Loaded-Gun.Com - Anti-Social.Com's Rejects!

General Category => Discontempt => Topic started by: underclass on September 02, 2009, 09:40:15 AM

Title: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 02, 2009, 09:40:15 AM
This is something I've been thinking seriously about for over a year now, ever since a multi-millionaire orchardist friend of mine mentioned they pay about $20 US per week to eat really well because they're self-sufficient. My parents are nearly 60, still work in public schooling and pay spend maybe $100-$120 US on groceries. Both couples had similar beginnings but that is another life story. We talked about it for a while, and they felt one of the reasons they did so well was that spending less on living costs allowed them to retire debt on whatever orchard or farm they were buying that much faster.

Then I was reminded of a science teach I had who rigged up his own central heating system out of old pipes, and coupled with some self-installed solar panels proper insulation was able to cut electricity bills to a few dollars per month. It's probably even lower now that energy efficient lighting is out in force. He got his water from on his property too as I recall.

I'm not talking about cutting yourself off from society entirely or being a monk. I'm interested in working out how many weekly cash expenses I could drasticly lower or eliminate entirely and still have a fun life, and how much it would cost to set it up.

A decent vegetable garden, some chickens, a couple of cows (not for milk but for beef), an energy efficient house... I reckon you could the regular expenses from "town living" by half.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: ttfg on September 02, 2009, 09:48:47 AM
You have to weigh that against the lifestyle you wish to have.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Doormouse on September 02, 2009, 09:53:41 AM
I live on about $5 US a week not counting rent or tuition. I don't have the healthiest diet, but I have multivitamins.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Emperor Reagan on September 02, 2009, 10:09:28 AM
I spend ~$30/week for food.  I could get by for much less if I didn't buy expensive meat substitutes, pre-made hummus, and other prepared foods. 
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: mosh on September 02, 2009, 10:12:54 AM
Nick, youre gonna have problems getting 2 bovines on your balcony...

I'm not saying it cant be done, but it wont be easy.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: tricky on September 02, 2009, 10:29:57 AM
I spend massive amounts of money on food.

How do you people get by on $5 or $30/ week? Please tell me your shopping lists.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Doormouse on September 02, 2009, 10:33:46 AM
Food: Spaghetti. When that runs out, rice.
Garnish: tomato sauce, hot paprika, cayenne
Drink: Water
Dessert: multivitamin

Things are different when females are mixed up in my life of course. Girls cost money.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 02, 2009, 10:44:02 AM
For me it's either when I move an hour the other side of Tokyo, or back to NZ.

When I was at school my food bill was $15 per week, and we ate 3 regular meals per day. These days it's pretty rediculous
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Emperor Reagan on September 02, 2009, 11:01:55 AM
Typically in a month I'll buy:

Dried Beans
Rice
Pasta
Canned Sauce
Yogurt
Assorted fruits & vegetables
Hummus
Bagels
Tofu
Bocca burgers/veggie dogs/some other meat substitute
Bread appropriate to the fake meat I buy
Triscuits


There are some things I buy less frequently, like olive oil, almonds, mustard, pickles, etc.


Last night, for example, I bought fake meat crumbles, and a jar of marinara sauce.  6 servings per package for each.  I cooked the meat crumbles, mixed them with the sauce, and added 1 serving of pasta.  The meat crumbles + sauce cost $7 combined.  Spaghetti cost $2.50 for 8 servings.  So I have 6 frozen lunches for <$1.50 a pop.  I also do stirfry w/ tofu and vegetables and freeze that for a similar price per lunch.

I spend more if I eat a lot of Bocca burgers or the like for dinner, but a lot less when I'm cooking with dried beans or lentils.  I also grow herbs in the kitchen and get free vegetables from my roommate's plot at the community garden.  I'll probably get my own plot next year.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Lucky on September 02, 2009, 11:09:33 AM
I eat http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/beans/lentil-eggplant-rice (http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/beans/lentil-eggplant-rice) pretty much every day for lunch at work. It's really nutritious, easy to make, and keeps well. It's also less than a dollar per serving of ingredients.

If you join a co-op or a CSA it will control your food budget, i.e. set a cost over time, but it won't be cheap.

The more you make your own food (hummus, bread, tend a garden, etc) the more time you will spend in your own home. Effectivly "talking about cutting yourself off from society entirely or being a monk". Same with owning land or a really efficient home. Shit takes time to maintain, the more time you spend doing that - and the less time/money you spend out in public for reasons of schedule or frugality, the more isolated and monk-like you become.

Strive for efficiency with the lifestyle you enjoy now. Get rid of your tv/cable. Unsubscribe from every service and magazine that you pay for. If you have the option: try to eliminate one utility service (switch to all electric appliances).

Most importantly (and you already know this, Nick) don't use credit cards.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: (_)_)===D on September 02, 2009, 11:21:57 AM
Fuck you for being able to do this.

I have a 400 dollar electric bill because my girlfriend has to leave every giant CRT TV in the house on all day and all night and we have to use the air conditioner all the time because her irrational fear of bugs doesn't allow us to open screened windows. Also, during the winter the level of anger she displays if I try to cover our giant bay window with insulating film is on par with if I just tolder I fucked her sister, and she doesn't believe me that dehumidifiers can lower cooling costs so she just turns them off.

