Comments on: 10 Hidden Costs People Fail To Consider http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2006/10/03/10851_10-hidden-costs-people-fail-to-consider.html Bridging the gap between saving money and investing Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:38:31 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Spreading the Word | Frugal For Life http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2006/10/03/10851_10-hidden-costs-people-fail-to-consider.html/comment-page-1#comment-189331 Spreading the Word | Frugal For Life Sun, 23 Dec 2007 06:03:53 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/?p=851#comment-189331 [...] Jeffrey’s posts on 10 Hidden Costs People Fail To Consider and 10 Steps That Will Ensure Financial [...] [...] Jeffrey’s posts on 10 Hidden Costs People Fail To Consider and 10 Steps That Will Ensure Financial [...]

]]> By: Brandon http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2006/10/03/10851_10-hidden-costs-people-fail-to-consider.html/comment-page-1#comment-24849 Brandon Sat, 03 Mar 2007 08:21:14 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/?p=851#comment-24849 The only way to avoid "extra" charges is to be aware of what you are buying. The average person does not know how many minutes they talk on the cellphone. The sales person can only estimate. When it comes to updates, the critical ones are free. Software functionality, phone performance etc. The rest is just vanity. Most people want a deal and get the cheap pricing. Do you negotiate at Target on price? I don't think so. Your lucky your buying a cellphone. Do you buy a car one week on a plan and get a better deal on a more expensive one and expect an upgrade for free. I don't think so. Cellphones are mini-computers and NOT a home phone. Wait till there are NO sales people and you will be hollering over the lack of service!! People want to buy things cheap and they forget that a cellphone is an expensive piece of technology. Try to buy one direct from the manufacturer adn you will see what they really cost without a contract or rebate. The only way to avoid “extra” charges is to be aware of what you are buying. The average person does not know how many minutes they talk on the cellphone. The sales person can only estimate. When it comes to updates, the critical ones are free. Software functionality, phone performance etc. The rest is just vanity. Most people want a deal and get the cheap pricing.

Do you negotiate at Target on price?
I don’t think so. Your lucky your buying a cellphone.

Do you buy a car one week on a plan and get a better deal on a more expensive one and expect an upgrade for free. I don’t think so.

Cellphones are mini-computers and NOT a home phone. Wait till there are NO sales people and you will be hollering over the lack of service!!

People want to buy things cheap and they forget that a cellphone is an expensive piece of technology. Try to buy one direct from the manufacturer adn you will see what they really cost without a contract or rebate.

]]> By: Aimee http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2006/10/03/10851_10-hidden-costs-people-fail-to-consider.html/comment-page-1#comment-10899 Aimee Sun, 10 Dec 2006 02:15:08 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/?p=851#comment-10899 Printer ink is one that no one thinks of! We actually found that it is cheaper to get a new printer (comes with ink) each time than to buy the replacement ink for our printer. We get the replacement ink to cut down on waste, but the pricing is just so far off! Printer ink is one that no one thinks of! We actually found that it is cheaper to get a new printer (comes with ink) each time than to buy the replacement ink for our printer. We get the replacement ink to cut down on waste, but the pricing is just so far off!

]]> By: Gary http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2006/10/03/10851_10-hidden-costs-people-fail-to-consider.html/comment-page-1#comment-10834 Gary Fri, 08 Dec 2006 17:05:51 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/?p=851#comment-10834 razor blades last a lot longer if you don't use shaving cream, but use shaving soap (or regular soap) instead. i've been using shaving soap and the same razor blade for 6 months and it still cuts fine. razor blades last a lot longer if you don’t use shaving cream, but use shaving soap (or regular soap) instead. i’ve been using shaving soap and the same razor blade for 6 months and it still cuts fine.

