Friday, April 13, 2007

friday five :: when money's tight ...

Ever since I stopped earning a salary, we've been getting creative in how we spend what does come in. So when I saw this on Kristine's blog, I thought it was pretty fitting.

When money’s a bit tight, how do you cut costs in keeping yourself fed?
We don't go out to eat; I cook from scratch, and I try to avoid the "gourmet" groceries.

When money’s a bit tight, how do you cut costs in keeping yourself entertained?
We go to places that are free, like the art museum and library, and we take long walks. Netflix is pretty cheap, too.

When money’s a bit tight, how do you cut costs in other areas of your life?
We stick to a budget, so we pretty much know how much to expect coming in from month to month. That said, when planning the budget, we cut back on line items such as vacations and home improvements. That way, if any extra money does come in (from a tax refund, say), we can put it back in. Also, we cancelled most of our newspaper subscriptions for now, and I switched to a cheaper cell phone plan. And I have discovered that you can find really cute clothes at Target!

When money’s a bit tight, what do you do to keep your spirits up?
Sometimes, just clearing out clutter fom our house feels good. It reminds us that we really have so much already. And there's nothing like a long walk in the neighborhood with a stop at the coffee shop, which reminds us that we don't need to spend a lot of money to have a great time together.

When money’s a bit tight, what are some things you refuse to sacrifice?
Organic food and the Sunday NY Times. My, we sound like yuppies. :)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

THIS IS SUSANNE, but I'm not being allowed to sign in because it keeps saying my password is incorrect. I know it's NOT incorrect.

When money’s a bit tight, how do you cut costs in keeping yourself fed?
Cheese and crackers. Seriously. I usually eat some painfully bland cereal for lunch, along with some bland but high-in-vitamin-C fruit and milk. Then I pig out on cheese and crackers the rest of the day, and I don't feel guilty because I still ate that gross but healthy lunch.

When money’s a bit tight, how do you cut costs in keeping yourself entertained?

Listen to one of my classical music CDs and slowly sip wine.

When money’s a bit tight, how do you cut costs in other areas of your life?
I hate to say this, but I don't have much of a life anyway. No men are in my life, and no social circle as well. I'm grateful for the family though.

When money’s a bit tight, what do you do to keep your spirits up?

Figure out what I must give up as opposed to what I needn't give up, and then center my life around enjoying that which I didn't give up.

When money’s a bit tight, what are some things you refuse to sacrifice?

Inexpensive but good wine, and I can drink it slowly, so that it lasts. I like to sip it while listening to classical music.