When the Diva Downsizes

 

Goodbye gel nails... we had a good run.

Regardless of your current income, or the fact that you have a job/career, biz, husband has a job/career, biz or just relying on your sugah' daddy.... it SEEMS to me that just about everyone I know is scaling back. I have mixed emotions. I've mentioned before (many a time in fact) that I hear little voices... I know, I know don't worry. On one shoulder I hear "function".  Function is all about 'do you really need it', 'how much does it cost'... blah blah blah.  "Fabulous" bless her heart is all over 'the wants' 'the fabu' the 'you really neeeeed this'.

Well girlfriends it's time for this little spoiled girl to cut back. I'm going to listen to function more often- although truth be told function sounds a lot like my parents telling me what to do so she's a tough cookie to swallow. 

Here's the beginnings of my scaling back.

• gel nails
• classmates.com gold membership
• angie's list membership
• local NAPO membership (kept national membership)

I'm also being more frugal

• meal planning + less prepackaged food
• opting for team medals over trophies $3.00 each instead of  $7ish
• ordered smaller team picture package

I also sent the question out to some friends and here's what they had to say when it comes to personal + professional downsizing.

rebeccashapiro @kristacolvinI gave up my morning chai stop, pulled out my chai recipe from india and started making my own again. http://frugalous.com/   integratedmom @kristacolvinLet's see...I gave up FT childcare, the house cleaner, weekly manis/pedis and daily S'bux. I was such a princess!      integratedmom @kristacolvinyep, didn't renew 3 prof mbrshps, and no longer attend in-person networking events 2-3x a week - do more online netwrkng now.

SO... do dish girlfriends, what are giving up or scaling back on... misery loves company ;)

Comments

[Deb Lee]

I haven't really ever been a real girly girl. I do my own hair (or my mum does it for me) and my own nails (two coats of clear polish and I'm good to go!). I even installed my thermostat when the old one stopped working (not as hard as you might think). Well, now I've become even more frugal. I gave up the daily run to Starbucks. Very, very sad day when I did that. I still go once in a while but, alas, it's not the same. I have also cut back on the grocery runs and buy lots more "store" brands. Next on the list of things to give up...eating sushi. *Sigh*

[Jeri Dansky]

I've started using my library more; I was buying too many books that sounded good, but wound up being disappointments. I still buy books; I'm just more cautious in my purchasing, and saving a lot as a result.

I spent much less than in the past on Halloween candy.

But my membership in NAPO-SFBA (San Francisco Bay Area) is one of the best investments I make each year. I learn so much, and the support from other members is awesome.

[Q VanBenschoten]

Building on Jeri's comment, I am selling books back to Powell's Books and using the store credit (instead of cash or credit cards) to purchase other used books. If I don't have enough store credit, then it is off to the library I go.

I'm refuse to give up my monthly body work (massage) or gym membership, because they are healthy ways to deal with job-related stress. However, I am not buying my favorite icecream (Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss in Dark Chocolate), because it has almost doubled in price in the last three months. (Did something happen to coconut futures? Is there even such a thing?)

[Stephanie Vozza]

We're eating out less often, which means I'm meal planning. Cooking isn't my favorite thing to do, but eating out, even take out, is just too expensive these days.

[Chrys]

Great posting and comments! To downsize, I'm shopping in my closet more. I try to cook from my freezer more and I try really hard not to use the credit card. Like a diet, the more I think about it, the harder it is, so I do allow some spending (and it is amazing all the things that come up--not luxuries, just necessities). I do need to work on the grocery thing more. I end up at the grocery more often than I care to admit. I'm getting some great recipes off www.reluctantentertainer.com that utilizes local and fresh produce.

[Marian]

Hi, Well I know it's a bit late in the season for this but I had a small veggie garden this summer and it really made the difference in my grocery bill! You can plant winter crops in small garden boxes even if you have a patio...greens, beets and carrots even. OR some of the broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower family. Eating food that you have grown really nourishes you in ways that other food just doesn't. And I play a little game with myself--what can I make with what's already in the fridge? I mostly cook at home instead of dining out--that's the biggest downsize thing I think most people can do. Cooking at home is WAY cheaper.
~Marian

[LA Blogger Gal]

I must've missed the tweet. I've gone back to coloring my own hair and cutting back on my fancy schmancy coffee drinks.

