Geeta’s Story: How I’m doing & I need ideas
Posted by John | Filed under How I'm Doing, I Need Ideas
Ok, here goes. I started watching Gail’s show and kept thinking this is a way to get on track as every time I made our budget, the overruns were like the Fraser River at springtime. SCARY!!
Took me about 6 months to speak to my husband and actually pin him down to sitting down with the budget and its problems. Took another couple of months before he realised that the situation was serious and had to be fixed right now. He has always left it to me and it is overwhelming. I make the budget, ask him to stick to cash only and the kids will ask for something and he whips out the cards (debit/credit). He travels a couple of weeks out of the month and works long hours while he is in town and that makes him feel guilty. Sound familiar????
First month our budget overrun was $1750.00 – less money coming in more going out. Since we had no recourse to additional money we started paring down, aggressively. Even with all the paring down, we have a monthly deficit of $250.00 – so make way working world here I come. But wait, my husband travels a lot, my older teens have a LIFE (as opposed to me having none) and who’s going to babysit the younger ones’? New city, lots of acquaintances, no friends, no family! So odd jobs/odd hours – am looking, am looking – no bites so far.
With teens in the house, every day is a fight between I need (want) and can’t afford it. They try, they aren’t monsters but their understanding vastly differs. High school is difficult enough without being uncool! Help! I’m out of arguments.
But for now, we will keep making minimum payments on debt, keep looking for a job and keeping the peace at home.
Really not in a position to offer advise but here is it anyway, if you are thinking of implementing any of Gail’s advise do it sooner rather than later. Later serves no one but the credit card company. Whenever you get overwhelmed, log on to the blog and get a few ideas/kick in the butts/whatever works to keep you on the straight and narrow.
Will post again when I have something “positive” (fingers crossed) to report. In the meanwhile, am always open to ideas/advise – be nice please. Thanks
October 30, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Geeta, sounds like you’re working hard! I too am looking for a little bit extra of work – keep talking to anyone you know about it, and keep looking in every nook and cranny. Eventually something will turn up! Have you put your teens on Gail’s allowance system? I’ve heard it really works! (my son is 2 – he’s got two jars that we use, and when he’s older, they’ll be his)
October 30, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Hi Greeta,
It does sound like you are working hard. I am looking for more work as well and also am having no luck! In the meantime I have family members who own their own businesses and I let them know when I am available if they need any help! Also I am just at the beginning of exploring the idea of opening my own business! This will let me work close to home and be my own boss! I am very excited!
Perhaps there is something you could do from home? like take in children for daycare that way you won’t have to find daycare for your own children?
Have you given any thought to the teens getting part-time jobs to buy the extra stuff they want for themselves?
I found Gail’s Blog on “Saving Tips” and the reader’s tips very inspirational! It made me open my eyes to new ways to save!
Good Luck Greeta!
Cara
October 31, 2008 at 9:03 am
Hi Geeta,
I know exactly how you feel. Don’t let it get you down. In terms of looking for additional work, keep trying with the normal part time job scene, but how about trying something new? If you can speak and write in more than one language, there are opportunities for translation, both written and translation services.
If you are comfortable with writing, try essay writing or resume writing. Take a walk on the local university or college campus and look at the posters for essay writing services and call them. They are always looking for help. The pay is pretty good and the work can be done at home, while keeping an eye on the kids.
If you have a computer and the internet at home, what about writing articles for the internet? They pay per article and while it won’t make you rich, it can definitely help to fill that gap in your budget.
As for the teenagers, I have to say that I was in the same spot when I was a kid. There just wasn’t any money to spend trying to fit in. Instead, encourage them to get social status other ways. Try leadership – it doesn’t matter what. School newspaper, student leadership, peer counsellor, clubs, teams any of those types of things work. They get to have a role among their peers based on what they can do, not what they have. If they have an interest or skill that there isn’t a club for – start one! The added bonus is it looks great on the resume and college/university applications. Focus on the future, high school is only 4 years long after all!!
Don’t feel guilty about not being able to provide them with things. When I look back at school, I can’t remember what I was wearing, but I have lots of memories of things I did.
Good luck and I will keep my fingers crossed for you!!
October 31, 2008 at 11:35 am
Geeta – An idea for extra income… it isn’t regular and it isn’t always a lot of money (it depends on the jobs in your area) but mystery shopping can be a great way to pick up a few extra bucks and get a free experience now and again. We’ve had dinners out, pizzas delivered, items purchased that I’ve used as gifts for people, oil changes reimbursed, the list goes on. Some shops want you to bring kids along, some say you can’t, so take a look before you accept any jobs. They have various time frames, so there are bound to be some that fit in your schedule.
Try googling “mystery shopping in canada” and see what you find. Word of advice: don’t sign up with any company that asks you for money. You do NOT have to pay to sign up with companies.
October 31, 2008 at 11:45 am
Geeta – another great way to make a few extra bucks is to do “demo’s” or “sampling” on weekends. Lots of marketing companies are looking for people. Most hire you as a contractor which means that technically you are self-employed and you can deduct certain things come tax time. Not sure where you are located, but just google “sampling” or “demoing” and something should come up! Good Luck!
