Bargains, Budgets, Discounts & Deals - Eking Out in Brutal Times: A Saver's Almanac

By Brian M Mich

The author has been writing for years, mostly as an amateur poet, but this is his first book.

He has two poetry blogs:

http://www.monkeyswithtypewritersproductions.blogspot.com,

http://www.monkeyswthtypewritersproductions.wordpress.com

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stratton Press
• Release date: Mar 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9781648953675

Book preview

Part 1: A Saver’s Glossary

An A to Z Guide to Getting by in Tough Times

Be abstemious. In other words, eat, drink, and live in moderation.

Abundance can be a good thing, but its downsides include clutter, obesity, environmental devastation, or pollution of various kinds.

It is always better to accrue interest than to owe interest.

There are many addictions today. In regards to spending, there is ATM abuse, compulsive use of credit and debit cards, reckless overspending, and thoughtless amassing of unneeded luxuries and other non-necessities. Other costly addictions are tobacco, gambling, junk food, video games, and illicit drugs. Many of these addictions are not only costly in a monetary sense, but can affect the physical or mental health over time and may even result in an early death.

Advertising: Advertising is just about everywhere these days. It is very tempting to get lulled by sales pitches, whether false, deceptive, or legitimate. Research in a library, in consumer publications, or on the internet (which itself is not always legitimate) to determine whether an ad’s claims are true or truly in your own best interest to patronize.

It is important to purchase only what is affordable for you for your present budget. What is affordable may vary from person to person. For instance, if you smoke or have other expensive vices, you probably cannot afford to buy as much as someone who abstains. Also, everyone’s basic needs are food, clothing, and shelter and arguably health care as well. These days, with newer technologies, there are more options to buy things than there were in the past. However, most of these products you don’t truly need. Instead, if you truly desire to purchase or own the latest in product(s) save for it.

Agriculture has been important to civilization since time immemorial. These days, fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) can be quite expensive. Organic fruits and vegetables can be even more expensive, but have less pesticides and other chemicals. Pesticides and similar chemicals are a non-financial cost (to the consumer) of agriculture and most food, which can have a negative effect on one’s health.

As for fresh produce, gardening (if you have the space) is a way to potentially save money by growing your own food. All you have to do is have a little money, water, seeds and plants, and some effort and patience.

Ideally, fresh produce is the best option, depending on when it is picked or harvested. If fresh produce is too costly for those eking out a meager existence, there are other options. Frozen produce is the next best choice. All you have to do is thaw them out, boil or steam them, or microwave them. Another possibility is marked-down produce, but if you purchase marked-down fruits or veggies, use them right away or they’ll go bad. Canned produce are a cheaper option, but they may have undesirable preservatives.

Alms: If you have money and you opt to tithe and/or give it away to the needy and hopefully to a legitimate charity, you can become overwhelmed with requests for more money for numerous causes or needs. Many charities are legit, but unfortunately, others are total scams. For instance, never trust any charitable request via unsolicited e-mail or spam. It is always a good idea to research charities before you donate money, regardless of the amount you intend to part with. For instance, find out how much of your money actually goes to the intended recipients and how much for other purposes. If you are poor or deeply in debt, you should never feel an obligation to donate money or anything else of value to non-debtors no matter how much they hound you.

Buy American:

If you are on a low-budget, it is tempting and sometimes necessary to buy cheap imports instead of costlier American- made products. Of course, you do what you have to do to survive;-, but be aware that the popularity of cheap imports impacts American jobs, American wages, American prosperity, and the closure of many formerly lucrative American businesses. Also, when the market becomes flooded with cheap imports unions and collective bargaining agreements could become irrelevant and meaningless (if it has not already). The job you lose could be your own, your family member(s), or your neighbor(s).

It never hurts to ask:

If something is or seems to be too expensive for your taste or budget, it is never against the law to try to negotiate for a lower price. In other countries, haggling for a lower price is not only welcome but expected. Keep in mind that if a price is outrageous, you might still get ripped off even with a much lower price, especially when it comes to automobiles.

Affordability:

There are very few genuine basic needs, but there all kinds of wants, potential addictions, or costly obsessions and other temptations like gambling, tobacco, illicit drugs, etc.

The three basic needs (food, clothing, and shelter) can vary greatly in price, as can just about anything these days. The trick is to balance what you want, what you need, and what your dependents may want or need.

Aid (Financial)

It is always a good idea to do research at a library or the internet (but always beware of scams) about government and other sources of aid or support for education, small business, and other areas. Again, watch out for scam artists, especially those who ask for personal information like bank account or other financial info, Social Security numbers (often used for identity theft), etc. In my opinion, take out a loan only as a last resort and if you can reasonably expect to pay it off quickly.

Air Travel:

In the wake of 9/11 and with the nightmare of TSA restrictions and delays, who really wants to fly these days if they don’t have to? If you can vacation locally or take a bunch of day trips instead, you can save money, time, trouble, and perhaps fuel as well (plus have less impact on the environment).

A La Carte:

It is usually cheaper to order off a menu with several courses for one price than a la carte, where each item has a separate price.

Alcoholic Beverages:

If you want or need to save money avoid buying or imbibing beer, wine, or liquor at all costs. Drinking alcohol can cost not only a lot of money, but can take a toll on your health, your good judgment, or your ability to drive or perform in other areas. If you drive drunk, you can lose money, forfeit the privilege to drive, and perhaps wind up behind bars or dead. Imbibing is a vice, not at all a necessity. If you can’t do without, buy inexpensive drinks and imbibe in moderation.

Algae:

In Japan and other parts of the world, algae, seaweed, and kelp is an inexpensive and versatile food with many uses.

Amateurs:

You can save money by having amateurs do certain work for you, like raking leaves or mowing the lawn, as long as they know what they are doing. For instance, you could hire a vocational student(s) or college student(s) to work in the area they specialize or major in. However, some jobs, like electrical work, are best left up to professionals, even if it ends up costing more than you would like it to. Also, from personal experience, do not hire a family member unless they have a valid professional license.

Amateur Sports or Entertainment:

Can have as much quality or entertainment value as the professional variety, only it tends to cost much less. For instance, I sometimes go to minor league baseball games about once a year and I save on tickets and concessions. As for entertainment, I like to go to the Walpole Footlighters in Walpole, Massachusetts, when they offer regional live theater events for a relatively low cost. Live theater costs a little more than the price of a movie ticket, but since it is off Broadway or way off Broadway, regional theater costs a lot less than a professional performance. Subscribing to a theater’s season of performances can save one a good deal of money as well.

Amusement Parks:

You can save money at amusement parks in several ways:

You can go to local parks, saving both time and fuel.

You can use discount coupons from newspapers, restaurants, travel clubs like AAA, from hotels, parks, entertainment discount books, etc.

Radio stations or other media occasionally have contests with free trips and such during the spring and summer months (or ski trips during the winter). It is often difficult to get through to the station’s number, but not impossible. Some stations have e-mail or internet contests.

Early or late in the season, the park(s) may have lower prices than normal.

There may be a group discount if you come by busload or by large group(s).

Check the park(s) website for possible web-only deals or discounts. It never hurts to ask, call, or e-mail.

Animals:

You can see a lot of animals right near you if you look closely enough. Some creatures might be interesting to look at and others you might want to get rid of. Keep in mind: if you use chemical poisons or other toxic substances to get rid of undesirable animals, you may also unintentionally harm or kill beneficial ones as well (such as pets, pollinators, or ourselves). Pesticides and herbicides are poisons and are detrimental to all life forms, including pets and ourselves. If you have pets, please be aware that many household products are toxic