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Whether you like how it sounds or not, the fact is, they don't care. You owe them, that's what they care about. They may work with you a little bit but not for long. And that deferment will bite you in the end.
I don't doubt that things are rough and you can't do anything but just stay afloat...I think many of us have been there.
Let me tell you, I have 4 jobs right now so that I do NOT continue to live that way. I'm hardly ever home, I hardly get any sleep, I feel bad for my pets right now but I am doing what I have to do.
My car is paid for, I don't go out, I don't eat in restaurants, I buy the cheapest stuff I can find in the way of food, I cut my own hair, I clip coupons, etc, etc.
I do have internet because I do small jobs, (writing), and it slowly adds up. I don't count that as one of my jobs, though, it's just extra money.
I have cable because it came as part of the package deal and turns out to be cheaper if I do it that way. (Weird.)
My cell is a "shrinkage payment" meaning I pay on time for so many months, it gets reduced all the way down to $35 a month. A luxury for me but since I just found a whole bunch of family recently, I'm keeping it. Oh, and no contract and a cheapie phone, not the top of the line and certainly not an iPhone.
Kindle I got when money was good and I have tons of books on it from when the money was good, (before I moved), anything new I want to read, it's gonna have to be free or I wait until they do the library feature.
I don't go on vacations, I don't run errands every single night, (not that I have time anyway but I set aside ONE day to do everything I have to do that requires driving to cut down on gas expenses).
It is hard, but it IS possible.
And if you have any other credit cards, (I'm not saying you do, saying, "IF"), pay those off and get rid of them. Keep one for true emergencies if you can. (Which is hard to do when you don't have much to begin with, I understand that.)
Basically, make a list of every single thing you spend your money on in one month. Every thing. From a cup of coffee to a stick of gum, from your rent to the water or electric or whatever bill.
Write it all down.
At the end of that month, (and you have to be honest with yourself), look at that list and see what you can cut out.
And sometimes, we have to do without things like the internet and t.v. and cell phones. Ideal? NO. Doable for a short period of time? Absolutely.
Fun? HELL no! (Been there, done that.)
But in a short while, you'll see that you start saving up a little bit...even if it's $30 a month, it's SOMETHING!
Re: They don't care. There are supposed to be requirements and options for affordable payments. For example, if my rent were $200 higher they'd reduce my payment to allow me to continue paying my rent. It's sort of like a company store or serfdom arrangement, they do let you pay your basic expenses, but they don't give you any room beyond that.
Where your/their logic fails is when an emergency arises and there's no rainy day fund to cover it. What's your/their solution for "I rent a room in a house and now the house is being foreclosed and everyone has to move out and find a new place to live...but it costs $1,000 to move into another room and there's no money to cover that unexpected expense"? The reason I ask this question is that is precisely what prompted my move into this dungeon; it was the only place I could afford to move into, and even a place like this might not be available on the money I have next time. Is your solution "Not my problem, move into a homeless shelter if they have room or else sleep in doorways"?
I have a prepaid cell phone which costs me about $7-$10 per month, no TV, and several pounds of pasta on hand, plus I just loaded up last week with sale 79-cent cans of pasta sauce, boxed mac-and-cheese, and cans of tomato soup. Actually I think I'm now sufficiently well-stocked that I won't "need" to go any more grocery shopping until November. Oh, and the cheapest internet I can get, although I don't have dialup because I don't have a phone line or even phone wiring.
I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my TV. I haven't had the thing on in days--I hardly ever watch TV. I'm more of a reader. I won't say I "never" watch, because every so often I'll have a few hours on a rainy day when I get on the couch and watch the true crime stuff, but I could probably find equivalent entertainment on the Internet. Anyway, yesterday I was thinking about how rarely I even turn the TV on. I have the cable plus because there were channels my daughter liked (but no premium channels), but she's overseas at school until next July. I want my Internet, but I think I'm going to call and see how much I'd save by jettisoning the TV service for now.
There's a guy in my office who hasn't had a TV in eight years.
I'd advice against eating pasta all the time, though. That will just line your intestines with paper mache' and you'll pay for it down the road with medical issues. Better off eating rice and beans--more natural, lots of fiber, and contains some nutrients. Pasta is empty.
Get a can of black beans, add a can of tomatoes with the chilies in them, heat it up, toss it over cooked rice, cheap eating!
*Write down everything and I mean ALL you buy for a month (not bills) ...even gum or a soft drink....movies, gas, stamps, dinner out etc. then add it up...
you will be surprised at how the little stuff adds up. Then you can see where to make a few changes. I chose to stop cable/tv. Now I watch free movies from the library or on hulu.com And I read more. Always have water when out for lunch or dinner, no teas etc. Shop at the Dollar Store or Big Lots when I have time. Big savings there.
I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my TV. I haven't had the thing on in days--I hardly ever watch TV. I'm more of a reader. I won't say I "never" watch, because every so often I'll have a few hours on a rainy day when I get on the couch and watch the true crime stuff, but I could probably find equivalent entertainment on the Internet. Anyway, yesterday I was thinking about how rarely I even turn the TV on. I have the cable plus because there were channels my daughter liked (but no premium channels), but she's overseas at school until next July. I want my Internet, but I think I'm going to call and see how much I'd save by jettisoning the TV service for now.
There's a guy in my office who hasn't had a TV in eight years.
I'd advice against eating pasta all the time, though. That will just line your intestines with paper mache' and you'll pay for it down the road with medical issues. Better off eating rice and beans--more natural, lots of fiber, and contains some nutrients. Pasta is empty.
Get a can of black beans, add a can of tomatoes with the chilies in them, heat it up, toss it over cooked rice, cheap eating!
Thanks, I also have a lot of rice and a lot of beans and some tomatoes (both canned - I make a lot of chili, with and without tomatoes - and fresh).
I figure that since I don't have cable, I don't need a TV, since I consider broadcast TV to be pretty much mindless dreck. Now I think it's reasonable for people to have internet or cable, but I don't personally sense a need for cable on top of my internet.
I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my TV. I haven't had the thing on in days--I hardly ever watch TV. I'm more of a reader. I won't say I "never" watch, because every so often I'll have a few hours on a rainy day when I get on the couch and watch the true crime stuff, but I could probably find equivalent entertainment on the Internet. Anyway, yesterday I was thinking about how rarely I even turn the TV on. I have the cable plus because there were channels my daughter liked (but no premium channels), but she's overseas at school until next July. I want my Internet, but I think I'm going to call and see how much I'd save by jettisoning the TV service for now.
There's a guy in my office who hasn't had a TV in eight years.
I'd advice against eating pasta all the time, though. That will just line your intestines with paper mache' and you'll pay for it down the road with medical issues. Better off eating rice and beans--more natural, lots of fiber, and contains some nutrients. Pasta is empty.
Get a can of black beans, add a can of tomatoes with the chilies in them, heat it up, toss it over cooked rice, cheap eating!
This would work for me. Good advice. Pasta will make you gain, gain, gain weight. I would buy even cans of vegetables for some roughage. If you are in an area that grows food, see if you can get things cheaper at a local farmer. Fortunately, I like vegetables and fruit.
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