Economy is taking it's toll.... what are YOU doing about it?

[paulapoo]

I only have one thing to add to all the good suggestions.
Everyone should buy a brita water filter. Save your old plastic bottles and refill for water on the go. No more bottled water...better for your budget, and the environment!

[cheeselover8481]

I live in a apartment on an end unit and there are lots of cracks in the windows and doors. The apartment has lots of cold air coming in. Any suggestions on keeping the cold air out? I think I can reduce my energy bill if I can fix this.

[C C Kent]

Originally Posted by cheeselover8481

I live in a apartment on an end unit and there are lots of cracks in the windows and doors. The apartment has lots of cold air coming in. Any suggestions on keeping the cold air out? I think I can reduce my energy bill if I can fix this.

Since you are in an apartment you will need to consider the landlord before doing anything drastic, after that here's how I would handle it. Obviously you want to stop a draft but you also want to create an insulating barrier at the window so that the warm air you paid to heat doesn't contact the window and get transferred to the outside. Buy a piece of plexiglas, or anything stiff and at least translucent so it doesn't block out the sunlight. Make sure it's at least 1 inch larger than the window in each direction, if the window is 24x24 get a piece 26x26 this allows an overlap of 1 inch all the way around. Get some holders used for installing a stationary mirror like you may have over the sink in your bathroom. Also get some weatherstripping with sticky on one side. Apply the weatherstripping around the plexiglass and install the plexiglass over the window. This creates an airspace that keeps the warm room air from reaching the cold window, while also eliminating the draft around the window itself. The sunlight can still come in and it can be taken down easily in the springtime. This only leaves a few small holes that can be fixed in a jiffy if you move. If you stay you can reuse the plexiglass every year.

The guys at Lowe's can walk you through how to re-weatherstrip a door.

[emilyann]

Originally Posted by cheeselover8481

I live in a apartment on an end unit and there are lots of cracks in the windows and doors. The apartment has lots of cold air coming in. Any suggestions on keeping the cold air out? I think I can reduce my energy bill if I can fix this.

Ew, we have this problem too. Except, we live in an old house that we rent. We want to move so bad so we don't have to use the gas wall heaters again this year, it just stays sooo cold in here. They even put new ghetto weather stripping around the front & back door and I can STILL feel cold air coming in.

[chachi]

It is really bad for us also and I dont know where else I could budget. The grocery bills are so much higher. For what I used to be able to buy for $90 now costs about $130. There are only 3 of us I dont know how larger families do it. I do keep my thermostat at 65 degrees in the winter so our gas bills arent as bad as they could be.

[PANAMA69]

Originally Posted by red98vett

HOW ? Can you tell more ?

She said that was some money market, she into investments is what I understood, but Chase took over and everything is fine, well at least for now

[labrown]

This has worked for me in the past. I won't buy alcohol anywhere but at a grocery store or a liquor store. The amount of markup on alcohol in a restaurant or a bar is ridiculous (I know, I'm a bartender), plus you are tipping on the amount it adds to your bill. If you went to Outback (where I work) with two guests, you would spend about $40 without liquor, or $55 with liquor. So your tip (20% of course) goes from $8 to $11. By drinking iced tea you just saved yourself $18.

I can't encourage this as a restaurant employee, because of course I want you to drink. But I feel that if you are in enough of a pinch then you shouldn't be eating out anyway. I eat out a lot, but I also drink out a lot, and I've saved myself big bucks by enforcing this limit on myself for a month at a time. I won't stop drinking completely (mainly because I work in the restaurant industry), but I will do it economically when I do.

[YorkieShadow]

Well We have cut back so much in the last three years , I don't know if we can cut back any more. I hurt my back 4 years ago and had to quit my job. we used our savings up in a years time and had to depend on the credit cards more then Id like to say. vet bills and yearly bills as home insurances car Ins and stuff like that . My Hubby gets paid every 2 weeks and he has pretty much had to work more hours to make up for what I wasn't bringing in.

