MOMania

By horrible blog!

August 21, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this

Yes, I go on 1 vacation a year and enjoy every minute of, counting my blessings and the time with my 3 kids. I go to one tech game now and my wife is thrilled for me to be able to do that. But I guess it comes down to perspective.

By momtoAlex&Max

August 21, 2008 6:22 PM | Link to this

Wow. This was a good topic and the forum was locked till just now. What a pity!

By Stacey

August 21, 2008 7:06 PM | Link to this

I am a self professed cheapskate but the economy has definitely but a strain on my already tight budget. We are eating out a lot less and when we do, it’s at cheaper restaurants. I’ve always “brown bagged” my lunch at least three days a week but now I pretty much always do. There used to only be the same 3-4 people in the breakroom during lunch but now there is always a line for the microwave and some people end up eating at their desks simply because there aren’t enough seats in the tiny breakroom. On the days that I do eat out (usually because I have to run an errand & have to eat on the run), what I eat is determined by who has the best coupon and/or $ menu.

My meal planning is also largely depends on what’s on sale. My primary grocery store marks down (30-50%) the meat and produce with that day’s “sell by” date early in the morning. I either cook of freeze the meat the same day and I cook the produce the same day I buy it. I also use coupons that I get from the Sunday paper and online sites. I often come across coupons for free or BOGO items and I use the free coupons even if it’s something I can’t use (such as pet food) then give the item away to someone who I know will want it. I only use BOGO coupons if it’s something I really want. I’m also making more casseroles and such to use up scraps of leftovers that would have gone straight in the garbage this time last year.

My son has noticed the change somewhat. We used to buy him some kind of little toy or trinket nearly everytime we went somewhere but now we don’t and we told him it’s because we just don’t have the money right now. He still asks occasionally but it doesn’t (seem to) faze him when we say no. My son also gets 1/2 the number of haircuts as he used to, much to his delight. My husband has to keep his haircut for his job so that hasn’t changed. My husband tried cutting my son’s very curly hair a couple of years ago and we all agreed that we won’t allow him to do that again. :-) I’ve always done my own hair but my manicures and pedicures have gone bye-bye.

By horrible blog!

August 21, 2008 7:14 PM | Link to this

well perspective and oh yea, humility, kindness and at least a hint of desire to be a spouse and to parent.

By Theresa

August 21, 2008 7:16 PM | Link to this

We’ll leave up the topic to discuss Friday since the commenting was closed all day Thursday.

By motherjanegoose

August 22, 2008 6:12 AM | Link to this

I POSTED THIS COMMENT LAST NIGHT AND ( LIKE MANY OTHERS) IT CAME IN PREVIOUS DAY’S TOPIC, SO I HAVE MOVED IT TO TODAY, BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE COMMENTS THAT WENT INTO THE WRONG TOPIC.

This is all very confusing to me…the techno problems. I checked in a few times today ( I gave myself the week off but my phone is still ringing with clients who need it NOW) and cannot figure out what is happening…BUT as my kids will tell you…it took me months to learn how to cut and paste ( so computers are a mystery)…they had to write it down as I am a visual learner…oh wow…new topic for you Theresa…learning styles with children…check in with me if you are interested.

I am very frugal. my husband ( while he does carpool to work) is what I call a darter…he will dart to Walgreen’s to pick up some gum. I try to organize all of my trips to make sense and waste less gas. I have IN days ( yesterday …while I cleaned out the fridge, pantry and freezer…yuck) and OUT days…today at the bank Cosco, Fed Ex etc.

I am careful about wasting gas and time.

I am just hustling to earn more so that we can keep our son in college and have a bit of $$$ for his sister to go too…LOL.

I also use coupons as much as I can. We had some for ice cream BOGO that we used at Baskin Robbins in Hawaii and they looked at us like we were from Mars….probably the tourist have so much $$$ there that they never see coupons…milk was $5.69 a gallon at Costco….yikes!

It seems like so many more places are offering coupons.

Remember…my epitaph ( sp?) will be DO WE HAVE A COUPON?…yep right on my head stone!

Hope this is up to speed tomorrow! good Luck!

