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I’ve spent a lot of money over the past few days. Most of it has been for business (I’m finally turning my home office into an actual office), but still…it’s not as fun as it used to be. There was a time that spending would give me a rush, even if I were buying on credit. Every purchase I make now causes me a little pain. I’ll be happy when this is finished. Have I become a tightwad?
Here are some recent interesting posts from other tightwads around the web:
“First time homebuyers, think for yourselves!” admonishes Lynnae in a guest post at Five Cent Nickel. “If you’re a new buyer, do your research. Don’t blindly trust the ‘experts’. [...] It’s always wise to figure out what’s best for your financial situation on your own, rather than trust someone else to do it for you.” Excellent advice.
Elsewhere, Mrs. Micah has created the The Finwikian, a wiki devoted to personal finance topics and blogs. I’ve been considering something like this for the past year, but since Mrs. Micah has taken the initiative, I can let that idea go and point you all in her direction instead!
Finally, Richmomma has a story about bartering more, spending less, and saving useful stuff. I love to hear about people who barter their products and services — it’s a great way to exchange value with people in your community. But lately I’ve been having a hard time reconciling my urge for frugality (and saving things) with my urge to purge (and get rid of clutter).
Oh yeah — one final purchase I need to make is a laser printer. It’s not going to be used for high volume, and it doesn’t need to print color. I just need something Mac-compatible that won’t print pages that run in the rain. Any recommendations?
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March 9th, 2008 at 8:42 am
I bought the Samsung ML-2510 at officemax for about $50 and it works great.. prints really fast and worked out of the box with leopard.
March 9th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I got a great HP laser printer one ebay for a very low price - either $20 or $40 (I can’t quite remember). It was several generations old, but it prints just as well as a new one.
March 9th, 2008 at 8:58 am
March 9th, 2008 at 9:08 am
In a country with major spending and debt issues, please don’t feel bad about being a tightwad. Losing the emotion and “rush” while making purchases won’t make the world’s marketing departments happy, but your financial health will improve.
March 9th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Yeah - I’m a recovering gadget-junkie which had put me into some serious debt in my youth. I know that ‘rush’. I’ve found my best way to temper it is to make myself wait a week before buying that thing I feel I just HAVE to have today.
If I still feel it’s something I want / need a week from now, well then it’s probably a purchase I won’t regret.
March 9th, 2008 at 9:40 am
I just picked up a Samsung CLP=300 for $279. I didn’t want colour either, but for $279… I couldn’t resist. And now I really appreciate being able to print in colour.
March 9th, 2008 at 9:47 am
Welcome to home office design.
One way I counter the “pain” of buying stuff for work is to make a game of getting what I need at the best price I can find when I need it. I still feel a pang when I make a purchase, but my time is worth something, too, so I have to limit the due diligence and let it go. Buyer’s remorse doesn’t hit often enough to get more rigorous.
BTW — frugality is not the same as “saving things”. It’s about using resources wisely. Saving too many things wastes time, energy, and space, which means that it isn’t frugal at all. How much money would you save by keeping a rarely-needed or loved item vs. how much time, energy, and money is wasted by storing, moving, avoiding, cleaning, etc. the extra stuff? (We’ve learned this in theory, but still wrestle with reducing the “stuff” piles.)
March 9th, 2008 at 9:55 am
JD-
I just got a 2nd job (c’mon Roth IRA!!) as a prouct rep for HP. Printer technology is something I hadn’t thought about in a long time before starting this position. HP has LOTS of options at all price ranges. I would suggest looking online since it seems like most “big box” stores carry a limited selection of what HP makes. Some like Best Buy and Circuit City cater more to the photo crowd or only carry the giant models. Office Depot has the best selection of the office stores I’ve been to.
If you get a used model make sure you can easily get replacement toner for it.
*BTW-I’ve spent a good part of my weekend on Wasabe.com and your site. LOVE IT!
March 9th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I have a Brother 2040 that I got for about $50, it runs like a champ and works fine with Tiger and Leopard without any extra hassle. I got it from Amazon I think, but checkout dealmac.com
March 9th, 2008 at 10:02 am
One option to think about is getting a printer with a built-in network card, like this one from Brother:
http://www.amazon.com/Brother-HL-2070N-Network-Monochrome-Printer/dp/B0007KNZ8M
It’s a bit pricer than other options, but the convenience of being able to print without being physically connected to the printer is well worth it. (This is especially useful if you have multiple computers you want to share the same printer. Just hook the printer up to your router, load the drivers on all your networked computers (wi-fi or hardwired), and then print from anywhere in the house.)
