tight budget

[Azanne07]

have you ever had your budget so tight that going over with any part or having a bill higher than normal would throw everything off and you have cut out all the "fat" and still couldn't get a hold of your budget?

I am so feeling the pinch

But I believe I got my insurance reduced by about $40 per month
and ill have another bill paid down in June and my boyfriend will have another bill paid off in June!

YAY

On the other hand anyone have any tips on making your food budget stretch as far as possible. $200 doesn't go very far with a family of 4.

[gwilson31]

I know what it's like living on an extremely tight budget.  It's hard!  There is only 2 of us here ... me and my spouse.
Both of us are on disability with health problems,  But you just have to do the best you can. 

[debidoo]

There are a lot of frugal living sites that have tips especially on how to feed your family on less.  My son works for an assisted living facility and he gets to bring food home which I am not altogether crazy about the food but it is free and that helps us.  Well best to you I know it isn't easy to make it these days.

[teresa3200]

There are some things you can do to cut down, making your own laundry soap and fabric softener saves money every month and it is very easy and very cheap. A batch of laundry soap can last for months and only cost about a dollar to make. Pinterest has a of frugal ideas to save money.

[dsosnowski06]

I can totally relate to a tight budget.  Living on a fixed income and when a unexpected bill comes along it does throw everything off.  I learned to check the weekly sale papers for food and only buy exactly what we need.  I make a grocery list and really stick to it. Check all the coupon sites to help reduce your bill.  Make a some casseroles or larger roast that can be used for leftovers.   I also always pay with my debit card and keep my credit only emergencies.

[freedavis]

I can recall back in the day right out of college and getting married we saved everything we had to save for a house.  We had tight months that when new bill or unexpected money had to be given was so hard.  You live on a tight budget but life always throws things that require money outside the  budget.

[LenoraMinogue]

It's really tough to live on a tight budget for sure. Cut everything you can and hope for the best. I wish you lots of luck.

[mamatygress]

My husband is off work for 6 months due to rotator cuff surgery, so I hear you.  We're almost to the potatoes and ramen diet.

[dreamyxo]

If you have room to plant a garden grow your own food. 

[squirrelgirl44]

Yes, I have lived like that before, and it is awful. Thankfully I didn't have to do it for longer than about a year, and I've always been able to supplement those times with FC (and other gpt sites) or selling things on ebay. Life sometimes throws us curveballs and I try to save when I can so I don't ever have to go back to that. It's miserable.

[adriarobi]

I am on "partial" Soc. Sec. It is $600/mo. Took Soc Sec early to help my single (now deceased son) raise his four kids when his wife left.  You never get full Soc. Sec. after that.

I have learned to buy buy coupons and match it will sales. When products I use all the time are on sale, I buy extra. Terrific with a sale, and just get to the point you can be ok for a few wks if necessary.

It's a learning process. Watch Walgreens, Wal-Mart for sales, and be wllling to drive a few extra miles to take advantage of a sale. I actually bought 6 pkgs of my fave coffee that is always half price at the turn of the year in a certain grocery store. Had $1 off coupons too, so got coffee cheap. Almost $60 of coffee for $28. A year's supply. If you do that with enough of your basics, you will have extra cash.

Just a thought, an idea. It has worked well with me.

 

[alice44]

I don't see how a family of four can make it theses days.  I definitely feel for you.  There are just 2 of us and we feel the squeeze every month and with every bill!

[s34g35j]

no amount of money goes far these days but fusioncash certinaly helps thank you

[sfreeman8]

I hear ya. I've cut back on everything I can to make ends meet, but our life insurance kills me. For the 2 of us, I'm paying over $200 a month and because of our health problems in the past, no other insurance will touch us with a 10-foot pole or the payments are the same amount or higher. So it's either drop it or pay it. It's only for $25K, too. I've sold a couple things but even that doesn't come close. I've applied for an SNAP card and qualified for $15 a month. Whoppee! For 2 of us! Hubby refused to use it so they canceled it. We cut way back on food. i used to spend $150 a week plus we used to get a half steer and half pig every year. Now I spend $150 a month if possible. Sometimes none at all. We applied for Liheap (heat/electric) program but we're over the income guidelines by $50. I'm already on the budget plan for electric service and that goes up every year, too.

Sometimes I feel it's not worth being frugal all your life and paying everything off before retirement because you're still stuck with living expenses and property taxes which go up every year.  We've already cashed in our IRA's to pay the taxes.

[plennis]

I can totally relate to a tight budget.  Living on a fixed income and when a unexpected bill comes along it does throw everything off.  I learned to check the weekly sale papers for food and only buy exactly what we need.  I make a grocery list and really stick to it. Check all the coupon sites to help reduce your bill.  Make a some casseroles or larger roast that can be used for leftovers.   I also always pay with my debit card and keep my credit only emergencies. 

If you use store cards they will also send you coupons for things you purchase a lot, plus I can go on line and add coupons right on my card so if I forget them at home or stop by unexpectedly I still get the discount.   Several in my area also give you discounts on gasoline.  WHENEVER there is a sale for items I use a lot or can stock the pantry with I always try to buy as much as I can.  I also get some things I am not crazy about (like powdered milk) just in case I get in a real money bind for a few days or weeks I can live out of the pantry and freezer .