# What are you a true cheapskate



## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

..well, I guess that's all in the eye of beholder. Some would say that's just careful budgeting. Whereas others: you're just nuts to count quarters (I didn't want to say pennies.  )

Here's mine:

I bought my first ever cellphone, an iPhone this summer @ 63 yrs. I had procrastinated for ages. And my career is directly embedded in technology with a strong focus on managing/ teaching others/researching content across different software applications for last 35 years. At home, have been happy using computer for past 35 years. Different models every few yrs. I also work from home and remote into corporate network 4 days/wk. and 1 day in office.

What pushed me to get iphone, was I knew when vacationing for several weeks in different cities this summer and fall, was the handy use of an iphone for messaging/calls for contractor, family and friends. I had not seen loved ones in person for almost last 3 years.

I still haven't bought any tv for past few decades. Yes, cheapo. But also not really driven to watch any particular tv shows. No I haven't subscribed to Netlfix.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

I don't have any children. I was with my partner for nearly past 3 decades, before he passed. Yes he was quite computer literate too and had his iphone to communicate with his adult children living elsewhere.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

I spent my career in IT. 

I went a slightly different route. I bought an inexpensive cel phone and a basic package with no data. I use an ipad. My spouse did the same. Over 10 years of frequent international travel we have only purchased an in country sim card once. And even then, we used it twice. More often than not we do not even take our phones when we travel to Europe or Asia. Connect with our children and/or grandchildren on our ipads.

At home...we watch very little local television programming in favor of Britbox, Accorn, etc. Our provided installed fibre to house this summer and at the same time increased our service level. It made a difference on the tv.

Not really a frugality issue. More about selecting what suits our lifestyle best from a basket of IT offers. Seems like yesterday 1200 baud modems w/acoustic couplers was the way to go.


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## Jimmy (May 19, 2017)

I was in the same boat re tvs and had an old RCA then Panasonic CRT monitor up until about 4 yrs ago. I would recommend a 4k tv though - the picture is outstanding and at 60+ inches diagonal the viewing area is larger. Most formats are now 16:9 vs 4:3 w CRT tubes. They are in the $600 range too for something decent.

Same for cells I just got mine- a xmas gift last yr- at 61 and only use it for emerg use as I am retired.

There are always sales on clothes, shoes, gear electronics etc. I dont see it as being cheap. You just wait a few months and get the same items for 25-50% less. Same even for groceries. Just buy what is on sale when you shop


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

ian said:


> I spent my career in IT.
> 
> I went a slightly different route. I bought an inexpensive cel phone and a basic package with no data. I use an ipad. My spouse did the same. Over 10 years of frequent international travel we have only purchased an in country sim card once. And even then, we used it twice. More often than not we do not even take our phones when we travel to Europe or Asia. Connect with our children and/or grandchildren on our ipads.
> 
> ...


I only bought 1-time data to cover the month I was bopping around between 2 provinces early this year. So far, I have a basic pkg. I live in a fibre-optic wired highrise building..with 2 national telecom providers to choose from. Naturally, present provider told me that 300 was too slow for home Internet. I smiled at him: "Just fine". It includes 5G wifi which is the standard these days..at least in cities.

And really my present Internet lower cost, "slower" speed works beautifully, if I can do all the work remoting into our enterprise wide applications with no drop in technical performance/speed, then I'm good. However I wonder if this firm will still offer this "lower" speed, low cost in 2 yrs. 

I'm on the Internet heavily at home ... I prefer a full keyboard and bigger screen for ergonomic reasons. Hence, 'Net surfing in iphone is superficial and rare...in a cafe.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

ian said:


> Seems like yesterday 1200 baud modems w/acoustic couplers was the way to go.


That seems like centuries ago for me ... might even have my oldest Hayes modem around somewhere before I got a "super fast" USR 9600. I still remember how fast our ISDN was at work for downloading pictures compared to the modems at home.

Hard to believe my home is now wired with a 1Gb switched network when way back we had to transfer files via serial cables or sneaker net ... ah, the good ol days.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

jlunfirst said:


> Naturally, present provider told me that 300 was too slow for home Internet.


It's weird packaging providers use sometimes. The often promote speeds many don't need and they still generally cap upload speeds significantly.


