What positive changes have you made in this economy?

[MickQuinn]

We have always been fairly careful with money, but have been trying to save more to have for a reserve.

Garage sale - Made over $600 on two sales. And, we don't "miss" a bit of the stuff.

Planning meals based on sales. Using coupons and sites like afullcup to maximize the grocery budget.

Playing games, etc... as family entertainment - and not using shopping as a recreational activity.

Enlarged the vegetable garden and have been canning the extra. What great growing weather we have had here in the Northeast.

 

[Liberty Belle]

We eat at home a lot more and are very careful with the electricity. I also have been keeping the thermostat set higher this summer. I don't shop as much as I used to.

 

[Steve BWV'99]

-I stopped playing World of Warcraft in February. Anyone who knows anything about these kind of games are a big no-no when you have a family and job. It is a life stealer.

-Purchased YNAB (You need a budget) software to see where all the leaks in the budget were, now we have a plan.

-Cut DirectTV completely, saved $100 a month. Just use netflix and streaming video (Hulu/Boxee) and bought an antenna to get free local HDTV channels. We dont miss TV at all.

-Cut landline phone from $65 to $20 a month, wish I can go away with it completely, but the cell signal here is spotty. I may look into magic jack.

-Watching our utilities, luckily we have had a mild summer so far but saved over half from last year.

-Spending lots more time with the family since we cut satellite and World of Warcraft, and that alone has been the most positive thing. Instead of going out to movies or dinner, we stay at home play board games, etc.

 

[TomAndLori]

-I stopped playing World of Warcraft in February. Anyone who knows anything about these kind of games are a big no-no when you have a family and job. It is a life stealer.

-Purchased YNAB (You need a budget) software to see where all the leaks in the budget were, now we have a plan.

-Cut DirectTV completely, saved $100 a month. Just use netflix and streaming video (Hulu/Boxee) and bought an antenna to get free local HDTV channels. We dont miss TV at all.

-Cut landline phone from $65 to $20 a month, wish I can go away with it completely, but the cell signal here is spotty. I may look into magic jack.

-Watching our utilities, luckily we have had a mild summer so far but saved over half from last year.

-Spending lots more time with the family since we cut satellite and World of Warcraft, and that alone has been the most positive thing. Instead of going out to movies or dinner, we stay at home play board games, etc.

I wanted to do this so bad but my wife argued with me. She really wants her food network. We went without DTV for a year (put it in suspense) but as soon as my wife re-entered the work force, she wanted DTV back. Hell I got it originally for Sunday Ticket and now she is the one the HAS to have it. We had the Family package for a while this year(paying $34 a month with the credits we were getting). But now I am back $75 a month because if I am going to be forced to have DTV, I at least want my NFL Network

I have avoided WoW for exactly the reason you state. I am sure I would love it. But my wallet and family would not. So I stick to solo PC games that I can play for years. Civ 4, Company of Heroes and Kotor being my favorites.

 

[MoniqueU]

I now grocery shop at the one and only as far as I know Super Walmart in SoCal. I would never even dream of going in our regular walmart it was so awful but this one is nice with wide aisles not loaded up with crap

I was getting my hair done from free from a neighbor and then a friend. I finally went into a salon and had it all put back to my natural hair color so i don't have to get it colored.

I only get a pedicure every other time I get my nails done. (I hate nail and hairsalons I just do this to look good for DH)

We went from Direct Tv with all the bells and whitsles to Verizon and then to dish. Last year we paid god knows what for the NFL sunday tickt and our teams were all but one game on the local channels.

I bought some gently used hollister clothes off ebay for my yougest daughtet. I got a heck of a steal and she was thrilled and I don't even think she has had a chance to wear everything yet.

We don't eat out as much. We get movies and shows from netflix again. I had been a member since way before it became mainstream. But now with the stuff coming through the xboX it is even easier.

We are just lucky my DH got a new job a couple months back. He has to work his butt off to work there and stay there but he thrives in a busy store.

Just about 9 months more of private school and one set of braces to pay for, Once that is done I will feel RICH!!

 

[beansmom]

it's not unusual at all for us to use fine china and crystal for dinner once in a while. My daughter loves it, even dresses up and speaks in a British accent

i LOVE it!!! She sounds like my kinda gal!!

