Trying to Save money

**Rwy** · 09-19-2013, 10:23 AM

My fiancee and I are getting married in 14 months and we decided the help that we are getting from our parents would be accepted as a gift rather then prior to the wedding to help pay for it.

We figured we would gut out the next 14 months this way we have our payday in one shot on our wedding day. So we are trying to cut corners on everything. I just got rid of one of my gym member ships ( I had two). She is going to start doing all her girly stuff herself. Waxing, nails etc. We are bad with ordering food. Living in NYC you have 9 different style of foods in a ten block radius but we have eliminated ordering food.

Now Cable is next. We got rid of premium channels. Now we are thinking about getting rid of cable all together. We can grab our shows on one of those services. The main problem I see is football. Does anyone know how to get around watching football on the internet?

**Hazard** · 09-19-2013, 10:51 AM

Fvck cutting cable lol - just lower it as much as u can. Def stop the ordering out and cook at home. I love cooking so its easy for me to say..... Once u learn how to cook good - it doesn't seem worth it to order out.

Oh and stop goin to Ibiza every week ;-)

**DexterMorgan** · 09-19-2013, 11:11 AM

I haven't had cabel in years. I'm sure there are online streams for it.

**Rwy** · 09-19-2013, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by Hazard

Fvck cutting cable lol - just lower it as much as u can. Def stop the ordering out and cook at home. I love cooking so its easy for me to say..... Once u learn how to cook good - it doesn't seem worth it to order out.

Oh and stop goin to Ibiza every week ;-)

We really watch no tv at all just foot ball and bball. By time both of us are done with our days and the gym its 9pm. Just such a waste of money. We do cook a lot but some times get lazy and get something we could make at home for 7 bucks vs 25

**Rwy** · 09-19-2013, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by DexterMorgan

I haven't had cabel in years. I'm sure there are online streams for it.

I have found them but they are poor quality.

I read you can get an HD cable antenna for sports.

BG · 09-19-2013, 03:08 PM

Apple tv or the other one? Cant remember it. Thinking of dropping cable also. Sounds like you guys have a great idea, cant wait to see how it works out. My wife and I stopped eating out and what a difference. We need to cut our pet bills and not buying such expensive food and we should be good.

**Hazard** · 09-19-2013, 03:28 PM

^^^^ Hulu and Netflix..... There's vudu too I believe

**Brett N** · 09-19-2013, 04:07 PM

Haven't paid for cable, movies, or video games for a couple years. Of course, if the feds ever knock on my door and see my multiple HDDs filled with all my entertainment - I will be screwed. Just kidding,

. If you are going to download NFL with torrents, you will be watching them the next day and it is almost impossible for someone to not spoil the results for you.

Dish network has a $20 a month special right now for the first year.

**Rwy** · 09-19-2013, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by BG

Apple tv or the other one? Cant remember it. Thinking of dropping cable also. Sounds like you guys have a great idea, cant wait to see how it works out. My wife and I stopped eating out and what a difference. We need to cut our pet bills and not buying such expensive food and we should be good.

Hmmm I will check apple tv out. BG my dog food is 175 a month. He eats raw and we used to grind it all down every sunday. We live in apartment and cant give him chicken quarter legs bc he likes to carry it around so thats pretty unhealthy. It used to cost like $50 a month but its like a 2 hour chour every week We now started buying the prepackage food but its expensive. We are thinking about buying some cheap ground beef to add to the mix

**Rwy** · 09-19-2013, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by Brett N

Haven't paid for cable, movies, or video games for a couple years. Of course, if the feds ever knock on my door and see my multiple HDDs filled with all my entertainment - I will be screwed. Just kidding,

. If you are going to download NFL with torrents, you will be watching them the next day and it is almost impossible for someone to not spoil the results for you.

Dish network has a $20 a month special right now for the first year.

There are football torrents? I would be afraid to download that being the NFL is losing money. I was thinking about getting an HD attena because football is on basic channels.

**Brett N** · 09-20-2013, 04:10 AM

I have a good antenna for the basic 4 broadcast channels. Works ok but not great, I am in the middle of nowhere.

