cheap

The Difference Between Budget Living and Being Cheap

February 21, 2018 By Alexa Mason 8 Comments

When many people think about becoming budget-conscious, they cringe because they associate living on a budget with being cheap. They don’t want to be known as, “That cheap SOB.”What they don’t understand is that the two terms are very different. You be frugal and live on a budget without being cheap.

Frugal Living vs Being Cheap

Living on or within a budget means that you know how much money is coming in and how much you have available to spend on things like housing, food, utilities, and extras. A budget, or living frugally, keeps you from overspending because you know exactly what you have and where it’s going. You’re saving money, but you’re doing it by spending wisely (or not at all).

Being cheap, on the other hand, means being stingy or miserly. It means sometimes resorting to questionable or unethical means to save money, or doing things that hurt others in the process. Here are some examples of the differences between being frugal vs cheap.

Someone on a budget doesn’t go out to eat if it isn’t in the budget. People who live frugally also seek restaurants that offer coupons or special deals or have prices that fit into their budget. Someone who is cheap will go out to eat somewhere that they can’t really afford but cuts the bill down by skipping the gratuity, bringing in their own drinks, or lying about their kids’ ages so the “older” kids can qualify for the children’s menu.
The person on a budget does what they can to save on pet expenses by looking for low-cost veterinary clinics. The cheap person opts to forego routine vaccinations so he can dodge the pet ownership tax and then gets upset when the pet gets rabies.
The person on a budget returns things with a receipt or accepts store credit/less money back if they no longer have the receipt. The cheap person tries to “game the system” by returning things to the stores with being laxest return policies, even if the item wasn’t purchased there.
The person on a budget uses coupons in accordance with the rules of the retailer and the coupon. The cheap person exploits loopholes in the system and engages in coupon fraud, not caring that getting away with it doesn’t make it right.
The person on a budget has a budget for travel or other recreational activities and spends accordingly. If the activity can’t be paid for, it isn’t done. The cheap person, on the other hand, lies about the kids’ (or adults) ages to get discounted admissions to movies or theme parks.
Someone who is on a budget goes to a restaurant on their birthday to get the free dessert or appetizer. The cheap person lies and says that it’s their birthday several times per year to get the freebie.
The person on a budget knows how much they can spend on utilities and does their best to keep everyone comfortable within that range. The cheap person is willing to freeze or roast everyone else in the house just to save a few pennies.
The person on a budget will research the best deal on an item and get it without hurting anyone else. If the item cannot be had without a Black Friday beat down, the person on a budget will often find another way to get the item knowing that good deals come around all the time. The cheap person will trample others or push them out of the way to get a deal. The deal is more important than safety or sense to a cheap person.
The person on a budget goes out to dinner with friends and orders only what they can pay for. The cheap person goes out to dinner with friends and orders appetizers, alcoholic drinks and an entree and then demands that the bill is split equally with everyone else at the table.
A person on a budget rents DVD’s buys them used, or borrows them from the library to save money. They do much the same with other forms of media such as music or books. The cheap person pirates illegal copies of music, books, and movies.
The person on a budget will ask a neighbor if they can borrow a tool or barter for some labor on a project. They are always careful to repay the favor or to offer some other compensation. The cheap person will ask for things over and over again and never make a move to return the favor or compensate the other person in any way.
The person on a budget finds a way to be charitable that is in line with their finances. Maybe they give a little less, reduce the number of organizations to which they contribute, or they give their time instead of money. The cheap person either doesn’t give at all or gives things like used clothing or furniture so full of stains and holes that it is of no use to anyone. Yet they virtuously claim, “I gave to charity.”
The budget-conscious person reports all taxes that they owe, including ones they might be able to dodge (such as online sales/use taxes that are now supposed to be reported in many states or hobby income that should be reported). The person on a budget knows that reporting now will save them many headaches down the road. The cheap person either lies and pays too little or simply pays nothing, hoping never to be caught.

See the difference? The frugal, or budget-conscious, person spends in harmony with their means. The cheap person either tries to save money at the expense of others or cheats the system in some way. Think of it this way: Living on a budget is a way of being financially smart and responsible with your money management. Being cheap is a personality defect.

