Are You a Low Income HSing Family? Come on in...:D

[dawn of ns]

Does your furniture fall into 3 categories: leftovers from your teenage bedroom, cast-offs from friends and family or picked up from the curb on garbage day?

 

Are you insanely good at recognizing a shot wheel bearing or diagnosing a dead fuel pump as you're sitting stranded at the grocery store because you've driven beaters you're entire married life?

 

Can you whip a can of soup, rice and leftover meat into a filling meal?

 

Do you homeschooling suppliers include the local thrift stores and neighbourhood yard sales?

 

Is 'shopping for new clothes' a euphemism for the kids picking through the garbage bags full of hand-me-downs from the cousins?

 

I haven't noticed a lot of lower income moms here but I know there must be some here. And I know there are a lot of funny things we deal with that are worth sharing and laughing about. Why not do it here?

 

I admit that we're not in that territory anymore - sort of. After ten years of living with no money my husband has a new job and we're doing quite well. We're concentrating on paying done debt and the mortgage though so although that anxious feeling when spending money is gone, we're still living mostly like we have for years. But I still have only two pieces of furniture in the whole house that I bought new and I still balk at the thought of buying meat that's over $2 a pound. I also still feel more comfortable talking with a mom over finds at the local used clothing store and feel absolutely no shame in snatching a computer or end table from the end of someone's driveway on garbage day.

 

I can't be the only one here!

 

Oh, and I think that if any of us have pics of our homeschooling space we want to share, even if it include 30 year old brown plaid sofa beds and mismatched chairs, we should!

[Lorna in the boonies]

Me! Me!

 

We finally bought our first new furniture (couch, love seat, and recliner) last December. It only took us 17 1/2 years to get around to it, and we've been griping about having spent that money ever since.;) It was necessary, but the fact that we had to do it just drove us crazy.

 

My homeschooling space consists of our dining room table, which my parents bought when my dad came home from Vietnam. They offered it to me a couple of years ago, and I jumped at the opportunity to take the table I grew up with. The chairs are woven rush and have seen far better days -- I can stick my hand all the way through the seats of 3 of them. We just make sure our legs are centered on the wood that goes along the outside and then we don't fall through. Repairing or replacing them is the next thing that we're saving up for (they just recently started to fall apart, and all at the same time. I guess 40 years is their lifespan.).

 

I took a set of encyclopedias out of the trash at a car wash a couple of weeks ago. They look brand new.

 

I love the free table at my homeschool association meetings -- it's the only reason I go! (I do contribute generously to it, as well.)

[Jenn in Mo]

Me, too! Though, I think we'd have been in much better shape if we had never attempted to buy new furniture. New furniture and Christmas presents went on credit cards for years. We wanted everyone to know we loved them at Christmas....so we racked up debt in their honor?:confused: I'm sure they felt the love. - lol. I'm not sure how we'll handle this Christmas, but I'm hoping no one questions whether or no we still love them.:D

 

We were *this close* to being done with our credit card, but our van broke down while we were on vacation. We paid a good chunk off before the trip, but held some back *just in case* and yes, we ended up needing it. But we're doing the Dave Ramsey thing now and hacking away at it.

 

The funny thing is, very little of the furniture we purchased is still around. The hand-me-downs from family are what keep us in places to sit and sleep.

 

One odd thing that I'm coming to terms with: because of the lack of funds for curriculum, I've noticed that I tend to horde books terribly. I have more books (most bought for a quarter or less) than we could all read. And I STILL have a list a mile long of books that I want. These are all excellent books, but they are just taking up space. While pinching our pennies, I'm realizing it's also time to let go of the books. They are not security for me. God supplies my needs for today. No need to hold onto a book that may or may not supply a need 5 years from now.

[Quiver0f10]

Waving wildly! :seeya: Yes, that is us. The only nice piece of furniture we own is our table, the rest has been second hand or yard sale finds. My kids wear thrift clothes, hand me downs or wal-mart clearance LOL. I love hitting the used book sales and the highlight of my day is when I stop at a yard sale and find a great steal! :D

[Mad Jenny Flint]

We make a comfortable living, but I just don't spend much on decorating, furniture, etc. We have always lived below our means and we're very thrifty compared to many people in our income category. We do not have the latest and greatest of everything, but we do keep up what we have. We shop at discount grocers and discount clothing stores because we think our money should work for us, not the other way 'round.