Good luck with your search!
March 9th, 2008 at 10:18 am
In response to this: “But lately I’ve been having a hard time reconciling my urge for frugality (and saving things) with my urge to purge (and get rid of clutter).”
I too am frugal, but after seeing what hoarding did to my mother and her house, I think it is better to err on the side of giving away too much stuff rather than hang on to stuff just in case I MIGHT it. By giving it to Goodwill or to Free Cycle, someone else may be able to use it NOW.
When I went through my mother’s house after she passed away, it saddened (and angered me) that there was so much hoarded stuff that I had to go through, much of it now useless due to deterioration. While my mother was still living, the “stuff” had stood in the way of family times, since my mother would be too embarrassed by the condition of her house to have company over.
Over the years, I have learned a lot from http://www.flylady.com about organization and de-cluttering. When you have an organized house, there is less waste. I don’t end up buying a duplicate of something I already have. I can easily prepare healthy inexpensive meals at home in my clean de-cluttered kitchen, and hopefully other people are benefiting by the things I don’t use being donated to Goodwill. Yes, there have been a few times, I will think of something that I wish I hadn’t given away, but for the most part I treasure the peace of my home where I strive to only have things that I use, need, or want and that make me smile. I am an avid reader, but only own a handful of books (the rest I have given away or sold). For the most part I just use the library.
By the way, here’s an excellent link re hoarding:
http://www.helpinghoarders.com/index.html
March 9th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Cheap Samsungs are really the way to go [1710 (if they still make it) 2510 or 2010]. I’ve used them at home and work.
The 1710 is what we have at home - we got it 4+ years ago for around $100 CDN. It came with a starter toner and in the 4+ years we’ve replaced it once.
March 9th, 2008 at 10:23 am
oh yeah - and if you don’t need colour, don’t bother IMHO, as the cartridges usually end up being a hassle and further expense.
March 9th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Yeah Samsung Laser printers are the best for home office use.
Having recently setup my home office I spent a little more than I wanted to but overall it is well worth it. Being comfortable while you are working is a must.
Derrick
March 9th, 2008 at 10:53 am
You should post some pictures of the new office when you can.
March 9th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I have a Brother 2070N, and I’d highly recommend it. A network printer makes things really easy, as you can throw it in with the rest of your networking equipment, then print from anywhere. The networking aspect means that you can print from any computer, and not have to leave your computer on. Amazon has it for $140, but I got it for $120 at Staples a year ago. To me, the simplicity of a networked-attached printer is worth the extra cash.
March 9th, 2008 at 11:51 am
I picked up a Samsung SCX-4200 from Amazon recently for around $150:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FEG4K6/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=IR2SXOFGOEJKO&colid=1L60N0N014WNB
It’s one of those combo things–print/scan/copy (no fax). I needed a basic printer and copier, and this does the job very, very well. It gets about 4.5 stars from over 20 users, which is why I checked it out. I don’t know if you need the copy functionality, but it works great for me. Just my 2 cents.
March 9th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
In addition to finding a reasonably priced printer, take a look at what the toner cartridges will cost you. Depending on how much volume you have, the cost of a few toner cartridges a year can really add up in a hurry.
March 9th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Many years ago (about 10 I think), I bought an HP 4L, which was the top of the line then. It was pricy at the time, but it’s been a fabulous printer, so I also recommend HP laser printers. Prices are much more competitive now and the speed of laser printers is much faster I believe, so you should be able to find one at a reasonable price that will serve you well for years to come.
March 9th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Ah yes, I have office supply lust. At the same time, I know that I’m loath to use them because then they’ll be used up and not as pretty. This has led to a dysfunctional relationship with my crayons as a kid and things like Post-Its and index cards…and crayons…nowadays. I hope you can enjoy the freshness and newness without too much pain.
Thanks for mentioning The Finwikian.
March 9th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
It hurts me to spend money as well. I have had a LaserJet 4L for a good 15 years now and it’s still chugging away (knock on wood). As someone mentioned they can be had on Ebay. Ink lasts forever (in fact I have an extra cartridge that I could send you).
We picked up an all-in-one fax, scan, copier, laser printer. I highly recommend one if you anticipate using those functions. If you are like me, they seem to come in handy at least once a week.
Oh and if you are going for paperless finance the scanning is key for receipts.