Also, washing dishes by hand isn't acceptable to her so the dishwasher gets run every day. It's constantly full of dishes, they never get taken out and put away, the dirty ones just get put back in with the clean ones and the dishwasher gets re-run.

AND we have to use paper plates and cups. If I get caught using a real plate or cup she goes into near hysterics and a giant fight ensues.

Living with irrational people is very stressful.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 02, 2009, 11:30:36 AM
that's screwed up
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: tricky on September 02, 2009, 11:53:27 AM
Lucky that recipe sounds really good. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: hip on September 02, 2009, 11:57:17 AM
putting insulating film over my windows is one of my favorite late-fall activities. the hairdryer part is the most!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Lucky on September 02, 2009, 12:10:57 PM
When my co-workers ask about it, I just call it "protein mush". You can spice it in the pot, or sauce it when you serve it with whatever you want it to taste like that day. I like it with sriracha.

Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: ttfg on September 02, 2009, 12:22:16 PM
You can put bubble wrap on your windows. Just wet the window and place it on, peal off when needed.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Emperor Reagan on September 02, 2009, 12:29:53 PM
That website has a lot of recipes that sound pretty good.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Doormouse on September 02, 2009, 12:42:50 PM
yeah beans (and especially lentils) are good when I get sick of pasta. There are a number of Indian dal recipes that are to die for. With proper spices anything is possible.
Also, I always have a good stock of extra hearty emergency food for when hangovers are crushing my spirits.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 02, 2009, 03:42:59 PM
This is something I've been thinking seriously about for over a year now, ever since a multi-millionaire orchardist friend of mine mentioned they pay about $20 US per week to eat really well because they're self-sufficient. My parents are nearly 60, still work in public schooling and pay spend maybe $100-$120 US on groceries. Both couples had similar beginnings but that is another life story. We talked about it for a while, and they felt one of the reasons they did so well was that spending less on living costs allowed them to retire debt on whatever orchard or farm they were buying that much faster.

Then I was reminded of a science teach I had who rigged up his own central heating system out of old pipes, and coupled with some self-installed solar panels proper insulation was able to cut electricity bills to a few dollars per month. It's probably even lower now that energy efficient lighting is out in force. He got his water from on his property too as I recall.

I'm not talking about cutting yourself off from society entirely or being a monk. I'm interested in working out how many weekly cash expenses I could drasticly lower or eliminate entirely and still have a fun life, and how much it would cost to set it up.

A decent vegetable garden, some chickens, a couple of cows (not for milk but for beef), an energy efficient house... I reckon you could the regular expenses from "town living" by half.

You could do all that you mentioned on approximately 20 ~ 30 acres, so it would depend on where you wanted to live as to how much that expense would be.

It's pretty easy to build your own Hot Water / Heating system with black hoses and a cistern (water holding tank), since we have sun about 325+ days of the year.

Electricity is a major expense in the country, and you will probably have to join a "Co-Op," where you're actually a part-owner of the company.  Don't let that fool you, however; you're still a customer, and the rates are rather high.  Example:  To run 2 wells, one for the house and one for the pond/trough/orchard/gardens, heat or cool approximately 2,600 sq. ft., run 3 refrigerators, 2 freezers, a 4 bedroom/3 bath home, and a 1,000 sq. ft. shop, during the heat of summer (the most usage/mo times) costs approximately $450.00/mo.

There is no water bill; there is no natural gas bill; heating is supplemented with a wood-burning fireplace, those 5 - 10 days / year that it might be necessary.

TV and Internet are ONLY available via satellite.

Growing veggies outdoors, in a natural setting, is great, until the bugs and the rabbits find 'em.  Cattle need to be fed, watered, given shots, branded/ear-tagged, given special supplements, and protected from fleas/ticks/biting flies/etc.  Also, they'll need a couple of pastures to graze.

Those are some of the considerations, and other members will help ~
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Lothar on September 02, 2009, 03:59:55 PM
Beans and rice is nice
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 02, 2009, 05:52:39 PM
Beans, Beans,
The "musical" fruit
The more you eat
The more you TOOT!

Beans, Beans,
They're good for your heart,
The more you eat
The more you FART!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 02, 2009, 08:04:32 PM
Well, someone who was on this board until recently has been living that life for a few years. But he left.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Doormouse on September 02, 2009, 08:45:02 PM
you mean hippiehillbilly?
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: tricky on September 02, 2009, 08:48:08 PM
And it's all our fault because we were so mean...  :'(
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: ttfg on September 02, 2009, 08:51:46 PM
Speak for yourself.

or some other redundant piece of shit i would post in reply.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: The Geek on September 02, 2009, 10:14:11 PM
Nick, I imagine having those things means having the time to tend to them - so I suppose it's really a matter of time.

Lucky - thanks for the recipe. I really want to try that one out

Insulating windows - I used to use weather stripping tape. There's insulating film? Im all over it. Do you get that at home depot/lowes/ames whatever? Detroit and I also want to wrap the water heater ect.