[Kari C in SC]

We go back and forth. Sometimes commission is great and we don't own two homes. We have a second home in Florida, that we need to sell. Then there are times when dh's commission is not great and we are tight. The last two years, have been tight. I just keep telling myself that the times will change again. I had to laugh at the garbage thing. My sister-in-law lives across the street from us. She put a small book shelf out in the trash this week. I was out with the kids doing a science experiment and saw it in the trash. I grabbed it! She came over later to find her "trash" shelf in my house! I don't care if something is new or used - as long as I can find a good use for it.

[sweetbaby]

Me too! My dh and I had been married 10 years before making our first furniture purchase. Everything we had was passed down from parents.

[dawn of ns]

One odd thing that I'm coming to terms with: because of the lack of funds for curriculum, I've noticed that I tend to horde books terribly. I have more books (most bought for a quarter or less) than we could all read. And I STILL have a list a mile long of books that I want. These are all excellent books, but they are just taking up space. While pinching our pennies, I'm realizing it's also time to let go of the books. They are not security for me. God supplies my needs for today. No need to hold onto a book that may or may not supply a need 5 years from now.

 

I know how you feel! It's not just books but clothes and toys as well. The clothes...We're the dumping ground so for the longest time there was too much. I've paired the kids down to just a closet and a few shelves in a wardrobe now though.

 

And toys. It's so easy to go to a few yard sales or thrift stores, spend only a little bit and come home with a trunk FULL of stuff. I'm curious if other families have some hoarding issues. :D

[Dayle in Guatemala]

Absolutely us! It's difficult at times, but, God is so good and does provide. But, it is tough. I'm actually absolutely amazing at diagnosing all the little smells, sounds, and troubles of our car! I can make a chicken go for at least 3 meals if I have to. I'm not sure the last time we bought new clothes in a store other than a thrift store. That's our life. It's a season!

[dawn of ns]

We make a comfortable living, but I just don't spend much on decorating, furniture, etc. We have always lived below our means and we're very thrifty compared to many people in our income category. We do not have the latest and greatest of everything, but we do keep up what we have. We shop at discount grocers and discount clothing stores because we think our money should work for us, not the other way 'round.

 

I thinks that's where we're heading. As hard as it was all those years have put us in a good position regarding how we purchase stuff and what's important to us. And as long as something is functional, I either won't be fussy about how it looks or I'll find a way to make it look better.

 

I AM about to go furniture shopping soon though. There's an annual '50 mile yard sale' event in my community in September so I generally start making up a list about this time of stuff I need. And I usually find what I need. Last year it was a wardrobe and bookcases. this years it's kitchen tables - matching is optional. :D

[lori in tx]

This is us too, our bedroom furniture was my parents almost everything comes from a resale shop. My kids are styling hand me downs but we are thankful for everything we have. I look at this is my ministry to my children we are sacrificing to homeschool them so we have given up something so I can homeschool my kids. I love my resale furniture, honestly I don't feel so bad if something happens to it. YOu are not alone, you are trying to live within your means while paying off debt.

blessings

lori in tx who lives down the street from the hood

[Sandy in Indy]

You can buy furniture new...like from a store???? Wow! (I've been married 22 years and the only new thing I've ever bought is the desk for my computer.)

 

And yes, we're in the scrimp and make do category.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I had to tell my kids to stop telling everyone that we are dumpster divers!:D Though we did get dd's dresser from someone's trash pile a block away (balancing that on a dolly and maneuvering that down the street was interesting. . .)

[CalicoKat]

Me! Me!

 

We finally bought our first new furniture (couch, love seat, and recliner) last December. It only took us 17 1/2 years to get around to it, and we've been griping about having spent that money ever since.;) It was necessary, but the fact that we had to do it just drove us crazy.

 

My homeschooling space consists of our dining room table, which my parents bought when my dad came home from Vietnam. They offered it to me a couple of years ago, and I jumped at the opportunity to take the table I grew up with. The chairs are woven rush and have seen far better days -- I can stick my hand all the way through the seats of 3 of them. We just make sure our legs are centered on the wood that goes along the outside and then we don't fall through. Repairing or replacing them is the next thing that we're saving up for (they just recently started to fall apart, and all at the same time. I guess 40 years is their lifespan.).

 

I took a set of encyclopedias out of the trash at a car wash a couple of weeks ago. They look brand new.

 

I love the free table at my homeschool association meetings -- it's the only reason I go! (I do contribute generously to it, as well.)

 

15 years and nary a brand spanking new piece of furniture! :D Well at least until Sept. 10th (Kids get new beds).

 

I love thrifting. I make my garage sale lists in the spring with anticipation. Even if we could buy things new I don't think that I would.

 

Recently I'm having a hard time thinking of adding brand new pieces to my wardrobe. It's always been I can find at one my thrifting stores, for me & my family.

 

There are a few items over the years that I wouldn't consider getting recycled. Towels, sheets, underwear, shoes, or make-up, toiletries of any kind.

