I think its time for a new low income/struggling mamas suppot thread!!!!!! - Page 8

[Satori]

Originally Posted by appalachia

How is everyone this eve? I went to Goodwill today and got my 6yo DD a pair of sweats, and two long sleeved shirts. It is getting cool here already some days, and she has been growing like a weed, so she had hardly any Fall clothes that fit. I was glad to be able to do that for her. Luckily my younger DD has a bunch of older DDs hand-me-downs, so I think she's all set for clothes.
I love how I can spend $6 at a thrift store, and it brings so much joy. :

I wish we had a goodwill around here, all we have is a couple of mom and pop type thrift shops, only one sometimes has decent stuff but most of the time all they have is stuff that has been handed down though several kids already and it really shows. I'm looking forward to getting my fin aid from school, dd needs all new clothes she has grown so much this year that nothing from last year will fit. Hoping to be able to find some good deals on quality clothes this year in the city. At least my younger one is covered for the year and all I will need for her is shoes and socks. I will have to suck it up and buy myself clothes too, after gaining 22lbs this year nothing fits anymore

[cwat]

We used to have a nice Salvation Army thrift store here in town, but they "closed for renovations" about a year ago and never reopened
So I have to go a town or two over for clothes. Most of the time I can find cool stuff there (found a nice Hanna Anderson outfit for DD2, brand new-still had the tags on it, when she was younger) and I'm going back in a couple of weeks to suppliment everyones school stuff (jeans school pants, etc)

It is sooo humid here right now. It's 5:44am and it's ALREADY 85 degrees!

Hope everyone has a good day

[Ianthe]

I finally got my [Oliver's] diapers listed online! If I can sell them all I'll have xmas money to start getting presents for dh and the kids (although I am not planning to spend much for the kids because they get way too much from grandparents)

[natural_mama89]

Good morning mamas! Can't chat right now, but wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing.:

[aihcalappa]

I'm just lingering over my coffee. Avoiding housework. To my credit, I did get a load of laundry folded, put diapers in the dryer, and put another load in to wash. So I'm not completely lazy this morn...

[Satori]

Originally Posted by appalachia

I'm just lingering over my coffee. Avoiding housework. To my credit, I did get a load of laundry folded, put diapers in the dryer, and put another load in to wash. So I'm not completely lazy this morn...

You've done more then me, its 11am and I've been up about 10 minutes in my defense though I was up until 2am then took an hour or 2 to fall asleep then I kept waking up because my bed was over crowded since my 9 yr old had a nightmare and ended up in my bed and that child is a total bed hog and a snuggler and neither I or the 3 yr old like anyone touching us while sleeping so the 3 yr old kept getting mad every time 9 year old got into her space and since 9 year old kept moving to the middle of the bed... ugh.

I should be in the shower, we have a Dr appt in just over an hour but my eyes don't wanna open yet, can I go back to bed? I need more tea...

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by Satori

You've done more then me, its 11am and I've been up about 10 minutes in my defense though I was up until 2am then took an hour or 2 to fall asleep then I kept waking up because my bed was over crowded since my 9 yr old had a nightmare and ended up in my bed and that child is a total bed hog and a snuggler and neither I or the 3 yr old like anyone touching us while sleeping so the 3 yr old kept getting mad every time 9 year old got into her space and since 9 year old kept moving to the middle of the bed... ugh.

I should be in the shower, we have a Dr appt in just over an hour but my eyes don't wanna open yet, can I go back to bed? I need more tea...

I hear ya! DS1 had a late nap, so he stayed up too late, then woke up screaming several times throughout the night, and ended up in bed with us around 3am. DH left for work at 5:30 am.. I feel sorry for him today

[jillyofthevalley]

I'd like to join in on this thread. We've really been struggling here. Dh has been off work for 18 months now with a back injury and other multiple issues. Everyone has been passing the buck, so to speak, and we've been having problems getting benefits paid out from Workers' Comp (they've completely refused to pay even though his back injury was done at work ), his union, etc. We've used up all the unemployment benefits he can get. We do get cheques periodically from the union but we have to fight and jump through all sorts of hoops for them. He's applied for a disability pension from the government but it will be months before we get an answer from them. We've eaten through pretty much all our savings. Our only saving grace is that the child tax credit we get monthly covers the mortgage. It's just stressful scraping together the rest of the money to pay all the other bills. Mil lives with us and she helps out where she can but her income (also disability) is pretty low. I sell stuff here and there online but it isn't much. I can't get a job myself because I have no one to look after the kids. Mil is too sick and dh....well let's not go there right now. Daycare for 5 kids would cost more than I would bring home. We're hoping his claim for disability pension gets accepted because then he has a chance of being retrained through them for something that isn't heavy labour (he was in construction). We just can't afford to pay for the schooling ourselves.

