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Sunday, July 05, 2009
Sacred indulgences
By Story By Rivkela Brodsky
Of the Journal
Local businesses, thank your customers. Pets, thank your owners.
It seems that even in this rough economy, possibly because of it, residents are choosing to spend money at their favorite Albuquerque establishments when possible — and on their pets, as usual.
We asked you, our readers, to tell us what items or indulgences you simply refuse to give up despite the likely need to make some cutbacks.
Many mentioned local stores and restaurants you can't live without. For example, you won't skimp on organic food bought at local grocery stores, you won't give up on dining at local eateries, you continue to support local charities or churches, and are even making the Sunday trek to the store to get your local Albuquerque Journal, and more.
We had great answers by e-mail and phone, but due to space couldn't include them all. This is a sampling of responses, in mostly pure form — we did edit for style and space.
Thank you to those who responded.
Health
I won't give up my vitamins. I pay over $300 per month for me and my family and I will not give those up. My vitamins are what keeps me healthy and alert. I know in the long run my vitamins will pay off like insurance to continue to keep me healthy. Prevention is the best medicine.
— Dr. Norm Dawson, Corrales
I won't give up locally — or nearby-grown vegetables from La Montanita Co-op or the growers' market south of Central near Nob Hill. The Co-op's cheeses are great, and I buy Rosie's twice-the-price free-range chicken at least half the time. I'm trying to train myself to let local foods have a bigger chunk of my spending.
— Sally Jacobsen, Albuquerque
One thing I won't give up is pomegranate juice — specifically the POM brand juice. ...Because it's really nutritious for me and it helps me lose weight and I just feel vibrant when I drink it.
— Susan Romer, Albuquerque
I will not give up my bimonthly massage! I've been receiving a massage for about 10 years now, and it is so very beneficial in relieving my stress level and improving my overall health. It is my special time to just relax and focus on taking good care of my body, mind and spirit. If necessary, I would give up eating out at a nice restaurant, occasional pedicures/manicures, and having my car washed before eliminating my massages.
— Annie Milling, Albuquerque
When I first read the question in Sunday's Journal, I thought there is not anything I would not do without. Then I realized that it would be organic produce and natural products for grooming and cleaning. I look for the best deals, and I make what I can, but our health is more important than saving a few dollars in this area.
— Joyce Gonzales
Beauty
I will not give up my weekly appointments with a hairdresser. I grew up in the South. My mother and her friends used to go every Saturday to a beauty shop like (the one in the movie) "Steel Magnolias." I knew that was something ladies did every week. I haven't stopped since. Even though I'm on Social Security and things are tight, I still make time for that weekly hair appointment. I don't intend to die with gray hair. I will charge that on my credit card.
— Joan Andersen, Albuquerque
What this 72-year-old — closer to 73 — senior won't give up is her anti-wrinkle cream. Even with the 401(k) situation, I just paid $90.74 for a jumbo jar of it. I try to wait and buy it when Estée Lauder has a promotion so I can get a free lipstick and other freebees. I gave up coloring my hair and I've never had cable TV. ... But I have my anti-wrinkle cream, my free lipstick, gray hair and those pesky wrinkles.
— Felo Cortez, Albuquerque
Charity
Even during tough economic times, I continue to make donations (tithes) to my church and make donations to other nonprofits that help the disadvantaged. I believe that God will honor this giving.
— Steve Halama, Albuquerque
Dining
I can't think of anything I couldn't do without but would certainly miss our several-times-a-week visits to one of the Flying Star restaurants (we not only prefer but demand local businesses) and the occasional trip to a microbrewery (and that means locally brewed beer too unless it's Sam Adams). And when we want to go out for a pizza, Il Vicino provides the real thing along with real beer. So, while it isn't pleasant to think about, there's nothing we could not do without except for cream of chicken chili stew at Kelly's on Central along with excellent beer brewed right there.
— Jim Steeves, Albuquerque
We decided to hold fast to our tradition of going out for a meal on weekends.
Still, we made a game of still finding ways to maintain standards and still save some money:
• We go out for breakfast where feasible — a cheaper meal, and we enjoy the menus.
• Your Press Pass card gives us 20 percent off at three places we really like — the Tamaya Resort's Santa Ana Cafe, Brasserie La Provence, and McGrath's at the downtown Hyatt.
• Flying Star, a longtime favorite, gives nice discounts on their gift cards if you buy a lot.
We found that, doing it this way, we can afford to go out twice and still be within budget!
— Hugh Horan, Rio Rancho
I will always eat my Quaker oatmeal. I will not give up cable Internet, eating out at the local Dion's two times a week (the location at Montgomery & Morris), specifically a pizza or a sub.
— Susan Ciconte, Albuquerque
The paper/coffee
I won't give up coffee and my Sunday Journal! My brother-in-law gave my husband and I a Keurig coffee maker for Christmas and I love it! So, I won't give up buying those little cups of coffee, tea, and cocoa! And, every Sunday that I'm in town, I get up early and drive to the store for the Journal. So, I won't stop using gas to drive to get my paper and read it while enjoying my coffee!
— Patricia Ballinger, Albuquerque
I really can't do without my Starbucks coffee. So instead of going out and spending "big bucks" on fancy coffee drinks at Starbucks stores, I purchased a Tassimo coffee machine, which dispenses a single cup of Starbucks coffee at a time, and I do it in the privacy of my own home.
— Mike Santullo, Albuquerque
Animals
Despite the fragile economy and the dip in our retirement accounts, we will not give up our three pets (one dog, two cats) and good, healthful food for them and for us. I figure these are the best investments we can make in our future — emotionally, spiritually and physically — for a "long leash on life."
