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October Low-Income Thread

19K views 384 replies 62 participants last post by  Satori 
#1 ·
Here we are in a new month. How is everyone doing?

I'm having a hard time because we have to move by the 19th, as our house is being sold. I tried to negotiate to the end of October, but they don't want to negotiate. I've feeling so overwhelmed with this move, and still haven't found a home to move to yet. Also, the fear of having not saved enough money to put down some money for the deposit. Also, my son is having a terrible time, and has gone from being dx with NOS to Bipolar Disorder. It's not a surprise, but still it is hard to accept. I'm unable to work because of him, and he could not attend school when he did. I still do take on birth clients, but that has been just a few this year. Not enough at all.

As we fast approach the winter of colder days, and the holidays, I'm worried.
 
#2 ·
Jyotsna: I am sorry about your son. He is lucky to have you as a mom to help him through this.


DH is at a 2nd interview today & if he gets the job they will let him know tomorrow. I am taking an exam for a p/t job today but if it doesn't work out I will be babysitting my niece 3 days a week. Either way I will be brining in a little bit of money. There may be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel for us which is nice, but also scary as we have felt that way so many times before only to have something else happen & suddenly be knocked down a bit further.
 
#3 ·
s Everyone! We will get through these rough times together . Love and Gratitude are the seeds of Joy. Grace flows freely when I bow to All of Life.

Here is some inspiration:
 
#4 ·
hey mamas.. subbing!

I scored a nice trade on DS this morning.. I'm giving NB prefolds and DS1's last year halloween costume (that I bought at the thrift store!) for a $50 Best Buy gift card!! We need a new DVD player sooooo bad!
 
#5 ·
ooh that is a good trade Lizzy! BTW love the dress i bought from you--did i ever pm you about that?


pretty much just subbing today.

it's rainy out, and i hate HATE going to the store, esp when i have to spend bill money on food...but there's like no fresh food to speak of around here


DH is sitting next to me filling out pizza delivery apps, and they want to know just about everything but his blood type, lol


i've scored some good deals on ebay, ds, and at goodwill lately, so we have nearly enough clothes to get us thru the colder months. I seem to have to buy clothes in the fall most often--is that the case with you guys as well? It's always the colder weather clothes that htey seem to outgrow fastest, b/c it's mostly warm here! I still need to get shoes for my older kids--all they have is flipflops
That's fine now, but by the end of the month it'll be colder....

wishing everyone luck for the new month!
 
#6 ·
Hey mama's.. it's been a while since I've been around (were without internet for a bit, and then just life catching up with me) but we fit this catagory... Our house payment just went up to exactly what DH makes per month, so we're trying to work something out... My littlest one turns 1 today! (yay!)... With Christmas coming up it's getting difficult with the kids in school this year. A lot of talk about what they want, what so and so has theat they really would like, what they NEED (warm clothes, new shoes, etc etc) ... Life just pretty much sucks all around lately... but we'll pull through! We have before and this time shouldn't be any different
 
#10 ·


We are already needing heat it was turned on last night
it was about 44 degrees if that!! So we were thinking ahh how nice no AC no heat for about a month well ummm yeah no! to top it off my fiance is flipping out because HE took a pay cut to have a job he likes and now he has to depend on someone to drive him and is about to find a new job in this area he is lucky he has a job that pays over 9 an hour since everything has closed down in the last 5 years!

I am helping him to budget but it is so hard on him that that stresses him out but he will adjust because he has to he wants me to be home with the baby as do I so this is what we have to do
 
#11 ·
Can I join? I'm definitely low income.
I'm recently single and currently living on child support but am so hoping to make that change soon. I need to finish school (anyone have some motivation they'd like to share?
) and then that'll help (can get a job from home). Luckily it's all online so I should be able to whip through it. Theoretically.


