You guys that are saying yes to the question need to go here... NOW.
It is time to get educated on what is really happening.
Are You Having A Tough Time Making Ends Meet?
by minimus 122 Replies latest jw friends
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dinah
Long, charged thread!
We're making ends meet, but barely and if the cost of food continues to rise, things are only gonna get tougher.
Every January hubby gets a modest pay raise, but our insurance goes up just enough to take all of the increase. That has happened 3 years in a row. Last year, they worked 28-32 hours a week for about 9 months. Short paychecks suck. Yes, he did look and continues to look for another job. The only thing he found paid $8 a hour, which is no better than 32 hours at $12/hr. He works for what used to be Tyco (remember the company whose CEO stole MILLIONS and is now in federal prison?) The company is re-organizing. They shut down a few plants in American last year. We hope his plant isn't next.
Alot can be said for not spending money you dont have on things you just want. At this point the only thing I really want is to have my power and water on, mortgage paid for the month and food so I can feed my kids. We pretty much have those bases covered. One little bump and I could watch everything fall apart.
We NEVER eat out. On the days I have to take my son to Birmingham to see his doctor, we usually stop and eat, but thats only because it's far from home and he's hungry.
I haven't bought clothes in YEARS. Last spring I bought two pair of pants and two matching tops at an outlet store for $45.00 (smart shopper!) Thank God Levi's last for a long time.
We grow a garden in the spring and I can peas and green beans, tomatoes, and vegetable soup, freeze a bunch of corn, okra, and squash. That helps out alot with groceries. If I loved in the city I wouldn't have that.
Corporate greed is making it hard on everyone, and the middle class is disappearing fast.
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MsMcDucket
Those rich people get behind on their payments too. You know like the payments on a million dollar home or the payment for the Lamborgini (sp?). They all went into the same data bank at the credit reporting agency.
Did you know that these agencies sell your credit information? You wonder how these credit card companies know how to send out a high pay deductible card to a person's home?
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noni1974
Yes I'm having trouble making ends meet.November was a really bad month for driving a cab.I couldn't pay my rent.So when December rolled around I got another job.I actually got an old job I had years ago back.I paid Novembers rent in December.I expceted to pay Decembers rent in January and January's rent in January.That's not going to happen.Because I had an accident Firday night I can't drive a cab till Monday or Tuesday.However now I'm working a steady job and I won't be able to drive a cab for 12 hours and work a day job at the same time.I've been working 7 days a week 64 hours a week since December.
My landlady has been very understanding.I don't have creidt cards because I prefer to live off the grid so to speak.I pay all my bills in cash.I had 3 shut off notices this week.I paid them just to keep them on.I was expecting to make 250.00 or 300.00 this weekend driving a cab.Which I was planning on giving to my landlady.Now I'm screwed.Plus I had shingles a few weeks ago from all the stress I've been under.
Plus add to that I just had to put 500.00 in my car.My only source of transportation.The work I had done was needed badly.I got the work done before my car fell apart.My boss will take it out in payments from my checks over 3 months.
I'll be ok but it will take longer to get back on track then I expected.I'm hoping for the end of Febuary or begining of March I'll be back on track and caught up with my rent.I'll have to watch what I spend like a hawk.I've been making and bringing my own lunch to work for weeks now.I've been cooking at home.I have been staying away from the bar I used to hang out in.
The cab business has gone down hill fast.I used to make 500.00 to 600.00 a week just working 3 nights a week.Now I hope to make half of that.My plan is to go full time at my day job as soon as I can.My boss is waiting for the busy season to start to give me the hours I want.I'll drive a cab on Saturday nights.I could probally drive Friday nights as well but I have to work Saturdays at my day job when I go full time so it would be very hard to get off work at my day job go and get my cab and drive for 12 hours and go back to the day job for 5 hours before I get any sleep.Then I would have to drive Saturday nights as well.I may be able to do that but I would have to keep it to the weeks I don't get a pay check from my day job.
I feel like I'm killing myself and getting no where for my efforts.
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NewYork44M
The rich are in a recession. The poor are in a depression.
My father used to explain the difference between a recession and a depression: "when your neighbor is out of a job it is a recession, when you are out of a job, it is a depression." It is all about perspective.
I now live in NYC and the economy is going strong. a large part of the strong economy is foreign investors and visitors who can spend in NYC at a discount because of the weak dollar.
I lived in FL until recently, the economy was hit very hard by the real estate bubble. They will have a very hard time adverting a severe recession.
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lonelysheep
No trouble making them meet only because I have a job. Otherwise, I'd be screwed. There is never any money left over. I live with someone who works full time as well, but consistently runs up his credit card debts-is comfy w/managing debt rather than eliminating it. I have no respect for that. I live within 30 miles of New York City. There are plenty of jobs but the cost of living is extremely high. It is very important to have a lot of cash at all times.
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TweetieBird
Wow! Had to jump in on this one. First, let me say that YES I am having a tough time making ends meet? I take full responsibility for this as I made the debt. I have always lived above my means. They say admitting something is the first step to recovery. There, I've said it.
Up until last summer I had no trouble paying all of my bills and then lost my job (I'm in the mortgage industry...need I say more?) I've blown through all of my savings trying to keep credit cards paid and now I'm out of money and getting phone calls every day from the credit card people. I have been sending out my resume religiously but haven't secured another job yet.
