Anything you won't give up?

[queenfluff]

Ha, ha! My $55.00 haircuts! I believe a haircut falls under "you get what you pay for" and my stylist is one of the best and most creative in town! I've even sold loaves of homemade bread just so I can get a haircut with her!

I would have to say that I would hate to give up my hair stylist. I put it off for as long as I can...but I will still sacrifice other things to get a more expensive hair cut. I have tried the classic cheap "chop shops" and it just isn't the same. Oh, and I love my Diet Coke too

DownNotOut and AllMixedUp, those were cute post! I am lucky about the hair thing - I used to be a hair dresser so I cut my own (and others for free). I haven't paid for a hair cut or service since I was like 19! Although I must say I disagree with you about the "you get what you pay for" - at least when it comes to hair services because I worked at an $8 hair cut place and I had a clientele who came to me because I cut hair better than the expensive places did.

So, I really believe it has to do more with the attitude, work ethic and expertise of the stylist than how much you pay. I was always of the idea - if I can't do it well why should I bother to do it? If your stylist has a bad work ethic and doesn't care if they do a good job than you could pay $100 and get a super crappy cut.

Because I used to do this for a living - I can honsetly say that I think $55 is too much for cut because cutting hair is really not hard (well, to me it isn't but that is because I know how to do it ). But I know that if the only stylist who does your hair best is $55 a cut I would probably stick with her or him too - but the reason is more because your stylist is just a good stylist and the $55 has nothing to do with it.

But I know too that some people just like to pay more for things as it makes them feel pampered some how.

Just my opinion on that...sorry if I got off topic. I am glad you can afford what you need - hair is important.

For myself:
I cannot give up quality food. I am a vegan and used to eating organic produce etc. I just look for the cheaper prices and buy according to what might be on sale that week but it has to be organic or local for most of it. Sorry but I not about to short change my health (esp when I don't have any health insurance) just because I am slightly broke. There is no way I would ever eat anything just because it is cheap. ( I won't even go to the bathroom in a McDonalds if I can help it). I am planting my garden this week.

I am trying to eat more cheaper bulk foods like organic beans and rice which normally I don't eat too much of (mostly because I cant make good rice to save my butt - it always turns out sticky).

I won't compromise on quality cat food either. My kitties health are too important to feed them crappy food with rendered by-products in it.

Although, I practice non-toxic household methods. I am willing to give up the expensive eco-cleaners that I like and such because there are many natural things to use that work just as well and are super cheap! I have also switched to cheap things like baking soda for toothpaste and things like that. Saves lots of money! (plus you can use food stamps to buy the baking soda but not toothpaste).

I am not about to wipe my butt with leaves yet though so toilet paper isn't negotiable. I cant use cheapie 99cents shampoo and conditioner either - I am too much of a hair snob (to a point) and sensitive to chemicals. But who knows I might go back to not using shampoo again which I did for like a year and a half -now THAT was really money saving.

Now that I read some of the other posts I realize too that I can not live (at least right now) without cable and internet - esp internet. Right now, being unemployed and having to be careful about getting a job, not having much money to do anything - the cable helps pass the time until this BK thing is over with as does the internet. BK is alot of waiting and I need some time passing escapism.

I would never give up my kitties for anything though - I would give up the cable and internet first.

[thereshope]

I won't go without my internet, I work in Technology and need it for work. My soy milk, Special K and Honey Nut Cheerios. I gave up my lattees, por Starbucks.

[meggie]

food

Now this is embarrassing... we are a low income family of two and I spend $400 a month at whole foods because my son has food allergies. I can never give it up.

Technically I could buy most of the stuff at another store but I just keep hanging on to it. I have shut off cable, switched to a prepaid cell plan, canceled netflix and my ymca membership. All so I can afford the food, which I know is overpriced.

[BkinTX]

We didn't get any suggestions on things to cut from our credit counselor. Is it typical for them to make suggestions like that?

[Kkole425]

We didn't get any suggestions on things to cut from our credit counselor. Is it typical for them to make suggestions like that?

We didn't get any suggestions either. We just had to give up a lot of stuff I thought I needed and now I know I don't. Shopping has been my downfall. I would go shopping almost daily. Food shopping even was no big deal. When my husband lost his job and I had to look at the price of food I almost pooped my pants!! Soda Pop is so expensive. I drink a ton of soda. I did switch from cans to 2 liters. I have been cutting down my food costs but then I quit eating out and I called my mom and said I was worried the trustee would say I was spending to much of food. My Mom then pointed out we were not eating out and fixing 3 meals a day for 6 people and I needed to remember that when buying food. Kids eat alot.

[BkinTX]

The trustee won't examine our post-filing spending habits, will s/he?

We have a budget that we stick with, but since we are not making debt payments, we are able to do things like eat out or go to the zoo or museums, etc. I bought the children some clothing last weekend for $130. Is this type of thing going to be a problem?

[Billssuck]

Gave up diet coke for sam's club diet coke...saves about 50 cents for a 2 liter and doesn't taste too bad. What I can't or won't give up: pampers diapers for my son; I absolutely hate the way other brands fit and feel. I've given up alot the last two years when I got pregnant at age 43 and couldn't afford things when I couldn't work for about 10 months. So we have scaled back alot already before filing BK. Oh another thing I can't give up: Mrs. Buttersworth syrup (no other brand compares in taste!)

