What to do when the money dwindles?....

**GREENBACK** · 08-12-2009, 08:28 AM

Originally posted by inneedofhelp View Post

I have told you all how I have a lot of anxiety about being homeless. When my money is low, I am so irritable and afraid. It is hard to explain to people who haven't been homeless before.

I haven't been homeless but know the fear of it happening. Hang in there even if things seem a bit bleak. I don't know your full situation but will say that I remember a time when it seemed impossible that things would work out for me. This was very difficult to get through for me as well. It's difficult for anyone. For me, the answer was to fight and scrap for any and all solutions that would get me on my feet. It worked due to hard work and a dose of luck.

Keep your head up and fight like hell to get out of this. Only you really control your destiny.

**eileen1** · 09-04-2009, 06:52 PM

Good wishes to you, sounds like a tough situation. One thought, if you post a sign offering to do yard work, mow, sweep out garages, paint, clean, etc, for $10 or $15 an hour, and you did this maybe three hours a day after work, that would be $150 or more a week. And many elderly people or people that are super busy with two jobs and young kids would welcome some help. None of these jobs would require you to put in a large investment of equipment and if it didn't work out, you could stop. Also, you could have a three hour time minimum.

**cschin4** · 09-05-2009, 04:15 AM

Only you really control your destiny.

I used to believe this but I no longer do. There are a lot of forces and circumstances beyond our control. And, we are and used to be the richest nation in the world but watching govt (both parties so no flames please) absolutely squander the hard earned wealth of Americans over the years is disgusting and discouraging.
As for the OP, you can only do what you can do. I think there are going to be a lot of hard choices ahead for all of us. And, I think families will have to go back to living together just to survive.
The thing about our modern times is that you can now be robbed electronically. I think we are robbed on a daily basis through taxes and ridiculous "fees" on everything under the sun.

**maat55** · 09-05-2009, 05:15 AM

Do you spend money on any of these things:

Cable, cell phone, beer, cigarettes, chips, movies, pop, lattees, eat out, too high of rent, car payment

None of these and many more are not necessities. You might be surprised at how much money gets wasted.

If you are truly tired of living check to check and not able to save, you will give up everything that is not an necessity, work a second job and sell everything you do not need.

Aside from this, you can do the things you need to in order to find a higher paying job: Take classes, find a job with upward mobility, learn a trade and go out on your own.

Don't be discouraged, be hopeful and proactive. Make it your mission to improve. It is easier to sacrifice when you are following a plan and know there is an better outcome.

**cschin4** · 09-05-2009, 05:26 AM

I don't wish to discourage the OP, but really why should people work like a dog for next to nothing? There are A LOT of people around me on welfare, disability, etc who have cars, cable TV, beer and cigs and dont' work and have plenty of money to tatoo their entire bodies. Why should the rest of us be working slaves to pay the govt and pay those who don't want to work? I am getting sick of it as are others. Why not just in line for your own piece of cheese and govt grants? Life seems to be about finding the best scam for yourself to live on. I don't see how I can tell my kids to work, work, work only to have the govt confiscate it.

**cschin4** · 09-05-2009, 05:29 AM

Aside from this, you can do the things you need to in order to find a higher paying job: Take classes, find a job with upward mobility, learn a trade and go out on your own.

Taking classes and so forth becomes just another scam. If you go the right college such as Harvard or some elite prep school, you are pretty much guaranteed to get a six figure job when you graduate. If you slum away at community college, it might move you up the ladder slightly but if you saddle yourself with college debt it is just more of your life to work and slave for others. Sorry to be so negative but I haven't felt this negative about our country in years. I think the rampant corruption of govt and businesses is dooming us all.

**KTP** · 09-05-2009, 06:06 AM

The thing that really irks me about college is how the degree is used to access one's value in the workplace. I know so many people who have a degree in a certain field and yet really comprehend very little of that subject. They crammed for tests and never really learned the core material.

**cschin4** · 09-05-2009, 06:42 AM

Yes, but that is the price of admission. Nowadays you really can't get anywhere without a degree. I think we overvalue college education as a starting point. Now, we are forcing our children into loads of debt before they even start working. For my parents generation, when they graduated there were jobs and you could work your way up the ladder. I don't really see that happening now. My niece paid a fortune to go to a private school and now barely makes ends meet and she will be saddled for years with this debt and basically slave labor. I am rethinking whether my kids really need that or not.

