<p>Ok, you were scaring me there, munchkin. Dh already takes bags of leaves off of people’s curbs for our compost pile. Let’s not give the man any more ideas.</p>
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<p>I noticed this within the last week. I went to Costco. I noticed that their cherries were less expensive than the ones I bought several weeks ago. Then I noticed that they also decreased the size of the package. The first package was 4lbs., and the second package was 2.75 lbs. I also saw the smaller ice cream boxes and cereal boxes that have made the news (smaller quantity for basically same price).</p>
<p>I don’t feel I’m too good for coupons. It’s just inconvenient.</p>
<p>I am happy being cheap of some things and overspending on things I really value. So I like the feel of a good shoe and will spend $300 on a pair but only once a year. OTOH I like a good burger as much as an expensive steak so I rarely spend $40 on a steak. If I am spending over $30 on a dinner entre I want something I could not make at home.</p>
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<p>Yes. Money can usually be replaced, but opportunity cannot.</p>
<p>I’m frugal in a lot of ways, but will indulge in an $8 call to see how S did on his first AP exam. (
) I’ll also send my kid to an expensive camp (CTY) not because it’s expensive, but because he gets so much out of it. That’s a big stretch for me financially, and worth it. He grows so much there!</p>
<p>Next year, I hope to take my little family to Europe. That, too, will be a stretch, and I may incur some short-term debt to do it, but I think the benefit, the experiences, will outweigh the cost. I’m hoping to use frequent flyer miles (accrued by using a credit card, paid off biweekly) for the airfare and will be frugal with much of the arrangements, but if I can make this work, it will be with no regrets!</p>
<p>I use coupons, bake my own bread, shop on sale, don’t buy a lot of junk, drive an old car, wear old clothes, eat a lot of beans, and buy some stuff at a farmer’s market. For exercise, I bicycle, walk, swim, play Frisbee. Okay, I usually sit and read rather than exercise, but when I DO exercise, it’s not expensive!</p>
<p>* am happy being cheap of some things and overspending on things I really value. So I like the feel of a good shoe and will spend $300 on a pair but only once a year. OTOH I like a good burger as much as an expensive steak so I rarely spend $40 on a steak. If I am spending over $30 on a dinner entre I want something I could not make at home.*</p>
<p>I can’t afford to buy cheap for everything. Some things if well made with good materials, can last a lifetime with maintenance & careful repairs when needed.For instance- I wear my own and " vintage" wool suits, but I haven’t bought a new piece for 18 years. My D wears an " vintage" 
Burberry trench that I bought when I was 19. At the time it was the most expensive thing I owned, but it still is in great shape.</p>
<p>I am on my feet 10 plus hours most days working outside. I buy good boots. However not $300 a pair, I don’t need to. For when I am not working, I can wear less expensive shoes, like $14 Converse from the outlet.</p>
<p>I also wouldn’t spend money on a steak in a restaurant. I am just as happy getting a hamburger from RedMill. Or spending even less for a Vietnamese sandwich or pho. But I have always been cheap about dinners out- I will spend $9 on a cocktail though ;)</p>
<p>Actually food is a great way to splurge and eat cheap at the same time.
Some local ethnic restaurants are actually cheaper for meals than what I could make at home considering that when I make it there will be waste, since it may not all get eaten- or I may get distracted and ruin it.</p>
<p>At the grocery, some things I might not use all of it- but it won’t keep till the next time I make the recipe. I also have limited kitchen space & limited utensils and am not going to go out and buy a certain pot for a dish I might make twice in my lifetime.</p>
<p>Ok, you were scaring me there, munchkin. Dh already takes bags of leaves off of people’s curbs for our compost pile. Let’s not give the man any more ideas. Smart guy [Making Leaf Mold: Gardener’s Supply](<a href=“http://www.gardeners.com/Making%20Leaf%20Mold/leafmoldlp,default,pg.html”>http://www.gardeners.com/Making%20Leaf%20Mold/leafmoldlp,default,pg.html</a>)</p>
<p>I haven’t gotten my own compost pile going very well yet but I can grow some of my own food & save money that way. I grow blueberries, lingonberries, raspberries & strawberries, all very easy to grow here. Herbs are also very easy to grow & add a lot to meals & I just planted a hazelnut tree so it will be interesting to see how long it takes to get results.</p>
<p>I took my kids to the UK (England & Scotland, with a 2-night excursion to Paris by train) in 2000. We got rail passes and took trains or buses everywhere. My mom met me in London and traveled with us. We stayed in an apartment hotel in London and saved money doing our own cooking. The rest of the time we stayed in B&Bs or youth hostels. It was a great trip. I’d love to do another trip with the kids, before the older ones start heading off to college (the youngest barely remembers the trip), but exchange rates were better then.</p>
