Foo - What Are You Doing To Cut Back Or Conserve During These Current Lean Economic Times?

Hello, Fellow Foosters, Moderators, Lurkers, and others who read this



With the lean times of recession, higher prices, greatr expenses, and inccomes that stay the same that are upon us,
a.) What are you doing to cut back or conserve during these current lean economic times?
b.) How are you reducing your expences?
c.) Other means of coping with what these current times have brought?

Discuss. Your imput is welcome.

Other than gas and the resulting increase in prices at the grocery store, I'm not seeing it. In fact I plan to go mortgage shopping around the middle of June, home prices are looking pretty good.

To be slightly more helpful (I hope) I think the greatest everyday cost cutting measures you can take are often in the choices you make when it comes dinner time.

Grocery store will beat fast food every time.
Be more careful about your trip planning...can you combine trips to save some gas?
How about carpooling? You can cut your fuel bill in half if you can take turns driving with someone else. Can you use your bike for some trips?
Keep your foot out of it...I'm amazed how many people are *****ing about gas prices as they race from stop light to stop light.
Drink cheaper beer.

Stealing gas

Nothin.

i'm not cutting back. in fact, in the past couple months, i've spent a heck of a lot more money than normal. much of it has purchased US-made product, too.

Hello, Fellow Foosters, Moderators, Lurkers, and others who read this



With the lean times of recession, higher prices, greatr expenses, and inccomes that stay the same that are upon us,
a.) What are you doing to cut back or conserve during these current lean economic times?
b.) How are you reducing your expences?
c.) Other means of coping with what these current times have brought?

Discuss. Your imput is welcome.

You watch too much CNN.

Nothing. I make a lot of money, I spend a lot of money. Life's to short to pinch pennies.

I'm posting shorter responses to save electricity.

Putting away Shorty...............:(

Putting away Shorty...............:(

You are misleading

Putting away Shorty...............:(

Like...taking him out to a field and poppin a cap in him?

quit drinking, that saved me like...almost 800 a month.......... ( going out to bars I should say)

I have customers who ask me how business is, and I tell them it's better than ever (which is true, still a long way to go up for this company). When they say what about the recession, I tell them that we discussed it in a meeting, and have decided not to participate in it.

Other than that, I ride a bike to work whenever possible.

I just bought a yacht.

And a blender powered by a nitro-burning funny-car engine.

Group ride & bike polo on my boat!

Last week I succeeded in paying off the last of my consumer debt.
I am preparing to make a big push to pay off my student loans in an accelerated manner.
I have reduced my eating out to a couple of times a month.
I am saving more per paycheck.
When I do need to make purchases, I'm trying to keep the money local.



I already don't own a car. I'm not really into buying lots of stuff. Most of my clothes come from Goodwill already. I use the library more than I purchase books and music.

I've been a full-time student for about two years now, so, from a perpetually broke-as-a-joke perspective, I haven't noticed much difference. :(

It now takes $6 a week to fill up my scooter instead of $4, though.

Last week I succeeded in paying off the last of my consumer debt.
I am preparing to make a big push to pay off my student loans in an accelerated manner.
Both very excellent moves.

I already keep my spending pretty lean, well within my means. However, the continuously rising price of gas is even more incentive to use my bikes for more of my trips. I admit I got really lazy about it once the weather turned cold, but now's the time to put some miles on the commuter.

And hopefully in a couple months I will be able to do my part to stabilize (but not drive back to its previously over-inflated level) the housing market.

Last week I succeeded in paying off the last of my consumer debt.
I am preparing to make a big push to pay off my student loans in an accelerated manner.
I have reduced my eating out to a couple of times a month.
I am saving more per paycheck.
When I do need to make purchases, I'm trying to keep the money local.



I already don't own a car. I'm not really into buying lots of stuff. Most of my clothes come from Goodwill already. I use the library more than I purchase books and music.

