worrying about money « Back to Group Discussions

[here we are]

I am having another night of insomnia, worrying about money. We have 1000$ take home each month, and get food stamps-350 per month also.Sometimes it just seems impossible, i imagine giving up all the extra things i am buying now with my hard earned savings, salad, fruit, toppings, meat every day....It took ten years to save for those things &keep the car running...i am just stressed! I grew up with very little food, without hot water,minimal heat....so i really value having them now. I don't want to make this about my past, it's just I've been thinking about it a lot, how I can make a better life for my child, &escape "poverty". it makes me second guess how I am having this child& judging myself for not being able to do better. so I'm working on finding out ways to do better. Food is so expensive b/c I am eating so well&it helps so much. So its scary to imagine it as a temporary&going back to my old budget. And i really want to buy a couch, i have been searching for a used one&its not working out. I think i am going to get a new one b/c i am obsessed with the idea of comfort right now. I will run out of savings anyway, why not have a comfortable place to sit?
Maybe i will put my bed downstairs instead. I have been thinking about how hard it will/wont be to go up&down stairs later on. This apt is too expensive but i am stuck here for now. My subsidized place had black mold &leaks, very,very bad news. I came here as my only hope to have a healthier environment for a child, & i have to wonder if its going to be good enough. I want so much for my child, &i want him/her to have optimal nutrition , salads, fruit....sometimes i feel like its going to work out&we will adjust, but other times i want better b/c i know we deserve it. I am hoping to hear back from people about pass me downs, obviously that is another expense i worry about. Buying shoes.. And how will i do it with prices going up over time...i guess it shows i care that i am worrying, if that means anything. I dont want anyone to feel deprived.
I am just getting things off my chest.
Edited by here we are - 3/9/13 at 1:47am

[rainbownurse]

Money is a huge worry, in everyone's lives, I think. I think everyone wants better for their child too, and those 3am worries seem insurmountable sometimes. 

I know you want to eat well, but eating well and eating meat are not mutually exclusively. When hubs and I were penny pinching, we went down to one meat meal a week, and supplemented protein with nuts, eggs, etc. We also got really into farmer's markets, they have very cheap produce, especially if you develop a relationship with them, and ask for the older stuff, they'll give it to you cheaper. 
For couches, I would watch IKEA for sales, we got one for $99. I would also check the "scratch and dent" sections of furniture stores, you can find couches that are really nice that may have a scratch on the back or something like that. Craigslist/kjiji is also a great place, that's how we found our current couch. 

Are there housing co ops where you live? that can often be a much less expensive, better alternative to subsidzed housing. 

Don't let the 3am worries get to you, I know have the same problem. 

[talldarkeyes]

I am not sure if you are in the US but you could also go on WIC to help you stretch things a bit more. They also seem to know a lot about services available to low income mothers more than food stamps would. Dairy and eggs are cheaper if you can tolerate them.

[heyitskalista]

Oh mama! (((Hugs))). I think most can relate about having financial worries!

Remember that you can make any house a home! Your baby doesn't need much stuff, just you!

We live on a very modest one income and while it is hard, you can make things work. Make a budget and stick with it. Cook from scratch. Buy used whenever possible. Skip extras like cable.

Check out the living simply board and the frugal one. Those ladies have great ideas!

[InLove2009]

You actually have more money in food stamps than what my husband and I budget each month. We only spend $180 on food, per month, and we never go hungry. 

I plan everything down to the last detail. I will buy a 10 lbs bag of potatoes and over the course of 2 weeks use them in many different recipes. If I have left over veggies or fruit in my fridge, I freeze them. I stock up on meat when it is on sale. 

What really helped me stick to our budget was I made those plans. I only go to the grocery store once every other week, that way I can skip those impulse buys. We have a Britta Filter Pitcher, so we drink water and don't spend anything on that. We drink Almond Milk, buy  organic produce, and have a healthy diet. It is possible, you just have to plan it and stick to it. 

Try checking out Pinterest and "Freezer meals" if you don't have time to cook each day. For a while, I did those. One trip to the store, one afternoon of prepping, and 2 or 3 weeks worth of meals. I hope this helps! 

[AngelBee]

I just had to cancel my first appointment at OB clinic as they wanted 500.00 up front since my insurance is still being processed.

: I totally get where you are coming from. Things are the worst financially that they have even been.