Luckily we did just get a sizeable cheque from the union (after fighting for 3 months with them) and I was able to pay all of this months bills and the outstanding property taxes. Now we just have to concentrate on next months bills.

Wow, it's nice to get that off my chest. I have no one IRL to talk to about all this and it's hard to "keep up appearances" so to speak when you literally have nothing in the bank (not even room on the credit card) to buy milk or put gas in the car.

[FondestBianca]

today I'm rather frustrated.

had to take my rescue kitten in for her final shot in her series this morning. $15... had to put in on a cc . How sad is that. I did really need to keep her current because she was a very sick kitten when she was born and is special needs to the vax will insure that the disease that once almost killed her will not try to do so again. My other animals however.... are stil behind on their vax. Luckily the kitties are indoor only so they aren't in any threat.

the rest of the day has been a mess of trying to get some medical stuff handled. Tried to see if I could app for med disability but I'm 2 work credits short. How frigging annoying is that!?!? So I'm going to see if some of the work I did but didn't claim because I made under the legal claimable amount will help at all. Probably not even though the payout to me (again, legally under the claimable minimum) is listed on some of dh's (before we were married) taxes. We'll see. if I can ever get ahold of them that is.

I was also working on getting in to see a doctor with some kind of loophole in my pathetic family parenting insurance but, no luck. They only cover 1 yearly exam IF I'm renewing a perscription for birthcontrol. I'm not on BC and don't have a perscription so I'd have to pay for the first visit just to get some BC I'd never take, so I can get a stupid exam. Called the office I need to go to and the visit would be $175+ put of pocket. Have to pay in full up front. I've already put this off for 8 months at this point nad it's getting worse.... much worse. So idk..... I'd have to borrow money from my mom (which I'd HATE to do and haven't done yet so far even though she offers and wouldn't make me feel guilty about it) or put it on a cc that we can barely make the minimum payment on right now as it is. Blahhhhh.

baby woke up, gonna go round him up and try one of my new CDs for the first time that I got from one generous members of this very thread.

[aihcalappa]

Welcome, Sunflowermommy!

[Krystal323]

Originally Posted by natural_mama89

Did anyone need those newborn cloth dipes? Anyone know anyone who wants them? I really don't want them to just sit around and deteriorate because I can't find anyone who wants them.

Originally Posted by LizzyQ

I finally got my [Oliver's] diapers listed online! If I can sell them all I'll have xmas money to start getting presents for dh and the kids (although I am not planning to spend much for the kids because they get way too much from grandparents)

Hey--I need newborn dipes!! Lizzy, I don't do diaperswappers, but I can certainly paypal you a bit for some covers, or maybe fitteds.... What do you guys have??

things are mixed over here, as usual. i got a rejection letter in the mail for that job i interviewed for last week, but it was next to a decent-sized financial aid check, so it didn't phase me that badly My dh takes the EMT exam again TOMORROW (last chance!)--and I have a paper to write tonight, so i can't help him study as much as i'd like. the bummer is, he KNOWS the info....it's just the testing that messes him up...sigh.

A friend of mine moved away yesterday but she gave us LOADS of stuff so that she didn't have to move/store it. I got enough pantry/fridge stuff to put off going grocery shopping for awhile (thank goodness), several homebirth supplies that i really needed, and OMG so many maternity clothes! I think I have more maternity clothes than regular clothes now, LOL.

Welcome to the new folks--hope everyone is doing okay lately!

[natural_mama89]

Welcome sunflower mommy! You have come to the right place! I'm so sorry that you cannot afford to get your medical issues taken care of Tracy.
Whoever asked about tha dipes, now I am down to 3 good newborn covers (diaperaps, and old school velcro Gerber, a newborn bummi original), a knickernappies disposanot small, a fuzzi bunz nb, a happy heiney nb, a made-by-me fleece pocket nb, a small fuzzi bunz, and a girly newborn fleece cover. I also have several newborn and small dappi covers, which are not in great shape, but do still work. And I have 3 kissaluvs 0 somewhere, but I have no idea where! lol

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by Krystal323

Hey--I need newborn dipes!! Lizzy, I don't do diaperswappers, but I can certainly paypal you a bit for some covers, or maybe fitteds.... What do you guys have??

I don't know if i am allowed to post it here, but i can pm you the link. i don't have any covers listed yet, but i do have fitteds..

sorry about the rejection letter. sending you good vibes for your dh to pass his test!

[MittensKittens]

The job I had been hoping to get turned out to be nothing for me. I might still do it, but it would only be a small amount of money, nothing stable or regular either. It is all a bit weird, and they say I need a moneybookers account, which I don't have and I have no idea how they work.

Krystal, great that your friend gave you all that stuff!

Sunflowermommy, I hear you! I don't tend to talk to anyone IRL either and try to keep up appearances.

