Freaking out...a little

[chistinawc]

Thanks!

[RoadWorkAhead]

Maybe write it all out. We live on ~ 3k net per month with more than enough to save right now, but I can honestly say its not always fun. It sounds like you will have to cut back in some areas if you want to continue to have in other areas.

[CameronsMama]

I agree that a good starting place would be to write everything out, track all your spending for a bit so you know exactly what's going where, then look it all over and figure out what your priorities are and put your money there (or stop putting your money there, if you decide something is a low priority). Ultimately the equation is pretty much always the same: you need to increase your income, decrease your spending, or a combination.

Just a warning- you should probably put your tough skin on now, you'll get some very honest answers here, thought provoking for sure, but they will not all be what you want to hear. I can almost guarantee that there will be posts that suggest your dogs are not worth that much money if things are so tight, and there will be posts that say montessori is a want not a need, especially with that price tag. Just remember to take it all in, but don't take it personally- everyone means well, we all just chime in with what our personal choices would be in your situation. Only you can figure out what is best for your family, so consider all the different perspectives, and take what you can from it all.

[justmama]

definitely don the flame-proof undies. i agree about the pets. and i say this as a former vet tech at an emergency hospital who helped her sister pay more than $3k for a hemi-pelvectomy and multiple skin grafts for her cat. but the pets can and should survive on cheaper food when finances get that tight. cut the cable and internet(again, i say this with love. i have no internet. i am at the library now). in my very humble opinion you can totally cut your "fun money" in half. netflix can go. use the library for books and movies. try free days at museums and zoos and such. Eating out can and should stop when finances are tight. Pizza is SO easy and fun to make at home. I have the kids help and one gets to "paint" the olive oil on the dough to broil it and then the others are my "pizza artists" who decorate with sauce and cheese and toppings. They LOOOOOVE making pizza and fight over who gets to be the pizza artists. Also, I don't know how many are in your household but visit the $5 and $2 meal thread to try to cut down grocery expenses to bare bones and cook more from scratch. You can use baking soda and vinegar to clean 99% of your house and even make your own laundry detergent for cheaper than you can buy it. Cut down utilities by line drying, unplugging things not in use, etc. Switch to cloth everything if you haven't already. It's mostly about cutting down on what you buy and staying out of the store.

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.



I would start living now like you will be next fall when finances get tighter. Try to put money in savings or pay down the debt or both. But cut everything you can now and try to plan for tight times. It's about creativity and double-duty. With a little willpower, anything is possible. I'm a single mom to 3 little girls staying home iwth them and living on less than $1500 per month with a car payment and credit card debt. So if I can do it, ANYONE can.


Good luck.