Dick poster - Make her become efficient by making her pay for her usage.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Wozzeck on September 02, 2009, 10:20:06 PM
Stray cats are an excellent source of lean protein.


krsna - Maybe point out to your woman that every penny she stupidly wastes with her antics is one less that can be put toward your children's future.

 That ,or shoot the bitch and write book about it.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Lothar on September 02, 2009, 10:22:39 PM
God damnit, I was quoting Schoolhouse Rock. Stop low-browing my humor.

Beans N Rice (Schoolhouse Rock PSA) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heKYNWFBkW8&feature=player_embedded#normal)

P.S. Oops, no white kids!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 02, 2009, 10:25:10 PM
Having talked with Krsna on the phone about this while we were both drunk, I'm confident in saying she has no fucking clue how to budget for anything.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: The Geek on September 02, 2009, 10:27:36 PM
why were no drunken calls placed my way?!?!?!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: 13chemicals on September 03, 2009, 02:36:31 AM
I prepare all of my meals myself and freeze portions that I cannot consume.  My roommate makes fun of me because I freeze everything, but who's the one eating delicious hailbut mango fillets and who is eating top ramen.  Dig?!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Wozzeck on September 03, 2009, 02:46:22 AM
Much of the time I lived in Ohio I had to walk ~2 miles up hill to get groceries, and then carry them back. This will do wonders for your shopping habits, even though mine were pretty good to start with.

 Even eating meat nearly every day, I usually only spent $20-$30 a week.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: bagman on September 03, 2009, 03:57:29 AM
I spend massive amounts of money on food.

How do you people get by on $5 or $30/ week? Please tell me your shopping lists.

I believe I discussed this some with Nick. I do pretty well with my finances, but there are many areas I could cut back on and one of these is food. I eat out nearly 100% of the time. Average daily amount is $15-20 which includes lunch and dinner (I rarely eat breakfast). That's about $400 - $500 a month on food! It's probably my biggest expense after my mortgage payment. So wasteful, but I can't get myself to shop. I did try it a couple of months ago and was able to get two weeks of food for about $60. UGH. I hate cooking.
 
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: ttfg on September 03, 2009, 04:02:27 AM
You like stir fry ? Buy a rice cooker.

In fact I shall say it now, I havent moved into a house untill my rice cooker is there.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 03, 2009, 04:05:00 AM
Maybe this will sink in more... that's $4,000 per year you could be paying off your mortgage.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: mosh on September 03, 2009, 04:44:50 AM
Even eating meat nearly every day, I usually only spent $20-$30 a week.

Does roadkill count as meat?
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Lucky on September 03, 2009, 08:50:09 AM
You like stir fry ? Buy a rice cooker.

In fact I shall say it now, I havent moved into a house untill my rice cooker is there.

The recipe I listed above is a rice cooker meal. Chop your veggies, measure your other ingredients, dump it in and walk away. When it "clicks" an hour later, eat some, freeze some, put some in the fridge. It makes about 4-6 meals for me. Less than a dollar a meal for some pretty complete nutrition.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: FAH-Q on September 03, 2009, 01:21:16 PM
Much of the time I lived in Ohio I had to walk ~2 miles up hill to get groceries, and then carry them back.

Uphill both ways?
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: 13chemicals on September 03, 2009, 05:31:54 PM
He's Sisyphus.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Tru on September 03, 2009, 05:45:18 PM
I posted about this a long time ago, using the hot water facet for spurious rinsing needs.

I caught myself doing it absentmindedly all the fucking time.
So I cut the top off a pill bottle and slipped it over the hot water facet knob.
It acts as a reminder and I've almost trained myself to use only the cold water for quick rinsing needs or filling the cats water bowl.
Sometimes I still reach for the hot water knob but the bottle stops me short. LOL

The water heater seems to be on far less now that I'm not running unneeded cold water into it.

It's a pretty long strech from the water heater to the kitchen so it takes a couple minutes for the water to actually get hot at the facet.
Any hot water leaving the tank on these short rinse episodes was only being wasted heating the pipes.

I think this simple change will save at least some on the gas bill. 
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Wozzeck on September 03, 2009, 05:46:44 PM
I do not recall any rusted-out 1988 Cutlass Cieras racing within inches past Sisyphus while blasting Coldplay as such, but I will not deny a certain mythological metaphoricalness to the situation.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: tricky on September 03, 2009, 06:09:48 PM
I hardly ever go grocery shopping. There aren't any good grocery stores nearby to where I live and I don't have a car. I had a cart to lug groceries home but the wheel broke off and I since haven't gotten another one. Therefore grocery shopping doesn't happen often. But, Carolyn is taking me in her car to Trader Joe's next week. Wooo! I love TJ's.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Wozzeck on September 03, 2009, 07:14:03 PM
You're in NJ, there are Wegmans' everywhere!

PS- Tell her the wedding is on Oct. 17, if she's still interested.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Doormouse on September 03, 2009, 07:22:43 PM
There are Wegmans' nowhere in NJ if you have no car... I'm in the same boat as Tricky.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Wozzeck on September 03, 2009, 07:40:40 PM
Don't tell me! I know NJ! I remember when it was all Pathmark and Shop-Rite only.

