SPECIAL REQUEST!!!!
COULD WE TALK A LITTLE ABOUT HOW TO SURVIVE, WHEN THE LAST PAYCHECK HAS BEEN SPENT???
WHERE WILL YOU GET THE FOOD TO FEED THE KIDS???
WHERE WILL YOU LIVE???
WHAT WILL YOU DO NEXT???
WHERE WILL I FIND A JOB???
WHAT SHOULD I DO TO BRIDGE THE GAP???
We have several Freepers who are out of work and no matter how well prepared we are, nothing lasts forever.
Those who are now storing food and getting ready think they are fine, but if you loose your job, it may well be months before you find another, and then what will you do?
We can’t all hang out at the food warehouse and hope to find a cache of out of date food and if we do, how do we find that warehouse, or any other place that has the intent to toss out the food.
Sure we know about the Salvation Army and soup kitchens, but more help / knowledge is needed.
What do you do, when the last bean has been eaten?
Where do you live, when the house is locked up and you and all you own are in the street?
I know that San Diego is full of cardboard shelters in the canyons, I heard the Police talk about it on the scanners and have heard it in other towns.
That is how we first came to San Diego, but we were lucky the second trip, as dad had nailed plywood into a box on an old car axle and called it a trailer, but we lived in the river bottom, where Linda Vista road comes down and there were lots of poor people under the trees, surviving.
In Denver this year, they moved the homeless out of the areas that would be seen by tourists at the Democrat’s convention, it was in the Denver papers.
How does one find a job in another town?
Imagine, it is you without a dollar to your name, what will you do?????
granny
>SPECIAL REQUEST!!!!
COULD WE TALK A LITTLE ABOUT HOW TO SURVIVE, WHEN THE LAST PAYCHECK HAS BEEN SPENT???
WHERE WILL YOU GET THE FOOD TO FEED THE KIDS???<
Hi, I’m reading this thread with great interest. I’m in the Denver area and one good thing to look into where you live are the church-run food pantries. Our church has a food pantry open every two weeks. It is stocked by our members with canned goods, canned meats, dry goods, cereals etc. Also, some farmers and groceries leave fresh vegetables there for the taking. We feed about 100 families. Call around to local churches and they can point you in the right direction.
We also belong to a network of churches that house homeless families. Each church provides shelter and meals for one week each quarter, and then the next church takes over. The network also provides help with finding permanent housing and jobs. It’s not the best situation for a family to have to sleep in a church classroom, but it beats sleeping in your car (and we church ladies are pretty good cooks, so the food’s pretty good). Call churches. You would be surprised what help they can provide.
Thanks for the great thread!
I think a lot of that depends on what kind of pre-planning you have done. I own a home that is paid for. (I don't currently live in that one, I rent it out.) No, I didn't inherit, I bought and worked and paid. That place has 1/4 acre of ready garden area and a well.
But, before that last paycheck is spent I have done a lot of prep work, have some things to barter and a store of knowledge. You don't get those on the day you get your notice of no more job.
Not trying to be hardhearted to fellow freepers who have come to hard times, just addressing the question. Forgive me if I sound harsh.
WHERE WILL YOU GET THE FOOD TO FEED THE KIDS???
Well, my kids are grown. But, in my realm of thinking it is possible that the hard times could hit us all. My kids know that they would be welcome to come and work to feed the lot of us. Mind you, they don't come for a free ride and they would not want to.
WHERE WILL YOU LIVE???
I think I answered that but as the next questions assume that perhaps there's a job available someplace else I would live where-ever I needed to in order to get by. If there was a job in another town and I needed to go I could live in my tent or my (paid off) vehicle until I had enough pay to find a cheap place.
WHAT WILL YOU DO NEXT???
Probably I answered that one too. But, I will do whatever it takes to make it be it find other employment, or go to ground and eat whatever I find and barter with skills I have or items of value.
WHERE WILL I FIND A JOB???
I don't know, I'm having trouble finding a job now but I'm also not looking to relocate at this point. Were I to be forced to relocate I would start searching near my children's homes.
WHAT SHOULD I DO TO BRIDGE THE GAP???
Trade upon skills I have. Barter things I have. Manage to live like my grandparents did when they married in 1932.
