How is your family coping w. the raising grocery/gas prices ?

[Anonymous]

We wanted to get a new car, but are holding onto our old cars that are paid off (we are long overdue, as DH's car is 12yrs old).
We rarely eat out, but that's no big deal because we always eat at crap restaurants anyways out of convenience.
I will not turn on the AC until its blazing hot and we just installed fans in all the bedrooms.
We consolidate trips in the car.
Think hard about purchases and are trying to only buy what's needed.
Mainly only using vinegar to clean the house and using more rags than paper towels.
Being careful about leaving utilities running.

We are doing the above not because of finances, we are already comfortable, but we want to consume less and have less of an impact on the world and the landfills.

[Anonymous]

We go grocery shopping at HMart : $120 feeds family of five for two weeks, plus the produce is super fresh, super varied.

[Anonymous]

What is HMArt?

[Anonymous]

an oriental supermarket chain in No. VA, they are in FChurch, Annandale, Springfield. their products are fresh and cheap, have not try the meat or chicken thought, but their fruits and veggies are a good bargain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We wanted to get a new car, but are holding onto our old cars that are paid off (we are long overdue, as DH's car is 12yrs old).
We rarely eat out, but that's no big deal because we always eat at crap restaurants anyways out of convenience.
I will not turn on the AC until its blazing hot and we just installed fans in all the bedrooms.
We consolidate trips in the car.
Think hard about purchases and are trying to only buy what's needed.
Mainly only using vinegar to clean the house and using more rags than paper towels.
Being careful about leaving utilities running.

We are doing the above not because of finances, we are already comfortable, but we want to consume less and have less of an impact on the world and the landfills.

Wish I could get my family to think this way!

[Anonymous]

It may have been already mentioned but I love shopping at a Goodwill in a wealthy neighborhood. I have found great designer clothes and unique handmade items. Plus I take fashion risks I wouldn't otherwise because, hey, it's only $5. If I don't like it, I'll bring it back and get a tax deduction.

[Anonymous]

I am the 13:12 poster who said we don't do anything differently b/c we are big savers and live well within our means. We do a lot more than put a little money aside. We actually live off of my DH's income only, and we save/invest my entire income. DH is a mid-level government employee earning less than 100K, and we live off of that comfortably. If I had to quit my job for any reason, we would not be in trouble financially. We have been saving this way since we got married 10 years ago, which allowed us to purchase our home (with a mortgage, but not a huge one). We do not feel deprived, probably b/c we simply don't care about status, or keeping up with the Jones. We never buy designer clothes or jewelry or anything like that. I don't want jewelry or expensive items for my birthday, etc. We actually stopped exchanging useless gifts years ago. We both hate junk or any stuff that doesn't have a real function. We have 1 car (Honda) and DH takes metro to work. We eat out once or twice per week, but we go to great budget restaurants that usu. cost less than $40 for the whole bill (no drinks, no dessert - mainly for health reasons, but also b/c it is expensive). We had childcare expenses until this year and now that my DD is in kindergarten, those are mostly gone (of course, having 1 child makes saving a lot easier). I am one of the biggest tightwads I know, but I just prefer to save up a lot of money so we can retire early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the 13:12 poster who said we don't do anything differently b/c we are big savers and live well within our means. We do a lot more than put a little money aside. We actually live off of my DH's income only, and we save/invest my entire income. DH is a mid-level government employee earning less than 100K, and we live off of that comfortably. If I had to quit my job for any reason, we would not be in trouble financially. We have been saving this way since we got married 10 years ago, which allowed us to purchase our home (with a mortgage, but not a huge one). We do not feel deprived, probably b/c we simply don't care about status, or keeping up with the Jones. We never buy designer clothes or jewelry or anything like that. I don't want jewelry or expensive items for my birthday, etc. We actually stopped exchanging useless gifts years ago. We both hate junk or any stuff that doesn't have a real function. We have 1 car (Honda) and DH takes metro to work. We eat out once or twice per week, but we go to great budget restaurants that usu. cost less than $40 for the whole bill (no drinks, no dessert - mainly for health reasons, but also b/c it is expensive). We had childcare expenses until this year and now that my DD is in kindergarten, those are mostly gone (of course, having 1 child makes saving a lot easier). I am one of the biggest tightwads I know, but I just prefer to save up a lot of money so we can retire early.