 

[LisaInNc]

my DBF is in the military so recession proof. I was not however. My income almost vanished, in addition I used ebay to make extra money and that isn't working any more.

I traded in my sportscar for a hybrid. Best thing I could have ever done! It's not sexy but the gas pump isn't scary any more.

We moved to a much smaller house. It's cheaper by a lot and easier to heat and cool. Another great change. I don't need a formal dining room to be happy.

We aways cooked at home so the food budget was pretty ok as it was.

We changed to cheaper cable and might get rid of it all together. Scaled back the high speed internet so something slower and cheaper.

We basically looked at everything and found lots of ways to save money.

I am happier and I really like that we are spending a lot less.

Lisa

 

[charming23]

1. I plan meals more and use coupons
2. I arrange all my errands to be on one day instead of spreading them out all over the week. It saves gas and is better for the enviroment.
3. I have learned to repurpose some of my clothes and not buy new.
4. I use the library to get movies instead of spending big bucks to rent them. It might take a few more weeks to see the newer ones but at least they are free.

 

[pooh2001]

Ditto most of the above.

1) No dinners out this year.

2) Chinese food take out only when we get a coupon

3) No movies at theatres

4) Watch DVD's as a family night activity - more time together and we have over 100 DVD's we have collected over the years

5) Moved our 2010 WDW vacation to 2011 (we just need to save $$'s for food and just about everything else is paid for)

6) Me, DW, looking for a PT job to add some extra $$'s to our family budget, and still be around for our kids

7) Play board games and use our pool this summer (2010) instead of going on vacation

8) Bar-B-Q more for that outdoor taste and find sales on meat

9) Bad economy can mean more family time, since the cash to go out is very slim

 

[X and G's mom]

1. OK, you might think I'm crazy, but, I've only used the A/C 1 night this summer so far (just to 'cycle' it). The kids don't care and it helps me to not snack at night and drink a lot more water Plus the A/C is set to 68 at my job so I literally FREEZE during the day......
2. We set the heat back by 2 degrees last winter.
3. We're not eating out as much.
4. I'm shopping at Aldi's more and watching for coupons and sales.
5. I only do wash when I can hang the clothes on the line outside.
6. Everything that comes into the house something has to go out of the house. My DD just grew 3 inches over the summer and her shoe size as well, so we got rid of twice as much clothes/shoes as we just had to go buy.
7. I stocked up on loose leaf paper, folders, spirals, etc. so I don't have to buy them at full price in January.
8. I'm planning another garage sale in a month. I'll try and sell more jeans as no one wanted jeans this past June
9. I called my cable company at the end of the year promotion and got the same promotion and saved lots of $$$.
10. Started Saturday family movie night we either rent a movie, or watch one of mine or my brothers DVD's.

 

[apnep]

1. OK, you might think I'm crazy, but, I've only used the A/C 1 night this summer so far (just to 'cycle' it). The kids don't care and it helps me to not snack at night and drink a lot more water

I couldn't get past this first item to read the rest of the list. That IS cuckoo! That just wouldn't fly here in Texas where temps have steadily been over 100 for the past 3 weeks with high humidity. What a miserable night's sleep that would be for us!

 

[Shanan]

Just a few items that have helped us

1. I bring my lunch to work
2. I use and stick to a grocery list
3. I had a small vegetable garden this year
4. Did stay at home vacations this year

 

[X and G's mom]

I couldn't get past this first item to read the rest of the list. That IS cuckoo! That just wouldn't fly here in Texas where temps have steadily been over 100 for the past 3 weeks with high humidity. What a miserable night's sleep that would be for us!

If I was in Texas I would use it For sure!
I grew up without it, so I'm used to it, at least in WI.

 

[csharpwv]

We have changed a lot of habits around our house.

We have stopped eating out - we do once per weekend - and we eat at home the rest of the time.

We have traveled more - it makes so much sense! Travel when the prices are the lowest! We have made weekend trips, a few week long trips, and have spent a lot more time with family this summer - which - a you know has its ups and downs! BUT we have seen a lot, done a lot, and have really enjoyed ourselves.