[BigJohn]

I break down about every other year and buy a real nice pair of boots.
I get a haircut twice a year (not much of a haircut - shave the neck, cut around the ears) in which they do not charge me full price.
I will not give up the dog house because someday I might be living there.

[MichiganMan]

I am sure you are right

Too funny~ Maybe she is keeping you around!! LOL

I am pretty sure it has always been up to her anyway. God bless her.

[Ifonly]

The trustee won't examine our post-filing spending habits, will s/he?

We have a budget that we stick with, but since we are not making debt payments, we are able to do things like eat out or go to the zoo or museums, etc. I bought the children some clothing last weekend for $130. Is this type of thing going to be a problem?

I would think that if you're paying your bills and saving a bit there shouldn't be a problem with buying clothes and some recreation for your children. Clothes are a necessity anyway. I'm lucky in that I live by the outlets in PA so I only buy a few things to start the hot/cool seasons, wait until the prices fall drastically and then buy my kid's clothes at OshKosh or Gymboree. They'll generally get at least 2 seasons of wear from them (they don't fall apart like someone said about "cheap" shoes) and I can get jeans for $6, shirts for $4, sweaters for $8, etc. Sometimes I even luck out with the $1.99 clearance racks. And that keeps my daughter from wearing clothes that I just feel are too adult looking for her. When we used to go to Kohl's, Target, etc. I noticed that there was no difference in the styles from size 7 thru size 16. I just don't think 8 year olds should dress like mini Hannah Montana's. Something I guess I'm old-fashioned about.

[blankslate]

The funny thing is, being thrifty is now trendy! For once I'm actually trendy! I've never been well off but there was a time when paying the bills wasn't a huge panic attack every month and our fridge was always full. My financial disaster started in 2003 so I'd already "given up" everything that wasn't essential a long time ago. We went without cable for several years, new clothes, dinners out, etc. I started getting DISH Network a while ago and while we love it, if I can't work it into my budget with this recent paycut - it will have to go.

The cell phone is a must. I have a 17 year old daughter and we live in LA. She has to take public transportation to get to classes and there is just no way that I'm going to send her out there with no way to call me or for help if something were to happen. I have no other family or backup so there needs to be a direct line to me always. I hate talking on the phone so I really don't use it other than to communicate with my daughter.

[queenfluff]

When my husband lost his job and I had to look at the price of food I almost pooped my pants!!

I did this too. I am one of those people who I like to be able to buy whatever I want at the grocery store and not worry about the price. I used to be a Whole Foods shopper but now lots regular grocery stores are carrying things that only Whole Foods used to carry for me (I am a vegetarian so Whole Foods used to be the only place I could get certain special things for my diet). I really hated it that I couldn't go up and down the isles anymore and throw whatever looked good and whatever I needed or wanted in my basket.

I ended up going to all the different stores and writing down the prices of all the things I buy on a regular basis and comparing the prices. And I started doing something I swore I do never do - use coupons! It's a long story but I have a loathing for coupons. Comes from my childhood with my mom and her "coupon box" and handheld counter to tally up the cost walking up and down the supermarket aisle. I so hated that - it was so embarrassing. Nothing could be bought unless it was either on sale or we had a coupon for it. Getting the kiddie cereal I wanted was like pulling teeth.

But here was me a few weeks ago with a pad of paper writing down my prices and seeing how much the bill was going to be - ha ha! But there is no way you are going to get me carry around a box with coupons in it and calculator. I dont want to be too geeky.

So, now I had a big list of the things I buy with prices and I am making a spreadsheet out of it but I pretty much now know which store is the best here. A store near us called Woodmans was the cheapest and has the most stuff I normally eat and Trader Joes was the next. Now, I don't even go to Whole Foods anymore. We also have a local chain coop which I used to do all my shopping at and they have sinced raised their prices and I only buy thing there that I can't get elsewhere. I still buy something online which I can't get anywhere at the stores. I can't totally deny myself everything - I have already given up going out to eat which is killing me. I used to go out to eat like at least twice a week - now it is like maybe once a month. I so love going out to eat.

Gosh, when I think about the starving people who often don't have anything to eat, I feel like a spoiled brat here. We Americans are really spoiled with all we have.

[queenfluff]

The funny thing is, being thrifty is now trendy! For once I'm actually trendy! .

I remember back in the 90's when the 70's clothing style were sort of back again - I went to the Salvation Army and got some really awesome stuff that was trendy at the time and actually techincally vintage stuff that was original 70's - cool skirts and tops - and I hardly ever bought anything new. I am going to start doing that again! I used to be sort of Shopaholic - clotheswise -lucky for me it never spiraled totally out of control and I am happy now keeping my stuff minimal - but I really like to get myself something new once and a while - even if it is used.

My favorite thing is Freecycle - they don't always have stuff I need but I have gotten some pretty great things that I was thinking about buying new that would have costed me over $50 that I got for free! Definately worth looking into for everyone on a budget!

[getmeouttahere]

I will not give up the dog house because someday I might be living there.

That cracked me up! As for me, I cannot give up my DVR or Heinz Ketchup. When grocery shopping, I buy ALOT of store brand items, but just can't get myself to buy Catsup.

[Flowers]

my wonderful little dog and related expenses for him