What Are You Doing To Save Money?

[ks8829]

What are you doing do save money in this economy? fortunately, I have not cut back on my golfing but I have to think twice before buying equipment and thinking longer before any purchases. I wanted to buy another car but I decide to keep mine for another couple of years.

[gsu_paintballer]

I'm a 21 year old college student, so I'm really having to cut back. I've quit eating out so much. I'm not playing golf while I'm home from school. It's free with my membership back at school vs paying to play here. I'm also doing less driving.

[Shindig]

I've been doing a little less driving and a lot more cooking. I had meant to get back into cooking (and otherwise not buying pre-made meals), and September just kicked me in the pants enough.

I've played less golf the last 3 months, but that was more a function of being busy at school than due to the economy.

[zeg]

Well, since my wife just finished grad school and has a real job, we're down to a one-grad student family now. As a result, we can save money just by living on our old budget and putting her extra income away... working pretty well so far...

[Ben]

Thankfully I wised up about saving about four years ago. So although I'm cutting back on a few things (clothes shopping, alcohol), it doens't affect me too deeply. That being said, I am single, no kids, no relationship. Life isn't terribly expensive to begin with, well, except for tournament entries.

Like shindig, I have started buying lunch and dinner foods to prepare for myself. Had already cooked breakfast for myself. That really saves a good deal of money.

[Hackerpratt]

My wife and I have started to cook larger meals at night so that we have leftovers for lunch. Adding one more chix brest and a few more veggies at night to the meal is pretty cheap.

instead of a bottle of wine a night, we are buying cheaper vodka and adding POM juice..very good and healty!

My bets on the course are getting smaller as well...mo more $50/$50/$50..more like $5 now.

I notice that I am using my golf ball a few holes longer than I have in the past. I started to dump a lot of my old golf stuff on ebay and I haven't purchased anything new for the upcoming season other than one of the new vokey wedges, but I got it for 50% off due to a special demo day sale at my home club.

[Fraser]

Have you folks never heard of the 'Paradox of Thrift'? John Maynard Keynes and all that

[Shindig]

Like shindig, I have started buying lunch and dinner foods to prepare for myself. Had already cooked breakfast for myself. That really saves a good deal of money.

The breakfast savings surprised me the most over the past few months. I got serious about eating breakfast at home and it has added up.

I used to keep cereal and milk in stock at home, but would 3-4 times a week get something where I was - usually a $2 or $3 breakfast sandwich, plus the cereal and milk. Now I spend less than $2 per week on oatmeal for breakfast instead of $12 on bagel and sausage sandwiches. The amount I save can get me an extra round of golf per week around these parts, or a significant amount of range balls.

Have you folks never heard of the 'Paradox of Thrift'? John Maynard Keynes and all that

I've heard of it. Whether or not I save doesn't affect the behavior of a significant number of other people, so I'm going to do what is best

for me - and being thrifty and living beneath my means is good for me.

[Pinseeker81]

Nothing. I make more money now than before, gas is a third what it was a year ago, mortgage rates haven't been this low in 50 years (I was just quoted 5.3% by Wells Fargo), and I'm about to buy a house.

The way a recession effects most people is mentally (not that it doesn't have real effects on others). It's also kind of a self fulfilling prophesy in the sense that people freak out about things going bad which causes them to take actions that cause things to go bad. IE: People get scared of the stock markets going down, so they decide to all sell off while it's up and it causes the market to drop.

Cutting spending and doing extra savings is awesome, and it's good to see more people doing it. Just do it cause it's the right thing to do anyway, not cause you're scared of the economy.

[PiKapp23]

I haven't had to cut back on golf at all yet, although most rounds are played at courses within 20 miles, whereas before I often would play courses as long as 90 miles away. I have also cut back on golf purchases such as balls, equipment and attire.

[SHADOWFOX]

1. Switched from Comcast TV & ISP ($170.00) to ATT UVerse ($120.00) = $50.00 savings/month.
2. Got Vonage to lowered my monthly bill from $24.99 to $9.99 / month for the next 12 months. = $15.00 savings/month.
3. Bringing lunch instead of eating out for lunch. $15.00 to $21.00/lunch
4. Canceled my Rhapsody to go subscription $14.99/ month
5. Ever since our daughter was born, we have not watch a movie in the theater. We used to go twice/ month. $30.00/ month.
6. Canceled our gym membership $150.00/ month for both me and my wife. Working out at home since I got a sweet deal on a brand new PRECOR elliptical, Schwinn Spin Bike, and a Gold's Gym Home Gym equipment.
7. No more Venti Caramel Macchiatto per day for both me and my wife. $10.00/day. Bought a Keurig pod machine and started brewing coffee at home instead of stopping at Starbucks on the way to work.
8. Cut down on woodworking power tool purchases. My other obsession.

