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Are you "saving up" for any trains or accessories?

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Are you "saving up" for any trains or accessories?
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 20, 2004 7:10 PM
Right now, I am socking away as much as I can for the Lionel Acela due out in September 2005. And a good thing too! I currently have only a slight $500 saved.

My question to you veterans: Any tricks to saving for trains? Eating less, making the electric company hold their hands out and making the mortgage company wait for payment not withstanding.

So far, I have only been able to put change and few dollars in an old milk can and roll it once or twice a month.[?]
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Posted by Dr. John on Thursday, May 20, 2004 8:08 PM
Jack,

I don't think there's any short cut beyond what you are already doing. Save your money as you can, even if it's a few dollars (or cents) at a time. I strongly urge avoiding credit cards, unless you have the ability to pay off the whole balance at once.

I've been selling off some of my HO and N stuff to help buy O gauge equipment. I also tend to buy used equipment at train shows, swap meets and on Ebay. I don't have a "train budget" as such.
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Posted by nitroboy on Thursday, May 20, 2004 8:17 PM
I try and put $25 a month into my "Norfolk Southern" train fund. Its Williams, so it shouldn't take too long, plus with Fathers Day coming up, I might get it early. Hope.......
Dave Check out my web page www.dmmrailroad.com TCA # 03-55763 & OTTS Member Donate to the Mid-Ohio Marine Foundation at www.momf.org Factory Trained Lionel Service Technician
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Posted by spankybird on Thursday, May 20, 2004 8:57 PM
HI Jack,

One area that I have saved is I used to go out for lunch every day. This would be $8.00 to $10.00 each day. Now I get Sub-Way or Mr. Chicken at $4.00 to $5.00 each day. This was a big savings.

If you smoke, I don’t cut back on that. Maybe even stop. If you drink, even pop (soda), just cut back and drink some water with lemon-lime juice.

Maybe cutting back on donuts or even chips, who knows you may even loose some weight and be a little healthier. So I wish.

tom

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

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Posted by dougdagrump on Thursday, May 20, 2004 9:17 PM
What about tax refund ?

Remember the Veterans. Past, present and future.

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Proud New Member Of The NRA

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 20, 2004 10:39 PM
Some good suggestions. Tax refund is a great idea! I'll see if I can pry it from my wife's hands next year. This year, she had the audacity to buy my four-year old new clothes and pay property taxes with it! Women! Always spending our money on junk![:D][:D][:D]
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Posted by spankybird on Friday, May 21, 2004 7:21 AM
But remember Jack,

By your wife paying the property taxes, you still have a place to run your trains.

Bless her for that.

tom

I am a person with a very active inner child. This is why my wife loves me so. Willoughby, Ohio - the home of the CP & E RR. OTTS Founder www.spankybird.shutterfly.com 

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Posted by FJ and G on Friday, May 21, 2004 7:36 AM
Amtrack,

You've hit the magic jackpot. The Train Diet.

HEadlines across America:

Millions quit the Adkins Diet for the Acela Diet.

Millions of Americans have discovered a way to slim down FAST and enjoy themselves in the process. The Acela Diet.

Why take the Acela from NY to DC when you can OWN your own Acela; and get slimmed down in the process???

The new Acela Diet, unlike other diets, medical researchers admit, actually works. By elminating dinners the money saved can, over the course of three months, result in a fit, sexy body that can fit nicely into bikinis and speedos for summer fun and froliking.

Victoria Secret has endorsed the Acela diet; while thousands of restaurants across the country are losing money and producing ads that advocate a new "chunky is nice" look.

Advocates of the Acela diet, say that it not only works, but as a reward, some have acquired a whole stable of Acelas over the course of the year, by skipping dinners, and instead, sipping water and munching on ice to quell their stomach pangs and grumblings.

Yes, folks, you heard it here first; the new Acela diet.

Get on track with this new diet and you'll be steaming down the rails towards a new life of fitness and enjoyment.

Dave Vergun
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Posted by cnw1995 on Friday, May 21, 2004 8:50 AM
I am saving for one of those WWII aircraft pylons - my son and I have an 'airport' as a fixture in the center of our oval layout. They sure are expensive.

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 21, 2004 10:23 AM
I'm saving to build an addition on our house so I'll have a train room in which to build a permanent layout. Does this count? [;)][:D]

Tony
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Posted by 4kitties on Friday, May 21, 2004 11:04 AM
I'm saving for the first set of F-units to come along in PRR livery with the level of detail of Lionel's new F3's and all 8 prime mover sounds. Has anyone heard whether Lionel's Railsounds 5 will add the missing notches?
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 21, 2004 11:32 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by vitabile

I'm saving to build an addition on our house so I'll have a train room in which to build a permanent layout. Does this count? [;)][:D]

Tony


Not only does it count, it is the reason I am broke! In 2001, I spent $14,861.43 on our addition. Worth every penny!
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 21, 2004 11:35 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

Amtrack,

You've hit the magic jackpot. The Train Diet.

HEadlines across America:

Millions quit the Adkins Diet for the Acela Diet.

Millions of Americans have discovered a way to slim down FAST and enjoy themselves in the process. The Acela Diet.

Why take the Acela from NY to DC when you can OWN your own Acela; and get slimmed down in the process???

The new Acela Diet, unlike other diets, medical researchers admit, actually works. By elminating dinners the money saved can, over the course of three months, result in a fit, sexy body that can fit nicely into bikinis and speedos for summer fun and froliking.

Victoria Secret has endorsed the Acela diet; while thousands of restaurants across the country are losing money and producing ads that advocate a new "chunky is nice" look.

Advocates of the Acela diet, say that it not only works, but as a reward, some have acquired a whole stable of Acelas over the course of the year, by skipping dinners, and instead, sipping water and munching on ice to quell their stomach pangs and grumblings.

Yes, folks, you heard it here first; the new Acela diet.

Get on track with this new diet and you'll be steaming down the rails towards a new life of fitness and enjoyment.

Dave Vergun


[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]
I will record "tummysounds 1.0" to add to the dining car. [:D][:D][:D]Very funny!
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Posted by overall on Saturday, May 22, 2004 9:07 PM
If you have the time, you miht take an extra job delivering pizzas or something.

George
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 23, 2004 5:36 PM
I try to keep my change in a big water cooler bottle. After a few months it gets pretty heavy. You don't really feel change when you put it a side, a little at a time.
Picture this one empty plastic gallon of milk holds 60.00 worth of pennies. So you can just imagine how much change you can put into a five gallon water bottle. I haven't gotten more than 1/5th of the way up (darn new catalogs always get me!!).
Angelo
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 23, 2004 9:57 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by overall

If you have the time, you miht take an extra job delivering pizzas or something.

George


Yes, that's the trick. Time....It is a luxury I do not have.

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