October 31, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Hi Geeta, sounds tough. It also sounds like you’re moving in the right direction though, so good for you! I was also going to ask if your teenages have part time jobs? Sounds like that would be a great step for them, especially with the holidays coming up.
Looking for a job sucks at the best of times, not to mention when you don’t have contacts in the city you are in. It is SO disheartening! Do you have any contacts in other cities that could use you for part-time contact work that you can do from home? Other than that, I would encourage you just to keep looking for part-time work that suits your needs. THe others have given good ideas for temporary, sporadic work but what you really need to satisfy your budget is ongoing, stable work. I would encourage you to try a temp-agency. I did this in-between an internship and going back to school. It was great and I got paid a decent wage to work at interesting places like Morgan Stanley and Princess Margaret Hospital.
But I bet you could save that $250 without working. Remember that there are ALWAYS ways to trim your budget – you’ve just gotta get creative! Look at your grocery bills. Can you make anything from scratch that you are currently buying – salsa, snacks, cookies, muffins, bread, cereal, baby food, etc? Are you paying the lowest price possible for everything you buy, such as clothes, gas, & household products by watching for sales, deals, coupons and price-shopping? Do you have a PC Mastercard giving you free groceries every month? Are you ordering coupons from all the different coupon websites? Making your gifts from scratch? Borrowing stuff from neighbhours instead of buying items you will only occassionally use? Reparing clothes and shoes instead of buying them new? Doing home repairs yourself? Maintaining your house, car and your own body well enough to avoid mechanical and medical bills? Making family dinners for under $1? Skipping out on extras like bottled water, booze, pop, restaurants and coffees out? Are the kids taking homemade lunches and drinks to school?
Good luck and best wishes to you Geeta! It ain’t easy but you will get there!
October 31, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Hi Geeta,
I noticed the same thing with our budget. Not really a short fall but barely enough money to pay more then the minimum payments on our debt. SO yesterday I called our local paper and got a driving route for delivering papers every Friday night. They told me that on average it pays about $500/month (but I was only looking for $200-$300 so anything more is a bonus!). I have also expanded my house cleaning services by putting out flyers and advertising on free internet sites.
I am going to have to work harder and longer (no more relaxing weekends for me!) but peace of mind trumps all that when you have your bills paid, money in the bank and debt balances shrinking.
October 31, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Hi Geeta, I have been in a similar situation after moving from UK to Canada, no family, no friends, no job and it was tough. Every one has given excellent advice. One more pointer is – have to sat your teens down with your paper work and shown them what is happening?
I have a teen son, who is not a huge huge spender, but money was tight and one fine morning, I got him to sit down with me to have a serious discussion about money. I laid out what was coming in and what was going out – and by the end of this discussion and calculations – his jaw was on the floor! Because he had no idea what the cost of living was.
This was a huge wake up call for him and he has curbed his spending in a big way. He understood that if we had carried on the way we had, we would have been in serious trouble. Kids are smart and we must remind ourselves of this.
Geeta, I think you come from an eastern culture very similar to mine – where parents never spoke about money with their kids, it is time to change that and involve the whole family with keeping on track. And as eastern women, we need to stop carrying the whole family and it’s work and issues on our shoulders and start to involve the rest of the family to help us in every way they can.
Do not be discouraged – things will get better – it is only a matter of time.
By the way – I started the discussion with my teen by saying – your dad and I have a difficult situation here, and we would love to have your in put on this because you are one very smart young man and we respect what you have to say. Because if we don’t fix this situation now, we could be in serious trouble where worse comes to worse, we could loose our house and end up eating Kraft dinner for the loooong looooong time. So let’s see what we can both do here.
He was taken back but pleasantly surprised, as we both pulled out papers, pencils and calculators, he got right in there and worked it all out with me. Every couple of months now, he will ask me if we are doing ok, if we need to make adjustments etc. He helped by lowering his internet bundle to a cheaper bundle. He cut some of the cable channels too. He makes a clothing list now and will only shop when the sales are on. He helps with lawn care, fixes little things in the house, etc just to give us a little breather. So even these little things add up.
Good luck Geeta, keep us posted on your progress.
October 31, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Ooops forgot to tell you – NO is a good word Geeta – because the more I gave to my kid, the more he wanted – it took me a long time to say NO and that guilty guilty feeling is killing – but kids get over it and so did I. I rather say NO now, then have to suffer later with debt and misry. Chin up, keeping going, you’ll make it Geeta! Thanks!
November 1, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Geeta, good for you for posting how you are doing. It’s a tough road getting “financially fit”. It takes a lot of work and dedication. I’m not there yet either but I’m working on it. One day at a time.
Some other tips I’d offer:
-Check your banks website or call them and see if your banking packages are the right ones for you. Maybe there is a better plan for your needs that is more cost efficient. It might only save a few bucks but it all adds up.
Are you doing cash advances from other banks ABMs? Avoid those shared ABM fees.