By deidre_NC

August 22, 2008 6:33 AM | Link to this

since i was laid off for several months i have been a lot more frugal than usual. i usually am, but lay off made me even more so. things like tv services cut down etc. i did make one huge mistake-i had all my bills (dtv-verixon cell and landline) bundled to save a little-well doing that enacted a brand new contract for the cell and dtv service-i didnt realize that or i would never have done it..grr at me..grocery buying is nothing but what we HAVE to have. dont go anywhere on my day off. i have finally gotten a new job that is a big cut in pay-so frugalioty still reigns here. my daughter just got her 1st car (thanks granpa!!) and i am trying to teach her how just little trips use so much gas—she is learning. she works so her gas money comes from her own pocket-as does her huge insurance bill. i am getting a new loan from my bank to pay off some credit cards so that will help tremendously. my credit score (which i had been trying so hard to rebuild after a post divorce plunge) has actually risen 100 points during these lay off months!!!-so that was awesome news—now my loan is much lower interest rate and i will have more disposable income each month. we just arent buying anything we dont have to have. nothing-no eating out-take my lunch almost everyday..daughter is taking her lunch too to work. and she has been tkaing food from home when she goes to the lake etc…i was proud of her for that. its really been just a decide what we have to have against what we are used to having-makes a big difference.

By deidre_NC

August 22, 2008 6:47 AM | Link to this

also-all pedicures and nail and salon trips have been stopped-i really miss that lol..i also miss eating out occasionally-i actually miss that a lot!!

By Smart Ace

August 22, 2008 8:08 AM | Link to this

My wife has gone from shopping at Publix to shopping at the Super Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart is a freaking zoo….I hate Wal-Mart…..Going to Wal-Mart is like watching an episode of Jerry Springer…..nothing but low class people on parade but hey the prices are cheap.

I miss Publix.

By Kathy

August 22, 2008 8:27 AM | Link to this

Yes! The economy has definitely changed our spending habits. Like motherjanegoose, I try to consolidate errands so I am not driving as much. I have always shopped at Kroger (my mom has worked for them for 30 years so it is sacreligious for me to shop at Publix)and I try to buy Kroger brands whenenver possible. On top of the economy putting a damper on our budget, my husband just recently took a job making less money than the previous job. We are still trying to work out how the pay cut will affect us and I am VERY nervous about that. It might mean me taking a part time job to make ends meet, but I guess you do what you gotta do!

By MA

August 22, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this

Smart Ace, try going to Wal-Mart at an earlier time. My favorite time to go for my “big” trips is between 5-8 a.m. There are no customers and only people stocking the shelves. Love it!! If I need just a few things I try to go between 3-5 p.m. before the riff raff get there. I NEVER go to Wally World on weekends during the afternoons.

We are trying to be frugal. With one kid in college and one a junior in h.s. we are hoping they both keep scholarships. We do still have our early morning breakfasts out on weekends just by ourselves. Getting ready for the empty nest. lol

By JJ

August 22, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this

We all sound alike!! I’ve started using more coupons than before.

I’ve always been a store-brand fan, and a Buy one, get one fan too. I eat lunch out every day, but have started eating salads, instead of the burgers, etc.

What’s killing me is my 17 year old, who can’t seem to find a job. She is nickel & diming me to death, and takes my car and burns up all the gas. (I have since put an end to that.) If she can’t find a job, I may have to find a second job myself. We only have one vehicle, and I don’t get home until 4:30. So her only working nights and weekends isn’t cutting it with prospective employers…..UGH..that and she has to be 18 to work retail.

By michelle

August 22, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this

Teresa, I have a suggestion for a topic. I hope you haven’t covered it before…

My husband comes from a broken home. His dad is remarried. The woman he married is less stepmom and more “dad’s wife” since they married when my husband and his brothers were adults.

She has two kids from her first marriage and my father-in-law was a better dad to them than he was to his own kids.

Anyway, now that there are grandkids involved they show preference for the bio grandkids of the stepmom.

This really angers me, especially since my parents are dead and my husband’s parents are the only grandparents.

Does anyone else have to deal with an evil stepparent who favors her own kids and grandkids over the natural grandkids? How do they handle it?

By Smart Ace

August 22, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this

@JJ

Grocery stores hire at 16. So do most fast food joints…..I worked at Publix for six years off and on through high school and college.

If your daughter is having a hard time finding a job she may not be looking very hard.

By Name Game

August 22, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this

Well, Smart Ace, since your wife now shops there, I guess she’s now one of the low class people on parade.

Get over yourselves, people.

By JJ

August 22, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

Smart Ace I think you are correct. I KNOW there has to be a job out there for her, especially with kids going back to school.

