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Man chooses filing cabinet!!(?)

I found it so cumbersome to find products that didn't have HFCS while shopping on my one hour break that I ran out of time and left a full cart of groceries in Walmart.

No.

I have always purchased things like this. Unless its something I use everyday - or will be visible by other people (like an end-table in my house), I'll try to spend as little as possible on it.

Hell yeah, but mine is mostly in groceries.

Like list night. I could buy slightly less than 2 lbs of "fresh" (read: water injected) chicken breasts for 7.99, or I could buy a 4lb bag of frozen, very flat looking chicken breasts, for 4.99.

If I can make an extra meal AND save 3 dollars? I'll take it.

And actually, I just had your IKEA problem last week. I was buying the drawers for my bookcase system from them (the drawers, maybe 8 inches by 10 inches, are 20 dollars each), when I canceled the order and decided to buy the little organizational baskets for 4 bucks from Target.

I try to go to flea markets first for things like this. I have found the following:

-A perfectly good glass saucepan in the exact size I needed, with lid (always check there first for dishes)
-An aluminum colander, the kind with the patterned holes
-An oak finish bookshelf that matched my other shelves
-A solid wood coat tree for $12
-Assorted gift wrap and Christmas decorations
-Books out the ying-yang
-Mission style coffee table with storage
-Most of the pictures on my walls, including the Victorian ones I collect

Now all I need is a bigger house! ;)

Well, quite frankly, he's right. File cabinets are entirely pointless, unless you have the papers to fill them up with. Buy the cheap, $5 file boxes at Frys, and stash them in a closest or under a bed.

Yes, cheap booze and cheap women. Now I find myself having to choose just one or the other.

I hit submit too soon. Sorry.

I walk away from purchases all the time, either because I don't want to spend the money and want to seek a cheaper alternative or because I can't stand the line I have to wait in to buy the damn thing.

I've stopped buying just about everything. Reading all these consumer sites has finally sunk in, causing me to consider every purchase more critically.

I actually had this exact dilemma (buying something to store my hanging folders) I looked at the pretty wood ones and the hearty metal ones. Finally decided it was way to much to spend for the purpose. Ended up buying a plastic box-style file holder at Target with a hinged lid and handle for $12. Works perfect and can be stowed out-of-sight easily.

I didn't find a cabinet I liked at IKEA and got one at Target for $20 (1/2 off, on sale). That said, I just re-did my living room with mostly IKEA items for $1500. That includes, boxes for DVD/Video Game storage, wall shelves and brackets, a new loveseat, a chair, a sideboard, a desk, a footrest. IKEA is pretty good bang for your buck if you spend wisely.

So proud of my new living room, I took a time-lapse video so you can see all the IKEA goodness.

On the other hand, while their flooring prices are decent, check competitors like Lumber Liquidators and you might find yourself spending less. IKEA can't be beat for full kitchens though. The fittings are incredibly high quality and the same ones you'll spend 10x more at other stores.

I was recently shopping for a new office desk and was really disappointed in Ikea's selection and prices. Our living room set is from there and while its not the greatest thing, it looks nice and should last a while since its one of their nicer lines.

I was surprised at the prices of their file cabinets. They are indeed ~$160 for something that can be replaced with a comparable piece from Office Depot/Max for half of that.

I haven't found myself cutting back on anything though. I inherited a lot of frugality from my parents and my Fiance is much the same. We are finding fewer excuses for going out for the occasional drink during the week. I guess we're not living the "excessive" life we used to?

@chiieddy: Tried unsuccessfully to embed my video in my post. Show me:

I would say many people are cutting back. Today's durable good orders was down by a large amount; -4.5%.

I think there are two reasons for the cutbacks. Firstly, conservative people are saving up in anticipation of hard times. Secondly, people that like to spend with corrosponding debt lines, are finding it hard to keep their addiction to shiny new things fed.

"Have you found yourself reevaluating and cutting back on certain kinds of purchases lately that in the past you might have made without thinking?"

Definitely - in fact, I was at Ikea a couple of weeks ago to buy a lamp. Their selection was utter garbage, and they were out of the one halfway decent thing on display. So I said to myself, "Zibster, it's not a waste of money to pay $100 for a lamp you really want, but it is a waste of money to pay $25 for a lamp you despise." So I left and went to a real lighting store.

@HogwartsAlum:
Awh, yeah! I recently started going to garage sales again :) Perfect weather, everyone is holding them this time of year. I'm refinishing the furniture I bought at them this weekend.

I have been debating about a new winter coat for weeks now. I have an old coat but its very ugly. I find that lately, I just can't justify the expense for something new when I already have something old that still works (even if it is ugly).

actually, lately i've been spending more. i'm also making more this year, and find myself wanting to support the better quality items, which happen to be more expensive. I don't buy pre-packaged foods that often...I do find just shopping for strict inexpedience is cheaper than doing the other (since you get more out of them). Although, things that I don't skimp on are things like fair trade coffee (NOT things with the "organic" label slapped onto them), fresh deli meats and cheeses, clothing made sweat shop free, non-fast food restaurants...things of that nature.

It's something I return to frequently when I want to save money or make less of a footprint on the earth. When I think I need something I start looking at what I have, what can I make do double duty. If I don't find what I need there I move to the thrift/charity shop. From there I look at the paper to find one used. Finally I move into discount retailer territory like Marshalls or T.J. Maxx. And if I still can't find what works I get into the department stores and full price retailers to see what they have on sale.

