Ways to save during this recession
By ciasoon
@ciasoon (14)
United States
4 responses
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
3 Dec 08
stay away from the mall! i shop at thrift stores and have gotten brand new stuff pretty cheap (i got a brand new purse recently for $1 - still had the tag on it!)
i make a lot of soup for meals during the winter; we shop at a butchers for our meat (much cheaper than a supermarket!) plan your meals for a 2 week period and only buy that food that is needed. there are a lot of ideas!
1 person likes this
@nabendu82 (53)
• India
3 Dec 08
The best way is to get rich. Earn extra through websites like mylot and join some good network marketing company(which works best during recession) like quixtar and start your own business.
@ciasoon (14)
• United States
21 Dec 08
I don't know about getting rich, but a sure way to be keeping all the money that you work hard to earn is by having your own home-based business. I say 'home-based" with the risk of some folks shying away. There are so many home-baseda business offers that are more work than they divulge. I have run a property management company and my husbands computer repair business from our home for over 20 years - even before the internet and the home-biz buzz. That means we have been able to take advantage of all the tax advantages that home-based businesses allow. We have a home office, with totals about 1/3 of our living space in our home. So, we have significant tax deductions, for all the expenses of our home, including property taxes, plowing, lawn care, electricity, insurance, heat, water and the list goes on. We hover around the 30% tax bracket, so the quick calculation is that these expenses for our entire home are at a 30% discount. That's very simplistic and enyone should consult with their accountant or tax advisor. (just a note: all tax preparers and accountants are 'UP' on home-based biz advantages - get someone who knows).
1 person likes this
@bellamommy (192)
• United States
2 Dec 08
I have done this way before the recession started, but buy a paper every sunday and clip coupons! It works every week for us. Last week, I saved $8 with coupons alone, and then $30 with the grocery store's discount card(i.e., an advantage card for Price Chopper.)Another great tip is to buy mostly whole foods and staples, such as milk, eggs, a head of lettuce, whole chicken, instead of prepackaged items.
@snowcat46 (2322)
• United States
5 Jan 09
You're probably not going to like my suggestion. It means spending more money right at first. One of the biggest expenses for families is the meat budget. My husband came from a farm family, so he looked at meat in a different way. We invested in a small stand up freezer. It was about 1/3 of the size of a full size. Then we ordered 1/4 of a side of beef from a locker. Maybe butcher shops do that as well. You pay processing fees and the cost per pound of the meat. Not $16 for a pound of ribeye etc. It's much cheaper and lasts way longer.
We've expanded on the idea over the years. We now have 3 full size freezers and he raises a calf every year. (I preferred buying it! They are a royal pain to take care of.) But a full size freezer means you can buy an entire beef. Most times, they don't want to sell only 1/4 anymore. If you could find other families who want to do the same, it would work better.
Also, have you shopped at Aldi's? We freeze their bread. Their bread works better than more expensive stores.
