Being Frugal Fucking Sucks

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fm1234

fm1234

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Sep 8, 2007
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In the 1990s I made and wasted enough money to buy Europe. Then I went broke in a downward spiraling hell scenario. Then I made some money again, and this time, looking at things like "Wow, I spent over a million dollars on CARS ... and now I drive a 10-year-old Sentra" helped me adopt a much more conservative approach to money and how to not burn the shit like it has an expiration date on it. It annoys my wife and makes me the butt of many jokes among friends, because I am somewhat on the "insane fucking cheapo" side of "frugal" now.

And then I get this from Musician's Friend:

Musician's Friend - Jimmy Page Les Paul Custom VOS Black Beauty

I read about this thing a few months ago, and assumed the price tag would be in the low five figures ... easily enough to make me go "Pshaw, I'd never buy that!" But at six grand, not only can I afford it, but it's way, way less than I thought it would be ... and not to be a prick, but Page is no spring chicken, and this is a limited run guitar, and I could maybe buy two since they're half what I thought they'd cost and when he dies I can sell one for way more than what I paid etc. etc. etc.

But no. My Schecter and my Ibanez play just fine, and both of them put together cost less than 1/6th of what that Page guitar costs.

I hate being frugal. I better be a fucking millionaire from all this self-denial before too much longer.


Frank
 


Why don't you just pace yourself? I mean...that way if and when you do hit the millionaire status again you won't be like, "ZOMG I MADE IT LETS FUCKING SPEND!!"

It's all about balance and budgeting. Do something like, "Ok, this month I can still reinvest in my projects with X amount, save X amount, and treat myself on stuff I don't really need with X amount".
 
I actually love being frugal. It's just in my nature to not spend money. While I have nothing against people who love material things, I personally hate having a lot of stuff. I live in a studio apartment (albeit a really nice studio apartment), drive a ten year old car and sleep on an air mattress.

It amazes me that people want so much stuff. I think about all the people in the world that just want food and shelter and it makes me feel like a king.

All of my bills for a month, including food and gas, only comes to about $550. I'd rather spend my money on traveling the world. Why buy a plasma screen television and watch the travel channel, when for the same price I could actually... travel.
 
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don't buy it - you'll regret it and there are much better ways to invest 6 grand online, right? You can make more putting that money into IM in a month than re-selling that guitar in 10 years would return

PS: I don't know shit about guitars
 
they just crank out millions of these licensed 'custom' guitars ... it's just branding and marketing BS, don't fall for it. limited edition my ass, come on! don't be an ass.

catalogs are just like porn. only people look at porn purposely knowing it's going to make them want to bust a nut. if you look at a catalog just know it's going to make you want to bust out the credit card.
 
spazdr8cr said:
they just crank out millions of these licensed 'custom' guitars ... it's just branding and marketing BS, don't fall for it. limited edition my ass, come on! don't be an ass.

catalogs are just like porn. only people look at porn purposely knowing it's going to make them want to bust a nut. if you look at a catalog just know it's going to make you want to bust out the credit card.
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What he said.
 
Try reading "money is my friend" by Phil Laut. I've read it because it was recommended by Robert Anton Wilson in an intro to a hyposis book. Now, Laut is a nutcase and a LOA-believer, but the book even though it has more flaws than I can name is great about learning to enjoy your money while still saving and being reasonable about it. I really wish I could recommend a better book on that, but so far this is the only one I know that deals with these issues. It will help you find the golden middle between being a spendthrift and a frugal fuck. :)
 
It's interesting re how much money people go through. I've met quite a few people who've gone through millions and then they make it back again. That's just part of the cycle of the entrepreneurial like. Although many people say that Robert Kiyosaki is a fraud, he does drop some gems from time to time. He says in his book (Rich Dad Poor Dad) that there's a difference between being BROKE and being POOR. Your down times are when you were BROKE but since you have the entrepreneurial instincts to get back on your feet, you're never POOR. Compare that with people who have a POOR mentality--no matter how much cash they get, they still manage to lose it all.

Hang in there in the general ups and downs of the entrepreneurial ride. All of us take that trip at some stage(s) of our lives.
 
Dude,
When it comes to tempting guitar purchases I've been there so I feel your frustration. :)

But the solution is simple: don't get it. Since you have the 6 grand anyway - put them into something that will make you even MORE money (like into a ppc affiliate campaign) and then later on buy the guitar on eBay. (Trust me - they're never THAT limited). ;)

And btw - Ibanez rocks ;)
 
Wow, I have to give massive props to you guys ... I actually regretted posting the above and figured I was going to get flamed all to hell about it.

I don't really need frugality coaching ... not spending the money is not a problem; it just sucks when I see something I really, really want. I could totally pimp out my music room for around $20,000 but I don't, because at the end of the day it's just toys to masturbate my vanity. $20k is nothing ... it's not the dollar figure itself obviously. It's the purpose and intent behind the expenditure.

