[KellyMarie]

I wasn't sure what forum to post this in, and I decided this would be the most appropiate place.
I am in the same boat as ya'll, my hubby's hours have been drastically reduced and is facing layoff. I have been in this boat before and there are some things you can do in extreme situations to help curb some bills until you can get some more cash flow......

Don't wait until shut off day to work with the utility companies...call before the due date and work out some arrangments...they obviously are not going to let you just not pay your bill, but you do have options. If you know you have money coming in before the next due date, you can opt for an extended payment date or you can pay approx 25% of your bill and then have the balance applied to the next 3 month's bills...I am pretty sure that most electric and phone companies will do this.
Even your cell carrier will work with you and so will satellite companies, I don't know if cable will.

Start dropping all added features on your phone, satellite and whatever else you pay a monthly bill for. We dropped our minutes on our cell and I got rid of added features on my landline. I have stripped my satellite down to the basic package and if I could get reception here I would do away with the whole thing and put an antenna up.

If you cannot make your house payment or car payment, call the bank before your payment is due and let them kmow what is going on. You may have an option of being able to just make an interest payment. Call your banker/lender and talk to them...if they know what is going on they will be more apt to help you than if you just wait for the late payment notices to come in. Your loan officer will feel much better when he has to present his client info at his board meetings if he knows what he is explaining.

If you are expecting a tax refund, tax returns are right around the corner....remind your lenders/debt collectors of this and promise them you will pay when you get your refund if you cannot pay right now. But don't make promises you cannot keep.

If anyone else has an ideas, please post

[BridgetV]

These are great.
With regards to utility companies, there has been many times (with us) when the shut off notice comes and it's a week or so before DH got paid again. I have found that if I call and set up an automatic payment with them, they are a lot more willing to let it go that extra week.
And (this is bad that I know this), but the shut off notice and the actual disconnect for the cable are two different things. You may get a notice that says "hey, we're shutting off your cable on this date, and once we disconnect you'll have to pay such and such to get it turned back on". Well, they may shut it off, but they have to send someone out to actually disconnect your cable. And that may take a week to do. You can usually just pay the back part that is owed without having to pay for a "reconnect fee".
I agree with KellyMarie. If you can't pay something - call and let them know what's going on. Companies are usually much more willing to work with you if take responsibility and try and work out a plan, instead of just avoiding calls.

[CM_ANGEL]

Tax season is just a few short months away!! Now that is truly my favorite time of year!!

[jillibean1978]

Great tips!!! On a sad note our electric company will NOT work with you at all. Period. Doesn't matter if you have to have electric to keep someone's breathing machine on, if you don't pay by the cut off date, then they shut you off. And I have heard that if it's below a certain temp. that the gas company won't shut you off. But that doesn't help without electric and that's why they do that, they know that you can't use gas to heat, eat or shower if you have no electric. And if it's warm and nice out then once you own $250 they shut you off. Sometimes calling people and explaining the situation doesn't work. But then again, there is no one here like churches and salvation Army to help either. If you get behind here, well oh well. You can sit in the dark. And now that food stamps and state health care is done on a state level, you can wait for up to 6 months before they let you know if you can receive help from them or not.
You have posted great tips. But in Orange County Indiana they do not apply. Not sure how the banks are with working with people on loans. Will find out tomorrow when we ask the bank if we can pay our loan in 2 installments.

[FreebieMama]

Thanks, Kelly! Those are great tips!

Too bad we already don't have cable, or we would drop it. We just get the 6 channels that are picked up by the rabbit ears. My coupons for the digital cable converter boxes should be mailed out by the end of this month, and I will have to shop around for the cheapest converter boxes out there.

