Anonymous wrote:I would never take from savings to pay for frivolities like Homecoming outfits.

It doesn't seem like you have the right priorities, OP.

Anonymous wrote:I’m really beginning to feel the financial pressure, and I could use some fresh ideas or perspective. Earlier this year, I made some cuts to our spending, but I’m at the point where there’s nothing left to trim that feels feasible or impactful. I’ve been dipping into savings every month just to cover our basic bills, and while I’m grateful I have some savings, I really don’t want to keep draining them, especially since I’m not currently able to replenish anything.

To make things tighter, I just got a notice from our mortgage company that our escrow is increasing by $50/month. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but when everything is already squeezed, it feels huge.

Some context: I already bake treats at home and we stopped buying most convenience foods. We eat at home almost all the time, maybe 1-2 meals out per month, and often that’s just pizza. We’ve cut streaming and subscriptions down to just Amazon Prime. No vacations, no big shopping splurges, no new clothes unless truly needed. I do have a raise coming in January, but it's modest and won’t solve this problem on its own.

Has anyone else been in this position and found something that helped shift things? I’m open to creative suggestions, whether it’s ways to temporarily ease the squeeze, things I might not have thought to cut or change, or even ways to bring in a little extra income. I’d appreciate any practical insight.

Anonymous wrote:Pet sitting. Take only one dog or cat at a time. Go onto Rover and build a profile, you can be choosy with the animals you pick. I use a sitter I found there for my dog who is a divorced mom and pay her $120 dollars a day plus tip. She basically just has to be a dog owner of a well behaved dog and collects a great sum. This should be even easier with teens who can pitch in on walks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. All new clothes are from the thrift store or yard sales for everyone. If the kids want brand new clothes, they can buy them themselves.
2. Kids need to borrow Homecoming dresses from a friend. If they are a unique size, that rewear the same one. If kid is still growing, but used homecoming dresses made of stretchy fabric.
3. You cut everyone’s hair.
4. No make-up.
5. I know not everyone gets good light, but if you have access to any kind of land, now you garden. Buy a few organic vegetables one week and save the seeds. For example, the seeds from one organic bell pepper will be more than enough for next summer’s garden. Replacing any grass you can with a vegetable garden will also save on mowing costs.
6. Stop all kid activities that require any fees or uniforms. The kids now work ( or look for work) as their primary activity.
7. Cut gym memberships. Now you walk and garden for exercise.
8. Cut that last streaming service.

I personally have done everything from my list except #6, and that was because a family member paid for the activities. It’s really, really hard. I’m sorry you’re going through this.

NP, but I always see these suggestions and they just make me roll my eyes.

Cut everyone’s hair? With what skills? I have no clue how to cut women’s hair, and I don’t think it’s the sort of thing one can YouTube, and I wouldn’t my teen (or myself) as a test subject

No makeup? I’m sorry, but I’m expected to look at least a little presentable in my professional career. Would you tell a man to skip a tie? No more suit jackets? Just wear everyday shoes instead of dress shoes? How expensive do you think basic drugstore cosmetics cost?

Gardening? It’s not free. I’m a gardener and there is an ongoing joke that you spend hundreds of dollars to save $5 on tomatoes for the summer. Water costs a lot of money. It’s a hobby, not a cost cutting measure

And for the love of god, that $15 a month Amazon subscription isn’t going to change the trajectory of OPs finances anymore than one coffee from Starbucks will, sorry to say. Everyone needs and deserves a vice

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I forgot my best tip: you acquire all of your Christmas presents for yourself from Free Little Libraries. Every time you’re driving past a FLL and your kids aren’t with you, you stop and look. Pull like-new hardbacks that vaguely interest you. Replace them with an old book from the stack you keep in your trunk for this purpose. Looking all year, I could get half a dozen adult hardbacks in mint condition. I’d wrap them for Christmas morning, read them once, then leave them in my car to restart the process the next year. My kids thought I really loved reading.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could regularly donate-sell some of your plasma to cover the $50 a month increase in your budget.

https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/finance/how-much-donating-plasma-pays

You could also see it as doing a good deed.

Not sure where that is. I donate ALL THE TIME at either the Red Cross or Inova and I've never heard of getting paid. Sometimes a small gift card and a shirt. Once I got a lantern.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are your expenses higher than your take-home income right now? Is it something that's temporary, and temporary enough for you to not drain your entire savings?

We need a few more details here, OP.

I’m just a little more than a year out from a divorce and just trying to find a groove. I’ve been hit with a lot of unexpected expenses lately, on top of expensive months—like this month, homecoming for two high schoolers somehow has thrown everything into chaos, and we bought the most inexpensive of everything.

