not broke, just always struggling to keep head afloat.
Posted By: mt on 2009-03-31
In Reply to: Poll: How broke are you? - XanaX
Basically paycheck to paycheck with us, also. We are trying to manage our money better unfortunately we do well for a while and then fall off. It's getting harder and harder though; my goal is to have my credit cards paid in full (3 of them) by end of April as I am tired of paying all that interest. I agree with the gal who wants to get rid of banks. That's exactly how they make their money off of you. The middle class IS disappearing . . .
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Oh my gosh yes... we're struggling
We'll have our 25th anniversary at the end of this year. He's changed in a lot of ways, but one big, huge one for me is, when we were younger we were both huge animal lovers. I mean, he brought home kittens he found that were abandoned or homeless. We bottle fed them, found homes for them, sometimes ended up keeping one. This happened more than once. We took in strays. Once we fed an abandoned flicker. We ordered wax worms to feed it and it lived with us until it grew up and was ready to be set free. Granted, our life to this point has been defined by the fact that we've always had several cats, up to 7 for several years there, and we've always had to put up with the mess, make accommodations for having them, spend the money on their care, etc. Well, we stopped taking in the strays years ago, and we are now down to 2 cats having just lost another to old age two weeks ago. The past few years, he has really just become an anti-animal person. He puts up with them, and he pays some attention to them, but he's not the animal person he was. He really throws fits when one of them makes a mess, and we have a sick right now who has been doing that a lot. Of course, I'm always the one to clean it up, but that doesn't seem to stop the fits. He'll make nasty comments about taking them out with the garbage, etc. Many times he's said when they're gone, no more pets. That's it. On the other hand, I'm as big of an animal lover as ever. I can't imagine living without a pet. I obviously don't want 7 cats in one house again, but yes, I do want to live with a pet, so I'm not sure where we'll be when it comes to the point that when our last 2 cats are gone and we're petless. I just couldn't take it. I feel a huge part of who I am is the fact that I love animals and love living with one, and I always knew I could never be with an animal hater or a cat hater, which many guys seem to be. Now, he's kind of evolved into that, and I'm not sure whether I just let that part of me go and put up with it or what. I don't know...maybe it's a stupid thing to get hung up on. He's changed in other ways.. less fun loving, at least with me, and much more grumpy and serious than he used to be.
Oh! Head in the SAND! I thought you said head in the CAN!
x
When I broke my toe
it was because I kicked a door jam. There was much screaming involved. I couldn't put on a shoe. I couldn't lift my toes or put weight on the toes.
It sort of sounds like you may have broken a blood vessel, but I wonder why? I'd see the doctor about it.
When my husband broke his toe sm
His was red and swollen and black and blue across the top. His was due to trauma, but you could have a stress fracture. It would be a very good idea to have it x-rayed, just to be on the safe side.
I heard that they already broke up! nm
nm
My sister broke hers
when she was little when we were all in a car accident. It took a couple of hours before she started complaining about her arm feeling heavy. Mom was going to the ER to get her ankle x-rayed, which turned out not to be broken, and took my sister along for an x-ray just in case. Yup, it was broken. So yours could be too. All they will probably do is put you in a sling.
It broke up both our marriages.
Our two kids, their two kids, parents, other family. She lives in Texas now, on her third or fourth marriage. My ex never did remarry (he is also bi - as I said in another post today). Her ex is on his 3rd marriage.
Thanks for your kind thoughts. But as for me, I met a wonderful man whom I have been married to for 9 tremendous years and am very happy now. It just was such a betrayal that it still bothers me from time to time.
Oh, and no, she never did say she was sorry. It's like I never really knew who she was...
Re-gifting keeps me from going broke
I would throw away any food that I had reservations about, but I look at it as a challenge sometimes to find those horrible gifts a good home :)
To me there really isn't anything else for one to do but thank them for the gift then do with it what you will.
