Same. I was working with the Toyota importer 4 years ago and got a very good deal on a brand little 4x2 Workmate ute. Base model 2.7 petrol, manual box, cab chassis. After 4 years use it’s had a set of tyres and wiper blades. It’s not amazing on fuel, but otherwise it’s a turn key and forget all weather runabout.Here in NZ the cost of licensing (registration) a Busa is $567 a year, combine that with tyres, servicing, insurance, safety checks etc, its cheaper by the km to run a car to work and back.
I was half joking with my response. You are correct, with the additional expenses of service costs on a motorcycle I'm not really saving much in the long run.Here in NZ the cost of licensing (registration) a Busa is $567 a year, combine that with tyres, servicing, insurance, safety checks etc, its cheaper by the km to run a car to work and back.
I'm doing a lot of bike servicing and maintenance/upgrades for friends bikes here at home in the evenings and weekends to make a little extra to pay the bills.
The cost of living here in NZ is eye watering compared to the US.
My social life is staying home as much as possible and in weekends try to get over to see my mates and ride my bikes for fun. I do not drink or smoke, I'm single and live as simply as possible.
My staff account at work is around $1500 a month so gives you an idea of how much home work I'm doing. My friends are generous and appreciate my efforts and the presentation of their bikes when I return them looking and running awesome!
So I work all day and night and make money rather than foolishly waste money.
I hear a lot of talk about high prices but the parking lots at the malls and grocery stores are completely full and nobody around here seems to be slowing down when it comes to driving, I hear them take off from a stop light and their foot is to the floor only to get the next stop light and jump on the brakes...I was half joking with my response. You are correct, with the additional expenses of service costs on a motorcycle I'm not really saving much in the long run.
One benefit though is it costs me about $50/yr for licensing costs and $24/mo for full coverage. Little easier to balance costs that way.
I don't really have a social life, I work from home most days and when I do go to the office it's only 4 miles away so honestly gas prices don't really affect me much, but food prices sure do. That's what is hurting me more than anything.
I live in an area where the average income is about 2.5x what I make. I rent from a friend for a very reasonable price or I wouldn't be able to afford to live anywhere near this area.I hear a lot of talk about high prices but the parking lots at the malls and grocery stores are completely full and nobody around here seems to be slowing down when it comes to driving, I hear them take off from a stop light and their foot is to the floor only to get the next stop light and jump on the brakes...
Lots of new toys around here when it comes to side by sides, boats and new vehicles...also construction is booming out of hand...they can't hire enough people to do all the work and waiting lists are miles long.
I know there are people hurting financially but I personally haven't seen it.
Oh that is beautiful, jealous!I'm currently on vacation in waskesiu SK and I came last year and it was much busier and cheaper, this year it is dead and expensive not including gas.
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Personally the bike is getting far less rode this year which is sad but oh well..
If you want to really do away with streaming services check out usenet. You can fully automate "things". I've been at it a long time, if you want to know more shoot me a PM. My server rack is too tall so I have things on a table for now, lol.We’ve stopped buying non essential stuff in the food shopping days. Minimal treats now. More homebrand goods rather than the big names.
Heating down by 3-4 deg at the thermostat. Wearing heavier winter clothes inside.
Using public transport as much as possible.
Bike insurance has been moved to occasional riding
Internet and streaming services thinned. (Which has reverted us back to the old days of torrent hunting again)
Eating out limited to twice a month each now. We do once together and once with friends.
The only problem with cash in the bank is it's only as good as the financial condition of the government whose currency you are using. Last I heard the FDIC was still a part of the federal government that claims to be 30 trillion in the hole with a rising interest rate and trillions more in under funded liabilities.... so... what is the alternative? You already know the answer to that issue.I am reading many of the changes I expected, we are being very cautious with purchases right now and making sure we have a little larger supply of cash in the bank just in case....
Reminds me of the sign... "Wife for Sale, Just take over payments"Trying to cut the wife’s shopping down, wish me luck! I may be single soon.
Completely agree that money in the bank isn't the best. We are doing most of the things that have been listed from others, just common sense actions. Having money in the bank is allowing us to go after larger purchases when we run across a deal (There are a lot of them out there). I have been buying used tractor implements as an example they will last for 50 years and I can use them to help offset cost for a long long time.The only problem with cash in the bank is it's only as good as the financial condition of the government whose currency you are using. Last I heard the FDIC was still a part of the federal government that claims to be 30 trillion in the hole with a rising interest rate and trillions more in under funded liabilities.... so... what is the alternative? You already know the answer to that issue.
Thats something we are doing too. It was always part of our long term plan anyway but now it’s even more justified.We are also buying in bulk and repacking in smaller portions...
I have been living in an old timber cottage on stumps in the local town. The weather has been down to near freezing recently and it was awful. Even with a few heaters on it was never really “warm” and the temps dropped dramatically if you turned the heaters off. A cheap rental whilst we built so little I could do.We have a 1937 bungalow.
When i refurbished it back in 2009 i put 120mm of insulation in all the floor, put batton on the inside of all the outer walls and added 50mm of insulation to all the outside walls. We have 9ft high ceilings, so i dropped them 18" and put 80mm insulation between the new & old ceilings. I have also put 12" of rockwool in the attic.
I insulated my garage a few years ago and even though it has 12' ceilings, you can heat it with a ceramic furnace about the size of a toaster even at -40'C as long as you don't open the big door that is...then it takes time to recover...I'm probably going to put a natural gas heater in it eventually.I have been living in an old timber cottage on stumps in the local town. The weather has been down to near freezing recently and it was awful. Even with a few heaters on it was never really “warm” and the temps dropped dramatically if you turned the heaters off. A cheap rental whilst we built so little I could do.
Last Friday we moved into our own place. Brick outer walls, insulation in the walls, insulation in the loft, insulation under the roof sheets. The two buildings are 2 miles apart, but you’d think they were 2000 from the temperature inside them.
As you obviously know, the insulation and design make a huge difference.