 

Today I'm gloating over a set of Ethan Allen nightstands I found. I haven't had a nightstand ever because of our small bedroom. It's a novelty to have my lamp, alarm clock, and flashlight right next to my bed! :001_smile:

 

I'm still thrifting looking for a new living room sectional for the family room. I found also found a lovely table & chairs for the breakfast nook.

[Harriet Vane]

When I was growing up we wavered between totally poor and lower-middle-class. We were totally poor until my mother married my stepfather, at which point we were lower-middle-class with a tight budget. We did a lot of garage-saling, LOL.

 

Then came high school, considerable family upheaval, and being totally, crushingly poor. As in--running out of oil for the heater and living in the kitchen because we could heat it with the stove. Or parking the car around the block to avoid repossession. Or dumping garbage in apartment dumpsters because we couldn't pay the fee for pick-up.

 

I was probably even poorer in college, but it felt better because I was self-sufficient. There were times I worked more than one job in addition to being a full-time student.

 

Our income now, as adults, is quite comfortable, but I have never, ever lost certain habits from the years of living so tight. I hoard, though I am trying my darndest to declutter and change that habit. I cannot help but calculate purchases based on how much groceries that money could buy. For example, a friend was talking once about how spending $50 a month to wax her legs in a salon was not that much. I instantly convert that in my head--I know how many groceries I could buy at Aldi with that. I have a very difficult time making large purchases because I know and feel acutely the value of money.

[scubamama]

HA! This is us to a T...dh is a man of many jobs. BUt they don't add up to much in $'s. Sadly one is at a well known Univ. that cost $47,000 a year - way more than his salary! I definately look forward to ends of semesters (esp at Summer) rich students routinely dump computers, chairs, microwaves, etc in the dumpster. And I am right there with my kids waiting to pull it out of the dumpster!!! MY computer and printer are both from that dumpster they look beat up but they work. Hand me downs are an art form here - I have a pavlovian response to a yard sale sign or clearance sign - I must GO and SEE! New clothes for us are a novelty and I must confess i wrestle mightily with envy at times...my sister is a clothes horse and drops $100 at Banana Republic for ONE pair of pants and thinks nothing of it. I try to compensate by keeping house and kids clean and never refusing as hand me down. Our favorite "find" is our house - it was the local "abandoned house" We bought it and the neighbors cringed thinking another crazy nut was moving in and they'd be calling the cops around the clock again - but no, just some homeschoolers :tongue_smilie:

It had no heat because someone cut a hole in the living room floor and jacked the furnace out of the basement!!! Plus other asorted problems - bad roof, radon, plumbing issues, cracking walls etc. We're here 10 years and still fixing as we go...

My friends from my old job and other better off financially folks sometimes make comments like "maybe a part timejob would help" but I try not to take offense. I'd like new stuff too...but this is where we are and odd seems to work for us at this point!

Michele

[swellmomma]

I am! I do have some new furniture but that is because my parents take pity on me and buy it. Otherwise 90% of my stuff is cast offs of thrift store finds, though in my defense you can't typically tell that I got things from those places. I also do not drive clunkers(though the first 3 were) as when one of my cars break down my folks buy themselves a new one and I get the hand-me down (I am on my 4th vehicle this way).

 

As for school supplies, I am blessed to have funding here in Alberta so I get to buy the majority of it brand new from real supplies, but I add to it with thrift shop finds, dollar store finds etc.

 

I don't work, between my child tax benefit, the universal child care benefit($100/month for every child under 6), and my son's disability benefit, combined with the child support I now receive (after going 7 years with none), I can afford to stay home with the kids and homeschool with a little cushion in the budget as long as I do not move from this house. IT is subsidized housing, so I pay rent based on income, everywhere else in the city would take 75% of my income or more just in rent, so this housing has meant the difference between homeschooling and being with my children, or working 60-70 hours a week just to get by after rent is paid.

 

I do have hoarding issues, my kids have WAY too much toys, clothes, games, etc because I don't want them to go without, they tend to have more than even their more affluent peers. It helps that my family spoils them as much as I do, so they still get lessons, trips, new stuff etc.

 

I have been truely blessed and I know God provides. Here is some examples of that, I was struggling trying to figure out how I was going to pay for extra currics for the kids, when I was told about a research study in the city. I was accepted, and got into the comprehensive group with meant I was given $250 per child per year per child for extra sports. THat coupled with my always asking clubs what I can do to lower fees meant my children can take a multitude of activities. WHen the kids wanted music lessons I was worried because I had used my funding already for the year from the study, when I was told about a fine arts program for low income families that was free, the kids took private violin (dd) and guitar(ds) as well as art and hip hop classes. Last xmas when I panicked about how to buy gifts, my name was called in a radio contest I forgot I entered and I won $700. I know that as long as I hold my faith and do what I feel I was called to do, and that is be home raising/schooling my kids, God will provide us with all the opportunities we need.