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

Re the first post in conjunction with the title - that's hardly called "a true cheapskate". I see it as being prudent if not "frugal"? You buy/consume what you need or what fits your "needs", not wants. 

Being a true cheapskate or maybe an extreme one? warrants a different set of parameters like ... eg. washing to reuse your milkbags (hack).


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## Thal81 (Sep 5, 2017)

Never had cell phone data plan. I'm currently on a $20/month plan for unlimited voice and text, effectively paying only $15/month because of a promo.


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## Gator13 (Jan 5, 2020)

cainvest said:


> It's weird packaging providers use sometimes. The often promote speeds many don't need and they still generally cap upload speeds significantly.


Does anyone know why providers are so stingy with upload speeds?


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Gator13 said:


> Does anyone know why providers are so stingy with upload speeds?


Usually to stop people from hosting their own servers.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Beaver101 said:


> Re the first post in conjunction with the title - that's hardly called "a true cheapskate". I see it as being prudent if not "frugal"? You buy/consume what you need or what fits your "needs", not wants.
> 
> Being a true cheapskate or maybe an extreme one? warrants a different set of parameters like ... eg. washing to reuse your milkbags (hack).


My mother did that a short while -- when I was teen. 
We also grew up in a poor household where she sewed together large pieces of fabric to make tight bed covers ...there were 6 children. And she herself wasn't going to do it often and knew we wouldn't consistently make our beds, so having tight mattress cover bedsheets wrapped around via elastic band around mattress boxspring and top mattress, was 1 less task for everyone. 

A person just had to lay their comforter /top sheet ok for daytime. So I never grew up with beautiful even half-matching linen. Not until we each bought our own homes.

I don't need any tupperware like containers. Have a hoard of empty 700+ ml and larger clean yogurt containers. I use them for just cleaned and cut veggie piles, when I cook a dish or 2. I don't use real dishes to place something like that for only 5-10 min. So my bulk baking soda (for light cleaning stove, etc. that's not corrosive), cereal, pasta and art acrylic paint tubes are stored in large square yogurt containers. It's too bad a local children's art school doesn't accept cleaned donated containers like this. But I understand why...

Yes, I consume alot of yogurt. It's become my daily morning go-to digestive gut cleaner/stabilizer over past 2 decades.


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

There's a difference between cheap and frugal. Cheap is is not buying things that you need or doing things that save money at either a disbenefit to yourself or others. Frugal is making sure that every dollar that you do spend goes as far as it can. That includes not buying things you don't really need or use.

We bring up examples all the time. Going to a birthday party and not bringing a gift is cheap. Bringing a gift that was on sale is frugal. Not paying your fair share of a meal when splitting a bill or worse taking someone else tip and using as your own is cheap. Using a coupon or picking a slightly less expensive meal or no appetizer is frugal.

I try to be frugal and but am seldom cheap. I did bring back all the empties from my kids' bithday party when I could have put them in the recyling bin. I think that's frugal.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Plugging Along said:


> There's a difference between cheap and frugal. Cheap is is not buying things that you need or doing things that save money at either a disbenefit to yourself or others. Frugal is making sure that every dollar that you do spend goes as far as it can. That includes not buying things you don't really need or use.
> 
> We bring up examples all the time. Going to a birthday party and not bringing a gift is cheap. Bringing a gift that was on sale is frugal. Not paying your fair share of a meal when splitting a bill or worse taking someone else tip and using as your own is cheap. Using a coupon or picking a slightly less expensive meal or no appetizer is frugal.
> 
> I try to be frugal and am but am seldom cheap. I did bring back all the empties from my kids' bithday party when I could have put them in the recyling bin. I think that's frugal.


So true, to pay for one's equal share in a group restaurant meal. I hang out with reasonable friends and family: it's all enjoyable, memorable and doesn't happen often. We have similar taste buds and like trying some different dishes combined with familiar. I'm not sure how things would be, if someone couldn't cope with any Asian cuisine in our extended family...  And yes, re remembering to bring b-day gift.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Plugging Along said:


> There's a difference between cheap and frugal.


Many don't see a difference (of course there is) and I believe there is a gray area between them that would likely be a judgement call.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

cainvest said:


> Many don't see a difference (of course there is) and I believe there is a gray area between them that would likely be a judgement call.


