frugality

[fizzboy]

I did my taxes this weekend and learned I would be getting an $800 refund. I felt so good I went and bought a whole mess of compact fluorescent lamps to replace all of our incandescent bulbs. All of them. I found a place online that sells them at damn near wholesale cost ($2 for a 13w spring lamp, for instance) and has more varieties that you can

Comments

[saintevermore]

That's the most frugal thing I've ever heard of from someone in our generation, if indeed we are in the same generation. I and my amazon shopping spree feel shame. When I get my refund, which should consist largely of the quarter of my signing bonus they took from me, I resolve to put it to good use. Bravo on you, and your good example. You, sir, are what's right with the world. I loves you, Tyler.

[fizzboy]

It's never too late (or early) to start saving for your future. Even something as little as $5 a day socked away in savings or a retirement fund (even better) will make you a millionaire -- a God damned millionaire by the time you retire. The trick is to just make a little sacrifice here or there.

I still go on Amazon shopping sprees (you should see the list of things Jane and I are planning on buying... we keep a frackin list) but I make sure the purchases are with money that I have (not with credit) and I dare not touch my savings (which will probably all get drained when Jane flies off to China in a few months).

where?

[se7enofryan]

hey, I need some of them fluorescent bulbs. where'd you get 'em?

Re: where?

[fizzboy]

i got them from 1000bulbs.com but i'm thinking i may have gotten just as good a deal from a local light bulb store. Also, it wasn't apparent but a few of the specialty CFL bulbs have really slow startup times -- the R20, R30, and G25 bulbs, specifically. The normal "spring" bulbs from TCP (the site sells bulbs from multiple manufacturers) are wicked good and stupidly small. They light up immediately and put off a very nice warm light (from the 2700K versions). I really can't tell the difference between those and incandescents. Also, despite the slow startup from the specialty sized bulbs, they are extremely bright -- especially the R20 sized 5700K full spectrum bulbs. My floor lamp takes 3 bulbs but I had to shut one of them off as the room was way "too bright" (it's actually fewer lumens than the 75W incandescents) because of the very cool light they put out.

BTW, I did not know you were on LJ. Consider yourself friended, bucko. Now, to convince you to post something...

Oh... Austin? Back in Austin or elsewhere in the world are you

Re: where?

[se7enofryan]

Yup, I'm back in Austin again. Got me an apartment on 620. Still setting up. Hence need for bulbs.

You know far too much about bulbs. "Lumens." What kind of way is that for a man to talk? I'll show you a lumen...

And I wasn't on LJ until I posted that reply. Somehow posting anonymously just didn't seem right. Perhaps I shall blog again one day. Perhaps.

Re: where?

[fizzboy]

"Lumens." What kind of way is that for a man to talk? I'll show you a lumen...
[*cries*] Oh, you just don't know how much I've missed that sarcasm of yours. It's good to know that you're back.