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SkinnedKnuckles

SkinnedKnuckles

Jedi Trainee
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So the following topics came up that had us all groaning & kinda Pi#*ed off:

Why's a haircut now cost $25? I guess the girl has to live, too.

How come a jug of antifreeze is now $15? Jack that price up since it lasts 150K miles now?

Why can't you buy a $2 windshield wiper blade insert anymore? All that's available here is an $8 to $10 blade on a new support. Grrrr....

Men's razor's - geez! $20 for 5 cartridges? Huh? I was happy with 2 blades & don't need 5.

I guess businesses can dictate what we do. Sorry, all. Had to pass it on.
 
I totally agree, the razor blade thing drives me nuts, I use them til I am literally scraping my face. Also the wife bought a box of checks the other day, we don't use them much anymore, but the box was over $40, she said that was discount online price, bank charges more. I said last I checked I thought a box was 8-10 bucks. What about homeowners insurance, we don't have floods or hurricanes in my area, but apparently we have to pay the higher rates to help cover those who do!.
 
To a large extent, business charges that much because they can. If you put a little effort into paying less, instead of just buying whatever you find on the shelf, you can do substantially better.

Just one example, if you really want a cheap shave, go back to using a straight razor and sharpen it yourself. Ivory hand soap makes a perfectly acceptable lather for pennies a shave, or if you really want cheap, make your own from bacon fat & wood ashes like great-grandpa did.

I'm a bit less extreme; bought a nice Gillette safety razor (not a plastic part in it) & 200 blades on flea-bay for about $40. And I shave right out of the shower, no lather required.

For a cheap haircut, check out the local beauty college. Every town has at least one, and you usually get a decent haircut for just a few $$. If not, it will grow out.

If you don't want to pay for printed checks, check out Fidelity.com. Free printed checks, free on-line banking, free access to any ATM; and on top of that, they actually pay a little bit of interest on your checking balance! All they lack is the bricks & mortar.
 
C'mon Randall, get in the spirit of things, we just want to gripe!

Good tips though, my main saver is simply doing almost all the fix/maintenance for auto and home myself, I know brakes are a safety item, but recently got a flyer for a front brake job for $159.99, like this was some sort of steal of a deal.
 
I just paid almost 4 bills for my front, see past thread, so $159 if they do all I had done to me is a steal.
 
I just paid almost 4 bills for my front, see past thread, so $159 if they do all I had done to me is a steal.

Also, my wiper inserts are free at my Honda dealership for the gals cars.
 
TR3driver said:
Ivory hand soap makes a perfectly acceptable lather for pennies a shave, or if you really want cheap, make your own from bacon fat & wood ashes like great-grandpa did.
Click to expand...

I use shaving soap with a cup and brush, but not because it's cheaper. It's a far better product than the canned stuff.

What started it all off was a comment about taking the family to Universal. I remembered going about 5 years ago and it was about $70 per. He just laughed and said $110.
 
glemon said:
recently got a flyer for a front brake job for $159.99, like this was some sort of steal of a deal.
Click to expand...
It probably is, for them. No doubt the fine print reads "Your car may require additional service, for an extra charge." You won't get out the door for less than twice that much.

And even $159.99 (which around here will be more like $175 once the state gets its cut) isn't that much of a bargain. Last time I did the wife's car, a set of quality pads and hardware cost me around $80, meaning I earned almost $100 (after taxes!) for an easy hour's work. And she even noticed (later) that my brake job lasted longer than the ones she was getting from her mechanic.

PS, sorry if I'm not in the spirit of things. Never did like to stand around and bitch, especially about things that are under my control. And there are lots of better places to visit than Universal, practically all of them cheaper or even free.

But be careful. You (or your kids) might actually learn something!
https://www.nasm.si.edu/imagedetail.cfm?imageID=1820
 
TR3driver said:
Last time I did the wife's car, a set of quality pads and hardware cost me around $80, meaning I earned almost $100 (after taxes!) for an easy hour's work.
Click to expand...