All open at two AM. Black people in the frozen food aisle, shouting words at themselves.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: (_)_)===D on September 03, 2009, 07:56:17 PM
You're in NJ, there are Wegmans' everywhere!

PS- Tell her the wedding is on Oct. 17, if she's still interested.

I'm assuming that's a message meant for your bride.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Wozzeck on September 03, 2009, 07:57:59 PM
Carolyn can't marry a man like me! She comes from Society!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 03, 2009, 08:34:52 PM
Ok so let an expert help you out here.

Putting clear plastic over your windows doesn't do much but empty your wallet. If your windows are that bad, replace them. If the windows are good but you still get drafts, caulk them from the outside. Stop wasting money on a petroleum product that has a 50 year half life, and that you use for 4 months and then stuff in a landfill, asswipes.

Insulating your water heater is a waste f time and money. Modern water heaters are extremely well and efficiently insulated, about 4 times what they were just 20 years ago. And if you have a gas fired water heater you just wrapped an appliance filled with flame with a flammable material. And probably voided your fire insurance.

Want better efficiency for your buck? Insulate the pipes in your basement and get a tankless water heater. It only heats what you use, doesn't store anything, shuts off when you shut off the faucet. Costs a little more than a regular water heater but could save you $250 a year. Ask nick, I bet that's all they have in Japan.

Get a new furnace is you haven't in the last 5 years.And get one that is power vented out through the wall of the house instead of one that connects to a chimney. Try opening a window and turning off the AC. It was a wonderful summer, I only ran mine one night so far and it looks like summer is over. Get ceiling fans in every room and learn how to use them.

Insulate your attic and put on a new roof. Have all penetrations (plumbing vents, chimneys, skylights through the roof removed or re-routed so there is no heat loss overhead.

Get a point of use alternative energy system. It uses a combination of two small solar panels, a small wind turbine generator, a bank of storage batteries and a power inverter to power things in your house that run all the time. Like the refrigerator, your modem and your wifi router. Then you have complete control over how much energy you have to buy. Steeleye and I will have a prototype tested and available for install in the Spring.

Join a co-op with your friends or shop at the bulk stores. Or go to the local farmer's market every week. Two heads of lettuce at Costco cost less that one at Giant or Safeway.

If you do eat meat, Go hunting this fall. Jesus please us, several of you live in the northeast corridor. The deer are so plentiful they are like rats. Or talk to your local Amish farmer. You can get a whole chicken grown organically for $5 there. Try to get a nice one at the supermarket for less than $8.

Brown bag your lunch to work everyday. I can eat lunch, and eat WELL for a week on what one lunch in a restaurant will cost.

If you really want to eat well and inexpensively, stop cooking "American" foods and learn to cook Asian, Indian and Mexican food. Most of them are so poor but their food is good. Must be cheap, right? Look at what we had to eat at the river last month. Ten bucks a head for three meals and all that food? I didn't make any money on it, and I didn't lose any either.

Remember I was a single dad for 15+ years. We know how to pinch a penny.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: The Geek on September 03, 2009, 09:08:46 PM
I love going to the pathmark at odd hours and thats EXACTLY how it is
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Emperor Reagan on September 03, 2009, 09:17:48 PM
Zoomie is a genius!

You can also do solar water heating w/ tankless backup/booster.

Doing point of use tankless water heaters instead of doing a whole house or building can get you even more energy savings.  
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 03, 2009, 09:28:03 PM
The ratings on point of use water heaters are underestimated. I just put one in Steeleye's place and it's hooked to the kitchen and a three piece bathroom. So long as you're not running more than one fixture at a time it works great, the water is nearly hot enough to scald, and it works off a 20 pound propane tank like on a BBQ grill.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: tricky on September 03, 2009, 10:09:05 PM
I made a ton of pasta tonight & froze the leftovers. I was thinking of Emp & Sasha when doing it. haha
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: (_)_)===D on September 03, 2009, 10:58:58 PM
I filled a five gallon bucket full of hot water and put it in the freezer. Then, when it reached a nice lukewarm temperature I used it to flush my toilet.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: tricky on September 03, 2009, 11:03:33 PM
That's pretty economical.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 03, 2009, 11:04:20 PM
My wife made my lunch and breakfast before waking me up this morning. It's far cheaper than just buying lunch
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: tricky on September 03, 2009, 11:05:43 PM
So you're saying that the real answer to saving money is to get a small Japanese lady to marry you?
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: (_)_)===D on September 03, 2009, 11:06:16 PM
Is there a Japanese equivalent of engrish?
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 03, 2009, 11:06:48 PM
Emphasis on Japanese. Stay away from the Koreans.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 03, 2009, 11:13:24 PM
So you're saying that the real answer to saving money is to get a small Japanese lady to marry you?

Could work. On the flip-side, most of them take it for granted that you'll work 12 hour days for 45 years so they can stay home and buy things from TV shopping. Lord knows how that culture came up with the woman I ended up marrying.