[Malena]

I cut out the nails in January when my husband took a HUGE pay cut. Starbucks - wasn't daily, but it's hardly ever, now.

We cook more, eat less fast food (healthier, too). If it's something that reheats well, I try to make enough for leftovers for a night when we don't have time to cook, or for lunch. I didn't renew the Barnes & Noble discount membership. I mean, really, why should I PAY you to let me save a little? My gray shows a little longer between visits to the salon. And I'm more conscious of using electricity and water. I also returned that coat I ordered from QVC. I can find a better deal, or have the old one cleaned and have it service one more year.

Malena

[Marcia Francois, Organising Queen]

Oooh, hello!

Came over from Megan Spears's blog.

I'm also not a very girly girl but I have to have my hair done because of the grey!!!

However, I'm more conscious of not just buying and asking "where will it go?" and won't this be better in the bank account?

I like to also use EVERYTHING in the freezer before I buy more meat, etc. which forces me to be creative with foods.

Oh, and I go to the library regularly.

[Michele @ The Integrated Mother]

I have one more to add. I used to spend a good chunk of change to get my hair styled about every 6-8 weeks. These days, I probably get a really nice professional cut 2-3 times a year. As a result, my professional headshot only looks like me about 2-3 times a year. In between cuts, my hair grows long, so when I arrive to a speaking gig the client doesn't always recognize me! :)

[erin r]

I'm completely torn on this one. From the conversations I've had, I think a lot of people are cutting back for the sake of cutting back. Economy is bad and we all need to give up the "luxuries". Except, the "luxuries" are usually provided by people who have the least wiggle room in their own budget to cut back. When we stop going to our stylist and having our houses cleaned, what happens to the stylists and the cleaning people? We spend a good chunk of change on having my husband's shirts laundered. I could do that myself, but our dry cleaner is a local guy who runs a small shop with his wife and he has provided us GREAT service for years. I worry about the impact on the whole economy as those when those at the bottom of the pay scale are even more squeezed when everyone cuts out their services.

So, I've tried to be responsible about the impact of cutting back. For those who have been living beyond their means, or whose means have changed, then, yes, nails and laundry and coffee and eating out have to go. For those of us doing it because we've gotten the message that it's the 'responsible American' thing to do, can we think outside the box?

Starbucks will survive without our daily donation, but can we buy local coffee once a week? What about buying it for the whole office once a month?

If we cut back on services (eating out, nails & hair), can we go less often, order more frugally, but tip extra?

Can we increase our charitable donation budget through our savings in other areas?

I just wonder these things. I don't know if I can do them all, but I don't think that the "hunker down at all costs" attitude is really going to help us in the long run.

[erin r]

Ooh. I just remembered one that I had to share. I saw an article in Sunset awhile back that said box wine has come a long way, it's way cheaper, more environmentally sound, and space-saving. I wasn't eager to try it, but tried it on a cutting-back mission. There are some that are perfectly drinkable on a weeknight at home, many domestic. We usually go with Black Box, but there are other interesting ones, too. Not every one will be a winner, but what is?

[Hema Robert]

Hello, I think Gel Nails are alternate for acrylic nails and many of the nail designers are preferring to use gel nails instead of acrylic nails. The main difference between the acrylic nails and gel nails is, gel nails have no discomforting odor.

[Barbara]

I think Erin has it right. There are many things in our life that are downright wastes. There are other things we could do ourselves but have come to count on the "Mom and Pop" businesses for. I worry on those few occasions when I go to Walmart for the better price that some American Mom & Pop is losing business because of my purchase. I believe we do have to balance what we spend and where we spend with the knowledge that if we quit spending entirely what will happen to all the small companies that depends on us.