ls317
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:00 PM
Original message |
|
Since gas prices are sky high currently all over the US.. What have you had to cut back to make a difference because of higher prices at the pump!
I had to cut back on the starbucks.. Before I was going to starbucks at least 3 times a week.. Now I only go once a week....
|
BulletproofLandshark
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:02 PM
Response to Original message |
1. Buying more store-brand products |
|
instead of their name brand counterparts
|
brystheguy
(179 posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:04 PM
Response to Original message |
2. I still buy the same stuff at the store |
|
but I don't go to the store on a whim anymore. I now plan all of my trips so that I make several stop[s at once and my old mopeds are getting more use now.
|
LSK
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:05 PM
Response to Original message |
|
Havnt cut back on much else. Im pretty much a cheapo anyways thou.
|
lildreamer316
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:05 PM
Response to Original message |
4. I am doing some SERIOUS comparison lists |
|
I get the grocery sale circulars and print out my price list and spend about 2 hours doing comparisons. I've also been stocking up on meat/staple 2-for-1's to conserve. It would seem that I wasn't saving money because I have to drive to 3 different stores but they are pretty close to one another and I have a honda.
|
w8liftinglady
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:08 PM
Response to Reply #4 |
9. I am using a LOT more coupons- |
|
and do the comparison shopping thing too-that is my Sunday evening chore.
|
lildreamer316
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:18 PM
Response to Reply #9 |
14. Do you know this site? |
|
Edited on Thu Aug-25-05 05:21 PM by lildreamer316
http://www.organizedhome.com/ Go to the home notebook section and check out the printable planner pages. Love this............. On edit: also check out the tip section.Gold.
|
ls317
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:20 PM
Response to Reply #14 |
FlemingsGhost
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:05 PM
Response to Original message |
5. I cut back on buying gas. |
|
Are you walking to Starbucks?
|
ls317
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:06 PM
Response to Reply #5 |
|
I drive thru its on my way to work
|
rzemanfl
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:07 PM
Response to Original message |
7. Your post trivializes this issue for people who are cutting back |
|
on necessities to buy gas to get to their low-paying jobs. I am not one of them, but I am sure they have no sympathy about you missing out on your lattes.
|
ls317
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:14 PM
Response to Reply #7 |
|
Edited on Thu Aug-25-05 05:16 PM by ls317
Hmmmm
Lets see this isn't about asking nor seeking sympathy in regards to missing a latte at all... It was a general broad based question no more no less.Nothing was said about low paying jobs at all....... Some folks have cut back of eating lunch out during the week.( ie bringing lunch with them). Some folks have cut back the number of trips to... starbucks.... Perhaps some folks have cut back there spending on extra income to make up the difference because of the price of gas
|
rzemanfl
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:36 PM
Response to Reply #12 |
19. Whatever. Expensive coffee just seems like such a small thing |
|
to be giving up, like switching from imported to domestic beer. It's just my opinion, but I think someone being really squeezed by gas prices would be put off by the Starbucks comment.
|
IdaBriggs
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:19 PM
Response to Reply #7 |
16. The OP is helping to provide jobs, etc. by spending disposable cash. |
|
The point (as I read it), is "how are you compensating for the decrease in your disposable income?"
You don't like the fact that Starbucks employs people? Sorry to hear it. I am a huge fan of their frappuchinos myself, and consider them "a treat." I also enjoy their Tazo tea. :)
|
rzemanfl
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:38 PM
Response to Reply #16 |
21. See above, and it seems like name-dropping to me. I am |
|
Edited on Thu Aug-25-05 05:42 PM by rzemanfl
sure that Starbucks does employ people who are thrilled to death to serve you your frappuchino.
Seems sad to me that we are sniping back and forth about this when the real issue is that we are all being forced to give lots of our "disposable income" to fat cat oil executives enjoying record profits.
|
Raksha
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 06:27 PM
Response to Reply #7 |
38. You're wrong. I should know because I AM "one of them..." |
|
Edited on Thu Aug-25-05 06:31 PM by Raksha
That is, a person living on a fixed income. I rent a room in a house because there is no way I can afford even an apartment, and I don't have a car. There have been times when I've had five bucks to last me until the end of the month with a few days left to go. Even so, I might spend half of that money on a cup of coffee at Starbuck's and count the money well spent. Of course I can pay less for a cup of coffee elsewhere, but the premium coffee isn't the main thing I'm spending the money on. What I'm really buying is half an hour when I can sit at table outside watching the world go by, relaxing and feeling like a civilized person instead of a pauper.
