What are you doing to stretch your dollar?

[FUDU]

Everything is going up in price, and I mean everything.

In terms of food milk is becoming relatively expensive (and I love milk), so is bread (being a sandwich guy this kills me b/c I like my good breads), lunch meat, steaks, burgers (except for Giant Eagle pre-made seasoned ones for some reason...mmmmm) and even pasta sauce.

Do I even need to mention gasoline?

Utilities are way up and so are so many of the nice to have services many of us use (either b/c we're lazy or have a legit need for).

So what are you doing to make your buck go as far as it can?

One thing I have done this past week in regards to food and groceries is use half the amount of everything I normally use when I can. However with some items it simply isn't practical b/c they are perishable goods. I also have teamed up with couple friends that live within walking distance to each other and we all let each other know when we are going to the store to see if we can pick up things for the others to save on really useless trips that just waste gas.

The good down poor we just had on the west side helps keep from having to water the lawn. Maybe next year if I get a privacy fence up I can take advantage of those storms and grab a bar of soap and well you know.

[mswerb]

We do most of our grocery shopping at Marc's. To this day I do not understand how people afford to do ALL of their shopping at big name stores such as Giant Eagle. $4.00 for a box of cereal?
Most of our utilities are set up on a budget plan.

Just a little tip. Adding slightly more air in your vehicle's tires may increase your gas milage.

[swerb]

Thanks in large part to gas prices, the economy is really struggling right now. Especially locally here in Ohio.

And things could get dramatically worse this winter with what heating prices are projected to be. That, combined with gas prices expected to remain high ... gonna be a lethal left-right combo to a lot of local families on budgets.

Add all this to the fact that many people are in challenging mortgages, and others no longer have equity to access in their homes (either due to declining values or tightened credit guidelines) ... and for the first time in my adult life, I'm concerned about the state of the economy.

And I don't see any relief in sight. The economy just isn't adding jobs at the neccessary levels, and hasn't for a while. Employers in all fields are trying to do more with less, cutting jobs and looking to boost productivity. Fed is cutting rates, but banks are struggling so badly, they aren't passing along the bare bones rates of past years. And mortgage rates have risen amid Fed cuts, as the large aggregators of that product set those rates, not the Fed. And they're leery of residential paper amid declining values and record foreclosures.

It's a concerning situation right now. With no apparent help on the horizon.

[mrburns]

And I don't see any relief in sight. The economy just isn't adding jobs at the neccessary levels, and hasn't for a while. Employers in all fields are trying to do more with less, cutting jobs and looking to boost productivity. Fed is cutting rates, but banks are struggling so badly, they aren't passing along the bare bones rates of past years. And mortgage rates have risen amid Fed cuts, as the large aggregators of that product set those rates, not the Fed. And they're leery of residential paper amid declining values and record foreclosures.

The Fed cutting rates could (and should) cause some serious inflation down the road here. Not good.

The elephant in the room regarding oil prices is the weakness of the dollar. We simply can't get as much for our money when we're importing anymore, and for an industry that relies largely on imports, that spells trouble.

[Guest]

On the category of "what are you doing"?, I'm making some minor modifications.

My vacation budget is probabaly 1/4 of what it was three years ago.

Which is good, as there is no way I could now afford to do the types of traveling I used to do. This was supposed to be the year I went back to Europe for two weeks, but that's just not practical financially nor time-wise. So this year we'll still get out of the country, but it will be a seven day Caribbean cruise...one where we'll drive down to Miami (13 hours), much cheaper using the Mini Cooper than what they are charging for airfare.

I've also pretty much grounded my Grand Cherokee. I'm carpooling with my wife two or three days a week now, and I've vowed that the Jeep will probably never again leave the state.

Next step will come in the next week or two. I'm looking for a motorcycle to start using for local travel. No big Harley for me...something like a Honda Shadow cruiser that'll be good for 50+ mpg.

Food-wise? Mostly I'm cutting back on the restaurants...along with looking a little more for bargains when at the grocery stores.

[Erie Warrior]

hot dogs, PB&J, and a bicycle.

[winker]

We've switched from Porterhouse to New York Strip steaks.

We've switched from Pepsi to Faygo.

We've switched from sliced bread to whole loaves.

We've switched from Michelob to Old Milwaukee.

We only bowl 7 frames instead of 10.

[Guest]

We've switched from Michelob to Old Milwaukee.

Oh, that's just WRONG.

Old MuleHockey...tastes as great as it's name.

Hey, I'll cut corners where I can...and I may even cut down the QUANTITY of beer I'm drinking.

But I'll not touch the QUALITY of it.

(OK...I may cut down at some point. Luckily, it hasn't gotten that bad yet).

[FUDU]

That's the beauty of drinking Busch Light, you never have to worry about going so low as to have to lower the quality to save a buck.

Relax I drink em in bottles,...yeah they make em.

[skatingtripods]

Just cut costs where you can. When I load up my apartment down in Akron with groceries, I make sure that the meat that I buy is part of a buy one get one free promotion, or going to last for more than one meal for the woman and I. Or, when I have the money, just buy a 3 lb or 4 lb value pack of ground meat and separate it into about 1 lb. portions. It lasts a long time that way. Things like Pasta Roni and Rice-A-Roni usually go off at 10/$10, makes a cheap easy side dish, even an individual meal. And of course, the all-time college food- Ramen!

