I have a spare booster seat, I would be more than happy to give it to you. Let me know I can send it out ASAP. 
and here I was being pollyanna and looking on the bright side. Leechboys boss just called through his roster for the next fortnight, he has gone from working 12 days out of 14 to working 5!
Damn.
First, bodypoet you have a beautiful spirit/attitiude that will carry you through! Blessings upon you!
Second, ** WOW! ** -what an amazing group of people I find here…I am humbled and encouraged…You all are beautiful!
Keep us posted!
skyzoo
Poor doper checking in.
I have exactly $102.00 to my name. Thats it. No savings account tucked away. No stocks I can sell. I’ve been alive for 22 years and all I have to show for it right now is $102.00. I get to withdraw money five more times. Amazing.
The good news is…I got a job! I’m some sort of bizarre reasearcher/personal assistant. I spent all day today (as in 12 hours of work) hanging out with my employer playing with topographical maps. I’m not quite sure what I’m supposed to be doing, and I’m certainly not qualified to do the things he tells me to do (like hire lawyers and sell property) but he seems happy enough with me so far. It’s a little wierd, but it’s kind of fun.
I don’t know how much I am making, but I think it is over the $10.00 an hour mark. It’s not full time, but I don’t need much money, just enough for rent and a few meals. And hopefully I can use my “researcher” position to further a career in publishing. And maybe I’ll learn how to do stuff like hire lawyers and sell property. Yay!
I’ve got $102.00 left. Thats it. No secret savings account. No money stashed away. I’ve been on this earth for 22 years and all I have to show for it is $102.00 and a pile of junk that wouldn’t even fill up the trunk of a roomy car.
I found a job (as a bizarre researcher/personal assitant for some wierd guy) so that is a good thing. I’ve also been working on my painting. I’ve always been a mediocre painter, but through college I’ve really developed my drawing skills. I’m hoping that I can combine the two and make some cash. I’ve got an in to have a showing at a local coffee shop, and if just one person buys a painting thats at least a hundred bucks in my pocket that wasn’t there before. Maybe I’ll post a link so you can see what I’ve been working on. I know I’ve got a long ways before I do something good, but I have some hope.
I’ve also got a $20.00 a week budget. So far I’ve been living off the pantry (mmmm beans and rice) and using my twenty bucks to get out of the house every once in a while. It can be hard to maintain friendships when you can’t afford to eat out, bowl, watch movies or do anything that costs even a small amount of money. And it’s funny how the whole world seems to be set up around spending money. Theres a whole world out there and I just plain can’t participate in most of it. Sometimes it makes me feel like a ghost.
But this job will help me to eat a bit more, and thats a good thing. Good luck to you all.
Silly Hampsters! Sorry about the kind-of double post
Seems kinda weird to me that people who are inching their way progressively up the queue in the breadline/soupline have access to computers and the internet.
Maybe that, and the absorption with ‘eating out’ might be one of the priorities that could be re-examined when considering ‘The Plan’.
sigh. Yes, I’m broke, and yes, I maintain access to the internet. Computers? Well, I bought the desktop 2 years ago before I left my job for grad school and the laptop was a Christmas gift from my parents.
Internet access is something I budget for because I have to have access for school - if I didn’t have access at home, I’d spend more money on gas having to go to campus every day - and I’d manage to waste more money while I was there (a soda here, a granola bar there…)
Also, don’t forget that there are libraries that offer free access, people who have access through work…any number of ways people have access to the internet without paying for it.
As for the OP, my plan includes holding out long enough to make it to excess aid distribution/payday next Tuesday. The cost cutting methods I have put into place I intend to keep in place, because my plans are to have all credit card debt paid off by January 2004 - and that takes scrimping, but it will be worth it to finish grad school with no debt but student loan debt.
Fup Duck, when I was at my poorest, I used the computers (with internet access) at our local library. That cost me nothing.
Don’t be so quick to assume people are spending money on internet access when they are really low on cash.
