Getting started on a VERY limited budget

KaeGji · #1 09/18/12, 02:18 PM

Hey all,

My wife, young child and I are currently going through some hard times. I'm a union carpenter that's been laid off for 3-4 months. I make less than 150 per wk from unemployment. My wife works part time at minimum wage and we have to keep our daughter in daycare, which is costing us 600 bucks a month, so if I get called back to work she'll be taken care of.

The wife and I day dream and watch videos on youtube everyday about the homesteading life and we decided that we wanted to give it a try out of necessity. We currently live with her mother (ugh) due to the circumstances and have limited space and very limited funding. Not to mention it's now fall. We're looking for advice on getting started...

Melissa · #2 09/18/12, 02:20 PM

Sounds like daycare is taking most of what your wife earns? If you pull her out, is it that hard to get the spot back? When you are in dire circumstances, you have to really think everything through logically...

KaeGji · #3 09/18/12, 02:26 PM

Yea we've talked about that. The thing is we have no one else to watch her if I get called back to work, I usually get less than a weeks notice. It is really hard to get the spot back if we take her out...it is however eating up a huge chunk of our income. We're currently waiting on approval from care 4 kids which helps with the payments.

meanwhile · #4 09/18/12, 02:27 PM

Look very hard at everywhere and every place you can cut back and save. It is hard to do but look carefully. Do you eat out? Can you cancel a cell phone? Can you cancel a TV service or internet subscription?

When we first moved to our Homestead, we did not have any TV, no internet (we went to the public library to use the computers there) and no cell phones. We look back at the 1 year and 8 months with awe (that we went that long with no TV, etc.) and fond memories. Our friends thought we were nuts and at first we thought we were suffering big time, but as the weeks went by, we enjoyed the time.

Good luck. Hang in there. Hold fast to your dreams and be willing to work hard for them. You can do it. Best wishes.

**Terri** · #5 09/18/12, 02:33 PM

It sounds very much like Union carpenters make good money, when they are working?????

So, if you are called back, would it be a very temporary call back? Because, it might be better to have your wife quit her part time job if you are called back, or to hire somebody for those part-time hours that your wife works.

Oh, yes, I just remembered.

When the kids were little, they were cared for by a young Mother. Basically, tso that she could stay home with her little one, she took care of another child or two the at were close to the same age as her child. That way her toddler gained in social skills, and she could afford to stay home with her child. Sometimes it helps to think outside of the box!

As for getting started on a shoestring, we did after we moved to Kansas during a recession. We were in debt, as we moved on a credit card because there was actually WORK in Kansas!

We rented for a year, and then we got hooked up with a government program where we only had to pay 2% down payment on a house, plus closing costs. We were then able to buy a house on an acre of land.

That was 25 years ago, and life is good. Money is still tight, mostly due to the families health problems. And, while my one acre brings in a fair amount of produce, it does take tools and such: before I built the greenhouse i needed pressure treated lumber, paint, and so forth. Before I started with bees i needed hive bodies and so forth. You get the picture!

We have been very happy here, including my city husband. He rarely goes outside, but, this is HOME!

wharton · #6 09/18/12, 02:33 PM

I strongly suggest that you find a better, more reliable way to make a living, than relying on the flaky whims of a construction union. I've been there, done it, and got real tired of the lies, games and letting other folks determine my future. I am a union electrician, graduated top of my class, ran some of the biggest projects in the region, and spent twenty years doing it. That said, I walked away just before the depression started, and wouldn't go back for any amount of money. On any given day, for the last five years, at least 40% of my local "brothers and sisters" are unemployed. The sixty percent that are steadily employed range from some of the most talented, hard working folks in the industry to boot licking, grovelling scum that would stab you in the back for a chance to work another day. Sorry, but if you got what it takes to be a good carpenter, your are better than sitting at home, wondering when the food is going to run out and when then sheriff is coming knocking to help you move. Somewhere, right now, there is a commercial carpentry foreman telling his boss that he would give his left you know what for another hard working, qualified carpenter. Your job is to find him, and prove that YOU are the man he needs. The clowns at your local hall obviously can't do that for you. Good luck.

