As the economy gets worse......

[elliemom]

What kind of cutbacks is everyone making??? has anyone made a "REAL" budget and made efforts to stick to it???

Are you
-drinking coffee at home
-packing lunches
-not buying bottled water or convenience foods
-changed vacation to staycation

I am currently working on increasing my savings every month by a certain dollar amount.

Tell me your tips, I'll tell you mine!!!!!

 

[BuffyR]

I'm not sure that the economy is getting worse, but, I get your point. Over the last several months I have cut down shopping considerably. Now, before I buy something, I ask myself if I really need it. If the answer is no, I ask myself how much I really want it. Its more of a check on myself to make decisions on whether to buy or not to buy. As a result I have managed to build up my savings account quite a bit.

I've always been the type to bring lunch to work. I find eating lunch out such a waste. Besides I like control the ingredients in my lunch. I also rarely buy coffee because I can get it at home in the office for free (or cheap). There is an older saying that if you watch the pennies the dollars will take care of themselves. I kind of live by that.

 

[ldy_solana]

just being smarter on some things. i am taking advantage of the deli at kroger that makes yummy dishes like orzo with veggies and making quick pita sandwiches out them(just an example) instead of going to a restaurant and dropping over $35 for three on dinner. some nights i just can't cook or we have to eat on the run so having someone else do the cooking but me assembling dinner is quicker,cheaper, and healthier.

we have a y membership we use for the pool but instead of buying yet another workout dvd(yeah go ahead zap me for this one) i buy one or two books cheaper and use my free afternoons to workout before my daughter gets off the bus at school. plus saves water b/c i take her to the pool just about night and she showers at the y. my water bill is $25 a month average! i am getting a lot of books dirt cheap or free workout related so i have found myself not jumping on any bandwagons for workouts. (except STS cardio!)

i utilize my sam's membership b/c some things i will pay the same price or barely a dollar or two more(literally,did the math on this) and it will last me for MONTHS! shampoo,body washes,toliet paper,paper towels,spices, some pantry items.

and the one that causes fights between dh and i TURN OFF THE AC! it doesn't need to be running ALL the time. some days its just perfectly comfortable to leave it off or set it to 75. i hate that damn AC,granted we have an energy star heat pump it still cost money to run it. if i get to hot i go the y to the pool or a take a nice shower and i feel better! but him you would think its not nice in the house unless icicles came off the ceiling LOL

kassia

 

[nancy324]

We're not taking Staycations, but we are traveling more inexpensively. It's pretty easy do with all the deals on hotels, etc.

My primary change is that I now buy almost all of my clothes on sale. But again, it's pretty easy to do with all the sales going on these days. For work, I'm buying the same designer clothes I was buying before for 40%-50% less than I used to pay.

But I also agree with BuffyR. I always stop to ask myself if I really need something before buying it. And if I don't need it, I don't buy it.

 

[fit_fairy]

Are you
-drinking coffee at home
-packing lunches
-not buying bottled water or convenience foods
-changed vacation to staycation

I was doing all of those things before the economy fell. Except eating out is my downfall. But I am doing less of that and trying to make sure I save more.

 

[caseysmomgo]

I stay out of stores! DH and I have discovered that we don't usually need what we think we want. We've been discussing lately all the mindless purchases we've made in the past... sigh...

I've been hitting the library more frequently. I'm an addict for health/nutrition books, and previously, I'd cruise Amazon for any book that I'd hear about and I'd click "add to cart" much too frequently! So now, I just go to the library for most books, and for the others I realize that I don't need them.

I cancelled my gym membership to save some money. I was doing most of my workouts at home with Cathe anyway, so this was a no-brainer. I'm still occasionally buying more w/o videos (just got 4DS), but I wait until I have the money and don't put it on a credit card. I kind of wanted Insanity, but I'd already pre-ordered Cathe's Shock Cardio, and decided I'd rather wait for that. Normally, if I wanted it, I'd just go ahead and buy it without batting an eye.

Kassia, my DH and I also battle over the a/c!!! It's a wonder our central air hasn't broken because of how often I'm raising the temp and he's lowering it...I'm cold enough in the winter...don't need to be cold in the summer too!!

 

[LaughingWater]

We've always worked within a budget, so not too much has changed. However, I did switch grocery stores, and it has made a huge difference in our weekly bill (an average of $30-$50).

I originally planned on participating with my daughter in the Cathe RT. I have since changed my mind. Though it breaks my heart ~ especially since she's coming right to my area ~ I could really use that $600+ for something else. (And I've already bought STS, Shock Cardio, and the Power Tower. I think I'm good for now.)

 

[coloradomama]

Like Catherine, we were also doing all those things already because we have a tight budget. We'll occasionally go out to eat - more often than I'd prefer, but neither of us like to cook and we don't spend our money on other things - and I'll occasionally (once or twice a pay period) I'll buy a froo-froo coffee for DH.

I've become a good shopper and one of the best ways to get the most out of our grocery budget is to plan a weekly menu and stick to it. Then I only buy what I need for the menu items and sometimes we even have money left over afterwards!

