| Sign-up, its free! | Close [x] |
|
|
Benefits
|
| Sign-up, its free! | Close [x] |
|
|
Benefits
|
How are you or people you know making ends meet a little better in our current economy?
I’ve noticed a lot of magnetic signs on the sides of vehicles. Handyman services, house cleaning, consulting. Our unemployment in my state is high and many are underemployed so moonlighting for extra income seems to be the trend.
What about in your area?
Yep Yana! Or is now involved with some kind of home based business. 
Mine is Health and Wellness. And with 45 Millionaires and MANY six and multiple six-figure income earners, I feel truly blessed to be with such an amazing company that truly is making a difference both physically and financially. I’m a firm believer that everyone who is employed should have some kind of business, preferably a home based business. If you don’t have one, you are losing thousands each year. There is a great book called Lower Your Taxes - Big Time! by Sandy Botkin that I think everyone needs to read.
we don’t go out unless it’s almost free that’s for sure. Our “girlfriend’s” brunch-a really, really fun splurge.
Using even more coupons, haircuts every 8 or more weeks, instead of 4-6. My once a month mani-only when I have no choice do I get one now.
my outfit for the wedding? 1st article of clothing I’ve purchased in over 18 months.
I use a lot of coupons to shop at the grocery store and that helps a whole lot. I find the resturants are having great deals and coupons as well. I have a coupon right now for dinner at a resturant - buy one entree and get the other free and that will be out date night outing month end. Yes, I realise the handyman signs as well and they are going at good rates as well. We had our roof, walk way, porch, drive way power washed for 110. That would have cost 250-300 in good times.
Cutting back on everything. I don’t run my ac very often, this past winter I hardly even ran the heater, piled lots of blankets on the boys. We don’t use the dryer often, hang stuff in the laundry room or on a roll away rack that we wheel outside then bring back in when stuff is dry. No junk food, no soft drinks, we drink lots of water, my big splurge is coffee (I make at home) the boys get milk. Drink choices are water, milk, coffee or tea...we don’t eat out too often, Monday’s Carino’s has half price family platters so once a month I might call an order in. Most every article of clothing I buy is off a clearance rack, I splurged this past Sunday, 4 shirts at $1.00 each...I could go on and on...LOL...
Yes, I rarely see movies in the theater unless I’ve seen them online first and like them enough to pay that 12 bucks. Rarely do take out, if I do, I stretch it into a couple of meals. Put the utilities on a budget so I don’t have coronaries after a billing cycle of using the air conditioner or heaters. I do my own hair and nails, and wait for sales to stock up on off season clothes or buy them through my friend’s ZamZuu.com shop. Such is life in 2010.
Mike has his own painting business and things are really tough right now.
The jobs he has gotten are mostly commercial and they think nothing of screwing the little guy. But they need it done right away, of course.
One in particular always takes months to pay. Last year he did a pretty big job and we didn’t get paid for 6 months! Luckily, we took a look at one of their invoices and there was retainage of $1,500 that they took out and never paid... we‘re STILL waiting for that on top of something else.
Retainage is when they hold 10% of an installment for whatever reason??? They just started doing the retainage thing, so we‘re really not used to following up & making sure we get it. I think they do it in hopes that you DO forget and they keep it.
I’ve made the suggestion to Mike that he needs a down-payment to start a job, but I think because he’s been working with this company for so many years he’s leery of making those changes & afraid they’ll get someone else. BUT, they make changes, like the retainage all the time to suit themselves.
I do TRY to keep my mouth shut. It’s hard.
Mike has hardly worked this year and once again, we are coming up on 2nd month behind is bills. We somehow, eventually get caught up, but it’s very stressful waiting for income.
I shop carefully, going for what is on sale, and I recycle for cash. I have the stereo, TV and computer on power strips that I turn off, and it saves around $15 a month on the electric bill. Instead of a contract cell phone, I bought a prepaid phone so I have a cell phone just in case I break down on the road.
Cathie
Msj, bartering is great! I’ve but back on buying the more expensive clothing. I now buy all my T-shirts and shorts from Target. I seem to live in T- shirts and shorts anyways. I do watch prices at the grocery stores. I should do more but.......
I am cutting back in ways very similar to the ones listed above. I try to lower my bills, I cut services I was not using on my phone, the phone company may not charge but if I paid taxes on it I cut it. I leave more items unplugged. Insulated areas of my home that were not insulated. I use coupons more. I cut out going to the movies. My subdivison stopped going out for meals every month. We also skipped the Holiday Party too. I cook at home more, I buy and freeze more. I shop far less often too. I work from my home office as much as possible too.
Nothing much has changed here. It’s no harder nor easier to make ends meet than it was in the past and we have not changed our lifestyle at all.
Tulip
5 years ago I decided to change our families economy and I am just happy to say my sister found greengirl aka Maryann. The 3 of us have help 100’s of people save money and earn money if that is what they are looking for.
Thanks Greengirl 
I have been a Mary Kay beauty consultant for 22 yrs and I have seen a little slow down in my business, but to be honest, some of that is due to my broadening interest in other areas. A home based business is the best way for me to use my time,talent and resources.
I use coupons,shop sales and stock up for groceries and my husband is a hunter, so we always have wild game in the freezer. He also butchers the game, boning out everything, so he saves $$ on that and freezer space as well. I do garage/yard sales,thrift stores etc. I almost never use my dryer and rely on a clothes rack or the clothesline. Big garden every year. I make all kinds of jams and jellies and almost all food from scratch. But I have been doing that for a long time because I have a soy allergy and it is healthier, so I have just continued it. Rarely eat out, but we do have lots of potluck bbqs at home w/ family and friends. Not gonna give up the social life! Use the library a lot. I saved the cash and paid extra to buy my mobile broadband plug so I can go month to month on my internet access and I am not trapped by a contract. Same with the cell phones. My car is 10 yrs old and paid for. Since I live rural, I always have a list of errands and never just “run to town.”
Actually though, I remember both of my grandmas living the same way and they were survivors of the great depression. I figure if this lifestyle was good enough for them, it is good enough for me. There was always lots of love and laughter in their lives.
Create lasting relationships
with other like minded women.