Hard financial times

Ilovepeppers

Hi everyone (Friends and strangers alike!). Unfortunately my family and I have come into difficult financial times. Things will be fine in a couple of months but for right now things are VERY tight. So far we have cut our cell phone bill in half and done the same to our grocery bill. Rent will be fine but we're trying not to drive much (gas is $4.15 where I live). I feel like I'm in a limbo.. Once I'm through with school I wont have these issues (God willing), but getting through this can be difficult.

Any tips on how to save? I have 3 little ones so diapers, pull ups and wipes are an expense but I just buy store brand now. We dont have cable (kids dominate the TV with sponge bob dvds any how!). Any other ideas?

Brownski860

Are you in a location that you can plant vegetables? Maybe even lettuce or the hanging tomato plants?

KatherineVictoria

Have you ever seen the show "Extreme Couponing"? Maybe don't cut coupons to the extent these people do (or do if you have that kind of time!) but coupons really do make all the difference! Every cent counts Also try saving ALL of your spare change. It's amazing what kind of money it adds up to! I recently just saved $85 dollars, JUST IN COINS!

Saying a little prayer for you! You will get through this!

therobinator

Don't order take out.
Don't go to restaurants.
Hand make gifts.
No going to the movies, etc. for the time being.

LadyGhosthunter

My suggestion might be this: eat and fix nothing but home cooked meals, change your cell phone plan to something like Boost mobile where it's only 50 bucks a month unlimited for everything, take walks in the park with the kids and let them expend lots of energy being kids...the list goes on and on.

Just breathe though..I'm with you there as I'm newly separated. Heather

koylefam

How old is your oldest??? I have 3 kids 3-6yrs... and ran a day care.. I feel very strongly pullups are a waste... I have potty trained 8 kids(all 2yres old) and the ones that the parents used pul-ups took over twice as long and once I convinced the parents it took my one week..... get panties and plastic diaper covers take them first thing in theam.. you wake him/her up and go straight to the potty. then go very 1 1/2 to 2 hours after and immediately after eating... if you can get out of pull ups that would be big saving there. I did use a diaper at night fr a while... but the generic 30pk will last a month....best of luck

MelissaL582

Have you tried applying for WIC? It will be tight for us for the next two months, so we've had to watch what we spend closely. I make a meal plan for 14 days so I know what to buy to get us by.

feligrosa

HI!
I like looking at the weekly circulars to compare which stores have the best sales on fresh produce and other items I mostly buy and make a list of the things I want, how much of it I can eat realistically within that week without it going bad and make a list before I head out to the winning store! I go to Sunset Harvest, which is a farmers market here in Texas and I generally can get most of my stuff for $15 a week! I plan my grocery list based on items that are on sale that week, whether that is cherry tomatoes for 99 cents, 4 oranges for $1 and so on. and of course bulk rice and beans
Its all about planning and comparing prices as prices in stores can vary greatly!
Hope this helps

JDRBT

How do you grocery shop?
I HIGHLY recommend finding fruit/produce stands! My Sailor and I spend UNDER $20/week and it lasts us about 9-10 days worth of groceries.
I also deal with meat this way - if it's on sale, it's what we're eating. If you don't know how to prepare it, figure out some new ways to cook!

Another idea - soups, roasts, stews and things like that can feed a LOT for a little.

Hang in there!

LovelySnugs

it's super gross sometimes, but you'd be AMAZED at how much you can save by switching to cloth diapers. the ones i use for my son were given to me secondhand, but you can find GREAT deals on sites like Craigslist and Freecycle.org. it takes a little time to get the hang of it, but it's SO worthwhile.

if you live in a place where you have to use a laundromat, you might also be able to save a bundle by handwashing some stuff and line-drying on your porch. i handwash the diapers and my t-shirts. according to my husband's math, we save something like 30 bucks a month like that. it's extra work, but 30 bucks is enough to keep buying things like trash bags and toilet paper and shampoo, etc.

usmcmp

Turn off the TV, computer, lights and AC. Don't leave things plugged in. Get out and get active (go for a walk to a park). I cut my electricity bill down from $40 a month to $10 a month. Portion control and leftovers will save significantly on grocery bills, don't buy soda or water at the store you can get water from your tap and that's all you should be drinking. Write down everything you spend money on as you spend it. You can cut out expenses as you see them. I look over my bank statements and find things I shouldn't have spent money on. I am a single mom of 2 with no job and I manage to live on Veteran's disability plus child support every month. If I can do it anyone can.

SeasideOasis

All of the above plus....

