I live near a museum. It's an art museum that I really enjoy going to, and on my most recent visit I realized I'd already attended enough times this year to pay for my 2009 membership (and it's only March!).
I've also found that my yearly PBS membership more than pays for itself when I take into account the discounts I get at area businesses with my membership card (usually 5% or 10%).
The Entertainment Book will pay for itself with 2 or 3 coupons, or sometimes even a single 2-for-1 deal.
My local Sunday paper pays for itself many times over with all the coupons I clip from it each week.
So... my question is: what are some other things that pay for themselves? Ideally, they'd be relatively inexpensive things - say, under $100 - that pay for themselves relatively quickly - say, less than a few months.
Everything I buy for 75% off pays for itself. I buy two, sell the second for double+tax on both and get mine free and don't have to bother with a rebate. Thank you clearance.
the newspaper more than pays for itself. i pay about $1 week for the paper (fw deal for LA times) and my wife saves at least $10 by using coupons each week. it also alerts us to the specials the local markets are promoting.
edit: i just saw that the OP already mentioned the paper. nimh batteries definitely pay for themselves.
1)"All YOU" magazine - it's about $2, and has lots of high value coupons 2)Aero garden - if you can buy it for about $50 and grow your own fresh herbs - chives,and basil esp. nice 3)e-cigs - I personally like the njoy-npro, buy starter for $80, then buy cartridges for about $40 a carton. 4)lawn spreader - bought a nice one for $30 - and fertilize my own lawn - takes 10 mintues - save about $30 bucks each time.
and how could I forget - the flowbee! 39.99 flowbee
duckfan5554
Member
posted: Mar. 23, 2009 @ 8:13p
The GPS in my car. It was expensive to buy but over the past few years it's saved me countless hours and gallons of gas. I will never own another car without one.
duckfan5554 said: The GPS in my car. It was expensive to buy but over the past few years it's saved me countless hours and gallons of gas. I will never own another car without one. The same. Except I got mine about 9 months ago & it was only $100 because of FW!
And MagicJack, PagePlus, T-Mobile ToGo, AT&T GoPhone & Verizon Inpulse.
trishshack
Tired Member
posted: May. 6, 2009 @ 10:36p
More insulation in my house. I had planned on it taking at least 5 years for the savings on natural gas and electricity to make up for it but it only took 2 years.
Ceiling fans, box fans, lawn equipment, online video rental, how-to books, cfl lightbulbs. Home purchase 14 years before the mortgage frenzy; (prices were cheap) because (loans were hard to get); currently worth 3x purchase price. Automobiles, buying used, good maintenance, buy another in 7-10 years with money saved by not paying interest on a car loan. I have paid monthly car notes only once in my life. Mechanics swoon when I pop the hood on my old cars.
computer, internet = accidently finding FW in 2000= Priceless..
During my final semester of High School I bought 5 college text books on US History at garage sales for ~$3 and read them cover to cover. I spent less than ~$100 to take two CLEP (College Level Examination Program) Tests on US History. I passed them both and received 6 hours of college credit. I figured that the ~$100 invested saved me at least $1,000 in tuition, books and fees.
titewad said: Everything I buy for 75% off pays for itself. I buy two, sell the second for double+tax on both and get mine free and don't have to bother with a rebate. Thank you clearance.
so wait even if it serves you no purpose JUST because its 75% off makes it both worthwhile and "pays for itself?" im sorry but your wrong... i have several printers i got just because they were really cheap... that are still sealed in the box... if you dont have a use for it and it costs a penny its not a good deal sorry.
inda
Ancient Member
posted: May. 15, 2009 @ 9:01p
dodgeman007 said: titewad said: Everything I buy for 75% off pays for itself. I buy two, sell the second for double+tax on both and get mine free and don't have to bother with a rebate. Thank you clearance.
so wait even if it serves you no purpose JUST because its 75% off makes it both worthwhile and "pays for itself?" im sorry but your wrong... i have several printers i got just because they were really cheap... that are still sealed in the box... if you dont have a use for it and it costs a penny its not a good deal sorry.
What if you were to sell said sealed printers for more than you paid...
janwad
Senior Member
posted: May. 17, 2009 @ 10:57a
Netflix, without it I'd be paying the evil cable company much more and getting less of what I really want.
Prepaid T-Mobile Gold, which has spared my paying the evil cell phone companies much more.
Retailnever said: Ceiling fans, box fans, lawn equipment, online video rental, how-to books, cfl lightbulbs. Home purchase 14 years before the mortgage frenzy; (prices were cheap) because (loans were hard to get); currently worth 3x purchase price. Automobiles, buying used, good maintenance, buy another in 7-10 years with money saved by not paying interest on a car loan. I have paid monthly car notes only once in my life. Mechanics swoon when I pop the hood on my old cars.
computer, internet = accidently finding FW in 2000= Priceless..
