I was just thinking-wondering?

[g1g]

Is there anything that we can buy that would actually save us money?


example replace a real dirty air filter will give us better MPG, but how long far do we have to drive so the better MPG out weigh the cost of a new filter. LED lighting uses less juice but with the high cost I calculated it would take me 22 years to save over a CFL in my brick & stick house

So in short what are the best saving purchases that we can realisticly see a savings in the shortest payback time?

[Carb_Cleaner]

Buying a pair of walking shoes and/or a bicycle (and using them) will save you a bundle.
One of these will, too:

[FunnyCamper]

It is sometimes about instant gratification and that can cost one bucks.

dewey you are right about 'that model that saves money' can cost big time in other areas.

if it ain't broke, don't buy new. Replacing perfectly good working appliances without them being totally beyond repair is a money waster.

Of course there is always that tipping point. when the repair isn't worth the cost and buying new is smarter. We all know this. You just have to apply the reasoning behind your stuff and buy new when required or hold onto it and squeeze every dime out of that purchase.

and the other example of the suspension/shock absorbers is good also. Some things when failing a bit should be replaced obviously. You don't wait for total failure. Things like this should be obvious to most. Brakes wonky, eh, should I wait til they fail? UH NO!

[Water-Bug]

But the new washer will wash a king sized comforter, without making a trip to the laundromat and spending $4.00 for a jumbo washer.

PS. Spending money stimulates the economy. Saving money may or may not lead to financial independance. It all depends on what others do to a fragile economy.

[dewey02]

FunnyCamper wrote:
best way to save on future purchases is to NOT buy until you need it then get the energy efficient, the best for your dollar, find it on sale and then replace whatever it is.

like lightbulbs. replace only with LED as the others fail. don't throw out a paid, good bulb, for a replacement.

I just was figuring this out on our heat pump. Dad's died after 16 years. got a new one and their electric bill went down like $35 a month. new energy efficient pump is saving him money vs. the 16 year old dying one but at the tune of $4500. So to save $35 a month to replace if it was still going strong would not be smart. It would take a little over 10 years of savings per month to cover that $4500. Why do that when the old one is paid for, working and ok?

My pump is 20 years old and going strong. when Dad mentioned his savings I thought, hmm...replace mine. then thought, heck no, not til it dies 🙂

So best way to save on purchases you think will help is wait til the old stuff dies, then replace as needed with good equipment/best money savers on the market.

Don't spend til needed. And while you are waiting to change things up when needed, BANK money to do that 🙂

So true. Many people are throwing away perfectly good washers and dryers to get new "efficient" front loaders that use less water. This ONLY makes sense if your current washer or dryer fails beyond repair. Then spending to get an efficient model makes sense. But when you consider the high price of getting an efficient washer just to get one, consider the initial cost, the disposal cost of the old one, the fact that new machines will not last 20+ years like your old one. Add to that the fact that new ore must be mined to make the washer, oil must be used to transport it to the store and to your home, and to deliver your old one to the dump or recycling center. And energy must be used to melt it down into a new product.

That "green" washer you bought and spent so dearly to get probably isn't good for your pocket book and almost certainly isn't good for the environment when considering everything in context.

[Supreme_Oppress]

Vehicle service manual. I do all my own out of warranty work - saves a bundle. Even learning to do your own routine maintenance can save a bundle. If you have no mechanical experience at all, some schools offer beginners courses - well worth the money in the long run.

I never understood the mentality of buying a new vehicle because an old one is "going to start to cost money to repair" Properly maintained, and unless you have a complete lemon, even the higher mileage maintenance items won't cost as much as a car payment. The clutch, timing belt and blower motor I replaced last year on my 160,000km car (100,000 miles) might have been 3 months payments on a new car but that means the other 9 months payments are mine.

[wa8yxm]

In my case.. I bought a towed, 2,000 for car, 2,000 to make it a towed, that's 4,000 dollars, 26MPG v/s 8 for the motor home if I'm lucky means every time I drive to chruch (34 miles round trip or about 2 gallons in the car (with side trips) v/s at least 5 in the motor home) I save nearly 10 bucks.. that is about 1000 a year in savings in gasoline alone assuming I make choir practice and the special services or more. not bad.

