Economic downturn

With the economic downturn of the U.S. making the international news almost every night, I thought I would write down some simple tips (not touching the big ones like a smaller house or cheaper, more fuel-efficient car) that I have used over the years to keep myself out of non-educational debt. Please note that these work even if you are busy – I was in medical school and residency and volunteering while doing these! For some of my friends, these are not radical at all -- they buy their clothes from thrift stores and grow their own vegetables and live very well. And I won't go into how most of the world lives since that tends to produce short-lived guilt rather than excitement for transformation.

Fun fact: all of the below also double as environmental tips!

• Make your own food – if not from scratch, at least from an earlier part of the process:

1. Spaghetti sauce takes just as long to make as it takes to heat water and boil pasta!
2. Buy whole vegetables, not pre-cut packages
3. Shred your own cheese

• Buy used books (at thrift stores or on-line) rather than new or go to your local library
• Rent or go to movies on special occasions – borrow movies from your friends or read books, take a walk, volunteer, hang out with friends.
• Turn down the heat in winter, a/c down in summer (fans use much less electricity)
• Don't buy disposable products:

1. Use rags instead of paper towels
2. Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones (some people think these are gross, but you can buy enough to use new ones daily and not share!)

• Drink tap water – buy a filter or large containers of filtered water if it tastes too bad
• Save soda pop and other purchased beverages for special occasions
• Make coffee and tea at home (much cheaper and you’re not using a disposable cup)

Make wise choices with your money -- keep tithing and donating to charities and investing in savings, choosing instead to give up some of the comforts you have become accustomed to. And if the above sound extreme to you, be thankful that you have been blessed financially!

Caveats:

1. I am aware that I can be a little wacky. Some of you know that I ate peanut butter and honey sandwiches every workday for the three years I was in Arizona because it was cheap and easy and healthy. In my defense they were at least on yummy toasted whole-grain bread and accompanied by several pieces of delicious seasonal fruit!
2. The tips below might seem small if you are in a serious economic crisis. They do add up over time and, depending on your current lifestyle, could save you several hundred dollars per month.