**austinite** · 09-20-2013, 04:41 AM

Ever since I got Google TV, never need cable. I can watch anything, anytime.

**Euroholic** · 09-20-2013, 05:03 AM

Saving is all about sacrifice op. how much do you want it and how badly do you want to get it? What are you willing to sacrifice? The guy at my work lived in a tent in his mates backyard. Showering in a creek, doing his laundry in a creek. Eating nothing but a few vegetables and a some cheap meat that he would boil over a little log fire. Doing nothing in his spare time. He did this for 2 years. During this time he saved 160k he used the money as a house deposit the guy is a engineer as well. That is dedication.

**austinite** · 09-20-2013, 05:35 AM

I tell you what... I never used to bother with saving money on little things like toilet paper, trash bags, aluminum foil, etc... Until recently when I went to the dollar store. There really isn't any difference between the stuff there, and things that I paid 3 and 4 dollars for at the grocery store. Pretty eye opening how much money I've wasted over the years because that dollar here and dollar there never bothered me. Frankly, I'll never buy these types of items anywhere else. Probably saving myself over a grand per year.

**Euroholic** · 09-20-2013, 05:41 AM

Originally Posted by austinite

I tell you what... I never used to bother with saving money on little things like toilet paper, trash bags, aluminum foil, etc... Until recently when I went to the dollar store. There really isn't any difference between the stuff there, and things that I paid 3 and 4 dollars for at the grocery store. Pretty eye opening how much money I've wasted over the years because that dollar here and dollar there never bothered me. Frankly, I'll never buy these types of items anywhere else. Probably saving myself over a grand per year.

Ya she all adds up mate. Its makes a diffrence

**Rwy** · 09-21-2013, 10:55 AM

My finacee is like we can go to the bar and watch the game but then you have the possibility of spending money on crappy food and drinks which ends up costing more then cable!!

**Brett N** · 09-21-2013, 11:58 AM

Yea, bar is definitely not cheaper. 4x a month Even if you only have one soft drink each and one appetizer every other time that is more than $25 a month. That's where I live, can't even guess in NYC.

If you get the bottom of the line basic cable or satellite, what does that cost? Definitely forget about redzone or NFL ticket if you are trying to save.

You can save a lot of money if you step back and look at what is really important to you. Buy clippers, quit getting haircuts. Switch to cheaper brands of laundry detergent (that shit is super high). Buy food in bulk. I started buying chicken in 5# frozen bags instead of single serving thawed out chicken breasts. Per pound it costs half. How far you take it is up to you. I work outside and buy all the clothes I know I am going to ruin at work from thrift store/salvation army. Not the trendy retro stores either, the poor man's stores. Clothes wear the same to me.

**Vettester** · 09-21-2013, 01:01 PM

Here's the deal, you and your fiancé will be so obsessed with cutting every little dime, it's going to wear you guys down and make you miserable. I went through that nonsense with my first wife, as her and her mom were determined that they get their super day in the limelight, where all the people come to stare, give their "oohs" and "ahhs", and then get their free dinners and open bar drinks.

Please don't take my statement of "nonsense" the wrong way, as I know your wedding day is very special in your eyes. I'm just reflecting on my POV with the whole thing, because in our case, it was basically a year of hell leading up to that "special" day, and all the "saving" bit just caused this extreme level stressed, which the likes of had not been seen prior to the decision of cutting all the good things out of our life.

Looking back, her father offered us $20k to just go run off to Vegas, or do something real simple with the justice of the peace. Keep in mind this was the late 80's, so 20K was a hell of lot more relevant back then compared to today. I was for doing it ... My argument for cashing out was that we could immediately get a house, and be in a position to be not so stressed. Nope, her and her mom wouldn't have nothing to do with it. By the time we got married, I was 2 steps away from just bailing and not showing up. In fact, what I know now, I would have bailed.

