2000ad or...

[Gonk]

I liked going up the pub most evenings, but have had to cut down on going out due to expense.
A friend of mine has cancelled his season ticket at his favourite football club and another his Skymovies account.

None of us have considered cancelling our 2000ad subscriptions at the newsagent. What would luxury you sacrifice before you gave up 2000ad?

[Bat King]

I'd cancel my newsagent subscription and subscribe direct - you save money that way.

[TordelBack]

Everything, it turns out! 

A weekly 2000AD is pretty much my sole luxury at present (this here laptop is 'for work', ahem) - tried managing without it for a few months and it just didn't work. 

No pub, no cafés, no takeaway, no (purchased) books, all have proved more workable than no 2000AD.  The one I really struggle with is not taking the kids out in the car at weekends - I love a long drive with the family to go rambling or swimming somewhere new or somewhere proven, but petrol prices mean that's become a rare event rather than a weekly one.  Luckily we have hills and forests and streams in walking distance, a wine-making setup, an excellent library nearby, and a wife who understands my need for the prog, or I really would lose what marbles I have left.

[Colin Zeal]

I'd give up smoking before the prog and other non-essentials like that such as having lunch in cafes. Luckily I haven't had to consider it yet, although I have cut back on how often I visit the pub. That's more for the weight/health option than cost though.

[Colin YNWA]

I'll come from a different angle. We now have two children when 3 years ago none, time has become a really limiting factor. I barely watch footie anymore, never really go out and drink the way I used to, hardly go the cinema etc etc. The one thing that I still do voraciously is read comics. Its become my one, main hobby. Since 2000ad is by far my favourite comic I figure I'd let go a lot of other things these days...

...I mean who needs two children...

[SmallBlueThing]

I dont drink, and havent for over nine years now, so i cant really count cutting pub trips out. I have stopped buying dvds for the most part, having lost all interest in film in my old age, and havent bought a music cd since 1999. These days comics are my only 'luxury' (barring fags, and treats for the kids). For me to stop reading 2000AD- which ive bought weekly since prog one, ignoring the usual teenage gap when hormones dictated i stop, and consistently since 1987, id have to have given up literally everything else first and be reduced to wearing age-old pants and holey socks.

Or, it could go exclusively digital.

SBT

[Gonk]

Glad to hear you live in a place where you can access nature on your doorstep Tordel. I lived in a place with lots of green spaces ,trees and wildlife (sparrowhawks, herons at bottom of garden) but it's all going because the council have decided to build over what little remains. Soon I will be living on a building site instead.

I know someone who needs two children, I think he'd offer you a goood price for pair! only joking!

That's what I like about reading comics, they do not demand so much time and attention as something like Shakespeare for instance. Not that I wouldn't want to give time and attention to something like Coriolanus but that with noise and interuption it gets very difficult to concentrate .Luckily I've got 2000ad to keep my brainbox ticking over.

Giving up smoking is hard.

[Gonk]

I dont drink, and havent for over nine years now, so i cant really count cutting pub trips out. I have stopped buying dvds for the most part, having lost all interest in film in my old age, and havent bought a music cd since 1999. These days comics are my only 'luxury' (barring fags, and treats for the kids). For me to stop reading 2000AD- which ive bought weekly since prog one, ignoring the usual teenage gap when hormones dictated i stop, and consistently since 1987, id have to have given up literally everything else first and be reduced to wearing age-old pants and holey socks.

Or, it could go exclusively digital.

SBT

Yeah nice. I'd go around looking like that for the price of my 2000ad addiction.

[Mudcrab]

Ah, as a great man once said, plenty thrill-power and no money will get you through the hard times better than plenty money and no thrill-power. Or something like that.

With apologies to Fat Freddy 

[Van Dom]

Sadly, this is exactly what I've had to do since being made redundant. Believe me, everything else that could possibly be cut, was cut, but in the end after paying mortgage and various bills we needed every penny we could get to cover the weekly grocery shopping. It's pretty tight at the moment so luxuries have had to go, I'm afraid. Definately suffering without it though.Twas my only luxury for a long time as it was! Hopefully it wont be for too long.

[TordelBack]

'Twas exactly the same for me Van Dom, when I finally hit the dole queue back in August/September - long progless months followed.  However, I was given Prog 2012 for Christmas and I realised that I literally couldn't stand to go without the weekly any longer. €3.45 is a hell of a lot when you're actually falling short of making ends meet, but I've been able to justify it by rigidly buying absolutely nothing else for myself, not even chewing gum, joining the wife in flogging any old tat I can find on eBay, and also realising that it costs less than the bus to and from the dole office, so now we (me and the youngest) walk. 

It's actually worth it to me just to have some pleasant way of marking the weeks, something concrete to look forward to.  I hope a similar return to proggery is just around the corner for you Dirk, it's been a stupidly big boost for me.