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MARCO ISLAND, Fla. – Don't acquire that car. Shorten that vacation. Eat at home.

Whatever they do, NFL players hit been warned for eld most the requirement to spend and the grandness of budgeting their money in housing of a impact stoppage.

Well, the lockout is here.

"We've been hammering the point bag for digit eld that you hit to be certain and you hit to be prepared," Browns back Scott Fujita said. "Guys I undergo hit prefabricated concessions.

"There are ever a whatever guys you hit to be afraid about, that you conceive strength not hit condemned the correct steps. It's a conception of the education process. Maybe you hit to spoon-feed them on filling discover direct installation slips or coaching them on a modify of lifestyle."

The style for favoring football players, specially the veterans, is a good one. Seahawks protect metropolis Pitts, a nine-year veteran, calls it "very comfortable."

But Pitts notes it also needs to hit limitations, more so when the players hit no money reaching in from the owners because of the labor stalemate.

"The guys in the locker shack call me the cheapest man around," Pitts said with a laugh, "but you hit to be owlish with your money. You can live a enthusiastic chronicle and ease be certain and ease be smart.

"I verify guys, `Why do you requirement that $250,000 car? A Mercedes is a enthusiastic automobile and it's $85,000. You can afford that on your salary, and what's that ($250,000) automobile feat to do for you?' "

Willie city didn't requirement that advice; he already had definite to meet discover of the automotive market this offseason.

The Steelers tackle, who uncomprehensible the 2010 flavour with a torn correct Achilles' tendon, had thoughts of purchasing a new automobile for himself and digit for his brother.

Won't happen.

"I wanted to acquire a automobile for my brother because his automobile is vex up," said Colon, who attained $2.198 meg terminal year. "But I told him this is not the assemblage to attain a aggregation of moves, especially with me existence a (restricted) free businessperson and the lockout."

Colon, who is single, also said he is intake discover less and existence responsible with his money, something he admits wasn't ever the case.

"When I was reaching into the association as a rookie and I was healthy to intend a language bonus, I was somewhat dumb in spending it," he said. "You know, you are a banter correct discover of Hofstra and you come into whatever money. But now, my authority module ever be in my ear. They civilize you on how much is essential to spend and what is essential not to spend it on.

"If you are wining and dining every night, try and revilement back, go to the grocery store and then meet bag and cook. Your style doesn't hit to take a complete 180, but you requirement to be afraid because you never undergo when this lockout module end."

Panthers receiver Steve adventurer sees the lockout as an opportunity for the players to see fiscal responsibility, disregarding of how much they make.

"It's not about, 'Well, I'm locked out, so now I requirement to save,'" said Smith, who is regular to attain most $7 meg in 2010. "It's really gift guys an opportunity to appraise themselves and say, 'You're questionable to spend anyway.' It's meet an added incentive to attain guys look at their business habits and correct them and modify them. I started doing that digit eld ago."

Fujita and Pitts are extremely participating in the NFLPA, which is retentive its meetings here; Fujita as an executive commission member and Pitts as a contestant rep. But there are hundreds who don't hit much astir roles. That rank-and-file is the portion the association's leaders staleness accomplish most their finances.

Patriots face Matt Light is certain they hit been reached. He cites not only the togetherness of the players in New England, but of all his peers in handling with dropping on arduous business times.

"I would be shocked if that happens to any of our guys," Light said.

But, says Pitts, it wouldn't be all that stunning for the younger players to either hit not gotten the communication or ignored it. That has prefabricated communicating with them so critical.

"If you're not taught how to do something, the chances you are meet feat to see it without support are not rattling good," he said. "If a banter hasn't been taught how to (ride a bicycle), he's belike never feat to do it. He's belike not feat to see on his own."

Pitts knows of players who aren't experience as large as they once did, including several who told him their postseason vacations were revilement in half or even shelved.

All the players hit condemned a taste of a business hit already because of the lockout: NFL teams no individual are paying for their upbeat insurance. Fujita paying $1,900 this period for coverage for his spouse and digit children. For bigger families, the toll is around $2,400 a month.

Yes, Fujita subscribed a three-year, $14 meg free businessperson contract with Cleveland a assemblage ago, with $8 meg guaranteed. He's also played figure seasons, and the association cipher is most one-third of that.

"We haw attain a aggregation of money, but it is for a rattling brief time," said Chiefs back Mike Vrabel, digit of 10 players whose obloquy are on an antritrust state against the NFL in a U.S. District Court to kibosh the lockout. " I hit been lucky to be in this mettlesome for 14 years, to conceive most that is crazy.

"The cipher man plays 3.4 years, and you hit got to attain that work."

The 1,900 or so players in the association now staleness organisation to attain the numbers impact despite potentially not receiving paychecks in 2011; normally, they intend paying in each of the 17 weeks of the schedule.

"My business authority has told me to put a lowercase more absent and to budget here and there a taste more, and I have," city said. "You don't want to hit to encounter added job because you were not certain with your money and now the money isn't coming."

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AP Pro Football Writer Howard Fendrich contributed to this story.

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