KaeGji · #7 09/18/12, 02:33 PM

We don't eat out and we have 2 very cheap cell phone bills, 30 & 40 a month. We don't have cable. Are there a few veggies we could grow in pots on the porch or is it too late in the season for that? We're looking to start growing or possibly raising something to help sustain us.

**Terri** · #8 09/18/12, 02:36 PM

Oh, yes: as for your wife's part time job. Does she bring home $600 a month? If not, you are paying for your wife to work. Unless there is a chance she will get more hours in the future, *OR* be able to move to weekend hours, I do not see the point.

Vickie44 · #9 09/18/12, 02:37 PM

Hard to answer without knowing your location.

KaeGji · #10 09/18/12, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terri

It sounds very much like Union carpenters make good money, when they are working?????

So, if you are called back, would it be a very temporary call back? Because, it might be better to have your wife quit her part time job if you are called back, or to hire somebody for those part-time hours that your wife works.

Oh, yes, I just remembered.

When the kids were little, they were cared for by a young Mother. Basically, tso that she could stay home with her little one, she took care of another child or two the at were close to the same age as her child. That way her toddler gained in social skills, and she could afford to stay home with her child. Sometimes it helps to think outside of the box!

As for getting started on a shoestring, we did after we moved to Kansas during a recession. We were in debt, as we moved on a credit card because there was actually WORK in Kansas!

We rented for a year, and then we got hooked up with a government program where we only had to pay 2% down payment, plus closing costs. We were then able to buy a house on an acre of land.

That was 25 years ago, and life is good. Money is still tight, mostly due to the families health problems. And, while my one acre brings in a fair amount of produce, it does take tools and such: before I built the greenhouse i needed pressure treated lumber, paint, and so forth. Before I started with bees i needed hive bodies and so forth. You get the picture!

We have been very happy here, including my city husband. He rarely goes outside, but, this is HOME!

Union carpenters make pretty good money...when we're working. When the company calls me back it's only until the project is finished, usually 2 months sometimes less. As far as finding some to watch our daughter, I'm a very protective father. The person would have to come recommended by some one very dear to me, there's a lot of sickos out there.

wolffeathers · #11 09/18/12, 02:42 PM

A fall garden, depending on your location, would be the the most affordable way to start homesteading.

Livestock often cost more than what you can purchase from the grocery store. That's not in the homesteading spirit, I know, but animals are expensive and money is the issue here.

**Terri** · #12 09/18/12, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaeGji

We don't eat out and we have 2 very cheap cell phone bills, 30 & 40 a month. We don't have cable. Are there a few veggies we could grow in pots on the porch or is it too late in the season for that? We're looking to start growing or possibly raising something to help sustain us.

It depends where you live. There may-or may not- be time for salad greens, but then you need proper potting soil for pots of vegetables, not soil from the yard. And, you will get a shortened harvest due to the lateness of the season.

I used to save on money by cooking. Some things are cheaper than scratch and some are not. Some good cheap meals are spagetti, some of the loss-leader meat (most weeks the grocery stores advertize some meat below cost, just to get people into the store), and so forth. I shop monthly at Aldi's, because the bread, milk, canned vegetables,and noodles cost half of what they do in the grocery store.

KaeGji · #13 09/18/12, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wharton

I strongly suggest that you find a better, more reliable way to make a living, than relying on the flaky whims of a construction union. I've been there, done it, and got real tired of the lies, games and letting other folks determine my future. I am a union electrician, graduated top of my class, ran some of the biggest projects in the region, and spent twenty years doing it. That said, I walked away just before the depression started, and wouldn't go back for any amount of money. On any given day, for the last five years, at least 40% of my local "brothers and sisters" are unemployed. The sixty percent that are steadily employed range from some of the most talented, hard working folks in the industry to boot licking, grovelling scum that would stab you in the back for a chance to work another day. Sorry, but if you got what it takes to be a good carpenter, your are better than sitting at home, wondering when the food is going to run out and when then sheriff is coming knocking to help you move. Somewhere, right now, there is a commercial carpentry foreman telling his boss that he would give his left you know what for another hard working, qualified carpenter. Your job is to find him, and prove that YOU are the man he needs. The clowns at your local hall obviously can't do that for you. Good luck.

