I am admitting I have a problem - Page 2

JokerGirl · #26 10/19/2007, 11:43 AM

coral diver · #27 10/19/2007, 11:45 AM

Well should i say I'm in the same club you in plus everything else (prices) just went up again and the wages is like frozen since the 90' we can not keep up it starting to feel like we live in a third world country the rich keep getting richer and the poor keeps getting poorer

xxpipedreamxx · #28 10/19/2007, 11:50 AM

As for payday loans, NO way! I refuse to go there. I am not digging us into a deeper hole, lol. And no 30000 dollar bonus guys, it's more like 3000, lol. I have searched at thrift stores and whatnot for khaki pants. nothing under 17 at even the cheapest of places. Plus at 6 an hour, I will be 50 bucks short on daycare every week so it is most definitely NOT an option right now. And before anyone suggests it, I have exhausted every resource for childcare. I have searched and searched for actually the past two years. Thank you everyone for all the thoughts, good Karma, and prayers. We will get through it and it helps that I am a HUGE penny pincher to start with. Just two more weeks and we will be ok. As for the comment about pawning stuff off, we really do not have anything of value here. My computer and a small couch and a diamond ring that cost 2000 but I can't even get a bite at a 500 dollar price. I sold some driftwood for 40 bucks, that helps too. I really have nothing to sell but my breeding clownfish and I REALLY REALLY do not want to do that

kevy_kev1 · #29 10/19/2007, 12:00 PM

Now would also be a good time to streamline and get rid of the "conveniences" of modern life. Drop the internet, cable, cell phones (I know that alone would save me well over $200 a month)
Drop car insurance and take a bus everywhere if you don’t go out that much. Conserve electric and gas to lower those bills. Put the heat in the low 60s and grab a blanket. Also if it comes down to it, try to find what bills don’t report to credit agencies and skip those first. Most of the utility companies have a few month period before actually turning things off.
I sure hope you dont have a fish tank with MHs because they are costly to run!!!

amn this just made me think of how much money I a throwing away every month.. :-/

xxpipedreamxx · #30 10/19/2007, 12:05 PM

We do not even have a TV and all we do have is very cheap internet. No phone or anything either. We have not had any "modern conveniences" in a very long time. We do save electricity and such as well. Oh and I have T-5's not MH which is a huge bonus, LOL. I will never own metal halides again, EVER. Way too much electricity to run those bad boys.

Blindmelonbob · #31 10/19/2007, 12:43 PM

I'm right there with ya, pipe. I actually considered trying to sell the reef today. Best wishes for a financial recovery soon!

dwd5813 · #32 10/19/2007, 12:44 PM

whoever said taking the initiative and calling your creditors now to let them know your situation is a wise person. most people are understanding. in your shoes, i would take the 80 bucks and buy as much food as possible. if you know you are going to get that 3k on the first, you can make it through till then on 80 bucks. like someone already said, beans will keep you alive. ramen pride is my best friend right now, 10/$1. pasta is generally .69-.89/16 oz. package, and you can usually get a jar of sauce for a buck or two. rice is another thing. keep your head up, and this experience will make you strong.

dkh0331 · #33 10/19/2007, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dwd5813
whoever said taking the initiative and calling your creditors now to let them know your situation is a wise person. most people are understanding.

Learn from your mistakes - thats great.

Learn from other peoples mistakes - even greater!!!

Satori · #34 10/19/2007, 12:50 PM

I had a similar situation when I was in the Army that led to a "No Pay Due" for 3 months. My unit finance took care of me to make sure I had what I needed to get by. If his unit isn't taking care of him, he's not asking the right people. The military doesn't let families starve.

Best of luck to you on the money situation and your marriage.

xxpipedreamxx · #35 10/19/2007, 12:56 PM

The bills will be paid no matter what I have to sell to do it. It is just two bills and neither of them can or will be put off til after payday. I know to call them and give them a heads up but a few more bucks, and I will have enough. We just got some food, mainly pasta, ramen noodles, ect that was super cheap. We always go that route anyways to save on groceries.

For anyone else going through this, best of luck to you as well

I feel very sorry for anyone who has to sell their reef

I am hoping that I do not have to.

UH_OH_5_OH · #36 10/19/2007, 03:12 PM

Been there..........glad its over !

Ramen Noodles....cheaper by the metric ton and I lived on em for 6 months ! There isn't anything I can't make with Ramen Noodles !

Give Plasma.....$50 a hit in most places ! and you can do it like twice a week...if both of you go...it's $200 in the pocket ! Just don't do it on the same day cause someone needs to drive !

rustybucket145 · #37 10/19/2007, 03:32 PM

How bout sending the hubby over to Labor Finders or other temp place. I know it's probably not the job he's used to but sometimes you just gotta suck it up and do some manual labor to put food on the table. They usually pay daily and if he could get lucky and get placed on a 12 hr job at $10+/hr he could roll in $100/day. In ya'lls situation $100 can be stretched VERY far. Put the bills off, if it's not getting shut off, don't pay it. Like you said, you will have access to money in a couple of weeks. They're not going to shut you off that quick, unless you're already behind. In that case wait til the last day. They won't think less of you at the power company... if they do.. who cares? Why try to impress them? Take care of your family first and worry about making the bill deadline second.