If anything, people who are stretched to the limit need that kind of a lift more than people in better circumstances. They certainly need it as much! So no, I am definitely NOT offended because I understand completely what the original poster is getting at.
|
rzemanfl
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 09:46 PM
Response to Reply #38 |
46. I guess I need to go to a Starbucks, I'm an Eight O'Clock black, |
|
no sugar kind of a guy and never saw the attraction of designer coffee and the atmosphere of a Starbucks.
|
ordinaryaveragegirl
(853 posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:07 PM
Response to Original message |
8. Stay closer to home... |
|
I'll find ways to get stuff from places on my own side of town. I'm also making sure my tires are properly inflated, and not using a/c in my car - which is easy anyway if you keep your trips shorter.
|
wli
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:09 PM
Response to Original message |
10. it's not hurting me yet, but |
|
It will once electricity, food, water, and transported goods all go through the roof along with it.
|
pauldavid
(197 posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:14 PM
Response to Original message |
11. Nothing. I sold my car two years ago |
|
to protest the illegal war for oil.
|
ellie
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:15 PM
Response to Original message |
|
leave the house anymore. I work from home so I don't have to go anywhere. I used to go to the mall or over to my mom's, but now I stay home. Gas jumped from $2.41 yesterday to $2.69 today for the cheap stuff!
|
flamin lib
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:18 PM
Response to Original message |
15. Traded in a Lincoln Mark VIII at 22 mpg combined for a Nissan |
|
Sentra at 32 mpg combined.
Think that's not a hell of a cultural shock . . .
|
calico1
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:19 PM
Response to Original message |
17. I have 3 supermarkets in my area. |
|
I study the fliers, clip coupons and then go shop. Sometimes I only go to one store, sometimes all 3. It depends. I also avoid buying all the convenience type foods. If you go early in the morning there are usually meats on sale from the day before that are marked down. They are fine. You just have to either use them that day or freeze them. I get most of them that way and save lots of money. I take my own lunch to work. Never get lunch. If you spend $5 a day getting lunch out (and many people will spend more) that is over $100 a month just to eat lunch. For cleaning I buy products that can do double duty. Instead of separate cleaners for the toilet, tub, etc. I get one. Vinegar is great for cleaning floors. Ammonia is cheap too. You can really spend lots of money on cleaning items. I have pretty much been trying to go more frugal like this for a while but it really helps now.
|
soda
(111 posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:42 PM
Response to Reply #17 |
23. youve got it good..for now |
|
here in spain i pay $1.20 a litre which makes for about $4 a gallon
|
shrike
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:50 PM
Response to Reply #23 |
28. Don't know much about Spain, sir/madam |
|
But I do know my geography enough to know that it is MUCH smaller than the U.S.
Britain, France and Germany have good public transport. I've ridden it myself. Wouldn't be surprised if you do, too. We don't. Many American communities have none at all, in fact.
Would suspect your communities are designed a little differently than ours, too. Most Americans live in a suburb that is only driving distance from work, school, shopping, etc. Yes, I realize much of that is our fault, but there it is, the infrastructure already in place. In short, we must spend most of our time in our cars.
Not sure if this applies to Spain, but I am told that in at least some European countries, 80 percent of the per-gallon gas price goes to taxes. Not so here, but you get universal health care out of it. And, I suspect, better schools. We get very little out of our higher gas prices save very fat prices -- for the oil companies and their stockholders, most of whom are not average, everyday Americans.
And btw, welcome to DU.
|
getmeouttahere
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 07:24 PM
Response to Reply #28 |
43. All that stuff IS our fault, shrike... |
|
Because we either voted for pols who won't do what is good for society, or we as a society aren't willing to pay for it. And we had better be prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to change, because change we must.
|
getmeouttahere
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 07:21 PM
Response to Reply #23 |
|
Don't let anybody give you a hard time just because you live in a "smaller" country. You Europeans have been doing it right for a long time, building fantastic mass transit systems. If we here in the U.S. really wanted it, and were willing to pay for it, we could have that too.
|
MissB
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:38 PM
Response to Original message |
20. I've cut back on trips |
|
I haven't been buying many "wants" lately anyway. If I need groceries, I limit it to once a week if possible - though lately it has been twice a week.
|
Parche
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:39 PM
Response to Original message |
|
I have bought a thousand shares of Shell oil and Halliburton.....just kidding.
|
jokerman93
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:44 PM
Response to Original message |
|
all home cooked mostly veggie meals brown bag to work food shopping at farmer's market deserts once a week ended hair club contract stopped Gevalia account reduced Netflix from 5 to 3 videos got married quit smoking crack
:beer:
|
all.of.me
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 06:15 PM
Response to Reply #24 |
37. hey jokerman! you lived up to your name! |
|
hahahahaha very funny. is crack expensive?!
|
jokerman93
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 07:18 PM
Response to Reply #37 |
|
I'm not going to TOUCH that one.
