I suggest to Kern County residents to try and figure out how to go shopping only once per week  (unless you live within walking distance of a grocery store).

It is unfortunate we have not insisted on walkable communities with all purpose stores nearby.   In some cities I have seen large grocery stores in residential areas that sell almost anything and there is not even one parking place outside.

 I think too few locals use a clothesline to dry their clothes. It's a bummer in the summer when you have to tend to the clothesline when it's 100º outside, but at least the clothes are dry within about 25-30 minutes.

 I have 2 reasons for using a dryer rather than a clothes line.

1) My dog would have a field day with hanging, flapping clothes.

2) I would have to iron 90% of those clothes which would cause me to use extra electricity.

My dryer died on Monday.  I just bought another one and had it installed.   I told my husband yesterday that I wish I had a clothes line.   

He said that the valley air is not like it used to be.   And, the neighbors would probably not understand..........................

 but is anyone cutting back due to the recession or high price of gas and if so how and to what extent?

Some.

 in what ways are you cutting back Audrey

 also going back to ironing my own shirt rather than the dry cleaner. Which unfortunate hurt the family owned business, but saves us close to $75 per month.

No recreational shopping.  No running to the store for one item.  No cross town rides to eat at a favorite place.  etc

 No changes.  My family and friends seem to be doing fine.  I know some are not but so far so good.

 I'm cutting back due to MY economy..not the nations.  Leaving full time eployment has a way of doing that to you.

The DRY CLEANERS?  You use the dry cleaners for your shirts???  I'm appalled.  I once had a fiance who had ALL his clothes done at the laundry but he traveled all the time and lived in motels.  I can't imagine using a laundry for washables.

 Nancy??

You're not working full time?  Sorry, I've been away and probably missed something.

 well Nancy, my partner and I view our time together as valueable and having someone who can wash and iron our shirts a way to creat more free time. Plus they do a great job and a great price, but w/ the recession going one and possibility of other economic problems, believe it is better to go back to doing them ourselves.

 Walking seems like a great way to get in shape all of a sudden. I keep my driving to a minimum. I have even decided to not buy a TV (my TV just went out after 10 years of service). I'll be spending a lot of time with my kids this summer walking to the park. Recessions are great for family values!

You all are complaining about $4 gas, that's nothing.  I have been overseas to France, Germany, Holland, etc. and they pay $6-$8 gas.  For one thing, try stop driving SUV, hummers, and trucks around.  You complain about $4 gas and look at the kind of cars you are all driving.

 Look at the size of France, Germany and Holland as compared to California.  We live in a huge county, in  a huge state in a huge country.  It's going to TAKE more gas for us to commute.    You're right about the large SUVs and Trucks on the road, though.

 I have been using my electric car a little more for short trips, like under a couple of miles.  Just a little disclaimer. 

 I'm sure the driving habits (walk more, fuel efficiency, etc.) in Europe are different in general just due to the more expensive price of fuel.

 No recreational shopping here either, or shopping trips for single items. Rolling the various short grocery trips into weekly or every other week trips. Am fortunate enough to be able to ride my bicycle down the bike path to work.

I also turn off the lights when I'm not in the room, turn off the shower while soaping up, and less eating out, more eating in. Plus, for the occasional take-out we tend to walk down to get some rather than drive if it is only a mile or so away. Goodness knows, if you're going to wolf down take-out you'll served well by taking a little exercise before.

Another thing is not to have occasional-use appliciances on standby. That sips needless electricity. The DVD player, stereo, even the cell phone chargers get plugged out after use. It is easy to toe off the strip power cord after use and get them all in one go. It is things that take seconds and everything shaves something off the bill. Depends on what you prioritize, of course, but I'll rather have a little more cash than a higher power bill for things I hardly ever use.

 My problem is, it's difficult to cut anymore.  I suppose I could use a clothesline rather than a dryer, but having done this in the past, it just isn't worth the "not so fresh outdoor smell" you get on those bad air quality days.  Walking to the grocery store is only feasible when buying small quantities of nonperishable goods.  The truth is, we are limited to how much we can do by where we live.

 we tried the Yaris by toyota and not a bad little car. We would like to get a car in either 2009 or 2010

Spam Code: EZ BEN

 Audrey, I finally tipped the age scale to the point that Uncle Sam has agreed to partially subsidize my retirement and left the county on Feb 15th.    Even if I could afford it though, I'd still have to work part time otherwise I'd be here on the blog more than I am now.  :-)

I'm getting my RE license back for a couple of projects, starting to sell on Ebay again, and am applying for part time work in the SA field. 

As for cutting back, I forgot I let the mow and blow guy go.  He kept throwing my garden hose on my flowers and breaking them.  Anyway,  it seemed like a waste to pay him monthly while I sat on the blog and ..well....blogged so I now do ALL my own yard work.  Electric mower, electric edger, electric hedge trimmers, electric weed eater and electric blower (which I rarely use.)  All this for the environmentally conscious folks.  I feel sooooo good about myself.   (heh..not)

One side benefit is that after years of sitting at a desk, my blob shaped uhhh, body, is starting to feel a ittle trimmer.  When I tie my shoes I don't grunt as loudly as before.  Was that TMI?