— Tom and Jeri Ramrath, Albuquerque
With the price of wild bird food going up (and they are putting 5 lbs less seeds in the bags now!), I won't give up my pleasure of feeding my wild birds. This indulgence gives me such joy, from their singing early in the morning, to watching them in the yard. The little "heathens" eat me out of house and home!!! But I told my son, I'll starve before I quit feeding them and the hummers too. They also use the lint from my clothes drier for nesting material— even the hummers will get their little beaks full and fly off to wherever!
— Judi Sinks, Albuquerque
Thank you for this opportunity to send you information regarding what we cannot do without during these "tight-money" times. (My husband was one of the Eclipse casualties.)
What we cannot do without are our three dogs (Dolly the Dalmation; Bailey the beagle; and Abigail the collie mix). It is so sad to know that there are a lot of people who think they have to give up their animals during these tough times. Our pets are such a vital part of our lives — they make us laugh, they help us keep our perspective, they make life more meaningful and more fun, and they are always "there" for us — and they ask for so little from us. Our three dogs came to us as castoffs (one was dumped at my father-in-law's house; one was a Second Chance adoption; and one was a Watermelon Mountain Ranch adoption). Now we would be the abandoned ones if we didn't have them. We probably speak for many other animal lovers when we say we will continue to make sure they have the food, attention, love, and medical care they need. It is not a sacrifice to cut back on the "niceties" in order to care for them. It is truly a privilege and a great joy to have them in our lives.
— Joyce Crettol
Nothing in the world could make me give up my kind-hearted, gentle-spirited, unconditionally loving, devoted, best friend forever, dog Spencer. He reminds me daily that it is easy to find joy and wonder in the simplest things: taking walks, sitting outside watching the birds, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of nature. He reaffirms that all the material things in the world are meaningless without love in your life.
— Patrice Schooley, Placitas
I would not give up Mellow Mutt chicken jerky for Roxy, my big red dog.
— Marsha Graf, Albuquerque
Entertainment
I'm 80 years old and I live in a retirement place and what I can't do without is cable TV. I have to watch Turner Classic Movies because the old movies remind me of my youth and also that channel doesn't have any commercials.
— Gerry Stinson-Beavis, Rio Rancho
I won't give up DirecTV, especially FuelTV (surfboarding, testosterone driven, extreme sports). I have six TVs (in my house) so I'm not alone. It's thrilling. Also, I'm kind of a Bravo whore. I would go without washing my clothes and things like that, but I must pay by DirecTV bill. I'd give up my cell phone, my Internet, but not my DirecTV.
—Rebecca Sullivan, Cedar Crest
Family
What an interesting question when you really consider what the question, at its core, is asking. "What can't you live without?" It says that there are things that we make decisions to live without. More often than not it seems that our list is indeed comprised of material things. "Things." When we plan our lives and make our budgets and craft our decisions, we do so around the "things" we have deemed necessary. So in thinking about what things I can't live without I answer: Aside from the immense blessings of my shelter and food, there are no "things" I can't live without. What I cannot live without is my husband and my children.
When we sit down to budget our time as well as money, all else falls around the commitment that we will honor people above things. I have said that I will be home with our children, which means that we will not have cable, Starbucks, new cars, a new house or new clothes.
I am alarmed to hear that, while well-intentioned in an effort to budget, "things" are what we can't live without as we unknowingly strive, not to create environments were people and children are honored, but strive to hold on to our stuff.
— Germaine Johnson
Other
As an artist I won't give up shopping for art materials. Since 90 percent of my assemblages and collages use recycled materials I can happily scout for interesting objets d'art at garage sales and thrift stores. Must have money for glue and my latest obsession, imported handmade papers for artist books.
As a writer (published eight books and chapbooks) I have to keep up with contacts and trends in my field, which means I need magazine subscriptions and books to read. Since libraries have very limited holdings, I shop at bookstores and love scouting when on vacation.
— Marilyn Stablein
Cleanliness
Among other things, I cut my cable package down a notch or two, gave up my home phone, quit the yuppie gym and joined a cheap gym, buy "no-brand" items and quit all shopping, but I won't give up my housekeeper! She stays!
— Stephanie Granfors, Albuquerque
Technology
My husband and I never had the money to go out to a restaurant. Finally, in the past few years, after working all our lives, we can indulge ourselves and we go to Kelly's in Nob Hill twice a week — sometimes three times. I would fight tooth and nail if anyone suggested I give that up. Two other things I would have a hard time giving up would be my cell phone and the Internet. Oh, and I also really like having a digital camera, since I'm a terrible photographer and it's great to just keep clicking until you get a good photo. Well, it seems that there are several things I don't want to give up, now that I utilize some of this wonderful new technology! I guess my 'bohemian' days are over.
— Judy Jennings, Albuquerque
My son says cable, my girlfriend says dining out, and I say gym membership. Cable costs $100 a month, eating out costs roughly $300, my gym costs $28.34. I think I win.
— Axl Plum
Hobbies
I'm 73 years old and I won't give up skiing this coming winter. Last season I skied 24 days and hope to do even more this coming season. At my age, you've got to enjoy as many snow days as possible. I might have to give up my cleaning lady but never my skiing. The good news is it's cheaper for me to ski now as they have senior discounts at most ski areas.
— Ginger Grossetete, Albuquerque
I won't give up my Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) membership or Cowboy Action Shooting, at least while there are still reloading components for sale.
— Art (Brushy) Briggs, Albuquerque
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