September frugals

[early morning]

So for the last 4 - 5 years, our old dryer has been squeaking, shrieking, wheezing, and making all sorts of infernal racket. It's been on death's door for ages, and I've been putting off getting a new one, because 1- they are expensive; 2-they all seem to have bells and whistles I don't want, 3- many seem to not have flat tops (where all my washing crap lives). Plus I find making large purchases very intimidating. So in this case waiting paid off - my DB was moving stuff around in his hanger and decided they were ready to jettison the dryer they had out there. (They have a new one in the house.) So we picked it up, DH switched the cord/plug so it would work with our setup, and we have a free, new (to us) quiet dryer with more useful settings than our old one had. YAY! And yes, I have a clothesline, but I'm too old to use it in the winter! And we've had a LOT of rain this year, so a dryer is a really useful appliance. So here's a shout-out to my DB for a useful family cast-off.

[iris lilies]

i’m glad you didn’t have to sink money into a very new washer and dryer. The bells and whistles suck. I still haven’t figured out how to soak anything in my washer and it’s been here seven years.

[Tradd]

I needed a new washer in my rental condo. It was about 15 years old. Landlord asked me to let him know what I wanted. I had a Whirlpool top loader with just knobs and dials. No touch screen. That's what I wanted. My washer and dryer are side by side in a closet in my kitchen. He got a Hotpoint at Home Depot. Actually has a bit more capacity than the old one. New one is MUCH quieter, too. Was just replaced late last week. Dryer still works fine.

No spend day for me today. Just stayed home. Brought some work home and did it this afternoon. Will make tomorrow easier.

My rent went up $100 today (rent paid on Friday) to $1100, but I'm still $400-$500 below market. I've been here since 2008 and rent started out at $800. Having only gone up $300 total over $17 years?It's still a huge bargain. Rent went up because condo association monthly dues went up, plus because the dryer had to be replaced. I'm fine with that. I can well afford it.

[KayLR]

I ALWAYS say procrastination is way underrated. Good for you!!

[rosarugosa]

Nice score, Early!
Tradd, That certainly sounds like reasonable rent, even with the increase. In my area, it's becoming impossible to find anything under $2000/month.

[SiouzQ.]

After eight or so weeks of being laid off and getting unemployment payments that are far less than what K. was used to making per week, he finally realized we cannot live high on the hog like we were doing. I had done some gentle prodding early on about the need to pay attention to our spending but I think it is finally starting to sink in with him. On his own yesterday he went through his bank statements to look for monthly subscriptions of things he had signed up for and then started the process of discontinuing them - gone is the Dollar Shave Club, The New Yorker, and some newsletters he was paying for. He reduced the monthly amount he was giving to our local radion station, and then because he threatened to end his Sirius Radio subscription, they drastically lowered the rate he had been paying (if it was up to me I wouldn't have Sirius at all as I find all of the stations he has set up on the truck radio somewhat boring and preditcable).

Baby steps, but I am proud of him for getting it done!

[pinkytoe]

Apparently, September will not be a frugal month due to dental costs and we don't have dental insurance to lessen the cost. I am told I need a scale and plane procedure and DH will need some investigative dental work with the possibility of a root canal. Several thousand likely for both.

[Tradd]

After eight or so weeks of being laid off and getting unemployment payments that are far less than what K. was used to making per week, he finally realized we cannot live high on the hog like we were doing. I had done some gentle prodding early on about the need to pay attention to our spending but I think it is finally starting to sink in with him. On his own yesterday he went through his bank statements to look for monthly subscriptions of things he had signed up for and then started the process of discontinuing them - gone is the Dollar Shave Club, The New Yorker, and some newsletters he was paying for. He reduced the monthly amount he was giving to our local radion station, and then because he threatened to end his Sirius Radio subscription, they drastically lowered the rate he had been paying (if it was up to me I wouldn't have Sirius at all as I find all of the stations he has set up on the truck radio somewhat boring and preditcable).

Baby steps, but I am proud of him for getting it done!

I can get the digital edition of the New Yorker free through Libby app from library. Works better if you have a tablet to read it on.

[rosarugosa]

SiouzQ: We've had Sirius radio since we bought our Bronco in 2021. DH loves it, and he has the app installed on his phone and listens to it all the time. Every year when it cones up for renewal, I log into the website and "chat" with a customer service robot, and get the low rate extended for another year with virtually no pushback at all. I believe we are paying $7.99/month.

[happystuff]

Congrats to all the frugals being posted! Can't say I have anything to add at the moment.