No cash!

rgk · Post by **rgk** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:13 pm

But thinking about charging all the necessary materials, buying food and water with food stamps, hooking up with a rideshare, getting out there, and helping/volunteering with a camp. Doable?

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:21 pm

Yes. I'd worry about the credit card thing, will you be able to make the payments, but that's the only fly I see in that ointment. Look at the "2010 Theme Camp" sub-forum for camps that are looking for people and I hope the rideshare is up by now.
Okay, one more hting, if there's a disaster (whatever form it takes) you don't have much cushion. Don't know what to say about that.

rgk · Post by **rgk** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:32 pm

I just read that I'll only need cash for coffee/tea and for ice. That's doable, I can probably scrounge some cash together beforehand. However, although I know commerce is discouraged, I heard that if you want drugs, you have to be prepared to pay for them. So I won't have drugs. Big deal.

The way I see it, if I really try to go, I can make it happen. Maybe I can find a trucker that's taking that route anyways, for example, and won't mind some company. I'm trying to find someone who has a low-income ticket they're selling. (my girl and her friend got one but I missed out). I'm sure there's camps out there that need help setting up, etc. I'm handy with tools and an agreeable guy. I think I can make it happen, but I certainly don't want to be a drain on anyone.

Post by **Sham** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:43 pm

What you're talking about is so squeeky tight, that it may not be doable. What are you talking about drugs? What about food, water, shelter, transporation. It sounds like this is all a big stretch to make this happen. A credit card can be used like a weapon if done properly. If you spend heavy just after the closing date and then pay the balance off in full after the statement comes in, you can get 60 days free interest on that money. If you don't pay the balance off, you can actually pay DOUBLE for anything you buy---honest.
It seems that the people that can least afford to run up bills, pay the most interest and outragous charges from these freakin' banks.
Try to avoid credit cards if paying the balance is a problem.

rgk · Post by **rgk** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:52 pm

Food, water, shelter, transportation...

rgk · Post by **rgk** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:40 pm

What I want to know is if people have done it while spending a minimum of cash. I think it can be done, but I also think I can get enough cash together before the event to not have to rely [i]too[/i] heavily on credit cards.

I admit I might have to pay someone with a credit card via Paypal for a ticket, though I'm hoping to find one cheap, or barter in exchange for a service, such as web design. I'm scouring craigslist looking for a deal. It's not impossible to find tickets going for $230, though I might get lucky and find a low-income ticket holder.

As for food, like I said I can fill up the car with dried and canned goods purchased with food stamps. I get 200 credits per month. I can also look for and find plastic bottles which I can clean and reuse by filling up with tap water before I leave for the desert.

As for shelter, the station wagon I'm planning on taking can be opened in the back and a tarp or series of tarps can be tied to it, creating a sun shade. Two people can sleep comfortably in the back. We've done it on road trips.

Which leaves transportation. If I find two other people to share the ride, the gas expenses come down to about $175 each way, which can also be taken care of with credit cards, bringing my total credit usage to about $600. Not great, but not the end of the world. If I can get about $200 cash together, I think I'll be all right for the trip. I have two payments - due on the 20th and 28th, which will give me two weeks to get about another $100 together.

Yes, it's absolutely correct that I won't have as good of a cushion to fall back on, but that's simply a risk I'm going to have to take if I want to undertake this trip. I know using credit cards sucks, and if I didn't have to use them I wouldn't, but I've just about always been able to pay them, and my credit rating is actually excellent. It's an unfortunate circumstance, but I'd rather have the experience of a lifetime and pay interest on it than not have it at all. I just graduated college and finally don't have to worry about the first week of school getting in the way. I can't help but think that the timing of the event is made so that too many immature people don't show.

Any other money-saving tips and tricks?

rgk · Post by **rgk** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:44 pm

My hero:

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/ar ... -a-porsche

bm_cricket · Post by **bm_cricket** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:06 pm

rgk wrote:But thinking about charging all the necessary materials, buying food and water with food stamps, hooking up with a rideshare, getting out there, and helping/volunteering with a camp. Doable?

My neighbors in 2008 did this. It worked for them:
Ride share into the city~$50 from Reno
Lots of recycled 1 gallon water jugs~$0
Nothing but canned beans/chili~$50
Used Coleman tent~$5?
Ride share from the city~$50
Tickets $300 each.

That does not spell a very fun week in my mind but they enjoyed themselves. They slept on the ground. They had practically nothing with them. They left a pile of SHIT at our camp site because they didn't plan a way to get their trash off the playa... Jerks... but they did it on a budget.

