While there seems to be some debate on whether or not we’re officially in a recession, many experts say we are.

What does this mean for the average Skagit County family?

For some, it means working harder to help their employers make it through the rough patch. For others, it means more coupon clipping and fewer dinners out. For some, it means unemployment and struggling to keep a roof over their heads.

The housing crunch has already hit some of my neighbors who had adjustable-rate mortgages. For those of us who went with the fixed-rate mortgages, the soaring gas prices are cutting into our pockets.

No matter how you slice it, most of our wallets are being emptied faster than they were a year ago.

Many tips for saving money are available online. While researching this column, I was happy to see that my family already follows much of the advice out there for saving money.

For example, Sunday is my coupon clipping day. Every week, I get up early and fix a hearty breakfast for everyone. As soon as the table is cleared, my husband reads the Sunday news while I sit at the table and compare sales. Ready at hand are my scissors (to cut coupons), advertising inserts, a pen (to make my shopping list) and an envelope (to write my list on and store my coupons inside).

I start the list with necessities like milk, fruits and vegetables, etc. Then I peruse the advertisements for the best steals and deals of the week. After I make my list, I plan my weekly meals according to what is on sale.

During recessions, more people are willing to clip coupons to stretch their dollars.

A survey done by ICOM Information & Communications shows that 67 percent of 1,529 consumers said they would be more likely to use coupons during a recession.

According to the ICOM research, a household of two adults and two children who use coupons wisely can save 25 percent on their grocery bill annually, without cutting purchases. That can save $2,400 a year based on a typical $800 a month grocery bill.

Since I’ve already been saving us this money, what else can I do to make up for the extra money going out the door to pay for gas?

One of my friends jokingly suggested hocking items at the local pawnshop to pay for necessities. While this elicited a good laugh, it also hit close to home. Since my daughter just turned 1, we had to buy two new car seats. At $116 each, I had a garage sale to offset the expense. Even though it was a rainy day and traffic was slow, I was able to make enough to pay for the two car seats and buy some much-needed sippy cups.

There are many ideas floating around on the Web that can help most of us save money to offset higher fuel and food costs. The bottom line, get creative and share your good ideas with friends and neighbors — the economic slump won’t be as painful if we help each other out.



n Richardson is the editor of the Courier-Times. She can be reached at 360-855-1641 or via e-mail at .