On Oct 25, 11:57*am, Too_Many_Tools wrote:
In tough times consumers tend to cut back...so where are you cutting
back, reprioritizing resources, whatever to make that dollar go
farther?

I am also posting this in the metal and wood working groups to hear
how those who pursue the hobby are allotting their resources.


We started with new windows and siding. That should cut fuel
consumption at least a bit.

We decided to keep both vehicles at least two more years, so spent
about $1,300 on the car for repairs and maintenance. My old truck
needed an oil change. I also need to get a new lock system on the
camper cap. Gaffer's tape holding the cap gate shut is getting to be a
PITA.

I upgraded my computer monitor, but kept the old (5-1/2 years, give or
take 3GB P4, 3GB RAM Dell) computer. That's changed a lot since it
showed up at the door, but my eyeballs were hurting from messing with
the 19" CRT, so I got a Dell Viewsonic 2408 WFP. What a revelation!

Instead of replacing the electric furnace in the shop, I'm thinking
very seriously of installing a wood stove.

We'll probably let the TV satellite go. That means we'll probably do
without TV, because the set is very old, cost what I consider a max
for a TV set ($297), and I am not going to pay for a conversion box to
bring in the local channel news. We watch little else, so that's not a
real loss. $750 for a TV set that we then pay $55 and rising per month
to keep active is silly when probably three days out of the week it
isn't turned on at all, and on most other days, it gets to work its
way through an hour of news programs. I can't find the time to sit in
front of the thing to be insulted by the intellegence level of
commercials (all of 'em, not just the political ads).

Buy fewer books. This 'un hurts, but we'd have to do that anyway, or
move to a bigger house.

I bought a new DSLR a few weeks ago. That's probably the last major
camera purchase for a year or so, even though it is tax deductible.
I'm not interested in working hard enough to need too many deductions,
anyway. Semi-retirement.

We'll plant a bigger vegetable garden, and my wife will can more. Of
course, most years we end up giving the kids half of what gets canned,
but Frances is farm raised, so gets itchy if she can't raise and can
and freeze, the same way I get itchy if I can't shoot photos and
write. Arthritis is starting to limit any realistic woodworking
chances these days. I've got enough local wood stored, mostly cherry
and oak, to last me at least two more years, but I'd sure love some
maple and birch and...

Cut the grass every other time it needs it...big damned sacrifice,
huh? I hate cutting grass. In fact, most of this year we paid a young
guy to come do it. He can whip the two acres out (minus shop, storage,
house, gardens) in about 1/3 the time it takes my wife and I.

The house is paid for. The cars are paid for. A few bucks in the bank.
A few bucks coming in each month that probably won't rise or fall.