Don't spend a single dime on a credit card. If you can't afford it this year then this isn't the year to go. If you can make it happen on shoe strings and you are alright being physically uncomfortable in an environment totally out of your control and at the whims of others for basic things like transportation then maybe you can do it.

The last two years I overspent to get to the playa. It was dumb. This year I'm counting pennies. Mostly because I have nothing else to count because of the prior two years. But I had money to spend in the first place..

robrob · Post by **robrob** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:33 pm

This year I'm counting pennies. Mostly because I have nothing else to count because of the prior two years. But I had money to spend in the first place..

amen to that. between the downtown/recession/whatever you want to call it, and striking out on my own business wise, i've been pretty obsessive about cutting costs; i think the most expensive investment (other than ticket and planefare) was a dangerously-close-to-being-a-furry-outfit from some burner owned and operated company. (i want to try and light that fucker up with el wire. and maybe strategically place a hole, lol).

but as far as supplies go, between the big online etailers and the bog box stores, it's pretty amazing how much simple things vary. a 4 pack of 12" metal tent pegs? Online only- $6 something. Local big box? $4.99. Regional Big Box's Online Store? $1.79 on sale this week. score.

robrob · Post by **robrob** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:38 pm

also, not trying to judge here, but do the credit card folks really give cards to people that get food stamps, and vice versa? that's kinda weird.

bm_cricket · Post by **bm_cricket** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:50 pm

robrob wrote:also, not trying to judge here, but do the credit card folks really give cards to people that get food stamps, and vice versa? that's kinda weird.

Sub-prime? Ring a bell? Someone up the page pointed out that the people who get most screwed by banks are the ones with the least money. It's a cycle of debt.

rgk · Post by **rgk** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:04 am

The folks that manage to pay the minimum on their credit cards are the most desirable, because they're only paying interest. Folks with perfectly good credit that just recently lost jobs can go in and get food stamps. It doesn't mean they'll be on food stamps forever, or that they'll have credit card debt forever.

Honestly, I'm much more concerned about the 30k I have in student loan debt, or the amount of debt my partner or sister have/will have after getting their phds, than about 3 or 4 grand in credit card debt.

I have tarps, a tent, a sleeping pad, a great backpack, and a good attitude. Of course I won't have as good of a time without much money, but that goes for everything, not just BM. It just might force me to use my head a little.

I'm not going to leave my trash everywhere because I'm planning on bringing a car, and packing everything out which I plan to bring in. I've camped out before and been quite able to do this. These are good and valid concerns. Keep the advice rolling.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:19 am

rgk wrote:The folks that manage to pay the minimum on their credit cards are the most desirable, because they're only paying interest. Folks with perfectly good credit that just recently lost jobs can go in and get food stamps. It doesn't mean they'll be on food stamps forever, or that they'll have credit card debt forever.

Honestly, I'm much more concerned about the 30k I have in student loan debt, or the amount of debt my partner or sister have/will have after getting their phds, than about 3 or 4 grand in credit card debt.

I have tarps, a tent, a sleeping pad, a great backpack, and a good attitude. Of course I won't have as good of a time without much money, but that goes for everything, not just BM. It just might force me to use my head a little.

I'm not going to leave my trash everywhere because I'm planning on bringing a car, and packing everything out which I plan to bring in. I've camped out before and been quite able to do this. These are good and valid concerns. Keep the advice rolling.

I would disagree with the above, red, statement.

BRC is a place, you don't need much, to have tons O' fun........
people are kind, and open, inclusive, helpful......all that.
You'll be rubbing shoulders with millionaires, maybe billionaires, and, also, folks who could barely afford to be there..........and, probably knot know one from the other.

If you don't have much gear........well, you don't really need to spend much time in your camp, anyway........lots of folks to meet, new friends to be made, things to do and see.......

Just get there, have no expectations, drop your default wardrobe and put on a smile.........

Post by **Sham** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:33 am

ygmir wrote:Just get there, have no expectations, drop your default wardrobe and put on a smile.........

[youtube][/youtube]

bm_cricket · Post by **bm_cricket** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:41 am

rgk wrote:The folks that manage to pay the minimum on their credit cards are the most desirable, because they're only paying interest. Folks with perfectly good credit that just recently lost jobs can go in and get food stamps. It doesn't mean they'll be on food stamps forever, or that they'll have credit card debt forever.

Honestly, I'm much more concerned about the 30k I have in student loan debt, or the amount of debt my partner or sister have/will have after getting their phds, than about 3 or 4 grand in credit card debt.

