When you start going over budget due to rising prices, what will you cut out first?

[exitseven]

I paid over 3 bucks a gallon for gas yesterday, paid 220 dollars for half a shopping cart and my electric bill made me shit a brick.

[Screenwriter]

Push that thermostat up a degree or two and see how you tolerate it.

Do you need to make that trip in the car? Bundle car trips for shopping.

Eat less prepackaged foods. Start cooking your meals from scratch. This is a GIANT savings. Will save in calories too. YOU control how much fat is added to the food and the quality of fat. You don't want to eat those artery clogging oils used in processed foods to keep long shelf lives.

I was using a jambalaya box mix and discovered I could make my own with no more effort than chopping some vegetables and make it better. I was also using FRESH vegetables; some locally grown and right out the fields a day or two before. All the vitamins!!

Grow some foods if you like gardening! I love it and always try to put in some okra, tomatoes, lettuces, bell peppers, cukes, squash. Some of these you can can yourself and have for months into the fall if you have a big enough crop.

Growing your own watermelon would be amazing if you have the space...

Take out your bike and get a good pair of walking shoes. Two of the easiest and least expensive ways to exercise. If you live in an old city like NYC, New Orleans, Charleston, San Francisco, L. A. sections, San Antonio, St. Augustine, sections of Orlando, Jacksonville sections, Baton Rouge... you can often walk to grocery stores, some small, some larger. Get a wheely cart and do small shopping trips if you have fewer than 10 blocks to the store.

For big trips, use a car or solicit a friend or relative to take you. I've taken to shopping WITH my older cousin and her daughter. My son just got a small van and he brings me hither and yon. I'm carless probably until Thanksgiving. It's a wise way to save gas. Give your driver a few bucks.

[exitseven]

thank you.

[scentoflavender]

Well my monthly costs only take up about 20 percent of what I make ( give or take because how I get paid is weird) but I suppose the first thing is going with a cheaper version of things I use. I. E. in stead of buying Jameson, I'd buy Evan Williams.

[exitseven]

I became unemployed 20 years ago and to save money I gave up drinking altogether. When I went back to work I decided I didn't want to drink anymore.
Ironically four months after I stopped drinking, the store I bough my booze from went out of business.

[scentoflavender]

You must have had stock in it lol

[exitseven]

I practically did.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

There is something about the electric companies that make me sick
I have been on that PCAP for help to pay my electric bill and my electric company
is West Penn Power I would look to see if you qualify for a program to lower it
also, you may want to file a complaint against them through your States Attorney
General or the PUC if they take complaints about your electric company I live
in Southwestern Pennsylvania USA

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Thanks For MHO

[Wiredone]

I already returned 3 cable boxes and changed to basic cable.
I spend roughly $300 a week in gas just for my work truck. I can't do anything about that.
I stopped running the pump on my swimming pool. My electric bill almost gave me a heart attack and we only run it at night when rates are cheaper.
My food bill was cut down to around $100 a week.

[exitseven]

I just bought a indoor antenna for my upstairs TV and it gets about 20 or 30 channels. I am thinking about getting rid of cable all together.

[Wiredone]

I thought about cancelling cable but it would cost me more because I have phone, internet and cable. Yes I have a house phone because my wife is home all the time.

[exitseven]

yes, they got you coming and going.

[Wiredone]

I've even thought about going with a dish but they don't have internet and phone. I'm screwed either way. It's really expensive to live in New York

[exitseven]

My son just got rid of the dish. He was not saving any money and when it rained the service was bad.

[Wiredone]

I'm glad I didn't try it.

[Wiredone]

Thank you for the mho

[Ez-Bri-Z]

Usually subscriptions are the first to go if I ever need to seriously budget. Thankfully I am pretty frugal and I watch my credit like a hawk (in 6 months I am expecting another bump in my score. I am so close to 850 I can taste it)

Aside from subscriptions, then ordering food from restaurants and, unfortunately, any donations would be next.

[exitseven]

yes, subscriptions and dining out will be first to go. I am one of the few guys that mows his own lawn in the neighborhood. I wonder how many people will get rid of the lawn service.

[Ez-Bri-Z]

We probably would do, but I think our pool service would go first.

[exitseven]

I used to build swimming pools. I will come over with my bathing suit and test your water for you.

[Ez-Bri-Z]

Lmao you may need it in this Texas heat.

[exitseven]

There is nothing like Texas in the summertime.

[Ez-Bri-Z]

Or any other time. In February we had snow hit the ground take out the power grid.

