Stuff you're cutting back on (due to the economy)

[DebTX]

Tell us one thing you've done to diminish your monthly spend

- This month my haircolor went on sale ($4 off!) at Walgreens.com and I ordered nine boxes, qualifying for free shipping.

[Biciclista]

we're eating out less.

[Pax]

Same as Mimi, eating out less. We used to eat out approximately 8-10 times a week, now it's more like 3.

Also, we both just got word that our jobs might be cut (we work for the same university), we're put a huge contingency plan into place where, if all else fails, we can keep our little house.

[Raindrop]

Since I'm a self-employed personal trainer who has lost a few clients due to the economy, I've down-graded my personal health insurance to catastrophic health insurance which saves me about $200.00 a month. I've also dropped all magazine subscriptions and have the cheapest cell-phone plan possible.

I rarely eat out and always, always make my own coffee at home so I'm not cutting back there.

Luckily I barter personal training for the stuff I can't live without (hair color and cuts....accupuncture). I'm afraid the economy is going to get worse before it gets better so I'm also going back to consulting work in my previous occupation. Hopefully, I can fit it all in....training, consulting work and teaching indoor cycling seven times a week.

[GLC1968]

This month, it's baking our own bread and eating out less.

(We also have chickens for eggs and goats for milk, so I never have to buy those things anymore)

[Dog]

DH and I have cut back significantly on dining out. I'm staying away from stores other then the grocery store and I'm using the library service a lot more this year. We discontinued our membership in a wine club and disconnected our voicemail and other features on our landline. Still looking for other ways to save.

Raindrop,
I'm from WA state too. My good paying 30+ year corporate job is ending on 12/31. I will begin my encore career in the fitness industry. I am a certified PT, yoga, pilates and Spin instructor. I currently teach about 4 Spin classes/week and will be increasing the number of Spin classes and adding some mat pilates classes. I also want to pick up some private clients. The timing is not the best, but this is something I've been working towards for the past five years.

[Jones]

This month, it's baking our own bread and eating out less.

Does this really save money? I have a bread machine that I have never used and am looking for motivation to use it. I keep thinking about baking bread but don't want to lay out the money for supplies if it isn't less expensive than store bought. I guess my question is, approximately how much does it cost to bake a loaf of bread?
Thanks,
Jones

[greycoral]

This thread was brought up a few weeks ago as well...

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=28002

[jesvetmed]

We have not been eating out as much either. That is a huge one for us, as our schedules really don't often work well for cooking at home together. We REALLY need to set a budget. Otherwise, I don't have any idea where all the money really goes -- I can tell you that I won't be ordering workout gear, etc, at will, anymore! The internet really makes shopping too easy.

I'm taking extra work and stashing the money into the savings accounts.
Thinking we'll cancel our home phone -- it's over 80 / month and we don't use it. Also thinking of cutting way back on our insurances (life, disability, etc) where it makes sense. This stuff is spendy!

Oh... and coffee. I have made more at home recently. That's big for me

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

One tip for those who find it hard to cook when they get home from work-
Try using a slow cooker (crock pot or other brands) more often. Good ones only cost about $25 these days, and last for many years.
It's a great way to eat more cheaply, easily, and more healthily.

You can literally just wash and roughly chop up a few vegetables in the morning, or even do the chopping the night before after dinner, and put the ingredients into a bag in the fridge overnight, and start the soup in the morning. Throw it in the crock pot with 6 or 8 cups of water and set it on low and go to work....come home to a wonderful aromatic hearty and healthy soup for very little money. Add a couple slices of crusty whole grain bread and you have a great meal plus leftovers. Also, the food can just stay warm in the pot if two people tend to come home at different times.

Some examples of things that can be thrown into the pot in pretty much any combination, chopped:

potatoes
yams
bok choy
spinach
carrots
celery
turnips or parsnips
eggplant
tomatoes
leeks
beets
cilantro or scallions
squash
green beans
kale
mushrooms
cabbage
onions
canned beans
dried small beans, lentils or split peas
barley
rice
small bits of chicken or cheap cuts of beef or ham if you like meat

There are a couple of good threads on TE already with slow cooker/crock pot recipes and advice.

[shootingstar]

We actually are slippin' into a questionable habit of eating out abit more often. And plan to do more maybe on this Mon. night...depending on what happens during that day.

When it's winter, I actually get more lazy..I stay on the transit train more often instead of stopping off for a Starbuck's coffee. That saving probably gets negated by eating abit more 'cause I'm indoors more often.

We already are frugal in our grocery shopping and have been since we moved to this city.

[Crankin]

Well, we canceled plans to go to Italy this summer for our 30th anniversary, which is next December. We will go in 2010. This past summer we only did 3 four day vacations, all except one in MA. The fourth was in NH and that was paid for by my husband's company. The bike tour we did was camping; while I like camping, I found out that I don't like it combined with challenging riding every day. We might do a tour in NY state this summer, which is about 3/4 the cost of the Italian tour, but there is also no airfare involved and we can bring our own bikes.
I think we are probably going out to eat less. Maybe once during the week and once during the weekend. I do grab some cheap Mexican or other ethnic food when I am in Cambridge for my classes once or twice a week. But, I take a specific amount of money out on Monday and if it's gone, I bring my food.
I've probably cut down on buying regular clothes, since I am not working. But, I have spent some on "wool weenie" purchases, but nothing crazy.
Most of my social life revolves around outdoor activities, which are mostly free (except when we go to a ski touring center) and going out to eat. We go to the movies like once a year and get the Netflix 2 movies a month plan. I always go to the library for books. We have a theatre subscription (7 plays) at the Huntington Theatre in Boston. We could give this up but when it comes up for payment in the spring, though I am pretty sure we won't, unless something has happened. What will make or break some things for us is my husband's quarterly bonus. It's a lot of money, which we usually use for big home expenses (like our new roof) or paying off something. Somehow, we never get to save all of it. If it is significantly reduced, then more things will change.