Rising Costs

[scotty]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

I was in Ind a couple of weeks ago, gas was 3.45 a gallon.

Came home the next day, gas here was 3.06 a gallon. Glad to be in the south where I can almost afford to put gas in my car. Now, if we just had roads to drive them on.

What gets me is this: I went to Best Buy in Chattanooga to buy a DVD burner. The place was packed. People were buying like there would be no tomorrow. It was like the day after Thanksgiving. Every store was like that. I thought I read somewhere that there was something going on with the economy.

Maybe they finally got the revelation.....you want a better economy..spend!!!!

Stopped at a little store that has good food and the local log truck drivers stopped there and eat all the time. He said he was wanting to remodel the place but didn't want to spend the money because he "didn't know what this economy was going to do as business has been slow" I couldn't help myself......I asked him what material he planned to use. Yep, he said wood.. ssoooooooo...you buy the wood, the supplier orders more from the mill, the mill orders more from the loggers, the loggers come by and buy more food......

He still had a blank expression on his face when I left..

[MrsMcD]

cutting back on groceries? We have cut back on groceries by buying only necessity.

cutting back on church/charitable giving? We haven't cut back on giving.

attending church and other functions less often? Church is only 5 minutes from our home. No cut backs there.

not putting as much in savings? We have cut our savings back. Even though we haven't been able to save much to begin with.

cutting back on social activities? If the events are out of town, we won't go. Gas is too much.

cutting back on eating out? Absolutely! We are starting to eat home a lot more.

staying home instead of going on vacation? Yes, if gas prices don't go down, we won't be taking a summer vacation.

[bethola]

We are trying to cut back on unnecessary driving. Of course, then one has to define what is unnecessary. My hubby thinks that driving to Hopkinsville every week to eat at his favorite restaurant is a NECESSITY! LOL

We will NOT cut back on our giving or our church attendance at all.

Hubby has increased his 401K withholding since he is wanting to retire in a couple of years. SOOOO, we ARE cutting back on eating out (just two of us and I'm pretty lazy) and I'm TRYING to cut back on unnecessary driving.

Our kids are visiting US this year so no plane tickets, however ,those granbabies WILL be going to WHEREVER they want....WHENEVER they want if I have to CASH IN the 401K! LOL

[AmazingGrace]

Originally Posted by Sam

In the face of rising costs and no corresponding rise in income, what are you doing to cope?

cutting back on groceries? You have got to be kidding me I have 2 teenagers! LOL However we have started doing 90% of our grocery shopping at Sams which saves us a ton of money!

cutting back on church/charitable giving?This too is a no can do! We give just as much now if not more because I wouldnt dare want to quit giving for any reason!

attending church and other functions less often?Well... Lets see my son attends our church school so I have to go to the church twice a day and then on Sundays we have 2 services plus an african service my husband assists in and then we have Monday night youth choir practice and Tuesday night Image youth bible study and Wed night service and Thurs night youth choir practice and Friday night Salt team practice and Sat night Image youth service so nope... Church functions are alive and well here!

not putting as much in savings? This is the one thing we have changed and just for 3 months and not because of the economy so much.. but because my son needs a car.. we have lowered what we put in savings by 1000 a month for 3 months to put towards the much needed car my son will be getting in August.

cutting back on social activities? We dont have time for social activities anymore... we have teenagers! LOL

cutting back on eating out? We havent done this in years except once in a blue moon other than our weekly Date night which is when we pick one night that the kids are all gone and go out on a date

staying home instead of going on vacation? We are going on vacation but instead of our bigger annual summer vacations that usually end up costing so much and leaving us wonder where it all went... we are going to Mo to spend 2 weeks at a lake resort with my parents and the resort is already paid for as they own 2 lots there and they have the motor home already and a spare for us and so all we have to do is buy our food and there is a fridge and cooking facilities so it wont cost more than an average week at home add the gas...

Thankfully my husbands company has actually decided to give a 10% cost of living raise this yr so we are thankful for that!!!

[Pressing-On]

We haven't made any changes. I haven't seen the economy affect us.

[Digging4Truth]

I bought a cheaper house (bought it straight out cash... no mortgage) and am selling my more expensive house that we are still living in at the moment.

With the money we save I plan on drilling a well and putting a solar powered pump on it.

I hope to have time & resources to get some solar panels up.

The house comes with acreage and I plan on raising sheep & chickens and planting a garden.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

We haven't made any changes. I haven't seen the economy affect us.

Well sista....

Are you going to wait until it affects you?

[scotty]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

We haven't made any changes. I haven't seen the economy affect us.

Your like us.....

broke to begin with

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Well sista....

Are you going to wait until it affects you?

LOL! My husband has had four raises in the last year. We are doing well. I have cut back on groceries just because it's now the two of us and I don't need to purchase as much.

I'm not a collector of things, so I don't overbuy in other areas. If I don't need it, I don't buy it. That hasn't changed for me.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by scotty

Your like us.....

broke to begin with