Save or spend?

Posted by: chatty lady

Save or spend? - 04/15/11 01:47 AM

Since we have hit such rough times do you find yourself being more frugul? Do you simply look at things you once would have just picked up and bought? Do you want less now, or just tell ytourself you do, and keep the cash? I was just wondering if anyone has changed their spending habits the way I have.
Posted by: Anne HolmesAdministrator

Re: Save or spend? - 04/16/11 07:59 PM

One thing I've noticed when shopping for groceries, is that I am seeing more people shopping with a LIST and/or with coupons or the grocery store's ads, showing all the specials.

I think more people are reining in their potential for impulse buying this way.

I've always grocery shopped with a list and a pen to check things off as I buy them. But I haven't been previously aware of so many other people doing this.

Of course, it doesn't stop me from considering an impulse purchase if I run into something NOT ON THE LIST which is a fabulous find. But my mother always taught me to question any impulsive purchase with three questions:

1) Do I want it?
2) Do I need it?
3) Is there something else that would better resolve the need?

That seems to work pretty well...
Posted by: Cookie

Re: Save or spend? - 04/21/11 02:46 PM

I haven’t changed my spending habits too much because I have always been frugal. I have always watched my money closely—had too! Money was/is too hard to work for to be wasteful. We lived/live on a budget and stuck to it. I was always taught you don’t buy things unless you can pay for it. The only thing that we took loans out on was homes and cars. Everything else I would save for.
Posted by: yonuh

Re: Save or spend? - 04/21/11 02:52 PM

I haven't changed my spending either. When I need something, I almost always comparison shop if it's something other than groceries. Even for groceries I look for what's on sale or has coupons. At the Co-op where we shop there are different things on sale every month so we usually stock up on the sales items that we know we will use. We bought a case of laundry detergent that was on sale and got an additional 10% case discount - I'm still using it and we bought it about a year ago. We also get case discounts on the dog food we buy at the feed store. Every little bit helps!
Posted by: chatty lady

Re: Save or spend? - 05/04/11 10:12 PM

Heard on the news that less and less people are spending money and more are saving whatever they can on food and other items. With so many out of work or working for less than they made before what do the economists expect? I think very hard before buying anything not truly needed. Plus all the prices are higher now so even if spending the same it would seem like less.
Posted by: jabber

Re: Save or spend? - 05/17/11 01:11 PM

I generally shop with a list, if I don't forget the darn thing and leave it at home. I cut out coupons, the ones that require purchasing only one of a given item and not 2 or 3. I look for clothing sales at high end stores, thinking the quality is better and they'll last longer. And I try to fill the car when the gas station has 5 cents a gal off, on weekends'n Wednesdays. But these aren't really changes. I've always done these things.
Posted by: yonuh

Re: Save or spend? - 05/17/11 07:44 PM

I just went clothes shopping at one of my favorite thrift stores; the selection is less and the prices are higher. I think more people are holding on to things longer and buying used as much as possible.
Posted by: Anne HolmesAdministrator

Re: Save or spend? - 05/17/11 08:12 PM

Are most of the clothes there sold on consignment?

Guess we need to get the word out that people can make some money by cleaning out their closets and selling their unneeded "stuff."

NABBW Associate Barb Tobias buys all her clothes at thrift stores, garage sales and etc., then sells them again when she is done with them. She blogs about this frequently. Here's her latest post: Thrift Shopping
Posted by: yonuh

Re: Save or spend? - 05/17/11 08:20 PM

Some are consignment, but most operate on donated items, and the money made goes to a charity. The Humane Society where I work opened a thrift store a few months ago; everything sold there is donated and we get the profit, if any. There's also GoodWill, Salvation Army, and a couple of other thrift stores here in town who support Veterans, Boys and Girls Clubs, and other non-profit groups with the proceeds from their sales. The consignment stores are quite picky on the clothes they will accept; most of mine I just donate when I'm done with them.
Posted by: Mountain Ash