]]> By: A Free House Can Be Too Expensive » Getting To Enough http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2006/10/03/10851_10-hidden-costs-people-fail-to-consider.html/comment-page-1#comment-7511 A Free House Can Be Too Expensive » Getting To Enough Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:21:17 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/?p=851#comment-7511 [...] A recent post at PFAdvice on 10 Hidden Costs People Fail to Consider reminded me of the dangers of determining affordability of a home by just focusing on the mortgage payments which have been faciliated by easy credit, low interest rates, and “innovations” like interest-only mortgages. Even if a house is affordable–that is, the bank says it will lend you the money–doesn’t mean that it’s not too expensive for you.  In addition to costs like maintenance, there’s also the cost of furnishing, upkeep, etc. which tend to go up with the price of the home.  There’s also the additional cost of living a more expensive lifestyle. An extreme example of this is a family who won a gigantic, well-equipped, house, plus $250,000 and a big SUV, in the HGTV Dream Home Sweepstakes.  An article in Money magazine describes the 6,000 square foot house: Each feature seemed more fantastic than the one before: the massive great room with its 30-foot ceilings and six-foot-wide fireplace; the master bedroom suite–in effect, a separate cottage connected to the main house by a breezeway, replete with a hot tub; the indoor elevator and the outdoor pool and fireplace; the guest house by the lake. As they passed through each room, Shelly found herself touching everything–running her fingers over the granite-topped island in the kitchen; turning the knobs on the his-and-hers showerheads in the master bathroom; opening the doors of the laundry room’s two washers and two dryers…The house is really three structures: a main building, a separate master bedroom suite and a lakefront guest cottage. Some 550 tons of limestone went into the construction of the main house, much of it used to build the 30-foot fireplace in the great room. Ten cedar trees were used to support the beamed ceiling, the trunks shaved down to square posts around the perimeter. Six sets of glass french doors let in sweeping views of the yard and lake. [...] [...] A recent post at PFAdvice on 10 Hidden Costs People Fail to Consider reminded me of the dangers of determining affordability of a home by just focusing on the mortgage payments which have been faciliated by easy credit, low interest rates, and “innovations” like interest-only mortgages. Even if a house is affordable–that is, the bank says it will lend you the money–doesn’t mean that it’s not too expensive for you.  In addition to costs like maintenance, there’s also the cost of furnishing, upkeep, etc. which tend to go up with the price of the home.  There’s also the additional cost of living a more expensive lifestyle. An extreme example of this is a family who won a gigantic, well-equipped, house, plus $250,000 and a big SUV, in the HGTV Dream Home Sweepstakes.  An article in Money magazine describes the 6,000 square foot house: Each feature seemed more fantastic than the one before: the massive great room with its 30-foot ceilings and six-foot-wide fireplace; the master bedroom suite–in effect, a separate cottage connected to the main house by a breezeway, replete with a hot tub; the indoor elevator and the outdoor pool and fireplace; the guest house by the lake. As they passed through each room, Shelly found herself touching everything–running her fingers over the granite-topped island in the kitchen; turning the knobs on the his-and-hers showerheads in the master bathroom; opening the doors of the laundry room’s two washers and two dryers…The house is really three structures: a main building, a separate master bedroom suite and a lakefront guest cottage. Some 550 tons of limestone went into the construction of the main house, much of it used to build the 30-foot fireplace in the great room. Ten cedar trees were used to support the beamed ceiling, the trunks shaved down to square posts around the perimeter. Six sets of glass french doors let in sweeping views of the yard and lake. [...]

]]> By: Susan http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2006/10/03/10851_10-hidden-costs-people-fail-to-consider.html/comment-page-1#comment-7504 Susan Thu, 12 Oct 2006 14:50:48 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/?p=851#comment-7504 So glad you brought this up...cell phones have become a necessary evil (?) I'm considering telepathy, much cheaper. So glad you brought this up…cell phones have become a necessary evil (?)
I’m considering telepathy, much cheaper.

]]> By: nick http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2006/10/03/10851_10-hidden-costs-people-fail-to-consider.html/comment-page-1#comment-7307 nick Fri, 06 Oct 2006 14:51:57 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/?p=851#comment-7307 PC vs Software. Being a techie, I am running Linux. So I never spend a dime on 90% of the software on my machine, but I guess for most of the regular folks, the ratio of the free software on their Windows probably is much lower. With a decent PC costing below 1K, how much did you spend on software, and software upgrades? PC vs Software. Being a techie, I am running Linux. So I never spend a dime on 90% of the software on my machine, but I guess for most of the regular folks, the ratio of the free software on their Windows probably is much lower. With a decent PC costing below 1K, how much did you spend on software, and software upgrades?

]]> By: Getting To Enough http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2006/10/03/10851_10-hidden-costs-people-fail-to-consider.html/comment-page-1#comment-7204 Getting To Enough Thu, 05 Oct 2006 13:53:57 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/?p=851#comment-7204 I agree about the comment on the house. I think an even bigger cost than the upkeep though is the standard of living for which it sets us up. What I mean is that what we consider to be "enough" is based a lot on our peers and neighbors. For example, the type of car we drive or the types of vacations we go to or the furniture we have. There really is something about "keeping up with the Jones'" even if it's subconscious. So, moving to a bigger/nicer home because the mortgage is affordable could cost more money in the end due to lifestyle expenses. I agree about the comment on the house. I think an even bigger cost than the upkeep though is the standard of living for which it sets us up.

What I mean is that what we consider to be “enough” is based a lot on our peers and neighbors. For example, the type of car we drive or the types of vacations we go to or the furniture we have. There really is something about “keeping up with the Jones’” even if it’s subconscious. So, moving to a bigger/nicer home because the mortgage is affordable could cost more money in the end due to lifestyle expenses.

]]> By: makingitbig http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2006/10/03/10851_10-hidden-costs-people-fail-to-consider.html/comment-page-1#comment-7115 makingitbig Wed, 04 Oct 2006 14:54:55 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/?p=851#comment-7115 When it comes to electronics -- specifically HDTVs -- don't forget about wires and cables. They may not sound like much, but money of the newer TVs don't come with the necessary high-def cables. When it comes to electronics — specifically HDTVs — don’t forget about wires and cables. They may not sound like much, but money of the newer TVs don’t come with the necessary high-def cables.

]]> By: Max http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2006/10/03/10851_10-hidden-costs-people-fail-to-consider.html/comment-page-1#comment-7051 Max Wed, 04 Oct 2006 04:19:28 +0000 http://www.pfadvice.com/?p=851#comment-7051 I've yet to meet a person who would drop ten large on music at iTunes. Come on, nobody's THAT honest. I’ve yet to meet a person who would drop ten large on music at iTunes. Come on, nobody’s THAT honest.

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