WE live in a double wide on 5 acres I was working at the time and we had hoped planned to someday build a house here
on this land, but after I got hurt there was no way that was going to happen. but we can always dream.this place needs so much work.I dont know if well ever be able to fix every thing. central air is a must. but all summer we only had it on 80 so just enough that we did not get heat stroke.
In the winter its set to 7o.

My Hubby works an hour away from home, so him and my son and another guy all ride together to save on gas.

I try my best to make one trip to town a week to go grocery shopping, pay bills , go to the bank every thing is done the same day.

I have dial up so that's only $21.00 a month
I have never owned a cell phone
I do have a home phone and I don't use long distances unless its an emergency
I do save what coupons I can. But I need to work harder on that.but you cant get coupons unless you buy the news paper or have ink to print them out.( witch cost extra)
we cut back from eating out one day a week to only eating out on a special day like sweetest day or our birthdays.
I cook a big meal a day. we shop at wall mart and save alot.

I don't buy on line no ebay nothing ever. no extra money for that.
On Holidays me & hubby and my adult children all go in on the meals.

this year instead of getting each other we are drawing names and only buying for one.

us and a neighbor share the trash bill.
Hubby go's many hours at work with out eating and only eats before he goes to work and I get onto him for that.

We haven't bought new clothes in years. we get them on the holidays.
living from check to check is very hard. but we do what we have to. and be Thankful for what we do have, even if its not much we have each other. That's what Family's are all about.

[Ashley V]

Originally Posted by YorkieShadow

living from check to check is very hard. but we do what we have to. and be Thankful for what we do have, even if its not much we have each other. That's what Family's are all about.

Thank you for the reminder. I'm going through a rough time with money and probably will only have $10 this time around to last us two weeks... but as long as we have each other.

[Baby Blessing]

Originally Posted by C C Kent

WE started getting out of debt a couple of years ago when my next door neighbor introduced me to Dave Ramsey by loaning me his book "Total Money Makeover." I love to read so I cracked it open and didn't stop until I finished it. I was surprised because I thought I was a good money manager until I read this book.

This slowdown has hit us like everyone else but we have no monthly payments (consumer debt) so we just don't eat out, drive less, and we're OK. The company I work for has been bought out and my pay was cut by 25%. My wifes job depends on the building trade and it's almost non-existent right now so our income has been slashed. The tuition for our daughter is paid up through this semester (again no debt) and I have about half of next semester in an envelope. We save money for things in separate envelopes and we don't buy anything until the money is there. Freakish huh?

We live in flyover country and the wages here are notoriously low, but gas, groceries, and housing is not equally low so we're constantly pressed to be efficient. I felt like we got a raise when we did our first budget, where we sat down and spent every dime...on paper...on purpose, before the month began. Thank God my neighbor loaned me the book two years ago.

Times are tough right now, but learning how to survive in tough times will be a blessing in the end because you can learn how to thrive when things improve. Your income is your best wealth building tool, anything you purchase and pay interest on is like inviting a parasite to attach itself to your paycheck. Even though our income has declined during this time we have managed to lay back three months of expenses in a savings account and pay off everything but our house. We're not special, and it wasn't easy, but we did it.

If the average American carried little or no consumer debt, like thirty years ago when you had to actually qualify for a loan, this slowdown...recession...depression...whatever it is, would not be happening. It's time for us as Americans to COWBOY UP BABY!! Share ideas, encourage each other, expect more from ourselves.....you know....all the things that made us the greatest nation ever in the history of the planet. Let's put our houses in order and then demand the same from our leaders. Let's shrug off the thinking that got us here and look to tried and true, self reliant, personal responsibility to guide our lives. Let's stop whining for the government to give us things and just get them for ourselves. Our grandparents were right, waste not want not, save for a rainy day, if you don't have the money...don't buy it. So be of good cheer, your circumstances don't determine who you are, your decisions do.

GREAT, GREAT POST!