Anyway, thanks for all the feedback.

About spazdrc8cr's comment: if you have a single example of a Gibson Custom Shop instrument that was ever produced beyond its specified run, by all means post it. Not all GCS guitars have specified runs, but those that do are done when the run is over. I think in a couple of cases there have been second runs, but that is different from claiming something is limited then not limiting it. And as far as signature guitars goes, this one is probably the most anticipated guitar by collectors in years. I wouldn't be suprised if the 500 are sold in a couple of weeks to a month.


Frank
 
subigo said:
I actually love being frugal. It's just in my nature to not spend money. While I have nothing against people who love material things, I personally hate having a lot of stuff. I live in a studio apartment (albeit a really nice studio apartment), drive a ten year old car and sleep on an air mattress.

It amazes me that people want so much stuff. I think about all the people in the world that just want food and shelter and it makes me feel like a king.

All of my bills for a month, including food and gas, only comes to about $550. I'd rather spend my money on traveling the world. Why buy a plasma screen television and watch the travel channel, when for the same price I could actually... travel.
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Fucking well put.
 
fm1234 said:
About spazdrc8cr's comment: if you have a single example of a Gibson Custom Shop instrument that was ever produced beyond its specified run, by all means post it. Not all GCS guitars have specified runs, but those that do are done when the run is over. I think in a couple of cases there have been second runs, but that is different from claiming something is limited then not limiting it. And as far as signature guitars goes, this one is probably the most anticipated guitar by collectors in years. I wouldn't be suprised if the 500 are sold in a couple of weeks to a month.
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Sorry I was being a bit of a dick last night ... they do come out with a new limited edition this or that every other week though. It is pretty cool how they copy these guitars, there was an article in GW about the replica of Andy Summers' guitar, how detailed it was as to every scratch, etc. That would be cool to have.

But just don't do it, really, don't :rasta:
 
posted by spazdr8cr:
Sorry I was being a bit of a dick last night ...
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I didn't think so, just thought you were confusing GCS with the bunch of stupid douchebags who do come out with "strictly! limited!" guitars, the limits of which are defined by such stipulations as "once the world runs out of wood, we won't make any more." They're definitely out there, just not at GCS.

they do come out with a new limited edition this or that every other week though.
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Sure, people keep buying them though ... so I forgive them. I'd love to have a Slash Sig Les Paul, but at $4300 and up I can do without. The Epiphone has the same wood, same gorgeous finish, same electronics, and slightly different hardware, and costs $600 at MF. It's astonishing that people will pay a 733% markup for the Gibson logo on the headstock.

It is pretty cool how they copy these guitars, there was an article in GW about the replica of Andy Summers' guitar, how detailed it was as to every scratch, etc. That would be cool to have.
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I read that about the Summers' guitar ... I think that kind of thing is wacky actually, and will probably go out of style pretty quickly in economic hard times. I have bought a few true vintage guitars and other instruments in the past, but mainly for resale. The current vintage market is totally insane ... just like coins, totally fucking wacko the last couple of years.

But just don't do it, really, don't
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I won't, don't worry. The point of the OP was just to vent a little about how much I hate not buying stuff. I have a true addiction to connoiseuer-level shit but haven't bought anything along those lines in a long, long time ... my one serious indulgence is some imported coffee I drink that costs a retarded $18 a pound, but it's worth every dime in (Capulin.com in case you're interested - website's wacky but the coffee is unbelievable.)

It's just hard to maintain my austerity, which sometimes is admittedly a little over the top, when I've got the money. It was easy back five years ago or so when I was still in rebuild mode, and would tell myself "don't spend don't spend don't spend" but now that things are pointing in the right direction it gets hard to not blow the odd six grand on a guitar or ten-twenty+ on a watch (my other fatal weakness ... cars no longer do it for me, as fractional programmes are really doing astonishing things with the exotic car experience and the other accrouments -- boats for example -- simply no longer appeal to me.)

Unfortunately I'm also married, which with no offence to the lady WFers out there means that wasting money on stupid bullshit is sort of a foregone conclusion. But at least I'm not wasting it on stupid bullshit I would enjoy, that would be ... um ... stupid ... ?

Frank
 
I love to buy things but I don't because the fear of being broke terrifies me. You'de think I lived a previous life during the Depression I'm so fucking scared of going broke... or worse in debt. The fear is so pervasive that even though I'm doing alright for myself at the moment I'm forcing my husband to put all the money I make (less for bills and taxes) into a savings account until I've been doing this for a year, only then will I be able to relax and stop being such a tight wad.

Has anyone else had the first year jitters after they quit their job and started doing AM full time?
 
Drink more and get a girlfriend (if you don't have one now, and if you do, another one can't hurt) - then I doubt you'll have issues being frugal... ;).
 
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