A Wake-up Call

**Nada.Leona** · 08-16-2005, 05:47 AM

Wow. Just... wow.

DH and I bought a car in April. We paid for it flat out, and my mother gave us a couple hundred for the insurance, so we were able to play that off completely too. Well, the summer is almost over and I decided I needed to reconstruct out budget so I would know what I can deal with during the coming school year.

Well, we calculated it all out. Here was our figures (all figures are taken after deductions):

Take home pay: $240/week
X4: $960/month

Bills to Pay -

Rent: $330/month
Electricity (incl. heat): $150/month
Groceries: $100/month
Gas: $50/month
Car Insurance: $234/month
Phone: $82/month (incl. internet)
Long Distance Pkg: $10/month

After all that, I am left with $4 extra. See what I mean by "wow"?

So I'm slightly in shock. DH and I are going to be squeezing pennies til they scream and bleed this winter.

Bright Blessings!
Aphrodite Pretty

**Darlene** · 08-16-2005, 07:03 AM

It does add up fast.

Hope you can eek out a few dollars here and there so things aren't so tight.
Do you need the long distance package? Find a cheaper reg phone package of internet service? How about a part time job? Whatever you choose, I wish you well.

**mom22grls** · 08-16-2005, 07:47 AM

Or maybe check into cheaper car insurance. That's how much we pay for 6 months.

I've been there. You'll make it through..........something always happens.

On the bright side......you don't have a car payment.

**PrairieRose** · 08-16-2005, 09:16 AM

Oh it's just really disheartening when you think you're doing so well, to find out otherwise. I feel for ya kiddo. Have you any ideas on some little ways to bring in extra money? Do you have any special skills that you could use (crochet, knitting, teach piano lessons....?)? I hope you get something figured out so that you can manage to have a few extra $'s.

I've been right where you are, and honestly learned more than when I've had more cushion.

**Sara Noel** · 08-16-2005, 09:20 AM

I'd look into taking a defensive driving class or something to lower your car insurance.

**homesteadmamma** · 08-16-2005, 11:15 AM

I feel for you. I know car insurance is high where you live. I've heard of it many times on the news.

Is there anyway you can lower your telephone (internet) fees. We cut out everything except our long distance. We also went from DSL to DSL1 which isn't any slower unless we download music or pictures. It saved us $23 just cutting back on our internet. We still have all the advantages of DSL. Our internet provider does not advertise DSL1 unless you want to go back to dial-up, then they do.

Hang in there. As least now you know where your money is going. One of the best things anyone can do is write it down. I found once we do that, we can sometimes find a few extra dollars by cutting back or cutting out certain things we've been doing.

**cheapgeek** · 08-16-2005, 12:21 PM

What if only one of you drove? Friends of mine did this. The car was in her name, as was the insurance, and she did all the driving.

**amysh** · 08-16-2005, 02:05 PM

Well, if your takehome pay is really $240 per week, then your monthly salary is actually ($240 * 52 )/12, which comes out to $1040 per month, not $960. So that gives you a little more breathing room.

Can you pick up any extra money doing mystery shops? That's how I feed my coffee habit, and do some occasional dining out...

Good luck!

Amy

**Nada.Leona** · 08-16-2005, 03:42 PM

Well, my mom works for the insurance business, and she looked around for the best insurance price for DH and I, and the one we have is the best one. It would've been a lot more, actually, if she hadn't looked around -- we originally thought it would be $200 more!

And taking DH off the car wouldn't be any good, since we'd just have to put him back on it in four months, as he'll be taking it back and forth to do his practicum for his B. Ed.

I just have to be more creative. I'm not firghtened or upset, I'm looking at it as a challenge -- how much of that $100 for groceries can I cut back? How many trips can I make with that gas money? I'm trying to think up things that I can do. No more trips to Frenchies, no more random vacations on weekends. DH and I are going to have to be very careful with our $$$, but we're confident. It could be a very interesting winter ahead of us.

I'm hoping to keep tabs on every cent we spend, starting Sept. 1st. For now, I am monopolizing my time and thinking of things I can do now, and use later.

DH is pretty good about it, and my friends live far away for the most part, so it won't really be like someone calling every other day to go out for supper. And, thankfully, I have you lovely ladies to ask advice from and rely on for support.

Bright Blessings!
Aphrodite Pretty

**notsadbuthappy** · 08-17-2005, 12:39 AM

i agree on the long distance package you can always use 10-10-987 (than area code and number)i think its like 2 or 3 cents a min.. my mom uses it all the time for her long distances and even when she calls me from the states to england and it only costs her $3.00 an hour (if we are on that long if not its even cheaper) and you dont need to sign up to anything and you dont get charged a fee for using it..

**alabamagirl** · 08-17-2005, 12:13 PM

That is tight - I should probably do the same with my expenditures - I'm sure there is no extra money. I find it a little scary to do this.

Hang in there!

**dndylfe** · 08-17-2005, 02:14 PM

I love your positive thinking, naderbug. You can do this!

**ScrapMama** · 08-17-2005, 07:39 PM

Your thinking is such an inspiration! Dh and I are about to bite the bullet and budget big time, it will take me some getting used to, but I'm up to the challenge!

**Newsnerd68** · 08-17-2005, 10:10 PM

If you can do without long distance, a prepaid calling card is a great alternative. I don't know your situation, but we've used one for years and it's not much of a burden. We don't make a lot of LD phone calls, maybe a handful a month, so $15 on the card will last us several months. Ours is through Sprint, but there are a lot out there.

**babetteq** · 08-18-2005, 01:41 AM

Good for you for your positive outlook! when times get tight like that for us, I try to pick up a little extra by housecleaning, gardening, babysitting, do a little garage sale.... little odd jobs that bring in 20-100$. Those few bucks really make a difference between having and having not. During the summer months I also take peoples 'extra' garden produce and process it and then keep half. They supply thier jars. That way i have lots of extra canning on hand for lean times.

Good luck! You'll get through it!

Babs