use Perl

• Different expenses. (Score:2, Interesting)

  by ct (2477)

  We struggle to make ends meet every month. But there's a reason. During my high flying dotcom days we bought a house, a much larger house than I would have otherwise.

  I have friends who make the same amount as I do who always say things like "I hope my new TiBook has been delivered when I get home." When I'm happy with my Thinkpad 600 (p2/266).

  The other piece, at least for me, is that I have two kids with one on the way. They are Dual Income No Kids.
• My impulse buys (Score:2)

  by jdavidb (1361)

  Are very infrequent. I went completely banannas in January and bought a two laptops: one for myself, and one for my brother. But I was still somewhat restrained: I bought refurbished ibooks.

  I eat out too much, but I'm changing that. I don't have any debt at all, so I can afford an impulse buy once in awhile. I try to always sit on an idea for awhile until I feel comfortable spending the money, and I always call up my father and ask his advice so he can talk me out of it. :) So while I have impulses a

  --
  J. David works really hard, has a passion for writing good software, and knows many of the world's best Perl programmers
• Cheap electronics (Score:1)

  by jdporter (36)

  Last fall I bought a laptop, my first ever. I was really tempted by the $1500-vicinity models, but I ended up getting a $1000 Toshiba Satellite, and I am extremly pleased with it. I wiped XP off its 20Mb hd and installed SuSE Linux, and it does everything I want it to. I figure, for an extra $500 I get -- what? A DVD burner and another 100 MHz of cpu? No thanks.
  
• Debt (Score:1)

  by jdporter (36)

  I'm convinced that most folks are digging themselves into serious pits of debt. (Not me, though.) Staggering debt is the American way, apparently.
  
  It's not just new electronic gizmos. I'm looking at all the McMansions going up, and all the Lincoln Navigators, etc. Now, certainly there are some well-paid lawyers, CEO's, etc. But not THAT many. I think it's debt, pure and simple.
  
  
• "Need" vs. "want"... (Score:1)

  by jweveland (1446)

  Mostly impulses seem to fall into the second category, so if you can ride out that initial urge, perspective takes care of the rest.
  
  Maybe that's why my after-hours support from home is *still* being done at 33.6k on a P-100, I dunno... or maybe just my impluses happen on things other than technology.
  
  Other "money eaters":
  Credit card interest: avoid at all cost. At least with a car loan or a house loan you have something tangible to show for the expense (and possibly a tax break).
  
  Kids: But worth it IMHO.
  • Re:"Need" vs. "want"... (Score:2)

    by autarch (914)

    I should clarify. I don't have a huge impulse buying problem. I probably bought more DVDs than I needed over the past year and I like to go book shopping, but I never made big ticket impulse buys (computers, stereo equipment).
    
    Now, my wife and I are on a more strict path, with less eating out (which was a big money waster for us). And last month, the first month we started being strict, we agreed to spend absolutely no money on non-food/rent/gas things, so no clothes, movies, concerts, etc. We did keep
• I've been wondering the same thing (Score:2)

  by hfb (74)

  We're DINKs with no debt and I don't feel like I could afford to go out and buy a new sports car. Perhaps there's a sugardaddy, sugarmamma or a trust fund somewhere lurking?