Quit being such a dick!
Here's what I will do to prepare for hard economic times:
1) Learn to make my own yogurt and cheese. Hey, it could happen!
2) Grow more of my own food. This is already happening, with mixed results. Despite a hard frost a few nights ago, tonight I picked some fresh sage leaves to toss with my pumpkin gnocchi, walnuts, and maple/brown sugar/butter sauce. (Yes, it was delish. We had roasted brussel sprouts as the side, and I'm still stuffed.)
3) Downsize. The next step down for us is 'Large Box.'
4) Telecommute to work more. This will not only save on gas, but also on personal hygiene products.
5) Watch more YouTube videos of puppies playing, to cheer myself up. Daisy sat on my lap and watched a few with me tonight, growling and punching the screen with her nose.
6) Think of happier times. Last night as I was falling asleep an old babysitter of mine suddenly popped into my head. Her name was Vicki, and she had a son my age. He and I would watch GI Joe, Jem and the Holograms, and Scooby Doo while playing with Hot Wheels cars. I was always the black Trans-Am, and I constantly tried to get his car to go on dates with mine.
I remember Vicki bought products from Shaklee and Avon and Amway and the Schwann's man. She had a mini-trampoline in the living room, and I would dance on it to The Pointer Sisters' "I'm So Excited" and Eddie Rabbit's "I Love a Rainy Night" while Vicki watched The People's Court.
Can you believe nobody punched me in the face during this phase of my life?
Oh! I almost forgot: I was also a compulsive hand-washer during these years. I didn't know it, but I was trying to pre-emptively wash away years of bad taste in music.
7) Stop buying shit I don't need. Unfortunately, the nearest Target is only about a mile from my house, so this is not likely to happen.
What are your penny-pinching hints?
PS: Speaking of pennies, you still have 'til midnight on Thursday to enter the Price is Right Piggy Bank Signed Book Giveaway Contest. (You can enter in comments for this post, or scroll down and comment there. I'll check 'em all.)
My husband loves to grocery shop and I don't. That is a good thing because I always go when hungry and end up with stuff jumping into my cart.
ReplyDeleteAlso, never watch info commercials very early morning when you haven't been able to sleep -- everything looks great and you want to buy it (I usually do).
So easy when you live in the boondocks NOT to shop. Plus hating to shop helps. I probably won't make my own cheese. I guess my big cutback will be to use more vinegar and baking soda around the house instead of the very expensive but oh so lovely Mrs. Meyers Clean Day products. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteRumor on the dancefloor is that Electronics will be ROCK BOTTOM PRICING this holiday season.
ReplyDeleteI just gave the Big Guy the green light. hey - I'm doing my part as an AMERICAN to stimulate the economy!
Yeah... I'm not so smrat. but I do love a big shiny TV! wheee!
yeah, and I'll be over on thursday for some of your pumpkin gnocchi. Mmmkay?
I actually made my own yogurt last weekend using directions from here http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteIt was easy and worked out well and was so much cheaper. Next time I will use whole milk though. Not gonna try cheese without a cave.
Tara
I will save lots of money by NOT trying to make my own cheese. All those wasted ingredients, books on cheesemaking, samples purchased to try and decide what type of cheese to make...that's money in the bank!
ReplyDeleteshop at the commissasry 2x a month and don't stop at the civilian store "for some milk" and come home with chips and dip, soda and reeses PB cups :)
ReplyDeleteFor me, I have to avoid Target altogether. I'm not even allowed near the parking lot.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have been bringing my lunch everyday to work.
Oh, and buying cheaper wine. (what? you didn't think I was going to give up wine, did you???)
(omg, I had roasted brussel sprouts last night, too!)
Mmmm. Gnocci.
ReplyDeleteBlech. Brussels sprouts. Last week at the Farmers' Market, they had some Brussels sprouts salad thing that was almost OK, but it still had that BS taste.
I LOVED that Eddie Rabbit song when I was that age. I still find myself singing it on...wait for it...rainy nights.
I'm with Trish on the cheese.
What am I doing to save money? Since my husband lost his job in June, I've had a few months head start on y'all in this department. 1. Cheap wine. If his unemployment runs out before he finds new work, we'll have to look into the no wine option. But not until then, I swear.
2. Cheap Christmas gifts. A paperback book is inexpensive AND thoughtful, so that's a good way to go. I'm making some friends mix tape type CDs, which is almost free. Some people are getting photographs. If they're lucky (probably not) they'll be framed.
3. I already work from home, so I save a lot of money. I fill up my gas tank about once a month. Love that. Also with working from home, no need to buy new clothes. That's a biggie, because I love to buy new clothes, and can easily find an excuse.
4. No credit card use. No credit card use = savings on interest, right? So that's good.
5. Waiting to buy a new washer and dryer, and new toilets. We really need both. Our toilets have a slow leak, so it's penny-wise of us to wait, BUT if there's no money, there's no money. A lesson in why poor people are often penny-wise, pound foolish. Our washer/dryer combo is about to die, so a new set may come first. But maybe I'll look on Craigs List before Sears.
Gosh, this is fun, huh? No?
What I'm doing to save money?
ReplyDeleteBeing happy with what I have. I know, I know--sounds very righteous, doesn't it? But seriously, the culture of consumerism has driven us to want more more more. Mostly we don't need it, but we buy it, use it a tad, then discard it.
Oh, and I also Freecycle!