Beating Broke

How We Saved Money on Our First Camping Trip

August 7, 2023 By MelissaB Leave a Comment

The last time my husband and I last went camping was 22 years ago. We weren’t fans of the experience, so we never made camping a priority. However, several of our friends decided to go camping with their families this summer, and we somewhat hesitantly agreed to join. Even though we had no camping supplies, we saved money on our first camping trip using several different techniques. By the way, we didn’t mind camping this time, especially since our kids enjoyed it so much. We have another trip planned in October.

How We Saved Money on Our First Camping Trip

We didn’t want to buy a lot of items in case we decided (again) that camping wasn’t for us. We only purchased the following:

A Tent

We bought a 9-person tent from Amazon that was $149.99. However, we bought it on sale for $99.99. In hindsight, I should have bought it in person. I didn’t realize that the tent had large mesh openings that didn’t have flaps inside to close them. Instead, there’s a rain flap that goes over the whole tent. While the design is acceptable for summer camping, I think we’ll get cold when we go in October because we can’t close off the mesh openings.

Sleeping Bags

We had one sleeping bag at home, so we bought three more. I also purchased these on Amazon during a sale. Each sleeping bag was $22.99. After our first camping trip, our daughter’s sleeping bag already had a hole. We weren’t happy with that.

Camping Cooking Utensil Set

We bought a camping cooking utensil set for $24.99, which included a sharp knife and roasting sticks. Because we didn’t want to spend any more money on cooking gear, we cooked all our food on a stick over the fire—hot dogs, s’mores, breakfast sausage. We called it stick cooking. Anything that we couldn’t cook on a stick we ate cold.

Wood

On the day of the camping trip, we bought wood for $7.99. We went through that wood in one day, so we’ll need to buy a larger quantity when we go in October.

We spent $202 on the abovementioned necessities for our first camping trip.

What I’d Like to Buy in the Future

If we continue to camp, there are a few other items we’d like to make the experience more enjoyable:

Inflatable Mattresses

My husband and I aren’t young anymore, so we’d prefer sleeping on an air mattress rather than on the ground.

A Grill Grate

While cooking with a stick was fine for the first trip, it might get old on the second trip. If we camp more often, we’d like to buy a grill grate to put over the fire and hold a pan to cook eggs and other foods.

A Better Tent

Our tent is fine for warm weather, but if we continue to camp in the fall and spring, we’d like one that does a better job keeping us warm.

Final Thoughts

We spent $202 on our original outlay of camping supplies. We’ll likely wait until we’ve had another camping trip or two to see if we need to buy more. Meanwhile, each camping trip we take helps reduce the price of our initial outlay of supplies.

Do you camp regularly? If so, which supplies do you find essential?

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The Pros and Cons of Working in the Auto Industry

August 4, 2023 By Erin H Leave a Comment

If you’re considering a career in the auto industry, you might wonder what working as a mechanic would be like. If you like cars and enjoy working with them, it may be the right career for you. Before you decide on an auto mechanic career, consider these pros and cons:

Fix Your Own Car

You may be offered a discount on auto parts for your own car. For example, a small auto part like a tire pressure gauge typically costs between $5 to $15. This amount may seem small, but several car parts can add a significant advantage as time passes. This can be a significant boost for your finances.

No College Needed

Working as an auto mechanic doesn’t require a college education. You only need a love for cars and a willingness to learn. You may be fortunate enough to attend a vocational school where you’ll receive training and experience. If not, you can find a shop willing to train you once you graduate high school.

Fast-Paced Days

The volume of work at a typical mechanic’s business will ensure you won’t be bored. Each car will require your effort and concentration. Some auto jobs may take up to two hours to complete. You’ll be busy doing what you love for the whole day.

Job Stability

As long as there are cars, auto mechanics will always be needed. For example, NerdWallet estimates a car should have its oil changed at least every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. A job as an auto mechanic will give you job security and a wide range of garages where you could work. If you ever relocate, you should easily find a new job.

Of course, with any job, there are some cons. Check them out below.