I have tarps, a tent, a sleeping pad, a great backpack, and a good attitude. Of course I won't have as good of a time without much money, but that goes for everything, not just BM. It just might force me to use my head a little.

I'm not going to leave my trash everywhere because I'm planning on bringing a car, and packing everything out which I plan to bring in. I've camped out before and been quite able to do this. These are good and valid concerns. Keep the advice rolling.

I hope my comments didn't sound like discouragement. They weren't intended that way. Burning man can be done on a budget of only $600 but you will need to get creative and it is assumed you already own <i>all</i> your own equipment. If you don't then you need to simply make due with what you have. That's the trap most people fall into, myself included. Everyone wants to have fancy gear or a cool camp. You don't need to. Really, all you need to bring is food, water, and your properly ticketed self to have fun. But you will rely entirely on your charisma to have a good time!

rgk · Post by **rgk** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:43 am

Shambala wrote:
ygmir wrote:Just get there, have no expectations, drop your default wardrobe and put on a smile.........
[youtube][/youtube]

[youtube][/youtube]

Post by **Sham** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:45 am

rgk wrote:<object><param></param><param></param><param></param><embed></embed></object>

I could not have said this better myself!
Here is a more entertaining version of the Happy Face Song!
[youtube][/youtube]

rgk · Post by **rgk** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:46 am

See above for edited version of that post.

rgk · Post by **rgk** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:49 am

Shambala wrote:
rgk wrote:<object><param></param><param></param><param></param><embed></embed></object>
I could not have said this better myself!
Here is a more entertaining version of the Happy Face Song!
[youtube][/youtube]

Lawl, I've seen the pilot episode of that series, it blew my mind. So much gore...

Post by **Sham** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:51 am

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 11:29 am

[youtube][/youtube]

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 2:52 am

correct me if i am wrong. but if you borrow say $1,000.00 usd for one year at 30% you pay $300 divided by 12 months if you pay off the entire balance in a year...$1,300 divided by 12 months is $108.33...if you borrow ten bucks it's $10.04...ooooh, sooo costly lmao... with good credit they should have MUCH lower rates offered via telephone or web or snail mail.

i know, i LIVE on them....and work part time but it isn t enough soooo...i took a few offers at the low low rates and switch them every 6 to 12 months....it's better than pan handling (unless you're the famous bush guy in SF..does he still come out of camoflauge as a bush and poke people with his bush arm when they don't chip in?...he's got it down i think)

years ago a clever pal taught how he fianaced his multi million dollar biz....he sent in over 10,000 credit card applications on a monday, lied about his income, it s thier responsibilty to check, not yours, it is not illegal last i checked, then he withdrew as much balance transfer as they would allow (ask for more when they start to arrive) and bought a shit load of things people wanted at wal mart and sold it to them at 10% discounts and used that cash too... Oh and the computer spits them out and by weds or thurs it slows the flow...he got over 5000 cards.... you must go libraries, grocery stores, banks and bla bla bla and tear out the gadamned applications in money mag, inc mag entepeneur mag etc etc etc and call friends relatives all over the usa and COLLECT the 1000's of card applications (btw the student loan bubble will burst, fuck them you wan t have to repay them soon) now, i called everyone consumer credit couselors, debt lawyers (free consults in yel pages) etc and they said you cannot be jailed and at worst maybe denied bankcruptcy in court, so what...it helps if you buy sensible shit but you can buy vacations and they still give a hoot.
btw, only am ex jails for this in china not usa...no debtors prison...fuck you american express!...anyway...boycoot am ex plz...

he and his wife opened their biz (snow removal) with the case loader he bought with the money DO NOT DO cash advances ONLY balance transfers....it worked, they paid off their cards with the many many many checks that you get all at once for the winter snow removal season

i also called a banker gal and asked her, she said yes people have done this to buy video stores (porn is all that sells FAST these days) and they have suceeded.

now these days they will NOT give out that many, but it still works somewhat with good credit....you can ram em up and pay em off or leave the bill to the fucking bankers and millionaires and billionares...tough shit.

i am NOT suggesting you burn them, i know i can repay mine....(someday)but it is going to take a while....but for charging to go to burningman....you are over worrying dude....lmao....mine have been decent, in fact my own family could not afford to loan me money at their special offers (also bal transfers take a few days/weeks and have 3 or 4% fee plus maybe 1 to 3% interest...peanuts)

i fucking hate bankerman....but i am injured and had no choice but to use them here n there....i will get them paid off but they have been helpful.

