Financially - Are you doing better than before?

[Maismom]

I cannot agree more with many of you about a huge help from coupons. We would've been doing much worse if I didn't know how to coupon. I hardly pay for HBA items now and you all know how much they add up. I remember paying $50 or so for some HBA items at Target before I learned how to use coupons, and I thought it was a good deal. Looking back.... WHAT WAS I THINKING??!!!

We are also fortunate working for large companies that offer excellent benefits. Both DH and I have medical, dental, vision, 401K, and my employer pays for my college tuition (up to 2 classes). I cannot complain. I work for the company that is related to public transportation, and higher gas price is helping our business because ridership is going up for public transit. I'm glad I don't have to worry about losing my job. My DH works in high-tech industry, and they have some lay-offs here and there, but he is pretty safe because he supports R&D Dept., one function they cannot outsource to India.

While I wouldn't say we are doing better, but we're not doing worse, either. Of course, I pay more for gas, but I spend less on other things and make ends meet just fine. I think we will do MUCH better in about 6 years when DD graduates from college. Ms. Money pit is junior in high school now, so 6 more years....

We are doing so much better than last year.
(by default...) Leason:Never expect a loan to be repaid.

Quick summary:
We paid $4,400 for a trailer for someone-they don't pay-so we fixed it up, moved in & rented out our house.

Now we have no mortagage, no high natural gas bills, free water...ect.
= saving us $1,500 per month

Originally Posted by mama22qts We are doing ok. We traded in the Yukon and got an Acura, and the gas mileage is tons better.

We got rid of Big Blue.My baby :(~and traded for a 07 Madza 3.The gas savings alone would pay for the car in 3 years. (and oddly, my insurance went down.)



But this site has opened my eyes as others have said to all Kinds of ways to save. It has been fun!!!! My Christmas shopping is almost done and at 75% off!

[rachel2007a]

We are doing well. We finally paid off our CC debt and are working on the mortgage now. It took a year and a half to pay it off and we cut back a lot in that time.

[fperkins]

Originally Posted by extechy If you are doing fine, please be thankful for it. Trust me, it's probably not because of something you are doing. Most likely, it's because you happen to be in an area that isn't as affected (that's me, too) or you are fortunate enough to be in a recession-proof career.

I have to disagree with this. We do have lower unemployment where we live, so I don't worry too much about my job, but we are doing better specifically because of the way we handle money. DH retired last year, due to health issues, with my full support. While I did get a small raise this year, it was not enough to make up what he had been earning. But because we are careful with money and shop with coupons, we have more money in the bank than ever. We paid off all our debt, including DH's car. Mine had been paid off for years and I will drive it for several more years. Sure it is a 12 year old vehicle, but it is in great shape and low maintenance.

So our situation is almost totally because of what we are doing.

[Mothernature]

Originally Posted by extechy We are doing just fine but I can't help but wonder 'what if'? My field is named as one of the recession-proof areas but I still worry just a little. I've heard of people showing up to work after many years of being there, only to be fired or laid off. All due to the economy. How sad is that? If you are doing fine, please be thankful for it. Trust me, it's probably not because of something you are doing. Most likely, it's because you happen to be in an area that isn't as affected (that's me, too) or you are fortunate enough to be in a recession-proof career.

Yes, be very thankful. It is not fun to sit unemployed right now.

Unemployment is so overwhelmed. My husband can't get ahold of the claims adjustor. We are now on the fifth week without an unemployment check.

I wish he had more time to deal with this situation. He interviews daily as UI would like; they are not taking care of their end of the bargain. It is a very frustrating situation.

Futhemore, a crown cracked off in my mouth. We can not find a dentist in the area who will see me because we are "unemployed". :shrug7: DH's former employer did not have a dental policy.

I had a decent stockpile before this event. My friends here have generously sent ROAKs. All we needed was to purchase a handful of new cloths for my evergrowing 4 yo who wears a size 8, some groceries, and some odds and ends. I am still amazed when I open the door to see a decades worth of Kleenex and Hefty Trash bags (Free-$.19, and $1/each)

We have not pulled out all the stops yet. We are moving in a tiered fashion. We have bonds to cash, emergency savings to tap, merchandise to sell, and if we have to, take lesser positions to float.

My husband is a 14 year CPA, reviewed advanced accounting books, and attends Harvard. It is very tough for him too.

Sorry previous poster. I am living this; we had a good emergency fund. The Cost of Living, cost of public transportation (not gas--we've earned gift cards to keep the cost $0 since DH's lay off), and increases are really harsh. Floss here is almost $5/package.

What I learned is that I must finish my education to step in should this happen again, to keep my stock pile as strong at all times, thank G-d for the friends who have donated their coupons generously while our selfish family member do not call, and save, save, save.

No one is safe.

[taxchyk]

I am another person who through no fault of my own isn't safe. I've always worked, but now my work situation is likely to be considerably altered or non-existent. i have a health issue that has strongly affected my memory and cognitive abilities. Nothing anyone could have anticipated. i hope to have an idea in the next few months how much more recovery I'm likely to make. I treat my recovery like a full time job. i allowed my daughter and grandson to move in, paying only half the utilities before my health situation. I haven't worked since April. While I spent time in hospital and nursing home the kids had plenty of food, but my stockpile is much diminished. She didn't do any of the things I do to strech a meal and not use everything in a category of food. Still doing okay financially, but seeing the tunnel at the end of the light. I do have an emergency fund, but it isn't big enough to live off indefinately. i'm sure I can get enough to live, but will be very stressed if I lose my house after 19 years of paying on it.

[MariaT]

We are doing well.
DH & I both have good paying jobs with insurance, dental, etc. Living in NJ, our mortgage and cost of living is VERY high overall.
My MIL takes care of our son so we do not pay for child care. I happily load MIL up with her own personal stockpile though. It's the least I can do.

With all that said, I have one of these flaky positions at my job that based on the company's sales will come & go. Thankfully it has not gone yet. I am very aware of this fact and constantly remind DH about it. We coupon to the extreme and we save to the fullest.. We are simple people in general.
Should I lose my job from one day to the next it won't be surprise and we will be prepared.

[my3girlz]

We are doing ok. Yes we live paycheck to paycheck, but our bills get paid on time. DH & I both eat a lot of our money up in gas since we both commute. And one of my SD's just moved in with us, so right at this moment we're feeling the pinch with six household members, but hopefully we'll get that straightened out soon.

If it wasn't for couponing/rebating & this terrific online community, we would be in worse shape than we are, so I am forever grateful.

[joshmamabear]

our best buffer to this crisis is being debt-free way before all this happened. as early as 2003, we paid all our debts even if we had very little savings left. DH and I figured the interest rates on vehicles payments were a lot higher than what we're earning from our savings in CDs. it didn't make sense to keep our money in CDs while paying high interest rates on 2 vehicles. so we parted with our savings and in a year's time, we made got our savings back plus more. our home is paid for, we just shell out property/land taxes annually and its not too much where we live. we're grateful we will not have to worry about foreclosure problems.

I'm grateful DH and I are in the same page when it comes to finances. I've seen couples who make more but are still in debt because one spends more than what the other saves.

the savings I make from couponing has paid for nice vacations and other perks that we don't have to dip into our savings to enjoy them.

[latte]

woo hoo! i have an interveiw today! wish me luck:)