Tuesday, June 2, 2009

How do I save more money?

So Brent and I are broke, in debt and have bad credit. What do I do about this?

Step # 1 -- cut down on the outgoing money.
A) Save $223 a month by using a window unit A/C in the Living room instead of running central air.
B) Save $120 a month by switching Raziel off "Breastfeeding Exclusively" to "Formula Exclusive" at WIC.
C) Save $65 a month by switching to Sprint and having my bill paid by my employer. Better phones, more usage, more fun stuff to do, less money.
D) Start driving out to Walmart to buy groceries instead of paying too much at Food Lion. I probably save $50 a month this way.
E) Go to the women's center 2x a month -- I donate baby things I don't need like the bazillons of baby bathtubs I have or a few toys Alina has never played with and they give me diapers.

Step #2 -- increase income.
A) Complain to employer enough to where they give me commission a month
early. This increases our income by about $400-$500 a month if the month goes well.
B) Brent takes a promotion. He works an extra 6 hours a week and makes an extra 50 cents an hour. This increases our income by about $300 a month.

Step # 3 -- Insert Monkey Wrench
A) Rebbecca gets sick, now I pay $85 a week for child care
B) Someone steals my WIC folder and I have to buy milk eggs and cheese for 2 months (it's June so I have it again!)
C) Cars start breaking down. Pay $65 for Brent to get ramps and oil change equipment. Also pay for new spark plugs twice - $30, new oil pan $95, New spark plug wires and tools $85
D) Creditors start taking me to court over bills that have piled up and gotten way past due. Brent arranges to have our affairs resolved by a company called The Credit Exchange. We pay them $269 monthly and they consolidate our credit cards and pay the bills we weren't paying.
E) Husband gives away $100 to someone who he decides needs it more than we do.

So essentially, I am am behind on my house bill, cell bill and my electric. The only thing I have bought for myself in the last 5 months is a $3 shirt from Walmart and I spent $30 on my porch garden. I have rosemary, basil and tomatoes growing -- essentially to cut down on grocery expenses. We have about $60 to our name between savings and checking and we still have to make it to the 15th. My dad agreed to give me money for gas so I can still come see my sister graduate... and I borrowed about $200 from a paycheck advance place and I pay that back in 2 weeks. I don't know where I've gone wrong. I'm doing all I can to resolve the money problems and it seems God and my husband are not concerned and aren't helping matters...

Suggestions Welcome.

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