Our Family of 5 Lives on $30,000 or Less Gross Income each year.
Not car, house, clothes, toys or electronics! Craig's List, Hoobly, and freecycle are my best places to shop!
2. Dedicate time to "freebie shopping" this gives you thing to give the kids, hubby and yourself that your budget doesn't permit. I have several really nice water bottle/drink shakers as we'll as pretty sippy cups to use for the toddlers I look after from time to time. I'v even found shoes and garments free!
3. Share what you have freely, ... what comes around goes around.
4. Only buy what you know your family will eat! Nutritionally speaking there is no need to buy a vegi (or any food) the kids hate when the ones they love fill the need. It just creates frustration and waste. Try new foods on your monthly budget reward night! (DO NOT SKIP THIS! we do ours at restaurants,
that I earn gift cards from those get paid to read email sites" Lower right has a couple of referrals. Right now we are remodeling the living room with the help of Lowe's gift cards we are earning through Mypoints!
5. About that House. If you move select a home that costs not more than two years pay... We selected one for $40,000 and talked them down to $31,000 and got a personal loan of 5000 for part of it, The personal Loan we are paying off in two years. We paid off the personal loan in less than a year so we are now moving on to the credit card problem!
6. If you use credit cards do it for emergencies only, pay the balance monthly of twice the minimum payment PLUS the interest charge. For old debt pay lower balances this way but the large ones pay the minimum plus the interest and fees Until you get all the little bills paid then star working on the bigger ones as you did the little ones. It takes what seems like forever but it works. Do NOT cancel empty cards! They are your proof to lenders that you use credit responsibly!
We are not totally out of Debt yet but we will get there!
At one time we had a horrendous couple years! We had 7 Vehicles die for various reasons including a KIA that was less than 4 years old! We had bought it new! We moved across the country for financial, heath, and religious reasons. Then the Promised job for my hubby took nearly 3 months to clear his background check! (Note to self: When you move from one state to another make sure they do the background check BEFORE you move! ) During that time we lived on our credit cards... you know use one credit card to pay the other? We bought groceries and a used car at an auction (don't laugh it is still running great!) We paid the lot rent for our camper at a campground. We also purchased the needs of a household... you know laundry, bathroom supplies, kitchen supplies that kind of stuff.
Anyway! Last month we paid off our second "old balance" Credit card and this next month we will pay off another. Our Banker tells us we have enough equity in our house now to pay them off completely with a five year loan! There is light at the end of the tunnel! :-)
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