[Win $250 giftcard] Are you cutting your budget?

[seastarz]

We have been steadily cutting back over this past year. I have completely changed my driving habits and not only am I saving money, but my road rage has decreased as well. We are using coupons, there are more generic names in my pantry than brand names, and I love using leftover dinner as my lunch the next day at work. We have switched to generic diapers for my twin daughters and amazingly they work just as well! We have cut out cable and I really love it. There is so much more time at night to spend with the kids, and they are not getting exposed to all of the child focused marketing. My husband and I have instituted a stay at home date night, where every week we switch up who plans the date, and minimal money is involved. This past week, I purchased a yahtzee game for only $7.00, and we played it for at least 3 hours. Even though I lost, we still had a good time. Plus we now have the game on hand for future date nights.

[hannat]

We'd already been living pretty frugally, all the usual things like lowering or raising the temperature, clipping coupons, combining car trips, Netflix instead of going to movies, buying used clothing, etc.

But over the past couple of years we've gotten into the bad habit of eating out or taking out dinner 4-5 times a week. This has had a negative effect on both our savings and our waistlines! So beginning this week we will be having cereal nights (healthy cereal like Cheerios, Kelloggs K, oatmeal, etc.) three nights a week, cooking something three nights a week and preserving one eating out occasion for "date night".

[mnysewan]

Nope. My partner and I aren't cutting back our spending in response to the market, because we already did a major cut in spending a year ago when we moved from being a two-income household to a single income-household. So we've cut back a good amount, already.

[MYSHARONNA]

We're are cutting back on UNWISE spending. Rather than spur of the moment spending, we think twice, and sometimes three and four times before making a purchase. But if we have the money for something wanted, we buy it. I had bought a digital photo frame and the next day felt guilty for buying it. My (minimalist) husband put it this way...enjoy the frame, enjoy today. Yes, tomorrow might bring hard times, 2-3- years away, or who knows how long away. But we can't live in fear of what tomorrow may bring.

So, yes, cutting back on unwise spending; eating out, disposable items, a new tv when the old one works just fine, but if it's something that is needed or a reward for getting up every day busting your bottom, then buy it.

[ltumc]

I'm a stay-at-home mother of two, and my husband works 20 hours a week and is a student. So yes, we are definitely pinching pennies!

My husband bought a bus pass for the school year (we buy them through the school because they subsidize them and you pay only about half price for it) which greatly decreases the amount we spend on gas. He would ride the bus to work as well, but our bus system is lousy and doesn't go out to his job.

I only drive when I have to, and I combine trips as much as possible. This helps in two ways, because not only am I not wasting gas, but if you're not at the store, you're not spending money.

I made a meal calendar for the whole month, and I only buy what is on my list. I make most all of our meals from scratch, and I stock up on non-perishables (and things I can freeze) when they're on sale so that most weeks I only need to buy milk and produce. I spend under $200 a month on groceries.

We really don't go out much at all. If we do, it's to the park, or to walk to mall (just browsing, no buying) or the cheap theater. On Tuesdays our cheap theater has $1 admission all day, so we can have a nice, cheap date there.

[budgetkeeper]

Yes....we have always been careful about how we spend our money, but we are trying to cut back even more. Besides keeping the thermostat low and using a minimum of electricity, we are also being careful with our grocery bill. I'm making double recipes for dinner in order to have leftovers for lunch....thus cutting out expensive cold cuts and bread. Also cutting back on buying baked goods and snack items (we are better off without them). And we are definitely riding our bikes more to run errands. Cutting back has encouraged us to review our lifestyle and eating habits, so all in all tightening the belt has been a good thing in so many ways.

[orangecj78]

We are cutting back not necessarily because we must, but because now is as good a time as any, and our long-term goals call for greater savings. We have started shopping for groceries almost solely at the superstores and buying store brands. Now that we are in the habit of eating at home, we almost never eat out anymore and don't really miss it. My husband and I have lost weight, too!

[Momma]

Yes, we're cutting spending. We've been making changes for almost a year now.

[smdrm]

Yes, I'm cutting back. I'm buying a lot more store brand products, watching electricity use, staying out of stores when I can.

[strive for the life]

absolutely. We have been living low for a year now, but are now cutting out even more. We have the potential of a layoff for my GF so we are trying to be proactive. Now is not the best time, but when is?