Economizing

With the economic downturn, people are talking about economizing. Everyone has a different idea of how to do so.

It's good to know that I'm not alone either in economizing or in strange manifestations thereof; I have decided not to pay more than a certain price for unnecessary items, like Lipton White Tea with Raspberry. I like it but don't need it, therefore I can reduce my consumption and only buy it when it's on sale. Water and hot tea get boring so I need options.

While I pay more attention to sales and coupons, it seems counterproductive to me to run around looking for prices at stores; I stick with my same tried and true store for most things, just paying attention to coupons and what's on sale. My shopping cart never has anything too exciting in it, usually the same items, week after week.

Lessons our Grandparents Learned from the Great Depression

Our grandparents and great-grandparents learned a lot about thrift during the Great Depression. Recently there have been articles in which they interview people who lived through the Depression. They're the people who wanted their children to have a better life; they bought tract housing in the 50's and tried to make sure their children had all the advantages. And so on, until we're all conditioned to beleive we should have what we want. Now. No matter what.

They themselves lived with great frugality, using what they had, saving money, paying cash. Re-using plastic containers from the deli or whipped topping, instead of buying Tupperware or Rubbermaid containers. My grandma washed out plastic sandwich bags for re-use. And saved tinfoil, which she washed for later use.

For most of us, our lifestyle is a world away from that. We buy new, all the time, on credit, and go out to eat. Unless we order takeout. Now we're in for a national reality check.

Because I've tried to cut back the last couple of years, I'm not sure what else I can do to change my habits. The real issue is whether I'm motivated to make additional changes in spending. I haven't been going out much, and when I do, it's for a low-cost happy hour or the chinese buffet. I don't need anything so don't go to the mall much; I go to the grocery store, occasionally to the big box discounter, to the drugstore and to the thriftstore. I'm trying to deplete my supply of unread books, but haven't been making too much progress lately.

Recently I had a coupon from Walgreen's e-mail for $5 off a purchase of $20 or more. There always seems to be something I need there, so that was a good deal; I've been paying more attention to their sales and am surprised at the random merchandise sold there.

Thrift

Thrift is back in the vocabulary, not only related to thrift stores. According to an article in my local paper, thrift actually means spending wisely. This is something we could all benefit from learning.

I'm still trying to make better choices, and have successfully brought lunch all but two days on my project; not bad for nearly four months! I've also decided that there are certain things I don't need, unless they're on sale; I love fresh pineapple but only on sale. There's plenty of other fruit out there.

I pay closer attention to the sales at my grocery store and have been paying attention to sales other places and coupons. While I'll never be one of the people whose groceries cost $10 a week due to coupon clipping, I'm satisfied that I'm taking advantage of sales, stocking up on non-perishables when they're on sale, buying meat on sale to freeze, so long as I have room in the freezer.

I once had a roommate who filled the freezer with Cinnabons so it was challenging to buy sensible things to freeze. I'm not in that situation any longer but currently my freezer is full, between sale meat and cooking large batches of food to freeze for lunch.

While I'm not able to save that much I'm above the 1.3% that people are generally at right now.

In this economy I feel fortunate to be working on a project that continues to get extended.