In these tough economic times many of us have been forced to cut back and downsize. I've moved to a smaller apartment, stopped buying pre-made, microwave foods, bought a bread machine (I now have fresh bread every morning for about 25 cents a loaf), buy many of my clothes second hand and cut my smoking back to just four cigarettes a day.

I read about a man that bought solar panels for his home and cut a $500 a month power bill down to just $4 a month (this is only the price for renting the meter). Then bought a 100% electric car that plugs into his FREE ELECTRICITY and saves about $5000 a year on gas, oil and maintenance.

I want to do more!

What have you done to cut back and save money?

I forgot to mention, I also let my cable TV go and my only internet connection is through my android phone.

I cancelled my satellite Tv and Internet...I now have a prepaid phone...trying to get rid of the cigarettes..have cut way back there...

I also sold my old Harley chopper (that I'd been riding for 30 years) to save on insurance costs. This was hard to let go of. I'd had it longer than any of my friends. But, no matter how much I loved it, it's just a hunk of metal and doesn't love me back.

I no longer have my big truck..my son bought it..now I'm driving an older model..but I sure miss that big one!!

Yeah, once I thought about it and realized I was burning about 50 cents an hour it started hitting home.

Instead of cutting back expenses, I've increased my income potential.
I'm a writer, so I've been marketing the hell out of my books. I have become a Zumba (fitness) instructor and rather than work for someone else for $8-10 per hour I started my own classes at $5 per member per class. Each time I have the opportunity to do something different I try to incorporate it into my schedule and make money at it.

Humm I tend to eat at home more...

My job now is half the distance it was so that knocked my fuel cost down...

I look for bargins and sales...

Also found a second hand store for clothes that the highest I pay there is $1.75 each....have found many that are like brand new...But I still buy new just tend to hit Ross....

Both kids are grown now so my expenses are not what they were...

Plus paid off my house & car and decided not to stay with what I have.

I changed my cell phone provider cut my bill in half..

But .....out of all honesty I have not really done anything different then I did before...

feeding a household of 6-8 (Varies daily) on less than 100 per week has been a fairly big cut,,,lol

used to have my hair done monthly, havent had it done in at least six months

havent bought a new outfit in over a year


and traveling NOWHERE that is not job related, or grocery related...lol


basically, buying nothing but necessities as well

except the occasional treat of a movie or night out by a family member,,,,

It's awesome you have the ability to do that. But, I'm a truck driver. I already work 70 hours a week. There only thing I can do is cut expenses.

Maybe you could work with a different company...or become an independent driver. Working for yourself is always more profitable when you're established. There are always places for improvement.

Good for you!! ("...sh-sh-sh-shake your booty... shake your booty...")

- sold my big red Ford-like Mercury stn wagon... to save on insce and gas. I have become deficit-free again since then.

- I have invented ways to wash my clothing and my dishes using minimal electricity, in effect almost zero

- I have developed ways to brush my teeth using neither a toothbrush nor any toothpaste... not a cavity for two years

- I make my own goat milk (In my language "dirty old man" is said something like "old goat".) it is actually goat condensed milk. the volume is small, only a spoonful every day, but they add up. A bit salty!! Hehe, it tickles when you drink it.

- no more dating, to save on coffee and aggrevation

- at home I don't wear any clothes and have no air conditioning. Save on wear-and-tear on clothing, and on electricity.

- most of the day I sit quietly, in the darkened room (to save the heat from entering here) motionless, and not thinking, to save on bioenerjetical power, on daydreaming, and on producing sweat (which adds to the global warming effect)

feeding a household of 6-8 (Varies daily) on less than 100 per week has been a fairly big cut,

Question, Lovely Ms.Harmony: How long is fetus gestation in your household, and how long does it take the newborn offsrping to reach age of majority at which they are able to fly the coop?

*I am trying to make a joke at your expense, but I try to do it gently and kindly... you know me. Sort of.*

Refinanced my oversized gas guzzling truck (serves its purpose for dessert and camping trips),
and ride my street bike to work much more.
25 a week instead of 25 a day in gas.

Eat at home more and take lunch

Ditched my cable/internet for 100 a month and use a wireless wifi card for internet and netfilx

Shop more at Costco and buy in larger bulk for things that make sense

Doing some freelance design, print or online for extra income

Becoming an owner/operator would mean spending $500,000.00 to buy a truck and with fuel prices as they are now, I just don't see any advantage to it. Most of the drivers I know are selling their trucks and becoming company drivers because they were going broke.

I am looking for better paying job, but times are tough.

Good for you Becca!!!!

For me....no acrylic nails, they're ugly, unhealthy, and expensive...no mani & pedis, a total waste of money; purchase good nail care products and do your own....no hair dye, another total waste of money....scheduled maintenance on my car, no exceptions because it saves money in the long run...meal planning...coupon clipping...seasonal sales...sticking with classic clothing as opposed to current fads....conserve on water, electric, and gas heat by dressing warm in the winter and cool in the summer, turning off lights, TV's, etc when not in use...recycle instead of having scheduled trash picked up...less eating out...re-gifting....cut credit cards or pay the balance every month...

what can I say,, our home attracts others,,,




we have quite a bit of traffic in and out on any given day, the teens in the family love coming here,,,and we have temporary 'guests' waiting to have their home birth here ,,,,

Holy Moly! I went to the grocery store to get cleaning supplies for the cleaning lady and thought I'd pick some stuff up. Prices are higher then I remember! I don't need to go often, because I have goofy friends who talk about survival all the time. So I had picked up a lot stuff, but how much canned goods can one eat and the stock pile is getting really low. Picked up store club card to save a couple bucks. AND I am thinking about cleaning my own apartment, however no monkeys have flew out out of my backside yet. I might have to get a steady girlfriend and talk her into cleaning it.

Just don't give up trying....

I cut down on expenses of dating and relationships. I took a community college continuing education course with the Scarboro board of education, in "how to be a better and more loving masturbator."

Also, I took a course in learning how to nag the living daylight out of myself, and I also cut flowers for me every friday and bring them home, instead of buying them expensive ones in flower shops. The quality is the same!! Because I cut mine in flower shops, when I go in with the pretense of browsing, and when nobody looks, I cut me a bunch. Real money saver.

Did you know that a pocket-held self-operated manually powered sex toy can save you several dozens of dollars if you replace your more expensive sex toys with it, and if you stop eating oysters and spanish black flies, you save another bundle.