Main > Living > Living on a budget > Running a vehicle
Thrifty car maintenance tips:
don't use the car for short trips or oil changes will need to be more frequent;
oil change: catch oil in a cutaway plastic drum, then reuse: carefully filter and recycle back into the motor. Or, reuse as a chainsaw bar lubricant, or as paint to preserve wooden palings and gates. Don't let car oil seep into waterways or gutters.
windshield wiper fluid: reduce wear and squeak of wipers by not using a solvent (alcohol-based) but a non-foaming type soap.
leaks: get underneath the car to examine the trunk and floorboards for holes, as fumes can be deadly (very costly).
tyres: rotate all the tyres including the spare, so as to get a bit of extra life out of them.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Living > Living on a budget > Running a vehicle
Genuine vs aftermarket: This is one of the biggest things you will do when buying parts for a car, if you know what you're doing: trying to decide if paying more for a genuine or name-brand component is better than a cheaper version or even second hand part.
It's a difficult area to negotiate, because you will always save something over the long term with a genuine part than a non-genuine or second hand, but the initial capital outlay is higher. You can only justify it if you keep the car long term (4-5 years) usually. If you try out two second hand parts within 6 months (because the first failed) you can be pretty sure that the failure rate makes buying a genuine part more sensible. The other rationale is that the more new genuine parts in your car, the less other cheaper parts will be placed under stress by inferior accompanying parts, and so the longer they will also last, saving you money. There is some validity to that, because a car with a certain threshold of new parts will last much longer than one that is below that threshold. The equation is linear to a point where you reach about 80% new quality parts. At that point, the car's performance and durability are enhanced exponentially (i.e. almost like a new car, which in fact it pretty much is). So my recommendation is to keep old, broken, under or non-performing, rusted, damaged and even cosmetically ugly parts down to a low minimum. An 80% new car can live with them but go under that and problems start occuring. With cars, a few problem parts can really balloon into a serious issue (i.e. a broken engine mount can ruin a gearbox, or a too-thin set of disc rotors can ruin brake pads and caliper parts).
myxlfidian (150)
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Main > Living > Living on a budget > Shopping
Best time to shop: Like many things, this is a delicate balancing act if you want to get it right. If you go shopping on the way to lunch, and you are fairly hungry but not too much, you will want to get in and out as soon as possible. You won't notice product superfluous to your mental list and you will be glad to leave. But if you go shopping when you are seriously hungry, your mental judgement will be impaired and you will buy more food in an overcompensation binge.
If possible, shop in an outlying and cheaper/lower socio-economic status suburb (waterside are best) just before you go to a seafood cafe for lunch, as long as its a lunch you really need hunger-wise. You'll get your mind off buying what you don't need and feel like you did more than just shop. You will also offset fuel costs with cheaper products, as the more run-down suburbs have cheaper grocery shopping.
myxlfidian (150)
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Main > Living > Living on a budget > Running a vehicle
Tyres: You will get over 15% more kilometres per tank of fuel with new tyres (all four) than older, more worn tyres. If you have good suspension parts and 6-month wheel alignments and tyre balancing/rotation, you may get 18 months of high performance life (i.e. high fuel economy) out of your tyres. If you save $12 a tank on fuel, you will only need to fill up some 35 times to pay for your new tyres.
Keep tyres inflated to 36psi by checking them every week. Buy a new tyre pressure gage and use that only when pumping up tyres at a gas station, as their gages are very overused and inaccurate.
Note: This is based on a medium-size 1988 Magna sedan that had four tyres worn down to illegal tread replaced with four new Goodyear tyres. The car drove 370km per tank when it previously managed only 320km, a 15% increase. The Goodyear tyres were Japanese made.
myxlfidian (150)
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Main > Living > Living on a budget > DIY
Vacuum-sealing: To store small items in a low-oxygen environment, use normal ziploc sandwich bags. Seal but for a small gap into which you insert a straw, and suck out the air. Works reasonably well for freezing food portions, like meat or tofu.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Living > Living on a budget > Cheap meals
A high-nutrient and cheap meat is liver (lambs fry).
