creative money management

[rocket 0]

I am new to the sport and introduced myself in the introductions forum. Here is my situation and my question......

I am an intern and low on funds, always(like everyone else), here is the question... would you share your unique or creative solution to saving money to blow on more jumps. I would like to hear ANYTHING!

Blue Skies and Ballz out!

"Make your plans dark and as inpenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt" -Sun Tsu

rocket

[BlueEyedMonster 0]

Hmmm Here are the things I have done:

• I have no land line... only my cell phone.
  
• I have only one credit card... which I use like a checking account and earn Frequent Flyer miles
  
• I moved to a cheaper apartment downtown.
  
• I walk to work.
  
• I do NOT own a car.
  
• I take the greyhound to the DZ on weekends
  
  (Its cheaper than driving)
  
  
• I do not allow myself to have cash in my wallet
  
  (It gets spent too easily.)


With all of this, I actually spend 45% of my takehome on jump tickets (according to Microsoft Money)

[wmw999 2,588]

I put myself through a private college -- I know a little something about living cheap.

Cook. Make a big pot of beans and a bunch of brown rice. Mix some corn with the beans, and a little (tiny) bit of meat. That'll feed you for a week; you can supplement with foods to keep you healthy. And it's easy. Spaghetti sauce and curry are other foods that'll hold for a week while you eat each day. A little boring, but way cheap. Drink water. It's really cheap.

Don't own a car that requires a car note. Just say no. Learn to love used clothing (although if you're a doctor-type intern, wardrobe probably isn't your biggest problem). And, of course, if you have a nice apartment and no rommate in it, obviously you haven't readjusted our priorities enough yet. Learn to pack, learn to sew -- those can make your jumpsuits cheaper, and you can earn money packing and sewing for others...

Of course, you could always marry money, too

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[skydiverbrian 0]

I stopped eating out. Gave me a little extra cash for jumping. Work one overtime shift a week (or month). That'll help, too.

Since you're in Boise, I'd suggest living frugally during the winter and you'll have plenty of cash for when summer comes again.

In a world full of people, only some want to fly... isn't that crazy! --Seal

[rocket 0]

Well Wendy, I am a humble intern to be honest. I do live alone, but that is simply because I only knew whuffos when I moved here. It is a modest place nothing fancy. I drive a car I bought almost two years ago for $1500 and it runs awesome. I appreciate the advice from you it helps more than you know.

Ballz out!

"Make your plans dark and as inpenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt" -Sun Tsu

rocket

[rocket 0]

Thanks Brian, good plan. Sounds like you know a little bit about Boise?

rocket

"Make your plans dark and as inpenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt" -Sun Tsu

rocket

[BlueEyedMonster 0]

Quote

. Learn to pack, learn to sew -- those can make your jumpsuits cheaper.

Oh yeah, I forgot... I do that stuff too. I have yet to buy a jumpsuit. And its cheaper to make your own jeans too... Fabric, a zipper, a button, and thread is about $15 if you shop right.

[airann 1]

Every single little bit helps on this issue. Here are a few I have found.

Garage Sale, Mow Mamma's Yard, wash her car. And do the same for all her friends. Ask for cold cash instead of gifts. Car pool.

Get a container and put all change in it, soon its a jump ticket.

Line-dry clothes indoors, you will also notice the humidity level raises in the house. Less irritation to nose and throat and the moisture retains heat in the rooms too. The line system will save you money on your electric/gas bill.

Squeezed out tube of toothpaste? styling gel, etc., cut the end off with a pair of old scissors. Split the tube up the side. You will be surprised at how much product is left.

Use all that you buy - When you buy fresh broccoli, don't throw away the stalks after eating the flowerettes. Use the rest for cheese and broc soup or or in stir-fry recipes.

Check out the buy today and save spot in your grocery store. Cook it and save the rest for other dinners.

Take your cool lunches from left overs to work. (fact)Everyone will be jealous.

HOMEMADE BATHROOM CLEANERS
I like an old sprayer with 1/3 clorox or cheapest bleach you can find (.97 cents) and fill the rest up with water. Spray it and wipe away germs.

Others are - Pour 1 cup of white vinegar in the commode, let set overnight, brush, then flush to rinse. Costs 9 cents per cup!!

1/2 can of any cola drink can be poured into the commode, let it set for several hours and flush to rinse. (since the main ingredient....cola syrup.....can eat nails.....this does not surprise me). It also works. This treatment costs from 25 cents to 75 cents depending on the price of your soda.

