Economical cutbacks

[greenramp]

After reading a good deal of posts in the Unemployment thread I see that there are people that have chosen to do without a few things in order to maintain a certain lifstyle.

I for instance went from a 4 bedrom 2 bath, 2000 sqft 2 car garage to an apartment. The boys are sharing a room with bunks rather than having their own rooms. Makes them closer, right. Anyway we did this to be able to maintain a "life style" for our kids without too much sacrifice. It enables us to spend where we wouldnt have been able to otherwise. It is hard to get used to but with the mindset that it is temporary (a year) we have something to look forward to. I also bought a Comuter car that gets 42MPG. Looks like crap, embarassing to drive but for the greater good I suppose. Only cost me $500 but it runs like a champ.


What changes have you made?

[Funrover]

Lets not go there....

[Chris]

I can't do much but bite the bullet, selling off stuff to fund truck work and pretending I don't need a new roof while I watch shingles fall off. :mad:

[Funrover]

Yeah I have a lot for sale right now.... who knows I may have something for you... Just ask

[Brody]

I don't eat anymore....just ask Tye....It's too depressing to go farther than that, so I won't...

[Patrolman]

I rarely leave the house to do anything "fun". There are more than enough things I need to wrap up at the house anyways. I have more or less stopped working on my rigs, but mostly because I can't find anything else pressing to do. I have been riding my 50cc scooter (100+ mpg) as much as I can. Truly, my wife and I led a pretty simple life in the first place, so there were minimal places to cut back.

[WINKY]

for me i will be moving into my own apartment of which will allow me to cook in my own kitchen, currently i live with 3 other people in a 2 bedroom condo... no room so i eat out allot and due to the fact that my roomie never got the concept of modern cookware. He thinks the microwave is the chef. Oh i didnt mention that i have no room in the fridge...

as for me i have been chiseling away at what little debt i have and it will be gone this year. I have the truck that is being a positive influence on my credit. I will be investing in gold cause the dollar prolly is going to tank. I mostly live frugal, although i have no one to report to nor any children my situation is different from most on here. I am going to buy my brothers chevy geo 44mpg so that will be my work commuter. I think this counts :)

[Man Jerk]

My wife and I made big changes *before* all of this so called meltdown stuff.

We had way too much debt and our spending was out of control.

We cut up all our credit cards, and went to a cash based budget.

We are far from debt free, but are well on our way.

[Funrover]

For me I really don't spend.. i had to cancel my investments and retirement (temp only I hope) and we never really go out... we keep it simple

[gragravar]

I had not cut back before losing my job, but afterwards we have been trying to gauge how much we can spend vs how much time it will be before bringing in income again. Therefore we have cut back on eating out, I have put a hold on any more modifications to the cars/trucks, and generally we are not spending money that we dont have to.

Hopefully I'll get a new job soon and will make this a temporary setting. Today's interview went well and I have been asked back for the next round next week!

[Chris]

Today's interview went well and I have been asked back for the next round next week!

That's encouraging, good luck in getting the job! :thunb:

[Roostercruiser]

a couple years ago Sarah and i lost our house our truckx pretty much every thing we had. moved in into her parents small spare bedroom while Sarah was pregnant for our first child and filed bankruptcy. since then everything is cash and used. no credit cards no eating out really. now we just bought a house back in may and refinaced the dodge dakota to cut the truck note by 2/3 rds. we only use bonuses at work or income tax returns to get something for ourselves. but our clothes are from DAV and our funiture mostly from the free section on Craigslist.

[Roostercruiser]

I had not cut back before losing my job, but afterwards we have been trying to gauge how much we can spend vs how much time it will be before bringing in income again. Therefore we have cut back on eating out, I have put a hold on any more modifications to the cars/trucks, and generally we are not spending money that we dont have to.

Hopefully I'll get a new job soon and will make this a temporary setting. Today's interview went well and I have been asked back for the next round next week!


good luck and hope it works out

[Funrover]

Good luck Andrew!

[Brody]

Knock 'em dead, Man, and get that job!

Probably got a site full of references here if you need it, even if not all of us know you! We don't want anyone to be unemployed!

[Pathrat]

In January we started talking about a budget as we were spending too much on good food and treats after we combined our income. NOW, during our temporary income shortfall, all projects are on hold. We are not going out to eat, we use what we have in the pantry and fridge so we are not making trips to the store every other day, in addition to the big weekend shopping trip. We go to the Sunflower Market for sales on meat and produce- healthy food and great produce without the Whole Foods prices, BTW- and look at the ad to plan before we go. We get what is on the shopping list, with minimal extras. A $5 dog toy or $10 treat is ok once a week. I think it will be less depressing that way and I won't be tempted to buy bigger. I keep the cost of breakfast and lunch at the cafeteria to $5.00 a day and supplement with whatever type of powerbars (that don't taste like paste on cardboard) are on sale at the market for 99 cents. We set a limit on what can be spent per week on the variables like food and household and clothes and such.
I paid off my credit cards about two years ago. I refuse to use the one I have left unless it is some large emergency.

[gragravar]

thanks for the well wishes for the job. I think this is a good opportunity I am chasing, and I hope I have good odds at getting it. I'll let you know how the next round goes.

[1freaky1]

For us it has been a life of basic simple things, but even at that we or should I say I have been finding little things add up so fast and that is where my focus has been to cut back and mostly so I can be able to pay off what debts we have and hopefully put money away to buy this house. We moved in a lil over a year ago from Commerce City @600 sq. ft 2 bedroom to Westminster in a 3 bedroom 2000sq ft and my fear was how could we afford more in rent than we was already paying, but the good that has come from has showed me that we needed to look closer at our spending habits and make changes, less dvds, cds, going out to eat, plus why spend a ton of money for things for the truck when I can build them at a fraction of the cost and it uses my time in a more productive way.
I do tho hope for everyone that has become unemployed, that they will be fortunate to find better employment than they had.