Shop at a local farmers market! Fruits and veggies (which should be a pretty large portion of your diet anyway) can be found at MUCH cheaper prices. For meat, get in touch with your local butcher. Many of them have weeklys and daily specials. Buy up what you can and create meals from that!

www.supercook.com is a GREAT site. You toss in what ingredients you have on hand and it starting giving you recipes based on those ingredients. If they cant find with only those ingredients, it gives you what else you need to make that recipe. Many times, I find the recipe doesnt need that final ingredient anyway.

techymum

Are you familiar with the show Til Debt do us part? I LOVE her philosphy regarding finances! Here is a link to her blog, where you can get some real ideas:

http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/



Jayme

jbdowns35

Don't know if you have one near you, but I save a TON at the ALDI's grocery store & their products are awesome! Also, if you have any luxury items you could stand to give up, sell them on Craig's list. You'd be surprised how easy it is to get rid of things you don't need anymore. Any clothes, toys, dvds, your kids have outgrown? Old TVs, electronic equipment you can do without? Furniture, exercise equipment you don't use? Good luck, & you'll get through it with some determination, I've been there. The trick is budget, budget, budget, and stick to it!!!

monocot

The best way I save money for my groceries is to buy everything when it's marked 50% off. I buy a log of Lean turkey, Slice it then Freeze it. then i buy breads and meats the same way and freeze it so it doesn;'t go bad. Veggies you cant buy that way but you save so much with the 50% thing.
When I'm trying to save on the electric bill. I unplug the little things. Like the microwave, the tv and dvd player my room mate never uses. Things that you don't use often but will still suck energy.
I also park my car and walk everywhere if possible. or if you use air conditioning. Turn it off. I keep my windows open all night then close them at 6am and close all the blinds. keeps the house nice and cool.
I also feed my chinchilla left over veggies instead of buying food for her,. She loves peas and bread!.

slbeutler

So sorry for your situation. I feel a little bit the same way in the summer as a teacher not getting paid. I use coupon mom. You are able to put in the name of the stores in your area and she will list all the weekly specials and where there are additional coupons available. You can select your items and it will print out with the expected price. I do have to go to more than one store, but have saved a ton this way!

Also, I started buying my toiletries and cleaning supplies at the 99 cent store or Big lots if you have one. They have name brands at 1/4 the price many times.

I agree with the other posts to stay away from take out, eating out etc. We should start a support group just for people like us to share new ideas and get through it together!

_Johanna_

I HIGHLY recommend finding fruit/produce stands! My Sailor and I spend UNDER $20/week and it lasts us about 9-10 days worth of groceries.

I've always wanted to stop by a produce/fruit stand and always end up passing them up! I guess it's time to check them out!!

If money is REALLY tight, you might want to check in with some local churches. A lot of them have food banks where they open up once a week and can send you home with food and what not. I know folks who do this when budgets are tight. You could also do your clothes shopping this way or at local good wills and consignment shops.

I also know that we have second hand kids shops here that are happy to buy your 'gently' used items - if you need some extra cash!

Also check out what is going on at local parks - they usually have fun, free activities you can do with your family!

slbeutler

I forgot to add, I try and buy my fruits and veggies from the local farmer's markets. They seem to be a lot cheaper than the grocery store. I am not sure where you live, I live in Southern Ca and most communities have a weekly farmer's market.

hroush

If you haven't already, turn off the A/C and just use fans (and only if you have to). Open the windows at night and shut them in the morning (depending on temperatures). My electric bill is still only about $20 a month (half of which is fees).

Here is a great list of improving how you drive. Following these rules could easily net you 3-4 mpg increase, if not more:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/EM-hypermiling-driving-tips-ecodriving.php

grndnegus

If you have room plant a vegie garden. I'm limited on space but was able to squeeze 3 types of tomatoes, a red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper, green beans, lemon cucumber , green onions and all of my herbs into a fairly small raised bed. I also went vertical by using a a couple of small shepherds hooks that I picked up at a garage sale for practically nothing. to hang potted strawberries. "Albions" produce all summer. Another thing you might think about is the farmers markets for produce. If you wait till the end of the day many of the vendors are willing to let produce go for much less just so they don't have to reload it. We have "day old" bread stores that offer bread for about half the price. It's still fresh. I have found generic brands are often cheaper than store brands even with a coupon. Another thing I did when my kids were young was start a babysitting coop with the neighbors. It was great, It was done on a point system instead of money. Everyone who joined had to be recommended and their house checked out to make sure it was a safe environment. It was wonderful to have people who could be trusted watching the kids and not have to spend money for a babysitter. Big bonus, almost 20 years later we are all still friends. :-) Once a month we got together and everyone brought a few games or books or toys that the kids were tired of and we would exchange. Use the library for books, movies and plenty of free activities. Hope this helps. :-) You'll be done with school before you know it.