[natural_mama89]

Sorry the job wasn't what you expected mittens. I am almost done with my skirt now! I just have to scrounge up some wire to make a bustle. The skirt is REALLY heavy and a stuffed bustle just does not work under it. Next project is a cloak I have been meaning to make for the pat couple years. My goal is to actually have it done by the time it starts getting chilly. I will also be intermittently sewing children's clothes. I am so glad kid's clothes are easy to make! I can not afford to buy squat right now. All I have to my name is $20, which I actually just lent to DP, but he i paying me back when he gets paid. When I get it back I am saving it for books. I am going to need like $300 worth of books this quarter for school: if I buy them from the college bookstore. If i could only have access to my scholarship money now or SOON I would be able to get them cheaper online I am sure. It is so irritating that they essentially make the low income ppl have to pay more for books...grr

[Krystal323]

Mittens--bummer about the job not being what you'd hoped for. that's how i feel about the job i didn't get--it would have been a rather stuffy place to work, especially considering i work at a college right now! i am gonna keep trying for a full-time position here in the meantime...

natural mama--books for college are so expensive! i have about $80 i need to spend on those myself, but i wanted to mention this website....ehh, I don't think i'm allowed to link it, but it's called coursesmart dot com. it allows you to either download an e-copy of a book, or buy a 180-day online subscription to the book, and it's about half the price of buying a print copy. it totally saved my tail for one of my classes recently....

...in case you're all wondering why i am posting at 3am, I just finished all my work for a comparative politics class--and now i get a week off from schoolwork!

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by Krystal323

it's called coursesmart dot com. it allows you to either download an e-copy of a book, or buy a 180-day online subscription to the book, and it's about half the price of buying a print copy. it totally saved my tail for one of my classes recently....

...in case you're all wondering why i am posting at 3am, I just finished all my work for a comparative politics class--and now i get a week off from schoolwork!

That's awesome.. can you do searches in the document? I might do that if so.

congrats on finishing.. enjoy your week off!

[kluella]

Can I join? I've been lurking in this thread since it was started.

I am currently working full time as a customer service rep for a textbook company, DH is an electrician who is currently out of work. Well, he picks up a few hours a week with a mowing company and he does electrical work for cash/barter where he can find it. He was on unemployment from Dec to April but his benefits ended. He's been chronically unemployed and underemployed for the past few years, partially due to some legal difficulties from a MJ arrest....6 years ago? That we're still dealing with. We have a sweet DS Bob, who will be 18 mos tomorrow. I am one course away from completing my BA in History and Religious Studies. I have applied to be let back in to my university, we'll see what they decide. I am looking into a teacher certification program once that's done, in the hopes of maybe finding a stable, professional life. And a way to pay back $26K in student loans.

We are not on FS, TANF, section 8 or anything but WIC. Income-wise we qualify for most all programs, but b/c of his MJ arrest (again, 6 years ago), in the state of MO we cannot get benefits. Ever. I could start a whole new thread on just that subject.

DS is on state health insurance, I have very inexpensive good coverage through work, and DH is uninsured. This month we were able to secure $100 toward our electric bill through the county health dept so I have money to spend on groceries and gas for the next 2 weeks. I am a hardcore couponer and am trying to stretch our food $ just as far as it will go.

DH and I will be filing bankruptcy in the spring when we get our tax refund, that is the only way we will have enough $ to pay for it. He is currently being sued by Citi and it is likely that they will have a judgement against him in the next few months. We have alltogether stopped paying on the ccs since we determined that BK was our only way out, and aside from the 30-40 calls I get a day from collectors, it's been pretty freeing. My student loans are all in deferment due to economic hardship.

I went to the food pantry on Saturday and was again so very thankful that we have a good one here. I came home with 2 grocery sacks of green beans and bell peppers that were donated by a local farmer, as well as 4lb of fresh pears that a local orchard donated. The thing that really gets me about the pears, though: my employer strongly encourages volunteerism so many of my coworkers were actually the ones who picked those pears. I'm not...ashamed? of being poor, but I will not bring any of those pears in to work, to avoid conversation. They are obviously not grocery store pears. And they are so yummy.

Anyway, hi everyone. *Sigh*. It's nice to know I'm not alone.

[Ianthe]

Hi kluella! I had no idea that an MJ arrest could make it so you can't get state assistance! So much for some people's perception that drug addicts are the only ones on welfare

[aihcalappa]

Originally Posted by kluella

We are not on FS, TANF, section 8 or anything but WIC. Income-wise we qualify for most all programs, but b/c of his MJ arrest (again, 6 years ago), in the state of MO we cannot get benefits. Ever. I could start a whole new thread on just that subject.

That is so lame! It's just a plant, people!! Welcome, Kluella!