I'm really sad to hear of Freepers out of work and searching for jobs in this economy. I know it's bad because I have been self-employed for 3 years now. Contracts for jobs are just not out there at this time. I *really* feel for folks that have families to support, mortgages and no stock of necesities. My prayers are with everyone in this situation. I can give tips on how to grow food and a little on how to scrounge food in the wild. I can tell you how to cook it all and make it taste good if you have a little seasoning (which some may not.) If anyone were nearby I could show you how to sew your clothing and any other fabric necesity. I can teach you how to build a fire and bank it so you've got coals in the morning. Unfortunately, these things help no one here so I'll pray.
I find these blogs to have very practical advice:
Here’s an example:
When The Recession Hits Your Family
by Kelly on February 4, 2009
As unemployment increases, credit decreases and times get tougher for everyone, the chances of you or one of your family members being personally affected goes up. That’s what is happening in my family- my mother’s work is cutting back on her hours, and my father’s business, heavily dependent on customers, is becoming worrisome. Personally, my own hours at work have been cut back, leaving me dependent on my government subsidies for school.
I don’t really know how to react to my parents’ financial concerns. I feel worried and afraid for them, and it’s not made easier by the fact that I live so far away. It’s not like they are looking for advice either, just commiseration and a sympathetic ear. That, at least, I can give them lots of- I have unlimited international phone calls!
How has the recession affected you and your family? Has somebody you know lost a job? What do you say to friends and family members with financial concerns? What would you like others to say to you?
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Concepts in Frugality: Rethink Your Thinking
by Kelly on January 28, 2009
Today’s post is part of an occasional series called ‘Concepts in Frugality’.
You don’t ‘have to’ do anything.
Too often we fall into the trap of thinking that we have to buy a certain brand, go to a certain store, send our kids to a certain activity. “I have to buy this brand of facial cleanser,” you might say to yourself. “Otherwise my skin breaks out.” Or maybe “I have to use this kind of laundry detergent– I don’t like the way the other one smells.”
I do it all the time- I rely on old habits, on old patterns, firmly entrenched ways of thinking in making my buying decisions.
But what decisions would you make, if you rethought your thinking? If you were forced to act another way, would it change your mind and your patterns?
I have a friend who was convinced that she could not lower her monthly grocery budget below a certain point. When she started only using cash to pay for groceries however, she managed to spend a third less than the months before.
I thought I had to keep the heat at a certain temperature, or my kids wouldn’t sleep. Turns out I was wrong. I thought I had to buy a brand name coffee, or we wouldn’t like the taste. Turns out I was wrong. I thought I had to have a two hour contract on my cell phone, or I wouldn’t have enough minutes. Turns out I was wrong.
Rethinking my habits and my convictions, even those I was convinced I couldn’t change, was a useful exercise for me. I’m discovering why I do things. Some of the reasons are frugal worthy… others, not so much. But I don’t have to do anything- I make the frugal (or almost frugal) choices I make because I choose to make them.
What things do you do because you have to? And what do you do because you want to?
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Do It Yourself Debt Reduction.
Debt consolidation loans, debt settlements, debt management programs – as an increasing number of people find themselves trying to climb over a mountain of debt, the number of companies offering various types of assistance increase. Before you join one of these programs however, you should try to reduce your debt on your own and avoid company fees or the potential for a dishonest company to make your financial situation even worse. Here’s how you can set up a do-it-yourself debt reduction plan.
Don’t Bury Your Financial Head In The Sand.
Of all the times you could choose to ignore your finances, now would not be the time. Between the banks being more choosy about who they lend to, the unemployment rate nearing 8%, and the future of the economy in question, now is the time you should be paying the most attention to your finances! When everything was good, I was nowhere near as careful with where my money went as I am now. And even though I am self-employed and have only really felt a little of the downturn, I am sure I will anytime now and I need to stay vigilant about our financial situation. So while it may seem easier to just ignore what is going on because it is so depressing, you should be doing just the opposite - taking stock of where you stand, what you can do, and where the future might bring you. Because I have been giving some thought to how we will survive if the economy continues to plunge, I figured I would share some of the things we are focusing on right now.
Scrimp & Save Your Pennies
This is something that while not entirely new to me, is something we are certainly implementing right now yet again. Because of our move to a smaller, less expensive town and that fact that our income stayed the same when we did so, we were living high on the hog. Going out to dinner way too often and not worrying about our expenditures were starting to take their toll on our bank account balances, and because I don’t want to go back to a 9-5 job to earn more money we needed to make a change. So we started really tracking every penny and watching unnecessary expenses. It is amazing how much you spend when you are not paying attention!
