Im curious how many of you on this site....

[34saving]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

It's definitely a game for me. (I mean if I was RICH I'd probably still play because I like the challenge.) However, since I know lots of people who make a lot more than we do who live paycheck to paycheck, I think we'd be there too if it wasn't for the frugality.

[miclason]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

I started because I couldn't even MAKE it paycheque to paycheque!!!....now I'm just "there", where at least I CAN make it paycheque to paycheque without cc's and, slowly getting to the point where I am even able to set something aside for expected expenses (like Alejandra's school!)...I have such a long way to go, still...but, at least now I'm off the denial path!

[jodi]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

For me, it's definitely the challenge aspect. My DH cannot understand why I spend so much time saving a little bit of money here and there, but it's FUN. I'm sure there are many of you out there who can understand I really get a kick out of it.
When DH and I were first married, we were comfortable with a $500 cushion in our savings account. Eventually we got to where we felt better with $2k. Now I get nervous when it drops below $10k. So we are not living paycheck to paycheck, but visiting this site gives me new ideas, a fresh outlook, and helps in the burden of paying down our student loan debt.

[seaar2000]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

I come to this sight to see how others save. I make around 16,000 to 18,000 a year. Since I am very frugal I really don't live paycheck to paycheck. Do have to be very careful or I will be living paycheck to paycheck. It will become pretty rough pretty soon when my oldest daughter child support stops. I have been aware of this so I have been putting extra money in the bank. When I received my tax check I paid off my dental bill and put the rest up knowing that I will have to be more careful with my money and this will help pay my house payment tell next March or April. Being a frugal is a hobby for me. I love to see how much I can save or where I can cut expenses. Like everyone else I hate giving Uncle Sam any more money than I have to . He takes enough out of our taxes. I started my 401 (k) about five years ago, have an EF, and have $100 taken automatically out of my check. Hearing how others save money, be frugal, and how others cut their expenses makes me motivated.

[zakity]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

"We're comfortable because we are frugal and being frugal keeps us comfortable."

Yeah, what they said.

[poundwise]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

im just curious how many people who frequent these sites are all into savings and cutting costs etc.. b/c they NEEDd to i.e cant even make ends meat and live paycheck to pay check or just either are financially are ok but just enjoy saving and finding good deals and stuff?

I could get by fairly well without special savings and cost cutting measures, however, I have a large amount of overall debt that I want to first reduce and then eliminate completely. Therefore, my wife and I plan, practice, and live as frugally as possible in order to maximize the amount of our income that can be directed toward that goal.

[Snoopy2645]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

Well we are really broke we are living paycheck to paycheck right now but its mainly because dh is a spender I am a big time saver so this is the first time in my life I have lived like this. I am working now making my own money so me & the kids are doing ok at least we are not behind anymore I am able to keep up at this point I know in the fall things will be better the kids will all be in school for the first time so I can work more as for dh I am not sure!!!

[getforfree]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

My dh is a spender too. He buys too much stuff for his hobbies, and drives when it's not really necessary, like to visit his friend 20 miles away, because he is bored.

Financially we are ok, even though our income is low, but we have 6 months worth of gross income in ou EF. I always watch sales, rebates, free stuff, and stock up, try not to waste anything, sometimes do without avoid extra expences, do everything possible to save on utility bills.
For the past almost 2 yrs we spend tons of money for our home improvement right after we bought it, changed roof shingles (me and dh did it together by ourselves), new wall and cealing texture and paint, new kitchen cabinets, DH put tile on the floors. Tons of repairs, we did everything by ourselves except for putting carpet in the bedrums (it was cheapper to hire a guy than buying or renting special tools for that). And we didn't have to go into debt for repairs, even though when we were buying the house, my savings account had only $37 in it, because we used up everything for the down payment (about half or our income was going into savings for a whole year before that). For the past 3-4 month we didn't spend much on improvements, so we are saving a lot.