If you decide to live on a budget, don’t get confused and think that you’re being cheap and that you’re now a horrible person. (Of course, it’s possible to take budgeting too far and slide into becoming cheap, but it takes some effort to sink that low.) In our culture spending less than you can is often called being “cheap” and it’s meant in a derogatory way. We’re taught to spend all we have and then some and to live on a budget makes you stand out from the herd. It’s easy for people to label those that are different as “cheap,” but unless you’re putting money above common sense, the law, and the well-being of others, chances are you’re not being cheap but budget smart.

Photo: ecastro

How to Save on Art Supplies

June 14, 2017 By Mary Newton Leave a Comment

As fun as art is, it really breaks the bank. Whether you deal in watercolors or oil pastels, the supplies you need – and especially the high-quality ones you want – are expensive enough to put a significant dent in your bank account. If you are looking to increase your art supply collection or you’re just getting started, here are a few ways you can save money on art supplies.

1. Know your priorities.

Focus on spending the big bucks on art supplies that are the most important to you. Maybe you prefer high-quality paper over expensive paints, or vice versa. Regardless, focusing on one or two things that are the most important to you, and that you will use all the time, like paper cutters – rather than just buying into the next trend or extra items you can technically survive without – will keep both you and your bank account happy.

2. Buy singles instead of packs.

Paints, markers, pens, brushes, pencils, and much more will always be less expensive when you buy them individually. As an added bonus, buying individual art supplies gives you the ability to select only the colors you want, meaning you can prioritize which colors are most important and avoid repeating colors you already have.

3. Try out sample packs.

If you are new to your art hobby, trying sample packs is a great way to test out a variety of art supplies without dedicating money to whole sets. This rule applies to not just paints – like this set of 24 Watercolor Sample Dots from DaVinci – but also papers, fountain pen and calligraphy inks, and many other kinds of art supplies. Some are based around a single brand, while others will choose a color scheme or supply type. This is also a good option for artists who want to try a new brand but do not want to invest significant amounts of money in new art supplies.

4. Go for the art supply warehouses.

Skip shopping at Amazon or proprietary stores as much as possible. Your best bet for inexpensive supplies will always be supply warehouses that carry a variety of art supplies from a variety of brands. This is similar to shopping at Costco rather than Wal-Mart. For example, the table below compares the price of an 8mL tube of Winsor & Newton’s Cotman Watercolor in Black (Lamp Black or Ivory Black) across eight different online stores, including both standard shops and art supply shops.

Store	Price
Jerry’s Artarama	$2.77
Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff	$2.89
Utrecht	$2.77
Michael’s	$4.69
Amazon	$5.44
Blick	$2.77
Winsor & Newton	$4.62
Art Supply Warehouse	$2.69

5. Shop sales and clearance.

Sales will always save you money – especially if they are sales at art supply warehouses like the ones shown above – and clearance guarantees products for less. While it is always exciting to get that new product as soon as it comes out, it is often worth it to wait for that item to go to clearance. As an added bonus, shopping clearance puts lesser known brands in front of you that may be just as quality as the ones you know and use.

6. Rock those DIYs.

You would be surprised at the sheer amount of art supplies you can create yourself to avoid spending money. Some examples include making your own palette, – putting plastic wrap on a dinner plate, using a sandwich bag, or even following this DIY – learning to mix your own colors, or even using Crayola markers for watercolor. Making art supplies yourself from items you already have will cut down spending on frivolous items, ultimately saving you more money.

7. Review, review, review.

Never be afraid to spend time on the internet. Whether that means comparing prices across multiple sites or digging through products reviews, you will be better off knowing what you’re getting into before you actually buy it. This also helps you know you are getting the best bang for your buck, giving you a feel of the product quality and its correlation with the price.

Art supplies are expensive, but that does not mean you have to break the bank to buy them. With a little digging and a little time, your collection will grow without having to sacrifice quality or price.

Photo: Puzzle Warehouse

Inexpensive Dates For Valentine’s Day

February 10, 2016 By Alexa Mason 3 Comments

Planning a wonderful, romantic date can be stressful, especially if you don’t have much money to spend. A ton of people seem to think that a good date is an expensive date, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes the best dates cost next to nothing.

