Thankful for many of you
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North Carolina - But otherwise, NOTW
Posts: 7,940
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You ladies are an inspiration!! My DH and I lost our business last September. While we were not "well off", we could go out to dinner and buy what we wanted...we are not extravagant people. When the business went, so did the income, except for my job. We had all the business debts left, too. Were able to sell off some of the vehicles, but 1 was repossessed, and we still have one we are paying for that we can't sell. Anyway, he was unemployed totally for slightly over 4 months, and now working for less than half his previous salary. We have learned to do without a lot of stuff, turned down the A/C thermostat, use a window a/c in the bedroom at night instead of cooling the whole house, buy food through Angel Food Ministries, cut down on "errands" trips around town. Lots of little things, but it all adds up. We have had to borrow money from family to make mortgage payments, but that ends this month...I am caught up with all the bills and have a budget that we can live with. It's hard when you are used to living a way, but if you work at it, you can figure out a better way!
#12
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Originally Posted by jljack
You ladies are an inspiration!! My DH and I lost our business last September. While we were not "well off", we could go out to dinner and buy what we wanted...we are not extravagant people. When the business went, so did the income, except for my job. We had all the business debts left, too. Were able to sell off some of the vehicles, but 1 was repossessed, and we still have one we are paying for that we can't sell. Anyway, he was unemployed totally for slightly over 4 months, and now working for less than half his previous salary. We have learned to do without a lot of stuff, turned down the A/C thermostat, use a window a/c in the bedroom at night instead of cooling the whole house, buy food through Angel Food Ministries, cut down on "errands" trips around town. Lots of little things, but it all adds up. We have had to borrow money from family to make mortgage payments, but that ends this month...I am caught up with all the bills and have a budget that we can live with. It's hard when you are used to living a way, but if you work at it, you can figure out a better way!
This economy can be scary. Our son and his family are just now starting to get their heads above water again after being unemployed/underemployed for too long!
Even though we are debt-free, we still are VERY frugal and still do all the money-saving things we did while we were getting out of debt. We found that we don't need to spend money to enjoy our lives!
#13
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Originally Posted by MomtoBostonTerriers
Susie,
What a great method to pay down that mortgage. Maybe I will do the same -- I have a stockpile of food to last a good long time for just DH and me. I wonder how much I could accumulate just by buying fresh produce and milk (DH drinks lattes. . .). OK, I'm gonna do it. Thanks for the inspiration!
What a great method to pay down that mortgage. Maybe I will do the same -- I have a stockpile of food to last a good long time for just DH and me. I wonder how much I could accumulate just by buying fresh produce and milk (DH drinks lattes. . .). OK, I'm gonna do it. Thanks for the inspiration!
One thing I have done for quite some time was budget myself on my fabric spending. i don't need to, I just want to.I like seeing my money grow. We live a quieter life style but like it that way. I can go on and on about this. :thumbup:
#14
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Whitewater, WI
Posts: 24,528
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Janice, I hope things get better for you! Losing a business must be so awful! I am glad to hear you guys are doing better though!
I am dept free too, except the mortgage, but I got very scarred when the place I worked at closed with NO WARNING!!!!!!!!! Sometimes you just cant help what happens. I was so glad I had a small bit of savings, food in the house a garden, and I know how to be thrifty,lol!
I am dept free too, except the mortgage, but I got very scarred when the place I worked at closed with NO WARNING!!!!!!!!! Sometimes you just cant help what happens. I was so glad I had a small bit of savings, food in the house a garden, and I know how to be thrifty,lol!
#15
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Originally Posted by CarrieAnne
Janice, I hope things get better for you! Losing a business must be so awful! I am glad to hear you guys are doing better though!
I am dept free too, except the mortgage, but I got very scarred when the place I worked at closed with NO WARNING!!!!!!!!! Sometimes you just cant help what happens. I was so glad I had a small bit of savings, food in the house a garden, and I know how to be thrifty,lol!
I am dept free too, except the mortgage, but I got very scarred when the place I worked at closed with NO WARNING!!!!!!!!! Sometimes you just cant help what happens. I was so glad I had a small bit of savings, food in the house a garden, and I know how to be thrifty,lol!
