The problem with being budget minded is other people. - Page 13

b4freedom · #**241** (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ima saver

We did. I have been having trouble on another forum with a person who thinks I talk about money too much. I just found out that they have serious money problems. They have cheated their customers, not paid their sub contractors, had liens put on their property and bounced many many a check. No wonder they don't want to talk about money. They definately need to be on this forum.

It worries me that so many contractors and subcontractors have so many problems with money. I see it all the time.

Ima saver · #**242** (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 10:32 AM

I see it all the time also. If you ae licensed in North Carolina you have to provide your financial report, showing all assets and liabilities. You have to have a certain amount of money to be a licensed contractor.
That is not true here in Georgia. We see many contractors come into the area, build a house or two , then skip out with the money.
It is important to get a lot of reference letters with addresses and phone numbers. We give out a list of about 30 previous customers.
If I was building a house, I would also ask for a credit check and a credit score from the builder. If he would not provide it, I would move on.

tinapbeana · #**243** (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 02:12 PM

I must admit I am mostly blessed in the area of frugal family. My mother is one of 6 kids who grew up on a farm, her mom was one of 7 who grew up as share croppers during the depression. As you might imagine: HOLY COW are we a frugal family!

At the same time, I feel almost like the spendthrift of the lot, which is no fun at all. IMO, I've let them down by getting into debt when I was in college (even though it's not something most everyone even knows about). Granted, I was the first one to go to college, but that's neither here nor there.

DH comes from an exceedingly frugal family too: a SAHM and father who is a pastor/contractor. Even now they make less than 20k per year and live quite well.

And that leads to my confusion, b/c DH is quite the spendy personality type, and feels if there's enough in the checking account to cover it, we can certainly afford X. ARRRRGH!

He freely admits he's bad with money and budgets & handed that over to me soon after we met (before we were even married). It's gotten to the point where I have to point out to him what we owe, what we pay out each month, and why it's important we save (since niether one of use has 401k). I dunno, I think he's starting to (maybe?) catch my drift.

The Budget Man · #**244** (**permalink**) 11-04-2006, 04:36 AM

Visited little sister the other day. Always a pleasant time. It's amazing how well she has done on a single income to modernize her home, update her auto and still she always seems to be on a trip somewhere.

Watching how budget minded she is is also great. For years she used to make a coin cry before she would spend it. Now she has a great attitude to money and has such a balanced outlook.

Now if only we were all like her.

Enjoy Your Money
The Budget Man
A balanced budget in half the time of traditional budgets

www.TheBudgetMan.com

LuxLiving · #**245** (**permalink**) 11-04-2006, 09:03 AM

Get her to write about it!! Tell us how she does it - all her hints and mindtricks, etc. What did she say to herself in 'her head' to get wheres she's at!??! Inquiring minds want to know!!

She sounds ripe for an interview from 'The Budget Man'!!

b4freedom · #**246** (**permalink**) 12-01-2006, 07:58 AM

I guess it’s that time of the year where my frugality (or “cheapness” as my family says) bumps up against my families need for more junk.

A few years ago, I purchased my brothers $50 gift cards and a $1 toy from the dollar store. I put the gift card in the toy. They were greatly disappointed. They seriously thought that I just being really cheap. It was funny to watch their expressions that obviously said, “Oh great you cheap a**.” After all the gifts were opened I told them to open the toy.

Anyhow, I hate the expectation that somehow I must get them generous gifts.

kunoichi · #**247** (**permalink**) 12-01-2006, 06:07 PM

This is a great thread. I agree with the poster above, any friend lost over financial things like this is no friend at all. I suppose it really just comes down to finding level headed friends.

I have several friends who spend money like it is going out of style and live paycheck to paycheck. I am working hard to budget my money. We pretty much have a live and let live policy. They can waste their money and I can save mine

. It is not that I don't care about them but we don't make it the focus of our friendship. That seems to be what works for me.

lynclarke · #**248** (**permalink**) 12-02-2006, 05:31 AM

You know- I was talking to the checker at my local grocery store the other day. December is the time to re-stock the wine rack due to all the rebates being offered. I bought a bottle of Argentina Riesling for $3.99 with a $3 rebate. I told her that I would rather have a guest like (or dislike) a 99¢ bottle of wine than a $8.99 bottle of wine. We have several friends who drink wine so I always have some on hand for drop-in visitors. But, we rarely drink wine and when we do, our wine of choice is a very unfashionable sweet wine. So someone drops in for one glass, then the bottle is useless...or gets used in cooking. I like the refunded bottles!! If I said that to any of my friends, they would be horrified.