So, What Did We Buy?

Elizabeth at Suburban Wife’s Daily Dollar Diary asked me to reveal what appliances we chose in my post yesterday discussing my latest purchases for the house. Thanks, Elizabeth, I think that is a good idea. Here are the appliances we decided to purchase this weekend after considerable thought and research.

Refrigerator

OK, so I wanted a Sub-Zero or a Viking but that just wasn’t gonna happen, except maybe in my dreams. Setting aside those champagne wishes we started seriously looking at the GE Profile 25.5 Cu. Ft. French Door Bottom Freezer model. I liked the layout of the fridge (especially the large deli drawer) and the fact that it had separate compressors for each section. The best price I could find was $2295 which was a little pricey for us. It included things we didn’t particularly feel was necessary like water/ice through the door. But the rest of my appliances are GE Profile so the styling and stainless would match if I got this fridge. Again, matching my other appliances was nice but far from critical.

Samsung Fridge After discovering that Samsung actually made that fridge and that the GE Profile version was only slightly different, we started looking at the Samsung models. We found a fridge with the exact same layout but without the water and ice in the door (it has an icemaker in the freezer). The Samsung 25.8 Cu. Ft. French Door Bottom Mount Freezer was $1594. We decided that the GE labeling/styling and the ice/water in the door were not worth the extra $701 dollars it would take to get them and we went with the cheaper Samsung.

I feel our frugal side triumphed in this purchase. We decided to pass on the features that would have been nice but weren’t requirements. This helped us save a lot of money while still getting a nice stainless steel fridge. The kitchen is so important to me that I’m surprised I was able to pass up the “best” for what simply fit our needs.

Washer/Dryer

Our current washer and dryer still run but we knew we needed to move to larger front-loading models. I have to wash pet beds frequently and the agitator in my current washer makes it very difficult. We wanted to make the jump to front loaders to make my large laundry loads easier.

I went into looking for these appliances with no preconceived notions of what I wanted so I started searching Consumer Reports first. From there I learned what features to look for. Based on the ratings and reviews the LG TROMM Steam washer and dryer seemed like a good set for me. I liked the idea of being able to sanitize cat beds with steam in the wash. The latest model washer runs about $1359 in blue.

I did a bit more investigation and found that the previous version of the TROMM washer was basically the same model except it had a slightly slower max spin speed and it didn’t have the trilingual LCD screen. I didn’t think those things were worth paying the extra money for so I set my sights on the previous version. Now I had to decide color.

LG TROMM Washer I must admit that the shiny red option beckoned to me. It was a sparkly candy apple red and it seemed to make laundry less boring. I was really leaning toward it, despite it costing $200 more. It took Eric to snap me out of the red daze though. Eric said the extra money it would cost to get the red wouldn’t be worth it and after a few weeks those shiny red units would still just be my washer and dryer. He then reminded me that the laundry room was closed off and I would never even see them. I had also read that the cherry color didn’t come with a porcelain top like the white did so that was that. I swallowed my irrational desire for the pretty shiny version and got the previous model in standard white for $1104.99.

As for the dryer we got the matching version in gas. We feel gas is far cheaper than electricity so we want to stick with it even though the gas model is more expensive initially. Also, every appliance we got is Energy Star qualified. That was an important factor. We wanted to make sure everything we purchased was energy efficient and was something that was built to last. Not only is that good for our wallets but it is good for the environment.

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Big Purchases Need Big Research

I’ll take the white one, please This weekend Eric and I made some rather large purchases for the new home. We purchased a refrigerator and a washer and dryer. After about a week of researching and kicking tires we finally felt ready to buy.

Big purchases shouldn’t be made haphazardly. For me, there is definitely a correlation on how much money I’m about to spend and how much research I need to do to feel confident that I’m getting the right product at the right price. When thousands of dollars are involved you can bet that I’m going to try to be as knowledgeable as I can so I make the best decisions.

Here is the process I followed to help me figure out what I wanted and where to buy it:

1. Narrow the field. First, I developed a general idea of what I wanted. We currently have an old side-by-side refrigerator and it frustrates me that I can’t fit a pizza box or other large items in the freezer. It was time for a new style. After looking at fridges in person and learning about the pros and cons of the different configurations I felt a bottom freezer was a good choice for us. I liked the look and functionality of the french door/bottom freezer style best so I focused my search on that.

2. Research the brands and models. I started comparing the various brands/models online. This helped me compile and prioritize my preferences. To help me determine the top performers for my style I decided to sign up for Consumer Reports online. It costs money to subscribe, but having access to that information can be very valuable when making large durable good purchases. I was able to read the ratings and reviews and learned what to look for in a fridge of this type. Many of the models I considered hadn’t been tested by Consumer Reports yet but by reading reviews on other models I could get a feel for that brand’s overall performance. After doing plenty of research online I picked a few models that I wanted to get to know better in person.

3. Know your prices. With printouts of our favorite models in hand, we drove to the stores that carried the brands we were considering. We took careful notes of the model numbers, prices, discounts, price-match policies, and financing offers available in each store. We made sure to avoid the sales pitches and left without buying anything. We knew we needed to go home and compare the sales carefully to figure out who really had the best deal.