**maat55** · 09-05-2009, 06:34 PM

Originally posted by cschin4 View Post

Yes, but that is the price of admission. Nowadays you really can't get anywhere without a degree. I think we overvalue college education as a starting point. Now, we are forcing our children into loads of debt before they even start working. For my parents generation, when they graduated there were jobs and you could work your way up the ladder. I don't really see that happening now. My niece paid a fortune to go to a private school and now barely makes ends meet and she will be saddled for years with this debt and basically slave labor. I am rethinking whether my kids really need that or not.

Back in the early 70's, you could enter the work force with a highschool diploma and live an middle class lifestyle, as well as invest 11% of your income.

Today, you need college educations and two incomes to make it.

This is mainly due to devaluation of the dollar and glutinous lifestyles. The more things that are invented, the more people think they have to have them to be happy. Same goes for healthcare.

**disneysteve** · 09-05-2009, 06:56 PM

Originally posted by maat55 View Post

Today, you need college educations and two incomes to make it.

This is mainly due to devaluation of the dollar and glutinous lifestyles. The more things that are invented, the more people think they have to have them to be happy. Same goes for healthcare.

Your first statement isn't true at all. What I bolded is very true. People have convinced themselves that they "need" all that stuff and that's why they "need" two incomes to "make it." If they would allow themselves to live without all the luxuries, they could get by perfectly fine on one decent income.

**GREENBACK** · 09-05-2009, 07:20 PM

Originally posted by cschin4 View Post

Only you really control your destiny.

I used to believe this but I no longer do. There are a lot of forces and circumstances beyond our control. And, we are and used to be the richest nation in the world but watching govt (both parties so no flames please) absolutely squander the hard earned wealth of Americans over the years is disgusting and discouraging.

I understand your frustration with gov't but indeed you are the only one who controls your personal situation. Change in gov't and society will come slowly at best. You have little control over what happens in Washington or what decisions will be made. It's absolutely up to each and every individual who wishes to better their situation to stand up and do whatever is neccesary to better themselves. Don't worry about what the gov't provides for others. This is where change comes.

This is no longer the 70's and going to high school and coming out to a great paying job doesn't happen much anymore. There are alternatives to colllege still. Trade schools, military service, hard manual labor. Americans in many ways are spoiled and aren't willing to pay their dues before attaining the better paying jobs.

Many see college right out of H.S. as a quick way to riches and don't consider the alternatives that might require sacrifices they aren't unacustomed to making. College is quite expensive and it's getting less likely that you'll hit the ground running as soon as you graduate. Folks need to give themselves more than one option that could leave them with many years of debt.

**cschin4** · 09-06-2009, 08:31 AM

you are the only one who controls your personal situation.

No you don't. You can only take what is available and possible for you and make the best of it. That's it.

**GREENBACK** · 09-07-2009, 02:04 PM

Originally posted by cschin4 View Post

you are the only one who controls your personal situation.

No you don't. You can only take what is available and possible for you and make the best of it. That's it.

Sounds to me like you are willing to just take what comes along or what some entity provides for you. How about creating your own opportunity?

The great people who created this country didn't stand in line waiting for someone to create an opportunity for them.

**cschin4** · 09-08-2009, 12:57 PM

Sounds to me like you are willing to just take what comes along or what some entity provides for you. How about creating your own opportunity?

Hardly. I choose my career, went on to grad school, worked, started my own business and have exactly the life situation I want. Yes, a lot of it was and is hard work. However, I was fortunate to choose the right career. I was fortunate to have people around me who were supportive. I didn't have any bad circumstances that would have made things difficult. And, as I had the means, I sought more opportunities, etc.
However, I see the flip side. I see people who working DARN hard for years and years who are not and who will never get ahead no matter how many hours they work or how good their financial plan. And, frankly, at some point you just get burned out and tired of spinning your wheels. I see people being steered into low paying careers and encouraged to go to expensive colleges and thus getting saddled with debt they never recover from and on and on. I see people with some medical issues that are tired and just can't play the game anymore. At some point, I would probably drop out of society, live as frugally as possible so I don't have to work like a dog for the rest of my life and so forth Just my opinion.

What to do when the money dwindles?....