Seeking Suggestions

**misscas** · 01-10-2009, 03:45 PM

I just had to leave my part-time job due to foot problems due to my weight. I am going to take the next year to work on it full-time since this is a problem I can solve myself. After I get down 100 lbs, I plan on taking some courses in MS Office and Quickbooks so I can find another part-time office job.

My income is $1158 from SSDI.

My expenses are:
$355 mortgage
62 nat gas
23 electric
52 water
27 internet
52 car ins
200 food
75 gasoline
4 rx
50 pet supplies
30 toiletries
10 cleaning/household supplies
50 car repair fund
50 entertainment
-------
$1040

I am single with no children. I have all the bills on the level payment plan. I have researched car insurance and the only way to save anything would be to drop comp/collision. I don't have enough in savings to replace car so it's manditory. I don't spend all the food budget or gas budget. All the extra money goes to medical bills at the moment. I have no credit card debt. I have all the electronics plugged into power strips and they get turned off when not in use. I also hang all laundry and wash in cold with half the soap. I make sure to wash full loads and make sure the dish washer is full when I run it.

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

**ladykemma2** · 01-10-2009, 04:01 PM

car registration
car inspection
phone
trash
predictable medical and dental expenses
clothing and shoes

is your electric really 23?

**misscas** · 01-10-2009, 04:10 PM

When I was working, I put aside about 2 years worth of pet vet visits and car tags/taxes. My mother has a family plan cell phone deal, so it's free. I put my trash in with my parents as neither one of us has very much. I have schizophrenia so I spend at least $10 a month on shrink visits (sliding fee govt clinic) guaranteed but it can be as much as $50 depending on when medicare gets their eob and payment back to the clinic. I have enough clothes to go from a size 32 women's to a size 12. I will only need swim wear and bras....plus a little misc...I really can't budget this at this time because I'm not sure what I will need. I can always get a nice used coat from the Salvation Army every November so I will have one that fits...this is free. There is a local free clothing charity, I will try there first before I check out $1.59 an item day at Salvation Army. I don't skimp on bras because I am miserable if the thing is uncomfortable, pinches or won't fit right...walmart bras don't cut it. I have been asking for gift certs for Victoria Secret for the last few years...they never expire...this should help out on this cost. Thanks for the suggestions.

Actually, electric was $17 this month. It ran $35 in july with the central a/c on.

**l8eebugg** · 01-10-2009, 04:17 PM

Oh my gosh!!! My electric is 189.00 a month. Yes, I am careful, wish I could get it down that is one of my goals. No one is even home all day and I do not heat with it. You are so-o-o lucky.

**forHISglory** · 01-10-2009, 04:28 PM

I suggest:
1. Cutting the grocery bill in half.
2. Skip the entertainment category and find free ways to entertain yourself.
3. Don't have a pet right now. A lot of folks will disagree with me on this one, but that's OK.

Those three categories will give you a $200 cushion each month.

Sounds like you have other obligations in hand.

**homesteadmamma** · 01-10-2009, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by forHISglory

I suggest:
1. Cutting the grocery bill in half.
2. Skip the entertainment category and find free ways to entertain yourself.
3. Don't have a pet right now. A lot of folks will disagree with me on this one, but that's OK.

Those three categories will give you a $200 cushion each month.

Sounds like you have other obligations in hand.

I agree with all except #3. I think you could definitely cut your pet supplies in half. The amount you have seems awfully high.

**IntlMom** · 01-10-2009, 06:13 PM

the other thing that I saw was the gasoline.....I know 75.00 isn't very much, but with the new lower gas prices, and being even more careful with your errands, I bet you can get it even lower.

**itlw8** · 01-12-2009, 03:29 PM

$50 a month in pet supplies is very high how many pets do you have. We have a lab and the food only costs us $ 20 a month

$200 a month for food seems high also. for only one person. unless you are ddoing a food plan where you buy your meals to lose weight and then I have no idea how much that is but if it works it would be worth it.

$50 for entertainment I bet you can pare that back. borrow from the library, rent from redbox for movies at Walmart

$30 for toiletries seems high also do you save what you do not spend ?

**Greebo** · 01-12-2009, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by homesteadmamma

I agree with all except #3. I think you could definitely cut your pet supplies in half. The amount you have seems awfully high.

Pets are extremely expensive. 1 vet visit can cost hundreds.

**misscas** · 01-12-2009, 04:59 PM

My pets are a pug dog and a cat. I am buying purina food. My cat won't eat anything cheaper. The dog does nicely on this too and I really don't want to get him sick by buying ole roy.

**fixer** · 01-12-2009, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by misscas

My pets are a pug dog and a cat. I am buying purina food. My cat won't eat anything cheaper. The dog does nicely on this too and I really don't want to get him sick by buying ole roy.

If your pets are doing well, I would not change. Pets do well on certain diets. Pet food is one place where you get what you pay for. Dw has samples of our pet's food sent to a lab to be analyzed. She then balances their requirements. We have had cheaper foods analyzed but they fail to pass the Dw test. We buy mid-priced food. I don't care if your pets are doing well on cheap food. That's good for you. People live to eighty smoking like a train, yet no one recommends it. Scrimping on pet food is being pound wise and penny foolish.

**kita** · 01-14-2009, 11:08 AM

What are you doing to lose weight? Will that cost you money? I am doing Weight Watchers, on my own. I enrolled several years ago at work...really liked it and lost a chunk of weight. Now some of it has slipped back on so I am doing it on my own.
Since I only have a part-time job, one thing I have to watch is becoming so sedentary that my metabolism drops.
For exercise I have been trying to do the Leslie Sansone walking program. I purchased the book at Goodwill($2) and another Dvd at Kmart($5).
Since it seems you are on Medicare, you should use the advice of a doctor and a nutritionist. It would be more tailored to you.

Parsimonious · 01-14-2009, 01:02 PM

My suggestion has nothing to do with money, but perhaps it's worth a thought anyway. You want to take classes once you've lost weight - couldn't you start taking one or two now? It's so easy to fall into the "Once-I-am-slim-I'll-do-all-those-things" trap, and to wait for the perfect time with the perfect weight that never comes

Since you've got health problems and are concentrating on weight loss you shouldn't overdo it, but consider getting at least started now. Just 30 minutes of learning a day make 182 1/2 hours of learning after a year. You can learn LOADS in that time!

Good luck!