Recovery Quiz. How much money did you spend yesterday?

[MADem]

Excluding the basic costs of maintaining your residence (rent, mortgage, light bill, etc.) how much money did you part with yesterday? How much cash did you hand over when you opened the wallet, wrote the check, or swiped the card? Don't forget that fill-up at the pump, that coffee at the snack bar, the lunch with co-workers, the mad dash to the grocer for supplies...or maybe you purchased clothing, or a new luxury item or necessity?

Explain your purchases, if you feel like it.

[Adelante]

1. I voted not one thin dime

Then I remembered I did give ten bucks to a poor old lady in my neighborhood who has no family. So I didn't spend anything on myself.

[Morning Dew]

2. let's see, news box copy of NY Times @$1.50 plus lunch at Schlotzky's @ $8.00...

thermos refill @ $1.29
snacks at work @ $1.29

$12.08 total

[960]

3. I spent $48 for dinner & tip + $90 for my cleaning lady yesterday.

Big splurge.....any other day this week would have been 0 to under $20.

[EndersDame]

70. good for you tipping your waiter

O8)

[Staph]

4. I bought a new Ford Fusion Hybrid!

and traded in my 15-year-old Plymouth Neon. With the price of gasoline going up 50 cents in the last month, it was now or never.

It was the biggest check that I have ever written. But I love my new car!

[MADem]

6. Hey, Big Spender!!! Congratulations on your new vehicle! nt

[SharonRB]

11. Congrats!

But maybe you should have waited for Cash for Clunkers to pass and go into effect. You most likely would have been eligible for it unless your Neon was getting amazing mileage.

[Staph]

67. It would depend on Cash for Clunkers.

I was still getting between 30 and 35 miles per gallon in the Neon. But the A/C didn't work, the cruise control didn't work, and it had a bit of an oil leak.

I will miss the old girl, but the Fusion Hybrid is a tech geek's dream. I'm going to wreck this baby some day, paying too much attention to the cool stuff on the dashboard and not enough attention to the road.

[Selatius]

53. That's excellent. I checked out the specs on it at Ford's website.

http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/fusion/models/index.asp

Hybrid was the most expensive, but in the long-run, the amount of money it saves you in terms of gas expenditures will likely more than offset the loss, especially if gas prices continue to climb upward, and I think they likely will.

[Kalyke]

100. Yay!

The best hybrid I've seen on the market. :)

[cboy4]

5. New hard drive, install for my MAC at the Apple Store

$117.24 with tax.

Ugh

[luvspeas]

7. zero...

drove to work, brought my lunch, came home, watched a netflix movie, and ate leftovers. priceless.

I did turn on the TV this morning and some absolutely CRAZED woman was going off about how people are going to BUY BIG this season because of their pent up frustration about not being able to buy shit.

After being unemployed for almost a year, buying big is the last thing on my mind. I spent the last few months wishing I didn't buy all that garbage, and I'm not about to make the same mistake twice, recession or not.

[Bill McBlueState]

8. about $17

$2 for an iced coffee in the afternoon, and $15 for dinner supplies and beer on the commute home.

[SharonRB]

9. I didn't spend any cash

but it was payday, so I paid my end-of-the-month bills -- mortgage payment, gas bill, phone bill, one cell phone bill, etc.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

10. Between $50 and $100

Gas and groceries, what else?

[tammywammy]

12. Around $50

It was around $30 to fill up my tank, then another $9 on lunch and around another $10 on other purchases yesterday.

Today I've spent over $60, I spent $55ish at Office Depot, $10 on lunch, $3.50 on a Monster and bottle of water this morning.

[Speck Tater]

13. I did my monthly grocery shopping on Thursday.

Except for utility bills that just about all I ever spend in a month.

[SmileyRose]

14. I spend $2136 a month - every month.

That's all there is and we use every single cent of it out of necessity - however, various small portions of that are "spent" to a savings account for the next home maintenance or car repair project.