We had been toying with buying a new car - we didn't need a new car - we wanted to replace my really tiny Ford Focus with a car that was better suited for long trips... (ahemm to Orlando) and a car that was a little safer. After renting a Ford Taurus on a business trip my wife made when I tagged along, we LOVED it! Well, we then went to test drive a few cars, and put it in the back of our mind because of he payments - and depreciation of a new car. However - we shopped around some, and then hit the Year End clearance and got a GREAT deal on a car that we absolutely love! So now we are selling my focus! I hope it goes to a good home - it's a great car!

But we have saved more, spent less, and had more fun in the process!

We love bargain hunting - so we have shopped and had a great time doing it - spending less - and - saving more!

 

[bumbershoot]

Sudden news of an impending layoff back in april of '09, just after financing DVC, scared, as my son says, the pants off of us. DH was able to find a job that started the day after his last day at the old one, and just after he realized that contract work, even for his DREAM company, was just NOT for him, the old company asked him to interview for a job and he got it. But the FEAR didn't go away with the good job luck.

I think I have just become more aware of where the money is going and tried to plug up the holes in a leaky budget.

That was definitely our first step.

We found Dave Ramsey in March. Best thing that has ever happened to us in our marriage.

Finally paid attention to all the DR threads here on the Dis starting in around May '09. We don't do him 100%, let's go back to the DVC we financed and chose to not get rid of...with no interest in renting the points, it "makes" us travel. However, we did a trip to DLR in October, and we won't go to Disney again until this huge WDW trip we're planning in December of this year. Compared to Sept '07 through Oct '09, that's nothin'.

Because of DR, we realized we COULD find "extra" money in our checking account simply by blocking those leaks and focusing. Paid off our nasty-interest car 35 months into the 66 month loan, wooooo! Never thought we'd do THAT! Right now we're using the snowball to save everything we can for the trip (and associated expenses like clothing, etc etc), just to make SURE we don't get ourselves into trouble, but after we get back, it's ALL going to DVC. Signed that 10 year loan back in March '09 thinking "oh yeah we'll pay it early" with absolutely no idea how we would do that...and now we know how!

It said it was wedding china so I'm assuming it was wedding gifts. It doesn't appear they were overly materialistic to begin with either, but have really tightened things up even more. I personally could probably feed 100 with all the different china I have. Am I materialistic? Not even close! I just really, really happen to love china and have been fortunate to have inherited some nice stuff which I USE. There's a difference between having stuff just to have it, or having it to use. I decided a long time ago the queen was never coming for dinner and that my husband and kids are the most important people that will ever eat at my dinner table, so it's not unusual at all for us to use fine china and crystal for dinner once in a while. My daughter loves it, even dresses up and speaks in a British accent and for that hour or two, she feels very special and important. So sometimes, posessions can also be experiences. Now clothes on the otherhand (for our family) if they're not being worn, out they go! I don't have a lot of decorating knick knacks either, I like the modern, minimalistic look myself, but dangit, I'm not getting rid of my china!

I totally agree. We have 10 settings of our own chosen china, bought for us or with money given to us, and then I have 8 settings of my mom's china. We use them. NOt as often as I would like b/c DH is the dish-washer and he balks at it, but I plan to use it more. Just the other day DS insisted we use it for veggie burgers b/c he felt that we needed to celebrate our anniversary again, which makes two celebrations and it isn't even our anniversary yet (DH will be on a business trip for it). It's just FUN to use the china.


Now, we have been paring down on the old CDs we never listen to! Next step will be to get rid of all the vinyl albums I inherited from my mom...have carted them around since stepdad sent them out in '02, haven't listened to them once... With CDs and vinyl gone, all we need next is to replace all books with Kindle versions, and we could rent a smaller apartment!



OH! That was the other thing. While DH was scrambling for a job to start June '09, we let our landlady know. She dropped the rent by $200. We just signed another lease with her, and she didn't raise it back. She has a few rental properties and we've been with her a relatively long time (we met her b/c she was the apartment manager at the complex where we lived starting in '03)...we're good tenants, always letting her know as soon as something breaks, not messing things up, etc etc...so even though dropping the rent hurt her a bit, KEEPING good tenants is more important to her! We're all fairly certain we'll rent from her until such time as we buy our own place. Works for everyone!