Look at it this way - if it makes you happy making a friend/relative happy by giving them the gift, then it has given you something.to be thankful for, albeit in a roundabout way.
Poll: How broke are you?
Last payday, I would have needed $200 to pay all my bills and then be broke. Payday is three days away. Here's my tally: Cash on hand: 48 cents. Checking: $3.58. Savings: 4 cents. Woohoo. Hatin' it.
Sure am glad this forced me to stop the cigarettes -- 18 days smoke free now.
Just a thought--if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Why would anyone want to have a part of their body removed just on a CHANCE they may someday get some disease. This is just beyond my comprehension. That's like saying, well, I may as well kill myself now 'cause I'm gonna die some day anyway. ???
Miss Lily broke my toe.
So my lovely dog Miss Lily, who can't be more than 6 inches from me at all times, stepped on the back of my pajamas when we were walking down the stairs and I fell down a few of them. I broke my toe, just a hairline fracture, and it HURTS! That'll teach me to wear pajamas that are remotely baggy lol.
*This concludes my pity party* 
The straw that broke my back was
when my 90-year-old father was killed in an accident. I was only relative left, no siblings, no other living kids - well my son said I had got it ALL, thinking he should have more than the $60,000.00 my father had given him and his children for their school/college. How greedy can a person be? I should have had EVERYTHING but not the case. When my grandparents died, I think I got some dishes, maybe and oh, yeh and a watch from my grandmother. Rememberence type things which I am thankful for. My DIL's family just took completely over. I have a great life, though and I figure things will be like they are supposed to be. No sweat off my brow.
Like you, I have fibro and broke out with shingles for the first
time this past month. OMG, could not tell which was the worse. Do you use anything like fish oil or glucosamine? My hubby gave me the fish oil and it helped me a lot with the stiffness in the joints. My fibro started in my late 50s.
I broke down and got a pair of dedicated....
single-vision computer glasses. HUGE difference. They definitely aren't pretty because I wanted to keep the cost as low as I could, but my headaches are all but gone now thanks to them.
My other pair of glasses are bifocals, which I can use for work in a pinch like if I lost my computer glasses, but what happens is I wind up tilting my head too much to use the teeny bifocal part to see the monitor, which in turn causes headaches from muscle strain.
To save a TON off glasses, take your prescription and get them at a wholesale place like Sam's Club.
Good luck! 
That is cold. My furnace is broke...sm
Getting it repaired tomorrow. YAY! Freezing sucks! It has been in the 30s at night here in South MS and that is too cold for no heat. I do have the little electric space heaters though so that helps. Heat tomorrow finally!
i read that the mob broke the doors down
if they got it on camera, i think whoever knocked this person down should be held accountable.
Not broke here but in years past
could probably not really rub 2 nickels together. I am sorry so many others have lost their jobs, etc. I have been able to, so far, keep my job and my hubby has a union job and he is still there although at his job they have laid off some. I have money saved so if his job had been threatened, feel like have enough to get us through several months or even years if need be but I would hate to come to that. I have not changed any spending habits, in fact need to rein in my overspending. I heard cigarettes were extremely expensive now- a carton for over $50.00?
Not completely broke, but close
We live paycheck to paycheck for the most part. My paycuts really did our savings in. The bills are still all the same things and they get paid.
Hope for savings in the future is not too great. We rent and probably won't be able to buy a house till the kids are all off at college. Same for the cars. They are old and they run. I am grateful for that, as I have no car payments and they are too old for full coverage insurance.
We support 5 people on about $2500 a month for 8 months out of the year and about $3000 for the other months.
Cleaning lady broke something again!
This time it's really not replaceable. It was a tiny glass vase of tuilps that my MIL brought back from Italy. Each tulip was separate and just adorable.
I MIGHT be able to find something like it online, but I haven't looked yet. She/they have broken stuff before and while the stuff as been important to me it was not expensive.
I had this, and a few other things in my bedroom entertainment cabinet - to PROTECT it from HER. Today she decides to clean in there.
