Denim Deb
More Precious than Rubies
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Thanks!freemotion said:
Reducing expenses
- Thread starter tortoise
- Start date
tamlynn said:Warning: totally unsolicited advice ahead. Feel free to ignore.tortoise said:
I think this is something you should work out before you get married. Finances are a huge deal in marriages and if you are already sharing finances, you need to be involved more than you are now.
Now I will shut up.
- Thread starter
- #83
tortoise
Wild Hare
We talked about money a little bit tonight. He showed me his 2011 budget based on last year's expenses. It was a little alarming that adding me and my son to his health insurance (if we get married) that would put us in the red. We would have to...like get rid of the dogs, cable, internet, a car... stuff that won't happen. I would be OK with going down to 1 car, but he isn't.
He has budgeted $250/month for "groceries" and $450/month for "household." If it is from the grocery store it goes in that category. If it is from WalMart, it is in household. Although most of our WalMart shopping is actually groceries. Clothing gets included in that category too.
So I have a number, but I would have to work on reducing food, household, AND clothing in order to see a difference on his budget. :/
He has budgeted $250/month for "groceries" and $450/month for "household." If it is from the grocery store it goes in that category. If it is from WalMart, it is in household. Although most of our WalMart shopping is actually groceries. Clothing gets included in that category too.
So I have a number, but I would have to work on reducing food, household, AND clothing in order to see a difference on his budget. :/
AnnaRaven
Lovin' The Homestead
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Clothing can be got at the local Goodwill when you need it. Mostly, you don't need it - your son will but those are available at Goodwill for way cheap. My kids grew up in Goodwill clothes.tortoise said:We talked about money a little bit tonight. He showed me his 2011 budget based on last year's expenses. It was a little alarming that adding me and my son to his health insurance (if we get married) that would put us in the red. We would have to...like get rid of the dogs, cable, internet, a car... stuff that won't happen. I would be OK with going down to 1 car, but he isn't.
He has budgeted $250/month for "groceries" and $450/month for "household." If it is from the grocery store it goes in that category. If it is from WalMart, it is in household. Although most of our WalMart shopping is actually groceries. Clothing gets included in that category too.
So I have a number, but I would have to work on reducing food, household, AND clothing in order to see a difference on his budget. :/
You can go a long way on rice and legumes - buy them in large quantities and use them to stretch out meats as well as for meals on their own.
- Thread starter
- #85
tortoise
Wild Hare
We don't really buy clothes. I get everything for myself and my son out of "my" money - child support and whatever I can earn. I think he has bought 1 pack of socks and 1 pack of underwear in 2010. I mend almost everything and he's not fussy. (*I* am fussy but have to find another way to support my fussiness.)
I could do better with rice and beans. Something to think about.
I could do better with rice and beans. Something to think about.
savingdogs
Queen Filksinger
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I'll second that Goodwill clothes thought....they have pretty good stuff there!
Bethanial
Lovin' The Homestead
And if you have a Value Village close by (where the Kidney Foundation donations go), those are really great too - last Wed of the month, everything is 1/2 off.
lorihadams
Always doing laundry
Yeah, our local Salvation Army store does 1/2 price clothing every Wednesday.
I think you need to take inventory of what you have, what you can get rid of (think yard sale or CL), what you truly need, and what you would be willing to live without.
Look through all your closets and cupboards. Do you have any duplicates of anything that can be sold at a yard sale? When we moved I had a huge box of kitchen utensils that I never used. It went out of the house. If we had had time for a yard sale I probably could have sold it in lots of different items and made some cash for it but I chose to donate it on freecycle to a woman whose DD was getting divorced and had nothing.
Can you take any clothing items to a consignment shop for cash or even store credit?
Are there things in your attic or garage that you could sell and not miss?
What is your largest debt? Can you scrimp on other areas and pay down that debt faster?
Could you sell one of the cars and buy a smaller used vehicle for cash and still have money leftover?
Have you checked with some of your other monthly expenses to see if there is any way to reduce those...for example can you go from the super duper deluxe cable package to a basic one and save $20 a month? Can you lower your car insurance? Can you get a better rate on something you already pay for now?
Use your local library for magazine subscriptions instead of buying your own. Rent movies from the library instead of paying to rent them from a store.
I'll give you a book title that I'm currently reading but it is really making me rethink my expenses. The Heart of Simple Living: 7 paths to a better life by Wanda Urbanska.
She not only talks about expenses but all areas of life in general.The seven chapters are as follows:
1. The path to financial independence
2. The path to meaningful work
3. The path to housing happiness
4. Reclaim homemaking
5. Back into the kitchen
6. Beating a path to the garden
7. Reclaiming ritual and community for life
I got this from the library yesterday and locked myself in the bathroom last night while I soaked in the tub and read the first 2 chapters. Lots of good ideas!
I think you need to take inventory of what you have, what you can get rid of (think yard sale or CL), what you truly need, and what you would be willing to live without.
