For newcomers.....how did you overcome the lower wages of TN?

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by daniellefort

Well like i said, open some credit cards either at the stores or even just a visa card. Yes your going to get a killer rate because of your credit but one thing you can do is use your visa card to do your groceries, go home and write out the check for the amount you spent on your visa card that way when the bill comes in at the end of the month, it's already paid. The department store charge cards are already 24% for anybody but do the same with those. Use them sparingly and write the payment out when you get home. You can even make payments in the department store on your card before you even get the bill. It's one way to renew your credit worthiness. I really enjoyed working in collections wierd as that may sound but just offering my simple advice to these people made a huge difference to them knowing their credit wouldn't be hurt by just paying something. I was probably more leinient than my boss would have liked but i just felt bad for some of those people and i was showing the boss that i was getting the money coming in. Heck, i had to send my own co-workers to collections. That was probably the hardest thing i've ever had to do. Companies don't like to send people to collections either because they lose a big % of payments that the collection agency collects for them as well as the fees charged just for their service so most companies are happy to work something out before it gets that far.

Great info, just adding a side note to this.
If you pay off the balances in full immediately, the revolving credit will not show up on your credit report. Pay the groceries that you used that credit card off less about $5.00. that way SOME balance will show up on that credit card in your report and will not show none activity. Credit holding companies only report to the bureau's once a month. Having high available credit lines but low balances is the quickest way to increase your credit score. It is a crazy silly game, but one you have to play sometimes.

[hiknapster]

So that's the secret, you keep a small balance. I had a credit card about 15 years ago, but I paid the whole balance every month.

I just got back from the grocery store. You don't even want to know what I spent.

[dreamofmonterey]

I would never used 25% department store cards.

Just a bank Visa or Amex- You dont need more than that.

[daniellefort]

Well department store cards are high rates but i was just suggesting it to open up a little extra credit line for rebuilding the credit score. Sometimes if you use a store credit card like JcPenny they like to give coupons with an extra $15 or even $30 off if you use their card and if you pay the bill at the end of the month (minus a few bucks) your actually saving a little extra.

[dreamofmonterey]

yes- I am just in major survival mode right now. Plus we dont have Lord and taylor, so a Belk's card is just not the same!


sunny

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Originally Posted by Tony1790

Thanks MB,

I know that gas is less in TN that here, it's $3.00 a gallon now and it's not even summer yet. My dental insurance company charges $130 per month here, but only $80.00 per month there, same company on my same mouth, I don't understand that one.

I'm hoping that things are cheaper there, besides even if I made $20 per hour here, if my living expenses are double it is a wash with the $10 per hour job there. Plus as a bonus, if I lose the $20 per hour job, it'd be alot easier to find a $10 per hour job than another $20 per hour job, or I would assume that it is.

And besides, there aren't that many "good" jobs here unless you are a professional of some sort, the everyday working stiff gets paid crap, yet the cost of living is still high no matter what you make.

See, this site makes me answer my own questions along with the help of you friends. Thanks for the help, definitely seems like in my case that it should all work out.

However there is still that pesky job to find.....hopefully I'll find something decent.

Tony

When we decided to move I made a list of salaries and what our expenses would be in both FL and TN.....you have to do a little leg work like contacting your insurance companies and figuring out what your utilities would cost but once you see it all on paper, you won't be so anxious about the move.

[TheShadow]

There is a great website that gives tons of frugal living tips. I have found it really helpful. It's called the Dollar Stretcher. Its found at triple w dot stretcher dot com. (I don't know if I can post a web address without getting in trouble, so figure that out).