[dragons in the flower bed]

Do your homeschooling suppliers include the local thrift stores and neighbourhood yard sales?

 

 

We found an unopened Leonardo DaVinci project kit at a yard sale last week, perfect, since we're studying him in history and math this year. It's the exact same one I sighed over in the Greenleaf Press catalog.

[Kelli in TN]

We are not really there. We have nice stuff.

 

 

And the bills to go along with the stuff. Now that prices have increased and income has not and the piper still has to be paid, we are feeling the crunch in a big way.

 

Sure, I have nice furniture. I have a big honking TV (no cable, but it is a big tv). But you can bet I am shopping the thrift stores nowadays too.

 

I actually wish I could sell some of this nice stuff and generate some income for living on.

[Mandamom]

was us and still is.

 

I never even requested homeschool catalogues because, well, I really couldn't afford anything in them. I bought piecemeal and used lots of library materials to piece together our subjects.

 

I couldn't afford to buy the teacher's manuals for the workbooks that I did buy from the local used homeschool book store so I learned the subjects with my children, if I didn't know them already. I only bought workbooks or homeschool textbooks if they were under $8 -- anything higher was a splurge.

 

We homeschooled on the dining room table. Instead of a pencil sharpener I used an exacto knife to sharpen our pencils (I did recently buy a sharpener on sale -- what a fantastic invention :)

 

I will say that our lack of finances did contribute to getting our children back into school, although it definitely wasn't the only reason. I know that for many sending their children to school was expensive but for us is has definitely been a money saving option.

 

ETA: every piece of our furniture and electronics (except for our $300 laptop) are more than 5 years old and were given to us. My bed is in excess of 22 years old and the kids are using beds that are on loan to us by my aunt.

[sandellie4]

Us, too. And lately, after my husband lost his job, I was feeling more isolated and alone than ever. Our money has always been tight because we have special needs kids and I use good curricula; I try to be creative when I can, but I also work, so sometimes I buy curricula that I wish I didn't have to. We also have therapies and treatments that we have to pay for out of pocket, but some of the providers have been really good about lowering the price for us. The kids don't get all the therapies I'd like them to have, but they get more than they would get from the school system (and the ones they did get from the school system in the past weren't very good anyway).

 

Other than homeschool, there is no other top priority. We eat what we have. I try to be creative but there's no pleasing everyone all of the time, so many's a night we've had "Shut up and eat it." The A/C and heat are kept as low as possible; everyone is required to turn off lights, make their decision about what they want from the fridge before they open the door, etc. We have a great second-hand clothes store down the street and once a month they have their bag sales. If we need clothes, we can get some pretty good stuff there for $4 a bag. Our microwave died last month. It took me all day but I found one that had been returned to the store. It had a dent in the side, so I was able to talk them down to $90. Later, on the web, I discovered the retail price was $399. Then I was really proud, went around talking about it the next day. As for furniture, everything we have his second hand, but most of it, though not much for looks, is really sturdy, so I tell myself that we are "rustic" rather than "poor"!

 

Sandy

[Ottakee]

I would say that our income is in the moderate category but we do live more of a frugal lifestyle.

 

In fact, I just got done helping 12dd try on clothes for fall----all collected from various friends who pass down their hand me downs. Add in 1 clearance dress, and a $5 pack of undies from Walmart she is set for fall/winter.

 

11dd will have her turn at trying on clothes from our stock in a few minutes.

 

We eat mostly frugal type meals, wear mostly thrift store/hand me downs with a few clearance items thrown in for good measure.

 

We did buy a new couch and loveseat several years ago but that is our only new furniture. Oh, I guess we did buy a table and chairs years ago.

 

Now, we do have 2 horses that we board and that costs us money but my girls would rather "shop" from our store of clothes here and have their horse than shop at the mall.

 

Even when we could afford "more" I tend to think of ways to do with less, get it cheaper, etc--esp. for groceries and clothes--things that won't last years.

[dawn of ns]

We are not really there. We have nice stuff.

 

 

And the bills to go along with the stuff. Now that prices have increased and income has not and the piper still has to be paid, we are feeling the crunch in a big way.

 

Sure, I have nice furniture. I have a big honking TV (no cable, but it is a big tv). But you can bet I am shopping the thrift stores nowadays too.

 

I actually wish I could sell some of this nice stuff and generate some income for living on.

