TT #56

In these tough economic times, everyone is cutting back. Below is a list of 13 things that I want to have and how I’ve made changes to keep them. I might not need all of these things but I’m not giving them up yet.

1. My house. I have cut out paying additional money toward the principal balance but I have to make my regular payment.
2. Electricity. During the recent windstorm, we lived with electricity for three days and believe me it’s no fun. However, we have cut back. We regulate the thermostat and open windows when we can. We lowered the setting on the water heater. I am more conscience of turned on lights, TVs, and etc.
3. Car/Gasoline. I need my vehicle to get around but I have cut back unnecessary trips. The prices of gasoline have dropped but there is still no need to waste gas.
4. The Internet. This is a must have for me. It is how I make a living.
5. Cable Television. This is a must have for my husband and daughter. I have a few shows I like but they are on basic cable and I could easily cut back to that. They however don’t agree. I did cut out a few movie channels.
6. Books! This may seem high on the list but for me it is a necessity. I make a living by writing (although that may be in jeopardy if the economy doesn’t turn around) and I love to read. I might not buy as many books as I once did but I still buy them.
7. Food. This is certainly a necessity though I could skip a few meals. LOL We have cut back on eating out. I’ve been cooking more and we eat more leftovers than we used to. It reminds me of growing up. We rarely ate out and my mom had dishes she made from leftovers. Mashed potatoes were turned into potato cakes. Veggies and meats were used in soups and stews.
8. Shopping! I used to see something I thought was cute and buy it regardless of need. Now, I think, do I really need it?
9. Cell Phones! Truly, I can do without mine. I rarely use it but my DH and daughter use theirs all the time. My daughter has unlimited texting and that is what she uses the most. I have cut the minutes back a bit. I think I saved ten dollars a month. Yippee!
10. I make sure all my bills are paid on time so we don’t get extra charges.
11. I don’t use credit cards. If I don’t have the money, I don’t buy it. (I do use debit cards and Paypal).
12. I get money off my debit card at my bank only. I don’t want those extra bank charges.
13. I haven’t planned a big vacation for next year. I do have a couple of conferences I plan to attend and we’ll see from there. I’m sure we’ll do something but it might be something close to home.

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