As a new poster here just remember that the Prime Directive of the SDMB is “don’t be a jerk”.
Sigh Fup Duck, we have free internet right now, which enables us to communicate cheaply with our closest friends, all of whom live at least 300 miles away.
And we all said already that we (speaking for the poor Dopers) were going to stop eating out. I don’t see why you’re being snide about it.
I wondered how long it would be before someone like Fupped Uck had to come out of lurkdom to make some snarky, not-even-intelligent comment.
I suggest we ignore what s/he believes passes for biting wit and go on with our nice thread. No one else here seems to be working in judgement mode, we all know what a laughable idea it is to SELL! your used computer, and I don’t think anyone needs to justify any of their choices. We’re all adults (except for the infamous FD, anyhoo), and I think we have it in us to accept that other people are doing their best and making the best choices they can.
Anyway. I’m off to Wisconsin today to pick up the jazz trombone playing son. My mom is driving and paying for the trip, thank goodness, or I’d really be in trouble.
Leechbabe, I’m sorry to hear the news about your husband’s job. Will he have one more good paycheck before the little one arrives?
Crossing my fingers for you…
Back on Sunday, folks. Hugs to you all…
I’m thinking of going to the park tomorrow with a boom box, putting out a hat, and dancing. Mostly kidding. 
Good luck, leechbabe and everyone else.
I’m a huge fan of the written budget. My SO is not.
When I was young and poor, a written budget always made me feel better. Without it, I feel sort of adrift. Fortunately, I don’t have money worries now, but it feels morally wrong for me to be just spending and spending with no clear idea how the money is being spent.
Here’s my advice from my young and poor days - never, ever buy cups of coffee or fast food. Carry a thermos and a sack lunch. That convience store coffee and a couple of tacos seem cheap, but the cost really adds up. Also, the library is your friend.
I live on a small fixed income and have got used to the frugal way and now live quite comfortably. My biggest thing is never carrying cash. It just seems to disappear if I do. I can use a card for shopping at the supermarket which is much cheaper than giving in to the temptation of going to the horribly overpriced milk bar (like a non chain convenience store) which is much closer. I eat what is on special at the supermarket and let that determine my menu rather than me planning one and then buying the stuff for it. I try to only shop once a fortnight to avoid impulse purchases I do not need. I buy luxury items like yoghurt and chocolate and cheese from a grocery chain that specialises in close to use-by date stuff really cheap, often less than half price. They often have cleaning supplies and things as well as food items.
I make sure I always have a multi trip met ticket for public transport in my pocket (also purchased by debit card). I eat a much better quality of food at home for not spending money on eating out, even at fast food places. I try to have some nukable meals in the freezer for the nights when I just cannot be bothered cooking or if guests appear out of nowhere. Yesterday I made a pot of spicey apricot chilli chicken and have four meals in the freezer from it.
I also run a credit card, I know that sounds foolish but it is paid off in full every month, it evens out the ups and downs of a fortnightly payment system in a quarterly billing world with monthly rent taking up in excess of 50% of my income. My bank account is often empty the day after pension day but if my bills are paid and I have food in the house for a fortnight that is no big deal at all. Of course I could never think of running a car, drinking alcohol or living in a place without holes in the carpet. I was priced out of smoking but I have managed to maintain an addiction to pepsi max somehow.
Good luck all
Leechy I am so sorry about the Leechboy work news, let me know if you want to brainstorm some resource pooling or bartering. We are near neighbours after all.
Jim and I aren’t broke (anymore :D), but I still have lots of plans. We have debt built up from our combined two years of unemployment, and we’re trying to buy a house soon, so money is pretty squeaky here still.
To carry on the spirit of j.c.'s post, never buy lunch at work - always bring your own. Bring enough food for your whole day so you’re not tempted to buy donuts/chips/chocolate bars/whatever for snacks.