Thank you to the person for starting this thread, also the suggestions from so many here.

I believe this is all temporary and prayerfully things will turn around before long.

Some of the ways we have cut back through the years is to quit using the dish washer, saving on electricity and propane in heating the water.

Hanging the laundry out, weather permitting, instead of using the clothes dryer. (temporarily not able to do this, hopefully back to doing it soon.) Went with a front loader Washer and find it more economical.

Using all energy efficient light bulbs= 22 watt bulbs giving out 60 watts.
Shopping the newspaper adds on the sales (stores are all close together) using the clip out savings coupons. Stocking up on things that are exceptional buys and items we use a lot of, till the next time they come on sale.

Baking or cooking in larger quanities, using recipes that provide healthy meals for freezing.

Years ago we kept track of spendings and soon learned many things to cut back on. Not missing out on anything.

This year, being more conservative I have taken all my pull over sweat shirts which are all pilled on the inside, cut them down the front and wear them turned inside out and wrote on the back, one of Palin's Originals yeppers and they are still soooooo comfy, get lots of good compliments too

Patti and Jack

[DukesMommy]

Originally Posted by YorkieShadow

Well We have cut back so much in the last three years , I don't know if we can cut back any more. I hurt my back 4 years ago and had to quit my job. we used our savings up in a years time and had to depend on the credit cards more then Id like to say. vet bills and yearly bills as home insurances car Ins and stuff like that . My Hubby gets paid every 2 weeks and he has pretty much had to work more hours to make up for what I wasn't bringing in.

WE live in a double wide on 5 acres I was working at the time and we had hoped planned to someday build a house here
on this land, but after I got hurt there was no way that was going to happen. but we can always dream.this place needs so much work.I dont know if well ever be able to fix every thing. central air is a must. but all summer we only had it on 80 so just enough that we did not get heat stroke.
In the winter its set to 7o.

My Hubby works an hour away from home, so him and my son and another guy all ride together to save on gas.

I try my best to make one trip to town a week to go grocery shopping, pay bills , go to the bank every thing is done the same day.

I have dial up so that's only $21.00 a month
I have never owned a cell phone
I do have a home phone and I don't use long distances unless its an emergency
I do save what coupons I can. But I need to work harder on that.but you cant get coupons unless you buy the news paper or have ink to print them out.( witch cost extra)
we cut back from eating out one day a week to only eating out on a special day like sweetest day or our birthdays.
I cook a big meal a day. we shop at wall mart and save alot.

I don't buy on line no ebay nothing ever. no extra money for that.
On Holidays me & hubby and my adult children all go in on the meals.

this year instead of getting each other we are drawing names and only buying for one.

us and a neighbor share the trash bill.
Hubby go's many hours at work with out eating and only eats before he goes to work and I get onto him for that.

We haven't bought new clothes in years. we get them on the holidays.
living from check to check is very hard. but we do what we have to. and be Thankful for what we do have, even if its not much we have each other. That's what Family's are all about.

I think it's amazing that you are able to stay positive through all of that.
I probably have a lot less problems with finances right now than some others here and some days I feel hopeless..I don't have kids, and have considered getting a divorce God knows how many times now. My husband put us in such a bad financial position that we had to move in with my parents. So now we have a lot less bills, but his check is being garnished. He does the same as yours, he wont eat all day at work.. He works two jobs now and I feel so guilty sometimes because I'm not working, I'm still going to school full time.

[AVERYxo]

great idea for a thread!

[ladyj]

Originally Posted by cesar49

i would love to make my own cards.. how do you do it?

i have an embosser...

