ACK! I'm $600 short of budget this month. I let dh know how much we'll need from side work before the end of the month.

A friend's pastor has to leave and move to South Dakota the end of August because there is no contracting work around here anymore. It means the closing of their little church. Apparantly there is work out there because they are drilling for oil. We know at any time work may be taken away from us and we'll be moving out of state as well. We just enjoy what we have while we have it and stay flexible.

 Michelle,

I hope things improve rather than have you see fears realised.

 Deb-

He did not get the MN job.  He did get another interview here.

Our budget would be even tighter, with about the same income for 4 months, and the need to rent a studio apt.  I am worried we would lose state medical because we would be elegible for out of state, not too useful, medical insurance.  We would tap into credit for several months, unfortunately. 

I am still hoping for food support. 

latenightleader:

Thanks for your sharing such a billing nightmare to keep the rest of us out of such a situation.  

Hopefully most people don't find themselves with jobs where it begins to seem that the phone is attached to the ear, LOL!

Seriously, I can advise that you be sure to ask about when a plan will take effect if you choose to increase your plan.

July:

 Mortgage $355

Gas $55

Electric $24

Water $52

Gym $15

Cable $55

Internet $27

Phone $8

Car Ins $49

Food $190

Gas for car $100

Pets $50

Toiletries $30

Cleaning $10

Rx $29

Hair Cut $14

Medical $30

----------------------

$1093

Income is $1116 from disability and around $400 a month for part-time job.  After taking $20-40 every other week for entertainment/mad money, the rest will go to the credit card.  Only $753 left to pay.

Brandy:

 Michelle,

I hope things improve rather than have you see fears realised.

 

I don't see any improvement for the economy for the next 2 yrs. As a friend from Virginia told me this weekend, "It's bad all over the country but it sucks in Michigan." The rest of the country will proably rebound before our state does, as Michigan slid into a recession before the rest of the country.

So I think our situation will at best hold steady for the next couple of years, and at worst relocate us. I've been advised that if that happens, I should let dh be gone for 4 months at a time while the boys and I keep our property. I don't know, I'd rather lose the house and be with my dh wherever he is.

It is tough times, Michelle, hold tight, I agree. I would rather be with my dh anywhere than without him.

Our budget for fixed expenses:

Utilities (cells, cable, elec):   420

Mortgage:                          1200

Car:                                     341

Credit card:                          400

savings:                             1200 (tax rebate check) for emergencies

Our budget for variables like food, gas, medical, fun, all other is broken down by week so we can get a handle on it more easily:

weekly allotted for variables:  353

peace.

 I have completely utterly and totally messed up our budget. So we are starting over starting now.DH and I are now more on the same page. So here is my bills for the month:

mortgage- 500

2nd:500(just this month then its normaly 200

tv: 89

phone:100

garbage- 110( had to get a BIG can to clean out the garage[ 80 for 4 weeks dumped every week]) its normaly 36for 2 months

cc- 50

electricity- 300

debt- 207 (  I had a credit card that they wouldnt take any payments for so now I have a judgement and the payments are 206.45 a month)

car- 331

 total is 1856.

plus groceries and misc-350 

Gas- 200 for the month-that is at 50  a tank . Its normaly less than 50- not by much. I try to hit Sams club where its cheaper or at a pay at the pump only where it has a cash discount  if you use cash and not a cc or debit card.

Anne 

What plan did you use to pay off all your CC?

Michelle- my dh will be gone starting Monday for about 8 months, I think.  I think it will work, but now the experiment begins.  We are having expenses I didn't anticipate to relocate him- a laptop and a new phone plan, maybe.  I am packing food, household items for the 26th when he'll need a place, before that it is company paid hotels, and company reimbursed food.  He will just be 2 1/2 hours away, but on call, I am thinking we'll be driving down to see him.  I learned to start the lawn mower.

Our budget will start creeping in the credit use range, we'll be essentially running two households on what we had for this one.  

The red ink is beginning again-

but in four months we should be able to start paying it back.  The light at the end of the tunnel- I can see it now!