Since we lived 100 km. outside of Toronto, as kids, we found Chinatown a food adventure. It certainly was for my parents where in our smaller city, there wasn't any fresh tofu, Chinese greens at the local stores 50 yrs. ago. So after months of frugal grocery buying, in Toronto after we were at the CNE, they plunked down $60.00 at that time, which 70% was fresh Asian greens, fresh water chestnus, lotus root, daikon, etc. At the time, as a kid, I was shocked in a fascinated way for the dollars spent, which I knew would be gobbled up in a few days by a family of 8. 

But a great example, how parents show how to save money and still spend money elsewhere for the whole family in a meaningful way. Meaningful = some of the Chinese dishes require real original Asian greens. As we may know, ethnic/heritage dishes can be tied to familial identity.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

I have no problem spending more for an item if I we feel that it is better value.


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## Gator13 (Jan 5, 2020)

ian said:


> I have no problem spending more for an item if I we feel that it is better value.


Absolutely. Buying quality is almost always money well spent.

I will also pay more to not buy Chinese, Russian, etc.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Gator13 said:


> Absolutely. Buying quality is almost always money well spent.
> 
> I will also pay more to not buy Chinese, Russian, etc.


Well, just make sure your sportswear is not from Bangledesh. 
I do have clear memory where I shopped in Toronto's garment district: Spadina Rd. south of College. There were shops with Toronto (or Montreal) sewn quality wool winter coats, dresses, dress pants and lined business jackets. It was good stuff.....because I did also sew and could tell by the quality of tailoring. I bought some of that stuff and wore it to work in the 1980's. Now of course, most of Canada's garment manufacturing died and we import alot of stuff. Or Canadian firms use labour overseas.

I guess I am speaking with some reality checks..where some of my immigrant relatives did sewing piecework in Metro Toronto. My U.S. immigrant aunts in San Franscisco also did that work. 

That said, national retail clothing store, Tristan had clothing lines prdouced in Canada.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

I know some folks might see sewing, as sort of cottage industry without major, big-looking fanfare of sexy car that got fixed as the end result. Hear me out:

One signal in our family of how my mother demonstrated her love to father: She sewed his work shirts....stand-up collars, french button cuffs (if one understands these fine tailoring details). He was small boned guy and it was hard to find shirt collars that was small enough to button up. 

I have strong memory watching my mother tape measure my father since she just bought lovely Viyella fine plaid merino 100% wool she bought from the textile store. She sewed a shirt for him that must have costed $75.00CAN which was well over 45 years ago. He wore that shirt for several decades. It was a signal to all of their children, her love for him.


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

^ Sewing is a lost art now I hate to say. And mending is going that way too. 

Most people these days are NOT appreciative of those kind of things at all just as with carvings (for the guys), etc. They would rather be busy with their i/smartphone googling a map of their local transit and texting their roommate (wife/husband, friend or whatever) that they are 5 minutes away from home. I have seen it and said to myself "well, I'm really behind the times!!!!"


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Beaver101 said:


> ^ Sewing is a lost art now I hate to say. And mending is going that way too.
> 
> Most people these days are NOT appreciative of those kind of things at all just as with carvings (for the guys), etc. They would rather be busy with their i/smartphone googling a map of their local transit and texting their roommate (wife/husband, friend or whatever) that they are 5 minutes away from home. I have seen it and said to myself "well, I'm really behind the times!!!!"


True. However there is underground movement which one sees the next generations attending classes organized by local major stores selling sewing machines and evening courses. Walk into an artisan large wool knitting/crocheting shop and it's just amazing all the tools, books (forget the computer. You have to print off the instructions for some of those knit stitch sequences or risk getting holes in wrong places for garment. ), plus classes aimed more at younger folk. 

I also think women who must assertive on the job, career focused and well-educated, may pause to announce in the workplace, that they do this stuff. So there's "status" thing -- unless one is pattern draft designing and sewing fashion show walk stuff for models. OR a woman is supposed to announce she sewed her wedding dress, did all her curtains and upholstered living couch  ...which by the way, my mother did latter 2. Sisters did first one. The product has to have in your face bang wow factor.

I never mended anything. If there were holes....it was thrown away if I couldn't sew a patch on top without it looking ratty.