Re: Save or spend? - 05/18/11 08:42 AM

In Scotland certain Charity (thrift) shops receive "goods in kind" which are left overs or less popular items from High Street shops. The cost is well below shop price but a little more than privatly donated goods.These items are good quality always unworn and may be one season out of fashion.But when we buy clothing it lasts well past one season..Childrens clothing in particular is donated like this.It certainly makes sense for a young family to look first in these thrift shops.
Many times when a clothing company folds (sadly in the present economy quite often)these thrift shops have large donations.
Many shops also advertise for donations of unwanted Christmas gifts and people respond very well.
I am always saddened when I see that a house clearance has meant that the personal treasures are for sale..obviously well loved items...sometimes even framed photographs which are bought for the frame only...but then I realise that at least items are recycled and not used in landfill.Puts into perspective what is important..
I do donate what is unused rather than clutter my home..
Posted by: Anne HolmesAdministrator

Re: Save or spend? - 05/18/11 05:42 PM

I bet all of us would benefit from donating to eliminate clutter from our homes.

I recall that when Steve and I moved to Galena a few years ago, we moved from a house we had lived in for 10 years or so -- and from which our kids moved off to college and their own homes.

The move was monumental. We had so much "stuff" to purge from the house before we could move that I became overwhelmed and actually broke down in tears as I toured the house and contemplated what would have to be done before the moving truck could roll...

But it wasn't so bad, once we developed a plan, and got some help:

We gave furniture to family and friends who had needs, donated to the Salvation Army and other similar sources, sold stuff on e-Bay, held a mini garage sale and even still, we had so much junk left over that we called 1-800-GOTJUNK and they hauled one and a half truckloads to the landfill.

Since then, we've tried really hard not to accumulate more "stuff" into our lives. I can't imagine how bad things would have been for our children if we'd not handled all of this before now, and they had to deal with it years into the future, when we die.

(The other thing I want to mention is that as an adult, I had moved more than 6 times prior to this move. I thought I was an old hand at moving... But it's one thing to keep packing stuff up and moving it forward, it's a total other thing to figure out how to divest yourself of the stuff you no longer need or use.)
Posted by: yonuh

Re: Save or spend? - 05/18/11 06:56 PM

I am facing that now - I have lived in my current home for 15 years; my partner has been there for 23. Right now, the task of sorting, packing, and moving seems totally overwhelming!
Posted by: Anne HolmesAdministrator

Re: Save or spend? - 05/18/11 11:03 PM

Hi Yonuh,

First of all, you have my sympathy. This sort of a move is really tough: both physically and emotionally challenging. But I promise you, it can be done! And you will be really happy you did it -- when it is all over. Though I think I ached for a week after the move...

You've probably figured this out already, but the best way to tackle the job is to organize it and break it up into manageable pieces. Handle one room -- or even one part of a room -- at a time. And have boxes marked "save," "recycle," "give away," and "trash."

Also helpful: early on I pulled together a crew of family and friends to help for a day -- we all worked hard, they got first dibs on stuff they wanted to keep, and I kept them well-fed. Definitely worth it if you can assemble a crew like that.

In the litany of disposal in my story above, I forgot that we also left stuff curbside for the regular trash pick-up. The week of the move, the trash pick-up wasn't just one or two barrels -- it practically ran the full with of our lot. I'm sure the trash guys weren't happy, but that's what ended up happening.

Good luck -- how far away are you moving?

Anne
Posted by: yonuh

Re: Save or spend? - 05/19/11 01:03 AM

We're moving to another part of town so it's not far. Since the new house will need some work, my partner will be up there working every day and will take a load of stuff with him. The heavy stuff will be last and we'll rent a truck with a lift gate. I know it can be broken down into small chunks, but right now, as I look around, there just seems like so much! The new house is also a little bigger, and has a garage, so lots of room to put stuff.

We live on a corner lot so usually put stuff out on the corner - it's almost always gone within 24 hours. It's amazing what people will pick up!
Posted by: jabber

Re: Save or spend? - 05/19/11 01:55 PM

Good luck, yonuh! You're such a sweet lady!
Posted by: jabber

Re: Save or spend? - 05/20/11 01:17 PM

A wise lady told me once to save what you can, spend some,
and willingly help others.
Posted by: chatty lady

Re: Save or spend? - 08/11/11 07:38 PM

Now thats a wise woman and some great advice.
Posted by: jabber

Re: Save or spend? - 08/11/11 08:16 PM

I agree.