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Living > Living on a budget > Health
No refrigerator, but need to refrigerate medication? Check the advice slip in the packet. Some medications that normally need to be stored at 2 - 6°C can be held at somewhat higher temperatures for up to 21 days, but then must be totally discarded. With these types, leave the whole package in the chemist's refrigerator, except for a couple of weeks' worth.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Living > Living on a budget > Holidays
What to bring to a backpacker hostel:
Sheets, towel and blankets to avoid paying hire fees.
Soap and thongs for the shower.
Knife, as the kitchen knives are often blunt or missing. Also, it's a good idea to wash the cutting board, crockery, cookware and cutlery before use, as backpackers are often sloppy washer-uppers.
Sleeping face-mask and ear plugs when sleeping in dorms.
Sanitary gel to wipe your hands. Many people do not wash their hands after using the toilets (just observe). Others may be carrying various transmissible diseases or infections.
A thermos, to drink boiled water from.
A head-torch, to avoid waking others when returning or leaving in the darkened dorm.
Living in greater numbers at close quarters can reveal more sharply the lack of consideration and hygiene typical of human beings.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Living > Living on a budget > Running a vehicle > Fuel
Increase fuel efficiency in these ways:
- Not driving at >90kph (saves 10% on fuel).
- Inflating tyres to the correct pressure.
- Accelerating gently.
- Avoid idling.
- Choose a small, light, aerodynamic vehicle, and avoid bulky items like luggage pods, roof racks, bicycles and other protuberances.
- Avoid using the air conditioning system.
- Maintain the vehicle well.
- Avoid carrying excess fuel or weight in the vehicle.
- Walk or cycle instead.
- Try to avoid gravel roads or hilly routes.
- Avoid congested routes. But if a manual vehicle is stuck in slow-moving traffic, try to choose first gear and creep along at a steady pace without the accelerator.
- Maintain the fuel tank at least half full at all times, to keep the engine cool.
- Load heaviest items over the axles rather than overloading the nose or rear.
- If possible, drive with a tail wind.
- When raining, avoid driving in puddles collected within wheel grooves on the road.
- Wear clothes and shoes to suit the temperature, instead of turning on the heater / cooler.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Living > Living on a budget > Cheap meals
Choose organ meats (kidney, heart, liver). There is huge supply and very low demand for these high-nutrient foods. People dislike the strong odours and slightly bitter flavours, so:
1. To reduce strong smells while cooking:
First slice meat thinly, then heat olive oil, a few cloves of crushed garlic, and a bay leaf. Add sliced meat and cook to medium. Let rest.
2. To reduce bitter flavours:
- Braise or pan-fry first in a little oil and red wine, to increase simple sugars.
- Don't overcook. Keep slightly moist, to avoid concentrating the strong meaty flavours.
- Add sweet vegetables like pumpkin, and quick-cooked fresh baby peas and fresh corn.
- Combine with other lighter-flavoured meats, as in "steak and kidney pie".
- Serve with a fresh garden salad dressed in a little of your favourite vinegar.
3. Eat a small amount, e.g. no more than 100g or so at a meal.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Living > Living on a budget > LETS
Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS) tips:
- The main difference between capitalism and LETS is what growth means: for the former, it means a few very wealthy members have a massive amount of credit, while the overwhelming majority are in relative debt; while for the latter, LETS growth means: an overall balance between buying and selling, based on a high frequency of buying and selling transactions by all members. Thus, LETS growth is not about more positive balances in bank accounts, but more interactions between all members. This is also the basis of a healthy, resilient community.
- Save federal currency for imports and non-local bills and goods, like phone and internet, doctor's fees, fuel, electronics, etc.
- Create economic resilience of a local community, separate from global economics.
- Avoid converting federal currency into the LETS currency when producing goods. For instance, sell items made from raw materials you can grow or obtain freely, such as "weeds" and other unwanted things. Buying in federal currency, to sell in LETs currency, means you have less of both.
- Trade with other locals in your own currency, for goods and services produced locally, but trade with non-locals in the federal currency.
- Find out what other locals need, then produce a unique, interesting solution to that need.
kellyjones00 (593)
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Main > Living > Living on a budget
Avoid credit cards: by using a cash or debit card rather than a credit card you won't be able to spend more money than you have. If you tend to get carried away when shopping you should seriously consider this option.
thesource (378)
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