How Are You Doing It?
 

Making ends meet, that is.

I know we are a diverse group of people with equally diverse incomes and outgoes...but surely most of us are feeling the butt-f*ck in the mouth that is the current grocery/gas/mortgage/various sundries squeeze.

How are you and your family making ends meet? Are you doing things differently than, say, two years ago? How do you downgrade a lifestyle?

I'm not. :(

I'm thinking of selling a kidney.

I'm thinking of buying Infi's kidney. It's what's for dinner.

Selling crack, anyone interested?

Cutting everywhere and anywhere. Adjusting the thermostat. Planning purchases in advance, not buying many frivolous items. . . . Fixing things instead of replacing when available. Simply doing without in many cases. . . .

I work. We spend less than I make.

My wife has been a stay at home mom for about a decade. She's going back to work in the Fall. About 25 hours a week. Perfect job, a permanent substitute teacher at my son's elementary school. She'll float around from classroom to classroom, wherever they need her. And be home around the same time as the kids get back from school.

We had been doing the belt tightening for so long, there wasn't anything left to tighten.

Dipping into savings

beer in cans instead of bottles

OK, damn you. That made me giggle. Stop it, I wanna be pissy. :o

All of you belt tighteners are crippling the economy. Spend, spend! Take out a loan from Guido, if you have to.

Haggis!

starting a new business during a recession with no money up front

I'm not.

I've living back with my parents and looking for a part-time job - ANY part-time job - to supplement my income. But I am up against many, many, many other people willing to take part-time work, especially including teens looking for a way into work, Mums looking to come back to work and both genders above 50, needing still to work before retirement and far more flexible than I am.

And note, I am looking to top up my income so I can continue to pay off my debts, afford dentist & prescription charges and look after my boy. I can't even imagine earning enough to live alone and manage all my utility bills.

I get no benefits or income support because I have no children and am in a "safe" living situation. Both of which are true of course and both are actually blessings. It's just I'm £10 a month better off now I'm working. Cash-wise. Meaning I now get no concessions, free prescriptions, free dental or optician care.

I would be better off volunteering.
But I'm SO much happier working.
And I'd rather be in my right mind than at my leisure.

It's just I'd rather be working and in my own place than at my parents. And the truth is I don't think I will EVER afford it now.
I'm not quite on the breadline yet though.

ETA: White bottoms, white bottoms, talk about breadlines my girl's got'em :)
'cept the original was more accurate!

Funny you should ask, just this morning I did an estimated budget through September, using Excel, so I could modify amounts as they come in.

I am not on public assistance. I pay all normal bills and have no credit cards or time purchases. (I have not factored in the student loans yet *cringe*) What is left over is what I spend on food, gasoline, etc.

I think I could save money in the food department. I am an impulse buyer but stay away from processed foods, mostly. I find I do the best working from a menu but I am either lazy or I suck at cooking or both, since I lack the motivation for it.

Just cut back my Comcast bill in half by disconnecting land line and taking a cable box back.

Stopped buying coffee/lattes out every day.

Bringing lunches and breakfasts to work instead of eating out.

Trying to pay cash for everything even though tempted to charge to feed my retail therapy.

I work two jobs - full time social worker, part time college professor, but I don't teach in the summer. Money is always really tight in the summer and the social work job is getting the 3% pay cut in July. Should be a fun summer, but I'm thankful every day that I have employment.