[Alfisti]

I am an inherent tight arse, I don't like wasting money. I'll spend it where it needs to be spent but i hate wasting and I always see conveniences and services as wasted money. The mrs and i clash on this as she loves her services and i say we should just do "it" ourselves.

However I had an epiphany this week. You see, Ontario has the absolute STUPIDEST milk packaging system on the entire fucking planet, i cannot describe the hatefulness of the "bag in a carrier" system. It is cheap, about $10 for 4 litres (a gallon) of organic milk. Gallon jugs are not sold in grocery stores so the next cheapest option is a 2 litre carton for about $7 if organic.

Whilst cheap, the baggy system is infuriating, they are barely over 1 litre a bag so you burn through them in no time and therefore always fucking about with the stupid bags. They are messy, they tend to stink, and storing the full bags in the fridge is a PITA as they flop about and generally make a nuisance of themselves.

So i finally buckled, i will wear the $4 a week and just rid my life of this fucking pest and aggravation.

I must be getting old.

For reference; https://www.cbc.ca/radio/costoflivin...nada-1.5409420

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I am an inherent tight arse, I don't like wasting money. I'll spend it where it needs to be spent but i hate wasting and I always see conveniences and services as wasted money. The mrs and i clash on this as she loves her services and i say we should just do "it" ourselves.

However I had an epiphany this week. You see, Ontario has the absolute STUPIDEST milk packaging system on the entire fucking planet, i cannot describe the hatefulness of the "bag in a carrier" system. It is cheap, about $10 for 4 litres (a gallon) of organic milk. Gallon jugs are not sold in grocery stores so the next cheapest option is a 2 litre carton for about $7 if organic.

Whilst cheap, the baggy system is infuriating, they are barely over 1 litre a bag so you burn through them in no time and therefore always fucking about with the stupid bags. They are messy, they tend to stink, and storing the full bags in the fridge is a PITA as they flop about and generally make a nuisance of themselves.

So i finally buckled, i will wear the $4 a week and just rid my life of this fucking pest and aggravation.

I must be getting old.

For reference; https://www.cbc.ca/radio/costoflivin...nada-1.5409420

Wow, yeah. That is seriously inane. Does anyone actually like that system? It seems like a major pain in the ass to me.

About the only unnecessary convenience I have is lawn mowing. My neighbor has his own little side gig mowing lawns, so I pay him to do mine. I could do it myself and did for years, but it seemed I was always twisting my ankle or screwing up a knee when I did it. He has a huge mower and does the leaf blowing and weed whacking and such. Once a week or so during the season he knocks out his yard (across the street), the neighbor's yard next door to him, and my yard. I like coming home to a freshly mowed and trimmed yard.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Wow, yeah. That is seriously inane. Does anyone actually like that system? It seems like a major pain in the ass to me.

It is universally loathed but the cartons are so expensive people just grind through it.

I quite like mowing but despise edging.

[vreihen16]

Telemarketer call blockers. I drop over $10/month in various paid services, and have them stacked on my personal phone because one isn't enough.....

[Tommy-G]

I would get along with your wife. I am all about conveniences. Anything within reasonable cost is good for me.
Our mall is packed year round, Ill valet for $7 and a $5 tip all day long to have a closed parking area and not have to worry about Mildred dragging along the side of my 335.
I have also gotten bad with food delivery services, we used to go out to eat 2-3 times a week but since COVID we tend to not go out for dinner anymore.

Trying to think of what other items I am willing to don up some duckets for convenience

[Alfisti]

Yeah nah not paying a valent unless forced.

[wtwo3]

All about convenience for me. Lawncare, in home maintenance, any type of manual work/labor.... I'll pay for.

I once changed a light fixture in my kitchen - vowed to never go through that experience again.

[o_g]

For property maintenance, I can't justify 300/mth for mowing the grass once a week. Fall and spring cleanup are another 450 per visit.

Winter snow plowing is 1500 per season - snow or sunshine. Eff that - I can do those myself.

Is kids tuition a convenience? We pay 140 per month per subject. It's useful.

Originally Posted by wtwo3

All about convenience for me. Lawncare, in home maintenance, any type of manual work/labor.... I'll pay for.

I once changed a light fixture in my kitchen - vowed to never go through that experience again.

[o_g]

We have another rental property. I use a property management company for that (RPM). They find the tenants and are the initial point of contact for any tenant / property issues - 24/7/365. It's approx. 10% of the rent.

You can go with an estate agent who MAY perform similar functions at a lower rate.

But the property management setup is very convenient and I don't need to be bothered with the tenants.

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by o_g

For property maintenance, I can't justify 300/mth for mowing the grass once a week. Fall and spring cleanup are another 450 per visit.

Winter snow plowing is 1500 per season - snow or sunshine. Eff that - I can do those myself.

Is kids tuition a convenience? We pay 140 per month per subject. It's useful.

Is labor more expensive in Canada? That's almost double what I'm paying for lawn mowing services once a week. I pay roughly USD $120/month (~$155 CAN). For snow removal it's USD $20 per visit. So I only pay when they visit after a snowfall... if no snow I don't pay.