Stargazing

For instance, why not go on a stargazing date? The season doesn’t matter as long as you have a clear night and (hopefully) some knowledge about the constellations. What’s better that spending a romantic date underneath the night sky?

Watch the Sunset or Sunrise

If stargazing isn’t your thing, why not spend the evening watching the sunset or spend an early morning watch the sunrise? Some people might think of these date ideas as overly trite, but they’re considered romantic for a reason. That reason? People have watched sunsets and sunrises together for years and are still considering those events to be romantic. So, why not give it a try? You can even make an event of it by bringing along a picnic breakfast or dinner.

Picnics

A picnic is another inexpensive, yet romantic date option. All you have to do is get together some easily transportable food and find a location for your picnic. The best part about having a picnic is that it can happen anywhere. You can have one in the middle of a city park, on a rooftop deck, a local state forest, or near a public river, ocean, or pond. Your location options are endless.

Movies Under the Stars

A lot of cities and towns have free “under the stars” movie events each month or week. Obviously, you won’t have much say in what movie is playing since they’re usually scheduled months ahead of time. However, you should peruse the list of movies and see if there’s one you both want enjoy. If you find one, whether it’s a romance, a classic, a comedy, or an action movie, pull a blanket out of your closet, pack some dinner or snacks, and head off to watch that movie.

Road Trip

If you’re looking for a more adventurous date idea, why not go on an impromptu road trip? A lot of people tend to think of a road trip as a multiday trip, but road trips don’t have to be a long event. You can pick a destination within a day’s driving distance or you can just drive for awhile and stop at any exciting places you encounter along the way. Not only can road trips be a great way to spend the day, but they’re spontaneous and a little spontaneity never hurt anyone.

Bicycling

If you and your date or significant other are active people, spend a date taking a leisurely bike ride around your town, city, or a nearby scenic location? If you don’t own a bike, many cities now allow you to rent them by the hour for a fairly inexpensive price. Hubway, for example, offers a $5 rental pass that good for 24 hours. This could be a great way to spend a date exploring the sites around you.

Concerts

We all know how expensive concert tickets can be, but these are usually tickets for big name artists. Most towns and cities have free or cheap choir, a capella, or orchestra concerts that you can attend. If those genres aren’t to your liking, how about attending a show by a local band? Tickets for local shows are usually under $10 and you can always find a range of music options. Hopefully you and your date will find something to your liking.

Wine or Beer Tastings

Many liquor stores in cities offer free wine or beer tastings and if you and your significant other are wine or beer enthusiasts, this might be a great date idea. However, if you plan to consume a lot of wine or beer, make sure that no one is driving after the event! If you’re not near a location that offers wine or beer tastings, some organizations offer guided bus or walking wine or beer tours. You’ll have to find a way to get to the starting location, but this might be something to look into.

Festivals or Carnivals

Sometimes it seems like there’s a local festival every month. And what about those seasonal carnivals that seem to pop up one or twice a year? While these might not seem like the most traditionally romantic settings for a date, they’re something unique and more memorable than a traditional dinner and movie date.

Visit an Orchard and Pick Some Fruit

If you’re lucky enough to live near an orchard or farm that allows you to pick fresh fruit, this could be another great date idea. Go pick some apples in the fall or strawberries in the summer. It’s a nice way for you and your date to spend time together enjoying nature while also obtaining some nice, delicious fresh fruit. If you’re trying to save money, choose an orchard that only charges your for the fruit, not one that charges admission fees as well.

Photo: Flickr: nattu

Examples of Extreme Frugality

January 22, 2016 By Alexa Mason 3 Comments

Have you ever asked yourself if you are a little “too cheap?” There are people who are frugal, and there are people who go way beyond frugal. There are people who go as far as dumpster diving for food or even share a toothbrush (gross). When have you gone too far?

Cloth Rags as Toilet Paper

Some peoples consider themselves cheap and will so anything they can to save a few cents. Some people, on the other hand, go way beyond being cheap. Frugality is a great thing if you’re trying to save money, but extreme frugality can sometimes lead to strange, seemingly abnormal habits.

For instance, some people willfully choose to use washable cloth rags or wipes instead of toilet paper. Why? Because cloth rags can be used multiple times whereas toilet paper needs to be disposed of as soon as it’s used.

