21.   But he also confirmed that IBM would be cutting its work force by thousands to tighten its belt during the current slump.

22.   But hoteliers say that business is still down and that they have had to tighten their belts and pursue different customers.

23.   But Prince Abdullah has bluntly declared that all Saudis will have to tighten their belts.

24.   But Southwestern Bell tightened its belt and re-examined its business to find ways to grow profits despite losing customers.

25.   But Washington is tightening belts.

26.   But with a bloated budget deficit, the federal government has already begun to tighten its belt.

27.   But with nationwide municipal elections scheduled for October, legislators want to be generous to win favor with voters, not to keep belts tightened.

28.   Castro keeps telling his people to tighten their belts because of the U.S. embargo, but his seems to be getting looser and looser.

29.   Chilean consumers, taking their cues from the stock slump and the worsening news from Asia and Russia, are tightening their belts.

30.   Companies have been laying off employees and families have been tightening their belts for three months in anticipation of the austerity package announced last week.