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

jlunfirst said:


> True. However there is underground movement which one sees the next generations attending classes organized by local major stores selling sewing machines and evening courses. Walk into an artisan large wool knitting/crocheting shop and it's just amazing all the tools, books (forget the computer. You have to print off the instructions for some of those knit stitch sequences or risk getting holes in wrong places for garment. ), plus classes aimed more at younger folk.


 ... hmmm ... interesting ... but why underground? I mean women these days, particularly the "younger" ones should be highly independent. They don't need to hide behind what what their ideals or wants are. I mean women equality is here (in NA) if not having to come a long way. Of course, it'll never get there to being "equal" to a man. And if you're marginalized, it's even worst. Without elaborating here (aka whining), it's a double-whammy.



> I also think women who must assertive on the job, career focused and well-educated, may pause to announce in the workplace, that they do this stuff.


 ... they don't have to "announce" it as it's nobody else's business what they do. Unless they "choose" to do that.



> So there's "status" thing -- unless one is pattern draft designing and sewing fashion show walk stuff for models. OR a woman is supposed to announce she sewed her wedding dress, did all her curtains and upholstered living couch  ...which by the way, my mother did latter 2. Sisters did first one. The product has to have in your face bang wow factor.


 ... yes, there is the"status" thing if one wants to keep up with the "Jones" or want to the "Jones" as "friends".

I don't and I don't give a rataxx crxp how much you/they have, yada yada yada to be a "friend" as in a "true" friend. I mean I can go on FakeBook and achieve a "million friends" but do I really have "a" friend when I really need one? And no, that "need" isn't in dollars sign either. For one, it takes far more than "status" or the blings to be my friend. You can't buy "trust" and that's what I look for first for in a "friend". Extremely important to me.



> I never mended anything. If there were holes....it was thrown away if I couldn't sew a patch on top without it looking ratty.


 ... I mend my socks and other clothes. So what it looks ratty - you ain't gonna to see that patch in my shoes. And neither that hole in my shirt collar. Btw, patches on the elbow of shirts used to be a thing aka fashionable statement.

Bottomline: I couldn't care less what others sees in my "mended" clothes as long as I'm not exposing my bum or body to allow you/others to accuse me of indecency.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Beaver101 said:


> ... hmmm ... interesting ... but why underground? I mean women these days, particularly the "younger" ones should be highly independent. They don't need to hide behind what what their ideals or wants are. I mean women equality is here (in NA) if not having to come a long way. Of course, it'll never get there to being "equal" to a man. And if you're marginalized, it's even worst. Without elaborating here (aka whining), it's a double-whammy.
> ...................................
> 
> ... I mend my socks and other clothes. So what it looks ratty - you ain't gonna to see that patch in my shoes. And neither that hole in my shirt collar. Btw, patches on the elbow of shirts used to be a thing aka fashionable statement.
> ...


DYI in sewing is not showy movement in tidal waves.  That's what I meant.

I wear my clothing very well and try to hand wash for certain garments so they last longer. Just forget about fixing tights for cycling. That requires very tight fabric/stitches that will not break nor chafe, while riding. I don't wear padded cycling tights. And I do bike long distances.  I'm sure fashionistas would find my worn wardrobe of many garments over a decade ...just boring to them. All my cycling jerseys range worn, from last 25-10 years. So I'm well supplied ....I just can't gain weight. I don't need to weight self much....present clothing fit is my motivator/benchmark.


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

jlunfirst said:


> DYI in sewing is not showy movement in tidal waves.  That's what I meant.


 ... okay and don't disagree. It's sign of the times. But DIY sewing isn't dead at all or at least it's coming back only not on the front page news. [Especially when you have this "naked dress" trend. Why bother wearing clothes anyways? LMAO.] Just check Youtube and there're ALOT of ripples to that tidalwave. A come-back?



> I wear my clothing very well and try to hand wash for certain garments so they last longer. Just forget about fixing tights for cycling. That requires very tight fabric/stitches that will not break nor chafe, while riding. I don't wear padded cycling tights. And I do bike long distances.  I'm sure fashionistas would find my worn wardrobe of many garments over a decade ...just boring to them. All my cycling jerseys range worn, from last 25-10 years. So I'm well supplied ....I just can't gain weight. I don't need to weight self much....present clothing fit is my motivator/benchmark.