This one is my super favorite--Outrageous savings here.
HOME-MADE LAUNDRY SOAP
1/3 bar of Fels Naptha Laundry Soap
1/2 cup of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
1/2 cup of Borax, 20 Mule Team
Water to make the recipe

Grate the 1/3 bar of soap on an old grater. Put in a pan of 6 cups of very hot water and heat till the soap dissolves. Stir in the washing soda and borax. Stir till it thickens. This takes about 15 minutes and the mix looks sort of like honey. Take it off the heat . In a large bucket (I used a pickle pail) pour 1 quart of hot water, then stir in the soap mix you just made and blend. Add another 5 1/2 quarts of water...this can be cold. Stir until well blended. You will have 2 gallons total.

Set aside for 24 hours. It should turn to a thick gel. I had one batch that didn't gel, in fact it sort of separated, but I just shook the jug before I measured out the soap.

Use 1/2 cup of soap for a machine load of clothes. This soap does not have suds, so don't panic. I also use 1/2 cup of cider vinegar as my rinse agent instead of fabric softener. It's cheaper and you can't smell it in the clothes when they are dry.

Fact-
The cheapest laundry soap I found in the supermarket was $5.99 per 96 ounces. Which is not even a full gallon. And the expensive stuff is running around $10 a gallon.

This solution makes 32 loads per gallon and each load costs 1.066666667 cents a load. The above directions yeilds 2 ballons. or 64 loads.

Energy Tonight take a tour through your house with all the lights out. See all those digital clocks and glowing red and green "eyes" staring back at you? That’s proof positive your household appliances are sucking energy and spending your money even when you`re asleep. Fix that. If its not in use, including computers turn it off.

Coupons, hated them until I learned how to make those suckers work for me. Now I save around 60 percent off my grocery bill every week. Buy whole chickens on sale and cut them up yourself. Or cook the whole thing and divide it for future meals. (rice)

Long Distance- AT&T promised my plan was their best plan & it zoomed to more than 30 cents a minute. Bam cancel it, get a phone card. It’s only 3.47 cents a minute. Denominations and full price of pre-paid phone cards from Sam Club’s vary, but currently a 600-minute card is $20.82. That’s 10 hours of talk to any number in any state, anytime day or night for 3.47 cents a minute, no fees, no surprises.

Visit these sites - http://www.cheapskatemonthly.com/default.asp

Seriously go to http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/TemplateGallery/templates/5/tp1136.asp and download the personal budget template for Excel.

Look at the comings and goings of your $. See if you cant reduce the goings.

I personally hate to do this as its usually bad news. If you want to have the funds to do what you want the most important thing is to actually detail where your funds are going. Likely you will be surprised where you can cut down. Track everything, gas/oil for car, dry cleaning, hair cuts, -everything. You will have more ammo to get what you want with an informed mind.

~AirAnn~

[rocket 0]

Air Ann, Blue Eyed monster you guys rock. See this is what I am talking about, creative shit to save money. I believe as well, any type of savings is jump savings. Thanks again you guy's I appreciate it.

Ballz out!

"Make your plans dark and as inpenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt" -Sun Tsu

rocket

[airann 1]

No problem my friend. That is what the brotherhood of Skydiving is all about.

You have heard it-'There are no dumb questions'

Yeah, BluEyedMonster and I have a ton in common, we are both super sweet individuals, for one.

Except he writes shorter messages!

~AirAnn~

[txblondie 0]

Cell phone, no land line. Cheap plan (Verizon), with quite a few anytime minutes...but I'm still careful with minutes before 9pm (screen your phone calls!).
Eating cheaper. Shopping less.
You'll learn to love all your old t-shirts/tanks/etc very quickly because you won't have NEW stuff to wear all the time, but the up side to that is that you will always have something comfortable to jump in...and you won't worry about getting the new shirt or shoes dirty.
Another solution? You could always get a second job to support the "habit"...

*****************************************
Blondes do have more fun!

[BlueEyedMonster 0]

Quote

Yeah, BluEyedMonster and I have a ton in common, we are both super sweet individuals, for one.

Thanks... See... not all girls are yukky. Some are quite nice.

Except he writes shorter messages!

[whocares 0]

Eat rama noodles, hitop frozen pizza's. Get a part time job in a pizza place. You can always take home a pizza after work, food for 3 days.

Do any odd jobs for cash. SOme old lady has the cash to spend and likes the company.

[airann 1]

Quote

See... not all girls are yukky. Some are quite nice

That is the nicest thing anyone has said to me in recent memory. Indeed that means a LOT coming from you. You sweet boy.

~AirAnn~