Getting started on a VERY limited budget

Oh? I thought that's why they called it pot........

Seriously, I do agree. I would research the job prospects in North Dakota--it's like the pipeline boom in Alaska in the 70's---you will have to know when to get out--and save your money, too. But I would buy a motor home, or a stepvan and convert it into living quarters. Nothing like starting over, if you have the skills, and it looks like a carpenter would be just the ticket. You could plunk some money down on a piece of land remote from all the craziness and make a start, buy an old clunker car for transportation and call for the wife and kid when you got some savings(bringing MIL along would be quite optional....).....sounds doable to me. As Callieslamb said better than waiting around for a call that may never come.

And as I have said to my kids, sometimes half joking, sometimes not: you can pick a town, any small town in the US, move there, and be making a decent living in less than a month. All you have to do is to learn how to make good donuts........

geo

I am not questioning objectives here at all since I do not know the full picture but if you are laid off, why the babysitter? If your wife is part time maybe you could use the days she has off for other employment searches or whatever you need to do so that the day care bill would be voided.

I know daycare is outrageous so I feel for you just try to figure out ways to eleviate that expense when it isn't needed. BTW I know you have to pay at some daycares if you are signed up even if you aren't there so you would probably have to find one who takes part time kids only when they are there or maybe a private home childcare.

IMO I would put every penny possible up until the spring when the weather is getting nicer and then look for a piece of property to buy with a few acres. You might have to go to another area. Build a cabin (you are a carpenter). You don't need a large cabin at the beginning you can always add on. Buy a few solar panels and batteries, hook up lights and small appliances to that, try to find a propane refrigerator (or as we did) use a large old chest freezer and fill with ice from one of those ice machines for $5.00 a week, propane stove (at the beginning we used one of those camp stoves and our outdoor grill, get chickens (eggs and meat) -(reasonably priced at small animal auctions), add other livestock as possible, plant a large garden, work as you go and you can do it. We use a composting toilet as well as an outhouse. The composting toilet works great and at the beginning we even used a humanure and it worked fine but when we saved the money up we bought an actual sunmare composting toilet unit. We use a catchment system for the animal's water, showers, and the garden. We buy our drinking water.

I know we were not in the same position as our children are all grown and married but we took a leap of faith, wanting a quieter life, and it has all worked out great. We found jobs within a month (husband in construction after 25 years in a govt. job and now after 15 years as a gymnastics coach and business owner I too am in construction from the office standpoint). We love where we are and love building our own little farm from the bottom up. We say often that we wish we would have done this when our kids were small as they would have benefited so much.

I also have a strong feeling of security as we could live pretty much self sustaining if need be. I admit we enjoy our evenings out at dinner and an occassional movie but we know we could get by if need be.

Yes I actually do most of the cooking, being home more often, and would LOVE some money saving recipes. I'm going to try to sprout some lentils, thanks

Can you do small repairs and "handyman" type stuff for people when you aren't working? That is what most carpenters do around here. You may only bring in $60-$100 here and there for small jobs, but it is money.

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Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

KaeGji
I lived in CT for a number of years, near the RI border, and gardened all year round. It takes a bit of doing, but it is possible. I grew lettuce, spinach, broccoli, carrots, turnips, radishes - all in covered window wells in my basement. My inside south facing windows all held pots of herbs.

Here's a linky for you CT Community Gardening for resources in your area. I have friends near you who have their fall gardens underway.

Also, for the ultimate in 4-season gardening, please google "Eliot Coleman". Whether or not your MIL will allow you to turn her yard into a small farm, these two links will serve you well now and in the future.

Others have already said what I too would urge you to do.
Ditch the dependence upon the union. The union is not your friend. It is a heavy chain preventing you from living a free and independent life. As a carpenter you have so many options to build a happy and fulfilling life and explore your full potential.

Ditch the daycare You and your wife are responsible for this child's development and education. Paying out the wazoo for some stranger to warehouse your child while you and your wife do not make enough to pay for it is....just.....wrong.

