Feeling a little anxious

[mommy4ever]

While this post could be put in frugal, I think it works here too.

With everything going up in price, first it was milk, then gas, now flour, and well EVERYTHING, utilities etc. I'm feeling panicky. I don't want to buy anything for the house. At all. We really don't need anything. I'd love a new dishes set that matched, cutlery, but don't want to waste the money until the economy settles where ever it will.

I'm finding I'm saving lots more. Instead of recycling, I'm saving plastic containers, jars, etc. Saving bread bags, using containers instead of ziplocs. Re-purposing items instead of donating. Making things last longer.

Now, this isn't bad, this saves money, but I don't want to become a hoarder either. I want to have a space to organize this. Jars get used for spices, mixes, jams, and other storage. containers for freezing storing. Bread bags from bought bread for home made breads and jams. So I don't think it's hoarding, just it's SO disorganized.

I make my own oatmeal mixes. I use the glad containers, perfect size, and very re-usable, unless the fall and the dog gets them(she thinks their chew toys). I use them for individual yogurts too, from the big containers. I do that immediate the kids just grab for lunches, snacks, no fuss on how much they can have. Portion control.

Any one else feeling this way? I'm in Canada and we're arent' being hit as hard, but dh work is completely locked into the US, so we're directly affected.

[IntlMom]

This is an interesting topic, and one that I have thought about too. I have started saving bread bags for bread, and glass jars for freezing, and containers too. I am interested in hearing everyones take on this too. I don;t have any suggestions, just that I have thought of it too, so you are not alone in your thoughts.
This is especially tough for me because I hate clutter and stuff!!!

[DAAC3DEC]

I am with you all!!! Hubbie has been down to 4 day work weeks and was sent home with a "memo" stating that they will randomly shut down for a week at a time!!!! So I am on frugal overload, "spam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typed housewife" has become my new best friend.....so far so good. It just seems that there isn't going to be any relief in the near future. No new things, make due with what we have, all "from scratch" cooking (I have gotten pretty good with the homemade pizza's so they don't feel so deprived), shopping sales or don't get it, you all know the drill, but I feel like it is helping.....

[M55FF]

I grew up in a situation where I had to get out on my own at 16...
and I had to do the things you mentioned and more just to survive.
It builds character.

It didn't make me feel nervous or anxios, but with me angry and resentful. I had to learn to forgive people in my family.
Now as time has passed I have turned out to be stronger than they...
more grounded, can cope better and basically a happier person that they could ever hope to be.
Sometimes what seem like curses are actually blessings.
Think of that when your feeling nervous...
and do whatever you do well... your getting lessons to prepare you for things later in your life.

[dianne9106]

Fortunately because we are in the Army - our job is not affected the way some sadly are. Having said that - I felt the nastiness at the grocery store yesterday! Milk is down pretty low - but other things like Ritz crackers, fresh fruit and veg, cereal, frozen stuff were sky high! I mean like by $.35+ per item in a weeks time!! But Pop Tarts were on sale and my eldest loves them - so I stocked up with a coupon.
We have really cut back on meat - I adapted that from here, and I noticed that our grocery bill is down a bit. But I am finding the un-healthy options to be pretty cheap right now! Like a fresh pizza for $5 - my DH would have this everyday if I let him!
Gas - it's out of control in some places! I am finding a 10 cents difference between sides of town - but I am finding Wal-Mart is the cheapest at 3.04/Gallon. I never thought I would say $3 in gas was cheap!!
Our spending is grinding to a halt- in preparation for my husband to go to a school for a year. He will get reimbursed, but it takes a while sometimes, so a lot of money out of our pockets up front. It's not a big deal - I am finding that I am selling plenty of stuff on our local yard sale website and using the extra funds for things that are a little bit of a luxury. We are getting DH's windows tinted on his car - he will be in GA during the Summer, so we were able to raise the money through selling things.
Mommy4ever - I am sorry you are feeling our pain right now and I wish you the best! Hopefully it won't spread through the rest of Canada.
Dianne

[perSue]

i think i get why ppl call me "cheap" now.

i already do this stuff.
our community won't recycle (because $$ would go up for what they pay - we're in condos).
so, instead "I" recycle.
I reuse all these things w/out a second thought.

it's what "pioneers" used to do, our parents and grandparents used to do out of habit & never thought twice about.

