What did you cut back on to save? - Financial Management

JustMrsJoann · 04-04-2009, 12:57 AM

I want to have a decent amount when DH comes back from deployment, so what did you cut back on to have a decent amount in savings?

*Kim* · 04-04-2009, 12:59 AM

Eating out! Random small things here and there... Expensive makeup. (Although I'm going back to that cause my face is breaking out...)

JustMrsJoann · 04-04-2009, 01:01 AM

I don't eat out hardly ever. Maybe once a month, if I'm lucky!

charm586 · 04-04-2009, 01:03 AM

Eating out. I still think we do it too much though.

Amy · 04-04-2009, 01:03 AM

Like the other ladies said, eating out, including fast food and coffee at Starbucks.

We eat a lot less food when he's gone, and he's not here to help us spend money.

imjustme · 04-04-2009, 01:04 AM

I think when my ex was deployed the biggest thing we cut back on was groceries. He liked to buy expensive crap and then never eat/use it. While he was away we bought the essentials and made simple meals and it helped us save a ton.

kimly · 04-04-2009, 01:06 AM

when he was deployed?! EVERYTHING... and we saved close to $10K in the 7 months he was gone both times. The first time, I cut back on the cable, driving, eating(period.... i was living off rice and noodles, but I like it so it wasn't bad), shopping, I went out with friends but mostly at their house.

And then the second time, since I was pregnant with the twins my parents had me move down to their house, so of course I had to still pay our mortgage, but I turned off the water, cable, phone, internet, all of it. And my parents didn't make me pay for my food, or gas(I wasn't allowed to drive per the doctor) So we saved about the same, since I was working the 1st deployment but not the 2nd. So I had our $15K credit card paid off, in about a year and a half with money in savings. It was nice.

Pixiegirl8505 · 04-04-2009, 01:07 AM

Going out to dinner, things we didnt need, and didn't buy things we didn't need.

NicoleW · 04-04-2009, 01:12 AM

Groceries, driving, going out, "pampering" items...actually, I pretty well cut out EVERY unneeded expense I could!

J.Ski · 04-04-2009, 01:14 AM

When DH deploys we'll be cutting back on everything. We're both going to get spending money in our accounts that are separate from our bill paying account and everything else is going to our debt. It's also helpful that I'll be in basic and such while he's deployed so we'll have no rent or utilities.

04-04-2009, 12:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
JustMrsJoann hates the first trimester!! Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 5,164 Blog Entries: 3 Classifieds: (2) Activity: 34% Longevity: 26%	What did you cut back on to save? I want to have a decent amount when DH comes back from deployment, so what did you cut back on to have a decent amount in savings? __________________ Hoping for PINK!!

04-04-2009, 12:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
Kim Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: So Cal for me, Sasebo, Japan for him. Posts: 3,980 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 59% Longevity: 23%	Eating out! Random small things here and there... Expensive makeup. (Although I'm going back to that cause my face is breaking out...) __________________

04-04-2009, 01:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
JustMrsJoann hates the first trimester!! Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 5,164 Blog Entries: 3 Classifieds: (2) Activity: 34% Longevity: 26%	I don't eat out hardly ever. Maybe once a month, if I'm lucky! __________________ Hoping for PINK!!

04-04-2009, 01:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
Amy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Posts: 8,958 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 93% Longevity: 46%	Like the other ladies said, eating out, including fast food and coffee at Starbucks. We eat a lot less food when he's gone, and he's not here to help us spend money. __________________

04-04-2009, 01:06 AM	#7 (permalink)
kimly Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Great Lakes Posts: 11,206 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 0% Longevity: 19%	when he was deployed?! EVERYTHING... and we saved close to $10K in the 7 months he was gone both times. The first time, I cut back on the cable, driving, eating(period.... i was living off rice and noodles, but I like it so it wasn't bad), shopping, I went out with friends but mostly at their house. And then the second time, since I was pregnant with the twins my parents had me move down to their house, so of course I had to still pay our mortgage, but I turned off the water, cable, phone, internet, all of it. And my parents didn't make me pay for my food, or gas(I wasn't allowed to drive per the doctor) So we saved about the same, since I was working the 1st deployment but not the 2nd. So I had our $15K credit card paid off, in about a year and a half with money in savings. It was nice. __________________ Part of Team Amazing

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04-04-2009, 01:03 AM	#4 (permalink)
charm586 Expert Procrastinator Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hurlburt Field, FL Posts: 2,360 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 44% Longevity: 39%	Eating out. I still think we do it too much though.

04-04-2009, 01:04 AM	#6 (permalink)
imjustme Account Closed Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 13,980 Classifieds: (8) Activity: 7% Longevity: 42%	I think when my ex was deployed the biggest thing we cut back on was groceries. He liked to buy expensive crap and then never eat/use it. While he was away we bought the essentials and made simple meals and it helped us save a ton.

04-04-2009, 01:07 AM	#8 (permalink)
Pixiegirl8505 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: ME- Eglin AFB, FL Posts: 3,817 Classifieds: (20) Activity: 48% Longevity: 12%	Going out to dinner, things we didnt need, and didn't buy things we didn't need. __________________ http://www.youdata.com/join/pixiegirl8505

04-04-2009, 01:12 AM	#9 (permalink)
NicoleW New Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: DS Alaska/CL Colorado/DH Deployed Posts: 1,253 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 1% Longevity: 11%	Groceries, driving, going out, "pampering" items...actually, I pretty well cut out EVERY unneeded expense I could! __________________ One True Love

04-04-2009, 01:14 AM	#10 (permalink)
J.Ski Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 8,852 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 71% Longevity: 27%	When DH deploys we'll be cutting back on everything. We're both going to get spending money in our accounts that are separate from our bill paying account and everything else is going to our debt. It's also helpful that I'll be in basic and such while he's deployed so we'll have no rent or utilities. __________________