:evilgrin:
|
all.of.me
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 09:20 PM
Response to Reply #41 |
zoeb
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:45 PM
Response to Original message |
25. You gave up Starbucks??? It sucks to be you or |
|
Wal-Mart which is whining about their sales and has Dollar General stores. Also alot of Dollar Trees or Everything for a Dollar type stores have also complained because all their merchandise must sell for a dollar even with the increased gas prices.
When these little dollar stores start complaining about sales you know gas prices are eating up much more of the household income than economists envisioned.
You know what they say: First you give up Starbucks and the next thing you know your eating cat food. Better be saving those $4 cups of java for hard times. :nopity: :donut:
|
BlueJac
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:46 PM
Response to Original message |
|
I am driving less, consolidate trips.
|
orpupilofnature57
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:49 PM
Response to Original message |
27. My fuel provider say's $1300 in advance minimum ,to lock in at $2.26 |
|
Edited on Thu Aug-25-05 05:50 PM by orpupilofnature57
Exclusion by wealth, is this what America has turned into.
|
B Calm
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:55 PM
Response to Original message |
29. I drive to work and drive home. I hardly ever go anywhere, who |
|
in hell can afford to go anywhere!
|
growlypants
(846 posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:58 PM
Response to Reply #29 |
32. my sentiments exactly. I spent ALOT of time sitting at home, wishing i |
|
could afford to go somewhere. Then I think about how much gas a trip into the city will cost and I sit my ass back down.
|
growlypants
(846 posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:56 PM
Response to Original message |
30. I had to cutback on driving. |
Blue_In_AK
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:57 PM
Response to Original message |
31. We don't drive around much |
|
because my husband's retired and I work at home, but when we do go out, we try to combine errands so that we only have to make one trip. We took one long, five-day camping trip this summer instead of a couple of little ones. We're probably going to head out only one more time before winter comes.
|
Beaverhausen
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 05:59 PM
Response to Original message |
33. I bought a hybrid car- a Prius |
|
I got a 1% cut on my loan rate, a break on my insurance and money back monthly from my employers car pool program!
|
Orsino
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 06:05 PM
Response to Original message |
34. Switched to hybrids early this year... |
|
...a Prius for me and the new Accord for my wife. Two semis totaled her new car (she wasn't much hurt; another selling point), so we just had to buy a replacement. *Three* hybrid tax breaks this year!
|
trekbiker
(724 posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 06:10 PM
Response to Original message |
35. buying cheaper Vodka... |
Sparkman
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 06:10 PM
Response to Original message |
36. Shipping UPS daily and I pay from $0.17 for ground and $3.62 for air boxes |
|
So Shipping UPS ground helps. Changing to the discount grocery stores and avoiding name brands cuts 10% off the bill. Less hamburger stand eating, more cooking at home. Driving ancient cars saves the new car cost & new car insurance rate. And the CALIF. DMV costs for my 65 bug is $54 annually, no smog certs. No CD buying, but trading CD's. Shopping at thrift stores for used things is really a huge savings. Renting everything instead of buying if it makes sense. Snaking with p-nut butter, or fruit and drinking Tea instead of bottled soda. Some nuts & raisins works as snake, very cheap.
|
getmeouttahere
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 07:14 PM
Response to Original message |
39. Walking to work, consolidating trips in the car.... |
|
take the Metro whenever possible. Sure it helps to live close to work, but I've decided to put my money where my mouth is, and I don't want the oil companies to get any more of my money than is absolutely necessary.
|
bigwillq
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 07:15 PM
Response to Original message |
40. Haven't cut down any anything specific |
|
I just try to do all my stops at once.
|
Rainscents
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 09:29 PM
Response to Original message |
45. I been running errands much less and when I do errands, I do everything |
growlypants
(846 posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
|
Thu Aug-25-05 09:47 PM
Response to Original message |
47. I only leave the house to go to work. Its pathetic. |
DU
AdBot (1000+ posts) |
Fri Apr 19th 2024, 08:15 AM
Response to Original message |