Shop for basic food ingredients and cook from scratch. You will all be healthier for it. Let your child help as he can, it's good training.

Grow your own greens in pots. See my links above.

Save every penny you can towards a plot of land that you (a carpenter) can build a small home with room for expansion. As a person "in the trades", you no doubt know electricians, plumbers, etc. who would be willing to help you in exchange for fresh eggs, garden produce, or even a case of beer or two

Be a good role model for your child by teaching him/her that anything is possible if you're willing to work for it and think outside the box.This should be the goal of each and every American family.

Remember to Thank Your Mother-in-Law for being willing to provide a safe living space for your family during hard times. As a MIL myself who loves her children more than life, and has provided a safe haven for loved ones on more than one occasion, I appreciate a simple heartfelt thank you more than anything else.

Remember to pray that the Lord's Will for your life be shown to you, and follow that path.

Good luck to you. Keep us posted on your progress, and welcome to the forum.

In His Love
Mich

Thank you all for your input.

You've been a great help. I've decided to leave the union and post my resume on craigslist to try and get started on my own. I will talk to my wife about taking our daughter out of daycare as it IS sucking us dry. Thank you all for the gardening tips oh and we do cook with whole ingredients by the way, I'm not a big fan of processed food. I will keep you updated on our situation and progress.

Thank you again and keep us in your prayers

Along with taking your daughter out of daycare - which is the best money saver - what about getting basic prepaid cell phones? DH and I pay just over $17 a month for both. We got fairly cheap phones that have triple minutes for life on them. We always have plenty of minutes left.

You could easily find work as a self employed carpenter. Many real estate agents like to have someone on call to do small repairs. Homeowners are always needing "stuff" done that they either can't or don't want to. I just bought another place and hired a friend's husband to put new doors in and to re-do a roof that had been botched by the previous owner. I will also have him do new siding next year when I have a little more $$$. He isn't really much cheaper than hiring a company - but he is honest, reliable, and his work is meticulous. A lot of people appreciate that, and word of mouth is great advertising. He makes a LOT of his money building decks, pergolas and such, but has built animal sheds/barns, milking stands for both goats and cows, sorting alleys for small livestock - anything that brought in $$$. He does have his son help with heavy stuff - do you know someone else who was laid off? Perhaps you could consider working together if needs be?

Mary

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In politics the truth is just the lie you believe most - unknown

A word of CAUTION!! My husband is a carpenter that was laid off and took the unemployment. Could not find work with a company doing anything so we decided to start our own construction company. I do not work- stay home with our 2 children. As soon as we got our business license we were NOT ELIGIBLE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT! Our only income was gone until he got some jobs and when you start out they are spotty.

That is in Delaware not CT so check your local laws.

I do not want to discourage you from starting your own business if that is the desire but we were in a super tight spot because we had planned on keeping the unemployment income until hubby picked up some jobs.

Kae, Just wanted to 2nd what sunsandcritters said about growing veg year round; it is possible, takes practice and someone to guide you. I used to live in 3 different northeastern states (at different times of course!), and you can probably start snow peas, brocoli, all kinds of kale, carrots and some potatoes this week. Arugula and spinach too. Plant things close together so you can cover them with a sheet, and a sheet of plastic, whether in pots or in the ground. I'd be looking for the closest apple orchard, too; they should have a lot left til the 3rd week in October or so. Good luck!

it never makes sense to me to pay more out than you have coming in...gotta re think some things

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Brenda Groth
http://restfultrailsfoodforestgarden.blogspot.com/

I would suggest dropping the daycare. Staying at home and caring for the child will earn you $600 a month plus taxes you pay on that money if any (income, SS, MC, UE, etc). You'll also save the cost of travel, clothing and other expenses. In the time you spend taking care of the child you can also garden, raise some chickens, maybe a pig, do home and car repairs that you might hire out, build infrastructure, etc. Again on every one of these you save not just the obvious costs but also all those taxes and other hidden costs. Figure that working outside the home costs you about $20,000 a year.

