If you had to give up 5 convenience items today - what would they be?

**Jayne** · 05-23-2009, 05:59 PM

cell phone
bread machine
clothes dryer
dishwasher
hair dryer
conveinience foods

**IndigoMom** · 05-23-2009, 07:38 PM

Dishwasher - easy one for us, it's just taking up space in the basement,lol.
Electric Can Opener - waste of space if you ask me
Kitchen Aide - ditto with the space thing, just don't tell my Dad - he gave it to me. I'm a basic Bowl and Wooden spoon baker. Just something about it.
Cable - We just now have 100+ channels of nothing to watch anyway.
Clothes Dryer - Hubby hung me a clothes line

**madhen** · 05-23-2009, 07:58 PM

I could easily give up:

hot air popcorn popper
food processor
microwave oven
electric food warmer
hot pot

Somewhat more difficult, but not insurmountable, would be:

coffee pot (can make it on the stove)
dishwasher (can wash by hand)
space heater (bundle up or get the wood stove going)
clothes dryer (line dry)
television (get my news from the internet and live without "Torchwood")

**Debbie-cat** · 05-23-2009, 10:31 PM

television
clothes dryer
dvd player
alarm clock
stereo (can listen to my Itouch)

**frugalfranny** · 05-25-2009, 03:14 AM

Dishwasher.....use it but could do without

Stove....but NOT my oven

Convenience foods

Electric blanket...but safe to say that it was 80 today.

Refuse to give up my washer and dryer without kicking and screaming....but if I HAD to......maybe

Lawn trimmer

Electric hedge trimmer

Hey that is more than five......I am good.

**AmyBoz** · 05-25-2009, 07:38 AM

I could give up my:

Microwave
Cuisinart
Kitchen Aid

Other than that, I'm not sure. As a working mom of 3 kids, my convenience items provide me with precious time to spend with my family. I'll keep my dishwasher if it means that after dinner, I can play a board game with the kids, rather than stand with my arms in the sink, soap up to my elbows while I wash the dishes and pots and pans from a dinner for 5.

**mfedor** · 05-25-2009, 09:00 AM

Long time since I posted. I found this thread interesting. My five things are:

- TV - watch it way too much
- Boxed cereal - kids wouldn't like it but my grocery bill would
- swiffer (sniff sniff)
- lysol wipes - could make my own
- netflix - hulu keeps me just as entertained.

**lmbaker520** · 06-02-2009, 09:25 AM

For me it would be:
- Dishwasher
- Clothes Dryer
- Bread Machine
- Sauces like spaghetti, dressings, etc. - I could make my own
- Crock Pot (gasp) - I would hate it, but I could give it up if I absolutely had to.

**New-mom-to-be** · 06-02-2009, 05:40 PM

netflix
the cleaning woman that comes once a week
HBO
Kraft Mac and Cheese
Diet Coke

**wwe11** · 06-03-2009, 09:29 AM

playstation 2
dinning out 1 day every two weeks
junk food
going out of town
my dryer

**Incognito** · 06-03-2009, 10:55 AM

1. The only thing I could still give up, and not miss is processed foods bought with coupons. Most of them taste bleeeeaaaahhhh!

When I eat them, it's like a form of punishment for my bad behaviour of spending money on them instead of being satisfied with meat, cereals, fruits and veggies.

2. Hope I never have to be without a freezer; there's half of my stockpile, and my savings strategy.

Don't have cable, cell phone, microwave, dishwasher, pets, car.
Don't eat out, get haircuts, belong to clubs, buy new clothes, go on vacations.

3. Bought a manicure/pedicure set at yard sale for $1; wouldn't want to give that up.

4. Wouldn't want to give up my computer, or High Speed Internet; need it to stay informed and connected.

5. Wouldn't want to give up my music equipment; it's vital to me.

**Incognito** · 06-06-2009, 12:40 PM

I forgot to mention that of all the convenience items I would be willing to give up, chocolate would never be on that list.

**ilovechocolate** · 06-06-2009, 12:50 PM

Incognito-----chocolate isn't a convenience-----it's a major food group necessary to sustain life.

**Incognito** · 06-06-2009, 01:12 PM

Hmmmm...in a manner of speaking...well, yes!

**Mckeekitty** · 06-06-2009, 08:48 PM

TV. We're not thrilled with this digital conversion. We purchased two converter boxes with the government coupons, but still don't received channels. Plus, each box cost us $20.00 out-of-pocket even with the coupons. We refuse to spend another cent to "get ready." So we are prepared to abandon television altogether (although I'm hoping we can still watch dvd/video movies after the transition with our old analog TV sets).

This might be premature since I've only created two meals in my new crock pot (never used one before), but if it continues to surpass my expectations, I could give up the oven (at least in the summer months).

Wine and beer. We enjoy a couple (okay, make that a few) of glasses in the evening, but we could give it up. Perhaps not easily, but we could. Sadly, I'm still not ready to give up the cigarettes (but I now roll my own).

Mrs. Budd's chicken pot pies. I do love them, but want to try to make my own. I challenged myself on this one today at the grocery store. They were on sale. But I thought about this thread and resisted the temptation to stockpile them. They are, afterall, convenience foods.

Seltzer. We still have a case in the stockpile, but when its finally gone, its gone for good. I've been keeping a pitcher of water with a twist of lemon in the regrigerator and it really is refeshing!