Look through all your closets and cupboards. Do you have any duplicates of anything that can be sold at a yard sale? When we moved I had a huge box of kitchen utensils that I never used. It went out of the house. If we had had time for a yard sale I probably could have sold it in lots of different items and made some cash for it but I chose to donate it on freecycle to a woman whose DD was getting divorced and had nothing.
Can you take any clothing items to a consignment shop for cash or even store credit?
Are there things in your attic or garage that you could sell and not miss?
What is your largest debt? Can you scrimp on other areas and pay down that debt faster?
Could you sell one of the cars and buy a smaller used vehicle for cash and still have money leftover?
Have you checked with some of your other monthly expenses to see if there is any way to reduce those...for example can you go from the super duper deluxe cable package to a basic one and save $20 a month? Can you lower your car insurance? Can you get a better rate on something you already pay for now?
Use your local library for magazine subscriptions instead of buying your own. Rent movies from the library instead of paying to rent them from a store.
I'll give you a book title that I'm currently reading but it is really making me rethink my expenses. The Heart of Simple Living: 7 paths to a better life by Wanda Urbanska.
She not only talks about expenses but all areas of life in general.The seven chapters are as follows:
1. The path to financial independence
2. The path to meaningful work
3. The path to housing happiness
4. Reclaim homemaking
5. Back into the kitchen
6. Beating a path to the garden
7. Reclaiming ritual and community for life
I got this from the library yesterday and locked myself in the bathroom last night while I soaked in the tub and read the first 2 chapters. Lots of good ideas!
- Thread starter
- #89
tortoise
Wild Hare
We could pay off my car with a lump sum from savings cancel comprehensive insurance on it and switch to a high-deductible insurance plan. My car is 11 years old, so no sense in having a low-deductible insurance.
When football season is over we *could* switch to a lower cable package. We have HD. Last year he was going to cancel cable after football season - but then we would lose internet too. Because of my mental health issues, I don't think I could live without internet. I attempted suicide 2 weeks ago and a FB friend saw me post a goodbye, opened up a chat with me and talked me down.
I sold off most of my stuff this year. I can't think of anything of value left except musical instruments I don't think I can part with. :/ The stuff I didn't want to mess around with selling I donated to Goodwill and got tax credit slips. I should look around some more. I probably could find *something* I could sell!
Another way to think of it is with the health insurance cost, I know how much money we need to save or earn. I'm going to work on the earning part with trying to sell some artwork and get some commissioned portraits. I have entered 2 exhibitions with cash prizes and the artwork put up for sale. I have another one due in a week.
When football season is over we *could* switch to a lower cable package. We have HD. Last year he was going to cancel cable after football season - but then we would lose internet too. Because of my mental health issues, I don't think I could live without internet. I attempted suicide 2 weeks ago and a FB friend saw me post a goodbye, opened up a chat with me and talked me down.
I sold off most of my stuff this year. I can't think of anything of value left except musical instruments I don't think I can part with. :/ The stuff I didn't want to mess around with selling I donated to Goodwill and got tax credit slips. I should look around some more. I probably could find *something* I could sell!
Another way to think of it is with the health insurance cost, I know how much money we need to save or earn. I'm going to work on the earning part with trying to sell some artwork and get some commissioned portraits. I have entered 2 exhibitions with cash prizes and the artwork put up for sale. I have another one due in a week.
Bethanial
Lovin' The Homestead
Tortoise - 
SO glad your FB friend talked you down! I'd definitely miss your wit and wisdom around here!
Something to think about - do cancel the cable after football, get internet through the phone company, and then pay $8/month to Netflix - I know they really advertise for the Wii, but they do all 3 of the big gaming systems. This is what my sis does (she's currently going through the seasons of Monk) - has to have the DSL to stay in touch with her hubby in the military, but can't afford the satellite (too remote for cable). Also, our Pastor's family doesn't have any TV programming anything, but being big football fans, they just ask around coming up on the games they really want to watch, and get an invite over to a friend's house. Just food for thought.
I am definitely loving the savings of making my own laundry soap, that works BETTER than the expensive storebought stuff! And I've seen some of y'all mention making your own dishwasher soap, but I've yet to see a recipe - please share?
SO glad your FB friend talked you down! I'd definitely miss your wit and wisdom around here! Something to think about - do cancel the cable after football, get internet through the phone company, and then pay $8/month to Netflix - I know they really advertise for the Wii, but they do all 3 of the big gaming systems. This is what my sis does (she's currently going through the seasons of Monk) - has to have the DSL to stay in touch with her hubby in the military, but can't afford the satellite (too remote for cable). Also, our Pastor's family doesn't have any TV programming anything, but being big football fans, they just ask around coming up on the games they really want to watch, and get an invite over to a friend's house. Just food for thought.
I am definitely loving the savings of making my own laundry soap, that works BETTER than the expensive storebought stuff! And I've seen some of y'all mention making your own dishwasher soap, but I've yet to see a recipe - please share?
