what have you gotten out of reading the messages and answers on this site?

[veronak]

Re: what have you gotten out of reading the messages and answers on this site?

Kept me focused, helped me deal with not only my oney issues but my personal issues. This site has allowed me to be honest with myself with out fear of shamefulness. I am happy here, it's therapuetic on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the best i give this site a 10+

[ren]

Re: what have you gotten out of reading the messages and answers on this site?

Like everyone else, I enjoy the company of like minded individuals as I try to save money in our 'spend, spend, spend!' world. I've gotten a lot of good advice and had a safe place to vent when needed. And I think it was Lux who linked me to LR Johnson's challenge a couple of days after I got here, who is living on about the same as I am trying to budget for myself, and some of her early challenge entries have been really helpful to me as I look to see where I can cut the fat.

[Ima saver]

Re: what have you gotten out of reading the messages and answers on this site?

I am enjoying saving money a lot more than I use to.

[Aleta]

Re: what have you gotten out of reading the messages and answers on this site?

Who is LR Johnson

[lrjohnson]

Re: what have you gotten out of reading the messages and answers on this site?

That'd be me. I'm a regular SavingAdvice member, who started a blog and a Challenge based on a forum post on living on Minimum Wage. Most who posted to the thread said they couldn't do it, due to rent or mortgage. Well, my rent is only $400, so I figured I could try, even though I know I couldn't do the Federal Minimum Wage, $5.15.

Beginning March 1, I started living on CA Minimum Wage voluntarily. That's $6.75 and hour, at 40 hours a week, at 4.33 weeks a month.

That gives me $1178 gross, and $1026 after taxes. That is less than half my current net; so the Challenge isn't "Can It Be Done" because people have to do it every day, but rather, "Can One Live a Full and Satisfying Life Voluntarily Slashing Expenses." It's not a political statement "defending" the minimum wage, it's an excercise in being aware and conscious with my spedning, and avoiding excess.

I'm on Day 12 of Month 9! I did take a trip to Europe-I said at the beginning the only thing I would cheat for is Travel-but other than that, I have held fast to my budget.

I blog on how I do it, and I blog on how living simply has actually been a gift. I have slacked off on the number of entries; I can see where someone would remeber earlier posts rather than later. Coincidentally I made a goal this week of making a blog entry daily.