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Yes, you’re right Ann, it’s piracy.
June 23, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Thanks Diana, this is why I love this site, great advice from Gail and lots of support from other “posters”…
June 23, 2009 at 11:46 pm
I like the posts on this site, from both sides of the coin so to speak…the people who are working to pay down their debt/stop overspending, and the people who are already there and living comfortably, but still sensibly. It gives me something to look forward to once our consumer debt is under control.
I don’t think we’re all that different in one sense, though….we are ALL striving to live within our means, no matter how vastly those means differ.
June 23, 2009 at 11:49 pm
@ Marci—LoL. Avast thar, matey!
June 24, 2009 at 12:03 am
WOW Lyne!
You’ve come a long way, baby!
You should give advice!!
I am glad to hear from all the happy but sensible spenders!!
(I will now stop writing. Can you tell my husband is out of town….too much time on my hands this evening!)
June 24, 2009 at 4:04 am
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June 24, 2009 at 9:20 am
I am a bit surprised at the flippancy towards the idea that video piracy isn’t a crime. I find it quite despicable that people who would never steal a grape from a grocery store happily download movies that they aren’t paying for. It’s not the millionaire actors who suffer, it’s the set carpenters, painters, production assistants etc that will when movies stop getting made or productions become more budget constrained.
Recently a 32-year old woman was fined $1.92 MILLION for downloading 24 songs. While I don’t know if the penalty fits the crime there, it is important to note that piracy IS a crime, and not a legitimate way of reducing costs. Imagine if we could do that to everything? “I’ve reduced my clothes spending by 30% by increasing my shoplifting by 80%” – where’s my congratulations from Gail and the gang?
June 24, 2009 at 9:31 am
I understand your position Geoff. I disagree. I’m not interested in debating this because I simply don’t see stealing movies off the internet as equal to stealing from a store. There ARE lots of crimes that I’m sure you knowingly commit as well. Everyone’s moral meter stick is a little different. Ever jay-walked?
June 24, 2009 at 9:45 am
Marcie, I’m curious to know why you disagree and don’t see downloading something illegally the same way you might shoplifting. I suspect the reason you don’t want to debate it is because really there’s no defense for it. Just say you prefer to take things that don’t belong to you straight-up, I can respect that more than some sort of justification.
While I do agree that not all crimes are created equal, it’s tough to argue that jaywalking and theft are the same thing because they are both against the law. (And incidentally, I almost never jaywalk. I live, work and drive in Toronto and if there’s anything I know, it’s that in this city cars do not stop. Every week some one gets run over, and this week was no exception (bloor and st. helens).
June 24, 2009 at 10:21 am
@ Marcie, stealing is stealing. (And I don’t jaywalk either.) The problem with illegal downloading is the thieves don’t actually go into someone’s home or car or place of business and take something physical, so they think it’s a victimless crime. It’s not. Geoff makes that point nicely.
With people like you, Marcie, there’s really no point for me to go on because at the root of the problem, you think you’re entitled to whatever your stealing.
June 24, 2009 at 10:21 am
Ack! The last “your” should be “you’re.”
It’s early.
June 24, 2009 at 10:27 am
Marcie — I re-read your post and it appears you’re a teacher.
Think long and hard about what it is you’re teaching to them by stealing, and then by defending it as anything but simple thievery.
June 24, 2009 at 10:30 am
@ Ann – thanks for the backup. I was beginning to wonder if I was alone in my views.
June 24, 2009 at 10:45 am
Geoff- you are not alone…I may be wrong but it seems the younger generation feels this is okay to do…how do they think the people in the entertainment industry make their money?
Ann- I think you are right …if they don’t see who they are stealing from it seems harmless.
June 24, 2009 at 10:47 am
Ann and Geoff,
Please come down off your moral soapbox. Your “holier than thou” and self-righteous attitudes are neither enlightening nor informative. And Ann, I have to admit that I have been following this blog for some time now and your judgmental attitudes toward others is not welcomed. You can agree to disagree, but please, leave the judgments for another forum.
The blog post was on things that we overpay, not on the issue of internet downloading. Please try and stay on topic. The fact is that many people view movie tickets as over-priced.
June 24, 2009 at 10:53 am
Colin…so if something is overpriced we are okay to steal it? Wow I’d be living almost for free,lol!
June 24, 2009 at 11:02 am
Colin, although movie tickets at some theatres may be over-priced, that doesn’t mean you should steal something.
You can still get cheaper tickets – go on Tuesday’s when it’s $4, or to matinees, or get the 2-4-1 coupons through pizza places, etc.
Besides, you can still rent movies, without stealing.
