Introductions

New and Ready to Learn

ladyjane — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:42:05 GMT

Good afternoon, everybody! I'm happy to find other "tight" people and look forward to learning more.

A brief life sketch...I graduated college a year ago and then immediately married my fantastic husband. After two and a half years of our being in a long-distance relationship, we had had enough! I was equally glad to graduate. I have had chronic health problems for the past decade - so that piece of paper was decidedly hard-won.

I'm getting closer to financial competence, though it hasn't always been easy on a teacher's salary. I have always been frugal, but my parents never discussed money decisions or processes - and my husband is very much the absent-minded professor. He often says life got a lot easier and cheaper once we married - even though my health problems make me a professional housewife. We have a monthly budget, a retirement plan, and all the insurances covered. We also bought a house in the last couple months.

That's it for now...see you in the forums!

Hello Everyone

alvin47 — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:26:30 GMT

Hello

My self Alvin. I am from U.K. I am new here. This forum is really very nice. lots of information in this forum. I love to doing posting.forum discussion is one of the best way to enhance knowledge or grab new things, that is why me joined this forum, hope to learn a lot from this.

Keep sharing and reading

Thanks

Hey y'all, another new guy

ducktapehero — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:48:52 GMT

Hi everyone, I have finally decided that I am going to listen to my wife and try to save money. It only took 8 years. Anyway, I'm actually excited to start trying to stretch my dollar. It'll be fun thinking of new ways to do it. I'm 38 years old, married and have 1 son who's 4. My wife works full time and I stay home with the kid. I am disabled, which is the reason I stay home. I look forward to learning a great deal. Hopefully I'll be able to actually contribute occasionally too. So, anyway, I'm glad to be here.

Hi, hi everyone!

misski — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:07:41 GMT

Hi all, just wanted to be "proper" and introduce myself. Somehow I accidentally made this my second, not first post but oh well here goes.....

I'm a wife and mom of four and I've been pretty resourceful over the years. We've always been a one income family except for a couple of years where I put my toe in the job market. It ended up costing more than I made but that's another story. Right now with the kids in their teens (yep all of them at once) my resourcefullness is really being tested!

I stumbled across DS through a personal finance blog and I've really enjoyed reading the forums! I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone!

Newbie Here, wants to say hello!

rachel wilson — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 08:13:43 GMT

Hello All,

I am new to this forum, so thought first to introduce myself, i am Rachel Wilson from UK and interested in Internet Surfing, Forum Posting and Shopping, i thought forum posting is one of the best way to enhnace knowledge that is the reason me joined this forum.

I found this forum quiet informative and interested, it is really great to be a part of this forum.

Keep Sharing and Reading!

Hello, New here!

riteforu — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:37:38 GMT

Hello,

I just want to say hi. I am here to learn. Also I am here to help people find Legitimate Work at Home Opportunities and to watch out for scams!

Been there done that I wouldn't wish it on anybody. I Look Forward to everybodys posts.

Hello

Cai1987 — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:40:11 GMT

Just wanted to introduce myself. I've found this site to be very useful in the last couple of weeks; it's come up in the top of my searches when I've been trying to find out information about my new food benefits.

My name's Cai; I'm 22 and working full-time. My beautiful wife has opted to stay at home for the time being with our 6 week old son, Dante. Since I'm currently underemployed at $8.50 an hour, this makes things a little tight for us money-wise. We've been very lucky in that all of the medical costs for Dante's birth were covered (we'll be appearing on Discovery Health next year, and in exchange for us being on camera they paid medical bills plus got us a bunch of gift certs for baby stuff), a friend of ours is renting us a 2 bedroom half-a-duplex for just $450/month, and we just recently bought a car for $1000 that the inspection mechanic tells us should last at least 5 years if we take care of it. And the food benefits make such a huge difference. I pay my taxes just like everybody else, and I'm not too proud to accept help when I need it.

Nice to meet you all, and thanks already for the help I've found here!

Introducing...me!

Just Plucky — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:20:24 GMT

Hi Stretchers!

I've been lurking for a few weeks in your forum and have been enjoying reading your posts. I'm looking forward to contributing to the helpfulness and friendliness of the forum.

I'm 26, single, and have no kids. I live with two roommates so my housing expenses are very reasonable (and it keeps me from being lonely - cheap entertainment). I don't make much money, but the only debt I have is student loan debt from a bachelor's degree in English. I'm applying to graduate school this Fall, and am wondering if I'm crazy to take on more student loan debt, lol.

