Forced to be frugal, Hilo resident Adele Gryphon finds herself spending more time in supermarkets these days and cutting out trips to bookstores in favor of visits to the local library.

On O'ahu, former Aloha Airlines flight attendant Lisa Papapa has found herself hyperconscious about turning off lights and sometimes substituting egg dishes for ones with meat, which costs more.

"I shop only for things I need," said Gryphon, one of a number of Hawai'i residents who've adopted thriftiness as a mantra.

"I spend more time in the store than I used to, comparing prices, looking at sales and putting things back on the shelf before I get to the checkout counter when I realize I don't need them."

Some people have hunkered down on spending because of job cuts, fewer work hours or just the feeling they need to limit spending because of uncertainty.

People are trading brands for generic items or buying brand name goods only on sale, showing up at restaurants with coupons, and putting off nonessential luxury purchases.

"We spend more time watching videos instead of going to the movies," said Papapa, 40.

"We're going to the beach a lot because it's more affordable than taking the kids to the mall."

Papapa has signed up for Hawaiian Electric Co.'s EnergyScout program to save $3 a month off utility bills, scans ads for sales and buys produce at a farmers market because it's less expensive.

When taking showers, she, her husband and children try to turn off hot water while soaping up. Brown-bag lunches are mandatory for her and her husband and she finds shopping at Wal-Mart less expensive than going to a nearby Longs Drug Store.

Papapa plans more carefully, combining several errands into a single outing so the family saves on gasoline.

Gryphon, who asked that her real name not be used for fear friends and family might become concerned about her, said medical costs and a cutback in work hours forced her to rethink her spending.

That includes making dishes from scratch, switching to oatmeal from granola and making gifts instead of buying them. She volunteers at organizations she previously made donations to and she cut all but one magazine subscription.

"I used to routinely use credit cards for purchases," Gryphon said.

"I rarely do anymore. I got a debit card and use that and cash almost exclusively, in order to resist the temptation to spend money I do not have."

She has only a cell phone after canceling her at-home telephone service. She walks to work.

Bill payments to local companies are made in person to save the 42-cent postage. She takes advantage of vegetables from friends' gardens and farmers' markets.

Battery chargers and appliances are unplugged to avoid so-called "phantom loads," electricity that's used when devices aren't in use. She's taken to eating at less expensive restaurants if she dines out at all, and the $1.77 cup of coffee she used to buy every day before work is now an infrequent purchase.

"I am actually having fun with it," Gryphon said in an e-mail about her thriftiness. "It feels like a game, though sometimes I feel obsessed."

Still she doesn't know how many of the money-saving routines will remain when her financial situation changes, though she intends to keep doing some of them. Gryphon can see that she'll have less time to cook when she goes back to a full-time schedule.

Papapa said dealing with a truncated budget has been stressful, but that it's brought her family closer together. She's proud that her children understand the situation and have taken to saving their money.

"It's been really good quality family time," Papapa said. "I thought because of the stress it would be worse."