All good stuff. Reference the consumer debt...my wife retired from the Air Force just under a year ago and we took the family to Hawaii. Then we bought me a nice digital video camera and both of of custom built laptops. By the time we were done, we were over $18k in the hole. That'll be paid off first of June. In the same time we managed to max out IRA for both of us for 2007. We paid my wife's student loans off just about the time payments started comeing due, but that was largely a matter of luck and timing.

So by Mid June we'll have a mortgage and two car payments...but one of the cars is done in July, one done exactly a year later. We just bought a Honda Metropolitan primarily for my son, but if I can use it during the day for what I need to do, I do. It gets 100 MPG, about 5 times what my normal ride gets. The thing can't cost more than $85 a month to own and operate.

bicycle commuting, eating out less, playing on the internets instead of going out, new Subaru that gets better gas mileage

I bought a specialized stumpjumper fsr.

This is fun. I drive a 1997 Honda Civic with 190k miles on it. It gets 28.278 miles to a gallon on the highway. 23.435 in the city (yes, I've done the math... over and over because these are averages). However I drive this car about 100 miles a month. Which leads me to my next fight for the environment. First off, global warming is a conspiracy. Scare tactics and whatnot. And before you chastise me, look up the scientific data. Secondly, I rent cars for work. I proposed to the company that I work for a bonus program where if I spend the least amount of gas and get a cheap rental car I get bonuses. So instead of getting the Impala equivalent, I opt for the Prius (sp?) and can get a cash bonus. Saves the company money, puts money in my pocket. Win win for everyone.

Hello, Fellow Foosters, Moderators, Lurkers, and others who read this



With the lean times of recession, higher prices, greatr expenses, and inccomes that stay the same that are upon us,
a.) What are you doing to cut back or conserve during these current lean economic times?
b.) How are you reducing your expences?
c.) Other means of coping with what these current times have brought?

Discuss. Your imput is welcome.

I brown bag a lunch every day.
I Don't drive a car or plan to.
I don't go to movies(with flat screens as cheap as they are, why would you?)
Have dinner in a restaurant only once a week, you look forward to it.
Pay off the credit card already people!
Only buy groceries I need, and watch my spending at the store.
Put my cash into high interest savings account.
Get roommates.

This is a very good bit of information it is appreciated that it is shared. In saving money, most of the points have been made, I figured I could have a picnic during a ride instead of buying food at a fast food place. Even on a singletrack or century you can pack your own lunch. And bring extra water.

Put my cash into high interest savings account.
Speaking of which, I've got one of those deposit link offers to one of those high interest savings accounts. If anyone is interested, feel free to PM.

I joined the church of stop shopping ;-)
No TV. That reduces my desire for wanting to buy stuff tremendously.
I planted a vegetable garden
I am eating more vegetarian, not pure, but much less meat and processed foods.
No car, I bike commute.

Not a whole lot. I don't have any debt other than a mortgage. Outside of that, I don't do a whole lot that requires cash. I ride a bike or walk to work, I go to the library to get books rather than the bookstore. I only eat out once a week at sit down places. My truck is paid for. I get gas once a month.

I don't like spending money for anything other than necessities (and bike stuff). It sure is nice to keep the money I earn rather than sending it to the bank.

I joined the church of stop shopping ;-)
I planted a vegetable garden
I am eating more vegetarian, not pure, but much less meat and processed foods.
No car, I bike commute.
Exactly, to plant and cultivate your own is definitely a good choice at least then you know what it was processed with.
You can setup quite the diet on that which you grow yourself.

Thanks all:

I spend and use as much as I want, I intend to use up your share and maybe your neighbors as well. Good thing you all are letting me take all I want, after all isn't that the "American Way"?

:) :) :) :) :(

Steven

I'm looking for jobs that are on or near the UT bus route. Finding them is exceedingly difficult, but if lucky, it would bring a gigantic cost savings because I wouldn't have to drive to work. Estimating not just fuel costs, but costs due to wear and tear on a vehicle, I'd easily save $500 a month over a multi-year period.

Thanks all:

I spend and use as much as I want, I intend to use up your share and maybe your neighbors as well. Good thing you all are letting me take all I want, after all isn't that the "American Way"?