#16
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You ladies who are passing these lessons on to your children are SO SMART. One day they will rise up and call you blessed. (Well, a parent can dream.)
My parents taught me many good things, and I am most appreciative that they taught me how to do without. It has been a great lesson and served me well through the years. You can always get used to having more, but it's rare to find a person who can get used to having less material stuff.
I am traveling across the country to visit my parents today (ages 85 and 89). They raised 3 kids, put us through college, and now they are making more money just from their retirement investments than they can spend. All this on my dad's meager government salary. My mother once noted, "Now that we have more money than we need, I just can't get used to spending it." What a hoot!
My parents taught me many good things, and I am most appreciative that they taught me how to do without. It has been a great lesson and served me well through the years. You can always get used to having more, but it's rare to find a person who can get used to having less material stuff.
I am traveling across the country to visit my parents today (ages 85 and 89). They raised 3 kids, put us through college, and now they are making more money just from their retirement investments than they can spend. All this on my dad's meager government salary. My mother once noted, "Now that we have more money than we need, I just can't get used to spending it." What a hoot!
#17
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Mom to boston terriers,
You have a safe trip. Take alot of pictures!! You are blessed to have both parents at their ages. For them to be able to live off of investments is a miracle now a days. They are proof that you can live and enjoy. God bless them.
My son is 16 now.... I don't normally keep extra cash in the house. So if I need to borrow any money he will lend it to me. We now call him Mr. Moneybags!!!! He is the kid that you give lunch money to that only spends half and pockets the rest. He is a saver!
You have a safe trip. Take alot of pictures!! You are blessed to have both parents at their ages. For them to be able to live off of investments is a miracle now a days. They are proof that you can live and enjoy. God bless them.
My son is 16 now.... I don't normally keep extra cash in the house. So if I need to borrow any money he will lend it to me. We now call him Mr. Moneybags!!!! He is the kid that you give lunch money to that only spends half and pockets the rest. He is a saver!
#18
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Whitewater, WI
Posts: 24,528
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Loretta, I really want to! My Dad built my house, and I helped with a lot of the little stuff, so I got a great deal, and my payments are really cheap, since I refinanced with a low rate!
Since I am single with some kids still living with me, it might be a while before I have it paid off, but every extra cent goes there or somefabric....lol!
I bet it is an amazing feeling, just not to owe anyone anything! I cant wait!
Since I am single with some kids still living with me, it might be a while before I have it paid off, but every extra cent goes there or somefabric....lol!
I bet it is an amazing feeling, just not to owe anyone anything! I cant wait!
#19
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Originally Posted by CarrieAnne
I bet it is an amazing feeling, just not to owe anyone anything! I cant wait!
For our cars, we put money away every month in a savings account. We are making "payments" that are EARNING interest instead of paying the interest to a bank! Then when it comes time to replace our car we just withdraw that $$ and pay cash for the car! We buy used cars with a good life expectancy and run them till they are well over 200,000 mi! :) Right now we own 2 Subarus...one has 185,000 and the other has 147,000 mi. They both are super reliable and we take them to TN, GA, and ME without batting an eye! We make about 4-5 long car trips a year because none of our family live very close.
We shop mainly yard sales, thrift stores, and estate auctions to find what we need/want.
We use the "envelope system" for budgeting...wouldn't know how to live without it! :) We've used envelopes since 1989! LOL
I think I have officially become my parents! ROFL!
#20
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: South GA
Posts: 222
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You ladies are inspiring! We need more information like this on how others manage to live with less. We are retired, my husband grows lots of veggies, and we can/freeze them. We never ate out a lot, went to movies, or wasted money on anything. I have seriously curtailed my fabric purchases and am working mainly from stash that I'd saved for retirement. DH says that he has all the tools that he needs and then some.
Credit cards are scary these days! I pay them off soon as they come, but I need to get in the habit of leaving them alone-Period. Thanks for the encouragement.
Credit cards are scary these days! I pay them off soon as they come, but I need to get in the habit of leaving them alone-Period. Thanks for the encouragement.
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