IN DESPERATE NEED OF HELP!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2007
IN DESPERATE NEED OF HELP!!!
9
Fri, 02-02-2007 - 4:27pm

Longtime lurker in need of help. Just did bills and things are not looking good. I need some good tips and ideas on how to save money ,get free things, free entertainment ,how to make extra money at home.clothes donations? I really need the help I have a two year old daughter and one on the way in july. we do not qualify for food stamps..we make 30.00 too much...not sure how we are gonna make it. I can't work due to a complicated pregnancy but can move around. Got rid of my cable. and am selling our second car soon...any ideas would be appreciated! thanks in advance.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-14-2005
Fri, 02-02-2007 - 4:42pm
(((((HUGS))))) I've been there too, so I feel your pain!!!
Even though you make too much for food stamps, you may still qualify for WIC. You might check into that if you haven't already. One thing that I do is to get the sunday paper and cut coupons. I then check all the ads for things that are on sale, and buy what I have coupons for. Just an FYI too... beans and rice are cheap and go a long way. It helps to make out menus ahead of time so that you only buy what you need instead of impulse buying at the store. We also buy energy conserving light bulbs so that our electric bills are lower. We never go to the movie theater, but will sometimes rent movies. We also get movies from the library so we don't have to pay. You might check out Dave Ramsey's website too (I can't post the link b/c they have message forum, but you can google it).
HTH!!!!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
Fri, 02-02-2007 - 8:54pm

Hi Two
I am in your same boat and I have done a lot of research on this. I can feed my family there are 4 of us on $200 per month and that includes diapers, kitty litter, cat food, paper goods and cleaning supplies. Check out some of my favorite sites:
www.miserlymoms.com/MOMfrecipes2.htm
www.gasbuddy.com
www.livingonadime.com
www.stretcher.com
blessingsforlife.com/topindex/home/organizing.htm
www.homemakingcottage.com/index.html

We are on WIC and we almost qualify for food stamps so I am sure you will get WIC you can actually make quite a lot and still qualify. I make my menus from the miserly moms site and make a list right from that and I only shop at Walmart. I never cut coupons and I use only Walmart brand items. try the generic items and see for yourself what works for your family, we tried everything and there are only a couple of things that we use top brand. i use Parent's Choice Diapers for dd. I have tried target brand and they leak thes diapers have never leaked and a pack is only $5.95 or $10 for the huge pack. I use baby washclothes to wipe for wet diapers to save my wipes for dirty diapers or going out. I rarely use paper towels and I use cheap Comet powder to clean and I find that at the Dollar store. I just bought a huge bag of kitchen sponges, they are cut crooked but are the same as any other sponge and it was only $1. I use a broom instead of swiffer but I cant live w/out my magic eraser. We are cutting off our cable too and going to buy "bunny ears" to at least get some tv. The library is awesome. DD and I go all the time and read magazines and get books, CD's and movies. Dont forget on the internet you can go to the tv stations websites and get to watch shows that you miss. 2 other sites that I use:
www.craigslist.org
www.freecycle.org
On craigs list I just got a brand new convertable car seat in the box for free. Someone was moving and needed to get rid of it cause they didnt need it. You can buy all kinds of things that people are selling so if you want to make money you can sell stuff there and it is free to post it. On freecycle, you have to first give something away and then you can get 1 thing a week for free in your area. My friends both got great bicycles! I dont ever pay full price for baby items because 2nd hand baby stores have great things that look brand new. Try socks for 25 cents, onesies for 50 cents and I got a full size stroller for $14 and an umbrella stroller with a canopy, under stroller storage and a cup holder on it for $8. I really hope that this starts you on your way to an easier life. Dont worry, things will be ok. Hugs, Jessica

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
Fri, 02-02-2007 - 8:59pm
PS Two,
Be careful cause somethings at the dollar store are actually more expensive than Walmart but batteries are only $1. Sorry for rambling. Bye this time for real lol.
jessica
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-31-2006
Sat, 02-03-2007 - 9:21am

It sounds like you got some great advice - and I would be repeating what they told you, lol!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-2006
Sat, 02-03-2007 - 10:18am

I don't have any advice for you but I just wanted you to know that we are all here for you.

Lilypie Maternity tickers
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-18-2006
Sat, 02-03-2007 - 2:00pm
If you can apply for medicaid or medical if you live in California( they think they need to name it something special I guess). At least while your pregnant and afterwards the baby can be on. WIC, try getting WIC, it is different than food stamps. I am not on food stamps, but applied for WIC. When you are pregnant and 6 months after, they will give you cheese, milk, juice, cereal, and eggs for you. The baby for the first 6 months will get 9 cans ( 12.9 oz) of powdered formula a month. However you can say you want the liquid one, or you can breast feed. If you breast feed, you will get peanut butter, and other things for your self. After the baby is 6 months, each month you will get additional Juice and baby cereal. E-bay helped me alot with clothes! If you go to garage sales, that might help with a bassinett, or other things. Thrift stores will be a good source for clothes. If you have a DVD player, you can play old DVDS for entertainment. I am sure you do not want to subscribe to netflix( costs under $20.00 a month for unlimited dvds, get three at a time) Board games will be a source of entertainment, books, cards, anything really. You could even get a cheap coloring book, lol. Hey I color with my kids. If you drink any thing that comes in a can, save cans. You can turn them in for money. Maybe sew some of your babys clothes or blankets. Day care is expensive, so even if you did work......you would be putting that money into day care. I hope your situation gets better. By the way, did you have a baby shower? If not maybe you can have one. I think every child deservies one, besides its been a couple of years since your last baby.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 02-03-2007 - 2:10pm
I don't have any advice that hasn't been given, but I just wanted to wish you luck, and welcome you to the board. I hope you come out of lurkdom now and start posting, and let us get to know you.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2007
Sat, 02-03-2007 - 2:32pm

Thank you all so much for all your help.Those were GREAT ideas. I hope to develop some friendships on here been kinda lonely lately.

Leia
Mom to Haylee,2
#2 is on the way..7/8/07

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-18-2007
Sun, 02-04-2007 - 6:10pm
I am in the exact same situation, my husband works and I stay home w/ our 2yr old and we have another due in May. We are really stressed right now because money is so tight, we have been scrimping for so long we get frustrated that we'll never catch a break! Everytime we think we've got all our bills covered, something comes up and we're thrown an extra expense, whether its a car problem or whatever. I am so tired of trying to play catch up, and we never get to go out or do anything. But to try and conserve $, I buy generic everything, one grocery shop every other week, and I always freeze my left overs for an extra meal. Pasta goes a long way, and its cheap, also, I cash in soda cans and find that $10 or even $5 worth of cans can cover you for a meal or two if need be! It sucks having to live like this, but I keep telling myself that somehow, someway, my hubby and I will look back on this a appreciate what we had to do to get farther in life, and maybe in 10 years we'll be able to laugh about it! But for right now, we try to keep the sense of humor in life and even though it can be difficult, you have to try to think of the good stuff you have. I also get WIC, and w/ my hubby's income, which he makes $17/hr. we still get it, and that can be a life saver...try to apply for it, you should get it, we applied 2x for it and the 2nd time we approved, esecially if you have a baby on formula, WIC will save you a boatload of $! Good luck and if you ever need to vent about lack of $, I'm here, I'm dealing w/ it right along w/ ya! Good luck!

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