Would like suggestions and advise (long)

[Guest]

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)

[Author]

Posts