Feb 9th temp = high of 78 degrees
Feb 16th = high of 28
Feb 23 = high of 78

For reference we were hitting near 80 as well. Totally could have went swimming on Christmas day lmao

[exitseven]

I remember most the insane downpours. Manhole covers would come off and the streets would turn into a river. Then after ten minutes it would stop and the sun would come out. A little later the ground would get dry and crack.

[Ez-Bri-Z]

That is definitely a thing though Houston is the worst for flooding.

[exitseven]

I was in San Antonio.

[Ez-Bri-Z]

Greetings from the Alamo City 😁

[exitseven]

Do or die for Alamo High.

[DaisyJones]

I'm always confused when I see one of these drive-thru menus, because the writing is small. It's almost like they don't want you to know the price. But the last time I went through I saw the price of what I wanted, but was irritated because surely this must be the combo price, right? I mean, how could ONE fucking hamburger cost that much?
Sure as shit, it was the price of just the burger.
So that's it... no more dining out for me. Now I just make sandwiches at home.

Oh, and you paid over $3.00 for gas? Last week I paid $3.75, and my state has three oil refineries!!

[Sugar100]

I paid $4.50 for gas.

[exitseven]

holy crap.

[DaisyJones]

@Sugar100

Double holy crap!

[Sugar100]

Lol my tank was almost empty and now it’s halfway full. So I’m happy

[DaisyJones]

@Sugar100
Hopefully you get good gas mileage.

[PaynefulPleasures]

I just went through the same thing. I don't know what to cut back I'm barely getting by as it is. It's like having a noose around your neck, it just keeps getting tighter.✌️

[Wiredone]

Increase your rates like I did last year.

[PaynefulPleasures]

Aww good advice thanks but clients are feeling the pinch too an increase could be damaging & I might loose out, wouldn't I?

[Wiredone]

I went up $5 more an hour. Im busier now more than I ever was. They don't have a problem with my rates. I started my business at $80 an hour. Now I'm at $115. There's companies charging $150 an hour.

I don't know how you bill out, wether hourly or flat rate. You can mention to your customers that you might be forced to increase your rates due to increasing costs. See what their reaction is

[PaynefulPleasures]

That's true especially with supply & demand, gas
I have someone who helps me with billing which I greatly appreciate

[Wiredone]

Everyone is raising their rates

[PaynefulPleasures]

Then I shall raise away with warning

[loves2learn]

Yikes! We have been so far under budget with covid I think we will be ok.

[exitseven]

Yes, me too but I am getting concerned.

[loves2learn]

The money we save on gas alone ie huge. I only fill up my car like once a month.

[exitseven]

me too but it is a 35 gallon tank.

[DaveToo]

Welcome to MY world. What I cut out a while ago was outside doctors and pharmacies. Everything goes through the VA now.

[Sugar100]

Spent less on food and cut out things u don’t need. That happened to me I spent $200 this week on things I needed and food and gas the expenses don’t stop

[exitseven]

what things don't you need?

[Anonymous]

I've already adjusted my lifestyle to minimize the impact of inflation, I'll just have to eat less meat and things should be more or less fine assuming there aren't rioters burning down my apartment.

Honestly I'm having a great time because I borrowed a shitload of money basically for free because it's losing value faster than the interest rate.

I'll pay it back easily selling a bit of gold when the time is right.

[Anonymous]

I will cut back on charity first because charity starts at home.

I will stop going out to eat because tipping is ridiculous and eating out is more expensive than needed to survive.

Cancel cable tv and get hulu

look at what I am throwing away from the refrigerator every week and start buying less of it

Stop getting deliveries and go pick up things myself

[SandandWaves]

cut out,
wants
eat cheaper
lower the electric bill
turn off netflix
lower phone bill
etc

[rcljr]

If I were a democrat the first thing I would cut would be any support or vote for any democrat. We didn’t have$3.00/gal gas under President Trump. it was $145/ gallon and falling lower.

[Anonymous]

I have nothing against religious people, mostly I dislike fellow atheists for their over the top jerkish behavior.

[OddBeMe]

Your mind should be thinking of better ways to make money,

[Black-eagle21]

Since pandemic, I had delete a new requirement every month. But, it does not work. Now, I have got a debt to banks.

[karaspara]

I don't know it's scary isn't it

[NathanDavis]

anything but my cat's premium food

[exitseven]

you are pussy whipped.

[NathanDavis]

[msc545]

Probably entertainment like Netflix, etc.

[slatyb]

Restaurant meals and bar bills.

[kevyhanma]

Food first to go