When Unemployed??
06-06-2011, 10:57 AM
#31
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Poconos, PA
Posts: 445
Originally Posted by bobbie1
Originally Posted by sunni
All great ideas!
No credit cards, so there are no payments for those :) our big expenses are the mtg, a home equity line from 3 years ago, car pymt and our electric bill. No matter what I do, our bill is minimum 250 a month. Our house is all electric, flush the toilet and it uses electric. I am not a big light person and never have a light on in a room I am not in....it's just the rates here and it never seems to make a difference what we do. I've even talked to the electric company, and we reviewed my house size (2600 sq ft.) and the things we have in it, and she said based on others in my area, we are on the low end!
I haven't gone for a hair cut since the new year and DH goes about every 6 weeks. I do my own nails (have been for years) . Condense driving trips, but the grocery store is 10 miles in each direction, mall if I need it is 25.
Packaged phone, internet and cable back in Oct, lowering the bill by about 35 a month.
As long as I can get at least 2 days house cleaning with the girl I am working with, we are ahead of the game....more days means more money, but physically it is too much for me. I have alot of pain from Sciatica and am pushing it with the 2 or 3 days. Office work is what I always did before, but there are none hiring at this time. Retail is out cause of the constant standing on my feet...the sciatica prevents me from doing that for longer than about 10/15 minutes at a time without sitting down for a few to break up the spasm.
Thanks for the tips, I appreciate them all
robin
No credit cards, so there are no payments for those :) our big expenses are the mtg, a home equity line from 3 years ago, car pymt and our electric bill. No matter what I do, our bill is minimum 250 a month. Our house is all electric, flush the toilet and it uses electric. I am not a big light person and never have a light on in a room I am not in....it's just the rates here and it never seems to make a difference what we do. I've even talked to the electric company, and we reviewed my house size (2600 sq ft.) and the things we have in it, and she said based on others in my area, we are on the low end!
I haven't gone for a hair cut since the new year and DH goes about every 6 weeks. I do my own nails (have been for years) . Condense driving trips, but the grocery store is 10 miles in each direction, mall if I need it is 25.
Packaged phone, internet and cable back in Oct, lowering the bill by about 35 a month.
As long as I can get at least 2 days house cleaning with the girl I am working with, we are ahead of the game....more days means more money, but physically it is too much for me. I have alot of pain from Sciatica and am pushing it with the 2 or 3 days. Office work is what I always did before, but there are none hiring at this time. Retail is out cause of the constant standing on my feet...the sciatica prevents me from doing that for longer than about 10/15 minutes at a time without sitting down for a few to break up the spasm.
Thanks for the tips, I appreciate them all
robin
robin
06-06-2011, 12:25 PM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 697
"There are grocery stores in neighboring towns around us run by churches for people in our area. A new one just opened close to us 3 weeks ago. Maybe there is one in you’re area too? They are designed for families who have lost part or all of their income. The items they carry are limited but they will be putting money back in as they go. It is a ‘no frills’ store but who cares. The article about this store said that the prices are considerably less than Walmart or a grocery store. $60 at Walmart for groceries is $20 at this store." Scrap Happy
oh, yes, maybe youre thinking of Angel Ministries? I think thats one place. You make an order for food and pick it up. You must pick it up and pay cash, if you miss picking up they will sell to someone else, but food is much cheaper here, and when you get back on your feet again you can donate to them. You can google them an in their site you put in your zip and can find one close to you sharet
oh, yes, maybe youre thinking of Angel Ministries? I think thats one place. You make an order for food and pick it up. You must pick it up and pay cash, if you miss picking up they will sell to someone else, but food is much cheaper here, and when you get back on your feet again you can donate to them. You can google them an in their site you put in your zip and can find one close to you sharet
06-06-2011, 12:36 PM
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Limbo
Posts: 1,953
I did a little search, hoping these links might help you
Residents of Pennsylvania can seek assistance and a range of services for themselves and their families from professionally trained staff members at county assistance offices. Look below for the county where you live to find a county assistance office near you.