[hfojvt]

15. I did happen to buy dog food yesterday

$14.20 for a 40 pound bag. Also paid my water bill, but you excluded that. I bought some groceries on Thursday, $15-20 (I don't remember how much I spent)

[imdjh]

16. $195 - $70 groceries 4 mom, $40 groceries for me, $80 clothes for me, $5 lunch for me. nt

[Ikonoklast]

17. Yesterday's total expenditures.

I keep track of everything, every day I'm on the road.

Fuel: $410.86
Scale Ticket: 8.00
Dinner: 14.36
Tolls: 18.50
Coffee: 1.49
Lumper Fee: 50.00
--------
Total: $503.21


The lumper fee will be re-imbursed by the shipper after I submit my paperwork, but it is still an out-of-pocket expense that I have to pay.

All in all, a pretty typical day for me. And that's just about every day I'm out on the road.

Adds up in a hurry.

[Morning Dew]

19. What's a lumper fee? I've never run across that term. nm

[Ikonoklast]

26. Freight unloading fee.

Mostly at food warehouses and distribution centers. If you cannot break the load down to their desired count per pallet, so many cases per layer, stacked so high, etc., they have a service you can employ to do it for you, i.e. 'lumpers'.

Some DC's are tolerable, will let you on the dock, use their pallet jacks, and you could unload the product yourself, and save the money. The shipper or broker will pay that fee to me, to unload their product.

Some DC's do not let you on their dock, citing insurance or some such b.s. reason (I carry Worker's Comp and have a valid certificate to show them) and will charge exorbitant rates to unload.

I make sure that on every load I get in writing on a load confirmation, which is a legal, binding contract, just who is responsible for paying those fees, and how they will be re-reimbursed.

I am paid for the exclusive use of my vehicle for transportation of their product. How, and who unloads it is extra, and must be negotiated in the rate.

[Morning Dew]

42. thanks ! I was unfamiliar with the term. nm

[MADem]

22. Ouch. The fuel expenditure ALONE!!! That's some tank!

You can't travel on wisps of fog and pale moonlight, though, can you?

I'm curious too, about that "Lumper Fee!"

[Ikonoklast]

28. I just calculated my current mileage on this round.

Twinsburg, OH Deadhead
Canton, OH P/U
1st Stop Harrisonville, MO
2nd Drop Pauls Valley, OK

5.94 MPG.

Now, that's on a light load, 32,000 lbs. of product, and I kicked off all but 13K in Harrisonville on Thursday, so I ran down her mostly empty.

You don't want to know about the load of sweet corn I hauled out of Belle Glade, FL to Delaware, OH last week. 42K of crated corn and top ice put me over max gross of 80K, by a few pounds, but pulling that load up Fancy Gap in Virginia, and then Flat Top in West By God, put me under 4mpg.

[Art_from_Ark]

115. Lumper fee

I did a stint as a lumper way back when, unloading trucks at a Wal-Mart warehouse. I got paid $18 for 4 hours of lumping.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. My "recovery" is highly overrated and completely imaginary. But, I'm not a banker.

[Merlot]

49. At least you have an "imaginary" recovery...

I'm not there yet!

[fortyfeetunder]

20. No opportunities!

I wasn't anywhere I could spend money. Today, I need to shop for weekend dinner, mainly veggies.

[flvegan]

21. Around $1,000.00

I bought groceries, $50 (including beer)

The a/c guy was out for the 3rd day, $550

I helped someone out with their electric bill, couple hundred

Paid my storage bill, $120

Filled up with gas both for the car and the gas can for the mower, $40

Yeah, Friday sucked for me.

[LWolf]

23. $316.00

$13 on incidentals at the grocery store: soap, bread, etc..

$32 at the pump.

$271.00 to the vet, who has been treating my sick horse and waiting for my payday to be paid.

That $271 came out of the account I've been saving in to buy hay for next winter. The hay situation will become a crisis towards the end of September, if I can't find a way to replace what the vet bills have cost me.

[MADem]

40. I hope your horse is better, and that you find a way to "make hay while the sun shines!" nt

[LWolf]

95. She is much better, thanks.

I got a full night's sleep last night for the first time in a week, and now I can get to work on "making hay."

