With the economy the way it is, what have you given up?

[mcconnellboys]

We've also tried to cut the number of trips we make, limit outside activities, and are using more cash instead of credit (it really does help me limit my spending). We eat out less. I shop for sales on meat weekly and freeze it. I'm keeping my pantry and freezers fully stocked. We grew tomatoes that past summer and will grow more next summer.

[Tracey in TX]

We've cut back on dining out other than special occasions. Only buying three meats per week and have to stretch it out to last (used to eat meat almost nightly) or eat something inexpensive with protein. Shopping at Sam's Club instead of desirable market. Variety and quality isn't as good, but a whole lot cheaper.

DCs have given up summer camp, and three are finishing music lessons this month. They had to choose between sports and music.

Mostly we are saving a whole lot more money for a possible drastic economic downturn. We lost 40% of kids' college funds this year and hope to be able to make it up with savings. That in itself requires sacrifice!

 

It stinks going from a bull market to a bear market. The good times are over and time to hunker down.

[KAR120C]

This might be a dumb question, but could someone share specifically how you are being affected by the economy right now? I haven't seen any changes yet. Food prices seem to have stabilized or actually come down a bit. Gas prices are half what they were a year ago. Nothing else has changed for us, so we are actually doing a little better than we were six months ago. Are we in the minority?

And for now at least I have no reason to expect that we will be, in any serious way (knock on wood! LOL) Also, we live WAY below our means, and we actually have a lot of options if we need to make financial changes (me picking up some contract work, for instance, or cutting out a handful of extra expenses). Mostly, my normal financial anxiety is just a little twitchier these days. We've not changed much of anything... I just complain about it more. ;)

 

We do have friends who are suffering, so I'm not minimizing the possibility at all. But it would be ridiculous for me to compare my grumpiness about what it costs to keep me in coffee and donuts, to their real problems.

[mcconnellboys]

I'm sorry! My oldest is a senior next year and I has already asked my husband to pull his money into a more secure money market account last year. He didn't do it and we lost $10,000 of his money before he got it pulled.

[Tap]

We are fairly fortunate so far. We haven't had to give up much, but what I have noticed myself doing is making less expensive choices and noticing the price more. Instead of smoked fontina cheese, I bought a block of cheddar. Instead of buying dds favorite hot dogs ($4 a pack of 6-I will only buy natural ones) I just skipped them all together. I didn't fill the fruit bowl with a lot of choices this month, just some basics that are cheaper, apples, mandarins and bananas. I am trying to stay under $1 per pound for fruit, hard to do this year with the bazaar weather of the past year.

 

I guess I am just trying to make a few cheaper choices on everyday shopping so I don't really have to watch the big stuff. Kind of the 'watch your pennies and the dollars will take care of them selves" type thought.

[TraceyS/FL]

I wonder what percent of the crisis is actually caused by people cutting back in anticipation of loss of job, inflation, etc. We hear the economy's bad and is going to get worse, so we cut back on spending, resulting in more people losing their jobs and businesses going under, making the economy worse. It sure is complicated, isn't it?

 

Wendi

Well, DH's boss had to "repo" a septic system they had put in (empty house still), i'm just trying to cut our expenses enough in areas that i can - and that improve what we eat - because i'm pretty sure DH won't continue to get paid if there is no work. It's up and down on a weekly basis right now.

 

Furthermore - learning to eat cheaper has helped me see how much i don't need to live on a week which helps in some other areas should that plan get placed into action. I need to live cheap.

 

And, it's COLD here today (for FL) and i turned the heater on for about 30 minutes to take the chill off - but we are bundled up otherwise. If i start sneezing - it's coming on.

[Kanga]

In our area several companies have closed, some have already started layoffs, and there is talk of more in the future. Although my dh's salary is the same a lot of services we pay for have increased: The vet, the farrier, the hayman, the horse instructor, and the violin teacher. Most sited the cost of gas for their increases, but even though gas is now 2.00 lower a gallon than it was last summer their prices are not going to come down. Hay alone doubled in price! Groceries also increased 20 - 50 percent.

