Saving is the new spending:
We've routinely shopped sales and clipped coupons, and save an average of 33%-40% off of our grocery bills. That leaves us with room to save and eat out when we want to, which is probably a bit more than we should since both work full time and are looking at houses. It's amazing how much farther your income goes when you are spending it wisely, rather than like an impulsive fool.
If families with townhouses or garages would shop sales, buy standalone freezers and focus more entertainment around the home, they could save a lot of money. It may not be quite as good, but a DiGiorno or California Pizza Kitchen pizza can be bought for as little as $5 on sale. Two of those and a DVD can cost less than $20, compared to $20 just for the pizza delivery, and as much as $40 for a movie at a theater. Why... that actually leaves a lot of room left over for other nice things.
The 33-year-old lawyer from Mitchellville once regaled her friends with tales of shopping sprees at Nordstrom and circulated photos of Caribbean vacations with her husband. Now she tells her girlfriends about staying home for pizza night with the kids. (They watch "Madagascar." Over and over again.)This is just a fad. The same people who rushed out to use their discretionary spending money as a buffer for impulse buying are now bragging about how much money they're saving. It's unlikely that the underlying mentality has changed. A lot of these people aren't saving because they've gained a new appreciation for frugality, but rather because it is just another way to gain a cheap boost in social status.
If people know that she can no longer afford to get her hair done every few weeks, who cares?
"If they notice, it's like, 'Phew, I'm not the only one,' " Walker said. "There's a certain camaraderie with everyone understanding that everything is tight."
The recession has changed the conversation in America. As the era of conspicuous consumption fades along with our 401(k)s, people are clamoring for caps on executive pay and recoiling at the idea of bosses cavorting at expensive spas. At play dates and happy hours, friends are swapping recipes instead of making restaurant reservations. Teenagers are skipping flashy block-long limos and showing up to prom in minivans. Coupons has become a more popular search term than Britney Spears on Google.
Instead of feeling self-conscious about spending less, people are flaunting their frugality. Both those who have lost income, such as Walker, and those who simply fear they may become at risk are part of the new discourse.
We've routinely shopped sales and clipped coupons, and save an average of 33%-40% off of our grocery bills. That leaves us with room to save and eat out when we want to, which is probably a bit more than we should since both work full time and are looking at houses. It's amazing how much farther your income goes when you are spending it wisely, rather than like an impulsive fool.
If families with townhouses or garages would shop sales, buy standalone freezers and focus more entertainment around the home, they could save a lot of money. It may not be quite as good, but a DiGiorno or California Pizza Kitchen pizza can be bought for as little as $5 on sale. Two of those and a DVD can cost less than $20, compared to $20 just for the pizza delivery, and as much as $40 for a movie at a theater. Why... that actually leaves a lot of room left over for other nice things.
You can save even more by going with a can of soup or Hormel chili. Either of those makes a fine meal.
And for the truly frugal, there's always Ramen. It's like eating, but cheaper.
Tis true. However, I am blessed enough to have a life-threatening allergy to MSG. That eliminates just about everything cheap. :(
As a certified cheap arse b@stard I do coupons, sales, and shop the thrift stores on a regular basis. In fact, much of what I own has been from a thrift store. I also drive cheap cars, my last vehicle, a minivan, was 1500 and lasted for 2.5 years. I just bought a Camry for 850 and I hope to get a year or two out of that. But I figure even if I had to pay 1500 each year I would still be saving 900 a year over a paltry 200/month car paymeny, and likely significantly more since 200/month really doesnt buy a car anymore.
Eating, however, isnt cheap. With all the cheap foods containing gluten I am stuck spending more money than I would like to for groceries. But I am thinking of getting a freezer off craigslist and setting it up in my dining room. Just cuz I live in an apt doesnt mean I can't have one, just that it will be an eyesore (which matches my place perfectly!)
Do that. The freezer would be a great way for you to save money. Spend several hundred dollars on raw ingredients to make meals and put them away. If you do that, you can really exploit sales to make a lot of money.
You guys don't own freezers? Mine is 60 × 90 × 100 cm. I guess about 500 L. And pretty fill.
I have lived reasonably frugal for much of my student and early working years. I haven't been so tight in the last ~3 years, though in a better place financially. My wife and I do buy several coffees a week which costs a few dollars. I have never ordered food delivered to my house that I remember.
<i>It's unlikely that the underlying mentality has changed.</i>
It's therapy, just like shopping was. There is a certain type of psychological damage that will not be undone by mere economics, I'm afraid.
Just like a rich text editor won't change people's tendency to insert their own HTML :)
I used my discretonary income on guns, ammo and reloading supplies.
A near-divorce experience also convinved my wife that she can live on a lot less, or she will be living on a lot less... <strong>her choice.</strong>
Convinved -> convinced.
BTW, your HTLMtags don't seem to be working. You should get that fixed.
Did you highlight the text you wanted to bold and the click on the bold button in the comment editor?
<block>Did you highlight the text you wanted to bold and the click on the bold button in the comment editor?</block>
Why would I do that? It should work by just typing it in.
BTW, I am just pulling your chain again. I already know how it works.
I thought as much, but I've learned the hard way through years of abuse from family and associates to never underestimate how quickly people forget things like that about software.
I wish to hell I could clip coupons for a discount on box of Black Hills or Winchester whitebox. We've never bought a new car and I never had a loan on one - and I've always run 'em to their finish-line or well beyond, but I don't shop thrift-stores for clothing anymore.
Cooking up a roast in the slow-cooker is good for three extra meals between us (because it's a small cooker), and I always make enough of my super sausage spaghetti sauce to freeze five extra meal containers. It tastes bettter made in bulk anyhow. You don't want to eat the same thing day in and day out all the time, and defrosting is easy.
When I bummed around Europe in the late 70's I slept under overpasses and in fields ourtside towns - sometimes a youth hostel - you learn to make-do if your stuff gets stolen. Keep the passport on your body at all times.