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

We definitely stopped dining out as often. It was difficult because even after preparing meals in advance and freezing them and repackaging store bought snacks to take along on day trips and bringing lunch to work, it was still way too easy to just NOT cook and go out to dinner after a long day or after being gone for a 2 day trip. That is probably the biggest struggle. We switched to inexpensive haircuts and coloring at home a while back. Definitely nice to be able to do it on my own timetable rather than the salon's. I never use ATMs that charge a fee. If I can't find one, I go to Target and buy something I need (or will need) and get cash back. I maximize our health savings account spending, I wait until my favorite luxuries (Vera Bradley, Burberry, etc.) go on sale to buy, and I re-task things I no longer use and allocate them to the kids. In fact, this weekend I am hauling a car full of my kitchen, bedding and household hand-me-downs to my older DD in college so she and her housemates can use or sell all that I bring. It will be really nice to have the space!!

 

[dvcgirl]

No major changes from day to day. We're frugal with respect to our income as it is. We live in a small home (about 1,600 sq ft on three floors), and have no debt. We have an emergency fund that will cover our monthly expenses for a year if we were both unemployed.

But I do think a lot more about our investment strategy these days. I'm getting that sinking feeling that I had in the pit of my stomach back in the summer of 2007. I'm not smart enough to know if we're in for another major drop in the market, but I do think that we're in for a long, hard slog....longer than I think any of us realize right now.

If I was 5-10 years away from retirement, especially 5, I'd be very nervous about being in the equity market at all. It may be a few more years before we know which way we're headed.....

I'll be 43, DH will be 42, so we could potentially work for another 20+ years, and we have a nice portfolio....but still, the economic future (esp in the short term) is really iffy (and potentially scary).

 

[jodifla]

We went through our budget, identified the top 10 spending categories, and aimed to cut about $100 a month out of each category. We cut more in some, less in others. And we had to add an 11th category to get to the $1,000 a month we wanted to cut. (We had almost nothing to cut in cars, for example, as they were paid for.)

We went to an envelope system for discretionary spending, like entertainment and personal money. Personally, I don't like the envelope system, but my husband wanted to try it.

 

[TomAndLori]

Finally paid attention to all the DR threads here on the Dis starting in around May '09. We don't do him 100%, let's go back to the DVC we financed and chose to not get rid of...with no interest in renting the points, it "makes" us travel. However, we did a trip to DLR in October, and we won't go to Disney again until this huge WDW trip we're planning in December of this year. Compared to Sept '07 through Oct '09, that's nothin'.

Because of DR, we realized we COULD find "extra" money in our checking account simply by blocking those leaks and focusing. Paid off our nasty-interest car 35 months into the 66 month loan, wooooo! Never thought we'd do THAT! Right now we're using the snowball to save everything we can for the trip (and associated expenses like clothing, etc etc), just to make SURE we don't get ourselves into trouble, but after we get back, it's ALL going to DVC. Signed that 10 year loan back in March '09 thinking "oh yeah we'll pay it early" with absolutely no idea how we would do that...and now we know how!

Yea DR is really not into timeshares, but I really don't think people who buy into DVC are doing it as an investment in anything more than fun. So since you bought it, I would not sell unless you are in financial trouble, which it certainly does not sound that way.

We would have done DVC if not for our CC debt. I even told my wife (before DR) that when she went back to work, once we got out of debt we would buy into DVC. Now I have changed the goal. We are looking to move to Orlando within 10 years and that excites her even more. Sooner if we can get our mortgage paid off quick, but I am guessing once the CC debt is done we are going to spend 10 days at the Polynesian to celebrate.

 

[TnTWalter]

We live frugally and spend our money wisely no matter what is going on in the economy.

I didn't even register for china 16 years ago.

Where the economy hurts is DH hasn't received a salary or bonus in the past 4 years. If he was still getting the salary and bonus we'd be DOUBLE his income. It hasn't hurt us but man would we be enjoying more perks. LOL.

He's thankful to have a job but it's not much fun right now.

We are so happy that our wise decisions have enabled us to not be anxious during this uncertainty.

I think it's been a MUCH needed wake up call for most. It's really not about 'if I can afford the payment'. If you're making a payment you're asking for trouble.

Trish