Saving Money: How are you tightening your belt?

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Times are tough and most of us are having to find ways to make do with less. So, the question is, what are you doing to spend less money in this economy?

Some of my ideas include:

Turning off my hot water heater when it is not needed
(I only turn it on about 10 minutes before I take a shower)

Cutting out fast food
Cutting out snack food from convenience stores
Using conventional oil instead of synthetic
Cutting out cable
Eating cheaply
Shopping online for things rather than wasting gas and going to the store
Turning off the A/C when I am at work

 

[Blake442]

Well, I'm out of my day job now, and am just working two nites a week hosting bar trivia (sometimes more if I'm filling in), so I have a little money from that, and my unemployment. I'm also taking on any work I can get my hands on, and will be doing a motor swap soon for the '70 Skylark one of my best friends just bought, and I have a bumper cover I need to paint for an A4...

My cost cutting involves;
Not leaving the house unless I have to, which saves a ton of gas, as I used to drive at least 100 miles a day.
No more fast food (I need some Taco Bell right now so bad!)
And basically spending the absolute minimum of money that I can.
I'd save more if I quit smoking, but it's my one refuge since I can't afford to buy pot anymore...

Needless to say, my life kinda sucks balls right now... But I've still got my chin up! sh*t will turn around...

 

[dan2286]

Check out these 3 videos, this must be the cheapest person I know of.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgVgn7YP ... playnext=1

 

[CamaroAdam73]

To be completely honest, would probably be slightly incriminating.

With that being said, I've been cutting cost in allot of ways, first by pulling money every which way i can.


Second, with the exception of when i get women to cook for me, i pretty much stick with ramen noodles.

As for sh*t to drink, i only drink water out of good habit and health.

I started going to a smaller free gym, and started making my friends throw in a couple bucks for gas when we take my car and ride.

Unless its on my car, girl, or necessity, i don't spend money.

Theres a sh*t ton of ways i save money, i just cant think of them all.

Oh and blake442, i found a solution to not being able to afford pot, all of my friends smoke, so i just buy an ounce when i do buy, sell 3 quarters and that pays for what i smoke.

Oh and i almost forgot, i started wearing my ****ing seat belt to try and save some money, this one pretty much explains itself.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I am also getting a roommate in the next week or two to offset costs and help me make a leap ahead in both lifestyle and energy efficiency. What that means is that the money I get from him will help me generate a small surplus, which I will use to improve my house's energy efficiency by replacing the 30 year old refrigerator and bringing my attic insulation up to R-50. That way, when he leaves, my costs will be lower and I will be more able to sustain my standard of living without the extra money. I am also selling off my AMC when I get it done, and then taking the Cutlass off the road to save money on insurance. Florida is one of the more expensive places to buy insurance, and I can really use the cash to do other things rather than keep tags on a car I don't need right now. I want it, but needs matter. I can always put it back on the road later once I have finished my around the house projects. I figure that by investing that money in the house by paying cash for stuff, I will own it when I am done and it will not have a permanent negative impact on my monthly expenses, but it will have a long term impact on my quality of life. I want to replace my windows, kitchen cabinets, and paint the house too with some of my extra cash. I may also see if I qualify for a mortgage payment reduction due to hardship as I am always late ( but not 30 days), and use some of that cash to finish the house as well. I figure that I may not be able to do everything my house needs up front, but by picking away at it in bits and pieces it will be done in about a year or so. This is the way I build my cars too, and is why they take forever to get done. However, I only buy materials and do not farm stuff out. That way, I can keep working on stuff little by little every day and have something to do to stave off boredom.

I'll also add that I do not go out anywhere anymore as it costs too much money. I don't enjoy drinking, so that saves cash, and I don't smoke. As for pot, I lost the ability to enjoy it years ago and quit. I'm also a virgin at 35, so women are not a cost issue for me since I have given up. Having no vices may be dull, but it is also quite cheap! I replace them with doing practical things instead, or reading about obscure facts in history and science.

 

[Coveted]

i dont see why people are saying no more fast food, besides the fact that it will kill you, its much cheaper than cooking at home.

Everyone here can get full off 2 of the dbl beef burritos and a 7 layer nacho from tacobell and get full, that comes to 3$+ tax
21$ a week on dinner is not a bad nick.

Not to mention you can have 2 chicken crisp sammiches and a small fry from wendys for the same amount.

I am not making nearly what I use to make, and I havent really had to tighten my belt, okay so i dont get tim hortons twice a day anymore, just once.

I buy as much as i can at super walmart because its cheap, grocery wise.
I drive a honda civic hatchback, so i get 40 mpg city on a regular basis. Filling up at 2.35 a gallon on the reservation.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I can eat a lot cheaper than that at home. I do eat at Mc Donalds 2x a week though, because I can get 49 cent hamburgers and bring my own drink from work (that is free!). For groceries, I get plenty of generics and am about to start clipping coupons. A loaf of bread is $1.08, and a pound of turkey breast is $3 (with enough meat for 9 sandwiches), and a packet of Swiss cheese (12 slices) is around $2. So, for $5 I have 9 meals. Dinty Moore beef stew is $2.22 a can and that makes 2 meals, I can get 8 hot dogs (beef) and buns for around $3, etc. Even soda is cheaper at the store than a fast food restaurant. A whole head of lettuce is $1 (makes about 5 salads), and a bottle of dressing is about $2 and will last for several heads of lettuce. Sure it is more expensive than Ramen, but eating like this is still pretty cheap. I also brew my own coffee instead of going to Dunkin Donuts. I buy their coffee by the pound and grind it as needed.


BTW, for me, the problem is that I am now only scheduled 21-22 hours a week. I try to pick up hours here and there, but it is not always possible. So, I spend as little as possible at all times and save any excess to cover the bad weeks, or to pay down bills like car insurance for the times when I won't have money to pay them. (My car insurance is $220 a month for 2 cars, no collision or comprehensive either)

 

[STL84Calais]

I'm also a virgin at 35, so women are not a cost issue for me since I have given up. Having no vices may be dull, but it is also quite cheap! I replace them with doing practical things instead, or reading about obscure facts in history and science.

You get that car done, and it looks as good as I think it will, you shouldn't have a hard time picking up a nice little piece of *ss!

Chicks dig guys with nice/fast cars. This guy by me drives a 2003 Mustang Cobra with 661WHP and runs 10's at the track, he has to be like 350lbs and he always has the hottest skinniest girls with him.

 

[HurstOlds]

I've had to lay off the hookers and blow.....that saves a ton of $$

 

[adumb]

I've had to lay off the hookers and blow.....that saves a ton of $$

x2 lol