How do you spend your money?

[Foxrunfarms]

I spend my money on things that are practical and things that help me make more money.

Ive had many young people work for me over the years and i recently started asking how much money per month they spend on weed and alcohol. Over 4 guys I got $800 to &1500 per month. I was astonished.

Where I work it's mostly single guys in their mid 20's living at home. Usually come in an hour late, need to stop to the gas station for breakfast.....donuts, coffee, scratch off's, and cigarettes......easily $20.00 spent before reaching the job site. Usually 2 hours later need a potty break so back to a gas station and come back with a soda and candy bar $5.00. Lunch time comes, usually culvers, or cousins $15.00. 2 in the afternoon another potty break and soda $2.00. 3 in the afternoon buy a case of beer to sit in the shop for 3 hours and drink $18.00........everyday! These are the same guys though that complain they're not making enough while only hitting 34 hours a week or mad thinking someone makes too much when they pull up in a new vehicle or buy a house.........

 

[Biker1mike]

Where I work it's mostly single guys in their mid 20's living at home. Usually come in an hour late, need to stop to the gas station for breakfast.....donuts, coffee, scratch off's, and cigarettes......easily $20.00 spent before reaching the job site. Usually 2 hours later need a potty break so back to a gas station and come back with a soda and candy bar $5.00. Lunch time comes, usually culvers, or cousins $15.00. 2 in the afternoon another potty break and soda $2.00. 3 in the afternoon buy a case of beer to sit in the shop for 3 hours and drink $18.00........everyday! These are the same guys though that complain they're not making enough while only hitting 34 hours a week or mad thinking someone makes too much when they pull up in a new vehicle or buy a house.........

Damn, I like good bourbon and grass is taxed like crazy here and I am way under that 800 number. At $1500 a month I would be an ameba on the floor.
Lunch out of a steel box/small cooler was my go to.

 

[Foxrunfarms]

Damn, I like good bourbon and grass is taxed like crazy here and I am way under that 800 number. At $1500 a month I would be an ameba on the floor.
Lunch out of a steel box/small cooler was my go to.

Yup same for lunch with me. A bag of bread, cold meat, fun pack of chips, little debbies and bottled water for the 2 weeks is cheaper than a 1 day out to lunch meal. Usually on the go so much or working through lunch to meet dealines the lunch box Usually doesn't get opened.

 

[Foxrunfarms]

My wife and I bought a little hobby farm after getting married. We didn't do a honeymoon, we don't travel(our only vacation is a week up north), and once a month we go out as a family which is usually culvers or pizza ranch.

I do some side landscaping jobs, help neighbors on their farm and being short handed at work we get cash over time bonuses. I split that money with her. I always had to deck out my trucks, I hunt, I build 1/64 scale farms, collect, and restore antique garden tractors and farm tractors. Everyone needs their hobbies and some cost money. Everyone needs to have fun and have r n r time too as long as the budget allows it. I like showing off what I worked hard for but after my near death accident at work almost 2 years ago. I realized all my things was just stuff, and it would've gone up on auction (hoping my son would've been able to keep a tractor) so look at things a little different now.

 

[lugbolt]

Decades ago we would pick which bill got paid and which waited for the next pay period.
This week is a family emergency. Two adult kids in the house for a week+ and the grandkid still active.
I put a debit card and a couple thousand dollars cash on the counter and said buy what ever we need or what you want to get through this mess.
Having the freedom to not worry about immediate needs is a real help.
The old saving for a rainy day saying does work.
That and having a long career that left some change after all the bills were paid. Add to that a wife that could maintain a household on what ever I brought home.

Yes.

Having a fully funded emergency fund is worth it's weight in GOLD! But so is being debt free. People, I'm here to tell you that if you have large debt, you are a slave. If you can get out of debt, then save up 6 months of expenses and keep that stashed, your live changes for the better. Your stress level drops tenfold!

 

[Northeast_Mainiac]

Dewalt Tools

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

My dad (who passed 1 yr ago early June) taught me very early from the first money I got whether birthdays / Christmas / lawn mowing whatever all treated the same…put the first cut into savings first (same percentage each time no matter what), then pay bills, then spend the rest. Result is that at very rare for me to now spend money on something that is a single time use / consumption, except maybe food.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Damn, I like good bourbon and grass is taxed like crazy here and I am way under that 800 number. At $1500 a month I would be an ameba on the floor.
Lunch out of a steel box/small cooler was my go to.

Yessir. I worked in Old Town Alexandria back when. I typically went out to eat for lunch at some local bar or restaurant. It wasn't long before I realized that $12 a day worked out to more than my car payment at the time. I got a little cooler and started taking my lunch 4 days a week. Friday was usually a social lunch with coworkers.
Also, taking things one step further, I made my own lunch meat. Sunday evenings I would grill or smoke chicken, turkey, roast, etc. That would get sliced or shredded for sammiches for the week. It is cheaper (and less salty) than cold cuts.
One other thing I spend money on.....helmets. Lots of helmets. One set up for rain and the other for dry. If I don't crash them first, they expire every 5 years so far as the race organization goes. Expired my 2nd helmet ever recently. Had to pick up a new one for the next round. Straight outta Japan.

 

[D2Cat]

Yes.

Having a fully funded emergency fund is worth it's weight in GOLD! But so is being debt free. People, I'm here to tell you that if you have large debt, you are a slave. If you can get out of debt, then save up 6 months of expenses and keep that stashed, your live changes for the better. Your stress level drops tenfold!

Lugbolt, you got that right, but there are folks who declare they just can't save. What most folks lack is discipline. That applies to everything in life, food, exercise, money, relationships..... on and on.

 

[civlized]

I get tickled at myself sometimes when I think about how I perceive spending money. Example, I go in a store to buy, let's say some PVC. The price has gone up 20-50%. I get mad and walk out or just buy the bare minimum (while grumbling to anyone that will listen). Total cost of what I want or need may be less than $100.

On the flip side, I decide I want a new tractor during Covid, when I guess the whole damn world wants a mini tractor with a backhoe. I find one available more than 2 hours away, and all I will take is a brand new unit. FULL RETAIL PRICE and I smile and say "load it up!" Around $24K and I didn't even think about it other than being happy to have found it.

Wife needs some AA batteries, I see the price and tell her she can do without those pretty lights. That's what takes the AA batteries she wants. I see a box of ammo for double what it used to be and get as many boxes as I can.

I can't put my finger on what makes my mind work that way, but it does.

 

[lynnmor]

I get tickled at myself sometimes when I think about how I perceive spending money. Example, I go in a store to buy, let's say some PVC. The price has gone up 20-50%. I get mad and walk out or just buy the bare minimum (while grumbling to anyone that will listen). Total cost of what I want or need may be less than $100.

On the flip side, I decide I want a new tractor during Covid, when I guess the whole damn world wants a mini tractor with a backhoe. I find one available more than 2 hours away, and all I will take is a brand new unit. FULL RETAIL PRICE and I smile and say "load it up!" Around $24K and I didn't even think about it other than being happy to have found it.

Wife needs some AA batteries, I see the price and tell her she can do without those pretty lights. That's what takes the AA batteries she wants. I see a box of ammo for double what it used to be and get as many boxes as I can.

I can't put my finger on what makes my mind work that way, but it does.

Your mind is working fine, beat the prices back whenever you can but pay up only if there is no choice.

 

[fried1765]

I spend my money however I like...one thing about money, you can always make more.

Not when you are 83 years old!

 

[will721]

Not when you are 83 years old!

Have you considered onlyfans?

 

[arml]

Not when you are 83 years old!

Well, I'm 77 and can still make money. It's called investing.

 

[lynnmor]

Not when you are 83 years old!

You keep mentioning your age, just ignore the number so you don’t pull yourself down.

 

[fried1765]

You keep mentioning your age, just ignore the number so you don’t pull yourself down.

83 is 83.....I am completely OK with it!
I think I am relatively active for (nearly) 83, even in spite of still recovering from Covid!

 

[fried1765]

I c

Well, I'm 77 and can still make money. It's called investing.

I call it coasting!
I think I have enough to keep me going to the end, so I don't dwell on it.

 

[NCL4701]

Have you considered onlyfans?

I have an ex employee who started an Only Fans. Apparently there’s good money in it if you’re qualified. Our dress code here kept us from knowing her qualifications when she worked here but when one of my female employees stopped by my office one day with a website pulled up on her phone saying, “Look what ____ is doing now!” we agreed unbeknownst to us previously… she was qualified!

Edit: I haven’t seen Fried and mean no offense, but I doubt he’s qualified. I’m not either.

 

[will721]

I have an ex employee who started an Only Fans. Apparently there’s good money in it if you’re qualified. Our dress code here kept us from knowing her qualifications when she worked here but when one of my female employees stopped by my office one day with a website pulled up on her phone saying, “Look what ____ is doing now!” we agreed unbeknownst to us previously… she was qualified!

Edit: I haven’t seen Fried and mean no offense, but I doubt he’s qualified. I’m not either.

Hey its 2023 and people are weird. Worst case say you identify as a banging 23 year old blonde. Could make it "farm" themed with the kubota.

 

[fried1765]

I have an ex employee who started an Only Fans. Apparently there’s good money in it if you’re qualified. Our dress code here kept us from knowing her qualifications when she worked here but when one of my female employees stopped by my office one day with a website pulled up on her phone saying, “Look what ____ is doing now!” we agreed unbeknownst to us previously… she was qualified!

Edit: I haven’t seen Fried and mean no offense, but I doubt he’s qualified. I’m not either.

I sure would like to apply for "qualification", but likely you are correct.......I certainly could not qualify (I can dream.......perhaps could have "qualified" 50 years ago ?)