Sandwich check: ginger-fried pork and mushrooms (http://www.tokyocube.com/lifestyle.php?subnav=food&feature=recipes&article=Shougayaki,%20Ginger%20Pork), lettuce, avocado & mustard on rye-bread we made overnight.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 04, 2009, 12:08:59 AM
I do not recall any rusted-out 1988 Cutlass Cieras racing within inches past Sisyphus while blasting Coldplay as such, but I will not deny a certain mythological metaphoricalness to the situation.

You fuckin' RULE, dude!

i give your posts HB points, at every opportunity ~

your humour is FAB,

your intelligence UN-fucking-REAL,

AND you deign to post here, for our enjoyment!

BITCHIN!!!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: taiko on September 04, 2009, 12:25:19 AM
Get a point of use alternative energy system. ... to power things in your house that run all the time. Like the refrigerator, your modem and your wifi router.

this is an especially good idea, as most internet setups don't pull more than 10W; generally, they'll keep working in a power outage too, if they're battery-fed.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 04, 2009, 12:29:00 AM
Yeah, but YOU have to "fill" the batteries, somehow,

and THAT's going to draw at least 110

Even if they charge themselves while you're using whatever,

it's going to draw more than 10w
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: taiko on September 04, 2009, 12:31:29 AM
for fuck's sake, a contraption that charges deep-cycle batteries is what zoomie was talking about.  i was agreeing with what i thought was a good idea.

ps - don't confuse volts and watts.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 04, 2009, 12:34:21 AM
Yeah, i sorta need to read up on electricity, don't i?

Sorry, about the interruption

<~ STFU'ing

i seem to have missed a whole page of posts...  <sigh>
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: taiko on September 04, 2009, 12:34:53 AM
it's going to draw more than 10w

go buy yourself one of these (http://www.p3international.com/products/special/P4400/P4400-CE.html), and then come back to this conversation when you're more informed.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 04, 2009, 12:43:08 AM
WOW!

But, if i find myself overflowing in money?

i'd probably buy THESE:

http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780877657903?id=4520390094314 (http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780877657903?id=4520390094314)

http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780878914203?id=4520390094314 (http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780878914203?id=4520390094314)

http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780071439251?id=4520390094314 (http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780071439251?id=4520390094314)

as well as looking, online, at the free college courses in this field.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: ttfg on September 04, 2009, 12:44:07 AM
photonic routers will be avalible in a few years.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 04, 2009, 01:04:20 AM
photonic routers will be avalible in a few years.

Is it just that i'm drunk and stoned, or



WTF does THAT mean?!?
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: ttfg on September 04, 2009, 01:40:51 AM
Zoomie mentioned routers as a constant power source.

Routers are slow and power hungry: they convert the optic signal to elec.

The next gen of routers will be photonic. Using optics only to route traffic. The tech is proven. They will be rolled out in the high end within a few years.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 04, 2009, 01:44:20 AM
Zoomie mentioned routers as a constant power source.

Routers are slow and power hungry: they convert the optic signal to elec.

The next gen of routers will be photonic. Using optics only to route traffic. The tech is proven. They will be rolled out in the high end within a few years.

You know what, though?

Fiber Optics have been tested and proven in MANY different fields ~

and yet,



WE STILL DON'T HAVE ANYTHING Photo Optic to "show for it" ...

Well, unless you count pre-lit Christmas Trees
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: ttfg on September 04, 2009, 01:57:17 AM
You suck the motivation to post from my brain.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: 13chemicals on September 04, 2009, 02:26:48 AM
So you're saying that the real answer to saving money is to get a small Japanese lady to marry you?

I think "marry" is a cover up for him having "bought" a japanese lady to cook/clean/sex him.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: ttfg on September 04, 2009, 02:33:12 AM
Jap girls are expensive. You get more bang for your buck when you go west or south.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: mosh on September 04, 2009, 02:34:16 AM
Is Fyrenza the new HJ?
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 04, 2009, 03:46:10 AM
Nope.

Just a cheap imitation,

if i can even come CLOSE...
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 04, 2009, 07:07:57 AM
Zoomie mentioned routers as a constant power source.

Zoomie mentioned WIFI routers and cable modems, which consume about 2 watts. You could almost run it from a torch (flashlight) battery.

The manufacture of these small, POU systems is only about $1000.00 and will easily pay for themselves in 12-18 months. I don't know what we're going to retail them with installation. Yet.

Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: tricky on September 04, 2009, 07:36:09 AM
Is Fyrenza the new HJ?

bahahaha
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: ttfg on September 04, 2009, 08:08:49 AM
Zoomie mentioned routers as a constant power source.

Zoomie mentioned WIFI routers and cable modems, which consume about 2 watts. You could almost run it from a torch (flashlight) battery.

The manufacture of these small, POU systems is only about $1000.00 and will easily pay for themselves in 12-18 months. I don't know what we're going to retail them with installation. Yet.



Actually you didn't use the word cable.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: (_)_)===D on September 04, 2009, 08:48:44 AM
Yeah, so stick that in your pipe and smoke it you dirty McHeeb!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: daisymae on September 04, 2009, 09:38:24 AM
We're hoping to spend loads less in heating this winter by replacing the last few windows that need replacing, and insulating the exterior walls with blown-in cellulose, which is a lot of work.
By the end of yesterday I was exhausted and covered with caulk, which phonetically sounds like more fun than it was.

