What luxuries have you had to give up because of the economy?

[nxylas]

For me it's comic books and going to the movies. Sigh.

[Democrats_win]

1. I gave up almost everything when bush became president. The bush depression changed nothing for me.

[robinlynne]

2. shoppping at trader joes. having an animal. clothes.

[BurtWorm]

3. No more helicopter rides to the corner store.

Actually, we haven't been going to movies or doing nearly as much traveling as we used to.

[ret5hd]

4. Disposable mink underwear.

[damntexdem]

50. NO, NO, NEVER give up on disposable mink underwear!

Just stop using live minks and everything will be OK.

[ogneopasno]

5. When I got laid off in 2001, I gave up fresh flowers. I used to have fresh flowers in my office.

I miss them.

[marmar]

6. I've cut back some on just about everything - travel, entertainment, eating out etc.

..... and pretty much don't buy any new clothing anymore.


But I refuse to cut out the gourmet coffee beans. Can't live without my fine java!

[JDPriestly]

63. Us too. We also cut our food budget.

We cut back eating out to maybe once every couple of months with friends. No travel except to see family. No movies. We wait for Netflix. Rarely buy books and then, when possible, used. We aren't buying new clothes other than underwear or replacements for torn, ragged items. I'm using up all the little left over bits of cosmetics I had from years and years of never throwing mostly used stuff away. (When I was working, I was too busy to go through those things.) I mean, we are spending as little as humanly possible.

[Cronus Protagonist]

7. Eating out, my car, my credit standing, dating and everything else

Everything beyond rent, utilities is gone. And almost all I eat is bread and cheese with the occasional avocado and tomato. I'm glad I get to eat.

[SoCalDem]

54. Find a date who likes to cook..2 problems "solved"..n/t

[Cronus Protagonist]

57. I'm working on that very thing!

lol :P

[valerief]

8. Planning for the future. nt

[Pakhet]

9. eating out anywhere, phone, cable, one car, a/c, heat

haven't bought a piece of clothing that cost more than $4 in almost 2 years and I've sold everything I ever had that was of value. oh yeah, and no more books either. BUT...we have jobs (little as they pay) and a place to live and food, so...

[psychmommy]

34. you can't give up books.

don't forget the library. books are so important in my life and there is always a way to read.

[dana_b]

10. CDs, albums (yes, I still like them)

and concerts. Sigh. I used to go to 10-15 concerts a year. Now I go to 1-2, if it's free.

[Autumn Colors]

11. Luxuries???

uh ....

Health insurance, dental insurance, driving anywhere not necessary....

You mean those luxuries?

[nxylas]

19. Those aren't luxuries

Luxuries are what you could afford to buy if you didn't have to pay through the nose for healthcare. Single-payer now!

Umm...did I just hijack my own thread there?

[Autumn Colors]

28. Welll...

I now am no longer "paying through the nose for healthcare" (as you put it) and I still have nothing for "luxuries". What I paid for the premiums now goes towards my mortgage (my 30-year fixed rate mortgage, btw).

If I ever have any money for luxuries, I'll let you know.

Internet service would be a luxury, except that I need it for work (self-employed ... despite how little that is now).

PS: Haven't had a vacation (where I actually traveled somewhere) in 10 years. That would be nice, but a pipedream.

[nxylas]

52. I'm sorry

I hope I haven't caused any offense by creating this thread, and I apologise if I have. I'm not yet at the stage of having to give up essentials like health insurance, but I can see how for those who have, talking about giving up luxuries might rub salt into the wound.

[On the Road]

12. I Haven't Bought Clothes in About 15 Years

and I'm moving myself rather than get help.

[kickysnana]

13. Pet(s) ie geranimals, garage and genealogy.n/t

[damntexdem]

51. Well, G.

Not giraffes?

[CoffeeCat]

14. We started cutting back last Fall...

We cut out our NY Times subscription, cable TV, health-club membership and we started renting movies
at Redbox ($1 per night) instead of going to the movies. Almost no restaurant eating. I've been
a couponer/refunder for five years--and I decided that a 3-4 months supply of food and essentials
wasn't enough--so I'm fortifying that up to a 6-9 month reserve.

We knew we needed to save more, in preparation for whatever was going to happen in 09...

Then 09 hit. My husband was asked to take a $1,200 per month paycut.

So one luxury that we gave up, was paying off the student loan! We put the loan in forbearance, and we're using
the money we would have sent them--to shore up cash reserves.

If I could give any one advice about what's going on---I would tell people to cut out all non-discretionary spending
NOW. Don't wait until you're asked to take a paycut or laid off. Start shoring up those cash reserves now, and get
that budget down to essentials.

If this recession ends--you'll be left with a nice chunk of change. However, if conditions get worse, or you find
yourself jobless--at least you'll have some protection. A few months with a roof over your head---to figure out what
the hell you're going to do, is a good thing.

Also, canceling cable, and other things takes time. Often, you'll have to pay one more month, or you have to give
30-days notice--or whatever. It's not a clean cut.

Pare it down now and prepare! Pay off debt and increase cash. Failing to do so is like being on the
Titanic--and being one of the last ones in line for a lifeboat. ...and we all know what happened to those people.