Pay Off Debt That Is Not Related To Your Home, Your Education Or Your Car
While we do not have credit card debt anymore, if we did it would be a priority to pay it off asap. Credit card companies are closing accounts, changing terms and interest rates left and right, and I would not want to be surprised with a balance that is all of a sudden being held at some ridiculous interest rate. And with the reduction of 0% balance transfer cards available, you might be stuck paying whatever they want to charge you. So please, if you can at all, pay off your credit card debt. Mortgages, student loans, and auto loans are usually going to be left alone, so concentrate any extra money you can at your credit card debt. Being free of this debt is quite a load off and you will thank yourself later for getting out from under it.
Start Following A Budget
Back in September, I wrote about how we were following a budget again…and then we quickly fell off the wagon. Mainly it was because we were starting to look at real estate to buy, but since we have now put that on the back burner, the budget went the way of the do-do. But we definitely need to get back into it, because as I mentioned above, we need to start seeing where our money is going. Moving here has allowed me to support our lifestyle while being self-employed, and I would like to keep it that way. So if we are wasting money somewhere that we shouldn’t be, we need to get that back! I still use a free budget template document from Google Docs, and it works just fine. If you are not budgeting, you need to start right away!
Look For Ways To Earn Alternative Income Outside Of Your Day Job
Blogging for me started as a hobby - something to do at my day job when I was bored. I started The Good Human 3 years ago on a lark, and then it slowly started making me some money on the side. Then in November of 2006 I started My Two Dollars, and after about 6 months it too started to bring in some extra cash. I was also doing some web design and blog consulting on the side and started doing some website maintenance for a few companies. Soon enough, all the alternative income I was making turned into a full time job and a full time income - and I have been doing all these different things since then to support us. If you work a day job, there is no reason you cannot turn your hobby/art/blog/skills into extra income starting right now. Don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot do it; if you are determined to make some extra cash, you can most definitely do it. You just have to put in the effort.
The most important thing you can do is to pay attention. Don’t ignore your bank statements, look at them when they come in. Track your investments. If you are not sure about them, talk to a professional and make sure you are on the right track for when the economy comes back. Times are tough; ignoring what is going on could (and probably will) make things worse for you and yours. So don’t bury your head in the sand; hold it high and look around. It will do you way more good up there.
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Recession Sacrifices Only Go So Far
February 9, 2009 in Frugal Living | Comments(46)
The February 2009 edition of Money Magazine shares the results of an interesting reader poll recently conducted. The poll asked readers, “what won’t you sacrifice” in a tough economy?
I touched on this subject briefly when I recently wrote about not giving up my gym membership, even though it could save me about $30 a month, or $360 in 2009. To me, the benefits of exercising (stress reduction, weight loss, improved health, etc.) far outweigh the annual costs. Apparently, I am not alone, as the poll revealed gym memberships were the top response for things people were not willing to part with. Here are the full details of the reader poll:
Not Willing To Give Up
48% Gym Membership
41% Eating Out
35% Extra Car
30% Premium Cable
20% Fine Wine and Spirits
Willing to Give Up
89% New Gadget
87% Sporting Event
83% Big Vacation
80% Expensive Clothes
78% Cultural Events
Source: Money Magazine, February 2009
For me, the amusing thing about this list was that the items people were “willing to give up” are things we gave up a long time ago. We don’t buy expensive clothes; we only have basic cable; we haven’t been on vacation in two years, much less an “expensive” vacation; we don’t attend professional sporting events because the ticket prices are outrageous; we have bought no new gadgets, except for my beloved BlackBerry, which I use at least half the time to manage emails and perform admin tasks for blogging on the road.
Maybe that’s why times feel less tough for frugal people - we already made these sacrifices when times were good. That is not to say even frugal types are not feeling a strain in this economy, but I would venture to say the strain is a little less on us compared to the person with a house full of goodies and two new cars in the driveway.
What are you not willing to give up in a recession?
Preparing For A Layoff - Pay Debt or Save Money?