:hi:

[MADem]

97. Hay, yaaay! Glad the horse is doing well, too! nt

[TheWatcher]

24. Since "The Recovery" is based on Propaganda and Hot air, this should be "The Fake Recovery Quiz."

[MADem]

31. Well, the purpose of this exercise is to get an impression of how much money is

flowing outward to fuel said recovery--it's not a commentary on the success or failure of the entity.

[TheWatcher]

34. Since it doesn't exist in the first place, all of that is irrelevant.

But I do get the point.

I spent $60.00 yesterday.

[Blue_In_AK]

25. I said I didn't spend a dime,

but actually I paid my phone/internet bill ($81.00) and made a $20 donation to some children's cancer fund that I committed to back in March and forgot to pay before now.

[rainbow4321]

27. Roughly $52

Daily trip to 7/11 (diet coke and pastry for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, pack of cigs). $15

Diet coke and twix bar to go with lunch (from junk food machine..$2.00)


Small pack of cookies from junk food machine to get me thru the last 2 hours of my day ($1.00)


Dinner from Sonic ($6.00)

Dog food, a few health and beauty items, and paper plates (from CVS) $28

[abq e streeter]

29. yesterday happened to include both a yearly physical at the Dr. and 70$ for saxophone repairs

a pretty expensive day....and with all the other running around, I ate in restaurants twice ( not extravagant though; 6 and 7 dollar meals).

[rucky]

30. 15 Buckos

Food & Gas

[Fumesucker]

32. Nothing yesterday..

Today I bought a Sunday paper from the seller on the side of the road for $1.00 and put $10.00 in the gas tank.

Tomorrow through Wednesday at least I plan on spending zip..

[lpbk2713]

33. I'm right on the line between two of the choices.

I put fifty bucks in a graduation card.

Oh, and if 'gambling' is a legitimate expense in your poll, I bought $5 in Lotto tix.

[MADem]

37. Sure, gambling's in there--if you opened you wallet for anything other than

keeping the roof over your head and the power turned on, it's fair game!

[Fuzz]

35. Nothing but, mortgage interest accumulated, I used energy, 1 day of internet usage billed monthly,

etc.

So, I guess I spent money, just not directly. ;)

[PufPuf23]

36. About $175 by phone for 3 rare books/pamphlets

Anthropological research notes from UC Berkeley on CA Native Americans. One will be a present to a friend.

Otherwise I did not leave home.

I have a bad book jones (and a wonderful library in some areas) that I have kept in check because of finances for going on 5 years.

I spent $300 plus for rare books in Fall 2008 one day.

Pre-2005, I spent lots for books. Blush.

I have a rider on my home owners insurance just for books.

[WCIL]

38. $232.71

I spent $176.21 at the grocery store (both kids are home from college - yikes!) and $56.50 to fill up a Toyota Camry and a Honda Civic. The gas should last a while, the groceries not so much.

[Individualist]

39. $35 for a prescription refill -

after my insurance co-pay.

[bigwillq]

41. About $80 (nt)

[deoxyribonuclease]

43. About $11 of groceries from Trader Joe's

[surrealAmerican]

44. about $45.

groceries for the weekend ($42), and a shirt for my daughter ($3).

[customerserviceguy]

45. Just over twenty

it was my Friday night treat at my favorite beer bar, where I added four more to the list on my way to the 101 beer club!

[Catshrink]

46. I hit Starbuck's in the morning

but that's it. I limit myself to one trip to Starbuck's a week.

[Jennicut]

47. I went grocery shopping...$165.

I have two kids and I live in CT.

[Cid_B]

48. Spent 200 bucks or so..

on misc.. stuff for Afghanistan.

[Selatius]

50. It was just after noon. There was a small bar by the post office. Two beers = 4.00. Tip was 2.00.

I was job hunting. The opportunities were looking scarce.

[csziggy]

51. Nothing - we didn't go anywhere

We worked on building drawers for our under the stairs tool cabinet that has been a long term project. I cooked - tuna steaks in puff pastry with a dill/ginger/lemon sauce, rainbow chard sauteed with onion & garlic with balsamic vinegar.

And to go in the freezer for eating while I recover from my surgery, two bacon, Vidalia onion, and cheese quiches. I've been cooking and freezing stuff for a month so while I am not able to cook we don't have to use pre-packaged or fast food. I freeze a lot of foods anyway so on busy or bad days we have "fast food" out of the freezer.

