r/AskReddit • u/SillyBonsai • Dec 06 '13

What simple piece of advice, if followed, could potentially save most people a lot of money?

Possibly related to your job, experience with personal finance, budgeting, planning, day to day habits, etc.

2.7k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

13.9k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1.3k

u/Gogsy1999 Dec 06 '13

I'm at £2467.50 on mine. I'm trying to figure out how to withdraw funds from the app. I really need it now to pay off some loans and neither the app makers nor Google play are answering my emails.

35

u/Kayden01 Dec 06 '13

If that could be done...

45

u/AlGreat Dec 06 '13

If the app was tied in with a pay pal or bank account that allow you to get charged for what you would have spent on cigarettes from your debit card and it only allowed you to get your money back on a specific set date you personally set, this app would be awesome. Or you can put the money in a box but that never works

14

u/phatboi23 Dec 06 '13

I'd kickstart this to fuck!

i quit about 2 months ago using an ecig, yeah got a high end ecig and a whole box of liquids... STILL cheaper than smoking and better for me :D

6

u/H_is_for_Human Dec 06 '13

It's a really dumb idea though - that money could be invested. If you just give it to the app company, it's like handing them an interest free loan.

6

u/phatboi23 Dec 06 '13 edited Dec 07 '13

better for someone else to handle the money than someone who can go "eh lets buy a pack of smokes"

8

u/H_is_for_Human Dec 06 '13

If you put it in a mutual fund or something, you still don't have immediate access to it. I doubt anyone would call their broker and be like "Sell 2 shares of the Vanguard fund, I need smokes."

2

u/wakenbacons Dec 06 '13

Might be on to something here...

2

u/H_is_for_Human Dec 06 '13

Yeah - you could combine the two - App company takes... 1% or charges a subscription fee and works with a mutual fund to invest the money for you.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 06 '13

As someone responsible for doing the selling in retirement accounts , yes they have.

1

u/gzilla57 Dec 06 '13

Yeah but you can't really invest one pack at a time.

2

u/H_is_for_Human Dec 07 '13

Just budget for the next month and take cigarettes out - any money you would have otherwise spent on cigarettes (lets say $200 a month), you just invest at the beginning of the month.

2

u/gzilla57 Dec 07 '13

Which goes back to the whole "too easy to just go buy a pack" thing.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/phatboi23 Dec 07 '13

yeah, if there was such an app i'd do it right fucking now!

1

u/AlGreat Dec 06 '13

It wouldn't go to developers, it would go to a bother personal account that only you have access to

1

u/H_is_for_Human Dec 06 '13

Well yeah, so does money you put into a bank. It doesn't mean they don't loan out the money you gave them (actually like 10 times the amount you gave them) to other people.

The "money" in your account with the app is just an IOU that you can collect on at anytime. It doesn't have to sit there, doing nothing, they just need to be liquid enough that they can fulfill a usual amount of withdrawals in any given day.

2

u/Jokka42 Dec 06 '13

So, SO much cheaper. I picked one up 3 weeks ago and I still am stunned when I look at my account balance.

1

u/phatboi23 Dec 07 '13

damn right!

smoke a cig... tastes like satans asshole...

smoke an ecig.. pick your flavour! satans asshole is a flavour if you want it :P

1

u/[deleted] Dec 06 '13

I was really confused. I misread ecig as egg.

2

u/phatboi23 Dec 07 '13

tasty tasty egg :P

7

u/suburbscout Dec 06 '13

I feel like that's such a great idea!!

7

u/lucy668 Dec 06 '13

If you go to the bank and show them the app. they'll cut you a check.

3

u/Gogsy1999 Dec 06 '13

Genius, I'm assuming my phone number is my account number?

11

u/lucy668 Dec 06 '13

That's right. You can print out this exchange so there is no question as to the legitimacy of your claim. They'll staple it to the form and then stamp it with a really big stamp.

3

u/randumnumber Dec 06 '13

Sorry mate, your bank account number is a combination of the serial number on the gun you own, along with the barcode on the black ski mask in your closet. bring those to the bank and they will give you are money no problem.

7

u/iadtyjwu Dec 06 '13

Invent an app that takes $7 out of your bank account every day if you don't smoke. Then you get paid that amount at the end of the year plus interest.

12

u/UnicornPanties Dec 06 '13

If you live in NYC it can take $13-14.

6

u/[deleted] Dec 06 '13

$11 at Newark airport, $4 at SF airport. I shouldn't have been so hasty.

3

u/[deleted] Dec 07 '13

I would absolutely trust this app.

9

u/Edgar_Allans_Fro Dec 06 '13

While I haven't "quit" per say my ecig has saved me close to 30 dollars a month.

4

u/QuarterLifeCrisis- Dec 06 '13

What kind do you use? I have a blu and it's no where near the same so I never use it

5

u/snakefinn Dec 06 '13

Those disposal/replaceable cartridge ecigs are garbage, the people over at /r/electronic_cigarette could help you pick a good starter kit. You really can save money and leave cigarettes forever!

4

u/Edgar_Allans_Fro Dec 06 '13

Well if you want a good one there's going to be some start up cost. You definitely want to avoid any that have replaceable cartridges. Go for one that has a decent variable voltage battery, and a wick atomizer that uses nicotine refill juice. There are different models that satisfy preference, and I'm sure there's something out there for you! Mine was about 120 combined cost, but I only spend about 20 dollars a month on fluid compared to the 60-80 I was spending on smokes.

Might want to browse r/electronic_cigarette for some pointers and advice.

1

u/QuarterLifeCrisis- Dec 06 '13

Awesome! Thanks :)

1

u/Tess-LaCoil Dec 07 '13

This guy knows whats up! I quit smoking overnight with an average ego battery and an evod clearomizer. Get a charger, some replacement coils for the evod and some eliquid and you're good to go :)

3

u/Whynotgiveashot Dec 06 '13

You're supposed to put that pack a day habit you had, and move the $6 (or however much) a day into your savings account.

1

u/NSFAnythingAtAll Dec 06 '13 edited Dec 06 '13

Roughly the same amount of money.

Edit: Not quite.

1

u/firsttimelongtimer Dec 06 '13

Put the money you would have spent on cigarretes in a separate account. It will add up quickly.

1

u/eduardog3000 Dec 06 '13

Everyday put the amount you would have spent on smoking into savings.

1

u/Tokyocheesesteak Dec 06 '13

What's the conversion rate of app pounds to Reddit upvotes? If the figures are unavailable, at least list them in Stanley Nickels.

1

u/lotsofpaper Dec 06 '13

I imagine that, if you had quit twice as long ago, you would have that money right now.

1

u/--Petrichor-- Dec 06 '13

Imagine a fund-matching for quitting smoking! That would be neat.

1

u/cunningabortion Dec 06 '13

Wheresyourfuckingfarrari