My #1 frugal area that needs improvement is eating out. I do it far too much because I like the variety and don't like dirty dishes. I share a tiny freezer with my roommates, so freezing a variety of meals is out (I do freeze the last serving of a meal if I just can't face it one last time before the leftovers go bad). No place to fit a bigger freezer in our apartment.

Have a good night,

Nicole

Happy to find this site--thanks to all named in the post below for a great welcome

fiasc224 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:12:56 GMT

Dear Kim, Loveday, Edey, Sunshinetriva, Deborahmichell, Cyn and Pat,

I was so delighted to find all your welcomes in my inbox. How very kind of you to respond. I have to admit that I am indeed very happy. Of course, it is easier for me than many people because I enjoy perfect health (to which, incidentally, I do not claim any right-grin). I have just been blessed with great genetics. Many thanks to all my ancestors shining down upon me.

A couple of you mentioned this was your dream as well--getting out of the city and the rat race. I urge you to have faith in the future you have not yet seen. I personally never, ever thought that I would be free of the working world. I began working at 15 and just finished at 67. I never liked working. I have to laugh, because I was raised in the "June Cleaver" generation when I was supposed to go to two years of college, find a successful "Provider" ie: Ward, and have a tract home, and 2.5 children. As it happens, none of that did. : ) I never really owned much in my life, women's earnings being what they are, but I never, never felt the lack of material things. As one person said to me many years ago, "Sharon, you just don't DEMAND enough from life." But from the earliest time I can remember, all I ever prayed for was personal peace. While other people had goals, I had none that anyone could understand. Now, I was not a Hippie, did not opt out and was not trying to "make a statement". It was just that the things which other people valued weren't that important to me. I have nothing against ambition or material accumulation, I just had this personal quirk of not caring about them. I have never paid more than $15 dollars for a pair of shoes and if they fit, I wore them till they fell apart. Tsk, tsk. No fashion sense. It never occured to me to look at anyone's shoes. I do however, really enjoy the fashion magazines and I am in awe of a pair of shoes that costs $2,300. I suppose if you have that kind of money, the price seems reasonable. But in the long run, I guess others got what they wanted and I got what I wanted, and so life is good wherever you are.

I worked with alcoholics, drug addicts, gambling addicts and others whose lives had collapsed to the point of living in dumpsters. I saw them only after their lives had reached a true bottom point. I was responsible for giving "encouraging" daily wrap-ups to the clients. Many of my co-workers made fun of me. But one of the things I said was that the good news about hitting bottom and loosing everything is that the slate is wiped clean. When we are in the period of building our lives, we start to accumulate. Frequently, we don't think too much about adding to that continually. What can happen, is we wake up one day, look around and say, "What on earth am I doing with all this "stuff". Anyone who has ever moved knows this feeling intimately. Well, it was my point that through the years we just keep adding and adding---that is what we are supposed to do in a consumer society. But there can come a time when our things begin to own us and when we worry about losing them. So of course things have to be insured, and theft can happen and then you don't have your things to tell you who you are or how successful you are---and that's a bummer. So, when your life gets just leveled to the ground, it is the opportunity to evaluate what was of true importance to you. Since you have nothing, and you are now older, you can replace only the items that really say who you are at the inner level. For instance, you may have had all post-modern, minimalist furnishings and suddenly realize that they no longer represent your taste. Maybe you decide you don't need a Lexus and a second had car has wheels and will get you where you want to go. It is amazing how we have things stuck to us that we really would not want if we chose now. I don't need much. So of course, I am happy with what would be considered "less"--it's my lack of "values"--GRIN

Introduction

trulyfrugalintexas — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:24:43 GMT

I've joined this site because I am retiring next month and I will need all the frugal tips I can possibly get as I will have to adjust to a small fixed income. I thoroughly enjoy reading all the posts.

Any on hand tips from retired folks would be greatly appreciated.

Lucy

Here to learn

Kim_Mango — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:22:59 GMT

Hi everyone,

My name is Kim and I just joined the forum. Although I've been debt free now for over 10 years, I feel as though I'm not making progress in generating as much wealth as I could be; mostly due to sloppy budgeting. I don't care to take the time to track every item, I indulge in eating our and drinking Starbucks, and I sometimes just need a dress for a date tonight. So, I know where I've gone wrong, and I'm doing my best to get on track. Hoping to get some great tips and tricks from all of you on how you budget your money so I can learn.

