Bettacreek - New home? Plus a pic of some of the ladies here

[Bettacreek]

Money is definately getting VERY tight. My paycheck from work over my break was cut $90, because the company "lost" my paperwork. An already dismal paycheck to begin with ended up being $44. Next paycheck was closer to $148, but not very helpful under the circumstances. I'm now living on $243/month for the two boys and myself. Gas money alone takes a HUGE chunk of that. I HAVE to go to school/hospital and wherever else the school sends me. Now our loan checks won't be coming in until the end of Feb. Thank GOD I don't have to pay any set bills, just my gas money, food, necessities, etc. My parents pay for my car insurance (again, so very, very thankful for this), they gave me a gift card to get my oil changed and new wipers (could hardly see out of my windshield it was that bad) and then the headlight went out (only $3 for the bulb, and it was something I could fix on my own, again, thank god). I sold about $45 worth of soap recently, which helped for sure, but it still isn't enough to get me through. I've been racking my brain to figure out what else I can do to save money. I haven't bought shampoo for myself in god only knows how long (someone gave me two big bottles of shampoo to use, and have been using soap for the boys, since their short hair can handle it). I have enough soap to last myself an eternity, lol. I've even started making my own soap bars to save myself even the dollar it costs to buy Fels Naptha soap to make laundry detergent every two or three months. Now, I just don't know what else to do. I'm at a loss. I've never, EVER been this broke in my life. I have been calculating my gas by the milage, bringing it so close to sputtering out of gas before having to put $10 in it that it's not even funny anymore. I pack my lunches or don't eat if I forget my packed lunches. I bought mio water "enhancers" with my FS card so I can drink the water at whatever clinical setting I'm at, reducing my costs for drinks to absolutely nothing. I'm just lost at this point. I've never had to calculate the milage per gallon in my car and actually run it THAT low (going to and from a clinical setting after my gas light is already on!). Since I already have the supplies to make laundry detergent, I've been talking to the girls at school. I'm hoping to set up a little barter group to try to help everyone out. I'm offering free laundry detergent to all of the girls, and in return, I've got a ride to the clinical setting at least until my next support payment comes in. I'm hoping to be able to continue that carpool in exchange for whatever I can make, lol. A few of the other girls are in the same boat I'm in. Some girls don't even receive child support!!! I've offered them laundry detergent just because I already have it and I don't want them to be struggling just for laundry detergent when I can make it so cheaply. I'm also helping another girl out with selling some of her stuff online to help her bring in some money, as her family doesn't even receive food stamps, now that her husband got a $0.25/hr raise. They're still struggling and they were actually better off BEFORE the raise than what they are now, and they were hard up before!!! Hopefully we can kind of set up a "support system" to help each other out to keep costs down and be able to make it through six more months of school without foregoing the basic necessities!!! Just six more months of struggling before we can all take our boards and hopefully get excellent jobs where we don't have to roll pennies and go without!

 

[rathbone]

I just wanted to send you a hug. I love to see people be so resourceful. I know that doesn't help your situation but what you are doing should make you proud of yourself.
I am financially in a similar boat. It is hard to smile while gritting your teeth but I am learning. Sounds like you are doing an amazing job.

 

[Wannabefree]

I hae SOOOO been there! Things have a way of working themselves out most times though. Maybe you should list some of your soaps on BYC since their auction block tends to get more action over there. I personally LOVE your soap, and if I had any sense I'd be making some myself, but well...I aint got no sense I 'spose Just keep your head up, and try to market more of your soaps and such. How is the website going?

 

[Bettacreek]

The website still needs pictures. I have to find my camera to get photos. :/ As for soap sales, it's somewhat slow. We haven't had a show since November and online sales aren't super great, because everyone can either make their own or buy from someone with prettier photos. Our next show is May, which is rather nice, because we usually don't start shows until later in the summer/fall months. Still, May is SOOOO far away! I'm banking on tax returns to get me by until school is over. Hopefully I get the $3k that the calculator is telling me, as that would help IMMENSELY! That'll be like an extra $700/month until school is over. I can't even fathom that much money at this point, lol. I do plan on investing some money into my crafts, but haven't decided how much just yet, I do have about $100 that I'd like to spend to improve/create new stuff to sell, but not sure if I'll spend that much or not.
I just wish I could cut my gas and daycare costs like I can with everything else!!!