High schoolers should have jobs and pay their own homecoming costs and all expenses

Anonymous wrote:You could regularly donate-sell some of your plasma to cover the $50 a month increase in your budget.

https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/finance/how-much-donating-plasma-pays

You could also see it as doing a good deed.

Anonymous wrote:"I just got a notice from our mortgage company that our escrow is increasing by $50/month."

What does that mean?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are your expenses higher than your take-home income right now? Is it something that's temporary, and temporary enough for you to not drain your entire savings?

We need a few more details here, OP.

I’m just a little more than a year out from a divorce and just trying to find a groove. I’ve been hit with a lot of unexpected expenses lately, on top of expensive months—like this month, homecoming for two high schoolers somehow has thrown everything into chaos, and we bought the most inexpensive of everything.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. All new clothes are from the thrift store or yard sales for everyone. If the kids want brand new clothes, they can buy them themselves.
2. Kids need to borrow Homecoming dresses from a friend. If they are a unique size, that rewear the same one. If kid is still growing, but used homecoming dresses made of stretchy fabric.
3. You cut everyone’s hair.
4. No make-up.
5. I know not everyone gets good light, but if you have access to any kind of land, now you garden. Buy a few organic vegetables one week and save the seeds. For example, the seeds from one organic bell pepper will be more than enough for next summer’s garden. Replacing any grass you can with a vegetable garden will also save on mowing costs.
6. Stop all kid activities that require any fees or uniforms. The kids now work ( or look for work) as their primary activity.
7. Cut gym memberships. Now you walk and garden for exercise.
8. Cut that last streaming service.

I personally have done everything from my list except #6, and that was because a family member paid for the activities. It’s really, really hard. I’m sorry you’re going through this.

NP, but I always see these suggestions and they just make me roll my eyes.

Cut everyone’s hair? With what skills? I have no clue how to cut women’s hair, and I don’t think it’s the sort of thing one can YouTube, and I wouldn’t my teen (or myself) as a test subject

No makeup? I’m sorry, but I’m expected to look at least a little presentable in my professional career. Would you tell a man to skip a tie? No more suit jackets? Just wear everyday shoes instead of dress shoes? How expensive do you think basic drugstore cosmetics cost?

Gardening? It’s not free. I’m a gardener and there is an ongoing joke that you spend hundreds of dollars to save $5 on tomatoes for the summer. Water costs a lot of money. It’s a hobby, not a cost cutting measure

And for the love of god, that $15 a month Amazon subscription isn’t going to change the trajectory of OPs finances anymore than one coffee from Starbucks will, sorry to say. Everyone needs and deserves a vice

In the pp you’re replying to and a former teacher. OP asked for quick tips. I was thinking of things that would get her through December. I gave advice that I have personally followed.

I started cutting my hair during the pandemic and never stopped. Slightly longer hair is more forgiving. If OP is African American, I can see how this might not work for her. There are indeed tutorials on YouTube.

I wear no makeup. It saves me time of money. Men look professional w/o makeup. OP is a teacher. Make-up isn’t going to change her career trajectory.
When she runs out, she can choose to not replace it.

DH gardens. DH comes from a farming family. His dad has an incredible organic vegetable garden with saved seeds kitchen waste. His grandfather had an even bigger vegetable garden from saved seeds and kitchen waste. DH used to have a very easy time gardening, but we moved and now our light is terrible. That’s why I wrote the caveat I did. I’m not sure what to say to this because I’m not the gardener in the family.

I shared event dresses with friends in high school and college. Stretchy dresses are better for sharing.

I lived for years watching only YouTube. As a teacher, I didn’t spend the money on streaming, because I was saving for retirement.

I bought only used clothes for myself for a few years. As a teacher, I bought new underwear, bras, shoes, coats, and swimsuits. I went to Unique Thrift for everything else.

If OP is pulling money out of savings, then she’s living above her means. Teaching is so hard that I know she can’t deal with a second job, so she needs to cut expenses. She’s doing a great job cooking things from scratch, but by her own admission, she needs more money. These are the things our family has done to save more money. I’m glad you don’t need to deal with them.

I can agree with all your suggestions but not about makeup. Lipstick, blush and eyeliner/mascara from the drugstore are not that expensive. Appearance does matter unless you belong to a strick religious sect.

Not for teachers. Their jobs are not dependent on appearance. I agree with the other PP to shop for consignment clothes at Unique. Her kids have to change their lifestyles too.

You need to wean yourself off of your savings, OP, otherwise you're in deep trouble, because what you describe is not temporary. It's the new normal. Inflation is going to get worse. Ditch the streaming. Your library is free and has some movies.

You can't be serious. Teachers interact with parents, give presentations, conduct meetings, etc. and you think they should wear no makeup? Maybe a woman in her 20s can get away with it. Not more mature teachers. (And I can promise you that middle and high school students notice.)