1.   And because housing, heat and electricity are seen as indispensable, food is often the first thing to be sacrificed when money gets tight.

2.   But no real competition emerged, and when power supplies got tight, the utilities had less generating capacity of their own to buffer the shock.

3.   Seen as luxuries, Wyss said, second homes are among the first things to go when finances get tight.

4.   What works for them most of the time can also work against them when things get tight.

5.   Battier admitted Sunday that the Blue Devils got tight in the title game against the Huskies.