What are people cutting back on?

[Surewhitey]

the older cars in the 60's had little triangle windows in the front doors that would funnel outside air in without having to open the whole entire window.

Those were for all the smoking pops. That's the only memory of those with my dad. Smoke and ash flicked instead of filling the ashtray.

 

[John Galt III]

My exquisite hoagie at my favorite hoagie place went from $5.90 a year ago, to $6.40 now. I thought it might have shrunk, too, but I checked it yesterday and it is the same size ever, and just as heavy. The higher price does not ruin my hoagie blissout. I'm still buying. Won't search for cheaper alternative.

 

[Markola]

Cutting back on eating out, not completely, but not like before.
Yesterday 2 ice teas, 2 entrees at a BBQ joint - with tip $50.

I’m an avid budgeter (YNAB) and will start paying attention to the Restaurants category. DW took her girl friend to BREAKFAST last week and it was $70. We also did the works for our anniversary this week and it was $250. I think we’ll need to engage in some price elasticity, which stinks, since the weather is finally nice and we like patio dining.

 

[W2R]

Our (cheap, mom'n'pop) restaurants don't appear to be increasing their prices YET.... We'll see! I imagine that's going to happen eventually.

Meanwhile we are still doing business with them, but these days we usually get food "to go" rather than eating in.

 

[NW-Bound]

With the temperature up to 114F yesterday and the National Weather Service issuing warning (for those who somehow don't realize it's darn hot), the thing I am cutting back on is going outside.

 

[RockyMtn]

after 33 years dumped ATT wireless for Mint wireless. Signal just as good as ATT, 4x the data per month and price dropped from $109 per month for three lines to $45 per month for three lines.

Should have done it sooner!

 

[W2R]

With the temperature up to 114F yesterday and the National Weather Service issuing warning (for those who somehow don't realize it's darn hot), the thing I am cutting back on is going outside.

That's insanely hot! My suggestion is to purchase a small AC for just one room, just for emergency usage in case your present AC breaks. The older we get, the more deadly intense heat like that can be.

 

[MarieIG]

I am trying to stretch a pot a coffee to last two days, which will limit me to seven cups of coffee a day.

Success has been sporadic, to say the least.

 

[W2R]

after 33 years dumped ATT wireless for Mint wireless. Signal just as good as ATT, 4x the data per month and price dropped from $109 per month for three lines to $45 per month for three lines.

Should have done it sooner!

Seems like a lot of us are dropping major cell phone carriers like AT&T and Verizon. They just don't seem like the best deals around any more. I had Verizon from 1998-2016, and then switched to CricketWireless. Now I pay less than half as much for everything I need. I would have done that sooner, too, if I had known then what I know now.

 

[tmm99]

With the temperature up to 114F yesterday and the National Weather Service issuing warning (for those who somehow don't realize it's darn hot), the thing I am cutting back on is going outside.

OMG, I don't think I've ever experienced heat that intense! (I would stay inside in an A/C'd room as well...)

A lot of old people die of heat-related illnesses every year. It's not worth it to save money on A/C.

 

[cyber888]

Today, my hazelnut coffee creamer went from $2.12 to $2.49 (a 37 cents increase). I bought 3 of those, so paid about $1.11 more.

I picked up a pack of mini-Sprite for $5.50, then saw a pack of mini-7-UP for $3.99, so I went for the 7-UP drink instead of Sprite and save $1.51.

Guess, we just need to find substitutes with this inflation. Sprite, 7Up, Sierra Mist .. they taste about the same to me anyway.

 

[aaronc879]

With the temperature up to 114F yesterday and the National Weather Service issuing warning (for those who somehow don't realize it's darn hot), the thing I am cutting back on is going outside.

Do they have basements in your area? It could be 114 outside and I would still be chilly in the basement even with a hoodie on. I will be using the basement a lot starting Tuesday when Summer finally gets to my location.

 

[tmm99]

I've put myself on a new diet (Pagano diet) in an attempt to heal psoriasis on my left elbow and this diet calls for more above-ground veggies (and some below-ground veggies) with less protein and limited fat. The cost of groceries has come down as meat tends to be more expensive than the veggies I've been getting at discount or/and Asian grocery stores.

 

[tmm99]

Do they have basements in your area? It could be 114 outside and I would still be chilly in the basement even with a hoodie on. I will be using the basement a lot starting Tuesday when Summer finally gets to my location.

If the ground doesn't freeze, there's no reason to dig deep to pour concrete for a house, so houses in areas like California, Arizona, etc, do not usually have a basement.

 

[athena53]

I am trying to stretch a pot a coffee to last two days, which will limit me to seven cups of coffee a day.

