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

[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.

[sundial]

Cut back trips to town.

[lunacycles]

No eating out.

Travel only where I can stay for free or for cheap.

Drive as little as possible.

I refuse to sacrifice the quality of the food I eat, so I will still spend plenty on organics at the grocery store.

I already have catastrophic health insurance. At least I have health insurance!

I keep my house at 62 degrees. amazingly, I have adapted and it feels pretty nice.

When you are a framebuilder it is basically a life of making minimum wage, so I live simply, but I don't think I would ever want it otherwise!

I trust this crazy break in our "prosperity." Supposedly during recessions, emissions are reduced globally quite a bit, so there are some potential big positives going on. I hope we can use this "recession" as a way to re-prioritize and invest in long-term policies that not only reduce our impact on the planet, but show us that less is more in so many ways.

Happy holidays.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

We have always chosen to eat out breakfasts instead of dinners- eating breakfast out is less than half the cost of eating dinner out. We find mornings more romantic anyway.

We have been using our cars way less than a couple of years ago. Mostly bike errands or walking errands. Also we've cut WAY back on trips to visit people or go to parties or overnight events that require more than an hour's drive. We work at home so we really don't use the car much anyway, we are lucky there.
We tend to hang out more with our local town friends now. No official vacations lately either, just 'days off' periodically.

Making more soups and more 'simple' meals like spaghetti, or wild rice with bok choy, or even just pancakes for dinner.

My daughter canceled her cable tv and got Netflix instead, which saved her about $40 a month. You can pretty much get all the most popular tv series from Netflix anyway, including educational programs, documentaries and Nature series.
We haven't watched tv at all for many years, so we just get netflix films which only costs us $15/month for more films than we can practically watch.

[Brandi]

You know it's funny but we have always been conservative. But I am really asking myself "Do I really need that"?

[Skierchickie]

Everything. My DH lost his job 3 weeks ago (yes, the Monday after Thanksgiving).

Right now I'm sitting in a motel room (an inexpensive one, but we always stay in inexpensive ones) with DH & our doggie. We're on our way downstate for his family Christmas. Aside from cutting back on gifts (well, it was largely too late by the time it happened) I canceled Zoe's kennel reservation, which would have cost us around $70 for this trip, and she's traveling with us.

I'm also going to check into my cell phone, and see if I can switch to a pay-as-you-go plan, or get rid of it altogether. I never use it.

I'd like to cut back the satellite tv and internet - we haven't gotten that far yet. Fewer and cheaper pizzas, less eating out. We're still sorting it out.

Believe me - it hurts when it happens. The real pain won't hit until after the holidays, after he gets his severance check and that runs out.

[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

[Blueberry]

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

It depends on the recipe. Lots of colorful grains = more expensive. I can bake a loaf of basic white bread for less than $1.50 probably (factoring in something for electricity).

But I'm spoiled - we have an awesome local bakery I'm trying to support!

CA

[Veronica]

I'm very thankful that neither of us has to worry about our jobs. We seldom go out to eat as it is. I'm too good of a cook yes really, and I have the time. We've been working towards "early retirement" for awhile. What that translates into is a lower paying, but local job for Thom (no more 90 minute commute each way) and a job share for me. So every purchase for a few years has been, "Do we really need this?" One of my coworkers has told me that I HAVE to buy some new clothes. I've lost enough inches that a lot of my pants just hang off my hips. But I'm not ready to invest in some new stuff yet.

We're actually thinking about making some big purchases. We really want to get a Sprinter van and convert it into a camper sort of thing - mostly shower and head. I'm at events (biking or triathlon) generally at least two weekends a month. And those two things would be REALLY nice. It would be good to have when Thom is doing SAG on rides as well, a vehicle that can really take 4 people and 4 bikes. And summers... well in 2005 and 2007 we spent the summer traveling. We want to do that a lot more.

Interest rates are coming down too, so we're thinking about refinancing our mortgage. We've been very lucky with the decisions and jobs we've taken. Last December Thom had three job offers and I'm really glad he picked the one he did. I lose enough sleep worrying about my students. Lack of job security would probably send me over the edge.

Veronica

[maillotpois]

We've definitely cut back on going out to dinner. We used to go out several times a week. Now it is maybe 1 - 2 times a month (this month being sort of an exception because of birthdays, etc.).

We also canceled plans to go to France/Italy this summer (and received a nice refund check of our deposit from Backroads. ).