Short on Rent

[Anonymous]

okay im sick of never making and now im seriously short on rent and lost as to what i should do

[Anonymous]

Hey, if you're the same poster from the off topic thread, I replied there. Are you in MD?

[Anonymous]

Cross posted from off-topic:

OP, I have been in your shoes. Hell, in some ways, I'm still there. Here are my dire-times budgeting tips, though you probably either know all this, or are already doing it. Frankly, when a single mom is struggling and everybody is fed at the end of the month and you still have a roof over your head, you're already a financial genius, IMO.

Groceries: avoid pre-packaged stuff like the plague. You can still put together quick meals without it with a little prep, and as your kid is still so little, lunch boxes aren't too hard. Accept all dinner invites. Get your canned goods on at the Aldi.

Bills: My MO is to always pay for housing first. I used to say "always pay rent before food because you can go to a food bank if you have to," but it's no longer that simple. Food banks are hurting, too. And food is important. The next priority is whatever essential is next in line to get shut off. Call your utilities and neighborhood groups (cough...like ACORN for example, or a local church) and find out about payment plans or assistance. Know about any legal parameters in terms of shutting off heat. E.g, I believe that BG&E will not shut off heat after Oct. 15th. If you have a credit card, call and see if they will lower your interest rate. Sometimes it's as simple as asking. See if you can transfer a balance to a card with better terms. I have an otherwise impractical card that I keep for exactly one reason: it has a penalty-free "skip payment" option I can use annually for just such emergencies. If you have medical debt, that gets paid absolutely LAST!! They're not going to repo your surgical hardwear or put your bum appendix back in if you don't pay the bill.

Making quick cash: Sew. Babysit. Sell books. Sell records. Sell art. If you don't have much extra stuff to begin with (I know I always loved this advice when I was sitting on my milkcrate bedframe), ignore this bit.

Do not despair. Also, as one single parent to another I recognize that time and energy to deal with how hard being broke is are also a privilege. One day at a time. Take a deep breath. Remember the meditation: TODAY I have a roof over my head and food in my fridge, and TODAY we are healthy.



10/27/2008 12:32 Subject: Re:short on rent
Anonymous


PP here. Also, longer term, look into coabode.com. Ther's a small fee to join, but it's a housing match service for single moms. Even if you don't find a roommate, it's a good place to find community.

[Anonymous]

thanks for the suggestion... I didnt expect someone to hand me money I was more looking for the suggestion of heres whats out there to help you

I have taken most of your suggestions already and am implanting other peoples from the weekend.

I am looking for a place in the city so I can ditch the car which would save me a couple hundred a months (gas and insurance). but safety is a must and Im not overly familiar with the neighborhoods in the city so itll take some research and a little time to find somewhere avoidable and safe.

thanks do the website i will be sure to check it out

I always keep in mind there are people much worse of then me and am very thankful for what I do have and also I remind myself I am YOUNG and once I finish college and have a degree things will be MUCH better because I will be able to work in a higher payig job and my so will be out of the infant years which are so expensive

I babysit often and am working on ebaying lots of clothing
I do have a sewing machine and am working on getting better at sewing when I have time and have made my son several pairs of fuzzy warm pants on the cheap for the winter so perhaps once Im better I can offer that skill up as well

I dont feel I was negative and I thanked people for the ideas that helped me but whatever

[Anonymous]

I don't think you were being negative at all.

My meditation suggestion is just something I tell myself to keep myself from freaking out too much about the future. It helps me.

[Anonymous]

Hey OP, how are you doing?

[Anonymous]

we are moving and I have reservations about the place I found that I can afford but there isnt a choice..

I guess the good part is we co sleep so its not like I ever have my child more then an arms length away

maybe Im just paranoid on a differnt note this place is seriously cheap and might let me crawl out of the whole Im in s thats good

thanks for asking

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:we are moving and I have reservations about the place I found that I can afford but there isnt a choice..

I guess the good part is we co sleep so its not like I ever have my child more then an arms length away

maybe Im just paranoid on a differnt note this place is seriously cheap and might let me crawl out of the whole Im in s thats good

thanks for asking

Hey, glad to hear from you!

I feel you. The last apartment I lived in was tiny, and in a duplex where one side was vacant and falling apart. The folks downstairs, though nice enough, were, um, I suspect supplementing their income in ways that weren't exactly..uh...OK they were drug dealers. Discrete small-time ones, but still.

BUT, the landlady was amazing, the rent was cheap, and it was in-boundary of a great neighborhood school where my child still attends, and I was able to eek by on my paycheck. When I got a better job, I was able to save enough to move somewhere that felt much more solid.

[Anonymous]

i keep saying it has to get better but in truth it only seems to be getting worse...

so i guess we must be getting to the better part lol

im hoping to stay 3 to 6 months and move by summer i figure its not like well be outside playing during the winter anywho

but Im hoping to have money saved ad a better job by then