Spending money is already an item in our budget and once we spend it, that's basically it. We keep our AC at 78 and when it starts to get warm, I'll turn a fan on to circulate the air more and that really helps to keep things cool.

I also save up my spare change in a jar and when the jar gets full, I get cash for it and it is enough for a little indulgent spending, such as a dinner out, with the family, a new hair color, a workout DVD, etc.

 

[ldy_solana]

Kassia, my DH and I also battle over the a/c!!! It's a wonder our central air hasn't broken because of how often I'm raising the temp and he's lowering it...I'm cold enough in the winter...don't need to be cold in the summer too!!

LOL i am lucky i wait until he leaves for work then i kick that sucker to 75 or so. now that i am back at work no need for it to be running if we are not home. so it mostly runs at night now so we are making progress we even agreed on 72-73 degrees. it wasn't bad in july its a little rough right now but its a good pump so it doesn't need to be on 70 to cool the house down. we have pretty good insulation and ceiling fans(we made the right choice is buying a totally renovated house everything brand new and updated!)

our electric company is always asking a for rate raises at least 4 times a year and anything to keep from giving my money to this monopoly of a company(whatever happen to picking any company you want! ) i am for it! we live in a small house so i don't see a need for an electric bill to be over $150, it should be $120 or less! plus like i said we don't use a lot of water at home so my water heater isn't running constantly from showers that we take mostly at the ymca! my y membership is only $70 for the WHOLE family so i get my money's worth LOL. i also wash dishes by hand instead of using dishwasher. no need for that thing to run nearly an hour for 3 ppl,my meals aren't that big!

i have always been a penny pinching cheapskate but this economy is just getting dh on my side finally! he even unplugs the toaster when he is done LOL. could never get him to do that!

kassia

 

[kathryn]

I'm not sure the economy is getting worse (I though there was a recent turn around).

I haven't really done much differently than before (though it would be a good idea!).

I haven't used my airconditioning more than 4 or 5 times this summer, so I saved there (if it was in the 90's outside, and I turned the air to 80). In fact, since I'm on a payment plan that splits my expected costs over 12 months, I ended up with a surplus, and didn't have to pay anything in July! Whoo hoo!

I do make a monthly budget, but I'm not particularly good at keeping to it. Something to work on.

 

[Aquajock]

I agree with those who hold that the economy is back into a slow, upward turnaround, as evidenced by the glimmerings of light in the housing market, the slowdown in job loss and the improvement in the stock market, as well as a slow uptick in consumer confidence. That said, I've been an uber-cheapazoid for a long time now, so neither DH nor I individually nor as a couple have made any significant changes in spending. (We're a one-car family, and have no cell phone nor any pay-TV thing.) We are paying increasing additional amounts on our one debt - a car note - and I want to have that b*tch paid off by the end of the year. Plus, we've made extra purchases in our favorite mutual funds, firmly believing we're getting great long-term investments at temporarily bargain-basement prices.

A-Jock

 

[berry99]

Ever since DH and I bought a house in 2007 we have really changed our spending habits. We used to get whatever we wanted, eat out quite a bit, and get coffee whenever we wanted it. Also one of my favorite things to do was shop. Once we bought the house though, this drastically changed. We rarely go out to eat now and we limit our trips to the coffee shop to once a week. Also, we'd rather save up money for stuff for the house then get the things that we used to buy for ourselves so we have really cut our frivolous spending. We save up for a year and do something to improve the house. Last summer we replaced the windows and paid cash, this year we got a new furnace and AC and paid cash. We really try not to use our CCs at all.

We never go on vacations and I always have brought my lunch to work. I think that most notably we just cut back on our silly spending and just try to put more into savings or to house improvements.

I have also started consigning my clothing that I want to get rid of and have racked up $150 from that. That's my frivolous spending money now!!!

Ellie - what are your tips?

 

[kathryn]

A-Jocks post reminded me : I paid off my car loan in May, so I've owned my Prius outright since then. Yay!

And since I kept my previous car (which was a 2-year-old, gently used car when I bought it) for 14 years, I'm hoping to still have several good years with "Madeleine"!.

 

[worseenemy]

SOME TIP'S FOR ME PLEASE!!!

For us is been really, really bad, family of 6 with one pay check a military pay check. Since we moved from Virginia to Twentynine Palms is been such a hard time.
So our spending is not much. 2 car payments, 2 cc , that's tough. I can't even work because here is so small place that is not easy to find a job. And now that my DH is deployed we get an extra money that it was going straight to pay bills. But when hi get back home is no more money, so that's going to be really a challenge.

I cut my trips to walmart, not trips to the mall that is 60 dollars just on gas. We don't pay electricity, water, gas, we get free pool, free gym, we don't pay rent, we cut cell phone's, I don't know what else I can do.
We don't eat out, I cook 24-7,(my daughters think i'm the cheap is person in the world) we go to $1 movies. I was really bad for the first 2 months of my DH deployment, but not any more. I save up some money for when hi get home he can have some fun. Hes been working so hard,so far away from home, for a long 6 months that hi deserve this, so, so dip inside my self I keep thinking that I'm doing good.


