The economy is not improving, I don't care which paper you are reading or which expert is in your ear. There may be a few real estate deals to be had for those with spare funds, but rents are remaining the same in my area. Gas, groceries, insurance, and many other living expenses are inching up each month yet everyone lucky enough to still have a job has the same wage as before.
My son is weighed down by student loans, an uncompleted education, and the stresses of retail management. Eldest daughter is balancing full time work and motherhood. Youngest daughter has returned home stressed after a failed attempt to share a home with friends. It seems a perfect time to revisit an old post.
Handy Hints For Communal Living
When you are on a frugal path with a goal you have to stay the course until your goals are met. If you jump too soon any small setback can put you right back where you were before. Keep your skills fresh, remember these times will not last forever, celebrate small victories, and plan out your future without losing sight of your goals.
Things are working out so far here, everyone is pitching in to help out, and someone is always here to entertain Grandbaby. Side note: every time I try to write a post, or do any reading on my computer Grandbaby comes into the room, gives me a kiss, smiles, sits next to me, and says, "I watch," next thing I know I'm clapping along to "Yo Gabba Gabba."
Realistically I will be here for up to two years until everyones goals are met. I'm reworking my room a bit now and turning it into more of a retreat for my husband and I. This doesn't involve money as I am just deep cleaning and moving furniture about. I'm getting rid of some furniture that just takes up too much of the limited space. Next I will tackle the common rooms, before attempting a massive garage clear out. Reorganization of our small house will make it easier for all to get along.
My one remaining debt is shrinking, and my savings are growing gradually. We'll just be that much further ahead when everyone else catches up. If you are paddling toward shore and feeling discouraged don't stop and try to stay on the lilly pad. The lilly pad will crash, keep on paddling all the way until you reach shore, you'll be glad you did. Plan, and be ready for the better times ahead.
Showing posts with label finances. Show all posts
Showing posts with label finances. Show all posts
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
High Finances for the Lower Incomed
I used to earn triple the income I have now. Everything was financed and I worked to pay the bills. Clothes were on credit, gifts were on credit, a vehicle and a house were financed. I thought the job was there to stay and as long as I could make at least the minimum payments I would be okay. The only thing I never put on credit was groceries. At least I knew that was a bad thing to do. Added to the debt was disorganization. Bills would be brought into the house and placed in a different spot each day and sometimes be paid late because of this.
Simple organization and refusal to fall into debt are all that is needed to pull a family out of a bad situation like this. Some people are quite happy to put everything into a computer program and make charts and graphs. Some have special apps on their cell phones to remind them when payments are due. Others track their net worth every day. I don't carry a cell phone (one less bill, plus more freedom from distractions) and I like to keep things very simple.
I have one three ring binder to keep me organized. If I complicate things too much, I know I won't keep up with it. Find what works for you and do it. When mail comes into the house it goes on the kitchen table. It took a while to drill this in but it works now. Junk mail is shredded and recycled immediately. Bills are recorded on the calendar in the binder and placed in the pocket in the binder. I don't bother to buy a calendar anymore. Why pay between $10.00 and $20.00 when I can print one for free from the web? I place it in the binder and use it daily. I haven't paid a late fee since I started this system.
Track your debt. At the bottom of the calendar on the right had side I keep a list of all the bills that come due monthly. This way if I don't get one in the mail I will remember it is due and call to find out what happened. It is also nice to see these reduce in number as I pay them off. In January 2010 I had fourteen bills and in December 2010 I had six , only one of these was a credit card. The other five were regularly occurring expenses like rent and electricity.
At the bottom of the left hand side of the calendar I keep a running total of the amount of my debt. During the past year I have watched in shrink several thousand dollars. It helps to keep you motivated to remain frugal and get rid of debt when you watch it shrink. This year I'm pretty sure I will get rid of debt completely and I can't wait!
I know that it makes sense and there are people out there who can automate their finances and have automatic withdrawals for savings and bill paying. I am on an extremely low income so this does not make sense for me. Sometimes I have $500.00 in my checking account and sometimes I have $5.00. This is how people end up with overdraft fees. If I look at my checkbook and send out the bills myself I can avoid these problems.
Don't forget your savings. Having some money in savings protects you from having to resort to credit card use for unknown emergencies. When your car breaks down and you have enough to cover the mechanics fees it keeps that money from being added to your debt. Debt repayment is important but so is boosting your savings little by little. I always place what I need for bills and keep cash for gas and groceries. I shop carefully through the week and any cash left over when the next paycheck arrives goes into savings.
If I've bored you to death by now, please forgive me. I just want to let the unorganized, or the debt laden, or the poor, or newly poor know that there is a way out. You aren't stuck here forever, and you can live a satisfying life on less money. It may take more work, and a fresh look at consumerism, and thinking about what is really important to you. A little work and a fresh perspective can pull you out of the grasp of the debt monster.
Simple organization and refusal to fall into debt are all that is needed to pull a family out of a bad situation like this. Some people are quite happy to put everything into a computer program and make charts and graphs. Some have special apps on their cell phones to remind them when payments are due. Others track their net worth every day. I don't carry a cell phone (one less bill, plus more freedom from distractions) and I like to keep things very simple.
I have one three ring binder to keep me organized. If I complicate things too much, I know I won't keep up with it. Find what works for you and do it. When mail comes into the house it goes on the kitchen table. It took a while to drill this in but it works now. Junk mail is shredded and recycled immediately. Bills are recorded on the calendar in the binder and placed in the pocket in the binder. I don't bother to buy a calendar anymore. Why pay between $10.00 and $20.00 when I can print one for free from the web? I place it in the binder and use it daily. I haven't paid a late fee since I started this system.
