I recently expanded my side yard which was full of weeds and never used. Building the fence took two weekends and went pretty well. However, getting rid of the weeds and making the space more useable has been a challenge. The first thing I did was to remove all the plants, bushes, and weeds. But of course the weeds came back. So the next step was to install weed blocker. I didn’t have that many weeds so I figured I’d get the medium grade one. I spent hours laying it out and hammering stakes into it and then covering it with mulch. But a couple weeks later the weeks had grown through the weed blocker. So I thought, time for another layer. Hours later I had moved the mulch put another layer and then put the mulch back. Well even two layers didn’t stop them. I realized I needed to step it up to the extra strong weed blocker. I repeated the process and it looks like the only place weeds are getting through now is at the edges of the tarp.
I share this story as an example of how I wasted time and money by trying to be frugal. If I had gone with the strong weed blocker the first time I would’ve saved $100 and many hours. So, in this article I will explore what other areas you could apply this lesson to.
Buying
Buying the lowest priced item can be tempting. If we are only going to use something infrequently then it could make sense that we just need the item and don’t care about the quality. However, sometimes that backfires. Perhaps you love to bake and really want a cake stand. If you buy the cheapest one it will probably do the job. Yet, later you realize there is one that also rotates and would make your cakes look a lot better and is way more stable and you don’t have to worry about tipping. TVs are another one. It kills me when someone spends $100 a month on cable/streaming and then has a low quality TV. You pay so much and you may not be enjoying as much as you could. You don’t need an 8K TV, but not Michael Scott’s either. I recently joined a pickleball league and it being my first time bought the cheapest paddle at the sporting goods store. After a few weeks the handle broke off. I borrowed someone else’s paddle and woah the game was so much easier. Apple products are another area which are more expensive but will likely be cheaper over the long run. I even took this to another level by upgrading my own. As you can see being cheap can sometimes end up costing more. So when going for the cheapest item really think whether that is the best decision.
And sometimes buying isn’t even the right choice. You can rent some high quality products. For instance, if you are going to need a pressure washer or a shampoo vacuum just once, rent it!
Skills
Another area where doing something right the first time could really help you is learning new skills. You may be good at entering data really fast into excel. That’s great, but perhaps there is a better way like using formulas or learning VBA to automate things. This will take some time up front to learn, but in the long run it will save time. If I have to do a task 5 times or more I try to automate it. Furthermore, by learning new skills you are able to increase your value to employers and hopefully your long term income.
Conclusion
Going cheap can end up costing you more in the long run. I think there is often a time component that you end up paying for when using cheaper products, but if you have to redo it pretty soon then it is also about money. I’m not saying to go replace all your belongings with the best, most expensive stuff out there. However, I’m saying be cognizant of your choices. Don’t throw things into your shopping cart because it’s $10 so why not. That’s how you end up with a garage full of junk. So take a look at what you have and what you plan on purchasing so that you don’t end up wasting your precious time and money.
I am happy to written a hundred posts. I have really enjoyed it, but it would certainly be great to get some more readers to read and interact with.
An MBA is a really expensive bet that more than a half million people place each year. Some people go with the top schools to increase their chances of a big payday. That strategy comes at a huge cost and as one who blogs about being frugal I wasn’t willing to take out a huge loan to complete a degree whose value is under ever-increasing scrutiny. What I was willing to do look for a school that offered a good education at a great value. This search led me abroad to Lisbon and even MIT.
It appears that women are going to be the rich ones of the future because among my Facebook fans 69% of them are women. Back in high school, my English teacher said that women rule the world. I disagreed pointing at the Wall Street Journal I carried everywhere showing him Bernanke, Obama, Buffet, and other men. He said I would come back within ten years and admit that he was right. Nine years later I went back and told him he was right. The Fed Chair is now Janet Yellen, I am married, and Hillary was almost president. So I guess it shouldn’t be surprising more women are reading my advice and saving money. So now I have to think of a way to talk to my female audience.
So, I’m living in Europe at the moment and don’t have as as many opportunities to hustle, but I’m learning a new culture. So here they have very affordable cellular service. A 1GB plan is €2.45 a week and a 5GB one is €3.99 a week. I got the 5GB, but it may be overkill. One thing that is pretty cool is that you can go to the store and they will give you a SIM card which you can use for free for a month. After that you’ll have to reload it. This is a form of a free trial and that is the topic of the day.
So much of our income goes toward stuff we buy for ourselves. We can also use our money to invest in the stock market, real estate, and other stuff. But another great use for your money is to invest in yourself.
You may think the library is a place for children, but you may be mistaking that with the children’s section. The library really has the more resources for adults and has resources for the 21st century. A few months ago I purchased When Breath Becomes Air because it was a new release and those take a long time to get your hands on at the library, or so I thought. My mother was number 130 on the waitlist, but in a couple weeks they called and said it was her turn and needed to pick up the book by the next day.
This year we have heard a lot about how a high percentage of millennials still live with their parents. Much of this is attributed to people getting married and having children later. It is easier to live with your parents if you are not bringing your spouse or kids. When I graduated college without a job the first thing I did was move back home for nearly two years. It sure saved me a bunch of money and allowed me to eliminate my student loans in a few years. Well guess what, we are back from 
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One super cool thing about studying Chinese in Taiwan was that I was in class with people from all around the world. I have been friendly enough to befriend some of them and now have a list of places I can go visit. In Utrecht, Vienna, Cape Town, Moscow, Seoul, or Kyoto I can visit a friend.
I just completed reading On Paradise Drive by David Brooks which describes American culture and how we live. I found it a great read and wanted to share some of the things I learned from reading it. I’ll quote the book and then share my thoughts.
I am currently in Taiwan where I am studying Chinese for four hours a day. Did I quit my job? No. That’s not possible some would say, but you won’t know until you ask. Others would say that it is not fair, but what in the workplace is totally fair. Some people get paid lots to do a little work poorly and others get paid far less outperforming everyone in a very stressful position. Check out Dilbert. I am going to make sure it is as fair as possible by working remotely and fulfilling my normal obligations.