 Nancy

Welcome to the land of the retired and semi retired.  You'll never want to leave.  : )

 Thanks Audrey, I'm already having trouble with things getting in the way of my leisure.  I'm wondering how I managed to get my bed made every morning when I was working..  It didn't get done til noon today.  And no, I wasn't in it til then.  LOL.

 I have always been pretty frugal. Since the wife and I decided she would stay home and be a full-time wife and mother four years ago, we have cut where we needed to. I drive a Ford Focus, which gets great gas mileage.

I've noticed the price of a few things rising in the store, but it hasn't really affected my family much. In fact, if it wasn't told to me on the radio and TV, I wouldn't even know we were in a "recession."

You will.  It hasn't hit yet.

 Thank you, almighty seer.

 Nancy That is the TRUTH.  Life gets in the way of leisure, even in retirement.

Don't mention it.  You might want to stock up on a few things.  Shovels and seeds, that sort of stuff.

 A friend turned me on to the grocery game.com.  For a nominal fee they find coupons for you, organize the weekly savings, and all you need is the Sunday paper (and maybe a printer for a few coupons online).  My ears perked up when she said she spent $169, but saved $251 at Vons.

 Damn the Reccession>>(funny, I hadn't heard we were actually IN one)I'm cutting back on nothing. Why? Because I already do that. I do my laundry at night when it's cooler. I will NOT dry my clothes outside in this filthy air, but I DO only shop every other week on payday(unless I run out of Milk). I buy large amounts of the items we use the most and freeze those necessary(is that cheating due to the power to run the freezer?)..I try and bunch up my errands, and if possible, run them on the harley(or during work) instead of the truck, in which case I save even more because on the bike I can park next to the doors, thus lessening my walking distance and keeping the stores AC from having to work so hard to cool ME down! I cook 5-6 nights a week and rarely eat expensive meals. That's harder than you may think for a single parent who often works 10-14 hours a day.  My kids are instructed to turn off lights and TVs when they are not in a room(and my last PG&E bill was STILL $300!). I dont wash small loads of clothes or dishes. I don't cope well with heat, so I HAVE to run the AC during the summer, but try to keep it nominal.

I never did alot of running around anyway as my kids don't play soccor, baseball, football, basketball, track, glee club, 4-H, FFA, Crocheting Club and anything else the SUV driving parents can think of to put the raising of their children off on others.

And lets face it. Gas prices have less to do with the ruinous prices of food than the cost of corn and wheat now that the green folks have swindled the country into believing that ethanol is some wonder fuel. Give it a few more months and we will see ethanols effects on the meat market, especially beef.

If we hadn't been forced to stop exploration, drilling, new production and the building of refineries thirty years ago by the same folks that have brought us ethanol and eco terrorism , gas prices wouldnt be what they are either, but we dont want to talk about THAT! Much easier to blame the folks in charge right now!

I HAVE stopped eating big breakfasts everyday in lieu of an english muffin or a bowl of oatmeal..save some jack and lose a little weight!  I have stopped "splurge spending" on chrome for the harley or new goodies for the dirtbike(although I just spent a combined $2,000 getting both back in good riding order). I have got rid of my gas credit cards and only buy with cash which forces me to look for better prices. I don't take "Blast the Music" drives as much as I once did, opting to haunt my kids with my Led Zeppelin and guitar playing at home.

The IRS and Franchise Tax Board are unsympathetic to my efforts to save money though as they have just informed me that 17% of my income is no longer sufficient and that they now require 25%. Isn't it nice to try and get ahead..Make something more of yourself so your kids can have a better life?

 We have also sort of started a new tradition for Sunday morning get togethers with family.  Rather than meeting at restaurants which are packed and noisy, we've been alternating meeting and cooking at each other house the last few weeks thereby cutting costs and making enough noise for 3 restaurants.... all by ourselves.  It gives us a better chance to visit too as we're not scattered down a long table where we can't even see the rest of the gang.  After we eat and visit everyone scatters for home and naps.

I like this new idea!

 To motopoet,

The green folks do not want ethanol from corn.  They want people to drive less and drive more efficient vehicles.  Check out the opinion piece in this paper a couple days ago.

ethanol refining not green

 Ethanol from corn is stupid

And I put some bucks into a corn fueled plant

But that was to get a toehold in the technology for the future when efficient non food competitive feedstocks become btu-efficient.

AQG has been right on this one all along

 I drive a Kia Rio. It gets better gas mileage than the Focus, and my friend that drives a Prius borrowed my car and actually said she spent less on gas than in her Prius(not sure how true that it-but I wouldn't doubt it). And my car cost about half as much and has a 10 year hundred thousand mile warranty on it. And for all you Kia haters-I have not had one problem with it, and neither has anybody else I know who owns a Kia. Originally I was going to get a Mini Cooper, but finding out that they only get about 25 mpg was a huge turnoff.

I also stopped shopping at Albertsons and Vons. Food Maxx, though less appealling, costs about 30% less. And you get the same exact stuff. Can't wait until there's a WinCo in the southwest!