I have an application that is just for making greeting cards, in fact, I have two of them. I use pictures of my pets, two Bichons and a Chihuahua, and the flowers I grow in my yard. I've been making my own cards for years now. I buy card stock at Wal-Mart. Comes with half-fold cards and envelopes, 25 for $5.99. I have sold some of them to friends who also have Bichons and several of my friends have said I should sell them on E-bay. I haven't tried that yet, but may one of these days. I'm not sure I want to commit to getting orders that have to be filled and put in the mail. I'm retired and not willing to get into something like that. I keep pretty busy. I have thought about trying to get my cards into some local craft store or some place like that to sell them. Then I could make them up when I want to and replenish them when they're all gone. I've recently began making cards using iris paper folding. That's very interesting and the cards are very pretty.

[majesticyorkies]

I was making 18$ an hour, I fell at work and damaged my arm and back, things have been really bad sence, I tried to go back to work I work in furn, run an automated cutter been at sherrills furn, in nc 9 yrs! in the same professtion for 25 yrs but there thing at my job now is to cut your pay everyone is so unhappy, I reinjured myself and am back out of work again, I am afraid I will loose everything. the House is not my biggest fear, Its my babies, I love them all so very much, they are what make me get up in the morning, whos going to rent to someone that has 10 dogs 7 yorkies 2 maltese 2 old yorkies 10& 14 and 2 rescue dogs that live outside but have my basememt to stay in, I worry what will happen to us, and I pray a lot I have always been the bread winner in my home now my husband wants to leave, I am not shocked about that one though, he wants me to get rid of my babies, NO WAY! THEY HAVE BEEN BETTER TO ME THAN HE HAS. I just hope something changes, that it will get better, I can't live without my babies! norht carolina has been hit hard!! Blessings to all of you and I am glad to here some good news from some of you.

[majesticyorkies]

Originally Posted by YorkieShadow

Well We have cut back so much in the last three years , I don't know if we can cut back any more. I hurt my back 4 years ago and had to quit my job. we used our savings up in a years time and had to depend on the credit cards more then Id like to say. vet bills and yearly bills as home insurances car Ins and stuff like that . My Hubby gets paid every 2 weeks and he has pretty much had to work more hours to make up for what I wasn't bringing in.

WE live in a double wide on 5 acres I was working at the time and we had hoped planned to someday build a house here
on this land, but after I got hurt there was no way that was going to happen. but we can always dream.this place needs so much work.I dont know if well ever be able to fix every thing. central air is a must. but all summer we only had it on 80 so just enough that we did not get heat stroke.
In the winter its set to 7o.

My Hubby works an hour away from home, so him and my son and another guy all ride together to save on gas.

I try my best to make one trip to town a week to go grocery shopping, pay bills , go to the bank every thing is done the same day.

I have dial up so that's only $21.00 a month
I have never owned a cell phone
I do have a home phone and I don't use long distances unless its an emergency
I do save what coupons I can. But I need to work harder on that.but you cant get coupons unless you buy the news paper or have ink to print them out.( witch cost extra)
we cut back from eating out one day a week to only eating out on a special day like sweetest day or our birthdays.
I cook a big meal a day. we shop at wall mart and save alot.

I don't buy on line no ebay nothing ever. no extra money for that.
On Holidays me & hubby and my adult children all go in on the meals.

this year instead of getting each other we are drawing names and only buying for one.

us and a neighbor share the trash bill.
Hubby go's many hours at work with out eating and only eats before he goes to work and I get onto him for that.

We haven't bought new clothes in years. we get them on the holidays.
living from check to check is very hard. but we do what we have to. and be Thankful for what we do have, even if its not much we have each other. That's what Family's are all about.

I am so sorry I know how you feel, no extra's here either! we even heat with wood , furnice when out but the power bills are so high 2-300 a month its a old house needs a lot of work, it was my grandperants, I have to say my dogs have it better than me, they have a heatpump/ air 2500 btu in the room I built for them some yrs back, but they have to be warm! and they take turns sleeping with mom, my husband doesn't want them in the house so I moved in the other bed room, I love having them in bed with me, he just self centered always has been, its all about him, I breed he wants no part of that but when the$ come he thinks he's intitled to that part, what a winner lol sorry for you bind, I am right thier with you Blessings