[flvegan]

15. $7 beers at Tampa Bay Brewing Company.

It's been a couple years since I've been, unfortunately.

[Lost in CT]

71. Must be expensive to import decent water to Tampa to make beer with. nt

[Cerridwen]

16. Seeing my mom and family.

I was actually a "canary in a coal mine." "This economy" hit me long ago. {insert long boring story here.}

We moved up here to see if we could improve our situation. No luck. Scrounging money to "go back home" as I type this. I have no idea if we'll have any more luck there; but at least we'll be nearer to family.

I haven't been able to afford to go home to see my mom in 3 years. Her health recently took a turn for the worse. My brother and his wife are taking advantage of that. {insert another long boring story.} It sucks to be stuck up here; even for these last couple of weeks.

[nxylas]

23. I feel your pain

I moved here from England 5 years ago after meeting my wife online and we're seriously considering moving back there. But that would involve both of us having to give up our (admittedly low-paying) jobs and our home and starting again from scratch, which in the current economic climate is even scarier than staying put. So we're between a rock and a hard place.

[Cerridwen]

35. So true.

Leaving is hard and now returning is hard.

I keep trying to remind myself of all the people who left families to go and settle unknown parts of the world and knowing they'd never again return home. I apparently don't have that particular gene. :) I'd have had to drag my mom with me; tried to this time but she refused. *sigh*

Good luck to us both. :toast:

[AyanEva]

17. Never had many in the first place

But I would say getting my nails done. I can't justify the $34 a month for the up keep.

[DJ13]

18. Smoking after April 1st when Obama's SCHIP tax hits

Fixed income, that $6.10 per carton was the breaking point.

(Which illustrates why a sin tax to pay for kids health care was a stupid idea.)

[EOTE]

31. Why is it a stupid idea?

I understand it's going to be painful for you to quit smoking, but I think children receiving health care is more important. I don't understand why this is such a bad thing.

[RaleighNCDUer]

36. Sorry, but I can't see it that way.

While smoking, the extra taxes contribute to society. When it became to expensive to keep up, quitting makes you and everyone around you healthier, and in the long term saves society even more money from reduced medical bills.

I say this as a 30 year smoker, quit for the past six.

[MISSDem]

68. If everyone quits smoking how will they get the taxes then?

In other words, they are counting on a lot of people not quitting. That is just sad.

[RaleighNCDUer]

69. Not at all - the savings overall in medical bills, where the state winds

up paying, through medicare (medicaid? I get them mixed up), for people's smoking related illnesses - heart disease, cancer, emphysema, etc. - negates the need for those taxes because that is what those taxes would be paying for in the first place.

If everyone quit, the tax revenue would not be necessary.

[Lost in CT]

70. Actually medical costs would go up for those programs if people quit smoking. nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

72. How do you figure that?

If smoking is no longer causing cancer, heart disease and emphysema, why would the costs go up? If a hundred thousand people are no longer costing us $10,000 each, wouldn't that be a billion dollars saved?

[Lost in CT]

76. Because everybody dies. Not smoking doesn't prevent heart disease and cancer

It delays it. And as a result when you finally do get sick it is more expensive.

And since smokers have a tendency to die after they have reached the peak of productivity but before they start drawing heavily on Social Security and Medicare their premature deaths are a win/win for the Federal Budget.

If everyone died at 85 we would be very broke very soon.

Simple fact is the decrease in smoking is already increasing related costs. Hopefully obesity (though less efficient due to the tendency of obese individuals to draw disability payments) can pick up some of the slack or we will have a serious budget squeeze

[RaleighNCDUer]

81. I tend to suspect you are wrong on that -

smoking, like obesity, creates chronic problems that just keeps people sick longer - they might cut a year or two off, but check out the obits (starting to become a habit with me) and you'll see that people are still mostly dying in the 70s and 80s. If they are getting sick, they are getting sick later, and it is killing them quicker, as is the normal run.

but it is a moot point, in any case - with the world ending in 2012, and all.

[Lost in CT]

82. No I'm not... there have been endless studies and yes smokers save the government money.

(It would be less money saved under universal health care however)

I am guessing o9n obesity and it wouldn't surprise me that they are more expensive.

[MISSDem]

77. The state(s) don't pay for everyones health care.

Not everyone is on medicare/medicaid.

[leeroysphitz]

20. Cheese sandwiches.

:(

[kestrel91316]

21. Decent underwear without holes. New shoes. Driving anywhere other than

to and from work. Treating myself to a restaurant lunch once in a while.

You know, REAL LUXURIES.

[walkaway]

22. Health Insurance

[Political Tiger]

24. Eating.

Okay, not really, but the way prices are going up it's something I might have to consider! ;)

[Lost in CT]

25. Call Girl Service, Powdered Cocaine. nt

[mshasta]

55. ha!

good one, people have to give up on that..must be hard to do so.

[Lost in CT]

59. Well I have moved to street hookers and crack...

You need to learn to economize in todays environment.