http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/findfacil...tion/index.htm
Utility assistance programs
http://www.puc.state.pa.us/general/c...sst_progs.aspx
Residents of Pennsylvania can seek assistance and a range of services for themselves and their families from professionally trained staff members at county assistance offices. Look below for the county where you live to find a county assistance office near you.
http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/findfacil...tion/index.htm
Utility assistance programs
http://www.puc.state.pa.us/general/c...sst_progs.aspx
06-06-2011, 12:39 PM
#35
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Greater KC MO
Posts: 50
Originally Posted by sunni
All great ideas!
our electric bill. No matter what I do, our bill is minimum 250 a month. Our house is all electric, flush the toilet and it uses electric. I am not a big light person and never have a light on in a room I am not in....it's just the rates here and it never seems to make a difference what we do. I've even talked to the electric company, and we reviewed my house size (2600 sq ft.) and the things we have in it, and she said based on others in my area, we are on the low end!
Thanks for the tips, I appreciate them all
robin
our electric bill. No matter what I do, our bill is minimum 250 a month. Our house is all electric, flush the toilet and it uses electric. I am not a big light person and never have a light on in a room I am not in....it's just the rates here and it never seems to make a difference what we do. I've even talked to the electric company, and we reviewed my house size (2600 sq ft.) and the things we have in it, and she said based on others in my area, we are on the low end!
Thanks for the tips, I appreciate them all
robin
06-06-2011, 12:46 PM
#36
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Madison, AL
Posts: 1,998
I closed my frame shop in 09 because I was starting to accumulate debt trying to stay open and the lease was up for renewal. I thought I would be able to find a job but I have found nothing. I took some of my savings and bought a long arm and have started developing a home based business for extra money. With the cost of groceries rising so high, it gets harder to make ends meet every day.
06-06-2011, 12:46 PM
#37
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Posts: 116
All these ideas are great! I've been out of work and so is my SO. We don't have a vehicle, use bus and very kind neighbor's car; she lets us borrow it just about every time we need it. We buy in, stocking up on staples (toilet paper, canned goods, etc.) and only buy generics, no name brands. We have an apartment, so there are benefits (landscaping, repairs, business center, pool). It's just big enough for the 2 of us. and rent is what we can afford.
06-06-2011, 01:05 PM
#38
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: here! :)
Posts: 1,485
Living on a lower income is/can be much easier than one may think when first faced with it. Two years ago I voluntarily left my job of 10 years. I was making 25,000 before taxes. I just looked over our tax return from that next year (first w/o my income) I WAS SHOCKED. We made 125,000 the year I quit - the following year we made 60,000. I never even realized it!! My husband takes care of our bills and such and because of his careful management and such we were able to go to 50% of our income without even a blink of an eye - coupons on top of bogo's, gardening, rarely eating out, less spent on b-days/Christmas, NO credit card debt, wise investments and other things helped us tremendously. Last year the difference was not so large (we made more) but we still live very, very, very frugally - I hang laundry, make our soap, go hardly anywhere (by choice), we've made several trips to Haiti, married off a daughter and have enjoyed canning, etc. this past year - looking forward to spending even less this next year :)
06-06-2011, 01:21 PM
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,385
Originally Posted by arimuse
"There are grocery stores in neighboring towns around us run by churches for people in our area. A new one just opened close to us 3 weeks ago. Maybe there is one in you’re area too? They are designed for families who have lost part or all of their income. The items they carry are limited but they will be putting money back in as they go. It is a ‘no frills’ store but who cares. The article about this store said that the prices are considerably less than Walmart or a grocery store. $60 at Walmart for groceries is $20 at this store." Scrap Happy
oh, yes, maybe youre thinking of Angel Ministries? I think thats one place. You make an order for food and pick it up. You must pick it up and pay cash, if you miss picking up they will sell to someone else, but food is much cheaper here, and when you get back on your feet again you can donate to them. You can google them an in their site you put in your zip and can find one close to you sharet
oh, yes, maybe youre thinking of Angel Ministries? I think thats one place. You make an order for food and pick it up. You must pick it up and pay cash, if you miss picking up they will sell to someone else, but food is much cheaper here, and when you get back on your feet again you can donate to them. You can google them an in their site you put in your zip and can find one close to you sharet
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