Our car situation is probably what is holding her back. I simply cannot buy her a vehicle right now. That’s one reason she has to get a job is to help get her a car. I’m a single mom and simply cannot take on a car note and those added expenses. My current car is paid off.

By JJ

August 22, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this

I simply cannot stand Walmart. I won’t shop there. Their stores are dirty, you can’t find anyone to help you, let alone speak english. I feel like I need a shower after I leave their stores. I can’t get home fast enough to wash my hands.

I shop at Target.

By new mom

August 22, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this

Morning all!

Hi JJ, I was wondering, what about a babysitting job? There might be families out there who need help in the late afternoon or evenings, between parents’ working. And weekends too…Babysitting was my only job (well other than school) until I was 17, and honestly it paid just as good if not better, considering the cash aspect :)

Maybe there are some neighborhood kids whose parents might need help those hours—and if it’s in the neighborhood, she woudn’t need the car! Just an idea…She could print some flyers and go door to door, introducing herself.

Hey guys, I still shop at publix but the only things I buy that aren’t on sale are fresh fruit and salad ingredients. Everything else I buy when it’s very cheap or bogo, then keep our pantries and freezer stocked. So some weeks we stock up weeks, if their sales are things we use, other weeks we just buy fresh produce. And I save the frustration of going to walmart (especially taking a baby to walmart!) and also have pantries full, ready to donate to the co-ops when I can. :) And I always have a big wad of coupons too!!

By catzmeow

August 22, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this

Like everyone else, the economy has hit me hard also. I used to work out at the gym three days a week, I’ve cut back to two days and walk on my lunch hour 1-2 days a week instead. I’ve cut back on trips to the nail salon. I eat out once a week, only buy what I really need at the store and I’m going to be searching for coupons starting this week-end. I still try to feed my pets the best food I can at the present time. The next cut backs may be with the quality food they eat. I hope things will be better for all of us very soon…..we are all suffering in some way.

By JJ

August 22, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this

Newmom Hey girl, I’m one step ahead of you. We did the posting of flyers last summer, and only got one call, for one afternoon of babysitting. She does babysit here and there, but it’s just not enough money. She had a summer gig with a co-worker of mine, and she sat for one of their kids three days a week this past summer.

But thanks for the idea……I’m hoping a position with a day care close to her school will open up, and she can walk from school……

By DB

August 22, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this

JJ, between my son, my daughter and my daughter’s boyfriend, three teenagers had between them 5 jobs this summer. However, with a senior year schedule full of concerts and AP classes, she has quit her summer job and will only be babysitting on Saturday nights (as she put it, “they pay me to study!”) The boys have gone back to college and their jobs are also open. So I hope your daughter can find a job. The reason my daughter quit her job is that they could not guarantee that she would be finished by 9 pm each night (it was a restaurant).

I refuse to shop for groceries at Wal-Mart, unless I a there for something else. Terrible selection, and the prices just aren’t that much better than Publix, especially with coupons.

By adawgfan

August 22, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

Smart Ace- I will agree with you about Wal-mart being a zoo. Although, I see people of all walks of life at ours. I see the execs’ and the doctors’ wives as well as those not as fortunate.

I think the thing that hacks me off the worst at Wal-mart is the extremely poor customer service and the long check out lines. The clientele (sp?) doesn’t matter to me. I will have to make an exception to this. I do get irate when I get behind those people who have their milk, juice, cheese and cereal separated for WIC just too see them drive off in a maxed out 2007 surburban.

By JJ

August 22, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this

Does anyone shop at a butcher or meat market? I like to go get “freezer” deals at Wilkes Meat Market in Suwanee. I can buy a ton of chicken, hamburger, steaks, etc. for about $60, and store it in my freezer in the garage. It will last about a month in my house, with just the two of us.

By nurse&mother

August 22, 2008 10:45 AM | Link to this

I see my husband has been posting on his blog again. adawgfan is actually me.

By nurse&mother

August 22, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this

JJ-sometimes I go to a buther’s market. I also get some meat at Sam’s. I will buy a big pork tenderloin and have the buther there slice it into smaller pieces. When I get home, I put them into freezer bags (it will make 4 meals for us). I also buy Tyson frozen chicken at Sam’s. I can get out however many pieces I need at a time. It is not too expensive IMO.

