Our Economy: An Epic Fail
I'm saving for... banks, Fred Flare, $10
No fancy lyric titles today, folks. Being in debt is a serious business. We (by we, we mean I, or are referring to ourselves in the third person) at Grab My Notebook (GMN as we fondly refer to it) are feeling the strain of our own budget. We do not have a job, and our pursuit of an internship or job for the summer is turning up fruitless and pointless, where we are met by constraints like our age (most internships you have to be AT LEAST a sophomore, if not a junior for) or our major ( we regret we are not scientifically minded enough to be an engineering major, and are in the college of arts and science). Thus we are already relegated to a job that will most likely be in retail... Which I have already been advised against by several sources. But it is my only option... And really, everything I see reminds me that I have no money and a lot of others don't either.
So my question, posed to all those faithful readers out there, is what strategies are you employing out there in these times of economic stress in order to save or stretch money? Eating out less? Renting movies from netflix instead of going to movie theaters? Recycling cans? Any or all of the above? For my part I have devised a plan: Every Sunday I will put all my change (coins) in this pink water bottle I have in my room, it will be my psuedo piggy bank. Hopefully, when that piggy bank is full, I will have a hundred dollars or more! I think saving, even in this small way, will help. And then I can put it towards next year's college money, or a trip to Ireland, or a car, or what have you.
I'll be reading the comments over this weekend, and come Monday, I will choose the winner and they will receive one of my newly crafted business cards, a very nice handwritten letter on SU stationary (because I want a pen pal), a personalized CD, and a surprise. I know, not the greatest, but I happen to be poor and on a budget.
So my question, posed to all those faithful readers out there, is what strategies are you employing out there in these times of economic stress in order to save or stretch money? Eating out less? Renting movies from netflix instead of going to movie theaters? Recycling cans? Any or all of the above? For my part I have devised a plan: Every Sunday I will put all my change (coins) in this pink water bottle I have in my room, it will be my psuedo piggy bank. Hopefully, when that piggy bank is full, I will have a hundred dollars or more! I think saving, even in this small way, will help. And then I can put it towards next year's college money, or a trip to Ireland, or a car, or what have you.
I'll be reading the comments over this weekend, and come Monday, I will choose the winner and they will receive one of my newly crafted business cards, a very nice handwritten letter on SU stationary (because I want a pen pal), a personalized CD, and a surprise. I know, not the greatest, but I happen to be poor and on a budget.
posted by Ally at 7:48 PM
6 Comments:
I am going to make an adventure fund. I'll match how much i spent that week on needless stuff and put it in the jar (that can only be opened by ruining it.) So I wont want to put money in their cause than I can't spend it so I don't spend money. Get the idea?
Okay I buy hmmm lets say a bubble tea. $3.75 and that's all I bought for 7 days (yeah right). I put $3.75 in the jar. That's $3.75 I can't spend until June 2009. So it's sort of like throwing it away, until June. I don't want to put money in there because I want to spend it and I don't want to spend it because I don't want to put it in their. Basically I'm not saving money but come June 2009 I can see how much I spent over the months and have a nice little reward. Little being the key word.
I also limited my spending to $100 a month, now down to $75. It's really easy when you write everything down and see exactly what your are buying. What your need vs. what you want.
good luck
p.s. the US is two weeks away from a depression according to CNN. I knew that would raise your sprits.
My biggest frivilous spending offenses are fast food for convenience, trips to the nail salon for acrylic nails/pedicures, and late night purchases on Amazon or Ebay because i am bored or have insomnia.
I don't see myself giving up fast food but I don't eat it as frequently as I used to. I pack a sack lunch for work most days of the week.
I have given up acrylic nails which isn't as easy to do as you think. I now just get pedicures but might phase that out too.
As far as Amazon and Ebay are concerned I really have to find a bargain to buy something. I found a movie for 20cents and books for a penny plus shipping and handling at Amazon. Of course you have to look at used items to get these prices and they are usually from outside vendors.
I, too, started saving change a while ago. Anytime I paid for something with cash, I would put the change in the bin. You would be surprised how much it added up to when we got it changed to cash. I think it was close to $500!
We also eat out much less and I'm much happier and thinner because of it.
Lastly, I decided to get a rewards credit card and I use it for my everyday expenses. Anything that I can charge gets charged and then I make sure that I go online and pay it off at least once a week. I'll look forward to using the reward money when I decide to cash it in.
I'm so glad that we are able to keep up with each other through our blogs! My best wishes to you and good luck in your job search.
I don't have much of a strategy...unfortunately, this bunny is making me go out and spend more money :( . Hopefully, this will help the economy a little, lol! *sigh*
First off, I love how your blog topics sometimes involve an audience participation reward--it really makes it fun! (I won a DVD last summer through this)Anyway, to answer your question, I've become a coupon queen to try and save money. Not only am I saving money at the grocery store but at fast-food places too. I can get really good coupons for KFC and Weinerschnitzl through the Pennysaver that comes out on Wednesdays. I can feed a family of four with chili dogs for about ten bucks (Now that's a deal). In addition, I've taken the "Some man's junk is another man's treasure" approach and I sell my books that I've already read to used book stores and get cash. It's not a lot but I feel every bit helps!
Very nice and worthwhile topic. The only things you really need in life is food (basics, not fancy), clothing (not a whole closet full, just two to three changes), and shelter. Everything else is gravy...EVERYTHING ELSE. If you began with this concept, you'd probably never be broke again.
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