Sometimes my DH jokes that we save more than we make. Out monthly mortgage payment is almost $1500, half of our income, and we still have money left every month for savings and extra payments on mortgage.

But we don't have any retirement plans yet, we both are under 30 and have kids and need a bigger house. When the kids will grow and move out, we then can sell the big house and move to a smaller, kinda like we have now or maybe even smaller and keep the difference as our retirement money and invest it for another 20 yrs untill we need it. We might change our mind and start retirement plan, but now we don't have a good match on any of our jobs, to get a good match, you have to work for the same company for like 10yrs, otherwise the match is really small, so we better off keeping the money and be able to use it anytime or look for a better job. Don't know yet, retirement is like 50 years away from now for me (a little less for DH), so everything might change by that time.

[Lori63]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

I think when I joined we were doing well, right now it's paycheck to paycheck-we seem to go through good and bad times. Nothing that we're stressed about though-overall it's good.
I think if I were rich I would still be a coupon fanatic, etc.-might use the AC more

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

I think looking at peer cost we would not be able to make it wthout this site, but I don't classify myself as 'barely making it'.

I guess I have learned rather well, but as far as some things like the hot house, if I had more money I would cool it better...I am just not sure how much more....I might get a maid before I did .

[lillyb]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

I'm here because we used to live paycheck to paycheck. We've been lucky enough to not be in dire straits, but have seen it happen all around me. That fear has brought me to the place where I want some security.

[mschluckbier]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

Right now we're BARELY not paycheck to paycheck. I have always been very frugal, but last year I made just over $10K as a single mom, my child support covered the rent and that was it. I use coupons like a maniac, and am starting to rebate and stuff alot more since we have some disposable income now. Generally I make a profit on those, so I consider it an investment. I want to learn better how to save and make my money grow so I'm never broke like I have been again.

Edited to add: I have NO debt, car is paid off, no credit cards, no house (YET! just a few more months!!!), so that isnt an issue with me, low income is my problem, although since I started a new job almost 2 months ago, that is VASTLY improving!!!

[cashqueen]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

We are doing 'ok' cash flow wise but we have debt - truck, boat, student loans, mortgage, some cc. I am about to pay most of that off and concentrate on getting the student loans paid off. My plan is to have everything except the mortgage paid off within a year and then just start socking everything away. I have some long term goals that I will never meet if we don't buckle down and stop spending.

[Ima saver]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

I am kind of like Jodi, to me saving and investing is fun! I have always liked working with money, I even enjoy balancing the check book. Some times my husband teases me. He says, I could just work an extra 1/2 hr. to make up for what you saved today, turning the heat down, clipping coupons, etc., but that is just the way I am.
Watching my mother scrimp and worry so much when I was a child had a big effect on me. She was so afraid she could not pay her bills, she would go without food to pay the bills first. I have never paid a bill late in my life!

[nanamom]

Re: Im curious how many of you on this site....

By some standards we would be considered doing pretty well. I know others at my husbands level have really nice "things" and houses etc. We are still in the recovery phase however. We rent, becasue our credit is getting better but still poor, we have a small EF but it is growing, our retirement account is only two years old (and we are 20 years from needing it) We have no CC debt but that was a recent thing, we have medical bills of about 3 to 4 thou and a back tax bill of 4 hundred or so. We also owe on two vehicles. One will be paid off this year. If you look at where we were 4 years ago when we got married however we are doing really really well. We were 60,000 in CC debt (DH was actually, I was debt free except for car and had just sold my house) We had no medical bills and only my car payment (the tax bill was there, we just didn't know it yet) So all in all we are doing OK and on the upsweep. I enjoy reading this site but honestly had cleared the debt, started the EF, and been budgeting prior to getting here. I do like it though, sometimes its nice to have encouragment. Next year we are going to move. If the job market for DH hasn't opened up closer to the grandkids then we will look around here for a less expensive place.
Note to Perky, A maid wouldn't work in a house that hot, get the AC up first!!!