BUT, PLEASE IF YOU HAVE SOME TIP'S FOR ME I WOULD LOVE TO HEARD THEM.

 

[nancy324]

I agree with those who hold that the economy is back into a slow, upward turnaround, as evidenced by the glimmerings of light in the housing market, the slowdown in job loss and the improvement in the stock market, as well as a slow uptick in consumer confidence. That said, I've been an uber-cheapazoid for a long time now, so neither DH nor I individually nor as a couple have made any significant changes in spending. (We're a one-car family, and have no cell phone nor any pay-TV thing.) We are paying increasing additional amounts on our one debt - a car note - and I want to have that b*tch paid off by the end of the year. Plus, we've made extra purchases in our favorite mutual funds, firmly believing we're getting great long-term investments at temporarily bargain-basement prices.

A-Jock

A-Jock, don't you need a cell phone for work?

 

[ImFiddY]

I don't see any recovery in the economy from where I stand. I still cannot sell my house. A house sold down the street after a year n half at 200k less than they were selling 2 yrs ago. My business is way slow and I'm just making enough to pay the bills. I have a daughter who graduated college and has not been able to land a job because there are so many unemployed people with experience wanting the entry level jobs.

We watch every penny and do not go out to eat, movies, vacations, new clothes. Anything I need I shop craigslist or ebay to find it the cheapest I can. I dropped my cell phone and got the $30 a month prepaid phone plan.

 

[sparrow13]

DH and I have always been frugal so we've not so much instituted as we have intensified things we were already doing. Here are some:

- we pay attention to our utilities. If your state has consumer electric choice, find out which company offers the cheapest electric, call and switch to them, then call your current provider and tell them sayonara. Also, if I run my dryer 10 times a year I'd be shocked. In the summer I use my clothesline (in the winter I use the wood stoves.)

- We got rid of our expensive cable package, then kept an eye out for a bundle deal. Right now we are getting phone, basic cable and internet for $55 a month for year.

- I cook at home and cook a lot of beans. We bring lunches when we are on the road, and invested in decent stainless steel water bottles and coffee bottles to bring as well.

- I've become a mad coupon shopper with my organic brands. I don't waste my time with the lame "buy ten and we'll give you a dime off" coupons but look for the 1.00 off or higher kind. Then I keep an eye out for the stores having "double your coupons" and am able to get a couple of dollars off the things I would be using anyway. I joined a couple of websites that offer organic coupons monthly and also got on a couple of mailing lists (Kashi, Newman's Own, Eden Organic, Nature's Path) so when they offer specials, I'm notified.

- We buy most of our clothes second-hand (this summer I bought two pair of designer jeans, one for $8 [still had the tags on] and one for $3.) The only exception is when the evil, enabling Sundance company sends me emails extolling 75 percent off. I looooooveee Sundance clothes and 75 percent off them is like crack to me. DH doesn't argue with me about it either....he just hands me the debit card and gets the hell out of the way.

- After a number of years of being unfocused, I'm upping the ante with my career and skills. We're investing in me getting certified as a PT, I'm working part-time for my brother in law, and I've gone back to my writing roots and am writing all kinds of small articles and pieces to bring in some dosh.

Our #1 goal now is to pay off debt we incurred during the downturn in the housing market. UGH!

 

[sparrow13]

I don't see any recovery in the economy from where I stand. I still cannot sell my house. A house sold down the street after a year n half at 200k less than they were selling 2 yrs ago. My business is way slow and I'm just making enough to pay the bills. I have a daughter who graduated college and has not been able to land a job because there are so many unemployed people with experience wanting the entry level jobs.

We watch every penny and do not go out to eat, movies, vacations, new clothes. Anything I need I shop craigslist or ebay to find it the cheapest I can. I dropped my cell phone and got the $30 a month prepaid phone plan.

I've been wanting to drop my cell phone. May I ask what company you're using? I'm not really even sure how pre-paid works!

 

[ImFiddY]

I've been wanting to drop my cell phone. May I ask what company you're using? I'm not really even sure how pre-paid works!

I bought the $29 straight talk phone from wal-mart and got the $30 a month 1000 minutes prepaid, or you can get an unlimited for $45. The box says it runs on the Verizon network so the coverage is great. Dropped off my son at Andrews AFB coming from Georgia and the coverage never dropped. It's just $30 for a 30 day period and then I have to renew with a credit card or go buy another card from the store. Or if you use up your 1000 minutes then you will have to renew early. I don't use a cell phone much so it works for me.

 

[horseshowmom]

We've never had any money, so the pay cut we took this year didn't change much. We did downsize from renting a 3000 sq foot house (family of 7) to 1200 square feet. It's tight, but 2 just left for college so that helps. That's the only major change we've made this year. Oh and DH has always hunted so we have venison which stretched the food dollar a lot. This year we also went in with neighbors on a whole cow and hog. HUGE savings and better meat!
I love reading everyone's great ideas!
Becky