Comments on: Recession Obsession

By: Ann Z

Ann Z — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:20:18 +0000

Your co-worker must have gone to the same event that my husband went to, since he just showed me that same site.

Shortly after sitting down to talk about how we were doing with the downturn (we were feeling ok), my husband found out he would be laid off at the end of Oct., so we were all of a sudden staring this in the face. Like everyone else, we’ve cut back on eating out, and doing activities that cost money, I started being serious about bringing my lunch to work, and we pushed expenses like getting Zoe’s new glasses off to next year. We also stopped giving to any political campaigns. He has since gotten a new job that he’ll start next month, but I think we’ll be sticking with our new spending habits for the time being.

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:06:37 +0000

I’m a fundraiser for a nonprofit - so I am thinking about the economy all the time, both professionally and personally. In response to the comment above about cutting back on giving - I know that it seems like an easy place to trim - but I really hope folks will keep in mind that this is truly the year to try to give more. If people at the middle class level are feeling the pinch - and I know we all are - folks who are truly struggling for the basics: food, clothing, shelter - are struggling that much more. I have a 16 month old, but I hope as he grows, that he will learn our philanthropic values. Its tough to think about giving more, but I know there are people just on the margins of survival, right here in our town.

Sorry for the long post - just some food for thought…
Amy

By: Athena

Athena — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:28:54 +0000

We’re cutting back on eating out. Meal plans really help because I already know what I’m going to be making that week, so I don’t have to try and figure it out that night, which usually ends up with us just grabbing something on the way home.
DH is taking his lunch to work.
I’ve been selling stuff around the house.
Budget, budget, budget. This is the second month we’ve had a budget and know exactly where every dollar is going.

By: Kris

Kris — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:35:10 +0000

My husband and I have lived on a budget for 2 years now so I can stay home with the kids. It’s always a challenge to stretch those dollars, but I had a very good summer hitting garage sales. My kids are very young and can not tell the difference between an Elmo DVD that I picked up $1.00 or a shrink wrapped one from Best Buy. I also found brand new-in-the-box toys this year and clothes with tags still on. I can not believe the size of the pile of gifts these kids are getting for Christmas this year and I only spent about $80!

By: jodie

jodie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:31:51 +0000

We like to eat out, even if its just at the local Perkins! I saw they have a special where kids eat free on Tues. and Sat. after 4pm, that would save a few dollars at least.

By: Kate

Kate — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:32:12 +0000

We started remodeling our house before the economy slowdown happened, so we were already cutting back a lot. But now we are cutting back even more.
We’re scaling christmas back but our kids are young so I don’t think they will know the difference. We haven’t been eating out, or ordering out when we’re tired. I think we are just paying a lot more attention to where it all goes every month.

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:51:57 +0000

We’re eating out less and skipping the lattes and making coffee at home more. We’re playing at home more and looking for more free stuff to do with the kids. I hope that Macy’s “A Day in the Life of an Elf” display is cool this year, we may go every week since it’s free. For Chritmas our gift exchange with the adults in our life will be very small and we’ll all just get a few things for the kids. I feel a little guilty that we are going on vacation to Florida in January and should totally be saving that money, but it has been in the works since before things became so dire and honestly, we haven’t had a vacation since 2005. Even then, we’ll save money on vacation by eating at the house we’re renting and not going out too much.

By: Graham

Graham — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:36:25 +0000

Sadly, I have to say that I’m most tempted to cut back on giving. It seems an easy thing to trim because WE don’t feel it.

By: Jennifer Twin Mom

Jennifer Twin Mom — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:51:13 +0000

We’ve cut back so much that I’m no longer worried about someday becoming my mother. I’ve become my Grandma.

By: Lucie

Lucie — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:53:22 +0000

Thanks for addressing the pink (stuffed?) elephant in the (play)room. The economy has cast a pallor on every detail of living and family life is no exception.

I find I don’t even want think about Christmas this year. Ugh.