I think this is it. She cleans well and is affordable, but at this rate everything important to me will be broken in a couple of years.
I almost went blind from it as I broke out on half of my face and they
were invading my cornea but never penetrated through. I had them actually while on the delivery table with my son!! It was frightening to say the least, I looked like a monster for about 1 week, started healing after week 2 and then had terrible pain weeks 2 and 3. I was popping 800 Motrin without even looking at the clock, the only time in my life I was a pill popper!! Anyhow still can't tweeze my eyebrow on that area without strange neuralgia, when I get tired or stressed I feel the tingling, feels like my eyelid is drooping but no residual effects other than that. If it ever happens again (this was 16 years ago so knock on wood) I will just go somewhere with a bottle and drink myself to sleep for 3 weeks.
tried duct tape, no go, broke immediately, thanks though, NM
z
I finally broke down and bought a box of cards
Sunday night. I haven't gotten them addressed yet, but I'm hoping to this week. We always did the same thing -- different colored inks, holiday stamps, etc. I just don't feel like putting the time into it this year. One year, I even bought cards from a scrapbook party to make my own. They went over really well. My grandma, 80 years old, told me not to send her a card because of the price of stamps. I'm planning to hand-deliver hers on Christmas day as well as others that I will be seeing or live close enough to to deliver personally.
I only have a few out-of-towners that I need to mail to and I'm hoping to get those done by Friday.
Why not try addressing 2 or 3 per evening? Get DH to help. I always feel guilty when I receive cards and don't mail them.
i broke a mercury thermometer - what a pain i
it broke on the counter right next to the fridge, so some little balls of mercury went down the crack between the fridge and counter.
Not broke but have changed spending habits.
I did reel in some spending a bit and changed a few things in the budget.
Have no intention of going broke.
Don't smoke either. LOL Couldn't afford to with the new taxes on those things!
I broke my keyboard tray off when I was startled and jumped. Terrible startle reflex. NM
x
Thanks for the head up!
x
I think you hit it on the head with that one. NM
xx
It sure looks like we could head toward ...sm
a great depression. Well about the questions. My mom is queen of stocking up. I do some too. But not like her. I need to do it more. But the things you stock up on are like mostly things that will stay good a while like can items and flour and corn meal and cooking oil and cereals. Just look at the dates and see when it expires so you can see how long it will stay good. Canned items you have a few years usually. Stock up on drinks, tea, coffee, sugar. My mom puts sugar, flour, and corn meal and rice and things like that in stock piles in her freezer. It will keep a long time in there. What my mom does and me too is look in the sale paper at the grocery store and when something goes on sale and is a good deal buy plenty. Like one time they put hamburger helper on sale for $1 a box and my mom bought 10 of them. Just look for good cheap deals and stock up. Toilet paper too. Paper towels. Soap. Whatever. Just when you catch sales get a little here and there and put it up. Don't go spend a fortune in one day.
As far as shortages of food I have no idea.
$4 a head?!?!
Wow. Plotzing right next to you. jeez.
I put up a greenhouse last year, which I love. It's still being tweaked so I haven't completely maximized its use yet, but all my plants made it through its first winter. We even planned ahead and my handyman ran electric and water into it, so it's pretty self contained.
I love growing things, but don't necessarily like to be outside for the growing of them. Weird, I know. Plus, the greenhouse lets me stay away from my creepy neighbor who makes passes at me while his ailing/dying wife is inside. 
The other thing that I've started doing to try to cut costs is hanging the clothes out on a line. I've seen a lot of comments about that lately, too. I'm really curious to see how much of a difference that makes on the old electric bill.
I think your gut has already told you what your head
knows - avoid this change at all costs. I won't go into all the reasons I would avoid because you know them in your heart - best of luck!