 

You can definitely join us. :D I know quite a few couple that make a lot more then my husband but because of they're expenses they're not really any better off then us. If you need tips and help, just ask.

[6packofun]

Yep! Not low-income enough to give up our internet service, but low-income enough to really struggle to be able to have our kids participate in extra activities and sports. That's the issue that is getting me down lately. It can be hard to hear about how we need to give our children a great homeschooling education and see all the great things other kids can participate in, but not be able to do anything BUT school for ours. :001_unsure:

 

Don't mind me, I'm Debbie Downer today...LOL

[King Alfred Academy]

We are totally in this category! My dh is a grad. student (who happens to have gotten a great stipend/package) but we are still considered low income...maybe even very low! In fact, we just moved into a two bedroom apt. (graduate family housing on campus) that is only 594 sq. ft! Let me tell you, we are getting pretty creative with our organizing and storage!

 

As far as our furniture goes, my dh just came back with a table and an office chair that was discarded by students moving out. I guess this is the BIG moving weekend and many apt. complexes mark off areas in their parking lots for people to place unwanted stuff so that others can pick it up! We got a bookshelf last night! We are going to go "shopping" later today.

 

I will be posting pics on my blog soon of our hschooling space. It's not pretty, but it is functional!

[cathmom]

we fit also!

 

The EIC funds our homeschool!

[Guest Katia]

I belong in this category.

 

We have very nice things....because I have a dad that makes sure we have nice things. He made (by hand) our headboards for our beds, all of my ds's bedroom furniture and my china cabinet/hutch. It's a hobby of his and we benefit from it. God knows we wouldn't have these nice things any other way.

 

My mom bought my girls their bedroom furniture for their birthdays one year from Wal-Mart. It's cheap but looks nice and is really holding up well.

 

My bedroom furniture is 40 years old. Yep. My parents bought it for me when I was 8 years old. It is solid pine and absolutely beautiful.

 

In our living room, all our end tables are hand-me-downs from mom and dad's old, old stuff. They had it in their basement for years before I got married, and I've used it now for over 25 years. I have my mom's piano. It's over 40 years old as well.

 

We sold/traded our old living room set (couch, chair and matching ottoman) for a solid wood dining room table and chairs at a local used furniture store. The dining room stuff is Nice. It had red paint splashed all over it, that's why I could trade for it. No one would buy it. I just worked at scrubbing it all off, and now it looks like new!

 

My couch, recliner and love-seat are new. After 21 years of old living room furniture with a 70's floral print, I felt I deserved new. HA! It was nice for the two years it took to pay it off. Now it looks like crud. I wish I had my old, in-terrific-shape 70's stuff back. Live and learn.

 

My entire house is decorated in Middle 80's Garage Sale. The things on the walls. The stuff sitting around. I was totally into garage sales when the kiddos were young (that's how we bought all their clothing as small children) and I have just never been able to change the decor.

 

Our idea of 'new' clothes is Wal-Mart clearance rack, Goodwill and Kohl's clearance rack. Actually, I just discovered Kohl's last fall. I had never even gone into it because I knew it was waaayyy too expensive for us, but I've found the nicest clothes for my girls for under $5-$6. I can pay that for a new dress!

 

Dh and I have saved and saved for a honeymoon trip. We decided a long, long time ago that we would travel to Hawaii for our 25th wedding anniversary. Well........that was last year. We took the money we had saved for our special trip and bought our dd a concert grand pedal harp since that is what she wants to major in and she needed one to practice on. We felt it was money well spent as a trip is here and gone, but we have already had daily benefits for over a year of listening to her harp playing. As have others. And it will last for years and years.

 

I don't mind being low-income. I enjoy finding good deals and I feel all of us in our family appreciate things more knowing we either have to save for it or find good bargains. I simply can NOT relate to threads talking about their children who feel entitled to 'things' from mom and dad. (clothes, electronics, free-rides, etc.) We have never had those things to give and my dc are well aware that they need to make their own way in this world. Any thing they get from us is a big bonus.