Cloth Diapers

In addition to cloth rags instead of toilet paper, some people choose to use cloth diapers instead of disposable ones, claiming that it’s cheaper to wash a cloth diaper. While this was obviously a method used in previous generations, modernity has allowed for disposable diapers to make things easier. Of course, they might be more expensive, so it’s a personal decision to go with disposable or the more frugal option of cloth diapers.

Dumpster Diving for Food

Another example of extreme frugality is picking through the trash or a dumpster for food. Now, hopefully people who choose this option are only going after boxes or cans that are unopened. Though, it wouldn’t be surprising for someone to go dumpster diving for unused or uneaten fruits and vegetables that have been thrown out.

Sharing a Toothbrush

On one online forum, someone suggests sharing a toothbrush between everyone in a household. This is definitely an extreme case of frugality. If you have five people in your household and they each brush their teeth twice a day, that’s one toothbrush getting used ten times a day. That’s a lot of germs to be traveling around. Considering toothbrushes can be as cheap as $1, someone practicing this must be extremely frugal.

Alternate Ways of Brushing Your Teeth

The same forum linked above has another extreme frugality example: not brushing your teeth. Instead, one user suggests cutting up plastic bags and putting them over your teeth before you eat. Now, this is incredibly extreme – and not only that, it’s poor dental health. You might not be getting plaque buildup or food caught between your teeth, and you might not be harming your teeth with too much sugar or bad foods, but you’re also harming your teeth by not brushing them. You might be saving money on a toothbrush or toothpaste, but you’ll probably end up spending a lot of money at the dentist sometime down the road.

Shower Less

Once again, the forum above suggests that showering less is a great way to save money. And the suggestions aren’t just to not shower every day, but to hold off on showering for half a week. Some people have even been known to take one shower a week in order to save money on electricity and water. Unless you live somewhere with an extreme water deficiency, this might not be a great idea. You can get away with not showering every day, but going too long without washing will lead to poor hygiene.

Use a Porter Potty

While some extremely frugal people might suggest forgoing buying or using a toilet in their house to go to the bathroom outside, some take one less extreme step and opt for using a porter potty instead. A porter potty means less money spent on electricity and water, but it also means you’re left with the problem of getting rid of the refuse. It might save some money, but is it really worth it?

Getting Free Samples Instead of Buying

Many supermarkets, wholesale stores, or department stores often offer free samples. This can range from free food samples at a place like Costco or BJ’s to free makeup samples at a place like Macy’s or Sephora. Some people choose to go back day after day for the free food or free makeup application instead of buying the product. If you want to make this part of your daily routine, that’s fine, but that’s a lot of time and energy for something that might not be too expensive. After all, is spending $10 on lotion or $20 on a weekly trip to the grocery store really more inexpensive than stopping every day to pick up free (and small) food samples or to reapply some makeup?

Reusing Water

Some people choose to save the water after their shower to do their laundry or to take another bath. While this might conserve water and save you some money on your monthly water bill, someone doing this has to make sure that the water is actually clean before reusing. Saving water to reuse it later is great, but not if the water is still going to be dirty.

Not Washing Clothes

Many of us have worn a specific piece of clothing a couple of times before washing it, but some extremely frugal people choose to go weeks (or months) without rewashing clothes, sheets, or towels. It’s one thing to wear a pair of jeans two or three times, but another to wear them constantly for a month before washing.

Photo: Flickr: Tax Credits

Target Teams up With SoulCycle to Offer Cheap Apparel and Free Classes

January 8, 2016 By Amanda Stewart 1 Comment

Target announced an apparel collaboration on Thursday between the Minneapolis-based company and SoulCycle. The announcement is one of likely many Target will be making with trendy designers, and it suggests that Target executives are not resting after a successful holiday season.

SoulCycle is an exercise studio known for its cycling workouts and apparel. Those who take the class can’t seem to resist buying this cycling gear. Each year, SoulCycle releases 14 to 15 apparel collections, and they provide a significant source of revenue for the company. They will start 2016 with offering their collection in Target.

The partnership with SoulCycle was announced Thursday. SoulCycle will release a small collection in Target stores of mostly unisex apparel. They will be selling a sweatshirt ($49), sweatpants ($49), tank top ($29) and a men’s t-shirt ($29). Prices for the items are less than half of the price of the items offered on the SoulCycle website. Target is presenting the collection as a limited-time offer. However, if the deal goes well for both companies, it is possible that the collection will see a long-term place on Target’s shelves.

SoulCycle and Target have also partnered up to offer people another service. They are going to join together to offer free pop-up fitness cycling classes in ten cities in the United States. These classes, which are normally $34, will be held in Houston, Seattle, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Denver, Nashville, Miami, Chicago, Minneapolis and Los Angeles. The classes will be held between Jan. 22 and Feb. 14.

Collaborating with Target, SoulCycle is showing investors that they have the potential to expand past the gym and into stores. Hopefully, the partnership will also show that SoulCycle can reap sizable sales benefits through this type of deal as well.

Through collaboration efforts with SoulCycle, Target also has a lot to prove. This partnership will speak to Target’s core, which has always aimed to offer designer brands at low prices. This business approach got ignored when Target was focusing on expanding its grocery business. However, the current CEO Brian Cornell has put focus back on the high-margin apparel business, and it has seemingly paid off for the company.

While companies like Macy’s, Nordstrom and Dick’s Sporting Goods have all blamed the warmer weather for slow apparel sales during the fourth quarter, Target has actually seen a rise in apparel sales. Since the CEO change in 2014, Cornell has been focusing on apparel sales heavily. It has definitely paid off. The company has seen a steady rise in its apparel sales quarter-to-quarter.

“We are working hard to differentiate ourselves,” Target CFO Cathy Smith said, and they are doing just that in this latest partnership.

Affordable Gifts for the Gadget-Lover in Your Life

November 30, 2015 By Amanda Stewart 1 Comment

Thousands upon thousands of people ventured out last week for Black Friday sales, Shop Small Saturday and some are even waiting for some of the deals to hit the online market today. However, there are a few people waiting on a cheap, affordable gift – especially if they have a gadget-lover in their lives.

Everyone has someone they are buying for this year (and every year) that likes the latest gadgets. However, these gifts can get kind of pricey and you often end up spending way too much money on one person if you stick to their hobbies. Usually, people go the easy route and get these people gift cards, but there are a few cheaper gadget gifts out there that may make buying for the gadget-lover in your life easier.

LED Clock Fan

If you have someone that uses a fan in their office on their desk or beside their bed, an LED Clock Fan may be the perfect gift. The fan spins through projected LED lights and projects the time through the fan. It not only keeps the person cool, but also keeps them timely. This gift will be perfect for any gadget-lover and will only cost you $10.

Power Pen

Pens have been given as gifts for decades, and they often make good presents if you know someone who writes a lot. A pen that is also a gadget is just…amazing! The Power Pen is a pen and has the look of a pen, but it can also provide some backup power to your smartphone. It won’t charge your phone, per se. However, it will provide you will enough juice to make it through a business dinner or a few drinks. The pen also acts as a stylus and works on just about any smartphone. You can give this awesome gift for $26.

Visor VR Glasses

Virtual reality is a thing now, which is great for you and the gadget-lover in your life. The visor will allow anyone who uses it to immerse themselves in a three-dimensional movie or video game. You can connect the visor with your smartphone and play/watch all sorts of material through the glasses. This may sound like a pricey gift. However, the Visor VR Glasses are only $26.

Water Dancing Droplet Speakers

Speakers have always been a popular gift. People who enjoy music need to have a decent set of speakers to listen to music on, right? Water Dancing Droplet Speakers can add a decent amount of color into any music and gadget-lover’s life. With every beat of music, water droplets shoot up through LED lights and create a fun, colorful (and musical) environment. You can find different speakers models for as little as $20.

Spy Drone Quadcopter

Drones are a trendy gift this holiday season. You often see them at sports events and now you can get your own recreational drone for fun. A lot of the men in your life probably secretly want one, so if your dad, cousin, brother, uncle or anyone else seems to be into drones, the Spy Drone Quadcopter is an affordable model. You pay just over $50 and they will have hours upon hours of fun.

These gifts are just of the few affordable presents available for gadget-lovers this holiday season, be sure to research all the best deals for the techie in your family. You don’t have to just give them a gift card this year!