<p>whatapainthisis, thank you for sharing your story. You sound like a great mom who is making the best of difficult circumstances. I have a strong feeling that each generation of your family will get better and better because of your belief in education and your strong work ethic. Your D is fortunate to have you as a role model. Keep working hard and never give up hope (and have fun on your camping trips this summer!)</p>
<p>Strain on all sides as students put off college selections</p>
<p>Financial issues complicate, extend admissions decisions</p>
<p>By Peter Schworm, Globe Staff | June 25, 2008</p>
<p>Most years by this time, college-bound students are proudly wearing their school colors, thumbing through course catalogs, and chatting online with potential roommates.</p>
<p>But in this, the most unpredictable admissions cycle in memory, with its long waiting lists and a worrisome economy, a startling number of incoming freshmen are still torn over their college plans, guidance counselors and admissions officers said. With July just around the corner, some wait-listed students still hold out hope they will get into their top-choice school, while others who have already been accepted are not sure they can afford theirs.</p>
<p>The uncertainty is also creating anxiety for colleges. They worry that some students who have accepted admission offers may change their mind, throwing carefully assembled freshman classes into flux. Admissions officers also suspect that more students are re serving spots at multiple schools, a frowned-upon practice called double depositing.</p>
<p>Colleges call the exodus of students who have made deposits the “summer melt,” and worry it will intensify this year.</p>
<p>“In some cases, the summer melt could become the summer flood,” said David Hawkins, director of Public Policy and Research for the National Association for College Admission Counseling. “Students are still hedging their bets, and colleges are definitely concerned.”</p>
<p>Colleges traditionally have been able to predict their incoming classes with confidence, closely estimating how many accepted students would ultimately enroll. But a host of variables has made this admissions cycle volatile.</p>
<p>Some colleges, notably Harvard, Princeton, and the University of Virginia, dropped early admissions programs, and many top-flight universities expanded financial aid for middle-class families. A slumping economy and uncertainty around private student loans have further altered the landscape.</p>
<p>Many colleges, including Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Amherst, expanded their wait lists to make sure they could fill out their incoming classes, then delved into the lists far deeper than usual. That had a ripple effect throughout higher education and created a scenario where many students committed to one college while staying on wait lists at others.</p>
<p>“Here’s the deposit, but if X, Y, Z calls, I’m out of here in a heartbeat,” said Kevin Kelly, director of admissions at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, describing the thinking of some wait-listed students.</p>
<p>As a result, colleges are keeping a closer eye on admitted students, contacting them more frequently and sending out registration and housing forms earlier.</p>
<p>Michael London, president of College Coach, a Watertown-based educational consulting firm, said that “the economy is, by far, the number one reason we’re seeing so much movement this late.”</p>
<p>Many colleges accepted more students this spring in anticipation of losing more from wait-list maneuverings and migrations to less expensive schools.</p>
<p>“That’s something we’re all silently worrying about,” said John Mahoney, director of undergraduate admissions at Boston College. BC, like many schools of its caliber, costs close to $50,000 a year for students who do not receive financial aid.</p>
<p>And public colleges are fielding numerous calls from families who are rethinking their ability to pay the bills at private institutions. Steven Briggs, admissions director at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, said, “I don’t think it’s going to sort itself out until September.”</p>
<p>Eric Steele, an 18-year-old from Arlington, is among those students whose college destination remains unclear. He has accepted admission at the University of Hartford, a private school that costs about $37,000 a year without financial aid. Yet he remains hopeful he’ll get in off the wait list at UMass-Amherst, which costs about half as much. “It’s about an $8,000 difference,” with financial aid, Steele said.</p>
<p>“It’s been stressful,” he said. “A lot of my friends are choosing their classes and getting their housing lined up, but for me things are kind of on hold.”</p>
<p>That uncertainty makes many students decide the wait list isn’t worth the hassle. Sam Ullian, an 18-year-old from Needham, remains on the wait list at three schools - the University of New Hampshire, Ithaca College, and Elon University in North Carolina.</p>
<p>Ullian has gotten tired of waiting. Now she is all but certain she will attend Miami University in Ohio, and has made plans to attend orientation this week.</p>
<p>“It would be weird if I went to orientation and then went somewhere else,” she said.</p>
<p>But more indecisive students don’t mind prolonging the process, even paying deposits - typically a few hundred nonrefundable dollars - at multiple schools. Colleges frown on the practice but suspect it is becoming more widespread.</p>
