[singinjeannie]

I know it's a combination of little leaks and large expenses. We built our house when my husband had a much better job. That job went away 2.5 years ago and he had to take a major paycut in order to get another job. We had a third child just before he got laid off and then I got pregnant again. So, we have 4 kids and over the past three years, his income has decreased $13,000 a year. On top of that, his current employer takes out $771 a month toward our health insurance (way more than any other employer we've ever had) and this has put us into a financial mess. Our take-home income from his job is $1200 less a month than it was 3 years ago and we have more kids. We had to drop dental insurance entirely, because we just couldn't afford another $100 a month toward that.

Our mortgage is $934 a month, and this does not include tax withholding. His take home pay is $2812 a month. (So, about 1/3 goes to the mortgage.)

So, you see how we ended up here. We need to make major changes and it's just very, very hard. We're trying to come up with answers!!!

I can live without a lot (don't get my hair cut, only go to the dentist when I absolutely have to, don't buy anything frilly or unnecessary for myself) but the rest of the family is a struggle. Hubby needs to exercise for stress reduction and right now has no outlet for that need. He quit the gym ($39 a month) but it's really affecting his ability to deal with his job and other stessors. He needs some form of exercise and in PA in the winter, outside is out of the question. It all seems like such a rock and a hard-place. My oldest son needs pants something terrible. I'll go to the Good Will to get them (he doesn't care), hopefully I'll be able to find something that'll work for him.

Bottom line is, the expenses don't seem to quit, but the income does... It's one darned thing after another and very, very frustrating.

Thanks again for all the input and the abilityto let me vent here. It's helping.
-Jean