Cutting living expenses...

[kuhio98]

We both smoke (I don't need any lectures)

Once my sister and her husband sat down and calculated that they spend $3,700 a year on cigarettes.

Unfortunately, they're both so addicted that they haven't even tried to quit.

I am soooooooooooo glad I never started smoking.

[Cincy'sMom]

IWe go to the local dirt racing track every weekend all summer long

Really? I'm jealous! I love dirt racing!!! We have a few local tracks not too far from us, but the cloest track (Toledo Speedway) is asphalt. Still fun, but I love the dirt!!!

Sorry...you wrote a novel and I focus on one minor detail! Shows where my money goes, huh?

I wouldn't like it, but I guess I am lucky to say I could cut $500 a month and survive...I quit going out to lunch and stared packing, (more to loose weight then save money) but I probablly save $100/month right there. If Ralph did the same, maybe we are close to $200. Yes, I would have a hard time giving up my sports and radio and TV, but yeah, if push came to shove...I think I could cut at least $500/month.
(And with Ralph working for automotive, we may get to that point!!!!)

[Sevaede]

I am aware that internet is a luxury. HOWEVER, I *HAVE* to have it for school. My school REQUIRES it. It is the ONLY form of communication that they use. It is the way they require you to pay for everything. It is the required way to add and drop classes, etc. etc. I am not willing to sacrifice what I am working so hard to obtain.

I do have a savings and a checking in to which I deposit whatever, whenever. (50-100 every payday was what I used to do).

[Emeraldgreen]

I think keeping the internet and finding other items to cut that are in the entertainment category makes sense. We spend quite a bit of time online and though we pay 45.00 per month for the service we don't go out much and save alot that way. We're homebodies anyway.

We used to spend lots of money on coffees when we were out grocery shopping and running errands but we've limited that to a few a month now.

We plan out our meals for 2 weeks the day before we go to the store and then we end up making less spontaneous purchases which usually cost alot.

We buy meat and cheese in bulk and then cut it into small portions and vacuum pack it and freeze it. Save some real money there.
I also make larger meals and freeze half for another night.

We've been unplugging stuff like our toaster and lamps and turning off our power bar that our computer is connected to at night. Apparently energy is being used with them just being plugged in. Our electric bill has gone down.

Cats have been getting wet food every other day instead of every day. They don't seem to mind. It's just a treat anyway and I use one can of cat tuna for 9 cats. I pour one can into a bowl and add about 1/2 a cup of water and mix really well. They love the juice. One can costs less than .60 cents at the petstore so three times a week for 9 cats is 1.80. That doesn't include their dry food though which is ridiculously expensive. They are on Wellness holistic Healthwise which is 39.99 for 8 pounds or so. Crazy.

We rent movies sometimes from the library. They often have english sitcoms on tape as well.

And to make some extra money, I've been selling clothes and shoes that I hardly ever wear to a few different consignment shops. I usually collect about 100.00 a month with this.

[Suki Wingy]

I just found out my county now has the #1 highest sales tax in the country, thanks to a recent tax hike! Good thing I'm moving soon!

[Medusa]

This thread has really opened my eyes. I've learned a lot of good ways to save money and cut back, whether or not I feel the necessity. Thank you for all your good comments, everyone.

[jennielynn1970]

And the library is free

Our public library is free to borrow books, however, if you want to reserve something it's $0.50, there are late fees and fines, and you have to pay to rent a movie, sound track or anything other than a book from there. It's the same in the public library in the next town. They've had their budgets cut, so they have to figure out some way to make up money since they are non-profits (technically).

[Laura's Babies]

This thread has really opened my eyes. I've learned a lot of good ways to save money and cut back, whether or not I feel the necessity. Thank you for all your good comments, everyone.

Me too! I see it coming to that for all of us. We are all going to have to make adjustments to our spending habits before it is over with. A lot of businesses are going to shut down, people will be without jobs and traffic jams are going to taper way down. The way we have wasted and thrown away stuff will be so much less. The biggest industry I see being effected will be the fast food places. Starbucks has already announced the closing of 600 of their stores, putting 12,000 people out of jobs. This is just the beginning...

[Scooter's Mom]

I cut back my 401k today. Instead of 7%, it's only got 5% going to it for now. That will bring in a small amount (not even a whole tank of gas) of money each month.

It will be enough to buy all the pets food - maybe not the food from the vet's office they've been eating... but it'll buy a decent quality food for them.

But, ya do what ya gotta.

[Jessika]

Our public library is free to borrow books, however, if you want to reserve something it's $0.50, there are late fees and fines, and you have to pay to rent a movie, sound track or anything other than a book from there. It's the same in the public library in the next town. They've had their budgets cut, so they have to figure out some way to make up money since they are non-profits (technically).

