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View Full Version : YOUR EXPENSE: APPROVED OR DENIED


heydude
10-31-12, 10:06pm
List an expense of yours.

Give all details.

We will then comment on ways you can trim that down -or- we will flat out approve it (if you are doing well or if it is part of your life purpose) OR Deny it!!!!!!!!!!
fidgiegirl
10-31-12, 10:49pm
I'm not sure I get it . . . will you do one first? As an example, I mean? (I know you just started the other thread with your amounts saved so maybe you don't have many left to analyze, but just to show us what you're thinking . . . )
heydude
10-31-12, 11:09pm
ok ok ok....

ummm ummmm

Aprove me or Deny me!

I want to buy a 32 inch tv next year. The one I have is only a couple years old but I think it is too small for when I watch redbox (which is saving money compared to the theatre). It is 19 inches. I realy like and value TV (even though many here do not approve of tv). I could wait another year of course.

I know I really do not "need" it. I could wait until 2014. Not sure really.

APPROVE ME OR DENY ME! Or, tell me how to save on buying a TV, or ask for more infos!
studentofecology
10-31-12, 11:46pm
ok ok ok....

ummm ummmm

Aprove me or Deny me!

I want to buy a 32 inch tv next year. The one I have is only a couple years old but I think it is too small for when I watch redbox (which is saving money compared to the theatre). It is 19 inches. I really like and value TV (even though many here do not approve of tv). I could wait another year of course.

I know I really do not "need" it. I could wait until 2014. Not sure really.

APPROVE ME OR DENY ME! Or, tell me how to save on buying a TV, or ask for more infos!

Have you checked craigslist? Or the equivalent in your area? Have you asked friends or family? (we got a computer monitor for free this way a year ago after ours stopped working) Should be able to find one for free or very cheap, and if you've only had your currant one for a few years it seems to be a bit soon to upgrade.
jp1
11-1-12, 12:27am
How many hours/week do you watch tv? What would you do with the old 19 inch tv? My gut instinct is to say approve, but with the subjectivity that you find a good home for the old tv, and that you watch enough tv to actually get a lot of use out of the new one. (personally a 32 inch tv would be wasted on me, but SO watches enough tv that I didn't balk when he wanted a 42 inch one. THe other question I'd ask, what size computer monitor do you have? If large enough can you watch redbox that way?

And upon further thought... I think a YMOYL approach is valid in most spending situations, including this one. How much money do you spend on tv every month, for redbox, for cable, etc. Is the amount of life energy spent on all that more, less, or just right, with where you'd like to be. Assuming that we're in the less then category, how much less then? If you would be willing to spend say, one more hour of life energy per month on tv, then it just becomes a matter of whether you think the new tv will last longer then the amount of months it would take to pay off with one hour of life energy each month. If you make $50/hour of life energy then it's a no brainer. Buy the tv! But if you make $7/hour for your life energy, this scenario becomes more questionable.
try2bfrugal
11-1-12, 12:46am
How many watts of energy would each TV use, what do you pay per kw hour for electricity and how many hours of TV do you watch in a day? Would you sell the old TV? If so for how much? How much would the new TV cost?

We just bought a new, larger TV but because it is is more energy efficient, we got a good deal on the new TV and we put the money from the sale of the old TV towards the cost the payback period is relatively short.
Selah
11-1-12, 1:17am
This reminds me of Suze Orman's bit on her show when people ask for approval or denial for a desired purchase. So in the spirit of Suze Orman, I would also ask you: do you have any credit card debt? Do you have a six month emergency fund? Do you have a car payment? How much of your income is devoted towards housing and the absolute necessities of life? Do you have any kind of health insurance?

The other posters' questions are also valid! Good luck on that purchase...with standards as high as all these, it would be surprising if anyone could meet the criteria for something new! :)
herbgeek
11-1-12, 7:23am
The costs of TVs have come way down. If you pass all of the other posters' tests ;), and you are going to buy new, I suggest waiting until Black Friday/Cyber Monday to get the best deal.
Float On
11-1-12, 7:41am
No credit card debt?
Save up cash and buy what you want.
I use to save all my coins from when I shopped cash only and saved up for things I wanted that weren't in the budget. My stove worked fine but I really wanted a new one. When I had enough coin saved up I had no guilt buying my new stove. Then I sold the old stove and that started the new savings for a laundry room addition.

Because I currently have a little debt (less than $1000 except mortgages) and am not sure what my medical expenses are yet on my broken ankle I have nothing on my 'wish list'. I've been trying to think of something I could ask about and everything is budgeted to the penny. Even a future anniversary trip we're thinking about (2 years away) has it's own little savings account and if we don't have enough when it comes time to make the deposit we'll decide on something we can afford.
SteveinMN
11-1-12, 9:08am
I know heydude likes watching TV, and a 32" TV these days can be had for less than $200 with some shopping. So I would say 'approve'.

heydude, I didn't know you were in the Twin Cities, too (boy, there are a lot of us TCians here!). Anyway, there are a couple of stores in town that sell scratch & dent TVs. There's one here in St. Paul and another in St. Louis Park (I think); maybe more. They sell discontinued models, display models, customer returns, etc., in all sizes and brands. The inventory varies, of course, but there's usually a good mix. My mom bought one of their TVs (old TV died after a couple of decades) and the price on it was comparable to cheap mail order for a name-brand (though not top-tier) TV -- and you get to see the exact TV you're buying and don't have shipping costs if the TV has to be returned for some reason. I'd go back there if I ever need to buy another TV.
razz
11-1-12, 9:11am
Love float On's approach.
Save up for it by collecting bottles and nickels and dimes elsewhere :D and then buy it on sale.

If you are not prepared to wait and work for it, you are denied! IMHO anyway.
dmc
11-1-12, 10:34am
Well at 55 I figure I'll buy what I want. I do look at the cost and if its worth it to me, but many times its just a want. I have no debt and Ive already saved up all my nickles, time to spend some. I just spent $3,000 for a new engine monitor for my plane, it makes me feel better. And I'm on a waiting list for a new Auto pilot, you don't want to know what that cost. But these are somewhat a safety or convenience items and I can well afford them.
ToomuchStuff
11-1-12, 12:22pm
Do you have any set aside for this purchase? I have an email that I used when I start watching for something (wanting a Nook simpletouch with glowlight, but don't want to pay the $119 as until I have one, I don't know how much I will really use it or if the glowlight aspect is good enough to justify it over the regular), and several deal of the day sites. One of them is Dealnews.com and they are showing Walmart, currently having a black friday special now, on a 32" tv 720p for $179. The BF prediction will be 1080p in that same size for $159. The longer you wait, the more you have saved (no guilt) and the more features you will get at a lower price. I would look at your location for the tv and the viewing distance charts, and just plan and budget accordingly.