Wow. You SO hit the nail on the head with this one--sm
It seriously sounds like you have been there before and found your way out of it somehow. I so applaud your way of helping this poor exhausted woman, and I feel badly for her, because I have been there too. My ex was ALOT like this, controlling, passive-aggressive, and had a very abusive anger problem, as well. She did not state how long she has been with this man, but if things don't change, I fear abuse may be the next step. In my experience, people like this do not change. You do. Sometimes the only way to change the situation is to leave it, entirely. forever. I am also sorry to say that when I left my ex after 13 years of abusive control, he moved on to the next one...she took her own life after 14 years due to the same treatment. He married again after that, with the roles reversed and his wife controlling him...he took his own life last year. The ones who suffer? the children. MY children, his children, who will never be the same because of all of this. Think about all of this *exhausted*. It is only meant to help you open your eyes, see your options, and ACT on them...for your sake, and your children. Hugs to you, as well. Your post brought back some very unpleasant memories for me. Good luck to you!!!
The coroner's head . . .
What's with Anna Nicole's coroner's head. Has anyone else noticed this? The left side of his head is just out of wack. Do you think he has craniosynostosis?
his head IS very very bizarre
I also noticed this. I have never seen anything like it in my life! It almost looks like part of his skull is gone. I kept staring yet didn't want to look, if you know what I mean!
Did you hit your head before or after fainting?
?
When I got this flu, I did have a touch of the tummy trouble, but no fainting. But both sides of my neck were very sore to the touch. Must have been nodes, but weird that it was such large areas. I took Tamiflu, and the neck soreness went away, but I still had chills and exhaustion for 2 weeks.
my mom said same thing about wet head...
it's like if you spill the salt, it's bad luck....these are old *wives tales* perpetuated WAY_BACK_WHEN....a.k.a. superstitions for some of them...
don't walk under a ladder
don't let a black cat cross your path
swallow a watermelon pit and you grow a watermelon in tummy
swallow a piece of gum and it stays in your system for 7 years or clogs you up
(Most of them are ridiculous and a waste of time)....I have owned black cat(s), purposefully walked under ladders, spilled salt and think nothing of it, swallowed gum and/or small pits of fruits, and I'M STILL KICKIN.......and getting OLDER THAN DIRT *L*
you hit the nail on the head! Thank you for saying better than me. sm
He did not offer to pay for the car. When you are in marching band in high school you don't always have the luxury of working. He taught music lessons. That was enough for spending money not car payments. He has a scholarship but other than that I pay for everything.
We had a good talk this afternoon. I told him that there would come a time in the not too distant future when that trip would be allowed. However, I want a phone call before he leaves and one when he gets there. I want to know he made it safely. Honestly, I told him I was not mad about this and I understood that he wanted to see her, but lying is wrong. End of story. When I asked him if he was there I wouldn't have been near as upset if he had told me the truth but he kept digging his hole deeper and deeper.
I don't know what my husband is going to decide to do about the car. I asked him to consider leaving it. I told him I don't think my son will do it again. I told him that it is important that the girlfriend's parents like him and pulling crap like this is not going to endear them to him.
I put the idea in my husband's mind that maybe he could take a picture of the speedometer when he gets there tonight so that we know the milage. He is going to talk to him tonight. If he did that, he will still have local use of his car. I don't know. Everyone is pretty upset right now. Me, my husband, my son, his girlfriend, her parents.
I actually think that maybe he understand where I am coming from. I reminded him what if I got a phone call saying he was in an accident and severely hurt or worse and I think he is safe at school.
Wow - you hit the nail on the head - for me (sm)
"...hung onto the relationshipeve afer it was obviously not good for us. I think we just had to prove that we were good enough to be loved." That is exactly how I ended up in this marriage and exactly why I have been in it for so long. I was so determined to prove that I was good enough to be loved. Unfortunately, now there are children involved and I have to figure out what is best for them.
