I've never financed an automobile. Even when I was driving 40K to 50K a year, I drove beaters. My most expensive car I've ever owned cost me $1200. In five years, I've only put a total of about $3000 in it, including tires. It's only been in a repair shop once- that was a fuel pump on the way home from IN.
I've never spent any money on home repair, except for materials.
I don't own a cellphone. The company buys it, and if I didn't need one for work, I just wouldn't have one.
No cable TV. I have Netflix. Like $8 a month. Probably wouldn't even have that if it weren't for the kids and wife.
I live without the newest, fanciest electronics. I've never spent more than $100 on a TV. Most of the time they've been between free and $25. One free TV I had for 8 years. I fixed it twice with 99 cent resistors from Radio Shack.
When appliances break, 90% of the time I fix them rather than replace them. Lawnmowers are the same way.
I buy power tools used, especially the way the economy is right now. No reason to buy a $200 Sawzall from Home Depot when I can buy one nearly new from any pawn shop for $50. Garage sales are even better.
I pick up stuff from trash piles. Sometimes you get lucky. I once salvaged a $500 set of Boston Acoustic speakers.
My most expensive piece of furniture is a $100 couch.
When I was shooting a lot, I had a membership to an outdoor range, about $200 a year. I was also on the board of a USPSA club. I set up the matches and shot for free. I picked up the brass after the matches. I bought primers in bulk. Last time I bought primers, they were $65 a case. I still have 3 cases. 8# of Winchester 231 lasts almost forever. I cast bullets from free wheelweights. The only thing I had to spend money on was the primers, powder, and range membership. I could shoot 5K rounds a year for maybe $300.
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