Spending Woes
By Daphne | November 14, 2008
“Consumers are aggressively cutting back,” said Scott Hoyt, director of consumer economics with Moody ’s Economy.com. “They’re not even taking the savings from lower gas prices and spending it in stores.”
Recession? Depression?
Fears of an extended recession has made many people very anxious about their spending. We are not alone. A quick Google News search of recession yields recession talk from Italy, Hong Kong, Europe. Gas prices have taken their toll on wallets but now that gas is decreasing people aren’t reallocating those funds into different areas. Groceries are still expensive. Jobless claims are up but this only includes those who have received unemployment benefits, and only lists those who have been unemployed for the previous six months. If you didn’t receive benefits, or have been searching for employment for a while, then you probably aren’t included in the jobless rate.
If you have not been to a store, or better yet, if you have been to a store or a restaurant, you will truly understand the recent reporting that retail sales report a drop. For people who have been paring down their spending because of credit problems or unemployment then this should be no surprise.
The lack of spending is also taking its toll on charities. Since there are more people who need to use the services that some charities provide. People who need to feed their families, pay for heating bills and job seekers need help but these are more up front concerns. Programs like domestic violence, training programs, and family services have not gone away everyone is facing problems with money. Take a little and help out someone in need - even if you only donate a few coins this will really help people this year.
" width="400" height="225" wmode="transparent" /]
Topics: November 2008 | No Comments »
Fruits and Veggies
By Daphne | November 13, 2008
Don’t forgo fresh fruits and vegetables when shopping. Fresh is best and may cost more but in the long run, for health reasons, if you decide to skip fresh fruits and vegetables you will be doing a disservice to your diet and health.
To maximize your budget:
- Buy only the fruits and vegetables that are on sale
- Shop at a fruit/vegetable market - often the quality and price are much better
- Look for fruits and vegetables that are slightly bruised, often they are packaged for quick sale
- If you buy packaged greens on the sell by date they are generally discounted, this is a great deal if you use them the same day
- Try different varieties of fruits (applies, oranges, plums) Some of the standard varietals have been overshadowed by newer ones - look at Red and Golden Delicious apples instead of Braeburn
Fruits and vegetables are important to our health, just going for cheap, filling food will not provide a balanced diet and can be detrimental to your health later on.
Topics: November 2008 | No Comments »
Convenient Foods
By Daphne | November 12, 2008
If you are out or at an event and can’t bring your own food, fast food may be convenient for you. When choosing fast food, look at any of the meals that are offered because buying a drink, sandwich and fries can sometimes be more expensive than if you buy a meal.
Also sharing a drink can save you money when dining. If you want the same drink get a larger size and share. This is especially true if you want wine in a restaurant, ordering by the glass is more expensive than ordering by the split or bottle.
Even ordering a large sandwich and cutting it or saving part until later can save you money. Think before you spend. Large portions in a restaurant? order an appetizer for your meal or split an entree with a friend and your wallet will thank you.
Topics: November 2008 | No Comments »