How are you dealing with the economic crisis?

GoldenRivet · 01-28-09, 11:14 PM

NAME 10 THINGS YOU ARE DOING TO DEAL WITH THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IF ANY:

My wife and I have recently paid off all of our credit card debt (thankfully)

However, within the past few months we have adopted several changes to help deal with money crunches should they hit us (hard or harder than they already have).

1. Any glass container from the refrigerator which once contained salsa, mayo, pickles etc etc is now being thoroughly washed out and placed in the cupboard to be used as a drinking glass.

2. We have recently disconnected our Dish Network

3. we have recently discontinued our bottled water delivery service.

4. We have completely discontinued our basic phone service with AT&T (we use our cell phones almost exclusively anymore)

5. We have hidden away all but one of our credit cards, and we have hidden away both of our bank cards for a six month period.

6. I have closed off AC/Heating vents to the two least used rooms in our home.

7. We have started using the air conditioning or heating only between about 6pm and 8am

8. We have started cooking large dinners on Monday night, and then we eat left overs almost exclusively until the following weekend.

9. We have begun to purchase bargain brand items only in most cases.

10. Community Dinners... Once a week we will get the whole family together to eat one massive dinner into which everyone contributes a food item... then when the night is over we each take a little bit of each home to the freezer/fridge (this can cut the grocery bill nearly in half)

breadcatcher101 · 01-28-09, 11:24 PM

Don't eat out, cook your own food.

Heat with wood, I cut all I want for nothing.

Timer on hot water heater.

Coupons, use them!

Watch the gas, no long trips.

Fish and hunt for meat.

No junk food.

Quit smoking and drinking if at all possible.

Get a hobby that costs you nothing like taking walks in the woods or in a mall.

August · 01-28-09, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by breadcatcher101

Get a hobby that costs you nothing like taking walks in the woods or in a mall.

Better yet one that produces something useful like furniture making.

baggygreen · 01-28-09, 11:29 PM

Number 8 is rough mate.... talk about a way to get sick of a dish nice and quickly!

However, i completely understand the logic. I myself do it for a day or 2.

Heres another - buy home-brand / no-name / whatever you've got where you are. with the food, for example, you don't notice any difference in 'quality'. saves a fortune

Happy Times · 01-28-09, 11:35 PM

I save only the same amount ive been saving before, otherwise i try to spend normally to keep the money moving.

Thomen · 01-28-09, 11:48 PM

One of the things we do: We shop at Giant Eagle ( no plug intended ) because of their "Fuel Perks". For every $50 you spend you get 20 cent of per gallon of gas, for max 30 gallons at a time.

We just bought Barnes and Noble Gift cards the other week for $750 (for school books).. that translated to $4.00 (we still had some left from before) off per gallon.

Add to that regular grocery shopping in the same store/chain.. that adds up nicely

http://www.gianteagle.com/Article.aspx?cntid=177048

kiwi_2005 · 01-29-09, 12:08 AM

Walk into town - haven't use the car for like 5 yrs i hate driving ever since i had a nasty car accident 7 yrs ago i rarely drive unless i need to go to the city and even that is once in a blue moon. Town is a 7min walk from home not a problem summer time is better with some shops open 24hrs walking into town at 11pm on a cloudless night with not a sound to be heard is a great feeling.

Plus crime rate in our town is zero apart from petty crimes which every town on earth has.

Zachstar · 01-29-09, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Times

I save only the same amount ive been saving before, otherwise i try to spend normally to keep the money moving.

Moving to china that is...

You have to remember that it is hard to purchase US made goods. So if you try to cut back and spend on better things (Like books published in the US) You will be doing better than spending 500 bucks on a HDTV made with non-union labor outside the US.

clive bradbury · 01-29-09, 10:17 AM

I really feel for anyone who has lost their job and is struggling at this time. I happen to be one of the lucky ones in that I work in one area that tends to grow in bad times - university education. Ironically this means I benefit from the recession, in that I am earning more money than I have eve done, with the cost of goods and fuel falling. As I said to my wife last week, I actually feel rather gulity as I am effectively a vulture picking the flesh from the bones of the corpse of the British economy!

However, to the point - how about some perspective here. The 'ten things to do' are very sensible, but several of them show how spoilt we have all become. I lived through the recession of the 1970s - and that was a real one compared to the current episode - just compare the inflation rates if you don't believe me.

So, back to the ten points. My experience of the 1970s does not lead me to be all that sympathetic - cutting back on bottled water, satellite TV, credit card(s). Oh please...what would the men on the bread line in 1930s say to all that...

