Thanks Lisa. I love my car and make sure that it goes for regular services. My present car has been with me since 10 years and is fighting fit. 🙂 There have been models of that make but my service dealer told me that my model is the best and to keep it going as long as I can. It is interesting how our father’s influence us. My Dad told me to buy a second hand car as a first time buyer because he knew that if I had any accidents, it would be a learning experience. This car was 2 years old and a Honda Prelude which I used for a solid 15 years! It’s still with me though not driven as much now and all because I maintained it.

It is good to save money and buy wisely.

I fully endorse your view, Tamuria. In a material society we often forget our true abundance and wealth and end up acquiring things that can be lost, like your example in a bushfire or other calamity. I still remember what my mechanic told me in 2010 when my car was smashed by a van at a red light and had to be repaired. His words of wisdom were that he could repair the car but if I had lost my life or had been injured, he could not fix it and told me to give thanks to God for saving me.

I love your husband’s 5 P’s Roslyn – it is my kind of a mantra! The money jar is a great place to store change and see how much accumulates over a period of time. That is good money which can be used to cover some of our wants and needs.

Thanks for sharing this interesting story, Beverley. This lady is good bargain hunter and money manager. I tend to be more lenient and go for the more expensive food items and even have shops where they give me a discount on the MRP but that is only for the biggies. Most stores do run deals on Wednesdays and if one is willing to be part of a rush, then well worth saving hundreds on essential food items. I’m happy you enjoyed the series.

Stepping back to consider whether an item can be repaired or replaced also acts as a check on our spending and helps us to take informed decisions, Delia. It also helps us to reduce electronic garbage. Fortunately nowadays there are specialized junk dealers who actually pay money for these items and ensure that they are disposed off without harming the environment. My rule of thumb is if the cost of repairing is the same or approximate to that of replacing, then I go with the latter and look for deals where I can get a good exchange offer on the item that I am disposing off. I save tons of money which I use to fulfill other needs and wants. 🙂

Whether it’s electronics, shoes, or cars, the cost of buying new is so tempting because it’s really close to repairing it.

There are situations though where this can be done – I’m all for that if I can make it work.