By new mom

August 22, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this

Ha ha JJ, I’m not surprised you’re one step ahead! ;) I hope she finds what she both wants and needs soon. And if she does want to try the babysitting angle again, I have some other ideas (if she hasn’t already done them!) 1) get certified in first aid, CPR, and take a ‘babysitter’ class 2) use her email contacts, yours too, and send out emails, advertising her skills and certifications, 3) try door to door introductions, instead of just relying on flyers, since most parents want to ‘know’ the girl before leaving their kids with them, 4) offer a special, like ‘try me for 3 hours, get the 4th hour free!’ Something to make her stand out from the other babysitters in the area.

And those certifications would be great to help get that job at the daycare (if not mandatory anyway) She might even want to offer herself a few hours a week at the daycare for ‘free’ (like an internship) so that when a position opens up, she’s at the top of their list.

Sorry if you didn’t want all these random thoughts of mine…but maybe they will help. These days you have to be creative, think differently from everyone else, and try to set yourself apart from the competition, whether it’s for babysitting jobs or corporate!

By new mom

August 22, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this

We don’t use a butcher/meat market, other than the butcher at publix! We might consider it, if a) one were closer to us, and b) we invested in a second freezer. I have yet to decide that a second freezer will save us money in the long run, between the cost to purchase one and the electricity. Our regular freezer is big enough to keep it stocked well enough for us.

I do the same thing too when meat is on sale, especially chicken. I bag them in freezer bags, sometimes in bbq or other sauces, and put the date on them too. Then you just have to get it out the night before, then either grill or bake for dinner. Super easy…not very creative, but easy. :)

By JJ

August 22, 2008 11:06 AM | Link to this

Admit it Nurse You are double posting….. ha ha

By MA

August 22, 2008 11:27 AM | Link to this

Like I said before, I only do the “big” trip to Wal-Mart early(5-8 a.m.) on weekends. I buy Wal-Mart brands and only about 5 or 6 name brands. I don’t use coupons and I have saved in upwards of $70.00 going to Wal-Mart instead of Publix or Kroger.

By new mom

August 22, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this

I’d like to throw some more questions out….if I can be so bold!

If you have children, what are you telling them about the economy? Are you including them in the ‘saving’ mode? And are they becoming better savers than we as adults tend to be?

I’m hoping that a silver lining to this downturn is that our country will have a renewed interest in saving, being smart with money, and giving to others…and that it really catches on in our next generation. It seems like we have gone through many years of ‘me me me’! What do you all think? :D

By Smart Ace

August 22, 2008 11:43 AM | Link to this

My wife and I recently bought a much bigger fridge for the kitchen and put the old fridge in the garage. Being able to store more food has helped a great deal.

By Becky

August 22, 2008 11:58 AM | Link to this

I’ve pretty much always clipped coupons..I make a list of what I need & stick to it…We have a freezer, so as others have said, when meats are on sale, I stock up on them..JJ has your daughter thought about tutoring?

By JJ

August 22, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this

Thanks Newmom and Becky for some great suggestions.

I think I may have gotten her a job at a local sandwich shop. I know the manager pretty well and was asking if he was hiring at his other store by us. Instead, he needs someone during lunch down here by where I work. That would be perfect. She can take my car, I can get a ride to work, then she will come pick me up and we will go home.

Keep your fingers crossed for us!!!!

By MA

August 22, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this

We eat the deer meat that my husband gets and our freezer is full for the year. So, I don’t buy any meats at the groceries, just chicken.

By Robin

August 22, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this

We are cutting out the eating out, much to my dismay. But, we just can’t afford to eat out any more. Also, we cut off our satelite, internet, landline, cleaning lady, and weight-watchers. I am afraid that we will have to stop our daughter’s activites as well - gymnastics and ballet. I have stopped the pedicures, and have not gotten my hair colored/highlighted since ….. December? I can’t even remember. SInce I just negotiated with a law firm this morning about a credit card debt, and will be paying that over the next 3 month, I guess we will have to give up electricity or food.

By motherjanegoose

August 22, 2008 12:19 PM | Link to this

Good point new mom… I have said this before and I will say it again….your children are watching you ( and your spending habits).

I have always been frugal and do not want to waste money. My children have seen this their entire lives.

We went to Hawaii 2 weeks ago and I did lots of research to find us a 2 BDR 2 BA condo across a 2 lane street from the beach for $120 per night…yes, that is correct.

