I feel as though I am making way with paying the debt's down.
My problem now is that I am going to Be going Part-time in my work...
To cut a long story short, at 26 years old I have found myself to be suffering from depression.....After I went to the doctors, he recognised some of my symptoms as depression:ack: ...Took me a few days to agree with him...
I suffered awful PND after my DD was born, and it seems as though the stress of the last 2 years has brought on more stress/depression:ack:

Anyway, sorry for rambling on......
Can I ask if anyone has took a cut in wages?
What advice would you offer, what would be the best thing I could start doing as off right now?
I would be working 3 days a week 9-1,
I dont think I Would always want to be part-time, but as for the next year, it's a good option for me......

Eva....:smooch:

Eva, glad you are doing what you can to reduce stress in your life. I think one thing that would help you is to simplify things(& save $$) in other areas of your life like doing away with extras that you really don't need like fancy phone & tv packages. Who needs a gazillion channels? Another is to walk wherever you need to go as much as possible. Exercise and taking time to notice the world around you does wonders for your well being. I'm sure the other ladies will have other ideas for you. Want you to be good to yourself, you are worth taking time for.:heartsm:

I took a cut in wages when do to medical reasons I left my job, now with dh and his best friend that lives with us we have 2 incomes but it is still tight. I found ways to cut my regular bills such as going to basic phone, switched to dish instead of cable, a new cell phone plan at a lower rate. I work each month at finding things to cut out of the food budget, such as finding one thing I can make from scratch, I also when health allows I take walks, or ride my bike, I am planting a garden (i don't have room at my house but my mom does so I am buying plants and will help her weed and such and we will share the veggies) also planted a rasberry and blackberry bush kids and I also planted sunflowers to see if we could harvest the seeds, I have learned how to make frezzer jam and homemade peanut butter, I suffer from depression also and I use relaxation tapes or cds, found some great ones at the everything is a dollar store. I make sure to find at least 15-20 minutes a day to sit back and relax and find something that I am greatful for. I also find cheap snacks for the kids that we can make togeather. A trip to the libary is also a way to relax and rent movies for free. If you need some one to listen feel free to email me I would be more then happy to just listen and maybe we can share frugal ideas.... I use one line that helps I say to myself when things are tough "this to shall pass" it helps to remember that things will get better..

The budgeting thing is all in how you look at it - poor deprived me
or an empowering challenge, learning self reliance, new skills.

with our family, we took a major cut.... I was working too making $35,000 a year and then the company laid everyone off, I got a part-time job working from home making less than $10,000 a year, then I get laid off there as well since they were basing the things I do from an actual office, therefore leaving me with NO income. So we have managed to go from a great income, to moderator to nothing and we still making it on hubby's salary alone and paying child support each month.

I know if we can do it, you can too! I am here if you ever want to talk!

Just sending a big hug!

I quit working almost 7 years ago. When I quit, we did as others have suggested. We got rid of expensive cable and switched the cheapest, most basic plan (went from paying $40/month to $12/month). I dropped all extras on the phone service. I've never even liked call waiting, so why pay for it? And I had no reason to monitor who is calling me with caller ID. If I don't want to talk, I just let the machine pick up.

I started cooking a lot more. (We ate out quite a bit when I worked.) I discovered that I love cooking. When I find myself getting bored with the same old things, I check out new cookbooks from the library. Bake your own snacks.

When a meal makes a lot extra, I freeze half of it. I learned this trick a few years ago after I became really ill and often couldn't cook. DH was running through the drive-thru a lot because I just didn't think to have a stash in the freezer. We really couldn't afford to be eating out, but we really didn't have a choice. (DH can't cook, except spaghetti, which I don't like.) Now I have several meals in the freezer for times when I'm sick, tired, or just just feel like cooking.

Watch sales ads for the grocery stores. This really helps with the shopping. Be willing to go to several stores if transportation and time aren't a problem. Figure out which stores have the best prices on various items that you buy regularly.

Read books on frugality for inspiration. When I'm feeling uninspired, this always helps me.

Eva, I retired from my job as a public health nurse two years ago when my breast cancer came back (after five cancer free years). We have managed quite well. I have learned my techniques from Frugal Village. It is amazing how much you can save money with food alone. Food is very expensive here in Finland as I know it is in UK too.

Two months ago my DH joined me at home due to depression. He just left his work one day and refused to go back. I took him to see a doctor who gave him a long sickleave. It means he gets only 60% of his original salary (being unemployed). We still manage quite ok, although I know our income is under poverty line in Finland. It is amazing really, if you think about it. People who earn three or four times as much as we, struggle just as much with their money.

Wishing you well,
iida

You've been given some good advice. We did not take a salary cut, but moved to an area that was very expensive to live on pretty much the same salary as the job my dh left. The results were the same...we made drastic cuts in the budget.

It's all in your perception...but we looked at it like "let's see if we can really do this!" We took it as a challenge, not "ok...now we're poor!"

Rework your grocery budget...look at what other people on this board are spending (most list it at the end of their posts) to give you an idea of what is workable.

Utilize your library for movies and stuff to do with the kids. Our library has lots of free activities for kids that they really enjoy. This is also a way to make friends for you as well.

Get a copy of the Tightwad Gazette from the library. It is a great motivator and will give you countless ideas on ways to save.

Shop thrift stores or consignment shops for the kids clothes. Payless has great shoes for about 1/2 of what you would pay in a regular shoe store of department store. Even cheaper than Target sometimes.

Utilize this board! It is a great place for ideas!

I found the entrie tightwad gazette books on amazon for less then $1.00 a piece so i got them and let me tell you I have read them so many times just to remind my self of different ideas, some don't work for me I do not have the space to keep everything to reuse, But i do find things that i can use right away and keep reusing those things, but i it is can i use this and the answer is someday I toss it I just don't have space for that and my back up pantry which to me is more important at this point. I also have found ways to have the kids start helping in the savings dept, they find low cost snacks that they want and we make them togeather, it seems to really make them happy...I love this fv it has helped so much thanks to everyone that responds and helps when there are questions asked.

Thank you to everyone who replied!

My biggest worry is our huge mortgage, I think because of our ages, we have such a long time to go until it is cleared....30 years....
But as others on here and my Mum have been saying, health comes first!
I dont want to end up in a situation again where Im not able to go a full day without crying!

This is My plan of action...
Homemade cooking 6 nights out of 7...until we can do without any takeaways
No spend days, actually getting used to this idea, when you put your mind to something it is amazing how you can achieve your goals......
No after-school care saving £150 a month
Im selling my car, should make a good enough profit to pay down debt/mortgage...
Using this board to the full and absorbing every tip you wonderful ladies have posted......
Car boot sales...brilliant way to sell unused/unwanted items and what bargains you can pick up also....

Eva:wave:

:cheergrl: Eva :cheergrl:

^^^
ThanQ

This forum is :hat: :patty: :yippee:

Just wanted to give you a big hug:hugz: and wish you luck.
I had depression after I had my last child he is 18years old now and then again when I started menopause. The best thing for me was walking and listing to music I liked when I walked. I came home with a bigger smile on my face. I also cut, cut,cut on our budget. My family knew if we had left overs they were getting something from it later that week. But they didn't mind. I also went through all our phone bills, utilites and found things that shouldn't have been on them and I searched for better service. Believe me phone companies, internet and others will fight for your business.

Everyone has given you such good advice but only you will figure out what will work best. Even if you have to go sit on your bed or outside for 10 minutes to breathe, just do it.