My boyfriend and I go to the movies most weekends, and even to the AMC, but we always go before noon for cheap movies, and then do something else in the afternoon. It may be prohibitively expensive for families to go in the afternoon/evening, but why not rent a movie/go to a drive in (if available)? (Plus you aren’t stuck staring at a small computer screen).
I don’t know – I wouldn’t go into a movie store and steal something off the shelf, so what’s the difference between stealing a cd or movie in a store, and downloading it illegally?
I’m all for legal downloads (typically with a commercial before the show) – I watch TV shows that way for the channels I don’t get with my basic service, but that is different because the company is choosing to post it online.
June 24, 2009 at 11:16 am
Colin,
I am hardly being sanctimonious in pointing out that piracy is thievery. I am simply reacting to what someone else posted that their “solution” to overpaying for entertainment is to simply steal it and be proud of their actions! That’s ridiculous and criminal. And as a parent of a young son, I think it is reasonable to expect his teachers to set a good example. Again, not sanctimonious, reasonable. The fact that you accuse Ann and I of being preachy for stating that ‘piracy is theft’ rather than trying to inform us why it’s not is quite informative in its own right.
PS Kim I’m 33 so those of us in the younger age group (not sure if I still qualify though) are not all in favour of theft.
Emma — you and your bf are what my parents would call “good people”
June 24, 2009 at 11:25 am
Geoff…sorry the young ones I was referring to were teens/early 20″s (and not all of them), so I guess you don’t qualify…however since 33 was along time ago for me you’re still “youngish”,haha.
June 24, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Hi Diana: Had to laugh at your description of us sitting around and only finding joy in counting our money, penny by penny. I guess it must sound like that sometimes. And in the beginning for many of us it was a case of having to do just that. I still love spending but I also now love finding ways to save even more.
For some the debt was being irresponsible with money (me) and for others it was life’s unexpected and sometimes tragic circumstances (also me). All I know is that I never want to be in that place again so I keep track of what’s what. However I completely agree with and live by Gail’s
philosophies. The budget must balance so you either make more money or cut expenses, make a reasonable plan for paying off your debt and saving WHILE you have a life and you are entitled to have everything that you can afford.
By keeping track and planning we can now have more than we ever thought that we could possibly afford. I can go out and buy an expensive pair of shoes that I don’t need and really enjoy them because I actually own them! I love the security of knowing and to my everlasting surprise I love planning for things and working towards the goals. Who knew that delayed was WAY better than instant gratification. And who knew that Gail’s tag “The value of money is that with it you can tell anyone to go to hell” is so very satisfying and empowering. Just told one bank to go there this morning and am off to the other bank who are much nicer people to count my money with.
June 24, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Geoff, Kim and Emma,
Please take the time to re-read my post. The intent of my post was to remind everyone that Gail’s original post was to highlight some things that we may over-pay for. For some, and as the value of an item is a subjective thing, movie prices are one of those things that are over-priced. I DID NOT STATE THAT I FEEL THAT WAY.
Nor did I, in any way, condone nor condemn anyone who partakes in downloading movies on the internet. What I did ask is that folks stay on topic and not turn Gail’s original post into a banter of the legal arguments of P2P downloads. I also asked people to please agree to disagree with others and to not judge others.
I do in fact enjoy a night out at the movies. I love it actually and believe that movies are meant to be seen on the big screen. My favorite screen is actually the IMAX, and I gladly pay more to see it. And I love the fact that the IMAX technology is Canadian. Thumbs up! And while I do not fell that I overpay whenever I see an IMAX movie, I do understand how some people may feel that the price is too much.
If you want to debate the moral and legal aspects of torrent downloads, please post your arguments on a torrent site.
June 24, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Hey, I go away for one day and you guys are at each other’s throats. Lighten up. We all walk our own path, have our own preferences, and must answer to our own consciences. When I point out ways to cut back, it is not for those who have the money. I don’t care how people blow their money, as long as it is their money and not credit. And if you’re downloading anything without paying for it, then you have to ask yourself how come it’s free. If it’s a gift, say thank you. If it wasn’t, why didn’t you pay for it. And as for this site becoming a place where people will call each other names, I’ve already pointed out that I don’t like it. Life is full of enough strife. Keep it off my site or I will keep you off my site.
June 24, 2009 at 2:39 pm
For Students, Profs and University/college employees out there:
I’m not sure if anyone has already mentioned this, and I’m posting this very late, but here it is.
If you are employed at a University or College, or are a student (ie: you have an employee or student card), look into the University/College bookstore’s prices for computer programmes, computers etc. Sometimes, the discounts are very good – when my computer crashed recently and I needed to buy a new system + software. I was able to buy Microsoft Office for $70 instead of $150 (or thereabout!) being offered in a regular store.