 

We sold one of our horses.

 

I have given up diet coke.

 

I started making french vanilla creamer instead of buying it.

 

I started making my own dish washer detergent.

 

I gave up liquid soap and started using bar soap.

 

My ds and I have been hauling our own hay to save on the delivery fee.

 

My dh has started carpooling to work.

 

I pack my dh's lunch.

 

I buy snack food in bulk and then put it in little snack bags, so my dc can grab a few before we leave the house. This way I don't spend money on snack food when we are out.

 

I have started gardening to decrease our grocery bill; I used to just garden for fun.

 

I try to find things on our wish list at the thrift store.

 

We switched to the new energy efficient light bulbs.

 

We research on the web and then fix things ourselves.

 

I go over all of the grocery ads and make a list of the loss leaders and buy just those things in bulk when I go in rather than doing all of my shopping at one store. I stop by the different stores when I am already out doing lessons rather than making a grocery store run.

 

I plan my menus carefull, so left overs do not go to waste.

 

I am sure there is more, but that is all I can think of now.

[~Sunny~]

As I posted in another thread we haven't had a pinch yet. I am worried we will soon though. I am giving up netflix though. :( I am going to try to start saving even more money just in case.

[~Sunny~]

oh and next year I def hope to have a big garden even though I do not enjoy gardening lol

[sunshine]

I was specifically thinking in terms of food when I was thinking of posting, but I am curious as to what sacrifices you have made so far.

 

We have given up fruits other than a rare treat ( which really bugs me as I want them to eat more fruit). And I hover over them as they pour out thier milk to make sure they aren't over doing it LOL.

 

Other things are trips to town, extra activites etc. I am thankful gas has gone down, but I still don't want to waste what we have.

 

What cuts have you made?

 

To my sorrow, piano, which was way across town, and to my even deeper sorrow..Lattes on a regular basis.

[sunshine]

 

I started making french vanilla creamer instead of buying it.

 

I started making my own dish washer detergent.

 

 

I plan my menus carefully, so left overs do not go to waste.

 

.

 

 

 

Recipes please????

[Amy in NH]

This might be a dumb question, but could someone share specifically how you are being affected by the economy right now? I haven't seen any changes yet. Food prices seem to have stabilized or actually come down a bit. Gas prices are half what they were a year ago. Nothing else has changed for us, so we are actually doing a little better than we were six months ago. Are we in the minority? Are others of you being negatively affected already by the economy, or are these things you're cutting back on in anticipation of what is to come?

 

Erica

 

We've always lived paycheck to paycheck. We don't have credit cards, car payments, cell phones, or cable/satellite tv. We've always shopped at consignment shops, or clearance racks at discount stores, bought food in bulk or from co-op when it's cheaper, grow a vegetable garden, cook from scratch, fix and mend broken stuff, do-it (everything) ourselves.

 

Coming from that tight spot, my husband didn't get any kind of raise this year. But our taxes went up $100/month, our electric rates went up 20%, and our food costs have gone up 60% (and we aren't buying anything different). Gas prices are coming down just in time for oil heating season (our regular monthly income covers gas, food, utilities, and mortgage, but not heating oil). And we're just happy he has a job. He's seen a lot of businesses in his field fail, and a lot of workers get laid off.

 

We have really been blessed this year by a couple of scholarships that I've received, and a gift from my mother to fix my car over the summer. Without those blessings, I don't know what we would have done.

 

We were living frugally before the economy went south, now we are strapped to the max. We've stopped having a take-out night like we used to. We have stopped going to homeschool group meetings to save gas money. And DH has to work extra overtime (over and above what he was working before) to afford karate with the 3 boys, which is the one thing he does other than work.

 

I'm just praying that my car passes inspection next week, even though I know that there is something wrong with it.

 

And I'm also praying that DH gets a Christmas bonus. Otherwise, there will be no Christmas for my children.

[Sparkle]

We dropped our cable, so no TV at all here anymore. I'm canceling the newspaper and letting a couple of my magazine subscriptions lapse. DH gave up his cell phone for now.