It had EVERYTHING we needed but no room service or fancy drinks with little umbrellas by the pool. We did have snorkel gear, beach umbrellas, a washer and dryer, full kitchen, chairs and boogie boards for riding the awesome waves.

I pulled extra meetings , so that we did not have to finance the trip and that it would be paid for.

I also took another week at the beach( 2 bdr 2 ba condo) with my sister for $500 total for the entire week. I will not tell anyone where this lovely condo is, as I plan to go there every summer! It was great!

We stopped at Cosco ( in Hawaii) to stock up on things, as soon as we got there. My son ( 21) and I were talking while in the pool and he said he hates to have any balance on his credit card….HOORAH!

There are SO MANY folks out there who are living paycheck to paycheck ( an some simply cannot help it due to circumstances beyond their control) but our society has a mentality that you deserve stuff…why not just charge it…..this sends the wrong message to our children. Any ripple will send them into a tailspin and makes their life difficult, just my opinion!

FYI… My daughter opened her first checking account and two of the first checks went to charity…I am proud of her!

By Theresa

August 22, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this

hey motherjane and michelle - i have cut and pasted both ideas into the big file- both very good ideas and will get used —- thanks!!

By JJ

August 22, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this

Hawaii, how awesome. I was there for an entire summer back when I was 11 years old. We rented a house on Oahu and stayed there for 6 weeks. My dad was teaching a summer class at the University. Then we got to spend a week in Kaui, and a week at Maui…..I have great memories of Hawaii…..beautiful but VERY expensive.

I refuse to give up my monthly pedicure. It’s the ONLY thing I do for me. I don’t get manicures, the nail polish is off within two days as I work with my hands, typing, filing, etc…..but don’t mess with my pedicures……

And I am so thankful I don’t have any credit cards. I have no debt, except for the medical bills from the surgery, and they are maintainable. I have great insurance, and the only costly bill will be the one from the hospital. I hate having debt. I just have my mortgage, and household bills, so I’m pretty lucky. I can’t handle credit cards. Too easy to use them.

By new mom

August 22, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this

JJ, hope that works out for you and your daughter! Sounds like a good plan :)

I totally agree with you, Motherjanegoose, children’s ideas of money are learned very early. Even if we aren’t technically teaching them about money, they are learing about it by watching us shop, pay bills, make decisions, etc.

My husband and I are examples of growing up in such different environments regarding money. I was taught that ‘no, you don’t need that __’ even though my parents could have afforded it. My sweet hubby, on the other hand, was brought up in a family who have very little money-smarts. He describes growing up as living in two extremes: when it was payday, living it up, then at the end of the month, not having money for milk for his cereal and having to eat it with water. The first few years of our marriage were difficult, because we fought all the time about money. If he had it, he had to find something to spend it on. It took a good two years for him to un-learn his bad lessons and really get on board and save. Now we own our house (our only debt) and have short-term and retirement savings.

Most in his family don’t make much, but you would never know that by looking at their clothes and seeing them shop, go out to eat, etc., they like to live lavishly. They seem to think we are ‘loaded’ because we own a nice home, (most still rent) but when we go out with all of them, our check is always the lowest! Some people don’t want to make sacrifices and want what they want NOW.

Sorry to ramble, but I am reminded over and over again of the fable about the ant and the grasshopper. We live like ants… :)

Hugs to all…have a great day!

By JJ

August 22, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this

We very rarely go out to dinner. Like I said, I go to out to lunch every working day, but we stay home for dinner. I love to cook, and so does my daughter. And it’s healthier to stay in. And now that school has started, we are back on our routine. If I’m cooking, she is doing her homework. If she is cooking, I’m having a cocktail (ha ha)…

I love to go to the Suwanee/Duluth Farmer’s markets and get produce and other neat items. I hit Publix every Sunday for major grocery shopping.

By nurse&mother

August 22, 2008 1:27 PM | Link to this

Theresa a little off topic, but I was reading foxnews.com and I saw an interesting title. There is piece on cheerleading the most dangerous sport for high school/college. The article goes on to say it is not very regulated. I know you touched on cheerleading recently. I though you would be interested in the article.

By Amy in the ATL

August 22, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this

My husband and I are fortunate enough to have 2 well-paying jobs, and so we are still able to have some “fun money” even after we’ve paid all our bills, childcare expenses, and put money into savings. That said, I can DEFINITELY see the pinch in our discretionary funds, since more and more money seems to get eaten up at the grocery store in particular, but also at the gas station. To offset this, we’ve definitely started buying more store brands, buying in bulk where feasible, eating out less and being more conscious about how efficiently we run our errands.