Next look at how tightly you can cut back your expenses. Eliminate all subscriptions, additional phones, extra car, etc. What is your bare bones if you raise most of your own food?

Then look at what you can do from your place that will cover the basic expenses. If your income is low enough your taxes are minimal to nothing other than real estate taxes and sales tax. You're handy right? And your wife? Both of you can be doing odd jobs. I find self employment means I have a lot more control - nobody to fire me.

Next appreciate your mother-in-law more. Do everything you can for her around the house. Not having to have a rent or mortgage means you should be saving up money to buy land.

Once you have land build a teeny-tiny cottage. You're a carpenter so you can build something yourself. Ours is 252 sq-ft and cost $7,000 to build in two months with our family doing all the labor. It takes only 0.75 cord of wood a year to heat. Minimal maintenance. Minimal electric bill. One phone line. No other utilities. This keeps our costs down so we can spend money on expanding our farm. Our farm pays our bills. It took many years to get there. It's a long term thing. Then you won't have to pay union dues.

See: Cottage | Sugar Mountain Farm

A penny saved is 1.36 cents earned.

Cheers,

-Walter

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SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids

Highlands- I'm checking out your blog............awesome!!!

Just and update

I posted my resume on craigslist today and got a call a few hours later. It's amazing that I did in day what the union couldn't in 4 months...I wish I did it sooner. Anyway, I start tomorrow.

Thanks again for your help and prayers

Congrats on your job find!

I do not know all the numbers, but it sounds like your wife is working for nothing. She is most likely breaking even with the cost of daycare, gas or bus fare for getting to work, and the cost work clothes. Why doesn't she just stay home and watch the kid?

You could start out looking for seeds it the dollar store or at close out sales at the larger stores to get some cheap seeds. Go to the library or used book store to get some books on gardening to read. Check out yard sales for second hand garden tools. Then hunker down for the winter with your wife and kid at home studying about gardening and homesteading all winter long while living on unemployment. Then in spring start a garden where you are living. If you can not garden there look into a community garden in your area now so you can hopefully get a plot in the spring.

Ct must be pretty cold about this time. I think the only thing you might be able to start in the garden is lettuce in cold frames.

Call unemployment--here, they will give you the difference between what you earn freelancing and what they would've given you otherwise. Then they extend your benefit by however much they didn't give you. You also didn't say if your kid gets WIC, which she should at your income, or if you qualify for food stamps. In my state food stamps can be used to buy vegetable seeds as well.

Whooo Hoo!!

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" It's better to ride even if you get thrown, than to wind up just wishin' ya had."

Chris Ledoux

Congratulations. It seems all your worries have at least for now been solved. Here are a few things that took me from working pay check to pay check to now earning a decent living and owning free a clear 15 acres in Iowa.

The wife and I have three boys and when they were younger, she worked an evening part time job making at least minimum wage. I worked a full time day job and also a part time job as a bartender. I worked on days she did not work at night. It meant we had a hard time seeing each other regularly, but it was only for a few years. Once the boys all reached about the age of 8-9, she looked into a full time job, but it was still too expensive for all three even part time at day care. So she went to school during the day when they were all in school.
She ultimately got her associated degree and by the time they were in the 11-12 year old range, she had a full time job. I never got my degree, but I have been with the same employer for 23 years now, with a few lay offs mind you. So my experience means as much to them as a degree would have.
You do need to focus on getting rid of all debt. We only have a house payment, all other expenses are paid off monthly. We paid for all of our used vehicles in cash which allowed us to get better deals. We paid for our property in cash, also allowing us to get a better deal and in fact, we beat out someone with a higher offer, because they could not secure financing quickly enough.

You have gotten a lot of good advise and congratulations on the job. Keep track of everything you spend and ask your self do I really need this before you buy. Gardening would be a good venture to look into, just keep it basic seeds, fertilizer and hand tools to start.