Making your own cleaning products and such is a GREAT money saver. And the recipes are super easy.
I am such a coupon novice, I won't even touch that subject.
$500 does seem a LOT for 3 people's groceries though. I know Gabe has his own bills, but since he is eating there, asking for him to pick up groceries more often doesn't seem unreasonable. Is he helping with the mortgage? If not, maybe asking him to do all the grocery shopping would help spread things out a bit. Plus planning around what's on sale / cheap cuz it's in season. I know your produce is expensive since most of it is shipped from Cali or the mid-West, but even so...LOL. I second the Costco idea (won't do Sam's Club personally since it's owned by Wal-Mart). The $50 membership fee can be made back several times over.
As for utilities and such, definitely turn up the setting on the a/c and turn down the heat. A couple degrees makes a noticeable difference on the bill. I set my a/c for 85 when I'm gone and 80-82 when I'm home.
Coming up with a budget is hard. I know you feel like you've already cut out everything you could. Especially with those contracts tying you down. But those can be future cuts if nothing else. Every little $5 helps. It adds up.
If you have data on your phone, you may be able to just use that and drop internet at the house. Or you can cut the data from the phones. Does Marc have a phone you could get rid of? Cut down the texting on the plans?
Also, I know Gabe's car has been having lots of issues. Would it be possible to cut back to one car? That would save a ton on insurance and repairs even though it would be horrendously inconvenient.
Michelle - Proud DR Rockette S: 28JUL07, D'd: 29OCT09 http://tinyurl.com/27j9qo2
Oh, the other thing you can mess with is the temp on your water heater.
And wash your clothes mostly on cold and at most warm. When you're doing a lot of laundry not using the hot setting makes a difference in the utilities.
Michelle - Proud DR Rockette S: 28JUL07, D'd: 29OCT09 http://tinyurl.com/27j9qo2
Also....for the food....plant some of your own! I know it's too late for this summer, but plant a winter garden and a summer garden next year!
Looks like you are zone 7b, so you should be able to plant everything for summer from tomatoes, squash, and watermelon to beans, carrots, peppers, and corn. Maybe try and plant some herbs as well as those can be very expensive to buy. Rosemary is a bush that is very hardy and never has to be replanted. Basil, thyme, sage and thyme generally have to be replanted every year.
Michelle - Proud DR Rockette S: 28JUL07, D'd: 29OCT09 http://tinyurl.com/27j9qo2
Great ideas! Unfortunately I already do most of them.
Oh yeah, we're already down to one car. His died completely about a month ago. The electrical all blew out. Since his new job is in the next city over, I drive the golf cart to work 3 days a week so he can take the car the 12 miles to work. When the rain comes or it gets cold I'm going to have to spend more in gas running back and forth and more time doing that too. Oh well......nothing I can do about it.
I would SO love to be able to garden. I've tried. Nothing is better than garden tomatoes. I can kill silk plants though so it doesn't work out for me. I follow ever instruction and everything and still can't seem to do it. Worth a try again though. Any idea what the best way to break up hard clay is and how to condition the hard soil here? The people at Home Depot aren't very helpful.
$500 isn't only food, it's cleaning products, cosmetics (maybe $15 every two months on that so not really much), and paper goods.
I could do 80-82 degrees in the summer if it weren't humid. In the humidity and with a broken ceiling fan in my bedroom it's just not going to happen. I'd never sleep again. I have it set at 78 and I'm miserable most of the time. UGH.
Making my own cleaning products....hmm....not a bad idea. I may look into that. I used a shark steam mop and a shark handheld steamer to clean most things. I hate chemicals. I've been known to use vinegar and water and peroxide for some things too. I only use cold to wash and I never pay more than $5 for laundry detergent but it would be worth seeing if I could make my own and stretch it farther.
No, Gabe doesn't help with the rent at all. Doesn't make enough. He pays groceries when he has the money. Otherwise, it's all on me. Icky icky icky! Oh well.....it is what it is, right? I made the situation, no one did it to me. Now, with your ideas and support I may be able to improve it.
Keep 'em coming!
T19 M15 S19 XH47 M43 bomb12/4/07 PA5/07 S12/26/07 D final 11/17/08 Back together with no defined R 05/2010 confused....to say the least!!!
I get that he's been unemployed. I get that times are rough. But he owes you child support under the divorce decree. And he's living there, so he needs to contribute in whatever ways he can. Food, cleaning, money, etc. Just because he moved back home doesn't mean it's a free ride.
As for the clay, I have that here as well. How deep does it go and is there any topsoil over it? Break down thru the clay whenever you are planing, if you can't go through it at least go several inches below what you are planting. Then use a planting mix and a root fertilizer to backfill the hole before planting your baby plants.
Michelle - Proud DR Rockette S: 28JUL07, D'd: 29OCT09 http://tinyurl.com/27j9qo2
One of our former DB friends made a lovely little one foot garden and she said it is nice to have fresh veggies for her and her daughter, you could also get the topsy turvey thing for tomatoes. You can get an above ground planter. Put in a liner and buy some top soil so you don't need to worry about the clay. Yes dome upfront cost but then you aren't killing your self with all the clay.
Kat
Me-53(and learning!) S24, S21, D18, D17 Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming. Dory
It occurred to me this morning that you probably haven't even shared any of the financial concerns with Gabe, that you haven't even given him a chance to respond to the situation appropriately, that you haven't given him space or opportunity to be a responsible partner.
So, it is time for you to woman up. Quit being the household's mother. You are Marc's mother, not Gabe's. Gabe is your equal and your partner. Treat him like that.
Right now you are treating him as if you are the parent and he is a kid who came home after college, a parent who wouldn't be doing that kid any favors, BTW, for allowing the existing patterns to go for so long.
Don't say you can't talk to Gabe. If you can't, then write him an email. If he doesn't read email, print him a letter. If he can't read, write up an email and have your computer read it aloud to him if you can't bring yourself to do it.
"Gabe, I ran some numbers, and financially things are much worse for us than I had realized. I'm stressed, I'm scared. Let's sit down this weekend and figure out a plan together to make us more financially sound than we are right now. Together I think we can make it work, be each other's rock. I'm thinking that we can partner to make a workable budget, and brainstorm on how to save money, maybe think of how to leverage our off-work hours to save money somehow. It won't be easy, but if we get some power over this money stuff, it will sure feel good."
BTW, sex will be much better if you quit parenting Gabe.
Also, if you google how to feed a family cheap, there are tons of sites:
I know A LOT about the grocery game. I belonged to that when I first started couponing. Great for someone who doesn't have any know how and wants to learn the right way without lots of extra work. You have to pay per store list though so unless you are going to do it faithfully, you shouldn't go there.
I'm looking through the rest slowly. Thanks for the leads.
There is no way around it. I'm going to have to find a second job. Not easy considering the economy is horrible and everyone is looking for more income. The search begins.........
T19 M15 S19 XH47 M43 bomb12/4/07 PA5/07 S12/26/07 D final 11/17/08 Back together with no defined R 05/2010 confused....to say the least!!!
