is anyone else re juggling finances for holiday

[oheoh's momma]

well 2 weeks ago we were ok. This weekend we had to help our UK daughter out with money which put us in a bind but still was ok. Today hubby had to take a day off of work -100 to take granny to dr plus pay for it which will total out to be about 60 spent today. We were suppose to pay car insurance today 200 and 168 electric bill. The electric bill will not be paid at all this month. So next month DEC will be paying to cables 274 we decided to pay it on the 30. (DEC and JAN) which would not have killed us but not paying the electric bill puts me into panic mod. we will have to also pay for grandma's packages to Arizona because she won't have it plus her dr visits 2x a month and her meds. I think this is sinking me into a funk. I hate worrying and it makes the holidays miserable. and it is always something with hubby and the holidays. I love my hubby and it is better but would like to have holiday were my bp is not over 200/100 something......glad my stockpile is ok or I would be really worried. I need a haircut and I started menapause and am having the worse hot flashes . Which makes me emotionally not right.grrr. pout.

[nuisance26]

~I'm sorry you're feeling so anxious.
If you're not in a contract, I suggest you cancel the cable until your bills are caught up and you have a fully funded emergency fund. Then those unexpected thing won't cause you to put off paying bills. You'll be able to cover the surprise expense out of your fund.~

[krbshappy71]

well 2 weeks ago we were ok. This weekend we had to help our UK daughter out with money which put us in a bind but still was ok. Today hubby had to take a day off of work -100 to take granny to dr plus pay for it which will total out to be about 60 spent today. We were suppose to pay car insurance today 200 and 168 electric bill. The electric bill will not be paid at all this month. So next month DEC will be paying to cables 274 we decided to pay it on the 30. (DEC and JAN) which would not have killed us but not paying the electric bill puts me into panic mod. we will have to also pay for grandma's packages to Arizona because she won't have it plus her dr visits 2x a month and her meds. I think this is sinking me into a funk. I hate worrying and it makes the holidays miserable. and it is always something with hubby and the holidays. I love my hubby and it is better but would like to have holiday were my bp is not over 200/100 something......glad my stockpile is ok or I would be really worried. I need a haircut and I started menapause and am having the worse hot flashes . Which makes me emotionally not right.grrr. pout.

Hugs. Here's my suggestions, take them or leave them of course

Cable wont do you any good if the power is shut off, pay the electric bill first.

Don't let the car insurance slip, I did that once and...it was...BAD. Real bad.

Hopefully you only helped your daughter because she was in a dire emergency because you really don't have the funds to help other people right now! You are struggling yourself! I hope she is ok.

Grandma's packages wait until Grandma can pay to ship them, sounds to me like her medical needs are piling up and you are already helping with those, her packages are low-priority right now.

Your hair looks MAHHVELOUS! Skip the haircut, if its really long throw it in a pony-tail or bun, if its not super long try a headband, scarf. I've let my hair go for 6 months or longer at times.

Really sorry about the menopause, I dread running into that wall!! Take care of yourself, we are hear for you to listen and send hugs!

[oheoh's momma]

thank u ladies hubby and grandma will not here of cutting off cable( that includes internet and phone) I would be happy without it or having the very basic cable and having the internet is a luxery I understand that. But can not get the other 2 on board. I guess I am anxious.... just venting. If she can not pay to ship them I do not see us having the money. we can not rob anymore have to pay.....

[MomToTwoBoys]

Try not to let it get to you too much. All that stress is no good for anyone. I know it's harder than it sounds, but it's for the best.

Have you tried anything for the hot flashes? That hormonal change might be what's fueling your anxiety even more.

[Starlight9803]

I understand completely. We're trying to re-figure everything out right now due to DH missing 2 1/2 weeks of work this month, and shelling out our entire emergency fund for repairs to his truck. I'm worried too, but honestly, try not to let it panic you too much. Just do the best you can with what you have to work with and leave it at that. Killing yourself with stress won't change the situation one bit. I know, easier said than done, but sometimes it helps to remind yourself. Hugs to you hon, hope things get all straightened out soon for you.

