Thread: For those of you living paycheck to paycheck

We live check to check as well. Dh is the only one who works for money. We don't have a cell phone or run air conditioning. I eat once a day(dinner) We don't go anywhere. I use coupons and love save-a-lot. I usually buy food in bulk and the freeze leftovers. All you can do is pinch it till it screams. Good Luck.

i`m in the same boat.....I`m a single mom to 2 kids so my paycheck has to go for everything. I barely make it after paying the rent, car ins., gas, elec, oil, you name it...phone, cable...never ends. I buy in bulk & freeeze most of the meat that comes into the house. Buy 1 get 1`s are great...sometimes my market has buy 1 get 2....My dot goes to Summer Camp & it`s $110. a wk. Good Luck!

I honestly don't know anyone who doesn't live paycheck to paycheck. I still haven't figured out how to "save" money, it always goes on extra expenses like dental bills(we don't have dental or vision ins) glasses etc. But I have learned to save on how much I spend. I only buy clothes on clearance, at thrift stores or at yardsales. Next is I plan out my supper menu before I go groc shopping. That way I only buy what I need. I also cook lots of fresh food, no prepackaged meals etc. I cook things that make a lot so we will have enough for leftovers. Another thing is instead of buying snackcakes, I buy muffin mix for $0.50 a pack at walmart and brownie mix for $0.68. It makes a lot and cost a lot less. Hmmmm what else do I do.....oh the best thing so far is I sit down the night before groc shopping and figure up how much my groc list is going to cost me including tax and I take CASH...I take about $7 extra to cover the fluctuating costs of items. With me taking cash, I know that I can't go over that amount and I am less likely to impulse shop. Living paycheck to paycheck is no fun but it can be done. Oh and if you shop at walmart, make sure to take all of your ads with you and make them price match on things that are on sale

I was living paycheck to paycheck for about a year until I broke down and moved back "home." I was even working a full and part time job to try to make ends meet.

I'd definately recommend a part time job to help out with some of the expenses and keep stuff off your credit card.

Just a thought. When I was a kid, my family was paycheck to paycheck until my mother got a license to run a home daycare. You can stay at home with your kids and make some money.

Originally Posted by Angelseyes28

I honestly don't know anyone who doesn't live paycheck to paycheck. I still haven't figured out how to "save" money, it always goes on extra expenses like dental bills(we don't have dental or vision ins) glasses etc. But I have learned to save on how much I spend. I only buy clothes on clearance, at thrift stores or at yardsales. Next is I plan out my supper menu before I go groc shopping. That way I only buy what I need. I also cook lots of fresh food, no prepackaged meals etc. I cook things that make a lot so we will have enough for leftovers. Another thing is instead of buying snackcakes, I buy muffin mix for $0.50 a pack at walmart and brownie mix for $0.68. It makes a lot and cost a lot less. Hmmmm what else do I do.....oh the best thing so far is I sit down the night before groc shopping and figure up how much my groc list is going to cost me including tax and I take CASH...I take about $7 extra to cover the fluctuating costs of items. With me taking cash, I know that I can't go over that amount and I am less likely to impulse shop. Living paycheck to paycheck is no fun but it can be done. Oh and if you shop at walmart, make sure to take all of your ads with you and make them price match on things that are on sale

We are so much alike!! LOL I do a lot of those things. Especially the nemu, store list with prices and buying things on clearance.

Originally Posted by Tasha405

What part of Ohio are you in? I'm in Marion.

I'm in Leipsic, which is in Putnam County, maybe an hour and a half or so from where you are. When we were taking my dad to Columbus for his cancer surgery, dr. appts., etc. we went through Marion all the time. My parents and sister know what a "thrift store freak" I am and would tease me all the time about how we didn't have time to stop at the one right off 23 in Marion. I still haven't made it there, but I do plan on maybe taking a day trip there one of these days. I'd also like to go to the Pamida in Upper Sandusky. We used to have one of those close by here, but they closed it down several years ago.