Cup O’ Joe: Time to pinch pennies

Changes in federal payroll withholdings went into effect with the new year, resulting in smaller paychecks for most Mainers to the tune of about $700-$1,000 per year.
    On Monday, Governor Paul LePage issued his weekly message, focusing on the “fiscal cliff” and how it is affecting Mainers. According to LePage, Maine’s average household income is about $48,000, based on the U.S. Census Bureau, and the federal payroll tax change will affect thousands of working families leaving them with less money.
On Thursday, the town has approved a $9,478,301 municipal budget. The 2013 budget once again shows fiscal conservatism on the part of councilors, as it holds the spending fairly close to last year’s level. And while keeping the tax rate at last year’s level is the goal of the council that is not to say that tax bills will remain unchanged.
Houlton’s municipal budget accounts for only a portion of the overall tax impact. SAD 29 and the Aroostook County budget play a significant factor in determining how much residents pay in property taxes. The school budget will not be set for some time, but the town is already anticipating an increase by allocating $2,215,030 for its share of the SAD 29 budget. That figure is an increase of $164,191 over last year.
If the school’s budget comes in higher than anticipated, the town would have no choice but to raise taxes to cover the increase. Fortunately, the lines of communication between the town and the school appear to be healthy. Superintendent Mike Hammer has attended several town meetings over the past few months, something his predecessors rarely did.
Hopefully the message that taxpayers simply can’t afford another increase rings loud and true this year.
So how will Mainers manage their monthly bills with less take home pay? It’s a topic many families are sure to be contemplating around the dinner table or at their work desk in the coming days. Many are sure to take a hard look at their monthly expenses, trying to find ways to save a few dollars here or there.
Purchasing store-brand over name-brand items is the first step to save on one’s grocery bill. Making meals that involve more items like vegetables, pasta and rice instead of larger amounts of meat is another quick way to save.
Creating a weekly meal plan is a great way to stretch your grocery dollars. My wife does an excellent job at planning out the meals and has turned into quite the frugal shopper. Where we used to purchase boneless chicken breasts, she now buys small roasting chickens at far less per pound. It’s more work for sure, but the cost savings is incredible. Not to mention the house just smells better when there is a chicken roasting in the oven.
Making coffee at home instead of stopping at the store on the way to work. It costs, on average, 20 times more to purchase a cup of coffee in a store, rather than at home. That adds up quickly. Packing a bag lunch the night before is another way to save. This is my weakness as I rarely think of making a bag lunch in the evening and then tell myself I don’t have time in the morning. It’s too easy to just visit a local grocery store or fast food establishment during lunchtime. And even though it typically is just a couple of dollars, adding up the amount spent on all those trips in the course of the week was staggering.
Many sites will say carry cash and use that instead of your debit/credit cards. I say just the opposite. If I have cash in my wallet, it is gone in a day or two. If I don’t have cash, I tend to think twice about whether or not I really need to buy a bottle of soda or slice of pizza (or other treats).
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.