[Momto5RN]

so sorry BTW that stuff they sell in the vitamin area i think estrovan ? ( i get generic type ) really works with the hot flashes !!!

[peanut]

Sorry to hear all this is going on oheoh's momma. I second krbs' response, and chime in to let you know sage and black cohosh also work for hot flashes. I'm using them with success.

Has your DH actually seen the financial figures? Is he aware of your precarious state? Or does he let you handle all the finances? Might be worth it to sit down with him, and Granny if necessary, and show them the financial situation. Cable is really a luxury you can't afford if you can't pay the electric bill. And Granny should be paying to mail her own parcels.

ETA: Yes, I'm rejuggling my budget. Not in near the state you are, but not where I'd like to be either. We need $400 for Christmas this year. We're putting the money on the kids student loans, thereby avoiding horrendous postage costs for mailing parcels. Shipping parcels are a thing of the past. We won't be doing that anymore. We'll just transfer money into the kids accounts.

[steelergal]

If it makes you feel any better, December is always a juggling financial holiday month for us (only a few bills get paid entirely and partial payments towards others- I know that's terrible to say but that is what typically happens- next year I hope not to do that)! I am most decent when it comes to gifts, but as for the unexpected bills, things coming up, no matter how much we have in an emergency fund, there is none to help cover December for us!

We always 'try to muddle through somehow' and by February it gets back to somewhat normal (since I go back to work in January).

[227melissa]

just something I had to learn in my own life. I can't help the kids or anyone else with money if I'm not in position to do so.

Not juggling here set a very small Christmas budget of 230.00 and that's it. Kids and grands are getting a little money and a few items picked up from GW. My dh and I are having a GW christmas nothing new.

Daughter and son inlaw 50
son 20 he makes plenty of $
mom and stepdad 50
2 older grands 10 a piece
mom's bday on the 26th 30
dh 30 spending $
me 30 spending $

total 230.00

my dh and I get a 40 allowance a piece every month so we can pick up any additional gifts

[frugal is fun]

I'm not juggling but I don't think I can be any tighter this year. Bills will be paid but there isn't much for Christmas.

[many houseapes]

Hugs to everyone....this year has been rough for us as well. Right now we are scraping bone to come up with the auto insurance that is due in January, kid's dental bills, birthdays, medications,and Christmas. I'm trying to sell what I can on Craig's List trying to fill in the gaps & that's tight b/c everyone else is in the same boat. On the brighter side...we have a stockpile of most of the things we need, so unless it is something we are totally out of,we are not going to buy it until after the insurance is paid for. And as we are trying to sell things on CL, we are decluttering the garage - something I have been wanting to do for a long time.So there are some positive things to this situation - just have to make sure I stay focused.This too shall pass

[nodmicks]

Yep, the 18 year old needs help. He cant afford his truck repairs which are 1400 and we cant let him lose his full time job due to no transportation. He can't walk 30 miles! We will get paid back but it will be slow. We got another 1700 in medical bills due to ds and dh's accident.

[SamJones]

well 2 weeks ago we were ok.

Yeah, I am.

1 month ago we were tight. Real tight. And we were working out how to finance summer '12 family vacation, which for us has to be reserved by 10/31 and paid for by 11/30.

Then the boiler wouldn't wouldn't fire up so we called in the plumbers who insisted we needed a new boiler... it is 24 years old.

So I called in the handy man and he and I got the boiler working again, but while we were doing it we had to remove a support beam for the electrical system, which ended up presenting a shock (as in death) and fire hazard.

So the electrician is going to have to replace that for about $2000.... and here comes Christmas.

So the family vacation and the electrical work are both going to go on that 18.25% credit card for the time being until we work out some other finance arrangement.

Plus, as I tell the Missus - we still have a 24 year old boiler that never fires up without some doing.... one of these years that's going to become a $4000 emergency.

[nodmicks]

I think we all need cans of "murphy" repellent!