How do you do it? Budgeting

Do you have a garden?

If you are young and healthy, you can get away with not having much in the way of insurance. But as you get in your 40's and 50's plus years, then you definitely need some. Best thing anymore is to find a job that offers insurance at a reduced rate.

On the job at the hospital. I had the same problem when I was applying on line for a nursing job at our local hospital. I applied 3 times and every time, I got an e-mail saying they had filled the positions. I finally sent an e-mail and asked them what they were looking for as I really wanted to work for them and if I knew what they were looking for, I could then do it and maybe get on. They called and set up an interview and hired me. You might try the same thing.

I agree with whoever said you have a cash flow problem more than a budget problem.

However, I also agree groceries are way too high for two people in a budget crunch. Sure you prefer fresh, but canned is cheaper and nutrition will not be seriously affected. In order to afford health insurance which for us currently is $565 a month we have cut most fresh fruit and vegetables (along with anything else not remotely essential). We do buy apples year round and occasionally purchase in-season items. We thoroughly enjoy each such treat knowing it won't happen again until the item is in-season next year. We do have a garden and eat fresh from that a couple months each year. Our health has not been compromised by using canned vegetables whether store bought or home canned. It isn't our first choice but we've adjusted.

I'm surprised you cannot pick up computer jobs as around here there are few people qualified to fix messed up computers, install programs, etc.

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This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

This is what we'd like to do.. Unfortunatly our property is half way across the country (its in VT.. We're in MO)..

We cook from scratch.. We learned a long time ago that prepackaged may be quick but its certainly more costly.

most of the canned goods we buy are things that you can't get regularly here at the store(peas, green beans, etc) the canned goods are really a small portion of it though.. mostly its things like detergent, tp, etc that really add up.

We do try to buy in bulk.. especially dry goods like beans.. Luck we have one store that sells in bulk here.. And it tends to be quite a bit cheaper.

I'd say right now we've got about 2 months worth of rice and maybe a months worth of beans in the pantry... We've got a freezer full of meat so about the only thing we're going to buy this time is ham/bacon and the rest in beans, rice, potatoes...

We'll give this a try and see how it goes. Wish us luck.. And thanks for the advice/suggestions.

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"Let the beauty we love, be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground." Rumi

Don't be to suprised.. Its been that way here for 5-6 years.. The stickler here is that the people that have the jobs are staying at them (no turn over).. Not just in computers but in just about all fields..

just checked on insurance for us.. looks like around 300/month.. don't know what all that covers yet as I don't know much about insurance.. Look like it'll have to wait awhile..

Dang!! thats almost another house payment

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"Let the beauty we love, be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground." Rumi

I didn't have time to everyone's posts, but I wanted to let you know what we have done...

I have my own business, and we can't afford the insurance offered through DH's job, so I applied at a temp agency that offers health insurance. We pay $183/month for health insurance, and I worked a 6 week assigment to get the insurance going, then I have worked a one day, and 2 day assignment. I work for the temp agency when business is slow, but when business is good, I pay the premiums out of pocket (which is allowed since it is a temp agency, and that's expected).

I just called around, and found the temp agency I thought could give me the type of assignments I would want to take on, and the best price for coverage. Of course, it's not the best plan in the world, but it does only have a $10 copay for office visits, $5 copay for prescriptions, and would cover a hospital bill if needed. (Major medical is all we really need, but this costs us less than an independent plan for major medical).

The best part is, I am not tied to a desk at the same place EVERY day...I work when I want or when I can, it gives us a little extra, as well as offers the insurance.

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Michelle

"I have learned that 99% of the time, when something is broken, one of the kids did it."

True.



My property taxes are $47/year.

We have rented in California for $150 a month.

How many people work? How many jobs each? I've worked 3 jobs to get ahead and have never only worked at a job without always hustling money on top of my prime income job. There's money to be made everywhere if you look around and do something. You definetly have a cash flow problem especially with a land payment and farm equipment payment.

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"Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self confidence"
Robert Frost

Hey pcdreams, my mother lives in Spfld by Division and Kansas and is always looking out for someone to do simple handyman kinds of things. Maybe this would suit you. Also daughter who lives in Ash Grove works for school board in Spfld working with 'challenged' kids. Mainly behavoir problems. No schooling required. Average pay but great benefits. I live in SW FL and keep up with jobs and housing prices around Spfld as I will buying a homestead there next year. Good luck, enjoy reading your posts.

You didn't mention children so I assume that you don't have any that need daycare. How can it cost you more to work than to sit at home?

Jena

virtualco: if you don't mind would you pm me with her contact info


Jena: real simple.. I was spending my entire paycheck + almost 1000 a month in gas (and this was in a little s-10).. on the job.. Delivery.. I worked there for 7 1/2 years and over the last year I lost (burned in gas) over 1000 per month over my take home..

Now the difficulty is finding a job that pays more than minimum wage.. Without this I'd be in the same boat again (spending more to get there than I make).

For what its worth (probally not much in most folks eyes) I don't just "sit around".. If I'm not out trying to hussle up work (resumes and apps) then I'm doing improvements on the house.. I don't have much to spend there either but we've got a lot of scrap stuff I can use..

No we don't have any children.. Thankfully.. Might like to have but I can't see us affording it anytime soon.

