Are you still finding ways to cut back?

**MomToTwoBoys** · 01-07-2010, 10:33 PM

2010 is the year that we cut back a lot more than we did before. This year, it's the cell phone contracts and the home phone (we never did cancel it, just decided to cut it back to the basic package), along with my gym membership.

We're also looking into cutting back on the food budget and reducing the in-between trips to the store. I usually have to go over and pick up things to last us, so we're still doing that but we're limiting it to just bread and milk now.

We thought that we had cut back to where we'd be comfortable, but there was more that could be trimmed from our miscellaneous expenses.

Are you finding that you're still able to cut back more? If so, how?

**Incognito** · 01-07-2010, 11:17 PM

There's always room for improvement when a person is living a frugal lifestyle.
This year, I'm cutting back more on things that take up my time and money. My stockpile is in place, so no need to be spending as much as last year. I'm reverting to my pre-stockpiling spending, only going to the stores for essentials and spending lots of time on cooking, baking, sewing and home crafts and repairs.
I cut my Internet bill again by getting into a different 1-yr plan with substantial savings.
I've learned couponing to the point where it is really paying off, and will be shopping only when I want to.
I don't plan to buy much from the thrift shop this year; instead, I'm using what I have already, and doing lots of my own sewing alterations.
I don't plan to buy much seed or plants for my tiny backyard garden area; the shade trees never let me have much of a yield, so I'll just save myself the time, money and hard work, and buy from the store.
Mostly, I want to detach from so many of my activities, and spend some time rejuvenating my spirit, soul, body and mind.
Mother Nature has what I need in order to do that.
Just today, when I took out the trash--even though it is -40 degrees, I stopped to take in the sunset. My tensions and stresses just melted away; thank God for providing what we need to help us along the way!

**frugalwarrior2** · 01-07-2010, 11:54 PM

Finding it harder and harder w/o out our quality slipping. We have been cutting back for 5 years now though.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 01-08-2010, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by frugalwarrior2

Finding it harder and harder w/o out our quality slipping. We have been cutting back for 5 years now though.

I noticed that in the first two years. DH is worried that we're restricting ourselves too much and making it so that we're more spontaneous spenders in the end. I want us to have freedoms, but not at the price we were willing to pay before.

For instance, I love my cell phone. I love being on it. However, I don't love that I'm restricted. Therefore, I have to give up what I love to see if I can really live without it.

**frugalwarrior2** · 01-08-2010, 12:28 AM

i never use my cell phone except to check in w/ kids but they are so old they have antenaes. DD is crying the blues for a newer one. My beef is i don't want to go to contract. I have been out for 2 years.
What we need to reveiw is entertainment funding. That unexpected yet rare dinner when friends call. Occasionally we want take out and video night so i broke down and put a $75. month fun money in It was painful but the visa was taking the hit otherwise. I think a sinking fund is in order.

**frugalfranny** · 01-08-2010, 12:33 AM

I don't think, with me, that is is so much 'cut back' as it is shopping harder for the sales.

Am really watching the prices on things that I do buy. Being very careful that I don't get too much of a surplus with produce to where I don't use it and then it is wasted anyway.

**frugalwarrior2** · 01-08-2010, 12:38 AM

Well put FF. We are wasting more than before. When i am sick it definately goes up because i don't get to things. I am always beechn about too many cereals or cookies open. Multiple 2L of pop. Thank goodness the dogs can help. lol.

**frugalfranny** · 01-08-2010, 12:55 AM

Originally Posted by frugalwarrior2

Well put FF. We are wasting more than before. When i am sick it definately goes up because i don't get to things. I am always beechn about too many cereals or cookies open. Multiple 2L of pop. Thank goodness the dogs can help. lol.

I think I improved on it last year but hope to get even better with it this year. It is strange the 'tricks' you have to do to correct things. I found that if I 'prepare' the produce right away when I get home, then I will use it. (IE: clean the celery, wash the spinach, etc.)

Plan to do MUCH better this year............I can't IMAGINE dealing with this with a family!!!

**Siebrie** · 01-08-2010, 04:20 AM

Yes, I am now redoing the whole frugal process. Before I got married, I was really frugal. Now I have to get dh on board; he's willing but seems to forget our agreements when he wants something. It's getting better, as long as I have some time during the weekends to prepare everything for the week.

I've just gathered all the surplus money from our 3 checking accounts and put them in one savings account, then showed him: he was very surprised.

**mel112503** · 01-08-2010, 07:27 AM

I have cut back in almost every area of our lives. Trying to pay down debt and not spending on anything that isn't necessary. I made most of the gifts this year for Christmas, but we have a big expense coming up. My hubby needs new tires for his truck. He really does. Will be about $650 and it makes me sick to my stomach to think about spending that much money in one chunck..LOL.

**frugalwarrior2** · 01-08-2010, 07:35 AM

mel11253-I feel ya. We had to get a second car last summer (3 almost 4 drivers now) and the 1 thing I had to buy was $400. worth of tires. Followed by 2 sets of wisdom teeth,a yellow jacket infestation of massive proportion in my ground. Paid off my roof, graduated my DD, and paid for 2 sememster of tuition. It makes me so frustrated. I hope this year is kinder but I see many expenses coming again. Ride em' cowboy!!

**shoiji** · 01-08-2010, 09:50 AM

Next week there is a can can sale at shoprite. I can get 12 cans of veggies for $3.99 with a coupon. Which is great, even though I want to stockup on more organic items. But I am planning on purchasing the items since I never know when I will need to really use the stockpile because of some kind of unexpected expense. Right now I will be using the stockpile more since I want to save x amount of money but need to pay vet bills.

However, I do have a really good stockpile going. This month I will stock up on vitamins, toothpaste, waterfilters, bodywash. But only when they are on super reduced prices.

**savvy_sniper** · 01-08-2010, 10:23 AM

ALWAYS! It does get harder though once you have done all the little and obvious things. But I must say, when I do find a way to cut back, it is usually a BIG thing. Doing the little and obvious things made it possible to get to this point of being able to do BIGGER things.

**sabrelvssammy** · 01-08-2010, 10:33 AM

i have put a dollar amount to all the 'non-fixed' expenses that i will spend for the month...($200).... before it was 'just watch your purchases, buy on sale/clearance, think, think, think..., walk away...don't look back....justify every dollar going out....'

now its still all of the above...but...if i can't do it with $200 or less for the month...it's non-negotionable....

**AmyBoz** · 01-08-2010, 10:43 AM

I know there are always more areas in which we could cut back if we needed to.

We cut our newspaper subscription last month. We really only used the paper for the coupons, and I have people that I work with and my father-in-law that give me coupons, so we didn't really need the paper. We get our news online.

I'm couponing like a fiend, and have started doing my grocery shopping on Saturday, instead of Sunday. This gives me the whole week to really go through the sale flyer for ShopRite and match it up with my coupons, as opposed to rushing through it on Sunday morning.

This week, I shopped last Thursday (12/31) and the week before that, we didn't shop at all. We're working hard on eating through what we have, and I have to say, there's been no complaining...yet.

Of course, if necessary, we could go further. We could probably close our land lines and just use our cells, although we don't get great coverage at our house. We could cancel Netflix. We could even cancel cable.

Right now, we don't need to. This is a really tough month, financially, as the bills for the bathroom have come due. It's the first month we are ever paying a bill late, and I hate the way it feels. However, it won't happen again, which is good news.

So, are we doing well? Yep.

Could we go further? Yep.