-What about yor insurances? Can you bundle them for a better rate? Check with your agent. Are you over/under insured?
- Check out frugal blogs & websites. I have learned lots of great tips.
-I use to clean houses and it’s a great way to make extra cash. I’m sure you could find enough work that wouldn’t take you away from your family for long and still make enough to cover your shortfall.
-Check with the grocery store, drugstore etc for part time work. You may be able to work around your children’s school hours. Plus drugstores often offer great discounts to employees and that could save you a bundle each month. Often stores need part time staff in the daytime as the students want the nights & weekends.
-I know you said your older child is busy & has a life. I respect that you are not over-loading your child with responsibilities. Suggesting that he find part time work would be a good way for him to learn how to handle money and learn to save.
Good luck Geeta!
November 3, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Geeta,
I think I agree with nkm and Melaniesd with regards to getting your children on board with your desired spending changes. The word “no” can breed a lot of resentment if there is no understanding of the “why” behind it. If the older ones are very concerned with being cool and having the perfect clothes and socializing with the best people, it may be time to earn it. It can be surprising how young they can be to start with flyer or paper routes. Part time work can start as early as 14 or 15 in some provinces with your permission.
By making them work for the things they want, coupled with a better understanding of your situation, it will force them to prioritize. It may also take some pressure off of your budget. When I hit high school, I became responsible for purchasing my own clothes and any meals out (such as lunch) that I wanted. As much as I would have loved the free ride, it also meant that my parents no longer had as much say into my wardrobe and that was freedom I appreciated.
As for finding ways to add income to your budget, look into local babysitting coops that will allow you to trade babysitting services. It may make it easier to work in time for part-time work. Also, jobs like driving a school bus part time often allow you to bring your smaller children to work with you and offer shorter shifts.
December 15, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I feel your pain…I don’t have my own teenagers, but I do have 2 stepsons, as well as 2 of my own baby boys. My stepsons were not taught the importance and value of money, but explaining how long it takes to make the money to get something makes me feel better when no is the answer. My parents didn’t have much money, and my dad died just before gr 10 for me so my mom raised 2 of us on her own, and I’ll tell you I heard no a lot. Not no to joining the cheerleading team or interact group, or the yearbook club, or safe grad…being a kind and genuine person is worth more than a cool pair of pants…and by the way, they have some really awesome stuff at second hand places… I wish now that my mom had not only taught me the value of money, but how to manage it…like Gail does! I blew a lot of money, that I would kill to have back now. Sit them down to watch the show and show them your budget (or make a fake one) if you don’t want them to see everything. I know I will be teaching my babies this as soon as I can!!!!
December 15, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I almost forgot…I put my name up at a couple jr high schools in the area for tutoring…I now have one student who pays $20 per hour (once a week), and I just had another call from a mom yesterday to help her son. So there’s an extra $40 per week…not much but it puts gas in the tank or whatever…
December 30, 2008 at 6:56 pm
For all of you that have kids between the ages of 12-19 an excellent programme that is FREE to join is the Cadets. My daughter joined Air Cadets at age 12 and the benefits have been incredible, she was a quiet shy girl, she joined the band and slowly became involved in other activities such as outdoor camping, drill team, leadership training, sport teams. She went on activities at least once a month, travelled to various parts of Canada and went to summer camp..where they pay the kids $60 week!! When she reached 17 she went to camp as an instructor at CFB Trenton and had the time of her life. She is strong, independant and a responsible teen which I give credit to the cadet programme!! EVERYTHING WAS FREE, the kids have to participate in community activities to give back to the groups that assist in sponsoring the cadets ie Legion, Kinsmen club. Go to http://www.cadets.ca to get more information.
June 23, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Hi Geeta,
one way I’ve found to deal with my husbands’ debit or credit card use is pretty simple and might work for you:
If he spends, say, $50 on something the kids want… take $50 OUT of your entertainment jar and put it away.
Let him and the kids know you’ve done it … (sorry, we can’t go to the movies this week. You guys spent $50 on paintball/McD’s/whatever instead.)
You can put the $50 you took out back in the bank to cover the debit, or put it in a hiding place and bring it out next week when your new jar money comes out of the bank… minus that $50 of course.
If he’s spending it on credit cards, follow the same drill – but don’t put it on the credit card right away because you’ve got 22 or 26 days before they want that money. Put it in a savings account, earn a little interest and then when the bill comes due – the money is sitting right there.
This turns your debit and credit cards into what Gail calls ‘convienience’ cards instead.
November 29, 2011 at 11:22 am
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December 13, 2011 at 12:45 pm
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January 16, 2012 at 8:02 am
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February 7, 2012 at 3:22 pm
I almost never leave responses, but i did a few searching and wound up here Geeta’s Story: How I’m doing & I need ideas Your Story – Getting to Debt Free. And I actually do have 2 questions for you if it’s allright. Is it only me or does it look as if like a few of the remarks look like they are coming from brain dead people?
And, if you are writing on other sites, I’d like to follow everything fresh you have to post. Would you list of the complete urls of all your shared pages like your linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?