Of course, there are late fees and fines for not returning materials at my library, too, but if you just want to walk in and get some reading material that you can read within the check-out time (normally two weeks, here), then it's 100% free. If you return the materials on time, again its 100% free.

To reserve something doesn't cost anything here though, well it used to be that way, they may have changed it since I was a kid but from what I remember it didn't cost a thing.

Your first library card is free, but if you lose it I think it costs $10 to get a replacement.


As a kid during summers my parents worked and all we had for transportation was our bikes. The library was definitely a long ride from my house, but we would regularly ride our bikes up there once every two weeks and check out as many books as we could carry. It was our form of summer entertainment and for us as kids it was free

It really sucks that yours has started charging fees, though. I mean it makes sense if they need the funds (our library has a giftshop) but still kinda sucks

[RICHARD]

IF you want to freak out get a note book and keep track of everything you spend......You may have to guesstimate things like electric, gas and such but you see that you can cut corners in the most mundane areas.

----------------------

My mom complains about the water and power bill but she refuses to turn off the lights. I go thru her house and turn off lights and she gets a terrible attitude. She's losing her sight and that doesn't help.I changed the bulbs in her house to the CFC or whatever they are and you would have thought I was trying to sabotage her house.

Also my nephew moved in with her and I have walked by his room and he has a stereo with a broken on and off switch, so it stays on all the time-he also runs the TV, stereo, computer and window fan at the same time..while he is on the phone!

I try to tell him to power down the stuff he doesn't need and he goes to my mom and complains-So, I really can't do anything!

[Sevaede]

Eye opening, indeed! I'm a savings nut and I've learned and come up with a bunch of little ways for us to conserve and save. I don't know what we would do if water, sewer, and garbage weren't covered in the rent.

What's really sad is both of the libraries here require a rather large fee for cards!

[Karen]

Oh, here's one that is small, but will add up over time. Two of the grocery store chains here have instituted a policy that, if you bring your own bag, they refund you 5 cents per bag. Now, you can spend money and buy the fancy "reusable bags" so everyone can see you are "echo-friendly," or you can just reuse the cheap plastic bags other stores give you whether or not you ask for them.

[4 Dog Mother]

I love to read but with all the various things going on in my life, I really don't like using the library because I don't always find the time to read the books I borrow and often forget to return them by their due date. Although the fine is small, it can add up.

But what I am doing and I like a lot is buying from used book stores - and in fact, I can hardly bring myself to even buy a new book from Wal-Mart or any of the other places that discount them. At both used book stores, they give you credit for bringing old books in. The one here in town doesn't take or sell hard backs and she doesn't give quite as much credit per book that the one in Toledo does. She also has red and white credit - the white being for more recent books and so costing a bit more. So to get white credit you have to bring in more recent books that can go to buying more recent books. The great thing about this book store is that if you have enough credit you can get books basically free. Since my mom also reads but doesn't want to mess with getting rid of the books, she gives me hers to get credit for.

The other book store gives you credit for half the price of the book cost. Then you use your credit but also have to pay a portion of the book's price. So it turn's out you pay cash for 1/4 the cost of the original price of the book. They also take hard back books - the price of any hard back book though is just $2.50 - which means $1.25 cash and $1.25 credit. Because they give out the larger amount of credit per book, your credit for the 1/4 of the price of the book adds up quickly - I think I have close to $500 worth of credit.

There is also a store called Half Price books that is located in many bigger cities like Columbus and Cincinnati (I know there is one in Phoenix too but I am not sure where else.) There most of their books are half price but some are even less but the most recent hard back ones are figured some other way so they can be more. But they also have a clearance section where books can be bought for 50 cents to $2.00. It is not always old or unknown author books that are on clearance either. I think rather it depends on how many copies of the book that are coming in. Anyway this is my way of saving some money.

[smokey the elder]

The problem with reusing the plastic bags is that they rip out at the belly seams if you carry anything heavy in them. I use them to scoop pre-owned kitty litter into.

I'm surprised that no one mentioned warehouse clubs or coupons. Using both of these can add up to a bundle. I haven't done an in-depth calculation, but I figure I save 5-10%/unit by using coupons for such basics as cat food, kitty litter and TP. I have always looked for the best buy (I'm still a broke grad student at heart.) We buy very little pre-made stuff and mostly do our own cooking, and sometimes the cost per meal is staggeringly low. It's always a tradeoff between time and money.

I'm not looking forward to buying heating oil this winter *shudders*. At least my electrical is from nuclear, and the price has been pretty stable.