When it still isn't enough ... - Page 4

[jeminijad]

My thoughts, just echoing some PPs:

- a pet is optional, no matter how loved
- taking a part time day care child

[GuildJenn]

Originally Posted by surrogate

I do home daycare, around here the CENTERS charge $80, so I charge $75. I have 4 kids and my own, and while I don't make a killing, ends meet. I am a single mom, so if I don't do this, i won't put a roof over our head. In the town I live, you are LUCKY to make $10 an hour, and noone is hiring.

I totally and fully agree with OP looking into bankruptcy

Here a lot of in-home daycares are around $35/day per child (or did when I was looking into it) and centres run a lot more than that - they can run almost twice as expensive.

I'm just saying that as a point of reference, since a lot of people on the thread seem to be equating dayhome care with nanny care or centre care. It's soooo dependent on your area, but in mine dayhomes are the low end of the totem pole in terms of cost.

I'm still going on the basis that if the OP is making $600/mo with one child and that is tight due to $600 worth of expenses, making $1200 by adding another child, or maybe two part-time kids or whatever, would help with her budget a lot.

I don't know what she makes on the weekends but I think making $600 in four weekends could be a challenge, especially since as people have pointed out you can't charge off the same things tax-wise. But there may be other perks like discounts. OP what are your thoughts?

[Mulvah]

I agree with those saying bankruptcy is being thrown out hastily when the OP could make some positive changes to her finances. I love my pup as a member of our family. If we couldn't afford to have a dog, we would re-home our pup.

Originally Posted by spedteacher30

Infertility is still a medical condition--one that can contribute to mental health issues like depression and anxiety, and is often related to other gynecological illnesses/disorders.

While it may not be life-threatening, it is painful and no one can judge whether or not an individual "should" pursue treatment. there are plenty of non-life threatening, painful conditions we would encourage someone without medical insurance to treat--back problems, knee issues, arthritis...

I really think this is a moot point as she already had the treatment, whether or not anyone agrees with it. That said, I think the healthcare system in the United States is horribly flawed, but that doesn't change the current structure, as much as I wish it did.

Originally Posted by jeminijad

My thoughts, just echoing some PPs:

- a pet is optional, no matter how loved
- taking a part time day care child

[Tradd]

Originally Posted by happysmileylady

OP, maybe you should look at scraping together some money and taking Financial Peace University.

If you've truly got no money, as the OP's situation is - and she apparently doesn't have the time for the classes, I'd get the book from the library or as cheaply used as possible, and listen to Dave Ramsey's radio show on a local radio station or online. For group support, which is what you get out of the classes, the OP could come to the getting out of debt here in the F&F section on MDC.

And, yes, the pet(s) have got to go. Pets are optional, they are not necessary - especially when finances are as tight as they are for the OP.

[happysmileylady]

Originally Posted by Tradd

If you've truly got no money, as the OP's situation is - and she apparently doesn't have the time for the classes, I'd get the book from the library or as cheaply used as possible, and listen to Dave Ramsey's radio show on a local radio station or online. For group support, which is what you get out of the classes, the OP could come to the getting out of debt here in the F&F section on MDC.

And, yes, the pet(s) have got to go. Pets are optional, they are not necessary - especially when finances are as tight as they are for the OP.

Yes, you could totally learn the stuff without taking the classes. I listen to his show online every day, there's SO much to learn just from that.

[worthy]

Originally Posted by Tradd

Pets are optional, they are not necessary - especially when finances are as tight as they are for the OP.

I'm jumping in without reading enough here but wanted to say that where we live, cats are not optional - your house will be overrun with mice and other vermin if you don't have a cat, and traps don't cut it.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by 2xy

Extremism gives feminism a bad name.

It's hardly extreme to consider the word "man" not fully representative of the entire human race.

Consider this statement:

"Throughout history, man has given birth."

Just doesn't fly.

Language is power.

[BunnySlippers]

Originally Posted by A&A

It's hardly extreme to consider the word "man" not fully representative of the entire human race.

Consider this statement:

"Throughout history, man has given birth."

Just doesn't fly.

Language is power.

Option 1. dh takes a p/t job and you take in another child or two. Have you considered before and after care?

Option 2. pick up some temp work when you need some extra cash (its pretty easy, walk ion with a resume, take a skills test, and they call you anytime something comes up).

Option 3. bankruptcy

BTW- I ve run a daycare fulltime 5 days a week, and cleaned offices nights and weekends, during my dd's early years (age 2-6- thats 4yrs). I then went to school fulltime and worked part time for 2yrs. At the beginning of this school term I was working two parttime jobs (I was working 20-40hrs a week depending on how my week went) and going to school fulltime, but that just got dangerous as I was a walking Zombie, so I dropped the night job.
I now work roughly 20hrs a week. It is very flexible, so i can up and down the hours as I need to.

It is totally possibly to pull a superwoman suit out of the closet and work work work to make ends meet. You just have to keep a good positive attitude to pull you through.
I think declaring bancruptcy would be easier in the long run

and Im not going to knock you on the pet. We all have a vice, and if yours brings you comfort and joy, keep it, embrace it, love it

[Mulvah]

Originally Posted by BunnySlippers

...It is totally possibly to pull a superwoman suit out of the closet and work work work to make ends meet. You just have to keep a good positive attitude to pull you through.
I think declaring bancruptcy would be easier in the long run....

And, sadly, this is why people feel justified in running up credit and declaring bankruptcy - it's easier. I hope our laws continue to change to make it harder for people to do this.*


*This is a general statement, not to any one particular person.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by worthy 

Originally Posted by Tradd

Pets are optional, they are not necessary - especially when finances are as tight as they are for the OP.

I'm jumping in without reading enough here but wanted to say that where we live, cats are not optional - your house will be overrun with mice and other vermin if you don't have a cat, and traps don't cut it.

What do people do when they are so severely allergic to cats that it's debilitating?  Somehow, I get a SNEAKING suspicion that cats probably ARE "optional".  There are other ways to control mice and vermin.
 

[sewingmama]

If the small car is the main reason for not taking on another daycare child or two, I'd suggest looking for children who need care before or after school.  You might even find parents who need someone to take their children from school to dance/piano/Scouts/etc.  School-age children may not need carseats, so they might fit in your car.  Or, if you took on one or two more children during the day, could you buy a cheap minivan so that you could take everyone to the park/etc.?

[*green*faery*]

Hi, I didn't read all the replies & my thoughts on this may be unpopular. I would seriously look into BK. I would write up a budget and plan for how long it will take to get you out of the hole, etc. and talk to a lawyer. I highly recommend bkforum.com . We recently went through a BK, I currently watch 2-3 kids out of my home 5 days a week (I have 2 kids, my van seats 4), on Saturday nights I babysit so parents can have 'nights out', I also have one housecleaning job on Sunday (3hrs). On a side note, house cleaning tends to pay a little more, so that may be something to consider for the weekends. It is very stressful being so busy, but we kept our home and are getting by, on a good budget, save monthly for car repairs,etc. I must say I am grateful and try to remind myself of that often! I have a lot more then many people on this planet (reading national geographic tends to make me feel very lucky!). Please do whats best for you, your family and your future.