Become familiar and use store loyalty cards wisely! (ie: use them, but don’t get canoodled into spending more than you need).
I get rewards back by using my Shoppers Drugmart Optimum Card: If you tend to buy stuff regularly at drugstores (monthly supplies, diapers, creams, sunscreen, shampoo, shavers etc.) – it pays to wait, write a list, and buy everything in bulk on their optimum bonus reward days (about once per month). You eventually rack up reward points. My card is at $150 now — and once per month, they have reward booster days which increase one’s reward dollars ($150 becomes $200). I use these to buy more expensive items about once per year!
This may not be very exciting tips, but it’s something!
June 24, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Louise’ tip reminded me of something else. When DH was at NAIT, he got tons of stuff for cheapy cheap from the other trades classes–mostly jerky and some practice airbrush artwork. Never hurts to see if the trade school in your area offers similar things.
June 24, 2009 at 3:35 pm
What do you think about borrowing dvds from friends who have bought them? We trade kids dvds’ especially with friends because renting them actually is pretty expensive. If everyone buys one dvd every 6 months and we trade amongst 15 friends we can watch a movie every week for $15 instead of $5 a pop. But this isn’t too much different than downloading is it? Just the scale. We never watch movies more than once so we wouldn’t burn them and have multiple copies out there.
June 24, 2009 at 5:15 pm
here’s a new angle…my daughter says downloading movies and music is legal in Canada (at the moment anyway)…anyone know if this is true?
June 24, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Gail / Colin – Gail’s post was on things that are overpriced, true. But Colin, all I did was comment on someone’s post that they get around ‘overpaying’ for entertainment by piracy, which I pointed out was theft and not a way of avoiding overpaying the same way that drinking coffee at home is a way of not paying for Starbucks. That to me seems allowable without hijacking the conversation at all since it’s on the topic of what methods should be used to avoid overpaying, not on the legality of downloading (on which there is no question, it’s illegal).
I am the last person to comment or dictate on what people should spend their money on but that’s not what my comments were on at all. Buy as many movie tickets as you want, or as few if you think the price is too high. As for name calling, I’m not convinced that either Ann nor myself did that.
PS Jane – There is a huge difference between downloading a movie without paying for it and buying it and handing it to a friend to watch. The difference is that with sharing, the first person paid good money for it legitimately, and can’t view it while it’s the hands of someone else. For a similar reason, a DVD costs the same to buy if you live alone (and will be the only one to watch it) or have a family of 6 at home.
Piracy is illegal in Canada Kim. Tell your daughter to check out the Copyright Act of 1921, amended many times. Now, some tv stations will broadcast versions of their shows on their website, that’s not the same thing as piracy at all and is perfectly fine. But we’re talking about copyright holders who do not authorize the transmission.
June 24, 2009 at 8:43 pm
@ Colin: If you are an administrator of this blog and feel my comments are inappropriate, feel free to delete them and ban me from this site. If you are not an administrator, petition Gail to do so.
If you take exception to my views and convictions, which, admittedly, are very strong on certain topics, it would serve you better to rebut my statements instead of, essentially, calling me a mean girl.
@ Louise: If your employer buys bulk software licenses from companies like Microsoft and Adobe, you should check if you can take advantage of their Home Use Programs. I recently switched from PC to Mac and was able to purchase Office 2008 for Mac for $11 through the Microsoft HUP. I also bought the backup DVD for another $12.
If HUPs are not available to you, a friend mentioned to me Microsoft programs get discounted greatly at London Drugs during Boxing Day. Last year, three licenses for MS Office Pro 2007 were on sale for ~$40.
Of course, if you’re more adventurous, Open Office is available for free.
June 25, 2009 at 2:37 am
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June 25, 2009 at 4:32 am
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June 25, 2009 at 9:27 am
Kim–I noticed no one answered your question….in 2003 a judge deemed peer-to-peer MUSIC downloading to be….not illegal. It’s kind of grey….sharing (uploading)of files is still flat out illegal, but downloading them is still up in the air. And this applies only to music–movies and other forms of media are still illegal to copyright, period. You might want to let your daughter know.
June 25, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Thanks Ann! Wow – that is great news. I will mark this down and look into the Home Use Programs! There is so much to learn.
However, I am not as adventurous as some – I worry about technical problems and slower upgrades with free word-processing/office/virus scan programs since I’m paranoid about my work.
But – if I had a computer solely for entertainment and the only occasional letter or work usage- that is a fantastic idea.
Free virus scan software is also readily available and widely used by those who are adventurous and less paranoid about timely patches/updates (like me…although perhaps I’m a sucker?).
Thanks again!
June 25, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Thank you Mellow…I guess there are a lot of laws that need to catch up to technology.
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