We're about 2/3 done.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: mosh on September 04, 2009, 10:09:13 AM
I dont believe in electricity.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: mosh on September 04, 2009, 10:10:02 AM
By the end of yesterday I was exhausted and covered with caulk, which phonetically sounds like more fun than it was.

Sounds dirty too.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: tricky on September 04, 2009, 10:10:54 AM
I dont believe in electricity.

But we do believe in tinfoil hats and their effectiveness!

unrelated.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Nitya on September 04, 2009, 11:08:03 AM
WOW!

But, if i find myself overflowing in money?

i'd probably buy THESE:

http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780877657903?id=4520390094314 (http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780877657903?id=4520390094314)

http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780878914203?id=4520390094314 (http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780878914203?id=4520390094314)

http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780071439251?id=4520390094314 (http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9780071439251?id=4520390094314)

as well as looking, online, at the free college courses in this field.

If I found myself overflowing in money I would buy a koenigsegg ccx and wish I were old enough to drive.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 04, 2009, 02:32:26 PM
Zoomie meant WIFI routers and cable modems, which consume about 2 watts.

Ass.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: hip on September 04, 2009, 02:47:18 PM
zoomie NEVER gets cranky like this at home...
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: (_)_)===D on September 04, 2009, 03:00:22 PM
zoomie NEVER gets cranky like this at the home...

fixed
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 04, 2009, 03:34:57 PM
Fix you...
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: (_)_)===D on September 04, 2009, 03:49:13 PM
I don't think that's going to happen.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: FAH-Q on September 05, 2009, 03:21:47 PM
zoomie NEVER gets cranky like this at home...

Not even after two cups of coffee!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 05, 2009, 04:11:05 PM
Two? I have that before the sun comes up. You know what they say about us old folks, we don't need as much sleep...
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: FAH-Q on September 05, 2009, 04:53:21 PM
I think you may've missed the reference...
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 05, 2009, 04:55:37 PM
Didn't I?

(http://www.impawards.com/1980/posters/airplane.jpg)
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 06, 2009, 12:42:07 AM
Wooden i?  (old, old joke ref)
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: 13chemicals on September 06, 2009, 05:16:33 AM
I have a new plan on how to live cheaply.  Get a rich boyfriend.  My plan cannot fail!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: daisymae on September 06, 2009, 10:31:02 AM
I think you may've missed the reference...

Airplane?
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 06, 2009, 10:34:19 AM
"Don NEVER has a second cup of coffee at home..."
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 08, 2009, 10:44:46 PM
Thanks for the replies, this is something I've really interested in. My wife and I are trying to plan our lifestyle for the next 5 years and I want to plan this as effectively as possible, especially since there's a chance I'll be spending part of each week as a stay-at-home dad
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: ttfg on September 08, 2009, 10:49:32 PM
You're going to raise the child as your own ?!! That's really cool. +1 headbangin'
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 08, 2009, 10:52:17 PM
I wish I had read this 25 years ago, but then it wasn't written then.

Into The Light: A Family's Epic Journey

A remarkable story of a conventional family of five living a very unconventional life afloat.
Into the Light chronicles the inspiring adventures of Dave and Jaja Martin and their crew of three young children as they refit a 33-foot sailboat on a shoestring budget, then test their limits sailing to the pack ice above the Arctic Circle.

With their rugged self-sufficiency, commitment to family, and warm sense of humor, the unique approach to life chronicled in Dave and Jaja's book will resonate for sailors and shore-based families alike.

Whether you're looking for an outdoor/adventure page-turner, or for the inspiration to choose an unconventional path of your own, you'll find in Into the Light one of those rare books that has the power to touch your heart and soul - while keeping you on the edge of your seat.

"Welcome to a radical world of adventure. We realized our dreams by maintaining a spontaneous lifestyle while raising our family. We hope our stories will inspire you to take a chance and live for today." - authors Dave & Jaja Martin

(This is the book that inspired the PBS documentary Ice Blink.)



About the Author
Dave and Jaja spent seven years sailing around the world (1988-1995) aboard their 25-foot Cal 25 DIRECTION.

Dave purchased the boat in 1985, gutted her to a bare hull, and then went to work beefing up the structure. He glassed in stringers, added keel floors and extra bulkheads, and then re-designed and re-built the interior. "I built a new rudder, re-stayed the mast, built a smaller cockpit, and then christened her with a bottle of warm Bud in an effort to get the mood right for the intended circumnavigation" is the way Dave puts it.

Dave was 22 when he started this project, and 24 when he finished. He met Jaja shortly after starting his cruise in St. John, USVI, and they finally got together in the UK (after a solo Transatlantic) in the fall of 1988. They were both 25 when they left England on their circumnavigation.

From England they headed West to the Caribbean, via the Cape Verde Islands. They were married in Barbados, then transited the Panama Canal, visited the Galapagos; and did the usual trip through the South Pacific, spending several seasons in Australia, New Zealand, and the nearby cruising paradise to the north. A trip through the Torres Straits, Indonesia, and then across the Indian Ocean had them rounding South Africa before arriving back in the Caribbean and then the States in 1995.