My mom always held my car over my head....
and it honestly just encouraged me to lie to her. My kids are younger, so God only knows what I'll do when they are teenagers, as I know that is a very hard time, but your son is in college now, and I think it is reasonable for him to want to drive to see his girlfriend on weekends. I was always a pretty honest kid with my mom, but losing my car was a big deal, so I did lie to her from time to time, because even though I felt bad lying it didn't feel as bad as losing my car would have!
Is your son maintaining good grades? If so, I wouldn't worry about his texting or how much he is talking to his girlfriend, because I honestly think that is his business and he will have to learn some hard lessons by messing up - not by having his mom tell him how life is all the time. Sometimes you have to learn that you can fall and pick yourself back up. If he is getting really bad grades, however, then of course you should step in because you don't want him messing up that scholarship! I'm already afraid for when my boys go off to college because I know how much many college kids drink and party and am afraid they will drink too much or something and get hurt, but if your son is just wanting to see his girlfriend then that might actually keep him from partying as much as other college kids. Are you just worried that he will get hurt on the drive to see her or something? Does he have a safe car?
I would say just be careful. If this girlfriend is really nice and he feels like you "messed up" his relationship with her in any way he might try to get back at you by dating a "lesser quality" girl or something. Good luck to you. I'm sure this is a difficult situation, but it's great he got a scholarship and is a good kid overall.
I eat different from hubs because I'm the veg head & he
s
Like a head-on collision?
>
Oh, I see a halo over the head
NM
Head or Heart
I followed my head, wish I would have followed my heart.
Get your head out of the sand! nm
x
shower head
 I'm looking for a shower head that will help me get all the shampoo & conditioner out of my hair. I have one that allows me to adjust the settings and that helps. I think the problem is that I am so short that even with the high pressure it doesn't completely remove all the shampoo since I am so much farther down than the shower head. I want to get one of the removable ones but before I went and spent the money I was hoping for suggestions. Whenever I go to my hairstylist, my hair always feels so much better for a week or two after she rinses it with that high-pressure sprayer so close to my head. I'm sure her shampoo makes some diffference too, although I'm pretty sure it is just not being able to completely rinse my hair out that is causing me the frizzies. Thanks for any suggestions on a reasonablly priced shower head.
Where is John's head? (sm)
It's in his crotch.
OMG! - you have hit the nail on the head!
x
Help me get that song out of my head! (sm)
Help! I can't get the song "Help Me Rhonda" out of my head now!! Too funny!! That may actually have to be one of the worst songs! LOL!
Very well-put. You hit the nail on the head.
.
I think you hit the nail on the head.
I have also had a few more days to think about what the other posters said too. Whether I want to admit it or not, hormones do make the moment seem worse and make me want to snap into all or nothing.
You have some great ideas. I agree that she didn't need to get me a gift if she wasn't coming to the shower, and probably would have preferred that rather than get me a gift of the wrong gender. At any rate, I will send her a nice thank you and call her to see how her wedding went since I was not able to be there for the big day. I will also make mention to her that evening before I leave that I would still like to see her, if even for a few minutes. It's a male/female shower at a sports bar so if nothing else I would like to get to know her husband better.
I don't want this to ruin the small bit of friendship we still have left or my shower but she was honestly the only person I was really looking forward to being at my shower. but I must get over that and be greatful that we are still friends in some way.
I wish it had been drilled into my head
I went to spend the night with a friend (this was about 30 years ago) and I was molested by her father. It took me 2 years to tell my parents. Trust me, I had many talks with my kids when they were younger.
You hit the nail on the head....sm
Everyone be thankful that you do not have anyone in your life doing this to you. You can say well don't answer the phone, don't answer the door, call the police. But when you do all those things and it still does not do any good you don't know where to turn. He has literally knocked on my door 4 times in 1 hour tonight. That is just one hour not the rest of the day. You would think after you don't answer it the first 5 times he would take a hint. Nope. I am friends with a deputy around here. My husbands uncle is also a deputy. They cannot do anything about it. He is on his own land. All I can do is move and looks like that is what I am going to have to do now. It definitely is not fair, but life isn't fair.
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