[MADem]

52. Wow, that sounds like some good eats--we'll be over for dinner!! heh heh!

What sort of surgery will you be having? Hope you sail through it.

[csziggy]

55. I'm a decent cook, but I have my misses

Surgery is seeing what they can do for my right shoulder. I think I've simply worn through the cartilage on it - I hope that is all it is. I've getting nervous - I had surgery on my left shoulder in 1994 after a catastrophic accident. They thought it would just be routine but they ended up having to totally reconstruct the joint. This time the surgeon (same one) is making no promises. He remembers the other shoulder and doesn't want to raise my hopes that this one will be less complicated. But this time I did NOT have a horse rear up and snatch the shoulder, so I am really hoping it will be simple.

I am making no plans for anything after the surgery other than cooking ahead. I'll be happy if I am only in a sling for a few weeks and have to go to the gym for a couple of months of therapy.

[MADem]

58. Good luck--I hope it is a simple fix! nt

[Dervill Crow]

54. Ooops, I clicked incorrectly.

I said less than $5, but it was a lie. I forgot I picked up meds yesterday.

I spent $20; $15 copay at the pharmacy and $5 for a triple 20-ounce soy latte at the adjacent espresso stand to get me through Friday afternoon.

Yes, I embrace the cliche.

[LeftyMom]

56. $2.29 on a loaf of bread.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

57. $4.50

at the drug store- I've maxed out my copays for medications for the year (ending in july), and got 5 prescriptions filled :bounce: I got a drink and some hot packs.

[uppityperson]

59. cat food, chicken food, splurge on used books, gas. $75

[MADem]

60. Chicken food!!! Cool! nt

[cliffordu]

61. I handed out my two cents several times......

[MrSlayer]

62. Somewhere between 50 and 100.

Not sure of the exact number.

[babylonsister]

63. Nothing, but I shopped on Thursday and spent $ today, so

this poll needs to be expanded, dammit! :)

[quaker bill]

64. I spent a fair amount

Several hundred, my daughter graduated high school yesterday.

[MADem]

66. That'll add up! Congratulations to your daughter! nt

[fizzgig]

65. ten bucks, maybe

not bad for two packs of smokes, a lighter and a tea

[Name removed]

68. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MADem]

69. But way more were frugal farts, and spent not a dime!

It's interesting how you can take one thin slice, one single day, and get such a wide variety of responses. It's an interesting cultural snapshot!

[blogslut]

72. How lovely for you

Able to attack others from the safety of your anonymous internet connection.

I am sorry that your financial situation is so precarious that you feel the need to lash out at others with more resources than you.

Perhaps what you need is a helping hand. Have you taken the steps to get the aid you need?

I understand being in a place where the next meal is not there. That place sucks.

Just the same, lashing out gets you nowhere.

If you need help, just ask. You would be surprised at the generosity that this board offers, if you would just take a moment to ask for assistance.

[MADem]

73. The help he needs has to come from within, I fear.

He's just now gotten into lecturing others about how awful and consumeristic they are (without even knowing them--nothing like acting without information, eh?). Like I always say, "Consider the source."

He's got some whacky thesis working in another thread he started; and is getting his ass handed to him in it. It's almost flame-baitish, but not quite cleverly outrageous enough to be that--it's more like watching a dullard swinging a cudgel (at a crew armed with submachine guns--not a terribly pretty sight): http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5752157

[blogslut]

76. Well

I've been in the position where hope is nothing more than words.

I really think this DUer may be at the end of the rope.

That is a bad place. I do not wish it on anyone.

I will put out good vibrations for this person. I want them to have the resources they need.

After all, this is America. We're supposed to take care of each other.

If we don't no one else will.

[MADem]

78. He wants all of us to get rid of our "resources."

He's proud of his frugality and wants to be the arbitor of what's "acceptable" sacrifice for the average citizen.

However, I agree, this person could probably use some "resources," but perhaps of the "non material" variety.

