Cutting back on?

[Karma007]

Dogs aren't an expense! They are life sustaining, like air and water!

[eclectic]

Cutting back on

the newspaper - what is important is online

Cable TV - I don't have it or satellite

Unlimited texting and cell service - went to just local - savings $45 per month. Long distance is only .08 per min or can use a calling card - lots of talking for $45

Worth paying for:
good beer
good coffee
Bike stuff
swim stuff
run stuff
gadgets to go with all of the above
Good hotels/condos when on vacation (unless camping of course)

[greycoral]

Grew my hair shoulder length instead pixie-cut so I wouldn't have to get it cut every month.

I hear ya!! My stylist charges $45/cut, not including a tip. I had super short hair for a long time, but got sick of paying so much to keep it up. I've been growing it out for about 6 months now, and it's nowhere NEAR my shoulders. Why does it grow so fast when it's short, but when I want it to get longer, it slows down? Luckily I have been able to get by getting only a full cut every 8 weeks, and she does a free bang trim in the middle, usually around 4 weeks out.

There's not much we (me and my husband) have cut back on, just being more careful how we spend our money. Questioning "do I REALLY need a new pair of exercise shorts", etc. It's just kinda hard for us because over the last year, we've lost a combined 110 pounds, and none of our winter clothes from last year (or from two months ago even) fit We've had to go out and buy new coats, long sleeved stuff, etc. I try and shop at thrift stores, but haven't had a lot of luck. When buying new, I only shop clearance racks, I've been able to build up a decent wardrobe that way, or only buying something if it's on sale.

Groceries: We've gone away from farmers markets and started shopping at a regular grocery store. We're utilizing a lot of canned and frozen vegetables. We buy as much as we can bulk at Costco, usually meats, cereal, TP, etc.

Cable/Internet/Phone: We cut back one level of service, so it has saved us a little bit. We are definitely a tv watching household though, we tried the super basic basic cable, and it just wasn't cutting it. We're also both internet geeks, so fast internet is a must. This is our area where we splurge. We also only have cell phones (at the lowest package), no land lines.

I keep the thermostat set at 62-64 usually and just bundle up with our old "fat" sweatshirts

Next quarter we chose classes and schedules that allow us to carpool 4 days a week, the campus we have to go to is about 30 miles away, so gas has been a big issue for us. Luckily things have gotten cheaper there.

I have recently quit working to be a full time student, so I'm living off loans. My husband only works 2 days/week and gets the GI bill, so we're living on a limited budget as it is. We've been penny pinching for a while now.

[surgtech1956]

We have also cut back on keeping the termostat no higher than 64 degrees. We use to eat out once a week, now its more like once or twice a month. We too are a TV watching couple, especially sports, so cable TV is a must.

Congrats greycoral - 110 lbs between you and DH - fantastic, how'd you do it????

[greycoral]

I've lost 50, my husband has lost 60. He's at his goal weight, I still have another 35-40 lbs to go.

This past week marked the one year anniversary of doing weight watchers, that really helped get our diets in check. Other than that, really just making it a point to exercise a lot, usually 5-6 days a week, no matter what. In the summertime or when it's nice, we do a lot of hiking and cycling. Now that the weather is getting worse, I have been doing a lot of group classes at my gym (spin, zumba, step, s.e.t. (weight training/cardio), etc). I usually reserve one day that's not horrible out to do some sort of outdoor exercise, whether it be getting on my bike or attempting to jog (still can't do more than 3 miles without feeling like i'm dying).

So yeah, eat a little less, move a little more It doesn't hurt that my hubby used to be a chef before he broke his leg in a bicycle accident about a year and a half ago. He's been my saving grace. I cannot cook for the life of me, and he has learned how to cook healthy for the both of us. I used to eat fast food every single day, sometimes multiple times a day. And exercise? Forget it. I would commute a whole mile each way on my bike or walk my dogs around the block, and that was the extent of it. It has basically been a complete 180 with our entire lifestyle.

I still eat junk food from time to time, I have a small addiction to McDonald's nuggets and fries (I know, I know, they're terrible), but the main thing for me was really learning portion sizes. I weigh and measure EVERYTHING so I know exactly how many calories I consume. I wear a HR monitor and journal my info every single workout. I don't feel like it's a diet, it's a lifestyle change for sure

[Aggie_Ama]

Tulip- Although Heidi and Maggie the wonder schnauzers are expensive I chose to see them as cheaper than therapy. My insurance doesn't cover therapy and believe me in 2004 when I was depressed for the first time in my life (my own mother begged me to consult a therapist and to this day says "I thought I would lose you") Maggie pulled me through 3 months of hell. She went blind, sometimes doesn't remember potty training as aresult, has to have $40 eye drops and $30 thyroid medicine but she will forever be may saving grace puppy. And Heidi knows it is time to make mommy laugh when it is the number 1 thing I need, therefore she gets expensive surgeries as needed and the diet to maintain her after having kidney stones. I am a bit passionate about the intangibles pets bring to the table.

[redrhodie]

I dropped my gym memborship (I ride my bike more ). I haven't had a haircut in months. I buy store brands of paper towels and tp. I've cut way back on producing inventory for my business, and am mostly doing custom orders now.

[tulip]

Tulip- Although Heidi and Maggie the wonder schnauzers are expensive I chose to see them as cheaper than therapy. My insurance doesn't cover therapy and believe me in 2004 when I was depressed for the first time in my life (my own mother begged me to consult a therapist and to this day says "I thought I would lose you") Maggie pulled me through 3 months of hell. She went blind, sometimes doesn't remember potty training as aresult, has to have $40 eye drops and $30 thyroid medicine but she will forever be may saving grace puppy. And Heidi knows it is time to make mommy laugh when it is the number 1 thing I need, therefore she gets expensive surgeries as needed and the diet to maintain her after having kidney stones. I am a bit passionate about the intangibles pets bring to the table.

Well, I'll still be paying for my therapist for a while yet, but that's only once a month these days--I could not afford it if it were weekly. I should be weaned off her by summer, though. Nice to hear that your Heidi is so precious. I'm really looking forward to getting the dog!

One more thing I refuse to cut back on is my skin care stuff. I know Dr. Haushka is ridiculously expensive, but it makes such a difference in my skin. I just put it in my budget. If I plan for it, it doesn't surprise my pocketbook.