October 2010 Low Income Support Thread

[provocativa]

Let's help each other out, mamas!

[natural_mama89]

The most amazing thing happened yesterday! I thought I was going to only be able to afford childcare for one of the kids, and so Iris was going to have to stay with her dad for the next few months. I left a message for the director of their Montessori school asking if they had a rate for half days 3 days a week so she could still go a little bit as she was very upset about not being able to go to school. I got a call back from the director and she said she would just lower their tuition because she knows I'm a student and I work my butt off and she likes to help people out. So now both kids can go to school and not have to stay with their dad, which was going to be a pain in the butt! I am soooo happy. I think I am in love with this woman!

[natural_mama89]

Oh, and I now have less than 4 weeks til baby is full-term...I'm tons of excited/nevous/trying to get everything together. I have to get all my birth supplies and such, and I really need to get all the baby's clothes sewn too.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

natural mama89, that is so AWESOME! I love when things like that happen at just the right moment! Congrats on your new little one on the way too. You sound incredibly busy.

I am so stressing out right now. I am working, and making a decent wage right now, and I honestly thought things were going to be ok, but now my car is starting to die and I really need to move. I have been in the application process for a housing co-op that would have a move in date of 1/1 or 2/1, but I was sort of not feeling like I would be able to do it right now, but about a month ago, a neighbor attacked me (see last month's thread), and now my neighbor on my other side has informed me that she is shopping for a gun to carry concealed at all times whenever she is outside in case any of the neighbors get too "crazy". She, honestly, is the craziest of all of my neighbors, so I am TERRIFIED to say the least. I NEED to leave this apartment complex. I also need to keep my job, so I need to keep my car running as long as I can until I can afford a new one. I just have no idea how I am going to be able to do it all. I will need at least $1K to move into the co-op and am thinking that I need to budget at least that much for car repairs at this point, although I don't really know what is going on with the car.

I did just get notice in the mail that my rent won't be increasing due to my new job until December 1st, which is such a huge help. I currently don't pay anything, so won't owe a penny in rent until December, and then if I move in January, I won't owe them any more at all. I will obviously be paying rent at the new place, but I honestly can't wait to write them a check as opposed to this scary place.

My foodstamps will be reduced by $50 a month as of November 1st too, which is such a bummer. I can go to the food shelf, but it is nearly impossible to go with DS, but leaving him in care any longer than he already is is just torture for him. He loves his school, but he really shouldn't be there any longer than 20 or so hours per week, or he just loses it.

Also, if we end up moving on 1/1, I can't imagine a more horrid moving date... I can only imagine the stress of packing up and moving a week after Christmas. ACK!!

[confustication]

We are still in the midst of the climb out of the financial depths, which is fabulous, but I'm suddenly confronted with having to come up with a little extra for some legal costs. My ex is surrendering parental rights to our daughter so my husband can adopt her. I am VERY willing to come up with the money to facilitate that.

I am getting over the guilt of spending a little money last month on myself- it's amazing the difference a couple pair of properly fitting jeans have made in my self-esteem though.

[zebra15]

Last week was
I cashed in both coke points and my points.
I got/will be getting Nike gift cards from coke, Olive garden gift cards and On The Border Gift Cards from my points.com.
I cashed in my bank points and my account recieved $25.00
I also recieved my Cashforbooks.com check.
Today I used my $10 off anything at Kohls coupon, DS will be getting the cutest sleep pants for xmas
I went to the Lego store and got DS something for xmas and used 'lego points' to help defray the cost
I rec'd $15.99 in a VISA gift card from a staples rebate.

I love when I get to cash in points for free stuff!

I also had work for 3 days... I really wanted 4 days but that didnt happen.

I hope October stays great... It feels like the 'holidays' are starting and I think this year I am going to enjoy the holiday season!

[Ianthe]

Hey everyone!

Does anyone know where the signups for holiday helper are? I see they are going to start accepting applications on the 4th.

[CaliMommie]

Hi mamas! I am not online much, as I don't have internet at home, but thought I'd introduce myself. I am a single mom to four littles. I am a full-time student, so money is very tight. I was able to get my house payment reduced by almost half through the home affordable modification program that Obama put in place, so that has been hugely helpful! I look forward to getting to know you all!

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Originally Posted by Ianthe

Hey everyone!

Does anyone know where the signups for holiday helper are? I see they are going to start accepting applications on the 4th.

I am pretty sure there was an announcement in this forum (Frugality and Finances) last year when sign-ups began. I also seem to remember that a mod put a note in the low income thread too. (I have been low income for waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy too long...)

[vannienicole]

Okay, so I have worked it all out. I have a total of $1275 in fixed bills a month. I will at the end of the month actually have paid everything on time (except I am still a month behind on my car). I owe my sister $470 and the rest of my tuition for the semester is $415. I have 2008's (long story) taxes refunding sometime this month, meaning I can get finally caught up on the bills, pay my lawyer (divorce is almost finalized) and pay off all my small debts, except the car and my student loans. By the end of the year, I'll still be dirt poor and scraping by, but I will be in a bit better a situation hopefully.

I now work two part time jobs...20-30 hours in a geology lab a week and 1-3 subbing assignments in the district a week. We've been so behind and barely making it for so many months (note that I owe my sister money for the rent she helped swing last month). I get a pittance in child support if he gives it at all (we just settled up sept and october's CS today). I am a senior geology major at major university and will be graduated after summer field school if I still have to go.

