Frugal/Budgeting/# Crunchers

I've always had quite well-off friends and they've always had the best toys - I lived on a council estate and my parents didn't earn much money so I've always had to make my money work harder than anyone else's.       It's been like pulling gallons out of pint-pots for my whole life.

My friends who were into radio control planes - they had great things bought for them - I had to design and build my own.   I made a 4-channel radio control system out of two 2-channel sets - it used two frequencies at the same time and ate batteries - but I could compete.

I've always bought things for bargain prices and when I've used it and enjoyed it, I sell everything for profit so the same money gets used over and over for multiple purchases and fun.

That's amazing...I'm only handy at really technical things, like some electrical work or parts in a telephone, dishwasher.

Same. I grew up in a private school and got teased for wearing the same thing for weeks or hand-me-downs. I didn't realize until my 30's that I grew up upper-middle class bc my dad kept us on such a strict budget. It taught me budgeting though. My mom used gerber jars to store allowance, but then they stopped allowances at age 12.

I keep a close eye on finances, but without being too rigid. Throughout everything, I keep tight reins on food/entertainment. I do my best to get the best prices on mostly organic food bc I believe in being thrifty, but it's also a health investment. Food is going to be the new gold. 

I keep an excel spreadsheet of refunds, credits, gift cards and savings...it's amazing how substantial the savings can become when you track it.

I've often thought about selling clothes online....I donate alot of stuff. But, how does one have the patience to selling online? Do you have any tips/things that work well for you?

Selling clothes on line is too hard - people will buy stuff, wear it and then return it - at your expense - you're on to a loser from the start.

I buy and sell things that appeal to 'nice' people - hi-fi, vintage synthesisers, Lego etc.   I'm good at finding bad adverts in wrong sections so I buy things for peanuts or fix unfixable things - like vintage Korg music workstations.    

They lose their memory settings and the 3.5" drives fail and the floppy is also a non-standard format with non-standard file extensions.      Whip it open, fit an new coin cell and then do a Sys-Ex download using WinXP compatible programs - a £30 synth becomes a £300+ synth.   

Rinse & repeat.

I was so efficient with my budgeting that I put my daughter through private school while my wife wasn't working while she re-qualified and we did Florida Disney holidays every year while renovating a 4-bed detached house in a ludicrously expensive area.

I drive an 18-year old car - my wife's is 15 years old - both are immaculate, fully loaded and very low mileage.   Anything better would cost a fortune.   We save a fortune on not paying car payments which we apply to having a better lifestyle - we have no debt and just a tiny mortgage..

WOW--frugal/smart deluxe. What a large amt of accomplishments--very cool.

I'm sorry to hear that last bit. I hope that life 2.0 gives you more years against what the Dr's say you have.

WOW--frugal/smart deluxe. What a large amt of accomplishments--very cool.

I'm sorry to hear that last bit. I hope that life 2.0 gives you more years against what the Dr's say you have.