[OhioChick]

26. Eating out. n/t

[w8liftinglady]

27. shopping at Whole Foods.

[kohodog]

79. you mean Whole Paycheck?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

29. None.

I'm one of the lucky one's.

[tanngrisnir3]

30. None. I'm pretty monkish in my personal habits.

[arcadian]

32. Lighting my Cuban cigars with $100 bills.

[GodlessBiker]

33. Foie gras in my scrambled eggs.

I kid, I kid.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

37. Plans to retire in 7-10 years. Plans to start cutting

back my working hours in preparation for the former. I guess you could call it the luxury of Time.

[cobalt1999]

38. No so much giving anything up, but I am delaying upgrading some toys.

I'd like a new ski boat, but the old one will make do.
I'd like a new motorcycle, but the old one will make do.

Vacations are not quite as exotic this year. Instead of chartering a boat in the Caribbean for a week, we'll be staying in the country and spending less.

I know I'm lucky so far, just hope it continues.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

39. Movies, eating out, alcohol, just added soda nt

[Uzybone]

40. None yet

[KG]

41. pr0n. the good stuff ya gotta pay for.

stuck with the crappy free stuff. my mastrebation is suffering for it... :(

[Anwen]

42. Clothes, shoes, concerts, going out to dinner, etc.

I used to go on a shopping spree at least once a month. I could never afford anything too extravagant, but I would treat myself to a cute pair of shoes or some new outfits.

Not anymore. I am pinching pennies to pay all my bills, pay for groceries, pay off credit cards, and pay for my college education. No more shopping sprees in the foreseeable future... :-(

[crispini]

46. Find you a good thrift store!

I have a fantastic one down the street from me. I found a cute black merino wool sweater with faux fur collar and cuffs -- so precious! -- from Barney's, so you know it probably cost $100 originally -- for $3. Amazing places, thrift stores.

[cliffordu]

43. Caviar and pony tears.

[bigtree]

44. working full time

. . . seems like a luxury these days with my reduced schedule straining my budget.

[Kip Humphrey]

45. Docked my yacht, laid off my chauffeur, rent out my vacation house in the Hamptons,

stuff like that.

[Lost in CT]

58. When you let your help go do you buy them a plane ticket or just call ICE?

I had this argument with one of my household managers this morning.

[Kip Humphrey]

65. Am I supposed to do this? No one at the country club said to do this. I just gave 'em a

Google map to the bus station.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

47. I never thought of these as luxuries...

dog -- my dog died right after I got laid off and I can't replace him
food -- I've cut my groceries shopping by about $125/mo. Cup O' Noodles is a staple; Lean Cuisine is now a once a week treat.
social life -- from hanging out with friends to dating; I don't even want to know which bands are in town

[leftchick]

48. movies, my hair, the gym, some foods, no eating out at all

wow, I think I just described myself as a blooming hagatha! :(

[earth mom]

49. I used to take day trips to hit thrift stores & antique shops, but once gas went up so high

I stopped. Now gas prices are down, but the money I spent on gas is now going towards higher food prices, so I still don't hit the road all that often. Maybe once a month. I miss my little road trip adventures and my treasure hunting. :(

[mshasta]

53. shoes

outfits, going out, perfumes,....bags...most of my stuff that I don't need give it to charity

[Throd]

56. My car project is on hold for now

[cherokeeprogressive]

60. Assault Weapons.

[guitar man]

61. retirement :( nt

[earthboundmisfit]

62. One meal a day

If I skip one, my kid doesn't have to, and things stretch farther. I can stand to lose some weight anyway - so I'm going out walking instead of eating, and oddly I'm less hungry. Maybe if I can get rid of the middle-age chunkiness, it'll be easier to get hired.

[buff2]

64. Don't use the RV anymore except for storage.

Can't sell it either,no one has the money to buy anything. :(

[MissB]

66. I was able to get a job

just as things were getting really crappy, so for now I'm just doing what I've always been doing. We don't take luxurious vacations or have new cars. I cook from scratch and have a garden and keep chickens. I'm socking away lots of money right now and hoping that I don't get laid off.

We're still able to eat out (order out, actually) about 2x a month. We rent videos every other week. Still have cable. Still have a lot of home improvement projects that we're whittling away on at a slightly slower pace.

[Cid_B]

67. None...

Only "sacrifice" is canceling my Citi card which is no hardship for me.

[azmouse]

73. I'm just being more careful about what I buy.

I've always shopped sales but now I'm thinking... do I really need that shirt or book?

[catzies]

74. Acrylic nails, pedicures, brow and bikini waxings

I now have short and stubby real nails, toenails like claws, a unibrow and a bush in need of landscaping. :rofl:

All of that saves me $150/month. I'm sure I hurt the salon industry though. Sorry, nail technicians and aestheticians.

[Kansas Wyatt]

75. Hookers, Gambling, and Alcohol...

Oh wait, I never did those things anyway. Okay, nothing... I'm pretty boring.

[kohodog]

78. I had to hawk my $40k commode

And pretty soon the $50K bathroom rug will have to go.

[leftofthedial]

80. anything that costs money

drinking, eating out, museums, hookers, movies...