Just my $.02 I've been in the dead broke state several times in my life. Some of them were in college and some after. Luckily I didn't have a family to worry about, only me and my dog Buddy. We went through some tough times and I'm sure there will be more. Like other's have said it was just like my mind switched into 'broke-***' mode. Often I would scrounge up places to eat and end up eating better than if I paid somewhere.

I know you're new to the place but it might be worth checking out some of the local churches. MANY churches have weeknight or weekend bbq's or spaghetti nights. You will be fed good food for free plus you get to meet some locals and I guarantee they will welcome you with open arms.

xxpipedreamxx · #38 10/19/2007, 04:03 PM

uh_oh, we are trying to donate plasma. it is 50 a pop here as well. but when you go, there is a line a mile long no joke. tomorrow we are going and making a day of it to get some cash. we are making our food stretch very very far. good thing im already on a diet, lol. i went from losing 1 pound a week to 10 pounds a week. but my baby girl has to eat and i will gladly give her my food. we are looking into temp jobs and the like. it is very very hard to get money here or even just a very low paying job. we have enough money right now to pay the bills since i just sold some more of my stuff, but we will have to find another way to eat and get gas in the car because my husband is switching to a new command in just a few days.

BrianD · #39 10/19/2007, 04:16 PM

Ok, I am confused. How can you make too much for public assistance but not make enough for food? Call your local Salvation Army or United Way and check out the help available.

xxpipedreamxx · #40 10/19/2007, 04:19 PM

Because not to um tell my complete paycheck but we make in the neighborhood of 4000 per month.

fussoverthis · #41 10/19/2007, 04:23 PM

Have you thought about any jobs that you could take your child with you? That would definitely be a big bonus! For instance, working odd jobs or running errands for someone could be a great idea...of course, you would have to have the gas money.

Anyway, I wanted to forward this along to you so that maybe you can set your family up to help prevent financial emergencies in the future. This guy has a great program to get an emergency fund in place as well as making your money spread farther when in financial straits. I listen to his radio show. If the link doesn't come through, just search for Dave Ramsey on Google. He has a special program for military families. http://www.daveramsey.com/radio/home/ It might help down the road.

Good luck!

xxpipedreamxx · #42 10/19/2007, 04:27 PM

Thanks. I have thought about a job that I could take my daughter with me too especially since she is so quiet and wellbehaved. But it has to be within walking distance. I can't walk more than about two miles with her in her stroller before she gets grumpy. I have worked at a daycare with her before but her childcare was free there. Nothing around here works like that. They only give you a percentage off of the childcare and when you make 6 bucks an hour and childcare is 150 per week... I am sure you can figure out that it really does no good.

blu iz · #43 10/19/2007, 04:46 PM

Good luck to you and your family. My ex- hubby and I have been there also. Keep your head up. Have you talked to any other wives about taking turns watching the kids?

xxpipedreamxx · #44 10/19/2007, 04:51 PM

Um no I have lived here for three years and haven't made a friend yet.

vonodie1 · #45 10/19/2007, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by xxpipedreamxx
Um no I have lived here for three years and haven't made a friend yet.

Dang, I don't feel so alone anymore!

I have lived here where I am a year and don't have any friends yet either!

I truly am sorry about your situation. Sounds like you have a solid head on your shoulders and are stretching everything to its limits. The 1st will be here before you know it and you'll be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Keep your chin up and have faith that it will be better real soon.

(now, I really need to drill that into my stressed out head).

xxpipedreamxx · #46 10/19/2007, 06:20 PM

Amazingly, I have been pretty calm about the situation. I have done everything possible to correct it and keep our heads above water until payday. Boy ya gotta love the military huh?!

Vonodie1, things will get better. There are more ppl than you can even imagine worse off than any of us. I hve always been the type of person to give the shirt off of my back, but I am very stubborn when it comes to accepting help.

UH_OH, Do not know if you noticed, but I stopped arguing, LOL.

crp · #47 10/19/2007, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by xxpipedreamxx
Because not to um tell my complete paycheck but we make in the neighborhood of 4000 per month.

How is this possible and you don't have food?

xxpipedreamxx · #48 10/19/2007, 06:57 PM

Um well 400 dollar car payment, 100 dollar insurance, 80 dollar storage bill, 200 dollar electric bill, 1200 in rent, ect

not to mention, as i have already stated, we just moved and had to pay 600 bucks extra in one month to move into a better area.

just like everyone else, we have bills. oh and i didnt mention, we had to buy uniform crap and for those not in the military, you have NO IDEA how much a new seabag and new uniforms cost.

Pernelf · #49 10/19/2007, 07:25 PM

I hate to say it but if I was in your situation, the fish tank would be torn down in a heartbeat. Does this look like it could re-occur month after month?

xxpipedreamxx · #50 10/19/2007, 07:54 PM

We tore down and sold a reef and other stuff as well. No it is NOT a month after month recurring thing. It was a one time, moving/pay slipup.

OK I do hate to be rude but I came to everyone asking for good Karma and prayers that we will be OK through a tough time. I do not like putting my entire life out here for everyone to read. My life is just that, personal. I don't want to answer any more of these personal questions and frankly I am getting grumpy just reading all this negative feedback telling me what to do.

Some of you have been great and I am very pleased to have spoken with you. Others, well not so much.

I do know that you all mean well, but we are doing EVERYTHING that we can and we can not possibly do any more with no belongings to pawn, and so forth.

Please understand that I am frustrated right now and a bit cranky if I may say so myself