What do you do to cut corners?

So the economy sucks (for most of us who are not millionaires.) I've found new little ways to cut corners to save money. I've actually started doing all my grocery shopping at *gasp* Wal-Mart and sometimes I even save my coffee cup from Panera and go back later in the afternoon for refills.

I even stole toilet paper from school once.

So, come on guys. Admit what you've done to save money....

[psychodiva]

Started shopping at Iceland ( a cheap British shop for frozen food) where they do meal deals for £5 and you can get bags of veg really cheap.

I have also turned more of my garden over to growing veg this year- my 6x6 veg plot is now joined by a 3x6 plot for beans and a larger composting bin and more veggies planted between flowers- plus more tubs of tomatoes and courgettes

I want to start a garden.....

[Tenspace]

Ellie Arroway wrote

I want to start a garden.....

Don't get arrested.

[ghoulslime]

I've cut out blowing money on whores and go go bars. I'm sticking to one low-maintenance chick for a while. I've trimmed my travel schedule for work to exactly half. I've also cut out dinner. (Not so much to save money as much as to fight off becoming a fat pig.)

That said, I'm still a wasteful asshole with no control over my spending.

Tenspace wrote

Don't get arrested.

Actually I was thinking of inventing a new species and putting an apple tree in the garden with them. Then I could dictate strange messages to them and order the innocent killing of beetles and ants or maybe grasshoppers. Depends on what kind of mood I'm in.

Then, I'd be god and would be above the law.

You see?

ghoulslime wrote

I've cut out blowing money on whores and go go bars. I'm sticking to one low-maintenance chick for a while. I've trimmed my travel schedule for work to exactly half. I've also cut out dinner. (Not so much to save money as much as to fight off becoming a fat pig.)

That said, I'm still a wasteful asshole with no control over my spending.

You could always start turning tricks on the side to pay for the whores...

[ghoulslime]

Ellie Arroway wrote

You could always start turning tricks on the side to pay for the whores...

It hasn't got so bad that I need to start trading hand jobs for crack on Hollywood BLVD, but I will certainly add that to my list of contingency plans.

[Waddlie]

ghoulslime wrote

I've trimmed my travel schedule for work to exactly half.

Serious question, Ghoulie (for once) - what exactly do you do for a living?

[ubs]

Ellie Arroway wrote

I want to start a garden.....

Gardening will save your soul, but you it won't save you money. Just as it's considerably cheaper to buy a sweater than it is to knit one, it's cheaper to purchase vegetables than it is to grow them.

The best way to save money is to start measuring what and how you spend - Mint makes that as painless as any site I've ever seen (plus they have great forums if you're young and penniless), and then look for ways to improve existing behavior.

[Kate]

I had five tomato plants last year. I bought two for about $6, and the other three were gifted from the pseudo-organic Farmer Barb, with whom I ply the fields and drive buggies (when not off spreading freedom in foreign lands). We got about 40lbs of crop from those five plants. Works out to about 15 cents a pound. I did not use fertilizer, and the water was minimal once they were established.

[Sternwallow]

Ellie Arroway wrote

So the economy sucks (for most of us who are not millionaires.) I've found new little ways to cut corners to save money. I've actually started doing all my grocery shopping at *gasp* Wal-Mart and sometimes I even save my coffee cup from Panera and go back later in the afternoon for refills.

I even stole toilet paper from school once.

So, come on guys. Admit what you've done to save money....

I owe it to my participation in this economy to do all I can to sustain and even enhance the consumerism that is its central driving force.

Today I switched from "New Original Syrup-style breakfast table, chemically enhanced food-like product" to real Maple Syrup on my waffles. You may call me a "waffler" if you think you must.

[Sternwallow]

Ellie Arroway wrote

So the economy sucks (for most of us who are not millionaires.) I've found new little ways to cut corners to save money. I've actually started doing all my grocery shopping at *gasp* Wal-Mart and sometimes I even save my coffee cup from Panera and go back later in the afternoon for refills.

I even stole toilet paper from school once.

So, come on guys. Admit what you've done to save money....

I recently started a commercial grade yeast farm in my basement. The coolness, darkness and high humidity seem ideal for a year-round growing season. I expect to market my first crop to the local beer industry.

By the way, mildew is the same as yeast, right?

[Sternwallow]

ghoulslime wrote

I've cut out blowing money on whores and go go bars. I'm sticking to one low-maintenance chick for a while. I've trimmed my travel schedule for work to exactly half. I've also cut out dinner. (Not so much to save money as much as to fight off becoming a fat pig.)

That said, I'm still a wasteful asshole with no control over my spending.

In other words, a patriot!

[EngelFaeuste]

Sternwallow wrote

In other words, a patriot!

If we could get the people in China to behave like ghoulie and stop saving 45% of their salary, we'd be out of this global financial crisis in no time.