By: Trinidad Guardian

Sunday October 17,

Women are traditionally the keepers of the household, the ones who buy food, see about the children and make sure that there’s extra money for ice cream at month’s end. But the recent worldwide recession and our own rise in inflation has pushed up food prices, kept salaries low and forced women all over the country (and the world) to tighten their families’ belts and cut back on household spending. WomanWise spoke to four Trinibagonian women about what they do to make their dollar stretch into the next month.

Danica, 38*
• Single mom, two kids aged 12 and 11
• Works in retail
• Pay range - TT$4000 - $5000 monthly
• Major expenses – rent, groceries, toiletries, transport and food.
• No savings plan

To cut back:
Danica has had to make a drastic move. She moved her two children from a rented three-bedroom house to a one bedroom apartment which cut the cost of her rent in half. She’s also cut back on grocery spending.

“I’ve cut back on milk and I give the children calcium tablets instead because it’s less expensive. I also buy juices in concentrate form to stretch longer, and instead of tinned peas, I will buy either fresh by the pound and freeze it.”

She’s also cut fast food almost entirely out of their diet, preferring to cook and make bake instead of buying bread.
“Left-over food is also frozen so that we can use it another day.”
Danica has made personal sacrifices as well; her children both enjoy extra-curricular activities, so she’s stopped buying clothes for herself and walks wherever she needs to go if she can, to save money.

“Another good way to save is to dilute the dish-washing liquid with water and use a pump-action bottle to dispense it. And instead of washing clothes four times a week, I’ve cut it down to one or two times,” she said.

Jade, 42 *
• Divorced with one child, aged 11
• Works in secondary education
• Pay range - $3000 and $4000
• Major expenses – mortgage, utilities, food, transport (owns a car), car payments
• Tries to save at least $350 per month in credit unions

To cut back:
“All my staples are bought in bulk, so this month I buy rice, sugar, flour this month so I don’t have to buy next month. We are not meat eaters, so that cuts down on plenty. I bake bread and my child would carry a sandwich for lunch and I make a snack for her to carry.”

Jade also prefers to buy foodstuff that won’t spoil easily, like dried legumes. Snacks and junk food is a once a month luxury.
“And at work, I wouldn’t buy juice, I would drink water, and I would bring lunch to work instead of buying.”
Jade owns her car, but has arranged that her daughter, a Form One student, either use the free bus tickets to travel to school or school maxis, which are also free.

Anita, 51 *
• Married with two children, aged 23 and 22
• Self-employed
• Household income range - TT$16,000 monthly
• Major expenses – Utilities, food, transport, vehicle maintenance.
• Saves 10 per cent of her income monthly, and owns an investment property

To cut back:
Fortunately, Anita’s home is paid for in full, but she and her husband run a pretty capital-heavy business where incomes may ebb and flow according to the time of year. So her spending habits are even more careful during this recession time. She said that sticking to her grocery list is the best way for her to ensure that she stretches her family’s income.

“And use foods and fruits when they are in season. It’s not that we don’t buy stuff out of season, but we do it very sparingly.”
She’s also cut down on buying meat and increased legumes in her family’s diet. Anita and her husband have also started a little kitchen garden, where they grow seasoning herbs, patchoi, ochroes, tomatoes, pigeon peas and lettuce to supplement their table.
“And you wouldn’t believe how much that cuts down on my market costs.”

Vidia, 34*
• Married with three children, ages 10, seven and five
• Self-employed (husband works in electronics)
• Household income range - US$150,000 to $180,000 annually (about TT$80,000 monthly)
• Major expenses - Mortgage, car insurance, utilities, groceries
• Saves regularly, holds insurance policies and has an investment portfolio

To cut back:
At first glance, it may look like Vidia shouldn’t be affected by the recession at all! But she’s actually a Trini living in New York, a notoriously expensive city to live in. Rents are high and subway rides cost US$2.25 a ride; multiply that by five people per month. And she owns a pretty new business; so much of her income may have to be invested back into her company.

And let’s not forget taxes. So, to save money she suggested buying groceries in bulk and shopping around for the best prices.
“No big ticket luxury purchases, more home cooked meals, and we’ve gotten more creative in entertaining the kids at home and in how we reward them,” she added. And since she’s a true fashionista, she’s had to curb a lot of her own personal spending.
“No impulse purchases; I leave the credit cards at home, so I’m not tempted at all.”