One of my rules of thumb for frugal living has been “if I can get it at Safeway, I can have it.” Fancier meals, desserts, whatever, I buy them at Safeway instead of paying mucho dinero for a slice of cheesecake at a restaurant (I mean, really - $5.95 for one slice? I can buy the whole damn cake at Safeway for $9.99). This way I don’t feel like I’m denying myself everything, but I’m still not spending huge bucks.
Coupons rule. Coupon books (where you pay $15 for $200 worth of coupons) also rule. Free entertainment rules.
When I was unemployed one summer, I made a point of getting to know every park in my city. We have a ton of great parks, I discovered, that don’t cost anything to visit.
When your money is tight, it’s a great idea to keep track of every penny you spend. Actually, this is a good idea all the time. Once I started doing this, I was shocked and amazed at where my money was going.
Beauty schools charge much less for haircuts than regular salons. I would still be going to one if there was one nearby. I think $25 for a five-minute trim is highway robbery (and I realize that $25 for a haircut is very much the low end).
Dental schools charge much less for dental work, cleanings, check-ups, etc. if there’s one nearby.
Schools that have meat-cutting, bakery, and cooking classes can be an excellent source of very high quality, very cheap food.
Shampoo doesn’t need to be full-strength - you can cut it with water and still get your hair scrubbed nice and clean.
Modern detergents are so high-tech these days that they work as well in cold water as hot. I’ve been washing all my clothes in cold water for the last year, and I haven’t noticed a bit of difference in the cleanliness.
That’s all I got for now. Best wishes to all my fellow Frugal Dopers.
Fup Duk,
The internet is cheap entertainment. It also provides access to job listings and auction sites. Having a computer and access to the internet makes all kinds of sense for families with tight budgets.
I’d put many things ahead of a computer if we were invited to suggest things for these posters to cut out of their lives.
Of course, I don’t think such an invitation was ever extended. Reread the OP and see what this thread is about.
It always gives me a great feeling when I see everyone ('cept for the odd pooper) being so supportive on threads like this.
I know exactly what it is like too; I remember being married, baby on the way and being a first year (electrical) apprentice at the time. And as some of the other sparkies ::wonders if whuckfistle is reading this:: on this board can attest to, you get a mere pittance for wages for most of your apprenticeship (4 years).
I’m here to tell ya’ll that it will get better! Hang in there, you’re doing the right thing. I admire how positive the attitudes are.
Encouragement to all.
Thanks for the good thoughts everyone. Leechboy and I sat down and brainstormed last night. He has decided to only do two classes at uni this semester, this will save heaps on childcare. Also there is enough work at my job for me to go back more than the one day a week I have been doing. Today Leechboy rang his boss to let him know he is available for extra shifts at any time.
If it comes to the worst we can always sell Leechboys CD/Video/DVD collection although he may prefer to starve before we do that. I looked in the cupboard and worked out we have enough food and baby formula for another two weeks.
I felt very extravagant today as I went out shopping and purchased some new clothes for Bubbaleechie. Thanks to the lovely people at G’Dope message board (who sent us some $'s) I was able to get an outfit for Bub to wear to SIL’s wedding. Retail therapy is great although very addictive.
So it is looking much better now than it was yesterday. Amazing what a good nights sleep can do, in addition to coffee with a friend and some retail therapy thanks to the generosity of fellow dopers.
Good luck to everyone with their frugal plans, hope it all works out for you.
Urk. I have to buy a wedding present in the next week and a half. I’m going to get them a case of spaghetti sauce, spaghetti, and a case of toilet paper. They’re 23, and only one of them is employed.
They’ve already received all the normal wedding stuff, anyhow.
featherlou, you have an excellent point about buying premade food. I usually feel eteremely guilty when I buy tubs of ice cream or frozen food, but it’s much, much cheaper to buy a frozen pizza and keep it for nights when you don’t want to cook than ordering out.
I have a chest freezer. Ican’t imagine how anyone can live without at least a small extra freezer. Our apartment fridge’s freezer is tiny and not particularly cold.