How Are You Coping?

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Jackielou
Posts: 13425
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

How Are You Coping?

Post by Jackielou »

This is a continuation of the cost of living thread.

We all see prices rising, and inflation beginning to creep into every corner of our lives.

To get ahead I started shopping every two weeks, that means if I don't save on groceries ( even with shopping the sales for the most part and keeping a well stocked pantry) I do save on fuel and wear tear on the vehicle.

I have also managed to do two meatless meals a week for the last while and am thinking of adding a third or at least another very little meat meal.

Using up leftovers also helps the bottom line.

I am thinking that making more cleaning supplies is an excellent idea as well.

What are you doing to combat inflation?
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
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Jackielou
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Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: How Are You Coping?

Post by Jackielou »

Oh I want to add making more personal products like hand lotion bars, sugar scrub and perhaps even body wash (need to figure that one out).
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
ohjodi
Posts: 1444
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 3:57 pm

Re: How Are You Coping?

Post by ohjodi »

Right now I'm paying better attention to not only food costs, but my consumption and waste.

Of course, I should have been doing that, anyway, but I confess my attention to it has been minimal. While I'm mostly frugal when it comes to prices, I've been a bit of a spendthrift with consumption and waste. And that's pretty stupid of me, because for example if you eat twice as much of something as you should, or you throw half of something away......you then actually paid 2x as much as you thought you did, lol

I'm trying to make sure that I generally have meat for only one meal per day, and I check the serving size. I didn't really have meat for every meal, before, but there were plenty of days that I did, lol Meat price increases have been terrible, so doing this is an easy way to really have a big impact on my food costs.

Often a single serving of meat can be split between two meals, like one cooked chicken breast can be split into soup, and again for salad later.

I'm packaging most leftovers for the freezer, in single servings, before I've even sat down to eat the dinner, lol By the time I"m done eating, they're cool enough to go into the freezer. Not only does that prevent them from being forgotten in the fridge, but it stops me from overeating.

Even if I think I'd want to eat something the next day, I freeze it anyway. Too often I forget to eat it, or think tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, lol

Since I found so much extra space in the freezer by getting rid of the ice bin and one tray, I have more room for leftovers.

Those that can't be frozen, and bits of things that need to be used up before they expire soon, I'm putting in a single bin/tray in the fridge. I check that first when deciding what to eat.

I love Irish butter. It costs 2x more than regular butter. And while I mostly did not use it for cooking, too many times I did not have regular butter, or it was frozen, and I'd use the Irish butter where I shouldn't have. So I'm paying attention to that, and only using the Irish for toast.

My next project will be to make my own sourdough bread. That should save me a good $2 per loaf.
ohjodi
floridacatlover
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Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: How Are You Coping?

Post by floridacatlover »

I am just doing what I always do, saving where I can, watching my spending and keeping close track of every penny I spend.

Mostly I’m watching my entertainment spending (streaming and purchases) but not cutting my social activities.

For our group December activity, friend and I are planning to take the city bus ($2.20 round trip each/senior rate) not so much to save gas and parking (friend usually drives) but traffic in our downtown area is becoming a nightmare with road and building construction.

I’m trying to maximize credit card points. I found out that Discover is offering 5% on grocery store purchases (which I don’t believe includes Walmart) from Jan.-March.

I’m not cutting back on groceries because I believe my spending is already low. Also not cutting back on gas because I’m not going to deny myself what little I drive now. Also not cutting back on electricity. My budget is $65/month. During a/c season I average $85/month (highest bill was $92 this year) but have very low bills during winter. To me there is not much to cut. Many here in Florida have a/c bills of $300/month.

My biggest bills by far are homeowners insurance and RX - and Pippi. Very hard to cut the first two and sadly will likely not have Pippi bills much longer.

One area where I could save is if I switched from a Medicare supplement ($209/month) and Part D ($12/month in 2022) to a Medicare Advantage plan ($0/month). With the Medicare supplement I have no co-pays, do not pay the Medicare deductible, can see any doctor, $50k coverage on overseas trips and would have no out-of-pocket for a hospitalization. With the Medicare Advantage plan I would have co-pays and Rx would be more expensive and could see only doctors in the plan. With everything the MA would be cheaper most years. If I dropped my supplement, however, I might not be able to get it back because of pre-existing conditions. You get one shot to buy it at Medicare age and after that you must be approved.

Maybe I’ll think of other ways to save if inflation continues long term.
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MackerelCat
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Re: How Are You Coping?

Post by MackerelCat »

FloridaCat, don't drop the Medicare Advantage. You are very healthy, but if you start needing prescriptions, they will add up fast.

Lately I am coping by wincing when I open my wallet because there are things we can't cut any more. The only thing up for discussion is the many periodicals DH subscribes to. I did get about half of them at the much lower academic rate with my dot edu work email address, but I think we still spend too much.

If I had more time, I could be more frugal, but I'm out of pep by the time I get home from work.
Mackie
Quilter51
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Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 6:04 pm

Re: How Are You Coping?

Post by Quilter51 »

I would not move to an advantage plan. My daughter is an OT and whe the plan is cheaper she can tell stories about folks on advantage plans bring sent hime from therapy to soon snd do on. We have to do what we have to do but if you can afford the supplemental, I'd stick with it. I had advantage one year and left.
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