 

[Wannabefree]

Sounds like a tight squeeze right now. Been there, and yeah, it reeks Hopefully SOON you'll get over this bump in the road and look back and laugh at how stressed you were. I do that...there have been times I look back on now and am like WOW...I wonder how I ever made it through without going nuts You'll make it!! Get some good pictures up and push that soap girl! It's worth it!!

Gas and daycare is a killer no doubt. :/ Nothing you can do about those though...unless ya get rid of the kids and I don't recommend that All ya can do is try to laugh about the situation. When I thought we would have our electric cut off last winter I got a good laugh out of DH and DD They were flipping out, and I was trying to say well so what if it gets shut off, we have wood heat etc. etc. but they weren't buying it AT ALL...TOTAL panic I love those two nuts! Laughing is always good for you, no matter what the situation

 

[Bettacreek]

With no support payment posted, I called in to see if Dbag was arrested for the warrant back in July. They said no, so I called Domestics and apparantly, the daycare HADN'T taken money out of my support, that was the full amount. He is no longer making payments, so, I just went from a panic over $243/month to just sheer shock over trying to live on absolutely fn nothing. Never went to the bf's house last night, and I texted him saying that I was catching a ride with a girl from school, and he texts back telling me where his card was and the pin. So, after the hospital, I filled my tank with his card. I have VERY mixed emotions about it. I feel less like having someone shoot me over the worry about the gas right now, but more like having someone shoot me over the guilt over having to take his money. My instructor pulled me aside today at the end of the day and said "this is only temporary, you'll get through this, do NOT forget that it's ONLY temporary". I'm just so close to wanting to give up. I know I won't, I don't have that option, lol. But this just sucks. I don't know how, but for some reason people have been very supportive, including this forum! I feel like such a worthless bum right now. I burst into tears when I put the receipt and card back for George. I feel like a failure. I refuse to give up though, so somehow I've GOT to get through the next two months or so until refund checks come in and the loan check comes in from the school. Thank god I stock up on stuff. I have enough diapers, clothes, etc for the boys to get them through this. The FS card helps immensely, I don't have to struggle worrying about what I'm going to do about feeding them. *Deep breaths* We'll get through this, you're right WBF, eventually I'll look back and laugh at all of this, especially after I get a nursing job and am making more than I've ever made in my life, lol. Just gotta ride out a few rough spots until then.

 

[Denim Deb]

 

[Bettacreek]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the support from everyone. Trying to be productive today, and getting slightly frustrated. The website is SOOOO close!!! For some reason the stock levels aren't working, so you can check out with 10 bars of soap that aren't even in stock!!!! Going to keep messing around with that and hopefully figure that out, then I can start putting my link around everywhere and hopefully sell more soap!

 

[rathbone]

I was at this point about three months ago. I mean, I really am not a "sit down and cry about it" kind of person but I got to that point of not feeling like I had any control over my life. I had stretched the dollar until it ripped in two. And yes there were people who were willing to help me but I didn't want to be the person who received, I wanted to still be the person who gave others a hand up.
This is what I learned. I learned how to accept help.
And it was HARD. I also learned that by accepting help I AM BEHOLDEN TO NO ONE. (that was really my issue with borrowing I think) So if you had to accept help with gas money, you keep your head up, you owe nothing but kindness in return and you pay him back when you get your tax return.
P.s. Everyone who said this won't last forever ... They are telling you the truth.

 

[hqueen13]

Just wanted to offer you a warm hug and support. Can't wait to see your website when it goes up. It will get there, and when it does I am sure you'll be successful.