4. Go after the deal. After comparing the deals we decided that Best Buy came out ahead. They offered to price match the best deal we could find (including prices found up to 30 days after the sale), free delivery and installation, and 18 months no-interest financing. Most of the stores did price matching and had some sort of no-interest financing but Best Buy also had a rewards program that would give us about $85 back on the purchase. The other stores couldn’t beat that. The next day we approached the appliance supervisor, showed him the competition’s prices, and got the deal we were after. He kept saying that I “drive a hard bargain” but really I didn’t. I only made an educated purchase that gave me the best deal possible for what I wanted.

Now I’m sure you are wondering why we went back into debt by financing it instead of paying cash. I don’t like the fact that we have a balance on a store card of all things but this will allow us to continue to make interest on the money over the next 18 months. We set up automatic payments so we don’t miss any then set up notifications two months prior to the balance being due so we can pay it off in full. We have done this before and never had a problem with it. The important thing is that we didn’t use credit to buy something we couldn’t afford. We have that money already sitting in the bank so we might as well earn some interest on it as long as the rate on the card is at 0%.

Image Source: SqueakyMarmot

10 Ways to Reduce And Reuse

October 15th is Blog Action Day, when thousands of bloggers band together to write about a single important issue: the environment. A Penny Closer decided to join in the effort to help raise awareness in our own little way; by showing how frugality and earth-friendly actions often go hand in hand.

Reducing your household waste not only helps the environment but it can help save you money, too. Imagine how much money and garbage bin space you might save if you could use items you typically dispose of to fill a household need.

Even the act of throwing away trash can cost money! For instance, some places may charge you for throwing away more garbage than their preset amount, not to mention the added expense of having to buy more garbage bags.

If everyone would find ways to reuse the things they would normally throw away, or choose durability over the convenience of disposability, we could make a real difference. Not only would we be helping the environment by reducing our impact on landfills, but we could reduce our demand for natural resources by consuming less.

Here are 10 ways you can cut down on your costs while cutting down on your trash.

Avoid single serving size products. Not only do they tend to cost more but they add extra packaging that will end up in landfills. Make your own single servings by putting individual portions in plastic containers or baggies that you reuse.
Buy just one set of bottled water and refill those bottles from the tap. Eric and I have been doing this for months now. We have 12 small water bottles that we wash, refill, and put in the fridge to chill. Imagine how many water bottles are thrown away each day. It will boggle your mind. And bottled water is pricey! Most of that bottled water is no better than tap or filtered tap anyways.
Don’t use the fully disposable electric toothbrushes or razors. Get replaceable razor heads and toothbrushes that allow changing the batteries. It seems like such a waste to throw out entire razors or a battery-run toothbrush when it stops working.
Reuse the plastic bags you get from the grocery store. Either bring them back to the store and reuse them for your next shopping trip or use them for other purposes. I pack up Eric’s lunches in a plastic grocery bag. It accommodates any size lunch and if he loses it there’s no problem. We also use our grocery bags for cleaning the litter boxes everyday. It saves us from wasting a big trash bag for a small job and gives the plastic bags another use.
Reuse packaging and boxes. Either reuse them for mailing other packages or use them for gift giving instead of buying gift boxes. I keep a variety of them in my garage for the holidays. They all look the same wrapped up anyways!
Use plastic containers instead of disposable baggies all the time. When you use baggies try to use them mainly for dry goods or non-greasy items. That way you can rinse and dry them for reuse.
Instead of using paper plates use plastic that can be washed and reused. You will have to buy less plates and throw less away.
Use rechargeable batteries instead of regular batteries. We blow through batteries for our camera. Although the rechargeables are more expensive upfront they have more than paid for themselves even in the short term.
Use paper towels sparingly and opt for washable dish towels. If I just need to dry my hands or wipe down the counters I go for the dishtowel. If it is something sticky, greasy, hazardous, or staining I use a paper towel. By thinking about when to use the paper towels versus the dish towels you will help conserve those expensive disposables and less will end up in the trash.
Reuse containers whenever possible. Why throw out that pickle jar when it could be used to hold paperclips or other small items? Could that old margarine tub be used like tupperware? Before you put it in the trash make sure you have no other uses for it around the house. Wear it out before you throw it out!

This is just a small sampling of ways we can save money and lower our impact on landfills by reducing and reusing. Get creative! Do you have any ideas on ways to reduce your trash? If so, please share them!

Our Plan To Remain Debt Free

Been there buddy! At the beginning of the year, we were able to declare ourselves “debt free”. This was no easy task I can tell you. We still have our mortgage, but we don’t consider it debt exactly. Certainly, it is debt, but it’s at a decent interest rate, we get a tax deduction for our interest payments, and if it’s our only debt, to me that’s “debt free”.

We managed to pay off both of our car loans early. We also eliminated all of our credit card debt this year. We did both of these primarily through some major changes in lifestyle (especially our eating habits - dining out can cost a fortune!)

