surviving with very little money

[momma4]

Re: surviving with very little money

I think the electric bill is way too high too. Sounds like something is wrong. You may want to look at the electric meter and have someone cut every thing off to see where the culprit is. Is your A/C running too often? Do you need to repair the 'fridge?

Until I mentally added my bills, I thought Cable/Phone/Internet was high too. But I pay $40 for cable, $40 for Cellular, $20 for Phone (needed for internet) and $20 for Internet.

I have the a/c running most of the time to keep it at 78 degs. Our realtor won't replace anything unless it completely does not work they really don't care I just got my stove replaced cause the oven would not heat up. The repair guy I swear was trying to kill me. He gave me one of my neighbors old stoves that was shocking her and it was left out in the rain ALL NIGHT and he thought I would not know. OH>>>>>> my neighbor came over all upset about them doing that she did not want to see me get hurt. So I emailed my realtor and told them about and they were mad that it even happen but they got a local applicance shop to come pick that up and brought me a brand new stove

[marjorie]

Re: surviving with very little money

Another thought on the VCR is you might try posting a request on Freecycle. I'd make my request short and sweet...
Want: Working VCR for family of seven

[PrincessPerky]

Re: surviving with very little money

Sounds like the friend is costing you more than your kids. I would kick him out of the bedroom to the livingroom couch and give the boys and girls their own rooms back. Law or no, my family gets better treatment than a deadbeat dude, no matter how much of a friend.

I also have all entertainment stuff plugged into an outlet strip, so you have to turn it on before you can play, it might help to deter the friend, specially if you make a house rule of paying for use. Might not, but it can't hurt. (use the saved money for something fun). Also we sold two of our computers, got the money for them and now we cannot have that many running at one time. (yes we are computer geeks we still have 3 .)

On the Smoking, I know quitting can be hard, specially if he works around smoke. You might ask if he can cut back a little, and let him use that money for lunches for himself. That way it is all reward not all work, not gonna help the budget this year, but might next year.

Oh and what an obnoxious landlord!

[CheaplyClever]

Re: surviving with very little money

Kick the dead beat out. Short and simple. He needs to grow up and your husband is not helping him by supporting him. He is also a terrible example for your children.

PrincessPerky is right, start by getting the kids situated in their new boys/girls room. Sell the couch and tell the friend he has 30 days on the floor then it's goodbye.

[stretchabuck]

Re: surviving with very little money

I learned a lot from all your posts....will add up my bills and see if I can get a monthly...and then an average monthly winter and summer figure....yes, it does cost more when the kids are home from school....and more if you have a teenage boy....mine is a walking stomach!

Anyway, Clever But Cheap's last post is great! My only idea is why should the wife be the heavy? The hubby needs to be reminded that HIS family comes first and they are in jeopardy of becoming homeless.....as well as being played for idiots by the hubbys so-called-friend!

[Snoopy2645]

Re: surviving with very little money

Well this is about what my family survives off of also we actually survive off a little less but we only have 5 people 3 kids & 2 adults my kids are 10,4,1

I dont cloth diaper but pay very little for diapers like in the last 2 months I have only spent $5 on diapers I do amazons rebates & then participate in a class at the local health center that give free diapers & then I also participate in diaper studies for free diapers. I would say our biggest expense is food & I hate that!!! We spend more than I care to think about a month in food

[cicy33]

Re: surviving with very little money

Does the friend help with the bills at all? if not require it. don't request it. require it. I have discovered that I can be quite the little you know what when I need to be and I darn sure wouldn't be stressing to the degree that you are due to him. Take out the batteries to the remote for the tv. unplug the tv, hide the controllers for the video game. We have a 3 bedroom house and our light bill is about 140 a month and we run the air and have a dryer, dishwasher, 4 kids, 2 of us, 5 tv's, etc. We just remember to turn things off at night, when we leave, etc. There is no excuse for him being so inconsiderate. As for as the food stamp thing goes. Explain to the government that he spent a few nights and was not living there but now you can't get him to leave. and I would tell him that you will be telling them he is not paying rent or bills to live there and when he whines say you signed the paperwork! I truly wish you luck.