 ... same here except for "socks" and some hand-me down shirts. Socks get worn down quickly which I gather due to alot of walking. I still can wear my "work-clothes" aka suits from a decade ago although wouldn't find them the most comfy. If I could wear business casual or Friday jeans every day at work - that would be most ideal.


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## HappilyRetired (Nov 14, 2021)

I'm frugal but not cheap. The further I can make a dollar go the more I have to spend on other things. But I will spend money on expensive things if I think they're worth it.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

jlunfirst said:


> DYI in sewing is not showy movement in tidal waves.  That's what I meant.


I don't see sewing/mending as a big money saver (at least not for me) but it does help a little bit. Most times it's just easier to do myself than bring it in. Fixed up my wind/splash pants last week, sewed new bottoms on where they were getting worn out at the ankles which saved me from buying new ones. Over the years replacing zippers has likely saved me the most money over anything else.

I never touch socks (or other cheap stuff) but do re-purpose them for dirt biking where rips/holes don't matter.


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## Bobcajun (May 15, 2018)

I am pretty cheap, I guess. At least I have a hard time justifying expenses. Perhaps I am too cheap, in fact. I usually want to fix anything that I can that is broken. and feel good about it. I have an old car that I cannot justify to sell because in the winter we only go about 100 kms. We take longer trips in the summer. but, it works fine, so I keep it. I bought an electric bicycle just when the Covid started. In order to do that I had to take my old one out and try out the local hills. Decided to pay out for the electric. Currently I am considering buying an electric motor and battery for my tandem kayak. I have a hard time justifying that because I may not use it that much. I also sail the kayak and paddle it. It might be nice to have some electric help, though. But at close to $1000 I am not sure. Now, it is not that I can't afford it. It is just that I have a hard time justifying it. For instance, I usually make a few thousand dollars a month extra money just by selling call options and puts. That becomes part of my justification schema. I am making this, you might say, free money, why not just go out and buy the thing. But, it doesn't work that way. 

By the way jlunfirst, i was interested in the cycling trips you have taken. Can you give me any clue about how you might travel by train and cycle in Europe? Especially if there was a possibility of renting electric bikes,
thanks for your frugal discussions


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Bobcajun said:


> By the way jlunfirst, i was interested in the cycling trips you have taken. Can you give me any clue about how you might travel by train and cycle in Europe? Especially if there was a possibility of renting electric bikes,
> thanks for your frugal discussions


We have done a number of loaded (cycling with our packed panniers containing clothing, etc.) bike touring trips mostly on our own ranging from 2 day weekends to 4 weekends (1,000+km in Martimes). We have cycled the Waterfront Trail by Lake Ontario to Niagara on the Lake which was 120 km. 1 way trip. Now you can take weekend GO train from Toronto Union Station with bikes and get off and cycle the Niagara Bike Parkway to Fort Erie which is 50 km. round trip from I believe St. Catharines. Also several trips cycle east along Waterfront Trail, hooking up to Thousand Island Bike Parkway from Toronto to Cornwall. Almost 500 km. We did camp for some of these trips. When living in Vancouver, we did some trips to Seattle...yes it is a 110 km. 1 way bike trip. Or you may choose to take bike on Amtrak train.

The problem with electric bikes is that they are heavy...to lift up onto a bus bike front rack..that one sees in VAncouver, Toronto, Calgary and some other cities. Unless one can take off battery pack (which I know alot of bike models don't have this). Before thinking about Europe, lst plan and do some Canadian bike trips which blend in use of transit bus/train and getting off to bike. Via has limited bike train car transport. ALWAYS plan and book tickets in advance, because bike transport might be limited. 

I seriously recommend learning to bike extensively long bike path routes, separated bike lanes in our province first. Meaning biking several times per wk. 

Because in Europe, it helps alot to get used to the idea of occasionally taking a train trip with bike and then getting off to bike. Learn to go multi-modal without a car. Since train system is far more extensive, reliable and quite fast. We bought and used Eurail train tickets which are oriented for non-European visitors. Go to website. Some big European cities have bikeshare. I am not comfortable because most bikes don't fit me....I'm 5'1". 

We biked on our folding bikes for some of our trips with our panniers. No electric. So of course, that's why it helps to learn the "feel" of weight by biking with lots of groceries at home often first.