[EndersDame]

71. I bought items to make dinner but the sink fucked up and had to go out

we couldnt even wash pots and pans.We had to start washing dishes in bathtub (man do i feel country) land lady is taking her sweet time getting it repaired (we live in a garage apartment built in the 50s and it is falling apart)

[MADem]

80. Now THAT sucks. We never realize how much we use the kitchen sink until it's broken.

I hope your landlady gets the spirit, soon. If not, you should check into the laws in your state and find out if you can hire a plumber and take it off the rent, if she doesn't get going ASAP.

If it's a garage apartment you're in, it might be one of those illegal ones--tell her you're going to call the local housing authority and complain if she doesn't get off the dime. She won't want that to happen if she's in a position where she's not acknowledging to the government that her garage is an apartment and isn't paying the proper taxes on it.

[RB TexLa]

74. Not my job to help revive the North American economy, I'll keep my money for myself.

[wyldwolf]

75. I wasted $16. on an awful movie, cold popcorn and a coke.

[MADem]

81. What was the movie? So that we can avoid it, if not the popcorn? nt

[wyldwolf]

86. Drag Me To Hell... and it did.

[MADem]

91. ++++++++1!!!!!! That's the best (and most succinct) film review I have EVER read!!

:applause:

[Franzia]

77. Zero,zip, zilch, nada.

Involuntary unemployment tends to have that effect on day-to-day discretionary spending.

I pay bills from savings and spend nothing on anything else excepting the very occasional (cheap) takeout meal from the Vietnamese restaurant down the street.

[madeline_con]

79. Don't forget, Saturday is shopping day; groceries, dollar store, etc. for many. n/t

[MADem]

82. I wrote this on Saturday, asking about "yesterday" which would have been Friday.

I suppose I should have just said "Friday" instead of yesterday, but I honestly didn't anticipate this much response.

It's a series of fascinating slices of life, though, that we see in the many responses. My favorite thus far was spending money on "chicken food!" Those lucky chickens! There's something about chickens that makes me smile!

[madeline_con]

87. It may not be a typical daily amount, in many cases.

Maybe a typical week, gorceries, entertainment, what's frivolous, and what do we really need type reflection question would help us all see where we can cut back. I bought some steak sandwiches and rented some movies. We never rent movies unless school is out for long holidays or summer. So that's not typical for us. Good poll, though.:hi:

[MADem]

89. I know--I figured it wouldn't be typical for everyone--more of a snapshot.

And I suppose depending on the time of year anyone asked this question, it would shift--around December, you'd see holiday gifts, near the card industry holidays (Mother's/Father's/Valentine's Days) you would see output related to those events, and so forth.

Mmmmm....steak sandwiches! I haven't had one of those in eons!

I am getting a kick out of the responses...to say nothing of ideas!!!

[Vickers]

83. I spent $17.99 on a big bottle of Evan Williams.

Mmmmmmm...bourbon.

:P

[MADem]

90. Shows what little I know!

I'm thinking...WATER? (Evian was probably firing that synapse). Then I thought.....perfume? After shave? That stuff that kids spray all over themselves?

Bourbon, eh? Now that's a horse of a different color!

[Vickers]

93. I got no use for water and perfumes and such.

:spank:

[MilesColtrane]

84. Four bucks for two newspapers, that is all.

[havocmom]

85. Just the money for the electricity to run the computer, a fan, fridge and some laundry

otherwise, nada. I did do some online shopping research and will be buying a hammock at some point during the week. Anybody know if mayan.com really is a co-op of crafts people who get most of the money for the hammocks?

[Tracer]

88. $82 for groceries. $12 for the tow truck.

Brake line broke, brakes failed --- luckily in the grocery store parking lot.

I think it's time to get rid of my 14 year old car!

[MADem]

92. BUMMER! Will it cost a lot to fix? nt

[wyldwolf]

94. sitting in your air conditioned house with a turkey sandwich and Mt. Dew... priceless.

[roody]

96. I wrote a check to mail to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

I don't think that is called spending.

http://www.bestfriends.org/

[MADem]

102. Well, whatever you call it, it's a nice thing to do.

I stopped by a no-kill volunteer shelter the other day and gave them a donation and some "stuff" for the animals. Those places are in the hurt locker with this economy.

