I slept well last night considering, woke up early and prayed for Mom. It never even dawned on me to also pray for my sister until a half hour ago I am embarrassed about that.
But between the abusive Ron posts, married to an alcoholic ones, and probably the coup de grace the menstrual cup posts my family never read the blog so it's between us.
Speaking of the cup my cycle has been VERY light. I plan to just wear the Period brand underwear. They were fine last night I didn't leak but I felt better knowing they could absorb a menstrual cup and a half worth of fluid if I did.
My aunt isn't happy I want to use savings to pay for flood insurance but what am I supposed to use? Not the credit card. I have a little in checking but $200 of that is for the electric bill and $100 is for candy for Halloween. I will talk to her later.
I need to go to the grocery store and figure out what kind of meat I am cooking for the week. I may get ambitious and go to the meat market in the bad neighborhood, they are pricey but good quality and I like the meat counter experience. I could go for some links.
That's it for now.
14 comments:
It's all about priorities Heather. You waste over $100 a month on candy and now another $100 just for Halloween candy all that money could have been saved over the course of the year for your flood insurance. It's no wonder your aunt isn't happy.
Didn't you get like $500 from the IRS a few months ago, what happened to that money? You have minimal bills, no mortgage, no car payment, no car insurance.
You only have to pay for electricity and food for you and the cats, plus save over the course of the year for homeowners insurance and flood insurance. So where is all your money going to?
I think a big problem is your charitable contributions and all that money you spend giving people free candy and other food.
I am going to estimate that you need to put aside $200 a month for your homeowners/flood insurance, $150 a month for utilities. and $400 a month for food. That means your expenses are about $750 a month. Let's just round it up to $850 for rides to and from work and bus passes. Plus let's say another $100 for cable and internet. So $950.
**I am not including the candy you buy or food and water for other people. These are just your expenses.
You work 32 hours a week and I think you get paid at least $13 an hour so that's $1664 a month you bring in less let's say 15% for taxes so you net about $1415 a month.
$1415 - $950 = $465 you should have extra every month to save. So what is happening here with all your money? What are you spending money on?
You need to actually sit down and write everything out to the penny and see where you are spending your money and what needs to be cut so you can build up an emergency fund. This fund would be for things like unexpected house repairs, if you lose your job, etc.
Headed out the door here so I can't address the whole thing but I net $12.40 an hour from Walmart. I make about 30 hours a week total.
My electric bill has been significant over $200 a month. So $150 for utilities is going to get them all cut off! Not counting internet over $100 cell phone $50 a month, water is $40 and gas is also about $40 now.
But I'm heading out I will update later.
Oh and a sandwich (not a very good one) in Denver set me back $27 for that and a couple of sodas.
I don't see a calculation for her meds or her property taxes, her yard guy.
Not to mention bus fare and rides home at 9PM from work. It adds up.
You are trying to buy your way into heaven it doesn't work that way. Do it the hard and proper way give out the religious stuff without the candy. Your other donations are going to organizations that have much more money than you do. Everyone knows they rip people off and the money goes into their pockets. Quit being a sucker and also feeding your ego.
People always say I am "works based" (church slang for trying to buy my way in with God).
I'm already in. I don't need to do anything to please God He takes joy in me every day.
The best way to describe it is when, at work (before), our vending machine was giving 2 cans of soda if you bought one. Some people couldn't wait to tell all their friends about the good deal. Or at work now when someone who does the clearance runs around telling everyone else about the $1 jeans. That's me.
I want everyone to know this wonderful secret. That is all.
On my own I am a hell bound lost sinner deserving eternal torment. Through God's grace I am redeemed and going to Heaven. I want other people to have that.
I don't give much to other groups maybe $20 a month if that. The majority of it goes to candy and supplies.
If you are paying $150 for internet and cell phone you are OVERPAYING. There are plenty of plans and packages that are a lot cheaper than that. The government has an affordable internet connectivity program that gives low income people like yourself a discount on internet of $30 a month.
It should be on your internet providers website and is something you need to sign up for to get a reduced rate.
https://www.fcc.gov/acp
Verizon has home internet for $30 a month
https://www.verizon.com/home/internet/5g
Plus you can get straight talk cell phone for only $35 a month or mint mobile is like $15
Why is your electric bill so high lately? You live in a 900 square foot house and keep the AC on over 80 degrees. It makes no sense.
