Friday Five: Taking The Financial Hit

Posted on September 26, 2008 
Filed Under Life, Personal

While the U. S. banking bailout is not affecting our family directly, we have noticed resources don’t go as far as they used to. While there’s nothing startling new here, I offer a list of five ways we’re adjusting to the high prices and financial uncertainty of the times:

  1. Clothesline: Hang wet clothes instead of using the dryer. My kids don’t like this one - too much work. Oh well.
  2. Reduce unnecessary food expenses: Our grocery bill was already high, and rose dramatically over the summer. We’re cutting everything from parmasean cheese to desserts. Draconian!
  3. Drive a smaller car: With five kids still at home, we need larger vehicles to get the crew around from Point A to Point B. However, a few months ago we bought a little - little! - car which gives very god mileage on those occasions we don’t have everyone piled into a Suburban. Suburbans aren’t known for their fuel efficiency…
  4. Carpooling: We cooperate with friends and neighbors whenever possible for school and church-related activities.  Sometimes that means we drive the Suburban, though. Puteight or nine people in there and you’ll get pretty good miles-per-passenger!
  5. Eliminating the annual Christmas letter. We’ve got a lot of folks on our mailing list, and can certainly take a break from that annual expensive mailing. Oh, wait - we haven’t sent a Christmas letter in three years. Never mind!

And you? Tell us your money-saving tips.

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