With the economy hitting hard, is it really affecting you? If so, what are you doing differently? ?

Question

I know that it's been quite a while that a lot of people are out of jobs, business going slow and so on. However, barely the last couple of weeks its been really hitting me hard about it. Luckily, both my hubby and I are still working but my hubbys check doesn't come out the same as before(I get paid in salary) In the whole year I've only bought 2 shirts(about $30 in total) and some $30 converse! So, I haven't been shopping at all! I'm just hoping to not gain weight so my clothes can fit.

What have you done differently? Any tips/advice that you can share with me? I currently have a savings account and twice last month I had to transfer money which totally sucked! But I had to do it! Then we are in the process of building a home!

Answer 1

I paid off my credit cards, and don't use them.  My teenagers moved out and I am using the money I used to spend on them on stocking food (I really don't think it's ever going to get cheaper) and doing basic upkeep to lower monthly bills (windows-insulation)   I do my own yardword, and I am painting my own home on the weekends, buying paint a bit every payday.  I am NOT going into debt for anything (I can't afford it) I am putting money into an account to cover big things on my current home.  -500.00 a month-  As well as a smaller amount into an account to save for a new car.  I am also spending way less and making certain I have money in cash as well as the bank.  (Y2K did not scare me at all--but I feel it's going to get a bit ugly for awhile)

I am buying clothes off the 60% off clearance racks, never anything full price,  because I have lost 30 lbs.  

Answer 2

I grow much of my own citrus, produce, herbs and avocado.  When I have a bountiful harvest, I freeze the excess or trade with my neighbors for things they grow.  That really saves a lot at the grocery store.  I started morphing meals a technique I learned from Robin Miller on Food Network and that also saves a lot of money on the food bill.  It works like this, you make a meal at the beginning of the week like say roasted chicken then morph the leftovers into at least 2 other meals during the rest of the week.  I buy in bulk which also lowers the per unit costs on everything from meat to paper products and I stock up on sale items.  I never run the dishwasher or washing machine unless I have full loads and mostly use the dryer briefly to get out wrinkles and line dry the rest of the way.  I changed out most of my outside lighting to solar and that saved a bundle.  Another big savings on the electricity bill came from installing an attic fan and several ceiling fans.  I've hardly run my AC this summer because I can keep the house comfortable by closing blinds and running the fans.

Answer 3

YEA! tha economy has hit my family and friends HARD. my friend whos twenty got laid-off. my dad has an unrealized loss of about twenty-thousand dollars. . .while i never knew how hard tha economy hit us, i was spending my money so frivolously. yeaa, i definitely changed tha way i spend my money and how much we drive