Here are my new totals with your net pay of $12.40 an hour and 30 hours a week you bring home 1488 a month.
Your property taxes are fairly low and you paid $817 in 2022 so I am being generous in this estimate for taxes, insurance and flood insurance below.
$250 Taxes, Homeowners Insurance, Flood Insurance
$200 Electric
$80 Water and Gas
$150 Internet/Phone - which is ridiculous and should be 50 - 75% lower
$400 Food includes cat food - I doubt you spend that much on yourself and the cats a month but I estimated high.
$100 medication - seems high but I am over estimating
$1180 total expenses
This doesn't include rides to work but with this you should have $308 left to for that. Plenty to live on. It's not great but you have enough to pay your bills and even save money.
Issues you have that should be addressed:
Giving money to charity organizations, buying candy, water, food to give to people. You need to look into an alternative to your current internet provider and a different cell phone plan (if you are locked into a contract once that expires then switch it out).
Unless you get a second job or work 40 plus hours a week you are in no position financially to give money to charity or buy food, etc for other people. Your #1 priority should be providing for yourself.
I would write down all your bills to the penny, calculate everything you are spending money on and see where you can cut expenses and what you need to try and find a lower cost on.
High electric: a couple of reasons. My home was built in the mid 80's as a model home for a company that is no longer in business. My home inspector was paid off by the seller's agent. After we bought the house many, MANY flaws came to light. Basically everything was substandard.
When the pipe broke 4 years ago they had to take out most of my lower drywall panels and SURPRISE NO INSULATION in ANY of my walls.
Also HOA/insurance made me cut the tree shading the front of the house which made it hotter; some of the bushes died on my side yard - they provided excellent shade for the south side of the house. So the neighbor took them out she always hated them.
So it's just basically drywall, studs too far apart (per my drywall guy he was aghast) and siding NOTHING else in my walls. When it's 100 out and highly sunny the house heats up.
Also, God love it, the AC unit is over 20 years old. It does a good job but burns up more amps than a new one I'm sure.
My understanding with the low income programs it is a good deal for a year and then AHA! Also I really, truly, hate setting up internet. Like, right up there with a root canal for me.
It's not that complicated to get your internet service switched. They come out and do it for you. But you would rather pay triple what you need too. Whatever dude. I think you just complain so people will keep sending you money. Always the perpetual victim.
No one's sent me money in a while unless you count my birthday/family stuff in the card.
I don't put my problems out there to get kicked in the head.
I don't think anyone is kicking you in the head. They are offering advice and explaining where you could save money. It is frustrating watching you struggle unnecessarily because you do not pursue options available to you.
I have spent plenty of time encouraging you to apply for vocational rehabilitation services and for low cost or free healthcare. I looked up resources and cited current guidelines specific to Texas (where I do not live) in an attempt to help you live a better life. All suggestions rejected. Over and over.
The comments on this post alone, if pursued, could save you money with very little to no effort. I didn't write any of those comments, but I thought they were well written and at least one person spent plenty of time running the numbers.
I don't think you complain so people will send you money, but I do think you make lots of excuses to avoid actually reaching out for help.
It is very, very, hard for me to ask for help. I admit that.
Next on my list (since work has told me they will not make me full time unless I "open my availability" which is impossible) is the healthcare and perhaps food stamps. I don't expect to get much in food stamps but even $50 a month would help the bottom line.
First though I had to get back home, pay flood insurance, deal with data-breach mess and sign up for plan, etc.
I hate having to change phone plans or internet or whatever too. It's a pain but when you could be saving some serious money every month sometimes you have to suck it up and just do it. Recently I changed trash service providers because they raised our rates again. I hated having to do it but now 3 months later I am glad I did. We are saving $30 every 3 months. That doesn't seem like a lot but every bit helps, especially in this economy.
Swallow your pride and ask for help when you need it. I hope you will be posting soon about switching your cell phone plan or internet provider and how much money you are saving. It is sad that these companies refuse to lower your bill when you call and ask and you have to switch providers to get a better and lower rate, but it is what it is and sometimes unavoidable.
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