[TommyO]

98. More than twenty, less than fifty.

Two tiki torches, oil for said torches, and mini-blinds for the laundry room.

[MADem]

103. Ah, tiki torches! Summer is almost here! When's the party? nt

[TommyO]

108. June 27th!

With any luck, the pool will be warm enough to swim in by then. The solar heater works great, when there's sun, the water was up to 80 degrees on Memorial Day, the following day, after cold, wind and rain, it was down to 70. After today's sun, it's up to 74.

[kjackson227]

99. Now that I think about it, I voted in the wrong area. I actually spent...

more than $300 on Friday (May 29). I had to take my black lab to the vet to get his broken tooth extracted.

[JitterbugPerfume]

101. I spent around $400

most of it was on food . I also bought some old books, a casio keyboard at a thrift store for $12 and it works fine, a pair of shorts,cat food , bird seed,some perennials Thats about it.

[proteus_lives]

104. Just a couple bucks yesterday.

I didn't need anything.

Today will be different. I need smokes and I need to pay the monthly fee for my parking space. I may also do a light-grocery run.

Wednesdays are usual the big spender days for me. I pick up my comics and run most of my errands on hump day.

[MADem]

109. Comics! I used to read those like mad as a kid. I wish I had every comic I ever bought.

I know that most of them would be worth a king's ransom.

[proteus_lives]

111. I've been collecting since I was six.

My comic book collection is the most valuable possession I have. They really do appreciate in value. I have over twenty longboxes worth, (actually number unknown) and while some will never be worth more then a few bucks, I have individuals issues that are worth over a $100. It's a great investment. (That's not the main reason to collect but it's a nice side-effect.) I always encourage to collect things and have hobbies, they are part of what makes life worth living! (sorry about the long response, I could go on about comics for hours! :-))

"I know that most of them would be worth a king's ransom."

Friend, you don't know the half of it! :hi:

[MADem]

112. I used to enjoy the old Superman and Batman, and when I was in a mood for comedy,

the Archie franchise with Jughead, Betty and Veronica (I am dating myself, I guess).

You should scan them--that way, you can "thumb through" them without having to handle them overmuch. What a fine hobby!

[proteus_lives]

118. Good ones!

Those are some classic choices. I do a lot of scanning, I'm part of a comics community over at IJ. I protect the comics themselves after reading, by putting them in a plastic bag supported by a board to keep their shape. I have comics from 40 years ago that are still in mint condition.

If you like the Silver Age Superman and Batman, check out superdickery.com it puts a funny spin on those old classics!

[Hayabusa]

105. More than $100

$50 at a hardware store for a fan and shelving (for my comic collection that is keeping my town afloat with my own personal spending, LOL)
$30-odd dollars for some groceries.
Gas.

[MADem]

110. Two mentions of comics in one thread--what are the odds!!!

Especially in a thread where the subject isn't comics.

Look just upthread!!!!

[lefthandedlefty]

106. I went to Dollywood got season passes

I still spent less than wife going to Wal-Mart and enjoyed myself which is something I don`t do that often.

[Norwood]

107. Tossed $25 bucks into the gas tank, bought two energy drinks and a pack of smokes

So around $36-$38 bucks

[Broken_Hero]

113. not a dime, stayed home all day

rewatching some Smallville.

[Rex]

114. I spend no money unless I need something.

No wants. I suspect a majority of Americans and people around the world are now just getting by and just buying needs.

[ecstatic]

116. Around $500... on vacation

Jekyll Island, GA!

[eridani]

117. $ 178 at consumer co-op

They had some of my shade L-14 in vegan make-up, so I bought out all they had in addition to my grocery tab. It will last for quite a while, though. Copper River salmon down from $30/lb to $12/lb, so I thought I'd pounce before it was all gone.

[Touchdown]

119. Tonight is June 2nd. So my mortgage went out yesterday.

I know you posed this friday, but it's still around.:hi:

[MADem]

120. OUCH!

I really like not having a mortgage. The downside is, you're generally old when you have that experience!!

[S n o w b a l l]

121. $20 to 2 guys from Salvation Army

For picking up some furniture and clothes I donated and for helping move my couch.