Would like suggestions and advise (long)

[Guest]

— In Budget101_@yahoogroups.com, “Betty” wrote:

>

> My name is Betty, I will turn 60 the end of March. My household

> consists of myself and two cats, Kitzel and Missie.

>

> I am currently working full time for $10 per hour. There are rumors

> of possible cutbacks. I just started this job the first part of

> August or 2007 so am feeling a lot a insecurity regarding my job.

>

> My house, car, and credit cards are paid in full. The credit cards

> have no annual fee and are part of my backup plan for emergency

> expenses.

> I do not subscribe to any newspaper, magazine or cable or any

> orgianization that requires dues — I use the internet instead. I

use

> dsl(lite) to access internet which is bundled with my landline

phone.

> because the dsl and phone are bundled, my dsl costs me only about

$3

> a month more than if I would have dial-up.

>

> I do have cell phone service that cost me $10 per month. [My

brother,

> niece and nephew had a line they weren’t using and added me to

their

> family plan providing I pay for the service for that phone.] Cell

> phone is currently intended to be used as “safety equipment” so

only

> have a few hours per month available to me for calls outside the

> family plan.

>

> I have several hobbies that I enjoy. Expenses for my hobbies

average

> less than $15 total per month. I rarely eat at restuarants, less

than

> once a month. Several times per year I participate in a ebs

> meal/gathering [ebs=everybody bring

> something]

>

> the grocery stores in the area i live do not double coupons. in a

> thirty mile radius from my home, i have only found one store that

> will honor interent coupons. that store is enough more expensive

that

> using coupon there cost more than buying elsewhere without coupon.

> without double coupons or internet coupons i feel very limited a

how

> much i could save using coupons.

>

> of the two angle food ministry distribution locations that i know

> about in minneota, the closest is about 2 hours away, the other is

> about 3 1/2 hours away. I looked for SHARE program in Minnesota but

> could not find any locations. I know of a food shelf in town 20

miles

> from my home. They limit the number of times per year that you can

> use it. One can only use food shelf 12 times per year. Visits to

food

> shelf must be at least a week apart. Don’t want to use it yet as I

> want to keep my options open in case things get rough later.

>

> I have some huge finanical challenges. I have a $12,000 street

> improvement accessment that has been attached to my property tax. I

> also have hanging over me the fact that I have to fix my basement

> walls.[Defect in construction of walls was aggravated by things

that

> occurred during street project.– My insurance won’t pay and I

can’t

> prove which of three sources is primary fault so can’t suit to help

> offset cost of repair.]Last fall the lowest estimate for fixing

> basement was “at least $10,000, we’ll do good if we keep it under

> $20,000″

>

> Now that I have laid out my situation, I will admit I have been lax

> on tracking and managing inventory of consumables, food and

> other,that I have on hand and could do better in that area. I would

> like to hear suggestions and advise regarding (1)reducing cost and

> waste of groceries; (2) generating income from at home.

>

> Betty (in Minnesota)

>

Check out Skype they are supposed to be cheaper and you can run your

computer on there too.

http://www.skype.com

Kelly in IL

[Author]

Posts