We got married, we were dead broke, I worked 2 jobs so that she could finish school, only to have her graduate, then tell me she had slept around for a year. Her rationale for sleeping around ... Mostly because our life was stuck in the mud, I was working all the time, and she needed to get out and enjoy life more. Yeah, how ironic, her main problem was because we were struggling, yet our startup was doomed with struggles because that's all we knew in lieu of having a fairytale wedding to please the mom and the masses.

OP, not saying this is a reflection of you or your wife. My ex wife reflected the worse of them, and our outcome was just unfortunate. To boot, I was 21 and she was 19, so wisdom wasn't on our side either. However, my point is getting into the "let's cut every corner" mindset can take a toll on both of you, and eventually it can bring out the worst out in people. In your case, I'm sure nether one will resort to infidelity or doing malicious deeds to another, but unhappiness can come in many flavors.

**Rwy** · 09-23-2013, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by Brett N

Yea, bar is definitely not cheaper. 4x a month Even if you only have one soft drink each and one appetizer every other time that is more than $25 a month. That's where I live, can't even guess in NYC.

If you get the bottom of the line basic cable or satellite, what does that cost? Definitely forget about redzone or NFL ticket if you are trying to save.

You can save a lot of money if you step back and look at what is really important to you. Buy clippers, quit getting haircuts. Switch to cheaper brands of laundry detergent (that shit is super high). Buy food in bulk. I started buying chicken in 5# frozen bags instead of single serving thawed out chicken breasts. Per pound it costs half. How far you take it is up to you. I work outside and buy all the clothes I know I am going to ruin at work from thrift store/salvation army. Not the trendy retro stores either, the poor man's stores. Clothes wear the same to me.

Ha, I have barbers clippers for beard and the back of my neck. I usually have her clean my neck every week so I get more out of my hair cut. $40 for hair cut out here. Every part adds up!

**Rwy** · 09-23-2013, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by Vettester

Here's the deal, you and your fiancé will be so obsessed with cutting every little dime, it's going to wear you guys down and make you miserable. I went through that nonsense with my first wife, as her and her mom were determined that they get their super day in the limelight, where all the people come to stare, give their "oohs" and "ahhs", and then get their free dinners and open bar drinks.

Please don't take my statement of "nonsense" the wrong way, as I know your wedding day is very special in your eyes. I'm just reflecting on my POV with the whole thing, because in our case, it was basically a year of hell leading up to that "special" day, and all the "saving" bit just caused this extreme level stressed, which the likes of had not been seen prior to the decision of cutting all the good things out of our life.

Looking back, her father offered us $20k to just go run off to Vegas, or do something real simple with the justice of the peace. Keep in mind this was the late 80's, so 20K was a hell of lot more relevant back then compared to today. I was for doing it ... My argument for cashing out was that we could immediately get a house, and be in a position to be not so stressed. Nope, her and her mom wouldn't have nothing to do with it. By the time we got married, I was 2 steps away from just bailing and not showing up. In fact, what I know now, I would have bailed.

We got married, we were dead broke, I worked 2 jobs so that she could finish school, only to have her graduate, then tell me she had slept around for a year. Her rationale for sleeping around ... Mostly because our life was stuck in the mud, I was working all the time, and she needed to get out and enjoy life more. Yeah, how ironic, her main problem was because we were struggling, yet our startup was doomed with struggles because that's all we knew in lieu of having a fairytale wedding to please the mom and the masses.

OP, not saying this is a reflection of you or your wife. My ex wife reflected the worse of them, and our outcome was just unfortunate. To boot, I was 21 and she was 19, so wisdom wasn't on our side either. However, my point is getting into the "let's cut every corner" mindset can take a toll on both of you, and eventually it can bring out the worst out in people. In your case, I'm sure nether one will resort to infidelity or doing malicious deeds to another, but unhappiness can come in many flavors.

My fiancee is def not like this. I never had patience for high maintenace girls. Always ended up with naturally pretty tom boy type girls. Because of her parents being so religious we must get married in a church and then the whole nine. Otherwise we would just do a destination wedding.

We are doing a Friday wedding in December. Seems like we can keep it around 20k just for wedding which would make me very happy!

We also have to get hip surgery for the dog. So we are trying to eliminate $200 a month in payments for his surgery.