I have several friends who stay at home and whose husbands are self-employed, and I know that they have all cut back on a lot of discretionary spending to make ends meet. Nothing too horrible, at least not in that group, but I can only imagine how tough it must be for folks who were living paycheck to paycheck before gas went up to almost $4 a gallon.

On the positive side, hopefully all this will help wake up Atlantans to realize that we really do need a comprehensive regional transportation plan that includes clean, efficient mass transportation that goes to where people live….including the suburbs! Those buses just aren’t going to cut it.

By Lucia

August 22, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this

The economy is why I spent my morning gathering job applications at the mall. After 10 years as a stay at home mom, we simply can’t afford for me to stay home anymore. We need an extra paycheck for many reasons, like I want my children to be able to go to college, but mainly because gas and grocery prices are ruining our household budget. It’s killing me to put my 3-year old in daycare, and my potential paycheck will take a big hit because of that, but our budget really needs some wiggle room again.

By Stacey

August 22, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this

JJ…I can’t remember whether your daughter is out of high school or not but if she is, have her register with some of the temp services in your area. They usually have jobs available in variety of field that require little experience. She probably has the skills necessary (from high school courses) to obtain an entry level clerical position. Even if she doesn’t have career aspirations to work in an office, those jobs tend to pay more than grocery stores and fast food places. Just a suggestion.

By Robin

August 22, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this

nurseandmother

Did the article regarding the dangers of cheerleading state what the dangers were?

I mean, are the dangers from the sport itself, or from the nutty mothers?.lol ;+)

By JJ

August 22, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this

Nurse Did you read about the Forsyth County mom who punched her daugther’s cheerleading coach in the face, because she put her on a squad where she didn’t know any of the other kids, and they didn’t have as much experience. The kid was 9!!!!!! Unbelieveable. The mom was arrested and facing charges.

Maybe that’s why it’s the most dangerous sport. :)

By lakerat

August 22, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this

Amy in the ATL -

Hate to burst your utopian lifestyle bubble, but “mass transportation that goes to where people live” (you meaning suburbia) ain’t happening in your lifetime! As an Atlanta native, and growing up when MARTA was planned and then implemented, it already goes where the “important” people in this city live - and again, with slang intended, that ain’t suburbia! I will not go into all that transpired just to get the system built, yet you may rest assured that it was built with only one purpose in mind, and it met those needs, at that time. Too bad that no one considered that ATL would become the cultural, and culterally affluent, melting pot that it has, and now, having had 30 years of serving the same needs, the powers that be, though much more influential and fluid with money, still cannot get out their own way when it comes to the rapid transit issue. So, the only solution is to move as close to your work zone that you can afford, or continue to get used to high gas prices and long, slow, expensive commutes.

Sorry to be so negative!

By motherjanegoose

August 22, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this

NEW MOM….you could be my clone. My husband grew up just likes yours… my parents were cheapskates.

To this day, he still says that everyone in town would let his Dad write hot checks because they knew he would be back with the $20 ( was it $20 back then or $10) to cover them when they bounced and that would be more $$$ for them. Is that not ridiculous?

He sees the light now. We have 9 years left on our mortgage and 3 cars that are paid for.

Mine car is the only one that is pretty new, his has over 100,000 miles on it and this is the most he has ever had on a car but it has has had a new engine and transmission, so he is going to drive it to the dirt. Our son’s car has 75,000 miles. He paid for it himself. We have not had a car payment in years and are not looking forward to it.

My husband’s sister recently moved and sold their house…they live out of state. They lived their for nearly 20 years and we were told…”they barely got out of it without owing anything…” WHAT is that about? We have been here 11 years and will be paid off if 9….hopefully that will be a glorious day! LOL

You do learn about money from your parents. My Mom never worked and waited for my Dad to ( miserly) hand her the weekly allotment….I NEVER want to be in that position.

Have a good weekend…I will be admiring my brand new refrigerator…if it arrives tomorrow…hahaha!

FYI…if you do not know about Craigslist…that is an awesome way to buy things that are gently used. I have bought and sold and been happy! I sold my car last summer on Craigslist Atlanta!

By ljcrcb

August 22, 2008 2:20 PM | Link to this

I’m finding that my Kroger store card is a money saver. Periodically I get coupons based on my previous buys so they are very useful. Plus coupons to save $5-8 if I spend a certain amount. I love Publix but find myself going to Kroger more because of these coupons.

