Anyone know where I can get seeds for the mythical money tree? No? I didn't think so, but it was worth a try. Although JD and I both make a really great wage; we are in trouble. Big trouble! JD works for an auto manufacturing that is being highly impacted by the crisis in Japan. The situation is now serious enough that he will be working a four-day work week for at least 6 weeks and there will be a full week in May with no work. This equates to 10 days, two full weeks, without pay. For our family this is a huge problem because supply teaching is unpredictable and I never know exactly what my income will be. If I work one day a week that covers the day JD misses. Then I have to work another day and half to cover the cost of the babysitter for the week. That totals 2.5 days I MUST work to stay a float financial, which really doesn't sound too bad. Here's where things get rough: worked to-date the equivalent of 53 days, 30 weeks have passed in the school and that means I've worked an average of 1.8 per week. With the school year rushing to an end I'm not very hopeful that this trend will change. We are facing some very tough choices. Not only are we battling a shortfall in our monthly income, but we have some significant debt which might be enough to put us over the edge. (This debt is a particularly hard pill to swallow because until about two year ago we had no debt and we were proud of it. That's a whole other story!) Stress is high, brain is spinning and we are frantically trying to come up with creative money saving and making solutions.
Here's the manic train of thought so far:
Coupons, of course we need to use coupons!
Molly needs to be potty-trained because we can't afford diapers. Reasonable?? Hmmm....
Eat less, bathe less, no treats....cancel the cable....cancel the internet! No, must.....keep....internet.
Second job! Yes, that will do it! Now, where do I get a job that doesn't conflict with the school day or JDs night shift? Weekends only???
Quit my job! Staying home means no babysitting expenses! But, this new career cost us big bucks......
Then again, if I'm home I could babysit. After all our babysitter is cleaning-up!
JD could get another job....but who will hire him to just work weekends???
Cash in an RRSP...yikes!
What else? Sell a car....our house...a kidney??? Kind of like my kidneys.
ROB A BANK! Yes, that'll do it. Wait.........maybe not!
I know! Coupons! We need lots and lots of coupons!!!
Deep breath!
Yes, deep breath :)
ReplyDeleteCut the cable, keep the Internet. You can watch plenty of t.v. and movies online. Cut back on eating out, lower your cell phone plans, wash clothes and dishes at night during non-peak energy times. Put up a clothesline to dry clothes and don't let your dishwasher dry the dishes - air dry or wipe them down. Along those same lines raise your thermostat, turn off the lights, take shorter showers, don't flush as often or recycle bath water.
I've gathered so many ideas over the years that I could fill your comments, so I'll stop now. I've been where you are and worse actually. Breathing really does help. Try to take it one moment at a time.
Thanks for the suggestions! We do many of the things you suggested, but there are a few there we will need to start doing.
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