Among Friends

[Lipstickdiva]

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@CrazyDaisy wrote:

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

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@CrazyDaisy same here.  Not only did it get way too expensive but the food kept getting worse and worse for us.  Pizzas barely had any toppings and sometimes were so overcooked they were unedible and they wouldn't do anything about it if you complained.  Other placed we'd order takeout from the food was either undercooked, overcooked or not what we ordered.  It got so bad we just gave up.

As far as other things, it's not necessarily due to inflation but after another month of our Spectrum streaming bill going up, DH looked into T-Mobile internet.  We can try it free for 2 weeks so we'll see how that goes.  They are $50.00/month and Spectrum internet is $74.99 a month. 

I really try not to drive all over the place like gas is $1.00/gallon.  Unfortunately my DH doesn't subscribe to that way to thinking it will just jump in his car and drive somewhere like nothing and then complain that he needs to put gas in his car again.  Drives me crazy.

This is our more expensive time of the year anyhow being camping season.   Between the highly increased cost of campsites, gas for a dually truck to haul our camper and food, it's a lot.    

[CalminHeart]

I'm retired and on a fixed income. I don't do all my grocery shopping at my regular grocery store since it's more expensive than others.  I've also gone to store brands in some things.  

I hold off driving until I can make all my stops at one time.  

I turned my heat down more and my air conditioning higher. 

I changed brands of coffee.

I price shop before going places or buying online.   

I check GoodRX and compare to prescription insurance copays more often.

and more.

I found a supplemental health insurance policy that costs less but has the same benefits and am making the change.

I'm looking for less expensive homeowners and car insurance since mine renews this summer.

[Mom2Dogs]

Our life style was pretty simple to begin with...there is nothing we have cut out.  

Today we are driving 1.5 hours away to have lunch with friends that we have not seen since covid.  We are looking forward to the visit...I do wish gas was not so high but nothing we can do about it.

[Caligurll]

Bleach.  JK, but seriously, have you seen the price of a gallon of bleach?  I think I used to pay in the $3-$4 range at Target, but the last time I needed it, it was over $6!  Fortunately the Target brand was in the $4 range. 🤷‍♀️

[Toppers3]

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@ScrapHappy wrote:

We went from not eating out much to barely at all.  Restaurants are sooo expensive.  Went to my faorite BBQ place last November and most items on it was listed as "market price."  Haven't been back.  If we order out, it's just a pizza or chinese food.  All that leaves us leftovers.  Grocery  shopping.....went from buying it when you see it and stocking up as much as possible during the pandemic to just buying what we need because groceries are so expensive now.  A medium size jar of Hellman's mayo was almost $7!.  

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This is us, too.

We don't eat at restaurants. We haven't since Covid.

If anything, we'll do take-out as well, and we try to make an order so that we can have leftovers for at least another meal from it.

I usually find it's less expensive to shop at the supermarket and to just make something myself at home.

Tonight we bought a rotisserie chicken from one of our local markets and we'll get a few meals out of that. 

Like many of you I'm sure, we try and use coupons, shop sales and use discounts.

We've always shopped that way and we continue to do that now. 

[layla2450]

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@Caligurll wrote:

Bleach.  JK, but seriously, have you seen the price of a gallon of bleach?  I think I used to pay in the $3-$4 range at Target, but the last time I needed it, it was over $6!  Fortunately the Target brand was in the $4 range. 🤷‍♀️

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I paid $1.25 for 96 ounces of bleach at Dollar Tree.

[AngelPuppy1]

@SeaMaiden 

I pretty much agree with you.  We had to watch our $$ growing up, so I was very aware of this.  When I got older and went out on my own, I had a splurge here and there, but nothing really crazy.  I've always looked for sales and bargains.  I am very aware of prices on everything.  If I can get something for less, then I will.  However, if there is something that is needed and it's within my budget, it will be obtained.  I compare prices and use coupons.  I buy a lot of generic food items.  It's getting harder right now because of inflation - increases in all utility bills, gasoline, food, etc.  I don't go much of any place and this is even more so since the covid thing hit.  If I do need to run errands, I try to wait until I have several and combine them all in one trip, rather than going on several different days.  When you have limited income and funds, you are always aware of price increases and changes in the economy.  

[lynnie61]

I’ve cut way down on all QVC shopping and other places, shopping my beauty stash. 

I know this sounds cheap (I’m definitely not).  But I’m up about a band size in my bras, and I have about 10 bras getting a tad bit tight.  I bought bra extenders on Amazon, and my current collection now does not need replaced!  Need to work at getting back to my same size I’ve worn for years!  I try to buy bras at excellent prices.  Kohl’s always has great brands and selections on clearance.  I think six extenders were under $9.

[haddon9]

Nothing.  I'm spending more now since we have DD's wedding coming up in a few weeks and will be renovating the master bathroom & bedroom this summer.

[PhilaLady1]

@lynnie61   I use bra extenders too for the same reason.