[swellmomma]

Yep! Not low-income enough to give up our internet service, but low-income enough to really struggle to be able to have our kids participate in extra activities and sports. That's the issue that is getting me down lately. It can be hard to hear about how we need to give our children a great homeschooling education and see all the great things other kids can participate in, but not be able to do anything BUT school for ours. :001_unsure:

 

Don't mind me, I'm Debbie Downer today...LOL

 

Just some ideas that have worked for me to get the kids lessons. The gymnastics club the kids attend waives the fees for one child everytime I clean the entire club. It takes me between 6-8 hours of non-stop cleaning, but after doing it 3 times all 3 kids a free semester of classes (normally $150 each), so worth it imo. Girl guides & boy scouts waive the fees in return for volunteer hours (I have done things like driver for cookie drive and bottle drive etc). Baseball typically waives all the fees or a portion in return for working bingos. Community leagues also often waive the fees for families to participate in the sports/activities they have in return for volunteer hours (can be as simple as being a telephone contact for the club). There is MANY MANY ways to get access to this activities if you just ask what you can do to make it possible for your child to participate. Oh also the YMCA have an opportunity fund, to allow low income families to join the club at a rate of only 25% of normal fees, this gets your kids a set of swim lessons, lots of sports teams, camps during xmas, spring and summer break etc.

 

In my city low income families can apply for a leisure access card that gives them free access to swimming pools, and city attractions. The Museum typically offers 1 day a year with free admission. The science center does homeschool days for half the cost of admission for kids, adult in free as chaperone, etc. Get in contact with the various attractions in your city you want the kids to attend and ask them if they offer things like that.

 

We are WAY below poverty line, but my kids participate in a wide variety of sports and camps, we do weekly fieldtrips to the zoo, fort ed park, nature center, swimming etc all for free or extremelly low cost.

 

My motto: "Where there is a will, there is a way!"

 

Hope that helps give you some options so you don't have to feel bummed by it.

[*anj*]

We are not in that category because of low income, but we do several of the things that you listed by choice. Our dining room set and ds' bedroom furniture are the only things that we purchased for ourselves, brand new. Our bedroom furniture formerly belonged to my in-laws. I don't ever intend to replace it because it is excellent quality and very beautiful. I have no reason to spend the amount of money it would cost to get something of equal value. It's over 40 years old, and still in great shape.

 

Our girls sleep on bedroom furniture given to us by friends when they upgraded for their girls. It's a lovely set of matching beds and dressers. Again, no reason at all to change it.

 

We did buy ourselves a couch and comfy chair for the living room about 12 years ago, but they weren't anything great and couldn't stand up to the rigors of childrearing. We tossed them a couple of years ago and now we use the couch that was left here by the former owners of our house. It's totally fine and was practically new when we got it. The love seat needs replacing, so we'll get something (probably used) to replace it.

 

My kids wear a lot of hand me downs.

I even wear hand me downs.

 

But we eat really good quality food, we have no debt, and life is good. :D

[dawn of ns]

My couch, recliner and love-seat are new. After 21 years of old living room furniture with a 70's floral print, I felt I deserved new. HA! It was nice for the two years it took to pay it off. Now it looks like crud. I wish I had my old, in-terrific-shape 70's stuff back. Live and learn.

 

I don't know if you guys find this but whenever I get into that, "I deserve this," frame of mind then I almost always make a dumb purchase.

 

What I REALLY deserve is to not have the stress of yet another bit of debt!

[dawn of ns]

Yep! Not low-income enough to give up our internet service...

 

I have to say that I think the internet is an ESSENTIAL, especially if you're low income. It was a life saver for me in terms of socializing with other moms when there was no money, learning about interests, getting resources for the kids...I'm not I'd be sane without it.

[fivetails]

Yeah I think that my duct taped furniture and I can hang out here. :D

 

Dawn, you rock. Just so's you know. ;)

 

We've been low income for years - the low sort where despite the male half working a fulltime year round job, we still got financial assistance (ie, welfare) because his income came in less than their guidelines for a family of four.

 

This started changing over the last few months because dh got a new job that pays him quite a bit better :thumbup: however, the new job is 5000km away.. we see him every 3 months or so for a week or two. :thumbdown:

[Mosaicmind]

Count me in. :seeya: We were on foodstamps for awhile and WIC, although now we are off both. We are still receiving Medicaid because we qualify, thank goodness because I have 2 sons with asthma and one with Chiari Malformation type 1. It has saved us from filing bankruptcy.

 

Seriously though we are considering selling our 15 pass van to get another smaller car and just reside ourselves that we will never ride together as a family anymore. The van just costs too much in gas.

[dawn of ns]

Yeah I think that my duct taped furniture and I can hang out here. :D

 

You know what would fun? If we posted our most taped together, out-of-style, barely functional piece of furniture. What would be more fun is we we voted on who had the worst piece...:D

 

My microwave cart/storage thingee would be in the running!

[fivetails]

You know what would fun? If we posted our most taped together, out-of-style, barely functional piece of furniture. What would be more fun is we we voted on who had the worst piece...:D

 

My microwave cart/storage thingee would be in the running!