Along the way they had two children (Chris and Holly). A third (Teiga) was born aboard DIRECTION at the end of the voyage.

The Martin family set sail again in 1997 on their 33-footer DRIVER in the journey that became the inspiration for Into the Light. Their three-year, 11,000-mile voyage took them north to the pack ice above the Arctic Circle, visiting the Bahamas, Bermuda, Iceland, the Faroes, Northern Scotland, Norway (including Spitsbergen), Greenland, and Newfoundland along the way.

The Martins are currently settled down (for the time being) in Maine.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 08, 2009, 11:14:37 PM
wicked
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: tricky on September 08, 2009, 11:39:32 PM
Thanks for the replies, this is something I've really interested in. My wife and I are trying to plan our lifestyle for the next 5 years and I want to plan this as effectively as possible, especially since there's a chance I'll be spending part of each week as a stay-at-home dad

Just look at it as a a long term investment. In about 8 years (if you train it well) you'll have two Japanese people to cook and clean for you!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 10, 2009, 12:44:56 AM
"It?"

Are y'all having an hermaphrodite?
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 10, 2009, 12:45:29 AM
tricky thinks of people as objects
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: 13chemicals on September 10, 2009, 01:29:38 AM
I think tricky is just trying to help you define your future "investments".
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: bagman on September 10, 2009, 02:24:28 AM
Kids are its. Fuckin' aliens.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Wozzeck on September 10, 2009, 03:07:14 AM
Now, now. Just because when you were a lad...

(http://jenniferwadsworth.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/a_child_called_it.jpg)
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: FAH-Q on September 10, 2009, 03:18:35 AM
Anyone ever read Chocky?
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 10, 2009, 06:47:17 AM
I don't believe in sacred cows,but please don't fuck on Dave Pelzer. That book made me cry even though I don't like children.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: tricky on September 10, 2009, 10:28:25 AM
"It?"

Are y'all having an hermaphrodite?

I can't exactly call the baby a he or a she if it hasn't even been conceived yet. Or if I'm somehow wrong here, please feel free to correct me.

And I read that book A Child Called It. I'm so emo.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Nitya on September 10, 2009, 12:48:12 PM
Too many people in my year 9 class read that book.

I don't believe in sacred cows,

They don't believe in you either!
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 10, 2009, 01:11:44 PM
I just looked that kid up on google. Child abuse is past whatever limits I have for online banter
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Tru on September 10, 2009, 01:47:21 PM
Quote from: Zoomie
Try to get a nice one at the supermarket for less than $8.

I have a great resource here. There is a supper market nearby that sells cooked chicken from one of those commercial rotisserie things. The normal prices is good, $1.25 for three thighs or $2.50 for a half chicken depending on what they made that day. It's nicely seasoned and the best part is that after 4:00 it's half price. So day before yesterday (at around 4:20) I picked up a dozen precooked thighs for $3.00! You can't fucking beat that deal. I fed the cats some, gave 4 to my son for lunch yesterday, ate a bunch and still have some left in the fridge. 
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Doormouse on September 10, 2009, 06:14:47 PM
I wish I had read this 25 years ago, but then it wasn't written then.

Into The Light: A Family's Epic Journey
Sounds like a slight variation from what my aunt and uncle did. They finally settled down on land about 3 years ago after living on the sea for about 30 years. My cousin is a feral 16-year-old, and the three of them live in farm country in the center of the US now.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 10, 2009, 09:34:23 PM
Quote from: Zoomie
Try to get a nice one at the supermarket for less than $8.

I have a great resource here. There is a supper market nearby that sells cooked chicken from one of those commercial rotisserie things. The normal prices is good, $1.25 for three thighs or $2.50 for a half chicken depending on what they made that day. It's nicely seasoned and the best part is that after 4:00 it's half price. So day before yesterday (at around 4:20) I picked up a dozen precooked thighs for $3.00! You can't fucking beat that deal. I fed the cats some, gave 4 to my son for lunch yesterday, ate a bunch and still have some left in the fridge.  

If you tear the meat off the bones, you can use it in Chicken & Dumplings, Chicken a la King, or just Chicken mixed with Lipton Noodle Flavor of your Choice.  Add veggies for a casserole meal.

Fast.  Easy.  Delicious.  CHEAP.


Oh, wow.  And, No.

Couldn't read a book about child abuse.  THAT would kill ...
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Emperor Reagan on September 10, 2009, 09:37:00 PM
I got some eggplants at the farmer's market last Saturday and made lucky's dish.  It is really very good.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 10, 2009, 09:37:53 PM
It's quite possibly the most horrible first person account of an abused child ever written.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 10, 2009, 11:26:31 PM
I got some eggplants at the farmer's market last Saturday and made lucky's dish.  It is really very good.

Eggplant Parmesan?  i lived with a Jewish family as a nanny while attending the computer programming vocational course way back when, and the lady made the Most Fabulous Eggplant Parmesan i've ever eaten, and it was EASY!!!  They did Chicken Parmesan, also ~ easy, and delicious, also!