Around here, this is the reason there are so many unfinished projects. I know that I can do them better than the "pro" and much cheaper. Problem is that I don't have the time...
 
TR3driver said:
... Last time I did the wife's car, a set of quality pads and hardware cost me around $80, meaning I earned almost $100 (after taxes!) for an easy hour's work. ...
Click to expand...

Let's see, I take it you didn't change or recut the disks.
 
DNK said:
Let's see, I take it you didn't change or recut the disks.
Click to expand...
No, and I'll bet that is not included in the $159.

Refacing is a false economy IMO, and besides, modern rotors can almost never be turned, there just isn't enough allowance between "new" and "minimum" thickness. So if they are badly damaged, or were having a problem (squealing, pulsation) I just replace them. Otherwise, leave em alone except possibly for a quick pass with a deglazing pad.

PS, last time I changed a rotor on the wagon, the mechanic wanted $150 each, while my FLAPS only wanted $60. With the brake caliper already off, changing a rotor is trivial.
 
I do most if not all of the work on my old sports cars, because I like to. But these skills have carried over to where doing a tune up, brake job, etc. on my daily driver is not an issue. This saves me a lot of money on labor. Unfortunately I have not been successful convincing my wife that I need another sports car so that I can learn more skills to save us money.
 
TR3driver said:
DNK said:
Let's see, I take it you didn't change or recut the disks.
Click to expand...
No, and I'll bet that is not included in the $159.

Refacing is a false economy IMO, and besides, modern rotors can almost never be turned, there just isn't enough allowance between "new" and "minimum" thickness. So if they are badly damaged, or were having a problem (squealing, pulsation) I just replace them. Otherwise, leave em alone except possibly for a quick pass with a deglazing pad.

PS, last time I changed a rotor on the wagon, the mechanic wanted $150 each, while my FLAPS only wanted $60. With the brake caliper already off, changing a rotor is trivial.
Click to expand...

:iagree: Unless the rotors are heat damaged or metal-to-metal gouged they get a bit of roughing up with a D.A. and off we go.
Heck, any irregularities are just more swept/contact area for more efficient braking anyway! :jester:
 
Anybody who has owned an Astro or a Safari van knows that won't work. The disks always go before the pads

Randall , I didn't think that would be included in the 159 price . I chuckled when I saw that
 
DNK said:
Anybody who has owned an Astro or a Safari van knows that won't work. The disks always go before the pads
Click to expand...

Jez, had to remind me. 140K might as well just order up, again.

+1 soap and brush... it's warm.

$10 haircut, $5 tip.

Plenty of save the money do it myself projects, undone. Well, I still saved the money.
 
I just did front and rear brakes on my 2004 Mazda 6 for $180 for pads and rotors. Car has 200,000 miles on it and the issue was wear on the front rotors and rear brake pads wouldn't pass inspection. I had already replaced the front pads once without replacing or turning the front rotors at a little over 100,000.

Scott
 
I'm so cheap that I:

1. Cut my own hair and have for forty years.

2. Buy the plastic throw away razors, 10 for $2, and shave in the shower, hot water only, no soap. Razor good for at least three shaves. Shaved my own mug for so long I don't need a mirror.

3. Brakes? I don't need no stinkin' brakes!
 
I looked in the AAA tour book for "things to see" in the
Atlanta area - tour of the Coke Museum - $10 (I think)for
parking.I'd pass just because of that.
The Opry Hotel in Nashville wanted $18 for temporary parking.
My Wife wanted to see it.I refused to pay that kind of money,so
I dropped her off,& went to look at a British motorcycle shop.Of
course it was closed!

- Doug
 
Well, I suppose $30/head is a bit steep, but this looks like fun to me:
https://www.chattnaturecenter.org/river-canoe-trips.html

Then maybe dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe
https://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/cafe.aspx?LocationID=103&MIBEnumID=3

And then catch the laser show:
https://festivals.stonemountainpark.com/mini-section/default.aspx?id=5

I don't have much luck with the AAA books either, but the Internet is an incredible resource. And if you don't have a laptop to drag around, practically any library will have a computer you can use for free (or nearly so).
 
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