Noisy Environment

A typical mechanics’ shop can seem very noisy to the uninitiated. There are drills, fans, hydraulic lifts, and many metal parts. You may be one of the lucky ones who find a noisy environment doesn’t bother you. If not, you’ll need to invest in good earplugs.

Safety Risks

Safety risks exist when working with autos and the machines that repair them. Be sure you ask for training if asked to do a task you need to become more familiar with. There’s always a risk when working under a lift or jack. Some auto parts still contain asbestos, and accidental asbestos exposure is possible.

Dirty

When you work in a mechanics’ shop, you must cover your clothes. No matter how carefully you work, you’ll likely get covered by oil, grease, or gasoline. While some auto shops may supply and launder your uniforms, some do not. If your uniforms aren’t provided, that’s an expense you’ll need to assume.

Strenuous Work

Working on a car is a challenge. Some tasks take less effort than others, but most are strenuous. You’ll use power tools, move tires, and handle large auto parts. The difficulty will depend on the tasks you’ll do during the day.

Stressful Job

In addition to the hard work and the dirt, a job as an auto mechanic can be stressful. A mechanic’s shop is open for extended hours and weekends, and you may be asked to work long hours. A recent survey of auto shop workers reported 20% of them spend five working hours each week thinking about how stressful their jobs are.

Before becoming an auto mechanic, consider these pros and cons. Also, ask a garage manager if you can visit their shop before working there. If you love cars, the pros will likely outweigh the job’s cons. Remember to do your research and

Raising a Child Does Not Cost as Much as the USDA Estimates

July 30, 2023 By MelissaB 12 Comments

According to the USDA’s 2010 report, raising a child costs at least $220,000. This cost is the average cost a middle-class family pays for shelter, food, health care, clothing, transportation, child care, education and other expenses. They further break down the average cost per child per year as $11,800 to $13,880. Yikes! If you are on the fence about having kids, this report will certainly sway you in the direction of remaining childless.

However, as a mom to three kids, I can attest (as many other parents including Beating Broke can), that it doesn’t have to be this way. My husband and I have three kids, which, according to the report, should run us a minimum of $35,400 a year, not including our other expenses. My husband is just completing his Ph.D. and starting his career. While we count on him being able to make a large salary in the future, right now between his job and my part-time work from home, we are making a little less than $40,000. We are most definitely not spending $35,400 a year on our kids. Here is how we cut corners:

–Shop for clothes at garage sales. Babies and little kids don’t really care about their clothes; you can find fashionable, barely worn clothing at garage sales for less than $1 per piece or outfit. Save money this way. I know it is tempting to buy those adorable, brand new baby clothes, but babies outgrow outfits in weeks. Let someone else spend their money buying those clothes so you can snatch them up for pennies at a garage sale. If you don’t go to garage sales, check out Craigslist or eBay.

–Breastfeed if possible. Not every woman is able or willing to breastfeed, but if you are, breastfeeding can save nearly $1,000 that would have to be spent on formula for the first year of the child’s life.

–Use cloth diapers. Cloth diapers do require a large financial investment upfront, but they will last for the two to three years your child is in diapers, and they may even last for use by your next child. If cloth diapers make you squeamish, make sure to never pay retail for disposable diapers. By finding deals and using coupons, you should be able to reduce your diaper cost significantly.

–Accept all hand-me-downs. If you are the lucky recipient of hand-me-downs, please take them. Honestly, for a newborn, the only thing you need to buy brand new is a crib mattress and a car seat, for safety reasons. Everything else such as strollers, toys, cribs, clothes, etc. can be given as a hand-me-down or bought second hand.

There are some costs that you can’t save money on such as day care and health care. In all the other areas, there are ways to cut corners. Get in the practice of cutting corners when children are small and save the difference. Forgo the brand new outfits and large ticket items like a crib and instead go secondhand and save the difference. Bigger expenses loom ahead such as college. As Beating Broke stated in an earlier post, Stop Adding Up the Cost of Raising Children. It is possible to raise them for significantly less than the government suggests.

What are your suggestions for saving money when raising children?

photo credit: Sukanto Debnath