What have YOU given up due to the current economic climate?

[Red Squirrel]

I must ask, other then people who lost their job, how does the economy even affect you? Do work places actually lower wages or something?

 

[Jeff7]

Nothing. I got a full-time job offer a week before college graduation.

So I've been doing some (not much) stimulating of the economy with a few purchases I'd been holding off on. Soon though: Student loan payments. :Q

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I must ask, other then people who lost their job, how does the economy even affect you? Do work places actually lower wages or something?

Oh yes, definitely. Salary cuts, cut backs on perks, increase the employee's costs for insurance premiums, or not give yearly wage increases.

 

[imported_Imp]

Nothing. Freeload at home, only found a real, permanent job a month ago that I hate, and haven't gotten a single paycheck yet.

 

[IEC]

My company is in excellent shape now and going forward.

That said... my father lost his job, the economy sucks, and I am a very low maintenance kind of person.

1. I don't buy alcohol any more. That saves a lot of money.
2. I don't eat out more than about once a month.
3. I use deal sites to find good deals. I bought strawberries at 99c/lb and 1.5qt ice cream @ 1.33/ea today.
4. I cook most of my meals for <$1, ingredients and electricity included. Pasta, rice, stew-based dishes are all cheap to make.
5. I leave the AC/heat off during the day, only turn it on when it is intolerably warm. Adjusting clothing is easier and cheaper.

etc.

 

[Reckoner]

My job and sanity.

 

[Orsorum]

I've been cutting back on eating out and been trying to make more bulk meals at home. Tried to cut back on alcohol, too, either buying the raw materials myself and making the drinks at home or forgoing altogether.

 

[Tommouse]

Originally posted by: Jeff7
Nothing. I got a full-time job offer a week before college graduation.

So I've been doing some (not much) stimulating of the economy with a few purchases I'd been holding off on. Soon though: Student loan payments. :Q

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I must ask, other then people who lost their job, how does the economy even affect you? Do work places actually lower wages or something?

Oh yes, definitely. Salary cuts, cut backs on perks, increase the employee's costs for insurance premiums, or not give yearly wage increases.

Yea my company cut 10% of the work force, and subsequently went into a hiring/salary freeze. Which is unsettling, because you don't know when/if there is another round coming, so you pull back in preparation, etc.

But for me personally, I didn't cut back too much, just diverted the extra money I was paying into student loans and bounced that to savings instead. But the good news is that the salary freeze was just lifted, and my boss has hinted heavily that I will be getting a raise within the month, so all things are gravy here

 

[Engineer]

No new computer components.
Less clothing.
Combine trips and usually stop on the way from work to do errands.
Cheaper food and more sales/coupons.
Rarely eat out anymore.
More energy conscience (turn off items not in use).
Cheaper and shorter vacations.
Save every penny that I can (having zero debt helps with this).

My plant has 23 of 30 people laid off and it's looking bad for future work (machinery building plant for manufacturing). Afraid to spend as I'm afraid my job will end at any time. If that happens, I go from recession to depression.

 

[microAmp]

Didn't buy a lens this year. But started up Netflix so I wouldn't be tempted to buy DVD movies; bought a truck, other one was having issues; gained a -5% paycut, at least I still have a job. For the time being...

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Tommouse
Yea my company cut 10% of the work force, and subsequently went into a hiring/salary freeze. Which is unsettling, because you don't know when/if there is another round coming, so you pull back in preparation, etc.

But for me personally, I didn't cut back too much, just diverted the extra money I was paying into student loans and bounced that to savings instead. But the good news is that the salary freeze was just lifted, and my boss has hinted heavily that I will be getting a raise within the month, so all things are gravy here

Cool; and, since I was a college student during the start of the whole mess, I'd already cut back on most of what I could. The next cutback would have been cable. After that, I don't know what would have been left, except to get a roommate again. *shudder*
God I had enough of that during college.

 

[Penth]

I gave up my monthly car wash pass and soda when eating out. I also called comcast and they lowered my bill by $30/mo without cutting back anything but I might have cut my cable package back if they hadn't. I also quit putting money in the market.

 

[aldamon]

Nothing.

 

[fire400]

cosmo products

eating out; realizing that home cooked food taste better anyway and is far cheaper than food service and it's food

randomly buying stupid things that I throw out in less than a month

...and ...well, treating people out so much.

 

[Tobolo]

whores

 

[tk149]

Decided not to really go anywhere on vacation this year, other than weekend trips.

Don't buy as many DVD's or games as I used to. But I switched to Blu-Ray.

Eat out less.

Employer killed 401K matching. Certainly no raises this year.

Best wishes to those who are unemployed and looking for a job.

 

[Glitchny]

Originally posted by: aldamon
Nothing.

i think i might have increased spending...

 

[BurnItDwn]

I haven't given anything up, though I might give up an extra bedroom for my uncle in the coming months.

 

[ElFenix]

eharmony.com

when i wasn't paying for it it sent me doctors and RNs and lawyers.

when i paid for it it sent me students, hairdressers, and the unemployed.

bait and switch.

 

[spidey07]

Overtime.

 

[zoiks]

I reduced my spending from $3k every month to about 1.1k. This is outside my rent and I live alone.

 

[Kanalua]

Cost me a Federal Job (lawyer right out of law school).

Haven't really cut back. Family deaths (Mother-in-Law and her Father died about a month apart) have affected our finances the most (wife gone for a month, me for three weeks, travel to Arizona from Hawaii, etc).

 

[Chaotic42]

Nothing. I don't spend much anyway.

 

[kranky]

Had thought about taking a pricey vacation but decided not to. Not sure we would have gone regardless of the economy. Our savings are healthy and we don't spend a lot anyway so we didn't have to cut back on any regular expenses.

I have decided to get a new PC and a new handgun and that will probably be it for non-regular spending for a while.