European Routes – CyclingEurope.org 
Cycling Routes in Europe - Visit Europe 

Try Velo Quebec, they have some bike routes. We did 1-2 routes near Montreal and Quebec City for over a wk. We ended up going to 2-3 goat cheese places...along the way. Lots of fun. 

Or join up with a bike touring group that drives your luggage/ has a sag wagon. We only did that twice, informal group rides of wineries on Vancouver Island and in cycling round-trip from Toronto to Orillia (300 km.)

I've been a cyclist for last 31 yrs., and resident in Toronto, VAncouver and Calgary. So if you have any questions about routes as a visitor, let me know.


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## Bobcajun (May 15, 2018)

jlunfirst said:


> We have done a number of loaded (cycling with our packed panniers containing clothing, etc.) bike touring trips mostly on our own ranging from 2 day weekends to 4 weekends (1,000+km in Martimes). We have cycled the Waterfront Trail by Lake Ontario to Niagara on the Lake which was 120 km. 1 way trip. Now you can take weekend GO train from Toronto Union Station with bikes and get off and cycle the Niagara Bike Parkway to Fort Erie which is 50 km. round trip from I believe St. Catharines. Also several trips cycle east along Waterfront Trail, hooking up to Thousand Island Bike Parkway from Toronto to Cornwall. Almost 500 km. We did camp for some of these trips. When living in Vancouver, we did some trips to Seattle...yes it is a 110 km. 1 way bike trip. Or you may choose to take bike on Amtrak train.
> 
> The problem with electric bikes is that they are heavy...to lift up onto a bus bike front rack..that one sees in VAncouver, Toronto, Calgary and some other cities. Unless one can take off battery pack (which I know alot of bike models don't have this). Before thinking about Europe, lst plan and do some Canadian bike trips which blend in use of transit bus/train and getting off to bike. Via has limited bike train car transport. ALWAYS plan and book tickets in advance, because bike transport might be limited.
> 
> ...


Wow,you are a real cyclist! We would only be interested in occasional short trips; That is why the train is appealing. I suppose if you got flat terrain you could go no electric easily enough. I have cycled a lot but mostly as transportation, not taking trips. I get all around the city on my bike these days, exv=cept starting to put it away because of the weather here in Montreal. But, when i lived in Vancouver I used to cycle from near Hastings and Main up to UBC four or five times a week, as well as just riding around the city on the other days just for fun. In those days the Stanley Park Seawall was not as busy as it is now and I really enjoyed that ride. I would like to give Europe a try,though, As Isay, short hops along with train sounds pretty good, thanks


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Bobcajun said:


> Wow,you are a real cyclist! We would only be interested in occasional short trips; That is why the train is appealing. I suppose if you got flat terrain you could go no electric easily enough. I have cycled a lot but mostly as transportation, not taking trips. I get all around the city on my bike these days, exv=cept starting to put it away because of the weather here in Montreal. But, when i lived in Vancouver I used to cycle from near Hastings and Main up to UBC four or five times a week, as well as just riding around the city on the other days just for fun. In those days the Stanley Park Seawall was not as busy as it is now and I really enjoyed that ride. I would like to give Europe a try,though, As Isay, short hops along with train sounds pretty good, thanks


I've missed cycling especially certain routes Metro VAncouver....certain neighbourhoods where the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom in spring...ie. April. You aware now Vancouver does have a cherry blossom festival... cherry blossom touring routes, International Haiku Festival, etc. It's beautiful. 
*Europe trip 1*- went by bike and train after getting off at Frankfurt airport which airport is built directly to train station. we cycled in southern Germany where my partner's family is from ...Germany's famous wineries region and white wines, Strausborg in France just 30 km. ride from Germany. We did cycle 90 km. from Germany to Basel, Switzerland in 1 day and took train back. Also includes train to Prague and biking around there (sort of. Cobblestone streets don't thrill me), side trip to a medieval Czech village, then train to Denmark where biked around Copenhagen for a few days. We also took 1/2 hr. train to Sweden and spent day with bikes before going back to Copenhagen.

We rode to Copenhagen airport...very different there..it's riding through residential areas before the airport.