bouldert

Turn off the TV, computer, lights and AC. Don't leave things plugged in. Get out and get active (go for a walk to a park). I cut my electricity bill down from $40 a month to $10 a month. Portion control and leftovers will save significantly on grocery bills, don't buy soda or water at the store you can get water from your tap and that's all you should be drinking. Write down everything you spend money on as you spend it. You can cut out expenses as you see them. I look over my bank statements and find things I shouldn't have spent money on. I am a single mom of 2 with no job and I manage to live on Veteran's disability plus child support every month. If I can do it anyone can.

well done danielle

i_love_vinegar

i know u said u cut the phone bill in half...but maybe research pay-as-you-go phones...some plans are a really good deal lol.

shop online for things if they are cheaper. remember to use coupon codes.

buy baby wipes etc at a dollar store.

cook large portions of food using on-sale stuff, and freeze the rest so you can just use the microwave to reheat it.


since u r a student, u can also take out loans too, if needed. many dont make u start repaying until a few months after graduation.

LovelySnugs

since u r a student, u can also take out loans too, if needed. many dont make u start repaying until a few months after graduation.

yeah, don't do that. taking out extra loans to pay bills NOW only means you'll be stressing yourself out even MORE later when it comes time to pay the loan back, plus the potentially ASTRONOMICAL interest. it's not worth it. why pay more for something later that you could've either pinched and scraped for or done without?

trust me, you'll need your future income for future needs. don't spend the rest of your life paying for what you've done today. don't take the easy way out. just be careful, be frugal, track everything, and learn to recognize NEEDS. you're already on a great track, and there's a lot of great advice in this thread already.

oh, except for the air conditioner thing. i don't suggest turning it completely OFF (depending on where you live, this could turn into a fatal mistake), but definitely raise the temperature setting by about 5 degrees and try to make sure you have a fan in every room. turn them on when you walk in, and off when you walk out. remember: fans cool people, not rooms.

lots of luck!

jalapenos

These are all great ideas! I'm not working, just graduated from school, have 3 boys that eat everything in a matter of seconds after I buy something and coupons do save!!

You can also try freecycle.org. I love it! See if there is a site near you. It's a place where people list things which are free... free coupons for this, $5 coupon for this store, clothes, electronics ( i picked up a juicer and make my own juice for the family~fresh! you can't beat that!! ) I have even seen packs of diapers that babies have outgrown so they give away as well as kids clothes on there. you just register and you get emails of whats available. There is alot of great things on there and also if you have somethings you don't use or never used, you can list it too and I'm sure someone out there would want it as they might have a need for it!) Also, try a church food pantry. Good luck to you!

significance

When shopping for fruit and vegies, look at the prices before you decide what you'll cook. There's usually something green in season for $2-$3/kilo, but what that is varies from week to week. If there's something super-cheap, most veges can be frozen if par-boiled first (divide them up into bags of the size you'll want to defrost at once, since they tend to stick together).

Get dried lentils and beans to use in soups and stews: they are super cheap and super-nourishing. Flesh meals out with rice - preferably, brown rice. Check whether making your own bread is cheaper than buying bread where you are.

Take packed lunches to work/school, and don't buy coffee or other drinks while you're out.

Consider alternatives to expensive cleaning products (most of it can be done with cheap vinegar or baking soda or just elbow grease).

significance

If you have room plant a vegie garden.

Careful with that, though. It can be rewarding, but it's very easy to spend ten times as much on your home-grown vegies as you'd spend just buying them at a shop. (What with potting mix, gardening tools, fertilisers, pest control, crop losses, higher water bills, etc).

therobinator

Don't know if you have one near you, but I save a TON at the ALDI's grocery store & their products are awesome! Also, if you have any luxury items you could stand to give up, sell them on Craig's list. You'd be surprised how easy it is to get rid of things you don't need anymore. Any clothes, toys, dvds, your kids have outgrown? Old TVs, electronic equipment you can do without? Furniture, exercise equipment you don't use? Good luck, & you'll get through it with some determination, I've been there. The trick is budget, budget, budget, and stick to it!!!

You can also use Craigslist (and Freecycle especially) to get thing that you want/need, for free! Clothes, toys, gift cards, household supplies, even food....you name it, someone else is sharing it. You would be surprised the things that people just give away. I've gotten a scanner, for example, for free....and given away many nice items, too.

johnnyfreud786

I have gone through financial crisis too but you know some advice can help you to regain your financial strength again. I have been following financial professional for better prospect and how to save money because they tell me to save income without killing your wishes. Financial times deal is one factor which need to be overcome by time, try to follow your wisdom and implement.

drivermarshy

shop when shops are about to close n get cheap fruit/veg/meat thats going out of date? i did an experiment this month and lived on £30! yes it was hard but can be done