Read More About: Saving | View Comments(25)
Matt asks the following question via email:
My girlfriend is working the Dave Ramsey baby steps. She has the $1,000 emergency fund and is now working on knocking down the credit cards. Her job has laid off about 25% of the workforce and things are not looking much better for them and she might be next if they do another round of lay offs due to the time she has been there. She is going to get $1,200 or so back on taxes. Would it be better to pay down debt with that money or to save it?
Since your girlfriend is a Dave Ramsey fan I’ll pass along his advice for this scenario, which I happen to agree with wholeheartedly. What she is facing is what Ramsey refers to as an impending financial storm–”there are storm clouds on the horizon.” When we are fortunate enough to see these storms coming it is time to pile up money.
Many employers are reducing jobs in this economic downturn, and I personally think it is a good time to beef up emergency your fund to help survive a layoff. This is particularly true if your employer is announcing job cuts.
I went through something similar about six years ago at my last employer. For the first time in their corporate history they announced a significant workforce reduction. I watched several friends and coworkers come in planning to work on a Thursday morning only to be led out by security carrying all their personal possessions from the office in a cardboard box. It was a sobering experience, and I knew I could very well be next.
When the layoffs were announced I immediately slowed my debt snowball plan, only paying minimums and storing everything else in an emergency fund. When the clouds cleared (I found a new job in a new town) I used some of the money in savings to restart my debt snowball plan. If I had lost my job in the interim we could have lived off of my emergency fund for a few months while continuing to keep debts current.
I hope things improve at your girlfriend’s employer, and she is able to keep her job. But this is one of those situations where she should prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.
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One Step Isn’t a Journey 10
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February 12, 2009 @ 8:00 am - Written by Trent
Categories: Getting Started
Bookmarks: del.icio.us, reddit
Lately, I’ve been listening to a wide variety of podcasts and talk radio stations while writing, mostly in order to expose myself to thoughts and opinions across the spectrum. A few days ago, a host on one of these shows (I believe it was Colin Cowherd) complained quite specifically about personal finance advice in a way that made me think.
His comment was simple: he claimed that personal finance writers and personalities target things like getting a latte at Starbucks because they’re low hanging fruit. He stated that if you just replace a Starbucks coffee with a lower quality coffee, you’ll save yourself maybe a buck a day, adding up to $30 after a month. That $30 is inconsequential, according to him - it’s an amount of money that really doesn’t equate to any significant change in life. Instead, he argued that you should only focus on the big stuff - sell that jet ski you use only twice a year, for one.
On one level, the host has a point: big steps will have much more impact than small steps. Selling that jet ski will help you quite a bit more than skipping a coffee at Starbucks, without a doubt. If you want to make a giant step, sell your car or downgrade your home - those moves will make a sea change in your personal finance situation.
On the other hand, we have a lot of opportunities in our lives to make small steps. Changing your coffee habits is a small step. Changing your light bulbs is a small step. Eating a meal at home is a small step.
In the end, though, big steps and small steps are just steps in a larger journey.
I like to think of the journey to financial independence as being like a marathon. Doing something big, like downgrading your home, is the equivalent of running a mile’s worth of that marathon. Doing something small, like giving up today’s coffee, is only a step in that journey.
The journey, though, is long. It’s a lot of steps to reach that finish line of complete financial independence. One or two big moves won’t do it, nor will a bunch of smaller moves. You need to throw as much as you can at the goal, just like a marathon runner throwing everything they have at the goal.
Many people like to overlook the small steps because they don’t seem to cover much ground along the way to financial independence. After all, giving up one’s daily coffee isn’t going to save you much money by itself, so why do it?
Here’s another way of looking at it. Skipping today’s coffee and putting that money away might be one step in the journey. Do it all month and you’ve got thirty steps. Do it all year and you’ve got three hundred and sixty steps. Add in a few other tiny things like eating at home and replacing your light bulbs and soon you’ll find that you’re taking a few thousand little steps - covering at least as much ground (if not more) than those big steps.
If you truly want financial independence and security, your journey is going to require some big steps and a lot of small steps. Don’t get caught up in the belief that a little step doesn’t matter - every step matters on your way to this marathon’s finish line.
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Twelve Ways to Use the “Thirty Day Challenge” for Great Personal Finance Benefit 9
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February 11, 2009 @ 2:00 pm - Written by Trent
Categories: Getting Started
A few weeks ago, I reviewed Leo Babauta’s excellent book The Power of Less, which details a lifestyle philosophy of reducing and simplifying life.
