Among Friends

[september]

I haven't cut anything out.  Like others here, I've always lived within my means. I'm not extravagant, but not cheap.  

if an item at the market has zoomed up in price, I'm adaptable enough to make a substitution.  Where I live, that might mean lobster at this time.  I can live without lobster.  There are so many other types of seafood I love. 

[Othereeeen]

I started some veggie plants from seed this year...two each tomatoes, zuchini, cuke and pole beans that I will direct sow around the two uprights for my outdoor clothes line. ( Live in rural western PA).

I used the bottom of styrofoam egg cartons to start them. I reuse EVERYTHING!!! I can scoop them out with a teaspoon into a little larger pot when they get a little bigger.

90 degrees here today, but it's gonna get cooler next week again, so don't want to jump the gun on moving them outside. I made three tiny "greenhouses" for the daytime, out of those plastic large spinach containers you buy fresh spinach or spring mix in. Invert them over the egg cartons to keep the wind off the seedlings. Works great!!!

I will have to protect he veggies from the deer, but they will be close enough to the house I can do it.

Zukes and Pole Beans produce SO  much bounty, I'll probably give away the extra, or make a little FREE stand at the end of my driveway.

I figure for the growing season I'll have some fresh home grown stuff. I don't can, but it'll be a nice break from the store bought stuff. I could eat zuchhini every day with a little butter salt and pepper!

Almost 7 pages of comments and almost all of them indicate relatively no cutbacks.

That is a good thing.   And this will pass. If you're older like me....I'll risk spenidng on the few things I still do like, cause, well, I'm older and who cares.

And when you get REALLY old you eat a lot less, so I'll eat my fun stuff now!!!

We'll get thru it!!!!

[ECBG]

I haven't cut back on anything.  In the grocery store, I have always shopped the sales.

As far as nonclothing purchases, if it's something I know is too good to make it to clearance, I grab it.

I was funny to see this topic as the general idea was a discussion today.  Every generation ahead of me has complained about cutting back and prices.

I seem to have heard the exact complaints as long as I can remember.

[sunshine45]

we have really not changed our lifestyle at all......nothing has been cut out. we are still going out to eat, going out for cocktails, keeping our cable, traveling, entertaining. we are lucky and have no mortgage payments, no car payments, no major loans.

i HAVE been stepping up my donation bags and i am trying to downsize in regards to having "stuff." 

hoping everyone who is struggling will have some relief soon. 

[icezeus]

I had too think for a moment. Honestly, not due to inflation, but next year I want to purchase a new car. My current vehicle will be crossing the 10 year mark and has over 200,000 miles on it.  I have cut out HSN and QVC, the savings is going into an account to be used when I make my down payment. 

[chiclet]

Like most have replied, we did not throw money away before all this happened (inflation and covid) so not much to cut out.  The only thing we could cut back on was eating out.  A lot of restaurants that we liked closed before Covid and then during covid so not many choices left and they are quite expensive. Going out to eat for us was not just about the food it was getting out of the house to break the monotony and see that there was a world out there.  

[Shanus]

We've cut back a bit on eating dinners out and/or bringing in from restaurants. I try to keep casseroles or soups I've made in the freezer. If caught in a rush, I can pop them in the microwave. 

[teganslaw]

We haven't changed much of anything. I still go out to eat with friends, shop, use a Kroger card to get discounts on gas and groceries. If we can't get to Krogers, we shop at other places that give discounts. 

We've been like this for years. I can't think of anything I have cut out.

[cotton4me]

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@Ainhisg wrote:

I walk three days a week. I get SO BORED walking in my neighborhood so would drive to walking trails in city parks or along local lakes and rivers. That has stopped because of the cost of gas. If I have an errand to run and can make it work out, I will walk in the area close to my library, CVS, etc, which are close to the above mentioned nature areas, since I am already in the area.

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@Ainhisg 

I was going to answer something similar.  I go to different parks to walk and photograph wildlife. I’ve cut back on it, not only to save gas but to make my car last longer.  With so many unknowns and uncertainties I decided to stay close to home.    

[CrazyDaisy]

No longer going out to lunch.  Tried to help local restaurants get back on their feet, but got to expensive.....back to brown bagging.