<p>“There’s no way to know, but there’s definitely that fear of more students double-depositing,” said Jeannine Lalonde, assistant dean of admission at the University of Virginia. Some colleges are mulling raising the deposit amounts as a deterrent.</p>
<p>But Hawkins, of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, said some admissions officers realize that students are responding to colleges’ hesitance.</p>
<p>“There’s a degree of recognition among colleges that it takes two to tango,” he said.</p>
<p>Peter Schworm can be reached at <a href="mailto:schworm@globe.com">schworm@globe.com</a></p>
<p>"I believe in living within your means, too. And I do see waste here and there in America. And I don’t judge myself “better” because I pay off my credit card every month.</p>
<p>But I resent the OP’s tone and claim that “most Americans” live or go into debt to fuel extravagant life styles. MOST americans DON"T. You are falling into a media trap, and are judging without facts.</p>
<p>Yes, some people live beyond their means. Some people are getting forclosed on due to consumer debt that they didn’t need… but it IS NOT most. So back off or put up your statistics. I’ll have mine ready to counter if you actually find any.</p>
<p>And IMHO “Judge not, least you are also judged.” might be something to keep in mind."</p>
<p>You honesly don’t believe that most Americans live or go into debt to fuel extravagant lifestyles?</p>
<p>I could post 100’s of articles about this, but here is 1 : [The</a> American love affair with plastic may have a messy ending if interest rates rise - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/050808/8debt.htm]The”>http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/050808/8debt.htm)</p>
<p>Most Americans today are saving less and spending more than they make.</p>
<p>I just read every single post. </p>
<p>The whole point of this thread is to point out how most Americans, yes and I will say most, never think about what they buy. They don’t comparison shop, look for coupons, sale, clearance, etc.</p>
<p>I have experienced many great things for free. Many times I wait after concerts and shows and wait to meet the entertainers. I have met Jerry Seinfeld, George Lopez, President Clinton, B.B. King, etc. You know how much it cost to meet them? $0. </p>
<p>The past few years, I have come to a conclusion that the best things in life are free. An expensive car or big house probably won’t make you happy.</p>
<p>I remember years ago, when our a local deli, just opened, began to offer “dollar hoagies” every Saturday. My H and i would go there and get two every saturday and then take our toddler out to a park for a picnic - sharing our cheapy sandwiches. Lo and behold, the deli went out of business 6 months later. We always wondered if we contributed to that failure! Didn’t stop us though…we’re always on the lookout for the equivalent of “dollar hoagies.”</p>
<p>“Yes, some people live beyond their means. Some people are getting forclosed on due to consumer debt that they didn’t need… but it IS NOT most. So back off or put up your statistics. I’ll have mine ready to counter if you actually find any.”</p>
<p>There’s a MEW (Mortgage Equity Withdrawal) chart at [MEWQ12008.jpg</a> (image)](<a href=“MEWQ12008.jpg]MEWQ12008.jpg (image)”>MEWQ12008.jpg (image))</p>
![MEWQ12008.jpg]MEWQ12008.jpg (image)](http://bp2.blogger.com/_pMscxxELHEg/SFFzZFpvUFI/AAAAAAAACI4/lO_HQfXaNxo/s1600-h/MEWQ12008.jpg%5DMEWQ12008.jpg){kind=link}
<p>MEW started to take off in 1997 and peaked at about $225 billion in 2006 reaching a high of over 8%. Consider the cumulative effects of MEW and not just the peak. About 1/3rd own their homes without mortgages, about 1/3rd rents and about 1/3rd have mortgages. So for MEW purposes, we’re only talking about 1/3rd of the population. Current statistics that I’ve seen show about 3 million in trouble with their mortgages. That is a lot of people but small as a total percentage of homeowners. And probably why there is a moderate amount of resistance to mortgage bailouts.</p>
<p>Of course this doesn’t consider things like auto debt, student loan debt and credit card debt. There is a considerably amount of stress in the US. Not so much here given the kinds of conversations that I see here. At lunchtime, a coworker told me that General Motors dropped to $10/share. I was flabbergasted as I knew that it was $42 last year. He mentioned the possibility of bankruptcy. Consider the number of people directly employed by GM and those indirectly employed at suppliers. Consider the pension obligations dumped into the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation which is where the obligations would probably wind up at - I’m guessing that the PBGC would struggle to handle GM.</p>
<p>New England is headed for a disaster this winter if it’s cold with drastic increases in the price of electricity (those supplied by nuclear shouldn’t see big increases), natural gas and heating oil. There are articles in the local newspapers about utilities reporting high past-due numbers already.</p>
<p>You know, another thing that I wanted to mention that really frosts me. </p>
<p>My school district is not very good, it is actually ranked as an “underachieving district”. That being said, the neighborhood itself is very good in terms of location and lack of crime.</p>