 

I dunno....my peeling dresser with the busted & missing drawer and the creepy stuck-there-forever evil looking ps game sticker might kick your cart's butt. :001_tt2:

[G5052]

At times I truly get weary of struggling every single month with no break in sight. I get tired of squeezing every penny for curriculum, and feeling like every trip out in the van is going to stretch us too far. That's reality though, and we do pretty well I guess for our limitations.

 

I was at a mom's meeting this week and listened to everyone's vacations politely and avoided saying that we haven't been out of town overnight this entire year. The highlights of my kid's summers included the slip-and-slide and going fishing at the lake 15 minutes from us, which frankly they love as much as anything.

 

I guess it's all a matter of perspective!

[Sweetpeach]

Most definitely wish to join your group!

 

We're not "low-income" but all the things you mentionned . . . we still do those things.

 

We live in HRM and my favorite shop is the Beacon House -- we get most of our books, craft supplies, kitchen gear, kid winter jackets there . . . the BH profits support the local food bank and I'm always finding treasures.

 

I love finding recycling curb junk -- and between Salvation Army and Frenchy's, I'm very satisfied in my shopping experiences.

 

I never want to be pulled into the idea that "stuff" will make me happy.

 

I never want to forget how it feels to just make ends meet while growing up with a low-income single mom's salary . . . it grew tremendous compassion and kindness for people I meet who are struggling financially.

 

Even when your debt is paid and you have a little nest egg, your spending habits many not change. Who knows.

 

Warmly, Tricia

[Doran]

 

 

 

Present!

[TraceyS/FL]

I fit sorta in this category.

 

We had more income at one time, i have some great furniture and stuff from that time period, and we have the luxury of having our house paid for which helps (hey, moving from CA to FL 4.5 years ago did that!). But taxes and insurance almost make it as much as if we were renting.

 

The grandparents do a lot for the kids (and me at times), but we just can't afford gas to go many places (like to USE our Disney passes), or do anything other than the one gymnastics class they take.

 

It's frustrating at times - we give up on other stuff so the kids have school stuff.

 

But heck, i'd like some grass - 1.25 acres of DIRT surrounding me is starting to get to me. UGH. But i have a roof, a bed (newer mattress that was an anniversary present a few years ago), and food, so i'm good. I know others are worse off, so i count my blessings weekly.

[dcjlkplus3]

Yep! Not low-income enough to give up our internet service, but low-income enough to really struggle to be able to have our kids participate in extra activities and sports. That's the issue that is getting me down lately. It can be hard to hear about how we need to give our children a great homeschooling education and see all the great things other kids can participate in, but not be able to do anything BUT school for ours. :001_unsure:

 

This is something I struggle with, too. The kids want to do swimming and dance and basketball and I want them to, but where will the money come from. Baseball and curriculum came out of our tax refund. We have the nice stuff that is important to us, (camera, video camera, dvd players) and God has blessed us to meet our needs and even a lot of our wants in many ways. But the extra-curricular stuff gets me down sometimes. They are all just so expensive!

[sleepy]

Count me in. Low income... sometimes no income... yup.

[Carrie12345]

We have a... weird lifestyle.

Dh and I got married with just about zero dollars to our names. These days, especially for our location, his income is considered very good. However, we're still paying off some debt from our first few years, including his student loans.

 

Our living room set was his grandmother's. Our dining room table was my great-grandmother's. Ds sleeps on dh's old bunk beds. My china (which is in storage, never used) was my now-divorced parents' wedding china.

 

Our house, with 4 kids, 2 big dogs and 2 cats, is *maybe 1200 sq'. My kids' rooms are tiny, and the baby technically doesn't have a room.

 

We're looking into building a new house, only b/c it will be easier to build a small home that meets our needs, rather than trying to find an existing small home that can meet our needs. The plan we're looking at would give us an extra 400 sq' and a basement, which will save us our storage fees. We don't want to heat/maintain (or clean, lol) more than that.

 

I color my own hair, I don't remember my last manicure (or hair cut), and 99% of our clothes come from Target, with some hand me downs for fillers.

 

We splurge on books and electronics. Still, our biggest television is normal-human size, I swear!

 

My inlaws think I'm cheap. I just don't think they realize how prepared I want to be when *we* get stuck taking care of *their* finances one day!

[Jenny in Atl]

Count me in. Low income... sometimes no income... yup.

 

Sounds like us right now. Dh is coming home early way too much these days. :confused:

[Meljoy]

 

Can you whip a can of soup, rice and leftover meat into a filling meal?

 

 

 

Can of soup? What can of soup? Don’t you know you can make it from scratch in bulk much cheaper???? :D

 

 

We are much better now due to DH job change & the fact that I only have one left at home -but when we first started homeschooling? Those were the days. It was a real treat to get a can of coke (Walmart brand) for a quarter and split it. My older kids appreciated so much any little thing.