01-28-09, 11:14 PM	#1
GoldenRivet Subsim Aviator Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 8,726 Downloads: 146 Uploads: 0	How are you dealing with the economic crisis? NAME 10 THINGS YOU ARE DOING TO DEAL WITH THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IF ANY: My wife and I have recently paid off all of our credit card debt (thankfully) However, within the past few months we have adopted several changes to help deal with money crunches should they hit us (hard or harder than they already have). 1. Any glass container from the refrigerator which once contained salsa, mayo, pickles etc etc is now being thoroughly washed out and placed in the cupboard to be used as a drinking glass. 2. We have recently disconnected our Dish Network 3. we have recently discontinued our bottled water delivery service. 4. We have completely discontinued our basic phone service with AT&T (we use our cell phones almost exclusively anymore) 5. We have hidden away all but one of our credit cards, and we have hidden away both of our bank cards for a six month period. 6. I have closed off AC/Heating vents to the two least used rooms in our home. 7. We have started using the air conditioning or heating only between about 6pm and 8am 8. We have started cooking large dinners on Monday night, and then we eat left overs almost exclusively until the following weekend. 9. We have begun to purchase bargain brand items only in most cases. 10. Community Dinners... Once a week we will get the whole family together to eat one massive dinner into which everyone contributes a food item... then when the night is over we each take a little bit of each home to the freezer/fridge (this can cut the grocery bill nearly in half) __________________

01-28-09, 11:48 PM	#6
Thomen Ace of the Deep Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: West Virginia Posts: 1,207 Downloads: 14 Uploads: 0	One of the things we do: We shop at Giant Eagle ( no plug intended ) because of their "Fuel Perks". For every $50 you spend you get 20 cent of per gallon of gas, for max 30 gallons at a time. We just bought Barnes and Noble Gift cards the other week for $750 (for school books).. that translated to $4.00 (we still had some left from before) off per gallon. Add to that regular grocery shopping in the same store/chain.. that adds up nicely http://www.gianteagle.com/Article.aspx?cntid=177048 Last edited by Thomen; 01-29-09 at 12:26 AM.

01-29-09, 12:08 AM	#7
kiwi_2005 Eternal Patrol Join Date: May 2004 Location: Aeoteroa Posts: 7,382 Downloads: 223 Uploads: 1	Walk into town - haven't use the car for like 5 yrs i hate driving ever since i had a nasty car accident 7 yrs ago i rarely drive unless i need to go to the city and even that is once in a blue moon. Town is a 7min walk from home not a problem summer time is better with some shops open 24hrs walking into town at 11pm on a cloudless night with not a sound to be heard is a great feeling. Plus crime rate in our town is zero apart from petty crimes which every town on earth has. __________________ RIP kiwi_2005 Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.

01-28-09, 11:24 PM	#2
breadcatcher101 Captain Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Southeastern USA Posts: 546 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Don't eat out, cook your own food. Heat with wood, I cut all I want for nothing. Timer on hot water heater. Coupons, use them! Watch the gas, no long trips. Fish and hunt for meat. No junk food. Quit smoking and drinking if at all possible. Get a hobby that costs you nothing like taking walks in the woods or in a mall.

01-28-09, 11:29 PM	#4
baggygreen Sea Lord Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canberra, ACT, Down Under (really On Top) Posts: 1,880 Downloads: 7 Uploads: 0	Number 8 is rough mate.... talk about a way to get sick of a dish nice and quickly! However, i completely understand the logic. I myself do it for a day or 2. Heres another - buy home-brand / no-name / whatever you've got where you are. with the food, for example, you don't notice any difference in 'quality'. saves a fortune

01-28-09, 11:35 PM	#5
Happy Times Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 2,950 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	I save only the same amount ive been saving before, otherwise i try to spend normally to keep the money moving.

01-29-09, 10:17 AM	#9
clive bradbury Captain Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: stoke-on-trent, UK Posts: 492 Downloads: 105 Uploads: 0	I really feel for anyone who has lost their job and is struggling at this time. I happen to be one of the lucky ones in that I work in one area that tends to grow in bad times - university education. Ironically this means I benefit from the recession, in that I am earning more money than I have eve done, with the cost of goods and fuel falling. As I said to my wife last week, I actually feel rather gulity as I am effectively a vulture picking the flesh from the bones of the corpse of the British economy! However, to the point - how about some perspective here. The 'ten things to do' are very sensible, but several of them show how spoilt we have all become. I lived through the recession of the 1970s - and that was a real one compared to the current episode - just compare the inflation rates if you don't believe me. So, back to the ten points. My experience of the 1970s does not lead me to be all that sympathetic - cutting back on bottled water, satellite TV, credit card(s). Oh please...what would the men on the bread line in 1930s say to all that...