All my best,

Kim

So glad to find this site!

fiasc224 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:26:30 GMT

Hi all! I just signed up today and I am reallly looking forward to becoming a member of this community. I am a 68 year old woman, and loving it! I finally walked away from a job last year. I have no retirement funds but I live on Social Security very well even though it would be considered waaaay below poverty level. When I quit I was fortunate enough to receive unemployment and the Social Security so that enabled me to move out of the city and into an area with no jobs but lots of trees, water, wildlife, mountains and forests. This was a lifetime dream I thought I would never realize. My goal was to begin to work full time on my hobbies which are scrapbooking, mixed media collage, greeting cards, photography and whatever else I took a fancy to do. Amazingly, I found a little mini-house that was only 400 a month and worked within my very narrow budget. I got rid of all my possessions by giving them away rather than selling them, packed up my antique linens, antique china and all of my art supplies, grabbed the cat and am now happily into my new life. On Sept. 16 I had been here a year. The first year has consisted mostly of watching the trees grow (they are even slower than grass) GRIN.

I certainly can use ideas for keeping costs at a minimum and I am excited to have found a community devoted to that subject. As far as I am concerned, I have the perfect life. I never get over the joy of being free to do as I wish. I keep reading how difficult it is to live with little money, but I can't really identify with that idea because I feel richer than ever before in my life. When you realize a life-long dream, however simple that may be, every day is a new delight.

Wishing everyone a joyful Fall season---Sharon

Hello Everyone!

BVanGuard — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:37:57 GMT

Hello, I'm new to the forum. I hope to have a great time here!

hi

marvin-r — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:12:15 GMT

i am new to this forum and glad to be a part of this. i hope that i can learn more and share my ideas and thoughts aswell.

Hi there!

ChanceEdwards — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:42:10 GMT

My name is Chance. Im just a college kid with a little extra time on my hands im a business major and i like to learn from others.

Hi there

ThomRe — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:40:26 GMT

Hi.

My name is Thomas, I'm frm New York and new to this forum. Just found it via Google and think it's a great place and I'm really looking forward to talking to all of you.

Have a good one.

I am new here.....

clark — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:52:01 GMT

Hello

I am Clark from UK. I love to do internet surfing, forum discussion and listening music, specially oldies, I am new to this forum, i suppose forum discussion is one of the best way to grab or enhance a knowledge, that is why joined this forum. anyways it's nice forum.keep sharing informative topic.

Thanks

hey newbie here! =)

ryxin — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:54:42 GMT

hey there guys, i am just quite newbie here. hope you welcome me here guys.

i just wish to learn new things from here. and hope to meet a lot of friends here..

see ya around guys! =)

cheers

Another newbie here.

LaurieinFl — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:09:13 GMT

I am a long time stretcher reader, and long time forum lurker. I decided to finally join in the fun. my name is Laurie and I live in South Florida. Hello to all of you fine ladies and gentlemen.

Laurie

Good morning!

IrishMom — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:54:10 GMT

Hello all,

I am a mother of five ranging in ages from 12 years to 6 months old in Southern CA. We live in a smallish 3 bedroom apartment in a small community 45 minutes from Temecula wine country. My husband is a part-time electronics salesman at our local Sears. He would love more hours, but there are none extra to give.

I homeschool my oldest daughters (my 6th and 7th graders), my 7 year old skipped a grade and is in 3rd grade at the local public school. My 2 year old son is working on his speech (he's a little delayed language wise) and my 6 month old daughter is happily working on crawling.

hello all...

westcoastgirl — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:51:40 GMT

Hi.

I found this site while looking for info on saving money. I am not by nature a frugal person, so am finding living on a limited budet kind of challenging. I am single and trying to make ends meet while living in an expensive apartment in an expensive city. I was raised by a single mom on welfare, so I do know how to be thrifty. I think I got myslef into this prediciment by not wanting to live like I was poor. I do enjoy cooking and baking.. I have managed to cut down some expensives,but food and coffee is what I have found to be the most challenging. I love food, and would like to figure out how I can eat good quality on a low budget. I want to get out of debt, and save money. Right now I am fighting to stay afloat finacially. I need to move but am kind of stuck out of lack of funds for moving expensives.

Re: Guidelines for this community

richard34 — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:30:24 GMT

HI i m joing this forum because i want to learn how to save or control on money.I m agree and totally comfortable with the guidelines of Doller Stretcher Community.I love to be amember of this community.........always sharing the information and connect with us.

my first post just testing?

charly — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:14:01 GMT

how is someone doing?