I haven't taken a vacation this year. still smoking though I've cut back and do the cheapo's. It saves a little. and I haven't gone clothes shopping in soo long. I'll get through tho because the economy will get better. Maybe not for awhile but eventually. Since my car has been paid off I have a little more to play with. No new car for me every 3 years anymore.
I am not purchasing the air cleaners this month, due to a emergency last month that put me in the rears. Now I must pay the NDF fees which leaves me about $100 short, plus a double payment on my health insurance. I am totally out of food and must replish my freezer and pantry. With the price of food today am looking at t least $300. I am disabled and living on $1200 a month.
Good choice on the house - its never a good idea to spend "to the limit". Have a few talks with some people in their 80's and they will be able to show you some ways to cut corners. Some of the things my mother does is amazing. I used to wonder WHY she was so frugil now I see how some simple things really make an impact on how far the money goes.
Yup,,,,it's that "Depression Mentality",,,,use it up, wear it out, or do without,,,,I've adopted it for my family until things get better,,,,,,and frankly, I'm thinking it's a good thing to employ even when things are GOOD,,,my youngest child, however, has basically decided we're all nuts,,,,,,,,she doesn't understand why her dad and I just don't SPEND the tax refund on all kinds of goodies (like some of her friends are),,,,that Tax refund would pay the mortgage ALONE for 4 or MORE months if her Dad lost his job,,,,,,she wasn't even BORN yet the last really bad recession we had, so she doesnt remember,,,,but I remember,,,,,My DH was out of work for months, and we lived on unemployment, and frankly, we were lucky, he returned to work after about 3 months,,,,,I believe our rent was 275.00 a month at that time,,,,,and our landlord was nice about it,,,,one of my friends almost lost her house,,,,,
I'm still paying tuition for four kids. My eldest son had his stipend cut back by the University (they're pinching pennies too) so we are kicking in more for his living expenses, and he is working a few more hours a week.
To save money, we're using our wood stoves with pellet inserts rather than heating up the whole house. A bag of pellets, which can last a whole day in really cold weather, is six dollars, as opposed to five to ten gallons of oil at $3 each.
We're comparison shopping, too, but in Maine, that doesn't mean a whole hunk of hell. There aren't any Food 4 Less or anything like them here. Still, Hannaford's is cheaper than Shaw's for most things.
I cut the kids' hair when they're home (and my husband's, too). I'm the only one who gets a $15 haircut these days, only because I can't cut my own. And we started getting the cheap drugs from Hannaford's, rather than the regular drug store where our co-pay is $10 per. I have four prescriptions per month, and my eldest son has one.
I am still buying cigarettes, but I buy generic which are about half of what the brand name are, also I live in a suburban area and not a city so the taxes are much lower, as well the gas prices are lower. I am disabled and my boyfreind has been out of work for more than 3 years and he is having no luck finding anything not even part time. So we have been living on my social security disabilty income for all this time it is very hard especially with the econmoy the way it is right now. By the time we pay the rent we have little to live on for the rest of the month, we hav to pay our utilities, food, gas for car, car insurance and all the usual bills. I am on more than 20 medications a day and even though I have medicarepart D to pay for my medicines I have a monthly fee that I have to pay for that coverage. The also take out a $100 right off the top of my disabilty check for medicare part B, that is for doctors, hospitals and testing. We are not able to get any assistance from the state so we have to just do what we can to stay afloat. We also stopped shopping at major grocerey store chains and have been shopping at these stores Food 4 Less and Ultra Foods, they have brand name items at a much lower cost and it's not like a Sam's club where you buy in bulk their just regular grocery stores but you hav to bag your own items. I know that it is really tough out there for everybody right now and I just hope that we can all get thru it
Yes am still buying next purchase will be air cleaners. I live in an apartment building which has 100 apartments and no circulation system. Since its winter here opening the window will just make the hot air heat turn on. Since I smoke I do crack the window, but that doesn't help. I even turn on a fan in my bedroom for air circulation when I sleep. Since I turned on the heat in Nov I have had a sinus infection. Hopefully the new purchase will clean up this infection.
Good choice on the house - its never a good idea to spend "to the limit". Have a few talks with some people in their 80's and they will be able to show you some ways to cut corners. Some of the things my mother does is amazing. I used to wonder WHY she was so frugil now I see how some simple things really make an impact on how far the money goes.
I still buy good, wholesome, healthy food for me and my critters. At times like this it is important to take care of your health - we are more at risk for poor health when we're poor because, at least in the US, crap food is cheaper than healthy food generally speaking. So I'm going to wait till I get paid from my second job in February to buy PANTS (I'm down to 1 working pair that are office appropriate), because that money is better spent on food.
My only luxury is cigarettes, because they keep me from eating. One pack of cigarettes saves two meals a day. Is that SICK or what?
!!!
I hear you,,,,,,same issue here,,,,,Although, frankly, I usually buy Newport 100's (about 32.00 a carton) and have recently switched to 305 menthol 100's due to cost,,,,,they're half the cost, and not half bad taste wise either,,,,and I'm cutting back the number I smoke as well,,,,I'll quit if absolutely necessary, but gum and patches cost more in the short run,,,,obviously a huge savings both health and finance wise in the long run,,,,,but with all the stress though, I'm not sure it's the best time to quit,,,,,,
On a really depressing note, I saw Suze Orman on the Larry King show last night,,,,,,she says it's going to get worse,,,,,before it gets WORSE. She expects that within 3 years, the economy will start to improve,,,,but it will be 2015 before things get back to where they were,,,that's six years,,,at least my car will be paid off before that,,,,the unemployment rate in california is over 9 percent right now,,,(thank God I don't live in California, and I feel really bad for anyone who does),,,I just hope we can hang on that long,,,,,
I had heard the economy was expected to start to take a slight up swing within the year,,,,,and I thought we could manage that long,,,six years just makes me really REALLY depressed,,,,,she recommended having 8-10 months of living expenses in the bank because it takes 8-10 months to FIND a new job,,,,,,,yeah, right,,,,,,frankly, I'll have about 2 months of bear living expenses in the bank when I get my tax refund,,,,
You know,,,,,,my husband makes a good, decent, living salary,,,,he's not lazy, and he takes any work he can get,,,,,we're FAR from rich, but we've never TRULY worried about feeding our family before,,,oh, maybe we were late with an occasional electric bill,,,,or maybe we went camping instead of an expensive vacation, and we don't buy cars or furniture, etc,,,,,,we have no credit card bills, and the only things we have financed is one minivan and one mattress/boxspring set (necessity due to my bad back),,,,oh, and the house with a very reasonable 700.00 a month mortgage, including insurance,,,,so it's not like we have bills coming out the whazoo,,and I'm worried,,,,,,,I don't know how people with alot of credit card debt or house payments on houses that are no longer worth what they paid for them are going to manage,,,,,I really don't,,,