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"Let the beauty we love, be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground." Rumi

A room-mate?

What sort of vehicle do you have? Is it efficient and well maintained, or is it a gas guzzler? Apart from computers what are you good at, what do you enjoy doing, look around is there a demand for your other skills? Are there elderly people or couples who both work who would pay for garden maintenance and/or odd jobs? Grow more of your own food?

I was planning on doing them from home grown gourds like my great grandpa Does not cost much that way.

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marching to the beat of a different drummer

I'm not a big believer in the whole Efficiency thing.. Reason being is I had a little 96 s-10 that I always kept maintained and I got 13 miles to the gallon.. And I have a 78 chevy 3/4 ton pickup that gets the same.. Truth told If I'm going to get the same milage I'll take the bigger vehicle.. I haul quite a bit of stuff (groceries as well as scrap lumber I can scrounge up from construction sites.. so one of the smaller vehicles wouldn't work out.. Not to mention the fact that the initial cost to buy a different vehicle would be prohibitive.

Computers are my #1 skill.. As I stated I do know how to do some remodeling and repair work.. I'm just not certain if the quality of my work (skill level wise) would be up to snuff for most folks.. I don't know if thats something you just find out as you go or how you become more confident about it..

We are trying to grow more of our own food.. Specifically all our own veggies.. Just seems over the last couple years we haven't been having much luck due to weather.. The first 3 years we gardened we produced about 85% of the veggies we ate.

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"Let the beauty we love, be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground." Rumi

Here's how it is in our area. My husband does have a good job. He's been there 4 years this August and after the 1st year we don't pay anything for insurance except deductibles. My knee surgery bill last year was $2-$3000.00. We had to pay $400 of it. Our property taxes are $400 a year. We live in town, in a county where there are no good jobs and it depends on your last name whether you get good jobs. I have lived here all my life and this is just how it is. Here's an idea on groceries, though. At tax time every year, we stock up on staples. This runs us about 6-8 months. I mean everything from detergent to flour. I make my own laundry soap but have found that it spots the clothes really bad, so I only use it for his work clothes(factory) and towels and such. I am baking our bread now which really saves. I am planning to get a grain mill eventually and start grinding our own. I also want to get a pasta maker and make our own pasta.
We are a family of 5 and his income is $14 an hour. Unfortunately we have acquired debts from other marriages and such. The only thing I can tell you is that you have to just not spend unless necessary. If you have kids and you go to town, think ahead and take bottles of water or juice or whatever you have on hand, crackers or fruit or something to munch on. That is our worst time. Every time we go to town, can we get a drink? That adds up. It is a lot of work but I know it will pay off eventually. Good luck.

You have farm equipment: is there any chance you could do contract farm work? The extension office might be able to advise you, there.

Also, $75 a week groceries for 2?

Make up a list of favorite low-cost dinners, and use them 3 times a week. Grilled burgers, homemade bread, and home-raised veggies are both good and very cheap. Add a scratch dessert and enjoy!

You don't have a lot of choices you will like, but you do have choices. You could get rid of the horses, and thereby the need for land. Drop the net. As other's have said, multiple income streams would help. Or you could always move to where the jobs are. Point being, the only ones who can or should take of ya'll are yourselves. That means only you can decide what will work for you. What WON'T work is to do nothing.

You could board other people's horses, or raise something profitable.

OK. I am back from town, and they have to order a part for me. blast it!

I cannot work $300 a month out of that budjet, either, though I can get SOME out of it! And, I suspect that the reason the grocery bill is high is because you use the grocery money as a "slush fund", to pay for glue and nails and such. At least, I often do.

Let's see now, do you have an Aldi's in your area? The food is 25% less at an Aldis. I go once every few weeks to buy crackers, rice, flour, canned goods, and other staples.

A few very cheap meals:

Mix a can of drained tuna (40 cents at Aldi's) with 1 can of cream of mushroom soup ( 80 cents at Aldi's) and a dash of milk and heat.

Serve over either rice, or toast, or biscuits. Or, mix with cooked noodles for tuna casserole. Add vegetables as a side dish to make it balanced.

With the veggies home-raised, that means you get a balanced meal for $2.

Or, start with loss-leader meat and learn to do something tasty with itFor instance, 10 pounds of chicken hind quarters can sometimes be bought for 69 cents a pound. Make bar-b-qued legs, or bake with cream of chicken soup, (soup is 80 cents at Aldi's), or whatever. I plan several meals a week around loss-leader meats.

OR, hamburger as a loss-leader might be $2 a pound: use your imagination. Beef roast might be $3 a pound, use it to make swiss steak or pot roast or stew or whatever.

Leftovers make a good shepherds pie, or use it to top a home-made pizza. Beef or chicken is good when mixed with spaggetti sauce and served over pasta.

I make it a rule to serve up the leftovers once a week, and anything not eaten then makes good chicken food.

This weekend, make bread for the afternoon snacking pleasure. I have noticed that a person wants fewer bought snacks if there is hot bread and butter to eat.

We still eat chips on occasion, we just want less of them when there is healthy, warm food to eat.

Most dinners for us cost $7 or less for a family of 5, and it would be less if 2 of us were not on health-related diets. I have to eat more low-starch veggies and more protien than I would like to. You and your wife should be able to serve several $2 dinners a week and enjoy it.