By JJ

August 22, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this

Stacey She is still in high school, her senior year. She has enrolled in a “work/study” program and the director is supposed to place her in a job. So far no luck.

She is sending her to restaurants around our area, Chili’s, Taco Mac, etc, and I’m starting to wonder if she is getting rejected because she is a bit overweight (discrimination??). I mean, most places want the cute little size 0 blonde as hostess, and that is not my child.

I wonder….

By micha

August 22, 2008 2:36 PM | Link to this

Robin - Due to a rental property deal going bad we have been settling the CC debts as well. We have been paying 2 of them over 1,500 a month for the past 8 months and just got them paid off today (yayyy). Now just 3 more to go. I’m thankful that we’ve been able to pay them but they have sure strained us this year. I’m keeping my high hopes of having all of them done with no later than March and then we’ll be debt free other than our mortgage.

On the cheerleading issue, a friend of ours 14 yr old took a fall just last week and was paralized for 3 days. I agree that it’s much more dangerous than is portrayed.

By JR

August 22, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this

FYI…if you do not know about Craigslist…that is an awesome way to buy things that are gently used. It’s been my experience that the things I pick up on Craigslist have not been gently used and they seem to enjoy it that way. But I guess that’s another topic altogether.

By Band Mom Gone Wild

August 22, 2008 2:46 PM | Link to this

We;ve always shopped at Kroger. (I’ve always thought Publix was too expensive.) Using the Kroger Plus card helps a lot AND is gives us a discount on gas at the Kroger gas stations in the area. 10 cents per gallon may not seem like much, but with my mini-van and the way it eats gas I’ll take whatever help I can get!

My daughter who is 16, knows we’re struggling and tries to be frugal as long as it doesn’t affect her wardrobe or her nails (ha ha). She mad a comment the other day that really shocked me. She said “You know Mom. We’re not the only people having a really rough time paying bills right now.” And then she named off five of her friends and said that their families are all struggling too. I’m not surprised that my daughter would be sensitive to the issue, but it did surprise me that even the kids are having converstations about it!

My dad and his sister inherited a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath townhome on the water with a boat slip in Norwalk, CT from their mom. It was listed at $765,000 last year. They’ve reduced the price a few times and FINALLY received the first offer in over a year (almost two)this past month. The contract is for $615,000, a reduction of $150k. Ouch!

By motherjanegoose

August 22, 2008 2:46 PM | Link to this

JR…I am not getting your last post…did I miss something?

By JJ

August 22, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this

I will shop at Kroger for “filler” items, things I run out of during the week. I don’t like their meat at all.

My ex-sister-in-law works for Boars Head, and is in and out of Krogers and Publixs’. She informs me that if meet doesn’t sell at Kroger by the due date, they repackage it, and put it out for another three days. I bought a whole chicken there the other day, and it smelled funny when I opened it, but I cooked it anyway, and it was absolutely horrible. That was it for me. No more meet from Kroger.

I demo’d for SIL at various Publixs and I really started liking the way the “present” items. Plus to me Publix is cleaner than Kroger.

By JR

August 22, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this

No more meet from Kroger. The correct spelling is meat. Craigslist is where you get your meet.Gently used.

By Mykonos

August 22, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this

Yeah. Our income is down because of the economy, yet my wife will not downsize – despite the fact our daughter has started college, bringing a whole new layer of expenses. Three horses cost us $1,000 a month, which is the difference between us being able to save versus dipping into savings. Ridiculous.

By KLK

August 22, 2008 3:39 PM | Link to this

I was formerly a Publix devotee, but have strayed to Kroger on some days. We are both empty nesters, with good jobs, very little debt and a decent mortgage. The economy has put things in focus, such as what I need vs. what I want. I am always planning for the ‘what if’. I have always shopped the weekly grocery ad, but pay it even more attention now. House brands have replaced name brands. There are only 2 of us, so we still eat out several times a week. We now use more coupons, and opt for restaurants that don’t need a tip. McDonalds makes a good salad! As for shopping, I only buy what is on sale. “When gas goes up, retail must go down”. It’s an insult anyway to see what clothing is worth at consignment. I try to save money to take the edge off of what I am losing in my money market, now that the prime is down. Just trying to stay ahead of inflation. Things will get better, but I think most of us have learned economic lessons that should stay with us always, in good times or bad.

