I'm curious if the posters and readers here are being forced to cut back on certain items because of bad economic times. Or are you cutting back willingly to save money to prepare for things that might happen?
I've decided to cut back on a few things. Now that I have some extra time and I can do some things myself I just decided to save in case the economy takes another turn for the worst. The first thing I am doing is canceling the payroll service for my corporation. I'm the only employee and with CPA skills I can do my own payroll. Then I decided to cancel my housekeeper that comes twice a month. I am a very capable housekeeper. Being somewhat picky and a latent germaphobe I can lysol, dust, vaccum with the best of them. I actually clean better than the housekeeper. After the summer season I am also going to cancel my landscaper. Although yardwork doesn't rank high up there on my like list, I figure it will be good exercise. Add that to the golf and the walking and I will be as fit as a fiddle. Just those three things will save me about three hundred and fifty bucks a month. Not small change at all.
I can't say I am going to start using coupons because I have always used coupons. In fact my mom says that my epitath should be "here lies Bill, he expired before his coupons." I've gotten so good at using coupons that there have been four or five times when I've actually got money back for buying some products.
OK, what are you all doing, if anything?
Hope this will be a love filled day for all of you.
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8 comments:
$350 a month? That's darned good cutting back, Bill.
Me? I'm not cutting anything as yet except that I'm trying to consolidate trips so that I drive less. And planning to get a more fuel-efficient car in the near future. Oh, and I keep meaning to cut back on my cable tv pay channels, but that's more because I'm mad at my cable company than to save money. Otherwise, I really don't spend a lot, so there's not much to cut.
I'd do the reverse and hire a maid, except that I'd have to do too much cleaning before I let a maid see the place.
We haven't really done anything about cutting back - we live fairly frugally in any case. About the only thing we spend money on is travel. We did opt not to go to Spain this year because of the weakness of the dollar vs the euro. But we're still going to travel.
In a few years, when necessary and if applicable, John wants to replace his car with an all-electric plug-in car for in-town driving (assuming that such is available then). There is very little public transportation here, so that's not an option.
Of course, in a couple of years, we may be in "the home" and not driving at all. 8^)
Ditto to what Pat said. $350 is a considerable cut. I too will keep my maid. I don't like housework, and I come home with no desire to do it. I just keep things picked up and she comes everyother Wednesday and does the real dirty work! I too consolodate trips to conserve gas, and I'm keeping my little 99 accord as she's very efficient. I still lust over the Nissian Murano, but will eventually get a Honda CRV.
I try to be conservative in just about everything I do.. keeping lights out in rooms I'm not in and all that stuff. Oh, and I have this little pile of "stuff" in the garage that will surely bring in megabucks at my next garage sale! lol (I hate garage sales!)
Do you give lessons on the advantages of using coupons? I cut them out, put them in the car or my purse... and almost evertime, leave the store without using them. I'm pathetic!
Have a great week!
K
Good job on the savings, Bill!
We've not made a lot of changes, but then I do all the bookeeping and housecleaning and we share the yardwork. I've always been a coupon-cutter/user, plus use the stores with "card holder" savings and shop sales. As others have mentioned, since Himself's retirement, we live pretty frugally. I try to combine errands and such, but with Mom's health app'ts and needs and her not driving, I unfortunately drive more often and less "well planned" now than I did in the years prior to her moving here.
Our one extravagence is the RV and doing one fairly "distant" trip a year, but it's something we've saved for and worked hard to attain and most of our trips are within 50-100 miles. I consider it a mental health expense, rather than an extravagence, most of the time. Our cars both get good mileage, both in town and on the road (22-24 mpg). We did our serious cutting-back about six or eight years ago, with gradual additions to that over the last five years, so there's not much more we can do, as I now see it. (Which is not to say we aren't still looking regularly).
Hi Pat
I've always combined trip mostly for time instead of savings now it is for savings. I am not going to cut back on the cable because there are to many cable shows that I like.
I may hire the housekeeper backa at some point and will have her come if I have visitors etc. But right now it seems like an expense I don't need. I originally hired her when I had 300 people a year coming to my house to get tax returns prepared and there wea a lot of traffic and mess accumulated. Now there just isn't that many people treading through that I need a housekeeper.
Bill
Hi Mary Z
Most retired people are on a fixed income so are already saving the most they can.
Travel can be therapy too so I think it is wise that you not cutback on that.
I love the idea of an electric car and we do have a great public transportation system here but I like the idea of an electric car.
Bill
Hi Kaye
I think it is wise when you are working AND taking care of your mom that you have a housekeeper, it is almost essential.
I am willing to give you a private coupon lesson anytime.
Have a great week also.
Bill
Hi Dr
I can relate really well to your travels with you mom. So many times doctor appointments are last minute things. Then there are the times when they forget to tell you they need something until it is to late to plan when to get it. We have the same mom.
I feel the same way about your RV travel as you do. I even posted to Mary that travel was therapy. It might be more expensive for you if you didn't get away once in a while.
Bill
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