 

I still try to save where I can- cook from scratch, very rarely eating out, hang close on line to dry, only run air occasionally, garden, ect.

 

'Opportunity Costs' -the only thing I remember from Macro Economics- The more I save the more I can spend on books! :001_smile:

[dawn of ns]

We live in HRM and my favorite shop is the Beacon House -- we get most of our books, craft supplies, kitchen gear, kid winter jackets there . . . the BH profits support the local food bank and I'm always finding treasures.

 

I'm in the HRM! Okay, I'm way out near Lantz in a rural area but still, I'm there!

[dawn of ns]

Okay...I am really happy with the reply this thread got. Some fo the discussions at this forum had me thinking I didn't really fit in so it's a BIG relief to find so many people here with similar experiences.

[fivetails]

Okay...I am really happy with the reply this thread got. Some fo the discussions at this forum had me thinking I didn't really fit in so it's a BIG relief to find so many people here with similar experiences.

 

I've felt the same way sometimes, so it's been awesome to watch this thread go along and see others joining :)

 

Thanks for starting it! :D

[Cathy in IL]

That would be us, with the ironic twist of living in a very expensive neighborhood in a house worth at least half a mil. The catch is, it isn't my house. I live on agency property in a house they own and pay for. We have a big yard and a four bedroom Victorian in a neighborhood that I could afford a studio apartment in - if that! Great hand-me-downs regularly appear on our front porch because people know I run an emergency home and will use almost any size or any toy at some time each year. The kids generally get one new outfit a season. Everything else is from thrift store or donations - yet they are clothed almost entirely in Gap, Children's Place, and other boutique brands.

 

I keep a strict budget. We don't have the housekeepers and vacations that many of our neighbors do. I do my own gardening and cooking. I rarely hire babysitters to get out with friends. We buy things on sale.

 

Compared to a year ago when we lived in a two bedroom condo, our lifestyle has completely changed. Our income has stayed the same. that is the irony of it.

[Guest Katia]

Oh, yeah "The catch is, it isn't my house."

 

I can SO relate to that. We have never owned a house. We have only rented a house for a very short time (less than a year; we couldn't afford it).

 

We have only ever lived in a parsonage where the church takes care of up-keep and pays for the utilities. I know there is NO WAY we could ever afford to make a mortgage payment and pay for utilities, too. Never ever.

 

I feel truly blessed that we have a place to live. I really do. But.....I also envy people who have their own homes and can paint them....decorate them...etc. Guess I can always dream that Some Day.......:D

[laughing lioness]

We do a lot of what others do- garden, can, drive beater cars, wash out baggies = ), no a.c., burn wood. I have also led homeschool groups in order to create experiences for my kids and provide opportunities that I couldnt' afford (drama camps, art lessons, etc). I have also been a sales rep for several companies. The work is part time and as a result I have been able to go to many homeshcool conferences for free, had materials to trade or barter, earned a lot of free curriculum. I have also written for homeschool web-sites and mags and earned some free stuff. I have also spoken to homeschool groups, had travel payed for in this way, sold materials in this way. I also have (more so in the past) done a lot of buying and selling on-line, generating income as well as providing all or most of our curriculum for "free." My dh and I are occaisionally asked to speak to groups on parenting, families etc and frequently earn some money this way (it's not a lot but we've had weekend "vacations" paid for, etc).

I have also become more bold about asking for things that we need or letting people know that we need them. Recently I asked my mil if she would keep an eye out for electronic equipment and when she visited she brought a DVD and CD player.

We have landscaped with mostly free plants (except trees) and I try to divide and share each year. We garden extensively and are always learning in order to generate more food. I am great at growing herbs so we are drying most of our tea this year and i've frozen boatloads of pesto. Last year we were given 200# of sweet corn so we blanched and froze it for the year. This year we were able to go pick apples for free and brought home a couple hundred pounds. I've been making applesauce this week :)

Co-oping is one of the great money savers for me for school. We share materials and experience. My kids benefit from others talents and I teach what I love.

We invest heavily in education, experiences, books, things of God. Both my dh's and my education cost a fortune. Technically, so did our kids (if you count what we know, lost income from my being home, the materials, etc) but we believe that we are stewarding our resources.

I do get envious of families whose kids are in dance, gymnastics, music etc becasue my kids do occaisionally ask for those things. OTOH I am (it's a work in progress) trusting in God to provide what we need when we need it and to not convet.

I have loved this thread. You all are an inspriation and encouragement. It's great to know that we aren't alone :001_smile: