Am I crazy for taking calculator and notebook to the store with me?

[Alwayreckles93]

I can't shop unless I make the math first before buying anything and knowing I am getting the best deals. When going grocery shopping I take the coupons and my groceries list before anything I can spend 3 hours looking up prices quantity. I hate wasting money. A lot of my friends tell me that my ways if saving money are to extreme and they called me crazy. But If someone doesn't want furniture or clothing they tell me their donating it to goodwill I tell them hey I will take it. I can proudly say at my age 30 now I have no debt. I don't used credit cards my worst enemies. When going shopping I take my most important tool calculator , note , book, coupons and wallet. I know a lot of people on here will called me crazy lol

[Exterminatore]

I don’t think you’re crazy. I do the same thing but I use the calculator on my phone and note pad on my phone.


The fact you are 30 and debt free speaks for itself. I’d be willing to bet all your friends that call you crazy have mountains of debt as do most Americans. Meanwhile they don’t make much of an attempt to save money and wonder why they’re always broke.

[Alwayreckles93]

Yes Sir you are absolutely right. My friends spend hundreds of dollars pointless designer clothing and stuff puts it all on her credit card she called me crazy for not buying designer stuff and asked me why do I have to be so cheap. Few days later they complained about how money won't last and they blame iron the inflation later they tell me why am I so lucky that I don't have debt lol

[Alwayreckles93]

Yes they do owe money on credit cards and some of my friends even later decided they no longer want their stuff and I take it for free with out hurting my wallet lol. When I bought my house I was blessed enough to get it with the furniture.

[Alwayreckles93]

Do you used coupons?

[Exterminatore]

None of that is shocking to me. I see this all the time. People are their own worst enemies. Seems like so many have time for Tick Toc and Netflix and every other damn thing but no time to make sure they’re not wasting money. Then they all complain about being broke and in debt.

Yeah, times are getting harder financially for everyone. I don’t see them getting easier for a while. Yet, I see so many not taking the action they need to to give them the very best possible outcomes.

I really don’t understand it. Everyone worrying about the latest cell phone but not about running up debts. Too much self indulgence and instant gratification.

[Exterminatore]

I don’t use coupons that often. I do 90% of my grocery shopping or more at Walmart because they’re always cheaper than other stores even with coupons. They will also price match. Otherwise I would do coupons also.

[virtue2332]

I hear you, not all debt is bad though you can't be afraid of debt if you use it as a tool. You don't want to get in debt on assets there you know are going to depreciate in value. That being said if you have no debt its times like these when things get bad that you can get things that appreciate in value at a discount because you have been so frugal when housing prices start to dip dont be afraid to invest when and use debt to build upon your portfolio like a rental property at a discount where a renter pays the debt for you. Obviously you know your cash flow and risk tolerance but just saying debt can be used as a tool and not all debt is bad debt.

[Exterminatore]

@Virtue

I don’t know if I can agree. I think all debt is bad.

I think sometimes it’s necessary.

The only debts I have are my house, school loan, and car loan. All things that could not be bought with saved cash.

The only time I use a credit card for anything is to use them to make sure they don’t get shut off. My credit score is excellent. Above 800.

I was however considering using credit cards more frequently just to use them for the rewards features I may get with them. If I use a credit card for anything I pay it off before the bill even shows up in the mail to avoid interest.

[Alwayreckles93]

Yes Sir you are correct about people being their own enemies and everything else that you mentioned. People for some reason like to live above their means later they run short on money. You are right people will sit and watch Netflix but they sure are lazy to actually take the time to compare prices. I did math on bar of 🧼 soap. A whole pack had 10 bar 🧼 soaps for $20. I brosed around and saw soaps for $0.88 each individually I bought 10 bar soap. Baby wipes a whole box of 12 baby wipes each pack 80 wipes. Whole box now cost $24 only including tax I tough that was a rip off. I ended up getting a better deal I bought the baby wipes individually it only cost me $0.50 each baby wipes quantity same 80 wipes. My friends tell me I am way to extreme and that it's an addiction I have to money saving. I have different binders with my budgeting plans savings and goals. I hear people complaining about oh prices had raised up , Oh I'm so broke. Uh yeah I be broke too if I was buying everything new and abusing credit cards later at night they can't sleep because of that credit card bill. I always wonder why won't people budget plan. Even Amazon sale those little budgeting planners.

[Alwayreckles93]

Easy if I can't find the same item cheap else where I just go get it at dollar tree if it's not available cheaper.

[Exterminatore]

I do the same with budgeting. I track my money. Keep within my limits. I track the interest on my investments.

I cannot imagine getting my paycheck and then just paying bills and buying items with no limits. Just spend whatever. I have strict amounts for every item that is not a fixed price like a bill. Groceries spending, savings, investing.

I also have personal disability insurance in case I get injured out side of work. Life insurance and critical illness, and cancer and other insurances just in case. I worked too hard to have my life is as it is and I’m not interested in some unforeseen event whipping out my savings. I have every kind of available option on both my car and home insurances. Though I could just save the money I pay for those things I will get a much larger payout than what I pay for those things than if I just saved it for those things. Besides I have a separate account for emergencies which I deposit into weekly and also for investing. My emergency savings is literally tens of thousands, not to mention if I ever needed to I have roughly $60K available through credit cards as a back up to my emergency cash and investment money. I also have excellent benefits through my job and so does she.

My thoughts were now that I have a good career, and so does my wife, and a nice house in a nice neighborhood, and a nice truck and everything I really ever wanted or needed I’m not going to let some s*it storm roll into my life and wipe out everything I have and drag me into poverty. We are prepared from every angle to deal with several major emergencies in a short time period. I can also get like 60 hours a week if I wanted at my work if I needed to increase my income in a major way. I’m also part way into storing up supplies for a major emergency like a natural disaster.

All of this is by the blessing of God. He lined up every circumstance to be in this position. He provided the opportunity.

[Exterminatore]

All of these things are investments I can leave for my wife and step children. Our house alone has gained $60K in value since we bought it and we are about to purchase in cash some land adjacent to our property. All of this is by God’s providence to provide for myself and family that they should never be in poverty unless God decrees otherwise. Now we are finding ways to give more to the church. To help other family. Friends. Charity. We recycle everything we can, we take that money and donate it all to charity. We donate to various charities as we see God directs our hearts. I say all of this not for self praise. I say it because God is good. He did this for me, when I deserve only to go to Hell. The secret to having more is giving more. God will not give us to indulge our flesh. He will give us to meet our needs and often material blessings beyond our need if we are good stewards for him. If we choose wisely to use what he has given us. He owns everything. We just manage it for him. If we give, he gives us more that we can give more. Some of those blessings overflow to us. This is the way to prosperity. God gives more to those who rightly manage what he has given. Soli Deo Gloria! (To God alone be the glory)

[Exterminatore]

@always

Do you also have insurances like I have and do you also invest your money?

I wouldn’t be surprised if you did.

People’s own habits are what hold them back or often at least hinder what they can do.

[Exterminatore]

I would also add one of the best ways to help the poor is to not become one of them. Can’t give what you don’t have to give.

Glory to the Most High!

[Alwayreckles93]

Yes I do. I have about 7 accounts. Wells Fargo does also have a kids savings account for my boys.

[Exterminatore]

Hahaha. I knew it. You’re just like me when it comes to all this.

[Alwayreckles93]

Lol it's no wonder we are friends lol

[Alwayreckles93]

Sir do you own a budgeting miniature binder? Check this out! https://a.co/d/4Fn7ylz

[Alwayreckles93]

I no longer carry wallet in my opinion this is a lot more useful and hangry then a wallet.

[Exterminatore]

That’s pretty cool. I don’t own one. I just use a ledger book and make all entries by hand.

[Alwayreckles93]

That's good too. Also helps to keep in track where the money is going too.

[Exterminatore]

Yep. I was considering using a program like Quicken so it will pretty much track all this automatically.

[Alwayreckles93]

I've heard Quicken is very handy. I've never tried it. I love my mini binder.

[Staximus]

My Irish granny was a thrifty shopper too and always had a fridge full of good stuff for cheap. The question is how much time and energy are you spending on all this, and is the money you save worth all the effort and time to search for all the deals, drive to different stores, etc. It's kind of like people who never get to enjoy life because they are always working, but different.

[Alwayreckles93]

Well honestly my hack system of saving money has work really well for me. I can sleep at night and not have to worry it over think stuff.

[Exterminatore]

Thank God for that!

[TrueConfection]

I can understand not wasting money, but your time also has a monetary value. Are you saving more money than you earn in 3 hours?

[Alwayreckles93]

Yes I plan a budget system. I used those three hours once every week.

[rachel776]

[SnowedIn]

You're only crazy for not doing it on your phone! :)

[Alwayreckles93]

I get that a lot lol

[SnowedIn]

Totally cool though! 🙂 I do lists and notes and comparison and calculations too!

[Alwayreckles93]

Do you do budget plan every month?

[SnowedIn]

Eh... sort of. 🤦‍♂️

[NYCQuestions1976]

Not a bad idea, but you probably already have a calculator on your phone. Just use that.

[Alwayreckles93]

Good excellent advice the less to carry around the better.

[Adogdog]

No, you are not crazy! I am like that too. You seem smart and are quite cute too. :)

[Alwayreckles93]

You are very sweet thanks.

[EaterPeter]

Yes I will call you crazy. Crazy froogle and crazy smart. Keep doing what you are doing. Develop formulas and habits of doing mental math instead. And or don't care of what others think.

[EaterPeter]

Others may think * stop thinking on behalf of them. That would be waste of time.

[EaterPeter]

Let them spell it for them selves. And don't be that rich lady who ate boiled eggs for most of her life and wore same black dress every day.

[EaterPeter]

Be kind to yourself by trying not to spell it for them.

[EaterPeter]

Thanks for like!

[OlderAndWiser]

It is only crazy if you become obsessed with frugality and it takes over your life.

[Alwayreckles93]

Well I don't want to end up like one of those homeless people on the streets asking random strangers for money. I mean being frugal help me paid off my home and car. I can proudly say most of the stuff I have it's free and no I don't owe money.

[OlderAndWiser]

Have you talked with a financal planner to detemine the rate at which you should be saving to insure that you have enough funds in retirement?

[Alwayreckles93]

No I have not , I did take Financial course.

[Mansearching]

I use coupons too. But im not an extreme couponer.

[Bklynbadboy12]

That's pretty smart if you ask me

[Alwayreckles93]

Thanks , Do you do a budget plan system monthly?

[Bklynbadboy12]

Yes I do I plan out exactly what i'm gonna spend on everything and it actually works

[Alwayreckles93]

Your smart. Do you own a mini binder with budgeting little pocket dividers 🗂️

[Bklynbadboy12]

No but I do have a file cabinet

[Alwayreckles93]

That's smart.

[Bklynbadboy12]

Thanks beautiful your pretty smart yourself

[Alex8736]

with inflation the way it is I call it smart

[invalid1]

You're just very good at financial management

[iSensei]

I think soon u will be very rich or crazy hahah

[Hummertime]

You've must return to the LDS church!

[kareka]

You are clever tbh