btw, i NEVER bank online so if anyone thinks "ah here's a target" don t waste your time...mine are maxed, very few and i never did the get 5000 card thing....but i know about it....this is how some friends i made a few years ago, they are from india. i know them by peddling 2-d art..this is how they bought a small store..they see america from a different angle and the land of fat...good for them i say...they still buy art from me now...lmao...i asked them if they knew this method and they said "yeah, of course" too funny....they are awesomne...we are talking about vending food outside of their store soon....they said "yeah, of course" and asked very fair low fees sturcture....there ya go.....thumb it and get as much as you need on the cheap/trade...you're young, healthy and strong..so also get a J O B....after bruningman. i put it off for too many years, now i can finally go too!

i will pick up hitchikers, especially if they have a sign in LARGE print..BURNINGMAN and leave me a place to pull over too...so you don t have to run too far....go while you re young and strong....see you there!

disclaimer...lmao....i am NOT responisible for any action anyone in the world might take due to this post.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 6:12 am

yeah......
lying, cheating, and not repaying debt is always the way to go.........

thanks for the primer.

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 7:07 am

I have used balance transfers three times on large purchases to avoid interest charges. But I don't have to lie to get credit cards. And going into debt for trivial reasons? Stupid and irresponsible.

If you can repay it, do what you want. If you can't repay it, be fucking responsible.

Post by **Sham** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 7:33 am

moonrise wrote:correct me if i am wrong.

You're wrong. If you keep a balance on your credit card, you will probably not be able to pay it off in full at the end of one year. Further, if you make any new charges on that credit cards, you are charged interest on that money on the very next statement.

Use credit cards only if you have to, pay the balance in full and don't dance with the devil. The credit card companies will always win if you try to do schemes like above.

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 12:26 pm

yea, some of the rules for credit have changed (lmao) they did some good changes.

like, applying payments to higher interest $ due first.

and yup, they do charge interest right off the bat if charging on top of charing for pruchases, i think even if you do a balance transfer and then a purchase.

be warned dude, once you use ccards more and make the payments, especially if you pay on time or earlier and a few bux over the minimum, the computer will automatically slowly raise your available limits and send you more and more tempting offers...just burn the offer checks in a camp fire! or call them and tell them to stop sending them.

i think, if he needs to balance transfer a few hunsky to do a burningman trip, the interest is small.

thanks for the corrections....hahaha....my injury put me in the cycle...i don't know every detail.....if in a pinch they have helped me live and get medical care.

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 2:09 pm

We have one card which never gets used except in extreme emergencies. Like never, so far. They keep raising the credit limit to tempt us. It is so high now it is obscene; no way would we qualify for that high of a credit limit from scratch. Perfect for balance transfers of 0% over one year though. Simply charge nothing else until the balance is paid. Beauty!

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 3:27 pm

It's true AntiM....you're my favorite Anti now....antim? antim? is that you?

I mean i have aunties in hawaii....and MANY sicilian ones..and I mean like over the norm...as in 20...both first and great! (one of them, my fave wieghed over 668 pounds but that's for another day, perhaps at burningman..she was awesome funny..i'd like to hear the laughter when i tell her jokes/stories..she went along and made half the jokes...i won a ribbon in college so to speak, i asked her if i could write a paper about her bla bla bla..i know she was in pain but the cousins just kept FEEDING her and i was stuck on west coast, she on the east coast and italians often DO NOT MOVE from THEIR town)

yea, the 0% thing NON CASH ADVANCE ...Balance Transfer did/can/will save butts....in emergency situations.

I love you AntiM! do you have a spinning house art car? maybe i can fly through the door/window?

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 5:26 pm

No spinning house art car, but I can rock an apron and bun!

I've actually considered a totally grey costume.

Post by **Sham** » Sun Jul 25, 2010 2:49 am

There are two separate set of rules when dealing with credit cards.
1) If you carry a balance on your cards.
The worst things you can buy if you carry a balance is a dinner out. You will be paying this off for years and it's almost like an investment. If you charge something for a friend and they give you the cash, you will be charged interest on that purchase before you can pay that first bill. You will be consistantly charged interest on the interest.
2) If you pay them off in full every month.
Use the charge card wisely. Don't charge unless you absolutely have to and make your purchase AFTER the statement has been sent out. This will give you almost 2 months to pay the bill. Now, if you charge something for a friend and take the cash, you can use that money for free and not pay any interest on it.

No cash!

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