By JJ

August 22, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this

JR Thanks for catching my spelling error. It’s definately friday and my fingers were working faster than my mind…..

By robin

August 22, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this

micha

I am so sorry to hear about your friend’s daughter. i had no idea cheerleading was so dangerous!

And congrats to you for getting that cc paid off today. I know when we claw our way out of this, we will be rejoicing as well.

By new mom

August 22, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this

Even though everything is more expensive right now, it is reassuring in a way (to me at least) to remind ourselves that this is a ‘down’ in the ups and downs of economics. I also think that we (as humans) have a tendency to let others freak us out or get us upset, which can lead to bad decisions.

Now please don’t get me wrong—I’m not denying that prices of everything seem higher and we are all feeling the pinch! But I think it’s good to stay calm, rational, and keep in our focus our long term goals…no matter the doom and gloom we hear on the news!

One more positive thought: When I first started working, 13 years ago, I took the advice of the HR director and started contributing to my 401K. That HR director gave me a simple economic lesson that has stuck with me since: Picture you are buying cows with your contribution. When the market’s up, you buy a few cows. But when the market’s down, you buy lots of cows because they are on sale! And then when the market goes back up again, you have more cows to sell!
So every time we hear how much the stock market has dropped, my husband and I say ‘we bought more cows on sale today!’ :D

Have a great weekend, everyone!

By nurse&mother

August 22, 2008 5:55 PM | Link to this

Robin and JJ- the dangers are from the sport itself. There are lots of critical injuries as well as fatalities. Also, from what I read the sport is largely unregulated. Some schools do not consider it to be a sport (that may be where some of the problem lies). Check out foxnews.com. The article is in highlighted in blue. Sorry AJC for the Fox plug.

By DB

August 22, 2008 6:01 PM | Link to this

JJ: If your daughter isn’t quite 18, she can’t be a server in places like TacoMac or Applebees, because they serve alcohol, so if she’s just becoming a senior, she may not be old enough at some of places she’s looking. However, the hostess jobs are open to 16 and up. I really doubt it’s her weight — I’ve seen generously proportioned servers at all the restuarants around here. As long as she can smile and remember the specials, she should be golden, now that all the college kids have cleared out.

By tracher

August 25, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this

It’s disgusting to read the comments about the “low class” people in Wal-mart. You are a great example to your family, which is what you were to comment on. Donating food and items is a great thingto do, but if you really want to see changes, organize your community, contact your local representatives about your concerns and make them accountable for your requests - they are there because and for you, and advocate for others who have much less than you do and still put in a full week of worth at much lower wages. By this, I am referring to the “low class” patrons and employees of Wal-mart. Stop being consumers and start living life based on things you don’t have to buy, like pedicures and toys for your kids every time you visit the store.

By jill

August 25, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this

My husband and I are 29 and 33 and we would love to have a baby but simply can not afford it. This is a HUGE issue for a lot of people my age. An article needs to be written about that. I feel like I’m upset that we have to put a baby on hold because of our finances. I’m just thankful that I’m 29 and not 35.

By motherjanegoose

August 25, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this

I am off this week…can anyone tell?

jill…

I had my son at 27…that was 21 years ago. We made a combined income of less than $30.000. Was it tough…YES!

I have always worked. My husband stayed home with the baby and I taught half day Kinder…he worked nights.

I may be missing something but at your age you should be able to figure out some way to afford a baby.

Here is one that makes me chuckle…new parents going out and buying a mini van or SUV because they have to have the room for the baby.
We had a hatch back 2 door Ford Escort and then a Mazda 323. ( 35 mpg…wish I still had it) We did manage…..

You WILL have to cut back on other things but generally people are having babies all over the place and even single parents manage to pull it off somehow. …God Bless them I do not know how you do it emotionally with one parent!

By Maribel

August 25, 2008 4:50 PM | Link to this

Yes My fam. has been affected by the change in the economy.. We have made cuts on basically everything including the phone SVC. We had our phone and internet disconnecte. We don’t eat out a lot .maybe once a week..so we cook our meals most of the time. Me and my husband bring our breakfast or lunch to work. We have also suffered financially and the bills keep accumulating. We have even talk about filing chapter 7?? is not something that we want to do but probably is going to happend. I just pray that God give us the strengh to keep on. I just pray that we are able to provide some kind of future to my 3 year old.