So what's your plan for getting through the credit/ finance mess?

[GFer]

cut spending...drastically

save, save, and save more

And although I was already keeping balances low on cc's and pif'ing every two weeks--going to slow down using them and watch that too, for fear of cld's.

[laz98]

cutting our spending, esp. on entertainment (eating out, movies...just staying home more)

using more coupons & discounts (used them before, but started to slack off)

following grocery sales ads more closely for the things we do buy (which isn't much)

NO MORE IMPULSE BUYING ANYTHING!!!  (this includes groceries, clothes, etc.)

STOPPED using our credit cards, just making payments (trying to make slightly bigger payments)

added 2 new clients to our small business to increase our income (even if it's just a little bit more)

[fused]

- Paying down revolving debt

- Liquidated all investments

- Yanked my money out of my banks and placed it in a safe (hopefully) CU

- Spending less; no more ribeye steak, just spam (delicious) and hamburger

- cutting back on gas expenses

- less beer and more whiskey, it works better and faster

- hugging and kissing my DW and DD a lot more

[Anonymous]

I don't plan to change very much at all. If we all stop spending, that sure isn't going to help the economy turnaround. I'm going to keep doing what I have been doing. Using my cards, PIF-ing and saving...but also still purchasing things as I would before this mess unfolded.

[tatiana]

To stay on the safe side, I'll probably cancel my big January vacation.  I'm also planning on pursuing more freelance work in 2009 so I can build up a savings cushion.

I'm actually pretty blessed; I have very little credit card debt and my expenses are pretty minimal.  Life may be at a stasis, but as they say, "It could be worse!"

*Knocks on wood...*

[wmarat]

---

@fused wrote:

- Paying down revolving debt

- Liquidated all investments

- Yanked my money out of my banks and placed it in a safe (hopefully) CU

- Spending less; no more ribeye steak, just spam (delicious) and hamburger

- cutting back on gas expenses

- less beer and more whiskey, it works better and faster

- hugging and kissing my DW and DD a lot more

---

Try vodka with beer.

[niecey89]

Well for me, I am doing things that i should not be doing. That is I am dipping hard into my savings and paying off the small bills by the beginning of the year. So far 3 down and 2 more to go. So far after taxes all I will have is 2 1/2 big credit card payments, Truck loan, and *bleepin* Sallie Mae. It is going to be a struggle for the next few months.

[treski]

DH and I are putting nearly all of our money (minus food and gas) toward his debt.  The only good thing about my terrible credit history is that I was never approved for much, so I never racked in significant debt, lol.

We will be debt-free around March, we are guessing.  We will then contribute much more to savings. 

I am (finally) taking full advantage of the full-tuition offered by the Army while I'm active duty so I don't deplete my GI Bill just yet.  I will save $5k or so from my GI Bill this way.

But in a year, I will be out of the Army and making considerably less.

We aren't very worried.  Yet.  In fact (I hate to say it), with the housing market back down, we will be in a great position to use my VA Loan and buy a home in Southern California (gasp!!!  I never thought that would be possible!!) in a year and a half or so.

I'm cleaning up my baddies, in the meantime.  And as his debt gets paid down, I'm becoming an AU on all of his accounts.

[vawt]

I'm actually doing the opposite of many people here.  I have been getting estimates for mudjacking my front steps and also for some fence repair in my backyard.  Now seems like a good time to be buying.

Also planning on upping my 401k contribution a few more % points and allocating more to the stock market again.  I think if its even near the bottom this is a good time to buy index funds.

And I'm NOT canceling my trip to Vegas to watch a basketball tourney over Thanksgiving because I'm getting way too many offers from casinos for airfare and free rooms lately!  Looks like they are ramping up the marketing to get people in the door.

[thotgal320]

Stopped using my CC.  Shop once a month for household necessities (groceries, shampoo, etc.).  I am a single mother of three daughters and we went shopping for clothes with the agreement that we will all be sharing them.  Time for drastic change and prepare for tomorrow since we are not really sure on what tomorrow brings.