<p>Every year, I get a ridiculously long and expensive school supply list for each child. Things that have come on the list for my son include tennis balls for the chairs, specific type dry erase markers, specific quantities of crayons that virtually rule out generic or a money saving larger box, and specific containers to hold the things (they insisted on a Rubbermaid box!). </p>
<p>At the end of last year, they had their “Nicaragua drive”, and a letter came home informing me that unless I informed them otherwise, all of my son’s leftover school supplies would be donated to Nicaragua. I was livid. I wrote them that they had a lot of nerve sending me a “We will do unless you opt out letter” about things that I paid for and belonged to me, taking time out of my busy day! That since they didn’t pay for them, that is theft. </p>
<p>This year, they didn’t send an “opt out” letter, just notice of the drive. However, I happened to go to the school office, and when I mentioned that I expect my son’s items to come home since he is going to a summer enrichment program, the school secretary asked me to write a letter stating that I do not wish to donate his supplies just to be sure. What the hell?!</p>
<p>I really resent things like this. First they bankrupt me on supplies, then they want to steal them, including things like scissors, rulers, and calculators, which can be reused. It’s not that I would not be charitable, but that’s my call.</p>
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<p>Really? Meeting Jerry Seinfeld or George Lopez, etc., is a “great thing” and “best thing in life” for you? What did you get out of your expenditure of time by meeting them?</p>
<p>My DH lost his father as a baby and spent his youth under very tight financial constraints. Fast forward almost 50 years, Mom is a multimillionaire (blue chip stocks and frugal living off a very modest pension) and the apple didn’t fall very far from the tree. We live in an affluent area, travel and live well, but also clip coupons, shop sales and put our children on a budget. Teenagers both have jobs. And manage their own budgets on a progressively inclusive scale.</p>
<p>We have enough money to indulge them, but if our goal is to raise productive adults, I think indulgence is a short term reward. I know the candy bar bought with their own money is sweeter than the one I buy.</p>
<p>“Really? Meeting Jerry Seinfeld or George Lopez, etc., is a “great thing” and “best thing in life” for you? What did you get out of your expenditure of time by meeting them?”</p>
<p>Collecting autographs for me is a hobby. I am 21, and yes I really do cherish meeting those people. I would rather do that than go out to the clubs and drink.</p>
<p>What do you get out of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, Statue of Liberty, etc. You see it and you are done with it.</p>
<p>You can hold on to an autograph for a lifetime. I have around 10,000 autographs. I always remember when and where I obtained each autograph. Some people might think obtaining autographs is silly, but that is what makes me happy. It is also what makes me unique.</p>
<p>“What do you get out of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, Statue of Liberty, etc. You see it and you are done with it.”</p>
<p>I can get an appreciation for the engineering and project management skills that went into designing it and building it. The majesty of a triumph of human accomplishments.</p>
<p>On the Statue of Liberty - it’s what it represents.</p>
<p>“You can hold on to an autograph for a lifetime. I have around 10,000 autographs. I always remember when and where I obtained each autograph. Some people might think obtaining autographs is silly, but that is what makes me happy. It is also what makes me unique.”</p>
<p>That sounds like a pretty amazing collection.</p>
<p>In the end, everyone will do what makes them happy. Many people have different interests and that is great.</p>
<p>If people want to go on extravagent vacations and be and debt for years, they will do it. Nobody can stop them.</p>
<p>Since you PM’d me asking for statistics here are some. And I’ll repeat that you are falling into the “100’s of media articles trap” which lie with statistics all the time. Do the math yourself . Also, at 21, I am glad you are frugal. That doesn’t make you better than most Americans, some of them who are NOT frugal.</p>
<h1>Of the households that owe money on credit cards, the median balance was $2,200 – meaning half owe more, half less (Source: MSN Money).</h1>
<p>… NOT average, but median.</p>
<h1>Approximately 40 percent of credit card users paid their balance in full every month in 2006 (Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia).</h1>
<p>So of the few that have credit card debt, many DO pay it off… and </p>
<h1>The majority of U.S. households have no credit card debt. About a quarter have no credit cards, and an additional 30 percent of households pay off their balances every month (Source: Federal Reserve).</h1>
<p>If the majority have no credit card debt, and a quarter have no credit cards at all, then I say that </p>
<p>MOST Americans are doing just fine.</p>
<p>The reason the ‘news’ media is trumpeting the ‘consumer debt tragedy’ is because it is news… it is unusual, it isn’t that common. If it was common, it wouldn’t BE news.</p>
<p>I agree that money doesn’t buy happiness, and everybody can spend their money however they want … frugal or NOT. I see that OP is very young and so may be forgiven the over emphasis on what Most Americans are getting force fed in the media. </p>
<p>Now I am done with this thread.</p>