It was amazing how much more money we can save by cutting out unnecessary expenses per month.

[uttexas]

I am the son of post WWII British parents (they grew up on rationing), so my frugal habits haven't changed. I always buy a 1-2 year old fuel efficient car every 7 years or so. I spend 60% less than I earn. Invest 40% of what I earn in i401K, HSA, 529s, UTMAs, other qualified plans, and business ventures. I live simply and modestly. Have 6 months emergency fund in the bank. I have achieved this through (by American standard) vigorous money saving methods. For example, I only have one box of cereal open at a time. My family goes out to eat maybe once a month. I don't spend money on fancy watches, fancy clothes, or expensive wine. No gambling or other expensive vices. My TVs, stereos, other electronic equipment lasts 10 years before upgrading (there will be something better than Blue ray in 3 years)

[uttexas]

Oh, and I go outside whenever I can to save ground water (and lower the water bill)

[PEZGolf]

What are you doing do save money in this economy? fortunately, I have not cut back on my golfing but I have to think twice before buying equipment and thinking longer before any purchases. I wanted to buy another car but I decide to keep mine for another couple of years.

Being a Polish American, and therefore conservative in spending habits and big on saving money, I have certain ingrained habits that have become helpful:

1. Gasoline: for my part-time business golf business, I had 17,000 business miles traveled in 2006; in 2007, it was 3,000; in 2008, it was less than 2007. I use the phone, fax, and the internet instead of traveling to the golf courses, restaurants, banks, insurance companies, etc. We cover 25 counties in upstate New York, but I have been "at it" for over 10 years, so we have a huge customer base. 2. Golf equipment: I use Tour Blazer irons, that are over 30 years old. If you say that you have heard of Tour Blazer, I will eat my computer keyboard! I would like to play with Mizuno irons, but the only way that is going to happen is if I win a big amateur tournament and use the $500 merchandise credit. Maybe this year. My Wilson sand wedge is a little worn in the sweep spot because I practice so much with it for shots from various distances. I have warned my son to never bet big money with an opponent with an old putter, old irons, and a wedge that is worn in the sweet spot. You will lose money to the hustler who has game and practices a lot. 3. No more eating out for my wife and me except on special occasions. That means four times a year, instead of four times a month. 4. No movies. New ones are not worth it. Give me "The Searchers", "Citizen Kane", "Casablanca", "Pat and Mike", "Moby Dick", "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Gunfight at the OK Corral", "Stagecoach", "The Westerner", or "High Noon" any time. And "Caddy Shack", of course. 5. Read more newspapers on the internet. I used to buy 7 newspapers a day, and now I am down to 3---the local Utica paper, "USA Today", and the "Wall Street Journal". My budget for "beverages" is not subject to any cutting back. We have to have the proper priorities. After you work hard, on or off the golf course, you do work up a thirst.

[ks8829]

drinking more water instead of gatorade or mineral water and bring my lunch instead of buying out everyday, could be enough savings each week for a round of golf.

[GaijinGolfer]

I dont have a wife/girlfriend or kids, so my money is pretty much all my own and where I work we have been on overtime since June (thank God for steady work and overtime), so I havent really needed to cut back.
I have made some cutbacks though. I used to drive to NE Wisconsin every other weekend all winter long to ride my snowmobile, but Ive cut back on that and I will only be making 4 trips up there this winter.
Ive also started asking myself when I think about buying something if its something I really need or if its just an impulse purchase. Youd be surprised how much money you save when you stop the impulse buying.
Not having a girlfriend is the biggest money saver though. From October-mid December I had a girlfriend and I blew quite a lot of money going out to eat and to the movies and in gas driving to her house to hang out with her. Even if the short 3 weeks it been since I dumped her, its amazing how much more money I have (not to mention how much more relaxed I am due to not having to deal with drama 24/7...LOL).

[atrapasuenos]

Not drinking... LOL. I want to go to europe this year so I stop drinking to save money LOL.

Cheers...!

[CosmosMpower]

Stopped eating out every meal of every day. Not so much a money factor but restaurant food gets old QUICK.