How to live like a million bucks when you're broke and scared

[lovinangels]

It happened again this morning.

I panicked. I could feel my chest tightening, my heart pounding.

It was cold. REALLY COLD. I haven't done ANY winter shopping yet. Three girls, no budget for clothes left for the month.

My husband is unconcerned, as I've started talking at a level I'm pretty sure only my dog understands, shrill with an occasional squeak. He lays back, feet up on the couch, playing with his $200 phone, which I threaten to sell.

Now, he's listening. 

He says, "Fine, I'll go upstairs." and off he goes, as my panic nears hysteria. UPSTAIRS, WTF,  get back down and deal with this!

This is a seasonal occurance for us. He likes to let this build, in anticipation of his hero moment.  As our family's CFO, I am actually really good at planning ahead. REALLY GOOD. with the memory of a door mouse.

He emerges from the attic, carrying bags of clearance winter clothing. Jackets, sweatshirts, pants, the whole shebang, purchased last year at less than a dollar a piece, and waiting to clothe and care for our girls, totally forgotten in the dusty ravages of the attic. 

What do you want? I've got three kids. Some days I don't remember my middle name.

My washer is humming happily now, crisis averted.

The reality is, we're still in the set up stage of our lives. We've had our kids young, and will still be building our future when hopefully I've got grandchildren.

I've got a few tips that have helped us survive the many, many, MANY instances of unemployment we've been through. True it helps that we've been saving for a house for over ten years, and we've used that money four times over when none was coming in, but try making five grand stretch five months sometime.

1) buy meat that's on sale. You can get drumsticks for .49 a lb, breaded and baked and tossed in hot sauce, you're living large. 

2) make your own take out. check out rachel rays sites for ideas, and then trim recipes to a reasonable budget. You may have to cook things longer with bone in breasts, say, or trim the meat off bones yourself, but hello, yummy chinese, goodbye msg!

3) don't skimp on your upkeep. just do it yourself. If you regularly get mani/pedis do them at home. Miss being pampered? Host a party! Have everyone bring their own nail supplies, especially tools, a bottle of wine, and a snack to share. You provide: basins to soak in, and plastic gloves. make sure nails are completely dry before slipping on gloves. No one brought scrub? make some with cocoa powder, oil, and brown or white sugar. 

check out rite aid and cvs for things like hair color and makeup. Riteaid offers monthly free bates, which if you can find a coupon for the item in question is a happy thing. I've had them pay me five bucks to take a L'oreal expert haircolor system. Highlights? Oh I think so! that makes another fun party, too!

4) Save the environment! Shut off the lights, and unplug anything that's blinking that you don't use. Learn to love the cleaning, foaming power of bottled lemon juice and baking soda! bonus: your kids will totally back you up on anything you can bill as eco friendly. They've been talking about green living in school for years, REAL green living is REAL cheap, and does not involve 500 dollar organic cotton sunsuits.

www.freecycle.org  Love this web address. Love it! My toddler thought it was Christmas this morning. she awoke to bags of "new" toys, picked up from one of the local McMansions free of charge, the price of answering an ad. We arrange pickups on errand packed trips to save gas. I've gotten entire wardrobes of designer clothes for the girls. Free. Just remember to give back, and your kids will also love the eco friendly aspect! Got a dud? drop it off at a donation bin, or slap it back on freecycle. Say in the ad that you received it on freecycle and it didn't fit, etc, to avoid recycling it to the same person!

5) extra cash is lying all around your house. Craigslist, craigslist, craigslist! you've got cash running through your veins, too, if you can stomach it. some places pay up to thirty dollars a visit. (yes, i've been that desperate, and yes, I feel good about it. Plasma saves lives.

6) clip coupons that work for you and sample like you mean it. google free samples, use them! set up an extra free email account on yahoo to deal with the spam.

I have more, but this is getting long. Another post it is.

[lovinangels]

Oct. 8, 2009 at 11:00 AM Oh, yeah, don't feel badly about using programs to help you get a leg up. Wic provides an obscene amount of milk, cheese, cereal, and juice, to moms who are pregnant, nursing, or have children under five. They provide formula or extra food for mom If you are exclusively breastfeeding. The free lunch program at school can help, too.

(Original Poster)

[Lb128f]

Oct. 9, 2009 at 2:26 PM

Thanks!

[meandmyshadow]

Oct. 9, 2009 at 3:16 PM

   Shopping at resale shops for clothing.  Our Goodwill has reasonably priced clothing for myself and kids.

[KATMommie158]

Oct. 9, 2009 at 3:28 PM

Ohh, thatnks for the tips! I know how you feel! We, a family of 6, live on $800 a month. No, that's not a typo...

Keep up the great tips

[AWL]

Oct. 9, 2009 at 4:30 PM

This is great.  and maybe don't be too hard on yourself about having to start over so many times. I'm 33 and have a 3 and a 2 yr old, we're just starting out too. I think you're much more responsible!

[Number1Wifey]

Oct. 9, 2009 at 7:40 PM

awesome tip. thanks for sharing

[epoh]

Oct. 9, 2009 at 9:03 PM

Thanks for sharing mama :~) I do pretty much all those things already! DD got her Christmas gifts last year off of free cycle. She loved her cloth books, Mellissa and Doug puzzle, and some clothes. I find DDs clothes year round from freecycle, and I buy mine from goodwill on their sale days.

[Pollymom]

Oct. 9, 2009 at 9:10 PM

You frugal mamas are the bomb!!

I'm trying in my own little ways here and there, but you had some good ones up there. Thank you!

[milmiracle]

Oct. 9, 2009 at 9:34 PM

Thanks for sharing and necessity is the mother of most inventions and am sure everyone has more they use, lol.