I’m not normally one to dream much less remember them, but lately I have been dreaming. Or maybe it’s better to say I’ve been having worries at night and like many people, those worries revolve around money.
The market is up, although some are calling it a “dead cat bounce.” (Wonder where they got that term). In other words, the slight up phase might not last.
The Fed is printing lots of money to buy bonds. Hmm. . . . If I could print more money for my bills . . .
Anyway, there was one article the other day about how people are cutting back to save by eliminating things like house cleaning services, taking shirts to the laundry and eating out less. Estimated savings for this one family – $10,000 in a year.
A big savings. Playing devil’s advocate here – it’s also not stimulating the economy since now there’s someone with less work cleaning, laundering and cooking/serving food.
Still, I totally understand the reaction to not spend. I’ve cut back by brown bagging it everyday for lunch, finding ways of using up stuff in the pantry before buying new things, shopping at the outlets, big box stores and using coupons (well I always did those last two anyway!).
Have you changed your spending habits lately? Are there any tips you can offer for saving during these worrisome times?
This Thursday’s Thoughts are mainly about the cold, but also about how we become creatures of habit as we get older.
Of course, all that snow has me thinking of warmer locales because I am so not a person who loves the cold! I always tell people it’s because I’m not genetically prepared for it, having been born in Cuba.
My sis and I were having lunch the other day and got started on the topic of Madoff and