 

We don't eat as much meat and fish, maybe only 2 or 3 times a week. No eating out. Less snack foods. Going to get our garden started up again soon hopefully.

 

Almost all our clothing is purchased from the thrift store and some of our Christmas gifts too.

 

Trying to drive as little as possible, and combining trips whenever I go out.

 

I rarely buy books anymore, I use the library.

 

DH will most likely be taking a 5% pay cut starting in January, which stinks :thumbdown:

[SW in IL]

We got hit by a double, or maybe triple, whammy. My husband moved to MA to take a job and then announced that he wants a divorce (I knew it was just a matter of time). Then he got laid off and now sends me $50 every few weeks.

 

We've done away with most everything. Our food has been cut to the point where I'm hungry almost all the time. No more junk food/munchies. Meals have been cut from being a protien, 2 veggies, and bread to a smaller serving of protien and 1 veggie. DS is limited to 2 glasses of milk/day. I've stopped taking pretty much all my prescription meds. I've driven just over 200 miles (1/2 a tank of gas) in just over 2 months, so we only drive when it's necessary. We've cut out trips pretty much everywhere including the library, which I really hate to do but I can't walk 2 miles each way. We've turned down the heat in the house so low that the lowest level is too cold to spend any time down there and we have to wear several layers of clothes to spend any time on the main level. Extra layers of blankets on the beds make those cozy :)

 

The only things we have left are cable TV/Internet (which my husband pays for) and going out to eat once a week (which my mom pays for).

 

For the most part, I consider myself lucky to have the cable TV, Internet and being able to eat out regularly, but many times I'd rather have the money that my husband and my mom are paying for those to be able to buy the prescription drugs I need or put gas in my car or have more food on the table.

 

How I'm going to come up with the money to take my son to his bio-dad's for Thanksgiving visitation is beyond me. I've tried to explain to him (bio-dad) that I can't afford the gas, but he doesn't believe me and according to our divorce, I'm solely responsible for all costs of transportation for all visitations. Plus I don't want to cut my son off from being able to see his bio-dad, especially since Thanksgiving this year is going to be a family get-together. I guess the only thing I can do is cut out the one med I'm still taking and cut back a bit more on food.

 

Sue

[keptwoman]

Given up Pay TV

Cut right back on meat. We only buy cheap cuts and eat a lot more vegetarian meals now.

No take aways. No junkfood. Very little chocolate.

Less convenience foods. We've never used many but now we use none at ALL.

Bake our own bread. Make our own pasta. Make our own mayonaisse etc etc etc

Less clothes.

 

Just more careful really.

[KidsHappen]

Well, it really hasn't effected us much but for the first time in a long time christmas is going to be very lean. Luckily, I just had the SC talk with my youngest two this year and they genreally understand the situation with the economy so hopefully they will understand about Cheistmas. We are planning on stocking only and the traditional foods and family gatherings. They is enough for me and I am sure my children will manage it just fine.:mellow: (that was the closet I could find to a hopeful smile)

[Tammyla]

My grocery bill took the biggest hit next to the gas tank. I'm so glad that gas has gone down. I'm still limiting our trips, and being very conscientious about our groceries. Sales, coupons, stocking up and making more and more from scratch are priorities. Less fruit and organics are another less plentiful option here and I know how much milk we need. I get all fussed out if it goes to waste now and I'm the same way with bread. Using what is here and on hand is my mantra from the kitchen to the closets.

 

I'm experimenting with freezing some refrigerator items this winter to save gas, and money. http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/f01chart.html

[Jenny in Florida]

I wonder what percent of the crisis is actually caused by people cutting back in anticipation of loss of job, inflation, etc. We hear the economy's bad and is going to get worse, so we cut back on spending, resulting in more people losing their jobs and businesses going under, making the economy worse. It sure is complicated, isn't it?

 

We're not seriously cutting back.