One of the most thought-provoking portions of the book was the idea of the “thirty day challenge.” If you’re attempting to adopt a new habit in your life, simply try it - and focus on it - for thirty days. The book offers a lot of examples for trying this - going vegetarian for thirty days, going to the gym for thirty days, and so on.
Since reading the book, I’ve been really inspired to look for ways to apply thirty day challenges in my own life. I made a giant list of potential thirty day challenges that I could try, whittled it down to a few, and may have selected one to go with (push-up training). Along the way, though, I kept adding more and more great ideas to the original list - ones that meshed well with my life, along with ones that I simply thought were good ideas for almost everyone.
Unsurprisingly, quite a few of these ideas had to do with personal finance. There are a lot of “thirty day challenges” you can take on in your own life to improve your money situation. Here are twelve great ways to use the next thirty days to bring about personal finance change in your life.
Thirty days to avoid all unnecessary spending For the next thirty days, only spend money when it’s absolutely needed. If you’re about to make a purchase or engage in an activity that isn’t strictly necessary, either avoid it (if you’re just buying something frivolous) or find a cheaper solution (like eating at home instead of going out).
Thirty days to track every dime you spend It’s easy - just keep a notebook in your pocket and every time you spend a penny, jot it down in that notebook. Include everything, from paying the bills to buying a cup of coffee. If a cent leaves your pocket or your checking account, jot it down. Once you have this record, at the end of the trial, categorize the spending and add it up - you might be shocked to see how much you’re spending on coffee (for one example).
Thirty days to understand your retirement investment options Many people postpone making major decisions about their retirement plans because of the sheer volume and complexity of options. Sorting through these can make for a great thirty day challenge. Start by making a list of the things you’re unsure about, then devote some time (half an hour might do it) each day to dealing with these questions until you’re confident about your retirement planning.
Thirty days to cook at home Make a pledge to prepare all of your food at home by yourself for thirty days. At the end of the period, not only will you have eaten much cheaper than you would have otherwise, you’ll also acquire many of the basic cooking skills you’ll need to make such home cooking a normal part of your routine, saving you money over the long haul.
Thirty days to develop your presentation skills Spend the next thirty days looking for opportunities to speak in public - and then follow through with them with appropriate prep work, practice, and execution. Doing this will do nothing but improve your ability to share your ideas in the workplace and gain more acclaim for your skills no matter what you’re doing.
Thirty days to seek a new job Do you feel stuck in your current job? You like what you’re doing, but you feel stuck in place by a glass ceiling or by office politics. What you might need is simply a change in perspective that can come with a new job in your area. Spend a month doing some careful searching for positions that might be available to you. Apply to the most promising ones and see what happens.
Thirty days to develop and optimize a debt repayment plan A debt repayment plan is just what it says it is - a plan you develop and execute to manage your debts and eventually get rid of them. Getting such a plan in order and optimized can require a lot of leg work, though, so devote fifteen minutes each day to getting your plan in place.
Thirty days to develop strong personal goals What do you want out of life? Where do you want to be in a year? In five years? In twenty years? If you don’t know, spend some time thinking carefully about those questions. Put some time aside each day to think about what you really want out of life. Once you have those goals in place, it becomes a lot easier to make choices in your life that work towards something truly big instead of just wandering day to day.
Thirty days to improve your work relationships Professional relationships are the lifeblood of many careers, but it’s quite easy to get caught up in the day-to-day bustle of work and let many valuable relationships die on the vine. Spend a half an hour each day sprucing up these relationships. Touch base by email or Facebook. Make a phone call or two. Stop by an office or a cubicle. Ask what they’re up to and offer what you have to share. Every relationship you build with something of value is something that can help you out later when you really need it.
Thirty days to try out budgeting For many people, a budget feels like a major step, one fraught with a lot of stress and a lot of challenges along the way. However, a well-executed budget can really help you to get your spending under control. Pick up a great budgeting guide, develop one for yourself, and pledge to stick to it for thirty days. If nothing else, you’ll learn a lot about yourself and your spending along the way.
Thirty days to investigate a new career Are you feeling burnt out with your current career path? Have you fallen out of love with your work? It might be time to think about a new career. Spend the next month investigating potential alternate careers for your skill set.