*Europe trip 2* - was less use of bikes. We biked in Burgundy wine region in France, after taking train from Paris into region. Took train to a German village medieval, Rennaissance, etc. and some minor biking there. We didn't bike in Barcelona, Spain since the city seemed much busier.

My partner was a well-known cycling advocate in Metro Vancouver before he died. He biked solo across Canada...twice...from VAncouver to Toronto. Other many bike trips on his own while I was still working.


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## Bobcajun (May 15, 2018)

jlunfirst said:


> I've missed cycling especially certain routes Metro VAncouver....certain neighbourhoods where the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom in spring...ie. April. You aware now Vancouver does have a cherry blossom festival... cherry blossom touring routes, International Haiku Festival, etc. It's beautiful.
> *Europe trip 1*- went by bike and train after getting off at Frankfurt airport which airport is built directly to train station. we cycled in southern Germany where my partner's family is from ...Germany's famous wineries region and white wines, Strausborg in France just 30 km. ride from Germany. We did cycle 90 km. from Germany to Basel, Switzerland in 1 day and took train back. Also includes train to Prague and biking around there (sort of. Cobblestone streets don't thrill me), side trip to a medieval Czech village, then train to Denmark where biked around Copenhagen for a few days. We also took 1/2 hr. train to Sweden and spent day with bikes before going back to Copenhagen.
> 
> We rode to Copenhagen airport...very different there..it's riding through residential areas before the airport.
> ...


Sounds like you have some great memories! I don’t frequent this, or any other forum for that matter, very often, so I don’t know if it has been recently that you lost your partner or not. Whatever the amount of time it is still a great loss and I offer my condolences. You really did things when you were together, though, and that is worth a lot. Yes, i useed to like biking in Vancouver a lot. I lived for quite a long time just below Openheimer Park and the docks were mostly my routes. No appleblossoms there! Usualy very interesting and more or less peaceful, though. I did enjoy cycling around that park that is up on a high hill up sbove Dunbar, i think. Beautiful place. Take care and thanks for the information 
Bob


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## Money172375 (Jun 29, 2018)

Bobcajun said:


> I am pretty cheap, I guess. At least I have a hard time justifying expenses. Perhaps I am too cheap, in fact. I usually want to fix anything that I can that is broken. and feel good about it. I have an old car that I cannot justify to sell because in the winter we only go about 100 kms. We take longer trips in the summer. but, it works fine, so I keep it. I bought an electric bicycle just when the Covid started. In order to do that I had to take my old one out and try out the local hills. Decided to pay out for the electric. Currently I am considering buying an electric motor and battery for my tandem kayak. I have a hard time justifying that because I may not use it that much. I also sail the kayak and paddle it. It might be nice to have some electric help, though. But at close to $1000 I am not sure. Now, it is not that I can't afford it. It is just that I have a hard time justifying it. For instance, I usually make a few thousand dollars a month extra money just by selling call options and puts. That becomes part of my justification schema. I am making this, you might say, free money, why not just go out and buy the thing. But, it doesn't work that way.
> 
> By the way jlunfirst, i was interested in the cycling trips you have taken. Can you give me any clue about how you might travel by train and cycle in Europe? Especially if there was a possibility of renting electric bikes,
> thanks for your frugal discussions


Have a look at any additional safety gear that may be required if you’re putting a motor on your kayak. It’s now no longer a human propelled vessel. You may also need an operaror’s card.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Money172375 said:


> Have a look at any additional safety gear that may be required if you’re putting a motor on your kayak. It’s now no longer a human propelled vessel. You may also need an operaror’s card.


No PCOC is required under 10 hp. A small electric motor (i.e. trolling motor) will be way below that. Even if you need a licence they are rather easy to get. 

And to sticking to the cheapskate thread, there are many times when online boater licence courses are 1/2 price.


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## Bobcajun (May 15, 2018)

cainvest said:


> No PCOC is required under 10 hp. A small electric motor (i.e. trolling motor) will be way below that. Even if you need a licence they are rather easy to get.
> 
> And to sticking to the cheapskate thread, there are many times when online boater licence courses are 1/2 price.


Thanks for the heads up regarding the licence. But as Caininvest mentions, under 10 hp not needed. I think that is why you see a lot of small sailboats with something like 9.5 hp engines. Nice thing to dream about on a cold and snowy day, though!


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