Plus it saves me packing up 2x a week to go to church.. Easier to park, and so on and so forth.

WAX is good, Wax gets me about a MPG or two, on my 800 mile migration hikes, that's 10 gallons (30-40 dollars) for a 10 buck bottle of wax.

[westend]

FunnyCamper wrote:
best way to save on future purchases is to NOT buy until you need it then get the energy efficient, the best for your dollar, find it on sale and then replace whatever it is.

like lightbulbs. replace only with LED as the others fail. don't throw out a paid, good bulb, for a replacement.

I just was figuring this out on our heat pump. Dad's died after 16 years. got a new one and their electric bill went down like $35 a month. new energy efficient pump is saving him money vs. the 16 year old dying one but at the tune of $4500. So to save $35 a month to replace if it was still going strong would not be smart. It would take a little over 10 years of savings per month to cover that $4500. Why do that when the old one is paid for, working and ok?

My pump is 20 years old and going strong. when Dad mentioned his savings I thought, hmm...replace mine. then thought, heck no, not til it dies 🙂

So best way to save on purchases you think will help is wait til the old stuff dies, then replace as needed with good equipment/best money savers on the market.

Don't spend til needed. And while you are waiting to change things up when needed, BANK money to do that 🙂

The heat pump example may prove true but there are a lot of things in life where that process isn't as efficient as it seems. If you are dealing with a system or combination of parts where the failing component also effects the total of the remaining, it can be a false economy to wait until just one fails.

Example: Aging shock absorbers and suspension.

[FunnyCamper]

best way to save on future purchases is to NOT buy until you need it then get the energy efficient, the best for your dollar, find it on sale and then replace whatever it is.

like lightbulbs. replace only with LED as the others fail. don't throw out a paid, good bulb, for a replacement.

I just was figuring this out on our heat pump. Dad's died after 16 years. got a new one and their electric bill went down like $35 a month. new energy efficient pump is saving him money vs. the 16 year old dying one but at the tune of $4500. So to save $35 a month to replace if it was still going strong would not be smart. It would take a little over 10 years of savings per month to cover that $4500. Why do that when the old one is paid for, working and ok?

My pump is 20 years old and going strong. when Dad mentioned his savings I thought, hmm...replace mine. then thought, heck no, not til it dies 🙂

So best way to save on purchases you think will help is wait til the old stuff dies, then replace as needed with good equipment/best money savers on the market.

Don't spend til needed. And while you are waiting to change things up when needed, BANK money to do that 🙂

[nomad297]

Spend $3.00 on a new flapper for your running toilet in your home. This can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars (depending on how bad your toilet runs) on one water/sewer bill alone.

Bruce

[Haulinhazmat]

g1g you are way over their head. They didn't read your post and if they did they didn't understand.

[Big_Katuna]

LEDs are about the same as incandesents now. I paid under $2 each for mine. I didn't do it to save money. I did it to save battery power so I won't have run genset as often dry camping. Oh wait! That will save fuel. $$

[beemerphile1]

In the old carburetor days replacing a dirty air filter did save fuel. Not now.

With modern computerized and fuel injected engines they will not run rich. The computer will dial down engine performance. Replacing a dirty air filter will improve performance, not reduce fuel usage.

[rockhillmanor]

So in short what are the best saving purchases that we can realistically see a savings in the shortest payback time?

Picked up a steal of a deal of a foreclosed house on acreage down south during the big real estate bust.

No more outrageous winter snowbird CG prices with added manipulated monthly electric fees, sardine sites, no scenery, etc for us!

And unlike a CG site......it's an investment not an expenditure! :C

[dcason]

A few from my blog:
passport America membership if you are retired or will really use it (some of it is offseason or shoulder season)
A hot plate to cook on instead of propane (and you may already have one at home or get it at yard sale).