At some point I find something free or cheap and seldom get all the way full price retail.

Salvation Army Salvation Army Salvation Army people!!! Filing cabinets Galore. Usually in pristine shape too. Spray paint em and call em your own.

:-)

I got my little 2 drawer file cabinet at Salvation Army, it was an odd color so I just primed and painted it black and it looks brand new, all for $10.

I just canceled an online order for a bunch of books. I've got more than enough reading material at home right now that I don't really need to up my "to do" reading pile from 20 books to 30.

@TheUpMyAssPlayers:

Good suggestion - I never think about that place but they do have some good stuff. Just stay away from the underwear ;)

@TheUpMyAssPlayers: Also Goodwill! I bought my computer desk for $20 back in April, and it's still doing fine!

@chris_l: I actually didn't buy a bunch of my TEXTBOOKS this semester because I realized it would be a waste of time and money- especially with my major, I'm getting to think that the textbooks are just a formality. They help in certain, particular situations, but for the most part they sit dusty on a shelf all semester.

@zibby: Agreed. Pay for quality, durability, and classiness and you'll never be disappointed. I knew a couple who married right out of college. They saved to buy low price antique furniture and bought when they could. Their house is beautiful. And if they ever decided to sell everything off they'd get at least what they paid for it if not more.

This is a great idea for an article! I wish it hadn't been broadened out to all reconsidered purchases, but focused squarely on purchases abandoned at the store. Generally I always drop my stuff when the line is too long. I've done it at Home Depot more than once.

@jpmoney: Good call on the drinks. I went to happy hour with my coworkers last night and realized that I haven't gone to a happy hour since June. To be honest, I never really missed it. Instead of paying 6 dollars (plus tip) for a miller lite, I can drink good beer for cheap in the comfort of my own home.

I got out of debt, and saved a ton of cash by living with the simple principal of only buying what I intended to buy. That means if I go into a store for a dvd player that is on sale and the store doesn't have it. I don't get a dvd player. No impulse buying either. Groceries get a shopping list and no extras.

I've been disappointed many MANY times by this, but this and this alone got me to pay off my 5k in credit cards and now I've saved about 3k. Been 2 years.

Great article, Ben.

This is what consumers are doing and this is partially why the economy is in trouble.

Weird... the comments system has been revamped but my comments STILL do not appear sometimes unless I submit a followup comment.

@TalKeaton: What's your major? My books got highlighted and notes put into margins. (My guess is mathematics or engineering.)

My monthly budget used to be $1600. Now it's $1100. Word.

@blackmage439: I got an el-cheapo filing cabinet from Walmart... it's a little more sturdy than the Frys boxes, but it does the job... I'm pretty sure it was around $20 or less.

I really hope that when you decided not to purchase the item you actually returned it to where it had been or at least flagged down an employee and let them know you no longer wanted it. I've seen people abandon huge full carts of groceries or other items and it's just not right. First, it's usually just common courtesy to return and item if you don't want it. Second, it's probably hard for employees to know after the fact that an item near a register has been abandoned. After all, it could be that someone went to go grab some other item from the aisles.

@TalKeaton: I agree, I didn't buy textbooks for the entire spring semester last year, complete and total waste of time.

Although I used all that saved cash on booze...

I think there are quite a few people out there right now who are thinking "simple". Simple is such a great concept and helps the wallet, the mind, and the soul. Ikea is great place to start thinking simple. Instead of a list of items you need make a list of problem areas you may have. For instance, instead of saying "file cabinet", say "a big pile of papers laying all over my desk, floor, hallway, etc." Your mind will start looking for other ways to solve the problem and you may find something more fitting than a file cabinet.

@gqcarrick: I think I paid $5 for mine from Goodwill. I didn't even bother painting it.

@TheGreenMnM: This is awesome advice. Not only does it allow you be creative with your space, you'll often find that you can eliminate multiple problems with a singular solution. And if there's any retailer that caters to such a concept, it's IKEA.

Who among us is brave enough to stand up to Big Filing Cabinet and their cronies in Washington?

@watcher95: This is not a news site.

I hate shopping. If I pick out something and the line is too long, I ditch it and leave. Pretty much every time, unless it's something I absolutely have to have (i.e. medication.)

I was looking for some bedroom furniture on Craig's list in the Seattle area a few months ago and noticed quite a selection of IKEA furniture.

Staples has a plastic bin that can hold hanging file folders for about 1/4 the cost of an actual filing cabinet.

I got 3 stackable tubs instead of a filing cabinet. Cost me 15 dollars.

reminds me of this:
New Yorker Subscriber Considering Bose Wave Radio Purchase

Yeah, I'm holding off on the DSLR I've been wanting, a navigation system for my truck, and a color laser printer to replace my dried-out inkjet. I'm not talented enough for a DSLR yet; I only use the truck for trucky stuff, and the reason my printer is dried out is because I don't use it enough.

Actually, I got a pretty ugly, black metal cabinet but "project for the future" will be to build a wooden enclosure to go around it. Will likely cost me less in the long run to make it myself.

I was going to buy a nice filing cabinet when I then looked at Craigslist in the freebies list and there was a local mortgage company shutting down and giving away fancy filing cabinets for free. I was over there in ten min and got two lateral cabinets that were worth over $500 each.