I'm surprised our landlord hasn't turned on heat yet (see my thread on that!)....temps dropped super low super fast. Two days ago was 75-80 and all of yesterday was 39. Today is warmer but still cold enough for plenty of layers and jackets and the heater on in the car. Fall isn't going to last long here which stinks because that means I have to get the girls' truely warm clothes sooner. Hopefully they don't need much. Just the basics. I need to go through and make sure though.
 
#12 ·
I know most on here aren't big Walmart fans but...today I hit the kids section and they had boys short sleeved tees for a dollar. Lots of colors and sizes and a nice weight to the material. Also they had long sleeved ones for 4.50. Boys just wear out clothes so bad that thrifting for them just doesn't work. They are virtually non existent. Anyway bought middle son 4 (he wears a 14-16) for 18$ and youngest three for 13.50. I was happy. I didn't feel like we needed any short sleeved, but for someone what a buy.

I hate to think about winter. We heat as long as we can with our wood stove, but we have a old two story so eventually we have to run the furnace some to keep upper floor decent. We have a couple of electric space heaters that we turn on for about 20 mins before we get in bed and then hop under cover and turn em off. lol. Bring out the quilts.

One of the nice things about winter is soup. It goes SO far, tastes so good and is nutritous.

To everyone having a rough time...hugs.
 
#13 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Krystal323 View Post
ooh that is a good trade Lizzy! BTW love the dress i bought from you--did i ever pm you about that?

I'm glad!! Take lots of pics and post them on your FB! I bet it looks even better on you with your long legs


---

It's heater time here officially too. It snowed in the mountains, and almost got us too.
 
#14 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Marlet View Post
Can I join? I'm definitely low income.
I'm recently single and currently living on child support but am so hoping to make that change soon. I need to finish school (anyone have some motivation they'd like to share?
) and then that'll help (can get a job from home). Luckily it's all online so I should be able to whip through it. Theoretically.


Welcome


I am going to school.. I like it, and it's kind of a bonus that I get grant money refunded to me (not a loan) every semester.. so I buy my books as cheap as possible, and use the rest for other stuff (bills, of course). Maybe that is some motivation?
 
#15 ·
Hi everyone, another low-income mama here.
I'm subbing this month but don't have much to say right now.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Kismet_fw View Post
Fortunately October in Tx means lower temperatures and less a/c bill!
Yes, it's wonderful to be looking at the end of the $300 utility bills.
 
#16 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by LizzyQ View Post
Welcome


I am going to school.. I like it, and it's kind of a bonus that I get grant money refunded to me (not a loan) every semester.. so I buy my books as cheap as possible, and use the rest for other stuff (bills, of course). Maybe that is some motivation?

I wish! I'm going through PennFoster.com. Basically you sign up for your course and they "loan" you the amount and you just pay each month. Nice thing is you set the amounts for both the monthly payment and the down payment. I'm liking it for the most part. The course material is just written for the lowest common denominator so it can be tiresome. I want to use my brain for more than review.
I want to finish by Dec. but have upped it to Nov. I had it figured out for being done by my due date but have a feeling I might go early so now I want it done as soon as possible. I'm headed to my sister's this weekend and she has less distractions for some reason (despite having more people in her house
) so I'm bringing my books and cracking down. Have any good links for MLA format? I'm to my midterm research project and they require it. When I was in high school it was only just becoming mandatory so I never really got into the swing of it. THAT is something I need a review on.


It wasn't an hour after my first post here that the heaters clicked on. We are roasting! The windows are open and the girls are down to their underware. If I didn't think someone might stop by (FIL is notorius for it
) I' do the same. I like our lack of utility costs but not being able to really control my heat sucks. This is early for him. I don't think he turned it on (last time we lived here....2ish years ago) until almost the end of the month.

Anyone else planning winter clothing for kiddos around the HH thread?
I hate asking that but I am to an extent. I made a list of things they needed when I sorted through their clothes but the sudden change in temps has made me need to re-evaulate. Our temps are currently what they are during Halloween already! I'm budgeting in the things we need obviously but I'm holding off on the bigger ticket items until I *know* I have to buy them. Is that totally lame of me?
Oy, I might come delete this paragraph.
 
