Trying to keep my chin up
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| Sun, 03-08-2009 - 7:34pm |
Right now and for the next few months our moeny/budget is just so tight! We have the basics covered. We have a emergency fund, we are making our credit card payments but we just don't have any room to breathe. I know it could be worse and I am incredibly thankful it is not but I am feeling so financially claustrauphobic.
I really do need a few new pairs of pants for work but I refuse to put them on a credit card. I make a good salary and so does my husband. Today I am feeling really aggrevated that I don't even have enough cash to buy 2 pairs of pants!
DH has just picked up a 2nd job 1-2 nights a week and I am wondering if I should do the same.
Sorry I just needed to gripe. I am wondering if it makes sense to defer one of our student loans for a few months to give us some breathing room. The only downside is that the intrest still acrues. I think we can arrange it so that we can pay just the interest. It might be something to look into.
I guess I will have to think about it and talk it over with DH.



I am sorry you are going through this. Will the second job help with your budget and give you enough breathing room to get through for a bit? I would try to avoid deffering any loans if at all possible. Those interest charges will kill you!
In terms of clothes, have you considered goodwill or salvation army? I got a great pair of jeans for
Bex -
I work full time, plus, and also have a second job teaching one night a week. I take a second evening to grade papers and such as well.
I am learning more from my second job as well. My first employer knows I teach, as I teach in my professional discipline, and they are fine with it because it does not at all infringe on my first job which always come first, even if I have to travel out of town.
Kids also come before this job as I won't teach when they have a sports banquet or something big.
This second job gives me about $700 a month extra for 4 nights a month out of the house and an additional 4 nights working from home.
It will help us get out of debt faster, and I even have an additional 401k with that firm.
My advice:
Be sure the second job does not impose on your first job
Be sure you have time for the second job
Be sure it does not take too much time away from family obligations
Be sure it does not increase the stress of your home, negating the positive income aspects of it.
Ski
Have you looked at shopping your health and auto insurance, maybe save a couple of pairs of pants's worth there?
Michelle:
Do you feel comfortable sharing why your budget is so tight for the next few months? You've already received some excellent advice from PPs, so I won't add any here. But, I can tell you I just did a major cleaning and made more than $400 on eBay. That's not going to happen again any time soon, but I'll list a few more things this week if I have time.
If the tight budget is temporary, and you can already forsee that things will be easier in June or July or whatever, that really does make it easier to handle.
You can do this! (And know you're not alone...I only have 4 pair of winter pants to my name but plenty of spring clothes. Come on Spring!!).
Dee
Dee - I am exactly the opposite! I need pants for the upcoming spring season!
I think we are seeing our budget get tighter because we are now homeowners. We bought in October and had about 2,000 "extra" after the purchase of the house that has helped us out the last few months, we got a little cash for Christmas from our parents and then we had a decent tax return which we put mostly to credit cards.
Now that all is said and done, the reality of the REAL monthly budget is just hitting us. Normally around this time of year both DH and I would be getting a raise and a small bonus but because of the economy both of our companies have put salary freezes in place so no raises for either of us this year.
I am going to try the thrift shop near me and also the one in my neighboring town. Hopefully they will have some spring stuff.
Things are certainly not desperate - just frustrating. Having support from everyone here does help. THANK YOU!
Hang in there chick and here's a HUG!
Norma
Norma
"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus
Uggh. I feel for what you mean and having clothes that fit. I am determined to lose a bit of weight to fit into what I do have. I cannot justify buying new when I have perfectly good clothes in my closet.(i'm not calling you fat! just me LOL)
However, there is something else I want that I don't have the money for and I have figured out a way to get it. I am going to redeem some points from credit card rewards to get a curtain rod and curtains for my bedroom. I might have to put a little in myself but it should cover most of it!
Good luck!