Simple Frugality: Tips for Surviving the Economic Downturn

When I was a child during the 1970's I remember a small chunk of time now referred to as "The Energy Crisis." To me it was the time when my sister and I would sit around and play number games, while trying to figure out what days my parents would be able to buy gas. I also remember a shortage on peanut butter and my parent's lamenting over the inflated price that came along with it. But what I remember most is that it turned around, things eventually got better and in the mean time we changed some of our living habits to save money. Not once do I remember feeling deprived other than normal childish selfishness, and I was never uncomfortable.

In my thirties I chose to finish my college education. That same month the September 11th attacks occured and the economic shake up which followed directly affected me. I had to learn to live on a smaller amount of money for the benefit that would come later. Taking lessons from my parents and the things I have learned since discovering how to live a simpler life, I survived, and I am already experiencing the benefits of my degree.

I took the experience of returning to school as an opportunity to step up and apply some simple, sustainable and therefore more frugal techniques to my life. And even though my income is starting to stabilize, I'm not interested in changing any of these habits because of the long term benefits to my family and the environment.

The easiest part of the budget to control is entertainment. Seeing movies in the theater is a major expense and is therefore an obvious elimination. This also goes for eating out with friends. Turning off cable television and home Internet is also an easy way to save $100 or more a month. Eliminating cable will also eliminate the expense of downloading music and movies for a while as well.

Wait! Don't start crying or feeling deprived. Cutting back on these expenses does not mean that entertainment has been ripped out of your life. Consider the following options which cost very little or no money.

• Discover your local public library. Here you can not only check out books, but DVDs, videos and Cd's also. This is also a great place for free Internet access as well.
• Check your local library for free childen's programs too.
• Does your town have a discount movie theater? Toledo recently lost their $2 theater, but it was a great way to get out of the house and have a cheap date.
• Invite your friends over for a potluck dinner. Not only is it more economical, it's also much more fun.
• Check your local newspaper or entertainment guide for all things free and almost free. Step outside your box and experience something different. Look for local art exhibits or visit your local museum.
• Explore a local park or take your children to play at a local playground.

What we eat and how we eat it is another great way to control the budget. Obviously cooking your own food and avoiding as many convenience foods as possible is a fantastic way to decrease your out flow of cash, followed by not eating out or getting carryout from your favorite restaurants. I have included some of my ideas below, but you will find that your own ideas will start to pop up once you get going.

• One day a week spend some time in the kitchen preparing foods for the week. Prep vegetables for quick salads at the end of a busy day. Cook and freeze soups, chillies, and casseroles.
• Explore crock-pot meals. You start them in the morning and when your family arrives home in the evening, dinner is ready.
• If you're dying for Chinese food, go to your local Chinese buffet. Fill the carryout container with meat and vegetables only. Make rice at home, and purchase soda by the two liter at the grocery store.
• If you have to have fast food, stay away from the Value Meals. Buy a sack of burgers and purchase potato chips and soda pop at the grocery store.
• Drop Starbucks. Make your own coffee in the morning and put it in a travel mug.

Reducing gas consumption is a great way to control the budget. There are several ways to accomplish this goal and everyone will have their individual way of cutting back based on their priorities.

• Carpool to work. It's an oldy but a goody. With the highly unstable cost of gasoline, splitting the gas budget with nieghbors can relieve some financial stress.
• Batch your trips. Plan errands around commutes to and from work or around other outings. Do as much as you can every time you go out.
• Keep your car's tires inflated as well as ensuring that all fluids are topped off. This will reduce the amount of gas your car uses.
• Walk, ride a bike or take public transportation.

Another easy part of the budget to control is the amount of energy used in our home. I vividly remember many of the things my parents did during the "Energy Crisis" and have been applying all of them to save money and energy. After being sure that your house is properly insulated, you will find that the following tips will also help to decrease the amount of energy you use, and therefore, the amount of money you spend.

• Turn down the thermostat. Keeping the temperature below 70 degrees will make a big difference in your heating bill. I keep ours at 62 once the place is warmed up.
• Cover your windows with plastic. This cuts down considerably on drafts and helps to keep your heat from escaping.
• Cover the doorways of low traffic rooms with a sheet or blanket. This will keep heat out of those rooms and in the rooms you use more often.
• Put on a sweater, drink something warm. The heat won't need to be as high for you to be comfortable.
• Wash your clothes in cold water. There are several laundry soaps made specifically for cold water loads. I found that homemade laundry soap works well in cold water loads too.
• Don't dry your clothes. Find a corner of your home where you can hang some clothesline, preferably a room that isn't used often. This is a clear memory from my childhood. I remember my mother hanging clothesline in the living room. And it's easy to take down when company comes over.
• Some laundry will still need the dryer. I found that towels and rags did better in the dryer. Only drying towels has decreased our dryer usage 75%.

Shopping serves many purposes. Fundamentally it provides us with the things we need to survive and to live our lives. We need to buy food and clothing for our families, but shopping can also be a social activity or something we just get an urge to do. It can be an emotional release. The best thing to do to control this part of the budget is to differentiate between shopping for necessity and shopping for fun. Once you've discerned between the two, applying these tips will help in decreasing the amount of money you will spend.

• Plan menus for the week, or cook and freeze meals a month at a time. This will help you create a grocery list with everything you really need.
• Creating home cooked meals keeps convenience foods to a minimum. It also makes it easier to eat healthier because whole foods used when cooking from scratch are cheaper and healthier than convenience foods.
• See what household cleaning products you can make yourself to avoid paying for name brand products. Many homemade cleaners are not only cheaper, but also better for the environment.
• Pay cash for clothing purchases. Don't put them on a credit card, this costs more in the long run because of high interest rates.
• Hit the sale racks and don't shy away from super stores like Wal Mart. Their clothing is surprisingly well made. I'm still wearing clothes from four years ago.
• Get your friends together for a clothing swap. Have everyone clean out their closet and meet at a friend's house. It is free and fun.
• Thrift stores are a great place to find quality clothing, and the money you spend goes to a great cause. I find clothes for work and leisure at my local Salvation Army and Goodwill on a regular basis.
• Who needs the mall? If you're stuck with an urge to shop because you need to have some fun, go back to the thrift store or hit some rummage sales, yard sales or flea markets. You can put $20 in your pocket and come home with a bag of treasures.

Integrating all or most of these tips will considerably decrease the amount of money you will spend on a monthly basis. If your family is experiencing a lay off, or you simply need to refinance your faltering retirement fund, these tips will help you find the money you need to stay afloat. Involving the entire family is a great way to ensure that they are instituted on a daily basis. Children will be learning great habits and values that will last a life time. You may find that once your financial situation turns around you will continue to do many of these things because, in the end, a frugal lifestyle is a more environmentally concsious lifestyle.