Success has been sporadic, to say the least.

I buy my coffee at Big Lots or TJX- I like the flavored varieties but there are plain ones, too, $3 or $4 cheaper than at the grocery. I buy mine ground in bags; I have to admit I bought a giant pack of K-cups (not the Keurig brand) and they all tasted like cardboard but the bagged version is fine.

People who use K-cups can also buy a washable, reusable "cup" on-line and put regular ground coffee into it. If I used that type it would be the first thing I'd do.

 

[jurgs01]

Eating out and staying at hotels.

 

[NW-Bound]

That's insanely hot! My suggestion is to purchase a small AC for just one room, just for emergency usage in case your present AC breaks. The older we get, the more deadly intense heat like that can be.

OMG, I don't think I've ever experienced heat that intense! (I would stay inside in an A/C'd room as well...)

A lot of old people die of heat-related illnesses every year. It's not worth it to save money on A/C.

Well, I am getting old and weak. Used to be that 114F (46C) would not faze me.

I still remember a day in June 1996 when it hit 122F (50C), which remains the all-time high in Phoenix. I was busy at work at megacorp, and did not know how hot it was outside. Only at 4PM walking out to my car in the big parking lot, told myself "Darn, it's hot".

And I learned listening to the radio on the way home how hot it was.

Anyway, I have 4 ACs in this home. The large 5-ton central AC is not used much anymore. Two mini-splits are doing all the work of cooling the downstairs. I abandon the unused rooms upstairs to the heat, except for a guest bedoom which has a small window AC just when we have a visitor.

So, I have quite a redundancy in equipment. But more than that, I can keep at least one AC running with my solar+battery system, in the case of rolling blackouts.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

I already live the minimalist lifestyle. What can I cut back on?

 

[Koolau]

I already live the minimalist lifestyle. What can I cut back on?

Cutting back!






(Live a little - you aren't taking it with you. End of sermon.)

 

[F.I.R.E User]

Cutting back!






(Live a little - you aren't taking it with you. End of sermon.)

Cut my back?

 

[WhenIsItTime]

I cut out watching the news and looking at my net worth. Living life like normal. I'll check back in 6 months from now.

 

[tmm99]

Well, I am getting old and weak. Used to be that 114F (46C) would not faze me.

I still remember a day in June 1996 when it hit 122F (50C), which remains the all-time high in Phoenix. I was busy at work at megacorp, and did not know how hot it was outside. Only at 4PM walking out to my car in the big parking lot, told myself "Darn, it's hot".

And I learned listening to the radio on the way home how hot it was.

Anyway, I have 4 ACs in this home. The large 5-ton central AC is not used much anymore. Two mini-splits are doing all the work of cooling the downstairs. I abandon the unused rooms upstairs to the heat, except for a guest bedoom which has a small window AC just when we have a visitor.

So, I have quite a redundancy in equipment. But more than that, I can keep at least one AC running with my solar+battery system, in the case of rolling blackouts.

It sounds like you have everything under control. When I moved to Tucson, I almost passed out several times walking out to my car from my house which was very cold (had an evaporated cooler). I had to lower my head to prevent myself from passing out. This was back in the 80s, so I was young, and I imagine I could probably tolerate heat better than I could now, but still, coming from a much milder climate, it was a huge shock to my body.

I think the temp went up to around 100F then, maybe a little higher, but I was told the heat was much worse in Phoenix, especially in the congested area of the city with more A/Cs being used. I don't know if that is a true statement or not.

 

[W2R]

It sounds like you have everything under control.

Yes, so glad to read that, NW-Bound!

 

[Koolau]

I cut out watching the news and looking at my net worth. Living life like normal. I'll check back in 6 months from now.

Now that sounds very wise. It's easy to be obsessed by news AND net worth.

 

[MarieIG]

I buy my coffee at Big Lots or TJX- I like the flavored varieties but there are plain ones, too, $3 or $4 cheaper than at the grocery. I buy mine ground in bags; I have to admit I bought a giant pack of K-cups (not the Keurig brand) and they all tasted like cardboard but the bagged version is fine.

People who use K-cups can also buy a washable, reusable "cup" on-line and put regular ground coffee into it. If I used that type it would be the first thing I'd do.

I'll have to look into it. DH bought me a few cans of McDonalds McCafe Colombian Medium Dark Roast, so I'm stocked up for the next few weeks. DS uses those K-cups. I drank his one day when I ran out (probably about 10 of them) which prompted an immediate trip by him for more of my coffee. Because he loves his mom of course, not to protect his K-cup stash.