[mom-from-missouri]

Re: surviving with very little money

Really though, movies and interenet (unless required for working at home) are not necessities. Turn them off and he might move out! I did not have such items growing up and neither did my parents or theirs. I do have a VCR/DVD player now, but I also turn my dish off during the summer months (vacation rate) to prevent my kids from becoming couch potatoes. Our tv has not been on for over a week-No, I take that back, I did turn it on when I heard about the bombings in England--but other than the pictures, it was the same news available for free on the radio. It is not needed to entertain kids. My kids play dressup, boardgames (even a 4 year old can play checkers), read books (free from the libraray). They have written plays and they put them on for me. A blanket thrown over a table becomes a cave or a litt house. Sidewalk chaulk provides entertainment outside for drawing and hopskotch. If an adult should not need video games cable or internet for entertainment either.
Momma 4, kick that bum out. He is setting a bad example for your kids. I'd loaf for free to, if I could get all that for nothing!!

[cicy33]

Re: surviving with very little money

I was wondering how you were doing? Hope that things are getting better!

[creditunionrate]

Re: surviving with very little money

I'm also an ex smoker. At first, I was like.. sure go ahead, try to hypnotize me..
Well it worked after 4 sessions, $150 each, but its the best invesment I ever made.

I try not to harp on smokers, bc I know how hard it was for me to quit..

[acezz4e_tish]

Re: surviving with very little money

mines always 100 or more. this month after all the cold washing and all was 93, but i cant get in there on time either, so will be 103 when i get to go in. mines a co op. thats prolly thier cost, plus thier family is bigger, more baths and such then most of us. my co op right now dont even offer off peak hours. when they have to do any maintence also, we pay for that. we had an ice storm three years ago, ten days no power, workers on it 24/7/10. my bill even tho i had 20 days of service was 900 dollars. they wanted thier money right then too, no payment options. with co op, you pay for everything. the workers, trucks, electric service, etc. so if your concidering moving, first question you should ask is if the area is a co op. the only reason our last outage we didnt pay for, was cause it was the phone companys fault, they cut a line they werent supposed too, so they paid. co ops suck! dont believe all they have in thier commercials. bottom line, anything needs updated, customer pays!

[starving_student]

Re: surviving with very little money

Sounds like the friend is costing you more than your kids. I would kick him out of the bedroom to the livingroom couch and give the boys and girls their own rooms back. Law or no, my family gets better treatment than a deadbeat dude, no matter how much of a friend.

I also have all entertainment stuff plugged into an outlet strip, so you have to turn it on before you can play, it might help to deter the friend, specially if you make a house rule of paying for use. Might not, but it can't hurt. (use the saved money for something fun). Also we sold two of our computers, got the money for them and now we cannot have that many running at one time. (yes we are computer geeks we still have 3 .)

On the Smoking, I know quitting can be hard, specially if he works around smoke. You might ask if he can cut back a little, and let him use that money for lunches for himself. That way it is all reward not all work, not gonna help the budget this year, but might next year.

Oh and what an obnoxious landlord!

Do you need to keep the friend at all? Why not just kick him out altogether?

[LuxLiving]

Re: surviving with very little money

Hey - did the 'friend' ever move out????

[budgetmom]

Re: surviving with very little money

Seems she hasn't made a post since 9-16-05, at least that's what her profile says.

[naturalwoman]

Re: surviving with very little money

as regards the dvd's i get mine from the library. only $1. some i can keep for 7 days for $1. the new rentals are 1.00 a day. watch movies at a friends house if you can. if they rent a movie, ask if you can give them a dollar or 2 on the rental and for them to give it to you when they are done.