March 9th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I have a Brother MFC04800 with a built in network card in my home office, I highly recommend it or something like it. In addition to printing, I can fax, copy and scan (flatbed or 10 page auto sheet feeder). Scanning can be setup to scan directly to a computer (PC or MAC) as well as the super convenient option of having the scan job emailed directly to you (as a PDF or TIFF) file directly from the printer (via SMTP - no computer needed for this to work).
All this functionality may be more than you’re looking for right now, but it sure saves me a lot of time to have all this functionality close at hand on a regular basis.
March 9th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I’ve recently purchased a Lexmark E120N for about $100 CDN. I’m really happy with it. It works fine with a mac and the best part is, it has a network card. One of the least expensive network printers out there.
March 9th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
As with @steve I also have a Samsung ML-2510. It only gets very light use but I haven’t had any problems with it over the last year. I think that I paid about $100 for it. It works great with Mac and Linux. It also works with Windows if one is so inclined.
March 9th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
This is just a question, not judgment. So does the fact that it saddens you to spend a lot of money “causes a little pain” mean that it still controls your emotions and feelings about your self?
If so, while your financially better, there is still some control that money has over you that shouldn’t?
March 9th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Don’t waste your time and money on the cheap Samsungs (or similar printers). They’re cheap for a reason. Shop around for a used HP LaserJet 4 or 5 (B&W, *not* color), and spend a few hours fixing it up with a rebuild kit, if necessary. I did just that with a LaserJet 5M: $50 for the printer (local Craigslist, private party), $40 for a parts kit (from http://www.laserprinterkits.com, who sell on eBay). It’s already outlived the Samsung I made the mistake of purchasing first. I have no doubt the LaserJet will last another 10 years without much effort.
March 9th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
It’s okay to be a tightwad…!
March 9th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Forgot to mention another good resource: http://www.fixyourownprinter.com . They sell parts kits, etc., and also have a discussion forum. I’ve never bought from them, but the proprietor seems quite knowledgeable about laser printers, and the discussion forum is educational.
March 9th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
I’m with commenters #10, #16, #22 and #26 - Brothers rock.
About 6 months ago I did a bunch of research on laser printers. The Samsungs were all right, but overall they weren’t doing it for me. Similar to you, we needed a b&w-only laser printer. Brother wound up impressing me the most in terms of product range, price and customer reviews.
We went with this one here, for about $240:
AntSaint: Brother HL-5250DN Laser Printer
http://www.antsaint.com/ant/2007/03/brother_hl5250d.html
What we like:
- long-lasting toner
- easy to print on both sides (automatic settings)
- compatible with both our PC and Mac laptops
- network ready - the printer is connected to our wireless network, so we can print from anywhere in the house
Re the bit of “buyer’s remorse” you seem to be feeling, I’d put forward that you’re thinking too much of the purchase/cash outlay, and forgetting the purpose. You’re following your dream, man, and you’re being smart about it. There’s going to be some cost, and yes, there might be pangs, but they’re worth it. Focus on what you’re getting for the money. Focus on why you’re doing it in the first place.
March 10th, 2008 at 5:41 am
I just bought a Kodak EasyShare all in one for for $60 at buy.com (I got an extra 10 off for signing up for google checkout) So far it works beautifully for pictures and regular printing and copying (I really needed a copier) its color of course but has dedicated black cartridge. The claim of the printer is that the cartridges are initially cheaper AND print more pages than regular cartridges, we’ll see how this works out. I too have been trying to not to buy a lot of new stuff but we really needed a printer and since the wallmart price was $100 I couldn’t resist the sale (I got free shipping and it came very fast btw) I got the most basic model that doesn’t have a fax but I believe you can get them with fax capablity too, and if it ends up actually printing more pages per inexpensive cartridge I will be thrilled.
March 10th, 2008 at 6:24 am
I had worked in a small office doing IT, to get a small laser printer with scanner. I had them order brothers, and since we received them have regretted it. I should have gone with my instinct and ordered HP products. Out of the 10 printers ordered, 3 have had problems, 2 have been replaced. Their support has been nice, but I would rather avoid having to work on that anyway.
Personally I have a Samsung printer at home, about 4 years old, working great, but would have to recommend going the HP route, they are very long term and reliable.
Lastly, I will second the idea of paying more for network connectivity, there have been many times I wanted that, it would also save you from having to get another printer for a computer for your wife.