One of my credit card companies has offered me a "hard-ship program" but I can't afford to even do that right now. I would sell my car and drive a rust-bucket but I'm upside down on it so I'm pretty much up craps creek right now. Not sure what I am going to do, but I have to face the music.
Most Americans that I know have a "have it now, pay for it later" mentality. That's why we are in so much trouble.
I will find a way out of the mess that I have created but it will take some time. Once I am out, I plan on NEVER getting into debt again. I'm learning to live on less and have seriously downsized my lifestyle.
Congrats to all you "frugal" ones...wish I had been like you!
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mkr32208
My sister became ill when I was 22 almost 23, someone had to be with her at the hospital and she was hospitalized for over three months, my mom couldn’t leave her by herself in the hospital so obviously she could not work, guess who picked up the slack? Me.
At 23 I became the sole provider, *I* paid the rent (oh and I live in Los Angeles where rent costs an arm and a leg), I paid all the bills, electric, gas, phone, cell phone, cable a car payment ($378, I think that was my favorite bill), insurance and groceries, plus when my mom was in the hospital I paid for her t be able to eat at the hospital and for someone to take care of my other sister, and I had to pay for parking every time I went to the hospital which also happens to be half way across town.
I used my credit cards A LOT all six of them and it took me a long time to get them paid off, in fact I still carry a balance on one of them. My sister has appointments at least twice a month and my mom has to stay home with her, so guess who is still carrying the financial responsibility in my house? *Me*. I’m only 24 but I’ve been a grown up for ages, so don’t
No, Lola is full of shit. She maxed out 6 CC's at 23 and paid them off by 24 while supporting a family in LA? (and in her own words it "took her a long time...") Umm, yeah sure you did (fciknug aril) Plus where did her sisters insurance come from? If her mom wasn't working where did the medical come in? Who picked up the tab for the 3 months in the hospital? What does that come to? Half a million or more? Who paid for that? Then her mom ate at the hospital every day. I work in the hospital and don't eat in the hospital because it's too expensive it's gonna run you $15 to eat there twice a day easy. Plus she had an in home sitter for her sister? Try another $15-25 and hour!
This is far worse than RR's lie. By far. RR was lying (if he was) just to make himself seem cooler. There were no "victims" this clown is lying to make others feel bad about themselves. To make her seem BETTER than other posters on here. Lola you are a LIAR, you should be ashamed...
Maybe we should all start threads about it and freak out for the next few weeks?
As to the others on here we have some who are both ways. Some who are frugal to the point of pinching pennies into copper wire some who go crazy with the cards. I'm right in the middle. I can afford my debt. Even with my greatly reduced income I can still pay the monthly bills. I will persevere. I will overcome. I always will. That said it INFURIATES me that the system is set up to PREY on the poor. Banks and CC's are just waiting to pounce on you if you miss ONE pmt or are late one day they jump in there and make it almost impossible to catch back up. THAT infuriates me! Back when our income was over 100k a year if I bounced a check first I didn't care $35 was nothing. But if I did for some reason feel like calling it was a simple matter to call the bank and say "hey refund this" and it was all "yes sir no problem!" however when they can look at your accounts and they KNOW they have you over a barrel they don't give you ANYTHING back. I know I've BEEN on the other side of the desk (when I was about lola's age) and when I look back I am ASHAMED of how I acted and the things I did.
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Sunnygal41
DTM, that's how i've been living MY life also. In fact, i have been getting RID of things this past two years or so.......cleaning out the closets, etc. I HAD to get a new, used car because my old lady finally wouldn't go anymore........she was 14 years old. i have had this computer for over 5 years, and the monitor was given to me because my other monitor finally burned out. i haven't been to a movie in I can't remember when, and, I stay home every weekend because i don't HAVE the money to spend anyways. I don't even have cable tv anymore, and don't plan on getting it again after i pay them the 68 dollars i owe them. i have basic telephone, which means NO call waiting etc..........i don't even have long distance, i use a calling card when i need to call my mom, who is the ONLY person I call long distance. I have two pairs of slacks and one pair of shoes, one winter coat, one pair of gloves, etc. I like not having alot of "stuff", and plan on continuing to get rid of everything i don't actively need or use on a regular basis.
Terri
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sammielee24
No, Lola is full of shit. She maxed out 6 CC's at 23 and paid them off by 24 while supporting a family in LA? (and in her own words it "took her a long time...") Umm, yeah sure you did (fciknug aril) Plus where did her sisters insurance come from? If her mom wasn't working where did the medical come in? Who picked up the tab for the 3 months in the hospital? What does that come to? Half a million or more? Who paid for that? Then her mom ate at the hospital every day. I work in the hospital and don't eat in the hospital because it's too expensive it's gonna run you $15 to eat there twice a day easy. Plus she had an in home sitter for her sister? Try another $15-25 and hour!
This is far worse than RR's lie. By far. RR was lying (if he was) just to make himself seem cooler. There were no "victims" this clown is lying to makeothers feel bad about themselves. To make her seem BETTER than other posters on here. Lola you are a LIAR, you should be ashamed...
Maybe we should all start threads about it and freak out for the next few weeks?
That's what I started to twitch about. The dollars just ain't adding up in my head and especially someone at that age having that kind of money! There are obviously large gaps that weren't filled - perhaps we will be enlightened by Lola. sammieswife.