:) :) :) :) :(

Steven

Don't worry...someone loves you...I bet.

I'm spending more than ever in an attempt to stimulate the economy, er, finish building some bikes and stuff... :D

I'm planning on bike commuting 4-5 days/week instead of the usual 1-2 days/week.

I sold one of my motor vehicles. I won't cut back on my bike addiction.

dura ace

I'm using a more efficient private plane. I have my Antonov parked and I'm using my 747. ;)

Hello, Fellow Foosters, Moderators, Lurkers, and others who read this



With the lean times of recession, higher prices, greatr expenses, and inccomes that stay the same that are upon us,
a.) What are you doing to cut back or conserve during these current lean economic times?
Nothing
b.) How are you reducing your expences?
Nothing
c.) Other means of coping with what these current times have brought?
Nah, I'm good for now.


Discuss. Your imput is welcome.

The message I entered is too short. I should enter a msg of atleast 2 chars. This should do it then.

Well, in order to cut back, I cut off my landline phone, got rid of cable (why can't the people in my neighborhood who profess to having no meny to repair their homes, yet have 478 channels do that?), only go out to dinner once per paycheck, and have stopped going out drinking. In order to increase my income, I have taken a second job at a cool little cajun restaurant here in Indy (called Yats). So far, I haven't really been feeling the positive effects, as it's only been a couple of months, and I just spent a LOT of money in DC. However, all of my bills are current right now.

Shopping at Aldi for most of our basic everyday foods. You want a choice of peanut butter? There's crunchy and creamy. Make your pick. Simplifies grocery shopping in a major way. And is cheap!

Living my life and continuing to pay off my debts and increase my savings. I am not the paranoid type.
Anyhow, I was promoted yesterday so things seem to be going well.

Hello, Fellow Foosters, Moderators, Lurkers, and others who read this



With the lean times of recession, higher prices, greatr expenses, and inccomes that stay the same that are upon us,
a.) What are you doing to cut back or conserve during these current lean economic times?
b.) How are you reducing your expences?
c.) Other means of coping with what these current times have brought?

Discuss. Your imput is welcome.

Cutting back a little. Not because of lean economic times. It's cuz we got crucified on taxes. No trip to Cali this summer.

I am thinking about going to full time business school next year and borrowing a LOT of money.

Nothin.

Exactly what you should be doing. By cutting back on your spending, you only hurt the economy.

God, I hate mainstream media. Bunch of scaremongers.

My wife and I have always been great about our budget, so we haven't noticed any changes and have made no changes ourselves.

In fact, we are going house shopping in a few months, too.

I make ends meet with my full time job. I work a second job to enjoy luxuries like entertainment, sports activities and dining out.

With my fiance going back to work and BC coming into some of its busiest times for the next 4 years, I doubt we will hit a financial wall as it were. My income is decent and she will finally be working again, its all gravy going into savings.

I already run my life lean with the only "Extras" I buy being fancy food and the odd bottle of alcohol (I also don't drive etc...)

Trying to pick some low-hanging fruit: bringing lunch and coffee from home saves me enough pocket money for the occasional treat.

I plan to bank my stimulus check and not use it as a downpayment on anything.

http://inlinethumb03.webshots.com/42498/2610178580102801834S600x600Q85.jpg

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home

hmm - I purchase more fresh veggies, etc at the public market.

Continue to live car-free (more than 8 years now).

And purchase a new bike to reinforce the fun of off roading and keep my other commuter/off-roader to pure commuting.

:D

See? I'm saving gas and re-inputting my hard earned cash into the 2 wheel industry in which it so deserves. :D

It's very depressing that saving one's money is considered archaic, "bad for the economy," or even unAmerican, (post 9-11 one of the first things the pretzeldent told us to do was go shopping.) Especially considering how living beyond one's means and the credit model has become the status quo. Pretty lousy culture we've got going on right now, and I wonder if the problems we have right now are the entire Ponzi scheme beginning to crumble..