#22 ·
mommaof3boz,

Don't worry, most of us shop at wal-mart too


Well its heater time here too, I had the gas co out today lighting the pilot light, here's to not freezing our buns off this fall! Last year I didn't call to schedule in time and we froze for a couple of weeks until they could get to us. Need to get the electric blankets washed and on the beds, it was a bit chilly last night.

Today I'm a bit freaked out about finances, were $200 in the hole this month and its all stuff I can't put off, mainly gas to get to and from school. No idea where I'm getting the $ to see the Dr next week to find out if I have cancer, its about $50 between gas and parking ($12 just to park! That's crazy!) and I'm really freaked out that if I have it, how am I going to get back and forth for treatment?! (its a 3 hour drive) I called the insurance since they provide bus tickets but they make it a 3 day trip which is insane, the bus takes wayyyy longer, 6-8 hours so they send you the day before (and no they don't pay lodging) then you go home the day after. I'm freaking out about leaving my SN kid with my mom for the day rather then the nurse, over night is out of the question (much less 3 days!) and I can't bring her to the appt (I need to concentrate on the appt and may be having a biopsy that day). I'm just feeling majorly stressed right now between $ and wondering if its cancer. I mean I've known about the tumor 12 weeks and I've been able to kind of ignore it but now that they actually made the appt and the Dr wants me in his next clinic day rather then waiting worries me, they've actually double booked me and are working me in. Its never a good sign when an oncologist wants you in that fast

On the upside I found a new pair of jeans for my 9yr old for $1.50 at the thrift store today (she only had 1 pair and I've been looking for weeks with no luck).
 
#23 ·
Satori,

I just want you to know that I am thinking of you! What a scary thing. My sister had/has? breast cancer last fall (Thanksgiving as a matter of fact). I wasn't able to be with her due to all the kids, but I heard from everyone that her extreme positive attitude saved her life. She scared us all so much when she had her surgery scheduled, but cancelled it, but using her good intuition, she felt the doctor couldn't answer her questions properly, so she chose another doctor (and that took over a month). She finally had her surgery, and she was incredible.

I hope you don't have cancer but I am holding you in the light for good health and a positive attitude, no matter what.

That is also tough that you are worried about the money at a time like this. I think though, it's better to leave your child with your mom while you go through this possible biopsy. They probably wouldn't do it if you brought your child. Go to the appointment, find out what you are dealing with, face it like a warrior, and be well.
 
#25 ·
subbing. i need to at least start thinking about some pants for dd and coats and shoes but we're moving tomorrow and ds's bday is sunday so i guess i'll put it off some more. i am happy that my tiny new place has the utlities paid so i can make it as warm as i want (or cold)! no freezing, no starving, and a roof. it's all paid and i don't have to worry. i don't have to worry.....
i'm starting college on the 21st
hopefully the extra left from my pell grant will pay for child care and the extra gas plus books and supplies. if it covers all that without me dipping in my own money i'm gonna feel super lucky.
 
#26 ·
Hi everyone.
Well October started off with a "bang". I got my last paycheck from my job only to find out that they directdeposited it into the checking account that I CLOSED on accident. (wrong account
) So I called the payroll lady (very nice) and she said that they have to wait until the bank returns the check to them, then she will write me a check for the amount (it's $132.00) but that won't be until NEXT WEEK sometime!!!!!!!!! shitshitshitshitshit
They did give me a check for $50 for the headset that I bought for work 3 years ago, so I had a little bit of money (not anymore, of course) but...
And I called Mickey Finn's today (the One place I thought I had a good shot of getting a job) because it's been a week since I put in the application and I hadn't heard back from them. They have already hired someone. shitshitshitshit
Now, I have to really hope that my Unemployment Hearing on Oct 9th goes a LOT better than I think it's going to go. (fingerscrossed) cause otherwise...
WE ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE!!!!!!!
 
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