Now that we are debt free, we have no intention of going back. We’ve made several changes in our life to help us not slide back into that “bad place”. Some of these changes include:

A strict budget - Not so strict we have to beat ourselves for an overage, but a guideline we shoot for with appropriate flexibility in certain areas. The budget helps ensure we live below our means, and that we plan for savings.
Our non-emergency emergency fund - This ensures that we never have to maintain a balance on our credit cards even when we go over more than our flexibility allows (up to a few hundred dollars).
Our emergency fund - This way we can handle even those big cases where we have an emergency. We’re very strict about this being used only for emergencies. Our goal is to eventually build up 6 months living expenses (bare minimum living expenses).
Delaying gratification - Like the iPhone incident of last weekend - I’m no longer going to just indulge myself. All of my upcoming purchases will be planned, and will require taking part of the budget and setting it aside for purchase in the future. This also ensures that when I do indulge myself, it’s not impulsive, and it’s something I’ve researched and know that I want. Oh, and that I find the best deal.
We will drive our cars until they can drive no more - Consumer reports says that can save up to $31,000. For me, a car gets me from a to b, and doesn’t need to be anything fancy. It felt weird typing that, but that’s how much I’ve changed recently. I used to want a flashy car, but now I’d rather save and invest my money.
Find the best deals - I want to understand how much something costs, where I can get the best deal, and make sure I’m not getting ripped off. In the past, I didn’t always bother to research and find the best deal, and convenience was usually the motivating factor. There isn’t anything wrong with convenience, but now I will measure that against other factors.

So, with these things in place, and barring any serious emergencies (like something medical), I think we can remain debt free. We have to remain strict and follow this plan. We cannot allow ourselves to fall back into the “old ways”.

I’d love to hear from other folks who managed to get out of debt. Do you have a plan to remain debt free?

Image source :Daquella Manera

The Lost Arts?

Sometimes I wonder if I should have taken Home Economics in high school. For me, it was a choice between that and computer science and I chose the latter. Although computer science helped prepare me for a career in the tech industry I feel like I missed out on learning some of the essentials for running a household that could help save money.

It seems most of my friends didn’t take Home Economics either. Are students are getting this knowledge at home instead? I didn’t and neither did a lot of my friends. Are frugal household skills that were once widely practiced becoming less common knowledge with younger generations? Are you proficient in these “lost arts”?

Sewing & Repairing Clothing

Sewing I have absolutely no idea how to sew. How many people do you know actually sew? The other day a button fell off Eric’s pants and I realized I’d have to dig up my little sewing kit and figure out how to sew it back on. I just never had the opportunity to learn. I view this as a tragedy because repairing (and making) clothing is economical and can save money. It seems to be a skill that isn’t getting passed down as often as it once was.

Not only is sewing important for repairing clothing it is also useful for creating wonderful household goods from scrap fabrics like bedding and window hangings. One of my very best friends makes the most beautiful quilts and even made a successful home business out of it. I am amazed by her and this talent she has. I haven’t been able to figure out how to properly sew buttons yet she can make works of art.

Cooking From Scratch

Homecooking I feel strongly that cooking is becoming a lost art outside of professional kitchens. I love to cook but none of my close friends routinely cook from scratch. Not one. Many of my friends lack even the basic fundamentals of cooking and they have no interest in learning. It’s a shame because cooking from scratch is a valuable skill that not only saves money but helps pass down family traditions. I am lucky I happened to really enjoy cooking as an adult despite having very little exposure to it growing up.

Once upon a time learning to cook was essential; you simply had to feed your family and convenience foods weren’t an option. These days, you can accomplish the same task without really needing to learn how to cook with ready-to-eat meals. Unfortunately, these prepared foods are more expensive than their homemade counterparts. Perhaps the ease of convenience foods has made cooking from scratch less desirable so less young adults are trying it. To get good at homemade cooking you must practice. That is why everyone loves Grandma’s cooking - practice makes perfect.

Balancing A Checkbook

First Checkbook Toy I haven’t balanced a checkbook since high school. I don’t even write checks anymore. With online banking, budgeting, and Quicken I have essentially lost the desire (and maybe the ability) to hand balance my checkbook down to the penny. I remember my mother teaching me how to do this when I was young but I never really got in the habit. Only one of my friends still does this and the rest don’t. Is the joy of having that checkbook ledger balance perfectly a thing of the past?

Gardening

Homegrown Veggies I always have considered gardening and cultivating homegrown food an art form. When I lived on a farm we grew fresh green beans and my grandmother always had a garden full of fresh food. When we moved to the suburbs we never again had a garden and I missed out on developing that skill.

Around here, I see people tending flower beds but not vegetable gardens. Imagine how much you could save if you could harvest your veggies from your backyard rather than the grocery store! How wonderful would it be to have fresh herbs around? I think we may see a rise in this “hobby” now that vegetable gardening is more in vogue. I am planning to learn how to garden in our new home.

I could go on and on with topics (canning/food preservation, ironing, even household budgeting, etc) that seem to be fading out with my generation. Maybe some of the need has been replaced by modernization. I think it is interesting to look at these “lost” frugal household skills and see if people are still practicing them.

Image Sources: oskay, EverJean, mrbill, David Blaine

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