What do you mean by monthly car notes? I dont get this .....do you mean interest?
dodgeman007 said: titewad said: Everything I buy for 75% off pays for itself. I buy two, sell the second for double+tax on both and get mine free and don't have to bother with a rebate. Thank you clearance.
so wait even if it serves you no purpose JUST because its 75% off makes it both worthwhile and "pays for itself?" im sorry but your wrong... i have several printers i got just because they were really cheap... that are still sealed in the box... if you dont have a use for it and it costs a penny its not a good deal sorry.Maybe your ought to re-read the OP and my reply. You added quite a bit in your mind to both the original question and to my answer, none of which were really said, only made up in your brain.
$5.00 pickup grabber tool...every time I bring in my recycling, I can grab at least 10 packets of coupons that people have recycled. Best day to go recycling is Sunday or Monday, Harris Teeter doubles and sometimes triples coupons, I think I get about $5.00 in free or almost free food every week.
I don't know if Tracfone applies, but my wife and I get all the minutes we need with two tracfones with double minutes and rollover minutes...the monthly value plan gives us 100 minutes for 10 bucks and 60 minutes for 6 bucks. We have a bare bones land line, a 2.5 cent a minute calling card, and Google Voice...for less than $50/month.
zzyzzx
Senior Member - 3K
posted: Jul. 27, 2009 @ 1:11p
Tools. Specific tools have been mentioned above, but in order to keep down the clutter and bring up Capitan Obvious, I thought I'd mention it as a catch all. Most things you can repair yourself, even if you have to buy the tools since there is always the next time or other potential uses for them.
zzyzzx
Senior Member - 3K
posted: Jul. 27, 2009 @ 1:12p
Wifi card and antenna, for those who like to use unsecured hi-speed internet.
I have to second the flowbee and the darn things last forever too. My parents bought one when I around 15 and I still use the item today in my 30's (save those special occasions when you REALLY need a exceptional haircut.) Once you get highly experienced with using the system your hair won't look bad at all.
If we assume the system was $50 when purchased and a haircut averaged $10 for the last 15 years, a cut once a month would have totaled $1800. Talk about paying for itself.
luvdoublebrats said: 1)"All YOU" magazine - it's about $2, and has lots of high value coupons 2)Aero garden - if you can buy it for about $50 and grow your own fresh herbs - chives,and basil esp. nice 3)e-cigs - I personally like the njoy-npro, buy starter for $80, then buy cartridges for about $40 a carton. 4)lawn spreader - bought a nice one for $30 - and fertilize my own lawn - takes 10 mintues - save about $30 bucks each time.
and how could I forget - the flowbee! 39.99 flowbee
I'm a Craigslist fan. I can get quality goods in new condition at half price or less, which means it takes less time for the items to pay for itself.
Some stuff I bought are: * Portable Haier washer for my apartment ($150) and a study expandable drying rack ($10) I've had them for approx 6 yrs, so I've probably washed 150+ loads by now. Compared to laundry mat, I've already come out ahead. * Recently purchased a soymilk maker ($35). It's been less than a month, and I've made $20 in soymilk already (assuming $2 per quart size box at the store). This lets me cut back on purchasing regular milk, saving about $40-50 a yr. Plus, I actually love soymilk and can control what goes into it to avoid all the sugar and preservatives.
prastogi said: Retailnever said: Automobiles, buying used, good maintenance, buy another in 7-10 years with money saved by not paying interest on a car loan. I have paid monthly car notes only once in my life.
What do you mean by monthly car notes? I dont get this .....do you mean interest?
Instead of paying a finance company $500+ dollars per month on a car loan, pay it to yourself for 48, 60 months. Now add it up at the end of that period. In one year alone, you will have saved up 6k in cash. CREAM, Cash rules everything around me.
SuperSatan
New Member
posted: Jul. 28, 2009 @ 4:34p
I never had much luck with Craigslist. Every time I post something, I get spammed for people waning to send me a money order from Nigeria, or sign up for some dating site.
SuperSatan: I do notice a lot of Spam in the email account after posting to CL. I've had pretty good experience though both buying and selling. Have done 30+ transactions in the last few years. Maybe my city is more ideal than others since there are lots of students here in Boston.
SuperSatan
New Member
posted: Jul. 28, 2009 @ 6:07p
in all truthfullness, I did find my current dwelling on Craigslist. Other than that, I have never actually tried to buy anything off of CL.
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