WHAT CAN I DO???? (long rant)

**mommy2three** · 11-04-2004, 10:40 AM

we just are NOT making it!!!

i just got off the phone with the mortgage company asking for a 2 day extension on the automatic withdraw of our monthly payment! we are gonna try to cut back even more, but i just hate the thought!

i'm gonna drop the newspaper ($11 a month), we are gonna drop satellite ($43 a month), we might lower our package on cell phone ($35 a month), but we have to have a cell phone because we travel to see family and hubby works almost 25 min away.

i don't know what else to do?!?! i joined a bowling league recently to "get out of the house!" i LOVE it, but that is about $15 a week if i buy a diet coke while i'm there!!

it runs through march.

as you all know, i babysit my nephew and that pays $100 a week. it used to help out a lot, but now it just seems to help us barely scrape by...and sometimes not even that (like this time with the mortgage).

i need ANOTHER way to make some money.....do you girls have ANY suggestions?!?!?!?! i am seriously considering getting a night or evening job!!

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**dolphin** · 11-04-2004, 10:44 AM

No advice, just sending you a hug.

**mommy2three** · 11-04-2004, 10:46 AM

thank you...it is much appreciated!!

**kimmee** · 11-04-2004, 10:54 AM

Misty - I am sorry you are going through this - Bruce is also panicking and pushing me to go get something ( yet he doesn't approve of anything). I did really well a couple of years ago selling stuff on ebay - it was all of my collectibles and stuff I would find in thrift stores. I can't do that now cuz I don't have the cash to lay out for the stuff initially - is this something you can do - I go in certain areas on ebay and watch what the trends are - what is hot - then I would go buy those things and let people get in bidding wars over it by making it a short auction. I will keep brainstorming and you do it to - maybe we can help each other (lingerie sells very well on Ebay)

**paelthom** · 11-04-2004, 11:05 AM

Missy,
No advice here but I am sending you a hug and saying a prayer that things get better soon. I am facing the same thing here as well and just don't have any ideas but I know we will both get through this.

**guest2** · 11-04-2004, 11:07 AM

Misty

How much do you need to trim off your current outgo to make it? Maybe that would help us to give you some more ideas. I have no idea what your grocery budget is, but that is one area that I cut by about $200 when I became a full time stay at home mom and it really was not as difficult as I thought it would be. We too cut the newpaper subscriptions, cable tv, only use phone cards now to make long distance calls (we get those 20 minute cards for $1 at the Dollar Store), used cloth diapers for the babies (I had 3 in cloth diapers for about 1 1/2 years), got rid of magazine subscriptions, scaled way back on holidays and made use of all the library, state parks and even our colleges had to offer.

**Darlene** · 11-04-2004, 11:32 AM

I agree with Debbie on the food budget.

Could you take in another child to babysit?
I'm probably the only person here that doesn't understand the whole cell phone thing & we don't have them. OK if your alone out in the middle of nowhere or long trips it's a good thing to have for emergencys. I know times have changed but heck we used to get along without being able to be in constant contact with each other. Is there such a thing as cells for outgoing calls only?

Well anyways, I hope you can squeeze the life out of every dollar & that you'll be sailing smoothly soon.

**AmyBoz** · 11-04-2004, 11:39 AM

**mommy2three** · 11-04-2004, 11:41 AM

thanks for the support girls. debbie, i think that is another thing that has gotten us where we are....the grocery bill!!

we have started spending nearly $100 everytime we go!!

i gotta learn to cut it!!

i do sell things on ebay every once in a while, but not steady enough to make a difference!

**homesteadmamma** · 11-04-2004, 11:47 AM

Misty, lots of

I too think the cell phone should go. Dh use to travel 1 hour each way to work and he never had a cell phone. There is always someone who does have one around should the need arise. We still don't have a cell phone.

Groceries usually can be cut quite a bit. Its amazing what happens when you cook mostly from scratch.

I would not drop your "bowling", but I would bring a thermos with water. Much better for you and at least you still get out. I think that is so important when were going through difficulties when it comes to finances. I know a coke doesn't cost much, but add it up over a month and its surprising just how much.

Were here for you.

**guest2** · 11-04-2004, 11:57 AM

Misty~as for the groceries...

Here are a few things that have helped us:
~we buy our flour, sugar, soy flour, cocoa powder, yeast and spices in bulk from the bulk bins at the store, you can even get onion soup mix in bulk, I also get my oatmeal this way.
~we bake from scratch using whole wheat flour (better for you and it fills you up plus bleached flour is terrible for your body)
~make our own hot cocoa mix, pancake mix, baking mix (unless we are given some for free which just happened), yogurt, spice mixes
~eat seasonally...do not buy out of season produce..it's more expensive and most likely sprayed with all kinds of chemicals that are banned in this country but not in the country from which that produce was imported from
~homemade soups, stews, chili (made with dried beans that you have soaked overnight and then cooked) can be made in bulk and then frozen in meal sized portions for future meals
~stock up on loss leaders so you can save money in the long run
~start a garden with the kids if you don't have one already, they will be more willing to eat fruits and vegis that they grew themselves and you can have fresh salads all season long!
~go to the library and check out cookbooks using basic foods like "More With Less Cookbook" or dig out those old Good Housekeeping cookbooks. Amish cookbooks are also wonderful!

You can do this Misty!!!!! I'm cheering you on!!!!

**Missy** · 11-04-2004, 01:30 PM

hugs to you, I m horrible at this kind of stuff...LOL ,ask dh, he'll tell ya. here's some ideas I came up with

1. See if you have a SHARE program in your area. To do so, call your local Catholic ministries. (You don't have to be Catholic, or religious at all for that matter, and pretty much if you eat, you qualify.) Here's a link to one in my area to give you an idea what it's about www.sharecolorado.com not all communities have one, yet, they might start one if you show them a need for a program in the area. You never know.

2. Are you involved with a church at all? I had a hard time a few months back and our church helped us out with our grocery budget by a surprise food basket.

3. unnecessary power drains...unplug items just sitting there sucking up electricity. If you aren't using it at least 3-4 times a week, unplug it. This might not help in great waves, but every little bit helps. plus it is a physical reminder to family to be frugal with the power use.

4. do you have a basement? if so, you may be able to string some lines down there for hanging clothes. I found that even my two little lines in my laundry room have cut our electricity bill fantastically. I don't have a basement myself, but if you do you might be able to have more lines than I do. Also, I have small poles that fit just in the openings of my laundry room doors that I can hange clothes on hangers from.

5. Crock pot, crock pot, crock pot. what else need i say?

6. What state or local programs are there that can help? We have one that will help in the utility bills, that might help if you have one there. We didn't qualify, but it's worth a shot.

7. Oh, oh, call your local Social Ministries, health department, and so on, they might know of some temporary help programs to help out with bills.

8. hmmm, i will keep thinking. and seeing what info i can find in my phonebook that might apply.

**Ellise** · 11-04-2004, 01:35 PM

:Hugz: Misty I agree with the others. Hoping everything works out for you all.

**Dixie** · 11-04-2004, 02:40 PM

**mylittle4** · 11-04-2004, 03:31 PM

Are there any crafts you can make to sell on ebay? those things do really well this time of year. Take a look around to see what is hot. try searching the word boutique.Groceries is the area I always find I can pinch if needed. Also think about what you can do to skim the Cristmas list this year. After finding inspiration at the frugal village our Christmas has gotten simpler but more fulfilling every year. i think taking in another child to watch could be a good answer. I'm sending hugs and I hope you can find something.