That's one of the beauties of living, as family member, in families, right here in the U.S.  It's like being a something-or-other student, trade? no Or wait, IS it?  EXCHANGE.  An Exchange Student, getting to see how other folks live, on a day-to-day basis, as a family unit.

Did the same job for some WASP's (White Anglo Saxon Protestant), also.  They were fuktards.  Their kids, two of which were adopted before she Conceived the Little Prince, were sort of cool, but the LP?  (ReadThat: Little PRICK)  Was a spoiled rotten brat of the worst sort.  'Nuf said.

<~ STFU'ing
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: 13chemicals on September 11, 2009, 01:35:45 AM
I think waste when I read, "computer programming vocational course."
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 12, 2009, 01:49:42 AM
Well, i was second in the class, and we're talking. like, '75, before the world even THOUGHT about computers, because the only one's that actually worked were considered Super-Computers.

i learned Cobol when it was the hottest prog language out there, using PUNCH CARDS, on a Uni-Vac 3000?  Well, some thousand ~ it's been a while

That's why i did Cobol in college ~ i already knew it, and it is a language i find easy to understand.  Also, USAA started trying to recruit me in my second semester, after the GPA's and Honors and Scholarships were given.  i was already Majoring in MIS, and doing great; Biz Admin i hadn't really gotten into, other than Accounting, but when i was really good at THAT, the prof got me a summer job that was killer, and paid well, working for a graphics company.  She also talked me into adding another Major or minor, i don't remember which right now, in Accounting.

i know one of my Majors didn't pan out because of lack of preparation, on both of our parts:  i HAD to take a course that was already full for the beginning semester, and not being able to get in would have set me Back a year, on the 4 year prog, 2 YEARS, because i'd missed this required course.  i wasn't going to do that.  i had a full boat (18 hours) my first semester, in three of the levels to keep me from becoming bored ~ Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior.

So, no, it wouldn't have been a waste, and ended up NOT being a waste ~ too bad i got married to someone who was subsequently thrown into the brig for being a deserter...  <sigh>  That sort of ended CompProgTraining.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: mosh on September 12, 2009, 02:13:18 AM
I work on mainframes, I can tell you there's still lots of work to be found for COBOL and FORTRAN programmers.

You know why mainfrmanes are still used? Because nothing, and I mean nothing can process as much as quickly as those beasts can. Bells and whistles are nice, but to get it done, use something z/OS based.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Emperor Reagan on September 12, 2009, 02:37:09 AM
I can program both.

They are also both incredibly frustrating after growing accustomed to subsequent programming languages.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Zoomie on September 12, 2009, 08:59:44 AM
Yeah me too. I had tutorials for my old TRS-80 model III in like 1979, and nothing much to do with myself so I learned Basic, FORTRAN and COBOL one summer. Have used none of them since...
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: underclass on September 12, 2009, 09:43:16 AM
Emp, you should never hurt for work. Add in the ability to either a) convert legacy software to use a grid or b) write high-performance code in machine code and you're looking at $250K per year for as long as you can be bothered showing up
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Doormouse on September 12, 2009, 11:51:43 AM
I've programmed in Basic, Pascal, and C++. I used to really love programming. Now it's been so long I'd have to re-learn most of it. I keep thinking of it as a good project for when I'm not so busy.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Emperor Reagan on September 12, 2009, 04:09:09 PM
I actually really like programming and sometimes think that I should write some software on the side & sell it myself.

Engineering software is generally pretty terrible.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 14, 2009, 01:27:07 PM
There's that online school, a REAL school, that you can take the courses for no grade (free!), or for credit and a grade.

i had some links to it on my other computer, so i'll have to wait until Dear gets home and boots it up.

Oh, and it's NOT Phoenix or one of those

Try:  MIT :  http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm)

Also, the one at HF, but i won't go back to try to get it
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Emperor Reagan on September 14, 2009, 02:14:08 PM
This website: http://selfmadescholar.com/b/ (http://selfmadescholar.com/b/) has some good resources noted throughout it.

There's also this: http://personaluniversity.org/doku.php (http://personaluniversity.org/doku.php)
It amounts to more of a list of books and/or websites, though.  I expected a more detailed curriculum when I read about what they're trying to do.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Doormouse on September 14, 2009, 10:22:10 PM
So what are people programming in nowadays, Java? Python? Something yet newer?
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: fyrenza on September 14, 2009, 11:01:29 PM
The one that was a HF was a truly free college level course University.

i was doing some refreshers in Logic and it was good.

http://lifehacker.com/201979/technophilia-get-a-free-college-education-online (http://lifehacker.com/201979/technophilia-get-a-free-college-education-online)

That article lists other free courses, and where to go for them.


OH!  And Ditto on the above question ~ with the addition of home-based work.
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: Wozzeck on September 14, 2009, 11:18:54 PM
DNA:

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kYEtzd2ogGs/SmOPixllBTI/AAAAAAAABGU/2sWMprYfA74/s400/Glowing+monkeys.jpg)
Title: Re: Cheap Living
Post by: mosh on September 14, 2009, 11:51:35 PM
I was gonna go with feces, but DNA is good too.