[cmyx6go]

My idea of DIY is paying someone to do it for me. However, I draw the line at valet parking. I will go over the river and through the woods in search of the perfect parking spot and walk a mile to my destination. There is no way I hand over my keys. If I must valet or go to a parking garage, I tip well upon arrival.

Other than when we first went into lockdown and had a hard time finding certain things in the stores, I do my own grocery shopping.

Originally Posted by Tommy-G

I would get along with your wife. I am all about conveniences. Anything within reasonable cost is good for me.
Our mall is packed year round, Ill valet for $7 and a $5 tip all day long to have a closed parking area and not have to worry about Mildred dragging along the side of my 335.

[ryan stewart]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Yeah nah not paying a valent unless forced.

valet?

If so Im on board but not because cheap because of the inconvenience. Half the time youre leaving the same time as everyone else and youre waiting on the valet. Ill give you $5 for my key and just walk to my car NOW.

-painting for me. Currently have a crew in doing my house now. Im picky as hell so its not even the cost but passing off the control of the work but painting is just such a PITA.

[ryan stewart]

Originally Posted by o_g

We have another rental property. I use a property management company for that (RPM). They find the tenants and are the initial point of contact for any tenant / property issues - 24/7/365. It's approx. 10% of the rent.

You can go with an estate agent who MAY perform similar functions at a lower rate.

But the property management setup is very convenient and I don't need to be bothered with the tenants.

We talked about renting my girlfriends house but decided against it now but in the future if we keep my current and rent it when we upgrade. If so this is the ONLY way, full service. I want to forget the property exists other than a financial instrument, I dont want to see what renters do to a place I called a home.

[o_g]

Unfortunately, some of it is area-based pricing. If the pricing was more reasonable, I would chalk it up to a necessity.

The snow-plowing contract is especially unreasonable. I only paid one season, when we had a new-born with colic who kept us up till all weird hours of the night.

Originally Posted by wtwo3

Is labor more expensive in Canada? That's almost double what I'm paying for lawn mowing services once a week. I pay roughly USD $120/month (~$155 CAN). For snow removal it's USD $20 per visit. So I only pay when they visit after a snowfall... if no snow I don't pay.

[o_g]

Just be mindful to challenge the property management co. on repairs. Sometimes, the trades people are "hooked-up" with the management company.

For certain items related to furnace, air-con, washer / dryer, we sent our guy to confirm their estimates.

We also got a ridiculous estimate from the management co. on some plumbing repairs - 1300 to replace faucet regulator for shower. We elected to send in our own handyman / plumber who did it for 175.

And they try to throw in annual maintenance services which are purely a money grab, but you can choose to proceed for peace of mind.

Otherwise, they give you annual balance sheets which can be used to taxes, etc. Very convenient overall.

Originally Posted by ryan stewart

We talked about renting my girlfriends house but decided against it now but in the future if we keep my current and rent it when we upgrade. If so this is the ONLY way, full service. I want to forget the property exists other than a financial instrument, I dont want to see what renters do to a place I called a home.

[ryan stewart]

Oh absolutely. Currently at an HOA and the management company has their preferred vendor they always recommend to homeowners and they claim we get some sort of discount. Big companies like the pest crew, its actually cheaper if you do service on an agreed day. The plumber will rape you though, easily 20% higher than anyone else.

[Alfisti]

Some of the stuff you guys are listed is not so much convenience as it comes down to skill. I ain't fixing no furnace for example and other than basic receptacle replacement, i ain't touch electrical.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

would never pay for cleaners

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

would never pay for cleaners

This is the biggie. Wife absolutely misses that more than anything since covid started. At about $400 a month though, i don't miss it at all.

[Tommy-G]

So when we moved we didnt want to buy right away not knowing if we would stay or pick a different neighborhood.
5 years later we are still renting b/c of the convenience, guess thats kind of along your criteria.
I love not having to pay for pest control, lawn care, pool service, and maintenance....I truly must say our management company is very good to us and our landlord picked a good company. Our rent is well under market value too shockingly. Hopefully it doesnt sky rocket come July b/c there is no inventory to be had if we want to buy this year

[bucketfoot]

Two things for me... mowing the lawn and doing taxes.

Both come down to my wife. I don't mind mowing the lawn, but I do it on my schedule not hers. It was just easier to let her get someone to do it instead and quite frankly the cost isn't bad.

I used to do our taxes until my wife had to sit there and have me explain everything I was doing and why to her. Between tiring of that and our taxes being more complex these days, I'm happy to pay to have them done so that she can ask all the questions she wants!

[UncleWede]

Lawn care is a tough one for me. I LOVE spending all weekend in my yard. My wife's uncle retired, and he started coming around our house, do little things that soon became he took over my work. How am I to get any vitamin D if not from being shirtless in the yard????
He has totally BUTCHERED the edge next to the driveway. I had that shit lined UP, and now there are 3-4" (variable) along the edge, then some dirt, and . . .

Don't get me started on how he was told to murder some of my trees.


Electricity, please come and do that shit.


My biggest "convenience" issue is $4.95 this channel, $3.79 that channel. Just let me watch the freaking TV!!!!