 

Thus far--although I am mindful that this could change in the blink of an eye, especially given my husband's job--we haven't really felt any differences. Ou income has remained the same. We don't have a mortgage (because we rent). In fact, we're a little better off than usual because my husband inherited a bit of money over the summer.

 

So, we're just kind of chugging along. We even bought a new car last month and are looking to replace the other one with a newer (but still used) model.

 

However, I am very, very aware that this could all go downhill in a heartbeat. So, I am thinking ahead and preparing myself emotionally for ways we could cut back and adjust quickly if we had to do so.

 

My husband did choose to purchase insurance on the recent car loan that would make our payments for a while if he were unemployed. This is the sort of thing we never do, but opted for because of the current uncertainty.

 

I'm naturally pretty thrifty in terms of shopping and so on. I keep my grocery spending below the national average just because I can. Also, we've been vegetarian/vegan for a long time. So, we haven't had to worry about cutting back on meat in order to save money. But we do buy some luxuries and treats that we could give up if we needed to economize more: my husband's frozen convenience foods (which I would replace with single-serving leftovers), my son's soy ice cream and chocolate chips (which could be replaced with home-made cookies or popcorn), my name-brand diet soda (which can be replaced with home-brewed iced tea and/or store brand soda), etc.

 

In terms of other spending, such as clothing, we tend to try and buy good quality items that will last. And I launder things carefully. My husband and I sometimes go to or three years without buying anything new. We've all had an infusion of new clothing recently and could go a long time without buying more.

 

My son and I started doing most of our reading from the library several months ago. And given the number of books we consume in a year, that's not an insignificant savings.

 

I've already ordered much of our homeschool stuff for next year. And, if I had to pull the plug right now, we'd have enough to get through.

 

And, of course, there's all the usual stuff we could cut back or quit: cable, tickets to various shows, our son's activities, etc.

 

We've been broke before and survived. So, it won't flatten me if we have to go there again.

Edited November 17, 2008 by Jenny in Florida

[Kanga]

Recipes please????

 

I found the recipe for dish washer soap on this board. I wish I could remeber who originally posted it so I could give her proper credit. I have left out the essential oil with out seeing a noticable difference and I don't put vinegar in the rinse dispenser.

 

For automatic dishwasher detergent, I use 1c washing soda, 1C Borax, 20 drops (or so) of Lemon essential oil (can use any of your choice). Mix well in a container and keep a 1/2 tablespoon in it for measuring. Per load: 1/2 scoop in the prewash and 2 in the regular. I also fill the rinse dispenser with vinegar rather than purchased rinse aid.

 

Here is a liquid detergent recipe I also found on this board:

 

Laundry Detergent Recipe

 

 

You will need:

 

2 – 5 ½ oz. Bars Fels Naptha Bar soap

1 ½ cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

6 cups water

4 ½ gallons hot water (from the tap)

Cheese grater

Funnel

5 gallon bucket

Empty gallon-size milk jugs

Large stockpot

 

Grate the Fels Naptha soap and mix with the 6 cups of water in stockpot and stir over low heat. Stir constantly until all grated soap is dissolved. Pour mixture into the big bucket and add the hot water. Next, stir in the washing soda and mix well. Leave overnight in bucket to set up into a gel. Pour gel into gallon jugs for storage. Use 1 cup per load of laundry.

 

NOTE: Fels Naptha soap can be found in the Laundry aisle of most groceries stores. It is a brown bar wrapped in parchment paper. Washing soda should be located nearby on the same aisle, and comes in a yellow Arm & Hammer box.

Note from Kanga: I found the Fels Naptha on the body soap aisle.

I found the French Vanilla Creamer recipe at one of the online recipe sites. I stock up on sweetened condensed milk when it is on sale.

French Vanilla Creamer:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 C milk

1T vanilla

 

I will post some examples of how I plan menus to save money and prevent waste a little later. -Ann

 

 

 

[TraceyS/FL]

Be careful using the homemade dw detergent if you have aluminum airbake cookie sheets you put in the DW - they are funky colored now :glare:

 

I'm still pondering trying again...... i got funky residue and have to go read what that means i need "more" of...