Cutting Back

With the tight economy, everyone is looking for ways to cut back and save money. Starbucks is thinking of saving money by not offering decaf coffee in the afternoon. That would be a big deal to me…if I drank coffee in the afternoon…and if I went to Starbucks.

Why doesn’t Starbucks just tell people they have decaffeinated coffee and give them caffeinated instead? They do that in restaurants all the time. I know this because whenever I'm out to dinner and get decaf...I find myself awake at 3 am counting the hairs on the back of PaulA’s head.

So what things do you do to cut back? Maybe lower the thermostat? That seems to be DuggM’s strategy….he must be a warm-blooded animal…cuz his freezer has ice…on the outside of the door. Maybe you’ve stopped going out to dinner? Or if you do go out…you go to Denny’s Big Boy every other Saturday night to cut back.

I wonder what Donald Trump does to cut back? Maybe buy his wife, Melania Spoiled Rich Girl Trump, fewer carats? I think Oprah could cut back by firing Bob Greene and work-out on her own. Heck, it doesn’t look like her personal trainer is helping her much. The Citibank bigwigs cut back expenses by not getting a new jet. The result of public pressure…certainly not peer pressure.

Believe it or not, I am looking for ways to cut back. I don’t think I’ve bought anything new to wear since Christmas and that was almost 6 weeks ago. I’m convulsing just thinking about it. I also bought a six of Bud the other day instead of Stella…savings $3.50. And a bottle of Gut Rock Blend instead of a smooth Napa cabernet…savings $16.01. Hmm…other than wardrobe and alcohol expenses…not sure where else I need to cut.

Some cut backs are just harder to take than others. I guess I could live without the peanuts in Cracker Jack, but if the company stops putting the toy surprise in their box of Cracker Jack…I’m gonna start a riot.