I'm currently trying to switch careers. I'm going through the hiring procedure for the south central police departments here in CT

KaeGji · #14 09/18/12, 02:46 PM

Sorry about not putting my location, I live in New Haven, CT...my wife brings in a little over 600 a month and I bring in a little under 600

KaeGji · #15 09/18/12, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolffeathers

A fall garden, depending on your location, would be the the most affordable way to start homesteading.

Livestock often cost more than what you can purchase from the grocery store. That's not in the homesteading spirit, I know, but animals are expensive and money is the issue here.

What kind of veggies would I be able to grow here in CT, and would I need to use the yard or would they do ok in pots on the porch?

katheh · #16 09/18/12, 02:52 PM

I would not have my children in daycare while I was at home. I would not pay for the privilege either.

My DH was a union painter for 20+ years, the time has come to recognize that the union period of residential labor is essentially over. I would rather it not be (his scale is $40/hour before benefits) but if there is no work, it's over in my book.

I work part-time at better than minimum wage. My man works part time painting (he is older) and will do so until it's time for him to retire. We have 3 kids, 2 in high school, 1 in 8th grade. My DH has been essentially laid off since 2010 from union work (we are in IL).

What we did was viciously cut every extra expense. We sold one of the cars. We did not have any daycare expense but we would have let that go if we did. We do not eat at restaurants. We do not go to the movies. We do not vacation, unless it is to look at land for sale. We saved every dollar, even change to build up a $1k emergency fund. We budget our income to zero (which means every dollar you have coming in is spoken for for expense, tithe, savings before you get it). Our kids have jobs for spending money. I watch kids for extra money. I sell things online for extra. We did many, many other things to make our financial world go round, but what we did not do was collect UI and wait for the union to call. Good thing, because they never did. The company he worked for for 20+ years closed their doors 3 weeks after he was laid off, couple weeks after that residential busted, and live went on.

Anyway, to get started prepping on no $, you have to prioritize. You first have to stop spending money on frivolous things. Set a savings goal (ours goal is land savings. We started with $1000, then upped it to $2000, and so on) and divert every single dime toward it. No reason you can't garden when you're not working, gardens are forgiving of inattention or evening watering/weeding.

I started my preps the week DH was laid off in 2010. I bought 2 canisters of salt - 80c each. That is how much extra $ I had, and salt is important. Now I have plenty of salt, and a good chunk of $ saved toward our future "land."

Cutting every single expense and the emergency fund is what has given us both the discipline and the freedom to work toward our dream.

Good luck to you~

bruce2288 · #17 09/18/12, 02:52 PM

I do not know the local situation where you are or if your union would allow. In many areas there are an abundance of home repair jobs that people can not get anyone to do because they are small, a few hours to a few days. eg shingling a small building, replacement of a window frame. hanging a door. Have you considered a local ad to do home repairs?

KaeGji · #18 09/18/12, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terri

So there are.

My nephew was watched sometimes by his grandmother and sometimes by his 17 year old aunt. Look at who you know.

Also, does your wife bring in $600 a month now, or might she be able to switch to weekend hours in the future if something comes up?

It may be possible for her to switch to weekend ours, we just went over her pay stubs and she brings in a little under 600 per month like me, so together we probably bring in 1000-1100 per month

**Terri** · #19 09/18/12, 02:58 PM

Connecticut. Man, that *IS* late in the year!

Do you do some of the cooking? Some of us know some very frugal recipes. We would be delighted to share: we often swap money-saving ideas here.

Also, I used to sprout lentils to make bean sprouts, which can pad out store bought vegetables. They are BEYOND easy!

Rocktown Gal · #20 09/18/12, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaeGji

It may be possible for her to switch to weekend ours, we just went over her pay stubs and she brings in a little under 600 per month like me, so together we probably bring in 1000-1100 per month

Your wife is working to pay daycare...that's it. Not to mention gas to and from work, lunch if she eats out for it, etc