This summer I contracted Stevens-Johnson syndrome, spent much too much time in the hospital and in recovery that my world fell apart. Thankfully, my stbx and his gf took care of the kids while I was admitted. I don't know what I would have done otherwise. things are back to normal again with our 50-50 split thankfully as well. I missed them so much. BUT now I don't know what the dept is going to do about my capstone class and one other one: Intro to Field Geology and summer Field Geology in Colorado. I break out in massive systemic eczema anytime the sun touches my skin for more than 5 minutes or I sweat. It's itchy horrid bumps all over my body and it takes a great deal of steroids to keep under control (not to add the weight the steroids put on me :mad).

If I only work harder, press myself further than I thought I could, I can get through this. I live at least 3 hours away from any of my or his family, have only a few friends here that I trust and have my ex and his gf down the street. I don't know why I am saying all of this, but it just needed to come out. I know one day it won't be as much of a daily struggle. I just want that day to come sooner than later.

[counterGOPI]

Hey everyone! I thought I would stop by and say hi. I am so happy to have found this thread. I am sending my support and hugs to all of you.
We have been low-mid income for awhile but since we moved out to the west coast last Autumn we have been really, really struggling to make ends meet. It's been really hard living pay check to pay check wondering if we will be able to afford the mortgage this month so we still have a roof over our heads...I wish no one ever had to go through anything like that!

I am preggo with our third blessing and due this winter. I was thrilled when we moved out here at the idea of FINALLY having a home birth but then reality set in. Our insurance cover 80% of it but no matter what we still can't afford that other 20% so I have to give birth in a hospital (again) where it will be free for us
I'm trying not to let it bother me but well, it IS!

Anyways, enough about me. I look forward to chatting with all of you!!

[Goddess3_2005]

Oh man do I never need this thread. I just finished bawling to my husband because I have to work at a job where I am being discriminated against, but I can't quite because we need my job because DH is still delivering pizzas because he can't find work. What a mouth full. Sigh.Plus they cut our food stamps in half when I got my job even though my job and DH's dosen't even come close to paying the basics. I know were are blessed, but today its hard to count those blessings....

[frugalmama]

Vannie - you should be able to get a medical release from those classes with a doctors letter. They might sub another class or just have you do any bookwork for the original class though. It CAN be done as you have a valid medical reason. Get the letter and request a meeting with your dept. head and student disability office and demand they work something out.


We're still here, still broke, running a month behind on bills, roof still not fixed. Finally got a roofer willing to patch it, but when he looked at it he said that there was damage to the sheathing 4 foot in all the way around the house, and that it would be better to leave it as is while we raise the funds to just replace the whole thing. So I've GOT to find a way to sell my car, and anything else I can get my hands on to sell. We had our yard sale and made close to $700 for the roof fund, and will get another $150 tomorrow for a few more items. Now I'm starting to go through books and see what we've got that they are buying online. Also working on a few Ebay auctions to raise funds too.

I've got to call and see about a city program that might fix the roof tomorrow - last time I called they were out of funding but said they might get more in October. As soon as we can get the roof fixed we're going for weatherization to insulate the house to cut the bills.

[CaliMommie]

Vannie~ I agree with frugalmama, you should be able to get a medical release.

I got a check (finally!) for child support for Sept. Only $50, but better than nothing! I am struggling with the stress of financaes and school, but am determined to pass all of my classes this semester.

frugalmama~ That is an amazing amount to make from a yard sale! I hope you are able to get your roof fixed through the city program so that you can use that money for other things!

[Ianthe]

Hey mamas.. just wanted to remind you that today is Holiday Helper FIN signups

[CaliMommie]

Just got an email saying that my graduation application was rejected because I haven't paid the $48 graduation application fee yet. Hoping Calworks will be able to cover it...has anyone else had graduation issues due to not being able to afford the fees?

[surrogate]

well dang, i dont have enough posts to sign up for HHFIN...ugh

[vannienicole]

Originally Posted by surrogate

well dang, i dont have enough posts to sign up for HHFIN...ugh

Me either. Oh well. I'll figure it out somehow. I just don't have internet reliably through the year to post that much.

[vannienicole]

Originally Posted by CaliMommie

Just got an email saying that my graduation application was rejected because I haven't paid the $48 graduation application fee yet. Hoping Calworks will be able to cover it...has anyone else had graduation issues due to not being able to afford the fees?

I hope I don't come up against this. There has to be a way around this for low income families.

[vannienicole]

So today was a long day subbing in a middle school math class. At least I have assignments for the rest of the week and next (MWF only). Hoping to pick up a thurs afternoon both weeks. The week after that there is fall break, so there is only 1 day I can sub. I need to sub as much as possible to stay afloat right now.

I also picked up a couple hours in the lab tomorrow. If I can get this experiment set up tomorrow, we will have a ton of work in the lab for the other two workers and me ready and going. After it's set up, the rest of the work is easy work, so I have incentive there .

I got an email from my professor asking me to meet her before class tomorrow. I bet she just wants my doctor's note from september but I always get nervous when having to speak with instructors. She said I did well on the test, but hasn't posted grades yet. Nervous. I NEED to do well in this class and Geophysics is one of my hardest courses for some reason. It's what I STUDY, have been doing in the lab for 1.5 years and have already taken half the course before (it's one of my incompletes). It shouldn't be this difficult for me.