- This topic has 23 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated January 5, 2008 at 1:01 am by .
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— In Budget101_@yahoogroups.com, “Betty”
>
> 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.
Kelly in IL
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