if it's something that's in good repair & is useful, by all means.

however, i commend you on saving jars/breadbags & making your own foods.
I think that's a smart thing to do ANYtime, because it will save you LOTS in the long run!

maybe i'm a bit more on the extreme-frugal side where I want to save every penny earned... so I try to go out of my way to do these things.

we still buy (yucky) store bought bread for kiddo who likes his sandwiches on that (horrid) white bread (at least it's fortified!).

but for "good" bread, it's homemade all the way!

we live in a city, around other "city dwellers" and I've gotta country heart.
And at a previous job and around some of these ppl i live around, I get really dirty looks when I bring in my lunch to work for instance in a bread bag or i puree a bunch of old veggies/foods for compost (since we're not allowed to make a compost, i just save, puree & add to the soil).
I'll get comments like "eww that's so gross, why dont you just go buy some of this..." - a SUPER stinky & expensive compost that'll do the same thing!

anyway, I think we all feel a certain "tightening of the belts" and are doing whatever's necessary to work around it.

I just think it's so neat to see other ppl doing what our parents/grandparents did casually w/out thought in a more purposeful manner now.

kudos!

[mommy4ever]

Dh brings leftovers for work, my girls will take leftovers too if there is enough. They all love home made bread over store bought. I even make our buns for burgerse now too.

I compost, I recycle, and I repurpose. I'm trying to get everyone to use less too. But it's hard to get dh on board..lol. some days.

There's just something in the air. I'm anxious about the next few years. We'll be ok, I'm sure. But I Can't help but feel anxious of how the times will turn.

[cissylu]

thank`s I got some tip`s from this .I save baggies.

[shoiji]

I have noticed myself reusing more items. Also, saving food in containers and using up scraps of food instead of being wasteful. While I wasn't living over the top before joining this site, I am much more mindful of my spending.

I am worried about the rising prices of everything but feel at little bit OK since I have been using the suggestions from this website.

[nodmicks]

I don't feel super anxious about this even though dh's job is tied to home building and remodeling even though his last years income was down because we are debt free but the house and had years where we learned to live on very little. I know those skills are on my beck and call. That being said we are currently starting to add the $50 a week we had been saving for kiddos braces into the EF. I want to be prepared!

What really makes me anxious is our retirement accounts. They seem to be dropping faster than we contribute!

[C@rol]

Any one else feeling this way?

Definitely. I am really taking the time to consider if
something can be reused and how. Cooking smaller
amounts of food. Making sure I use every bit of
produce that I buy. And on and on. It's part of
being prepared for rough times and being more
frugal.

[Tango]

I'm in Canada as well. I'm not what I would consider anxious at this point, but I am definately thinking more about neccesities versus wants. It does seem like the basics are increasing very rapidly. I've never seen gas, food, utilities and housing go up as fast as they have in the last little while. We are very lucky to have bought our townhouse just before prices jumped so housing for us is not an issue. Yesterday I filled up on gas and paid $1.15 a liter and I don't think I've ever seen it that high! But it's supposed to just keep going up. I work in a grocery store and prices the seem up high as well especially on meat and packaged goods. My utility bills are high as well, thank goodness summers coming and we can shut the gas off to the funace soon. I was thinking about getting new towels and sheets just as a treat, but instead I'll make the old ones last another year and use the money to add to my stockpile when I see a good deal. Other than that I'll just not be spending on much other than the basics.
________________________
Krissy

[cab54]

My dh retired last fall due to health concerns. My brother is laid off temporarily which is most likely to be permanently before long and his daughter is just about to go off to college which they USED to be able to affod with SIL's part time job.....

But ya know what? Try to think that just KNOWING how to do all of these frugal things EMPOWERS you rather than let it make you anxious.

There are SO many people out there who DONT have the slightest idea how to deal with hard times and just keep spending on stupid things and wondering WTH is going on? Why don't they have any money left?

You have all this knowledge and FV too!

[mmy2grls]

lately i'm making wise money choices and trying not to let things go to waste

[POOTERSMOMMY]

mommy4ever I think you are just being smart. I do those things all the time regarless of economy. You are being wise and frugal. You are also helping our planet by reusing things.
I'm not getting anxious, because I have lived this way for years. Don't intend on changing anything.