Here here, sister! You are my idol. One day....what you guys do is our dream. Right now we live off my salary (barely) while DH is trying to make it in a new career. If that takes off, the idea is to use one of our salaries to get completely debt free and bank as much as possible. The economy is not helping is job though

[SurelyYouNest]

love this thread, esp 15:45 who so perfectly pointed out that being frugal is usually right on target for having less of an impact. also love 13:12 who is basically just inspirational.

some ideas I have picked up recently that i like:

*a 30-day wait rule (anything you want to buy goes on a wait-list so you reconsider it in a month)
*saving graywater from kids' baths to water plants and flush the toilet (it's all about gravity)
*restarting my grocery price journal - I was shocked when I wrote down price per oz for some basic organic stuff (ketchup mustard olive oil) that Whole Foods (which I have been avoiding like the plague) was cheaper by far than Safeway (groan, too late)
*using Brita instead of getting bottled water
*targeting my shopping so I get (like PPs noted about shopping lists) less food = less waste, plus I am trying to shop as much as possible at farmer's markets, CSAs, and straight from farm (for bulk meat) so my dollars go into the pocket of someone who also may be feeling the economy - who's doing something I want to support -- I now try to do that and couple it with costco - skipping the Whole Foodsy middleman
*eating less meat - it is expensive and has a huge carbon footprint - trying to revive my former vegetarian self
*exclusively hand me downs or 2nd hand stores for the kids, no clothes for me or DH
*trying to use up whatever we have in the house - organizing stuff so we better utilize what we have (be it food, toys, toiletries - I kid you not, I have been washing my face with California Baby - hey, it's gentle, right?)

[Anonymous]

My husband is the biggest tightwad around! He's saved since he was in his teens-and is now in his mid-forties. Just took an elective layoff, so we'll be living off my income, and I'm part-time. We live in a small house but in a great neighborhood with no mortgage. We've never felt the need to have a bigger home, or lavish cars. We do have a part-time nanny and she isn't going anywhere I drive a Honda Fit, by choice. However, I went to Safeway today and was shocked at how much I spent on 5 bags of groceries! We've always been conscience of turning off lights, combining errands into one trip-and now I go to Target once a month instead of 3 times a week-I tend to spend a lot less $$$. My husband has threatened to cut out the premium channels on cable-hasn't yet. I really sometimes cannot believe how cheap he can be I can't say the economy has had an impact on us financially-but we've alwayslived within our means, actually much much less, to a point where it's almost embarressing.

BTW-children eat free at the Austin Grill in Old Town Tuesdays.

[Anonymous]

We are:
* Not eating out.
* Shopping at Trader Joe's/Giant/Costco instead of Whole Foods.
* Buying baby stuff at yard sales and consignment sales.
* Using the library instead of buying books and subscribing to magazines.
* Redeeming frequent flier miles/hotel points/AMEX points for vacations instead of using cash.
* Using coupons.
* Riding Metro whenever possible - also saves on parking downtown.
* Stopped buying clothes, make up, shoes.

[Anonymous]

We live in the city and can walk everywhere - have one car and rarely use it. it is 10 years old and paid off. When it dies we plan to use Zipcar. Can't believe what some of my coworkers pay in gas and parking EVERY day. Add lunch on top of this and you are spending a lot. Read all newspapers online except the Sunday Post. Helps keep the house clean as well!

[Anonymous]

Canceling the every other week cleaning service...ugh. And I work 60 hrs a wk...but somethings gotta give.

[Anonymous]

Wow,
I just want to say ladies that I loved that thread! Lots of ideas, disagreements too, but no meanies. Yeah! I laughed at the landscaping comment, because our yard doesn't look like anything anymore (not much to start with anyway...), and I do wonder how people in our neck of the woods can afford all these services. I've stopped watching HGTV shows and came down to earth with the idea that my big kitchen remodel will probably happen in 20 years. I was also dragging my feet about giving up whole foods and going back to trader joes, but the comments inspired me: I'm back Joe ;o) A friend of mine also mentioned how big korean stores have really affordable produces (anyone know if one in the silver spring area)? I've shopped at Unique thriftstore for the past two years, and had just started buying new clothes again (started new job), but now I don't know. Still working on DH to give up cable: he wants it to watch baseball games, which drives me bananas. Last, I'm prego with a 3 year old DS (daycare cost gives me cold sweats) and so we're considering an overseas post next year to afford baby #2, otherwise we'll cut back more on... I dunno.
So, I don't know if my post was helpful, but I appreciated all of yours, so thank you!

[Anonymous]

There was a threads few weeks ago asking for ppl's income and it was astoundingly high. It appeared ppl made $300K+ HHI. It is great to see those same ppl live modest lives and using savings technique like all of us. OK I had to get this comment out.

As for what i do to save corners:
- Need a vacation- promised my husband no matter what life brings we will need vacations to invest in mental selves. So we used miles this time around to fly to the caribbean. We are doing another trip by combing business with pleasure. IT's my husband's work trip so one of our tickets are paid for and so is the hotel. Now we only have to worry about my ticket since the baby is a lap child right now.

- We have a teenager at home as well so once he is off to college, I'm sure that will save us boat load in groceries

- I use homemade cleaning products and rags instead of paper towels to clean

- Shop exclusively in consignment stores

- now only go to wholefoods twice a month as oppose to every week.

- Buy presents in bulk for all of the family and friend's b'day coming up.