Track your debt. At the bottom of the calendar on the right had side I keep a list of all the bills that come due monthly. This way if I don't get one in the mail I will remember it is due and call to find out what happened. It is also nice to see these reduce in number as I pay them off. In January 2010 I had fourteen bills and in December 2010 I had six , only one of these was a credit card. The other five were regularly occurring expenses like rent and electricity.
At the bottom of the left hand side of the calendar I keep a running total of the amount of my debt. During the past year I have watched in shrink several thousand dollars. It helps to keep you motivated to remain frugal and get rid of debt when you watch it shrink. This year I'm pretty sure I will get rid of debt completely and I can't wait!
I know that it makes sense and there are people out there who can automate their finances and have automatic withdrawals for savings and bill paying. I am on an extremely low income so this does not make sense for me. Sometimes I have $500.00 in my checking account and sometimes I have $5.00. This is how people end up with overdraft fees. If I look at my checkbook and send out the bills myself I can avoid these problems.
Don't forget your savings. Having some money in savings protects you from having to resort to credit card use for unknown emergencies. When your car breaks down and you have enough to cover the mechanics fees it keeps that money from being added to your debt. Debt repayment is important but so is boosting your savings little by little. I always place what I need for bills and keep cash for gas and groceries. I shop carefully through the week and any cash left over when the next paycheck arrives goes into savings.
If I've bored you to death by now, please forgive me. I just want to let the unorganized, or the debt laden, or the poor, or newly poor know that there is a way out. You aren't stuck here forever, and you can live a satisfying life on less money. It may take more work, and a fresh look at consumerism, and thinking about what is really important to you. A little work and a fresh perspective can pull you out of the grasp of the debt monster.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Off to the Races
Days off are almost always spent on errands. Make a long list and run here and there checking items off as you go. That's how it always ends up for me. I love being productive and having several accomplishments for the day, just not every day! It's definitely time to free up a day in the schedule for a beach or a state park trip, some small leisure to break the monotony. I've moaned enough, I'm off to the laundromat and the bank and the grocery store....
I'll leave you with one of my favorite work stories. I waited on a young woman in a grocery store. She paid for her eggs, milk, and cheese with a WIC voucher. She could have also received cereal and dried beans. I asked her if she wanted me to get them for her and she said, "Nah, that's alright. It's no big deal." She then bought a small amount of groceries which she paid for with food stamps. Then she bought cigarettes and diapers and she paid cash. I went to hand her thirty eight cents in change and she said, "You give those thirty eight cents to someone who needs them."
It was all I could do not to laugh. That night when I dropped my thirty eight cents in the change jar and told my family we were rolling with laughter.
I'll leave you with one of my favorite work stories. I waited on a young woman in a grocery store. She paid for her eggs, milk, and cheese with a WIC voucher. She could have also received cereal and dried beans. I asked her if she wanted me to get them for her and she said, "Nah, that's alright. It's no big deal." She then bought a small amount of groceries which she paid for with food stamps. Then she bought cigarettes and diapers and she paid cash. I went to hand her thirty eight cents in change and she said, "You give those thirty eight cents to someone who needs them."
It was all I could do not to laugh. That night when I dropped my thirty eight cents in the change jar and told my family we were rolling with laughter.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Healthcare...or the Lack Thereof
I have enough and make enough to pay my bills, keep my old car running, keep groceries stocked, and keep a roof over our heads. What I do not have is healthcare. There's just not enough extra money left for this luxury.
Luckily, besides dental problems so far, I have been fairly healthy. I would love to get a check-up just in case but finances haven't caught up yet. The last time I saw a doctor was 1990. Why so long? When you are poor and pregnant you get free medical care through medicaid. The working poor receive no such benefits.
I've read scathing articles by angry individuals who are upset by the way government benefits are set up. Many believe it is unfair to reward people for having children while young or while poor. I feel it doesn't matter. I see the need to protect the children from complete poverty. However, I don't understand how we can ignore those who are 18 to 64. Why not give everyone the same healthcare? Who is it going to hurt?
People should receive healthcare because they are human. You shouldn't have to die earlier if you are poor. Why does it cost so much in the first place? If you knew first aid and came across a wounded person in the park would you stop to help or would you first demand payment?
I think the whole thing could be simplified. Make all drug companies non-profit. Pay all doctores $40,000 to start, cap them at $90,000. Cap CEO's and hospital administrators at $125,000. Create non-profit healthcare facilities.
What if we completely revolutionize the system? The current model isn't working. Let's try something completely different. Bring together a large group from all backgrounds and income, including the very poor and brainstorm to come up with a new model.
What are your ideas?
Luckily, besides dental problems so far, I have been fairly healthy. I would love to get a check-up just in case but finances haven't caught up yet. The last time I saw a doctor was 1990. Why so long? When you are poor and pregnant you get free medical care through medicaid. The working poor receive no such benefits.
I've read scathing articles by angry individuals who are upset by the way government benefits are set up. Many believe it is unfair to reward people for having children while young or while poor. I feel it doesn't matter. I see the need to protect the children from complete poverty. However, I don't understand how we can ignore those who are 18 to 64. Why not give everyone the same healthcare? Who is it going to hurt?
People should receive healthcare because they are human. You shouldn't have to die earlier if you are poor. Why does it cost so much in the first place? If you knew first aid and came across a wounded person in the park would you stop to help or would you first demand payment?
I think the whole thing could be simplified. Make all drug companies non-profit. Pay all doctores $40,000 to start, cap them at $90,000. Cap CEO's and hospital administrators at $125,000. Create non-profit healthcare facilities.
What if we completely revolutionize the system? The current model isn't working. Let's try something completely different. Bring together a large group from all backgrounds and income, including the very poor and brainstorm to come up with a new model.
What are your ideas?
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