The Valutime bread is surprisingly good and soft. It also seems to last longer than the Millbrooks and Schwebels of the world. Buying Valutime vegetable oil instead of pricy Crisco is another cost-cutting maneuver. Instead of loading up on 12-packs or cubes of Pepsi products, get the small packets of Kool-Aid. For $.25 and the water I don't pay for, it's a good drink for a few days.

I've been accumulating free monthly trials for Blockbuster and Netflix, and that cuts down on entertainment spending. I have already gone to 17 Indians games, but most of that was gift cards from Christmas from relatives and the six pack that my girlfriend got me for Christmas. Also, we've used lots of buy one get one coupons and student ID nights.

When I do eat out, sticking to the Dollar Menu at McDonalds or Wendy's or whatever is a good start. $3 for a double cheese, fries, and a small coke. Can't beat that. When it comes to sit down restaurants, buy gift cards from Giant Eagle and save on the gas. That's a brilliant promotion by them.

Just simple things can go a long way.

[FUDU]

Cutting back on the services one pays others to do for them that they can do for themselves.

As I sit here looking out my window lawn care comes directly to mind (unless one physically cannot do it themselves I have never understood paying somebody else to cut their grass), oil changes are another.

[mswerb]

I have a neighbor who uses a landscaper, the first time I saw this was amusing. I figured he was busy after moving in only one month ago at the time. The landscapers showed up, mowed, weed-wacked, and edged, WHILE THE DUDE WAS HOME! So I figured he was busy cooking, Wrong! Just as the landscapers left, the Pizza Hut delivery guy showed up! How lazy is that?!?

[FUDU]

That is pretty bad.

I have a close friend who owns 1 dog and has a somewhat small backyard. You might want to sit down for this. I am over his place eating dinner with him and his wife and kid on the back deck and into the back yard walks this woman. She proceeds to walk around the yard for 5 minutes, and starts picking up the dog's crap.

I waited until after we were all done eating and she left before I said WTF just happened here. He said she charges $5 a week to pick up all the dog crap (comes one day a week) and adds $5 a moth for gas.

Paying somebody else $25 a month to pick up your own dog's shit?

IMO pathetic, however I must say ingenious idea by the lady, I guess she does this for close to 100 people....100 *25. Not bad living if you can handle the work.

[buckeye319]

That is pretty bad.

I have a close friend who owns 1 dog and has a somewhat small backyard. You might want to sit down for this. I am over his place eating dinner with him and his wife and kid on the back deck and into the back yard walks this woman. She proceeds to walk around the yard for 5 minutes, and starts picking up the dog's crap.

I waited until after we were all done eating and she left before I said WTF just happened here. He said she charges $5 a week to pick up all the dog crap (comes one day a week) and adds $5 a moth for gas.

Paying somebody else $25 a month to pick up your own dog's shit?

IMO pathetic, however I must say ingenious idea by the lady, I guess she does this for close to 100 people....100 *25. Not bad living if you can handle the work.

Damn.

[BDFD]

We've switched from Porterhouse to New York Strip steaks.

NY strips aren't exactly all that inexpensive either! Sirlion is the Official Steak of The Recession(tm).

Honestly, I'm really not doing a whole lot to save money. I was never really all that much of an extravagant spender anyway. But I still buy 89 octane and fill it up every time. I still buy the Miller Lites. I was never really that much of a porterhouse guy so I will still buy the NY strips. I've been driving a Honda Civic for the past five years so I really don't use a lot of gas. What was a $23 fill-up a few years ago is now a $42 fill-up. Not that much of a dent in my wallet in the grand scheme of things.

However, now that I think about it, that 5.0L Mustang of mine is driven rather sparingly now a days...

No offense to anyone reading this that pays for someone to have someone come by and pick up their dog crap for them. But seriously, that is the pettiest thing I have ever heard of in my entire life. Get over yourself and pick up your dog's shit. Do you have someone come over to feed and play with them, too? I mean, really...

winker, that avatar freaks me out. Or at least the animation does. It is way better than mine though...

[mswerb]

That is pretty bad.

I have a close friend who owns 1 dog and has a somewhat small backyard. You might want to sit down for this. I am over his place eating dinner with him and his wife and kid on the back deck and into the back yard walks this woman. She proceeds to walk around the yard for 5 minutes, and starts picking up the dog's crap.

I waited until after we were all done eating and she left before I said WTF just happened here. He said she charges $5 a week to pick up all the dog crap (comes one day a week) and adds $5 a moth for gas.

Paying somebody else $25 a month to pick up your own dog's shit?

IMO pathetic, however I must say ingenious idea by the lady, I guess she does this for close to 100 people....100 *25. Not bad living if you can handle the work.

What a shitty job.

[FUDU]

Another thing I am going to start doing is using my credit card for every expense I have (outside of my mortgage b/c they won't allow it). Frees up all that cash so I can put it to work for me and gains me rewards from my CC company, depending on which one I choose to do this with.

[KFletch]

I use coupons and shop the grocery ads. By just doing that I have saved $200-$300 a month on a grocery bill for a family of 3.