Writer's Block: Small Economies

[kariebala]

We have cut way back on dining out & take away meals.  We used to eat out/have delivery once, maybe twice a week.  Now we use it when it's more of a "necessity" (i.e. if we're out & about the whole day).  We do spend a lot on groceries, but watch what we compulsively buy.  Meal planning and avoiding restaurant meals is how we're coping (for the

Comments

[randomdiversion]

Mm. I know you don't mean it to sound that way, but you sound like you're really 'privileged'.

I have a total of about $280 of debt, which I will pay off at the end of the month as usual--but then that will be superceded by the fact my Honda needs periodic maintenance, so that will probably put about $700 on the card.

If you have any debt, maybe now is a good time to make bigger cutbacks than what you're doing, and buy it down.

I'm gonna take that as the starting point for an independent post, which you're welcome to read and comment as you wish or not.

[kariebala]

randomdiversion, thanks for the comment.

We are lucky enough to pay off all our debt every month, and for what it's worth, we're not big spenders anyway. We try to put a lot into savings, pensions, child trust funds, etc...

We don't live particularly frivioulsy to start. We have only one car which is old (and does require work often to keep it running). We don't have cable TV. We don't drink alcohol. We don't go out. I can't remember the last time I even went to the cinema.

I feel compelled to comment (although I don't know why) that we've cut back largely on Christmas this year too--my kids won't have many gifts at all (which I think is a good thing in more ways than one).

However, I took this original question to be asking what are you doing to cut back and make a regular impact...and food is a big one for us.