March 10th, 2008 at 6:31 am
I popped for a $50 Brother. Couldn’t be happier. Works perfectly connected to our Airport base station using Bonjour printing (don’t need a “N” printer for that) and all our computers can print to it.
It’s absolutely quiet in power-saving mode and wakes almost instantly when a print job is sent. Printing speed is fast and print quality is excellent. It’s light weight too, not that I move it often.
Don’t forget to check for rebates and coupon codes if you buy online!
March 10th, 2008 at 7:02 am
I’ve gotten really frustrated with bartering/giving venues like Craig’s List and Freecycle…I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been stood up. It’s pretty aggravating to be dissed while trying to give someone a free item.
If anyone knows a group with more reliable members, I’d love to hear about it.
March 10th, 2008 at 7:27 am
I agree that one needs to look at the cost of toner cartridges as well as the printer itself. Also look into the drum unit and other consumables. When the drum goes out on a cheap printer, it’s sometimes cheaper to just scrap the printer and buy a new one.
Printer-wise, I do own a Samsung CLP-300 that I use for light duty, primarily when I need to print color. The cost per page is lower than an inkjet and the cartridges won’t dry out in three months.
For our main printer duty, we use an old (1995-96 vintage) Lexmark 4039. This was an office printer, roughly the same vintage as an HP Laserjet 4 or 5. We buy secondhand, factory-sealed toner cartridges on Amazon or eBay for it, and we usually pay about $50 per cartridge. They last about 8,000 pages. So the cost per page is less than a penny.
I buy sealed cartridges because the quality of rebuilt cartridges tends to vary way too much. And this particular printer tends to be finicky about refills anyway. It’s fine for the first 1,000 or so pages, then the print quality drops off a cliff.
So if you can find something intended as an office grade printer that’s in good shape and service it if necessary, I recommend it. The cost per page will be a lot lower than a consumer grade printer and the printer is likely to last a decade or more under conditions you see in a typical home environment.
Admittedly, these printers do use more power and take up more space than a $50 printer. So it does depend on how much printing you do.
March 10th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Hi JD- I have used a HP1200 for almost 7 years now with only one toner replacement coming at about 6 months ago. The printer is used for low volume occasional printing. HP is the way to go in my book. Pay a little more now, or pay a little more later in the world of printers. When I got it, I bought it at Sam’s Club for about $275. The savings in not buying cartridges every six months have paid for the printer several times over…..
March 10th, 2008 at 10:08 am
i vote print to pdf.
March 10th, 2008 at 10:16 am
I LOVE my Canon i560. It prints awesome text and also turns out lovely prints. The ink tanks are cheap and you can buy individual colors(which is great if you decide to print photos). And, it only costs about $50. totally awesome.
March 10th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
@rob - He has already said in a previous article that he has a problem with information clutter, do you think having tons of PDFs saved to his computer would help him?
March 10th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I second all of the recommendations for Samsung Laser Printers. Mine is great, and they make a nice networkable version (the ML-2571N) that you can get these days for $75 after rebate. (Keep an eye on hotdealsclub.com and slickdeals.net and you’ll usually find a samsung or a brother in short order)
Note that all printers these days do not come with USB cables. (So Best Buy can make money selling $1 cables for $30)
March 10th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
We recently purchased a Brother printer — Brother HL-2040. After waiting for a sale, I found it on buy.com for around $64 (and I think I used a new Google Checkout account for an additonal $10 off). You’ll have to acquire a usb cable.
This printer is nice, small, useful.. We hooked it up to our Airport base station and the whole house can print to it wirelessly. Since it’s only for occasional use, I suspect we’ll go through only one or two toner cartridges for the functional life of this printer.
http://www.amazon.com/Brother-HL-2040-Monochrome-Laser-Printer/dp/B0007IFVJK
March 10th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Long time reader, first post!
I’m going to be putting together a home office within the next couple of months. I would love to see pictures of another frugal persons!
March 11th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
What you say about trading services with others in the community is a really good tip and one that I often advise the entrepreneurs (small business IT consultants) with whom I work to use, particularly when they are just starting out! It can really help you increase visibility within your community and establish your credibility and show you are good at what you do. Plus, it can help build valuable relationships and get you valuable references and testimonials in the beginning to help you get more clients. Actually, trading services specifically with local non-profits and other respected service organizations in your community for their good word on your services can go a long way to helping you build high-quality relationships and also make you feel like you are doing something in which you believe and that really benefits someone that needs your help. Thanks for this post!