My tip is how I've gotten creative with the food we receive from WIC. I wait for the 18 oz jars of peanut butter to go on sale BOGO free, and then I use the check with the peanut butter on it. So I get 2 jars a month instead of one. Same with cereal - I get the cereal that is BOGO free, so I usually get 8 boxes a month instead of 4. I realized I can get instant, plain grits, oatmeal and cream of wheat instead of cold cereal. Some nights the kids want oatmeal for dinner. I got cheddar and mozzarella cheese with my last check. I can use the cheddar cheese to make cheese grits. English muffins were BOGO free, so I got 2 packs and put one in the freezer right away. Last night, we had English muffin pizzas for dinner with the mozzarella cheese and spaghetti sauce from my pantry. My son doesn't get PB yet, he still gets dried beans/peas. I usually get split green peas and make peas soup with a hambone. I just started getting lentils, so I can make lentil soup with onions, carrots and celery(which are cheap veggies). Also, I use the instant oatmeal in place of breadcrumbs in meatloaf and meatballs.

That's all I can think of right now.

[morgansmom]

I'm just ready for all this bad economy to end! My DH is facing a temporary layoff in 3 weeks. He has been temporarily laid off before about 6 years ago, but then we had no house note, and now we do. My father and BIL work in the oil field, and back then they got my DH a job until the mill put him back to work. Now even the oil rigs are not hiring. My dad says they are on a hiring freeze.

Thanks for all the tips. I pray things pick up and everyone can keep working!

[FreebieMama]

Originally Posted by CM_ANGEL

Tax season is just a few short months away!! Now that is truly my favorite time of year!!

I'm with you! Since you get the W-2s or 4s( I can't remember what its called) by the end of January, I do our taxes in February and we have our money by March!

[SHERY123]

i know too with the phone company. i called to see if they offered any promotions she said yes about every 6 months they change. my package i was paying 70.00 was on promo for 10.00 off. so i got 10.00 knocked off for a year.. she said to call in around 6 months might be a better promo.. landline phone

[CM_ANGEL]

Yes, Time Warner has specials ALL the time! All u have to do is call and ask. I called a few months back and they gave me my phone, cable, and high-speed internet for $119 a month. They also included DVR FREE for 6 months! Now, I am hooked on DVR and will NEVER get rid of it. I figure that I will just not eat out 1 time a month so I can afford the DVR.

[busymomx2]

These are all great tips. Remember, at tax time, if you will use direct deposit you will get your refund in about 10 days. The earlier you file the better for most. You need your money back quickly and don't want the IRS to continuing earning interest on your money. Also, if your income is cut drastically in 2008, you may qualify for earned income credit at tax time. Please do not overlook any thing on the tax return. If anyone has questions concerning their Federal Taxes I will be glad to answer any questions I can. I have been a tax preparer for many years and was trained by a national large company and also worked for them for many years. I am in SC so I can't answer many state questions, other than SC. Feel free to PM me anytime.

[doubledee4]

I know where you are coming from, my dh was told that he is facing layoff, after 30 years...they won't tell anyone for sure until Dec 9...it is frustrating to leave everyone hanging until then. I am so scared! I have tried to do what I can but I know I need to keep my faith that it will all work out. Thanks for the tips and letting me share.

[stefani1]

I was already laid off and now DH thinks his company is going to be bought out and then possible layoffs - we'll find out in December. Anyway - I'm just really happy that I found AFC and got into coupons. I don't have to pay for our everyday stuff like toothpaste and toothbrushes or shampoo and conditioner. All those things that I would have had to pay for before are all stocked up for me amongst MANY other things. The economy HAS to turn around!! So we all have to just hold on until it does! We'll make it through it!!
Now would be a great time to win the lottery though!!! I promise that if I win A LOT anytime soon, I will share the wealth with my AFC friends!!! Wishful thinking right??

Also, do you prepare your taxes online or do you have someone do them?? We usually do them online, but I'm not sure we get everything we should. Is it better to pay a little more to go to a person and have them done? Just curious what everyone thinks?

[Faith]

One thing that's helped us is to get on the budget plan with the gas and electric companys. That way you know EXACTLY how much your bill is going to be that month and you can budget a little more easily. The best part is, eventually, you get to a point where the company owes YOU money. I just really like it when I know there'll be no 'surprises' when I open the bill and I know what to expect.

[KellyMarie]

Originally Posted by jillibean1978

Great tips!!! On a sad note our electric company will NOT work with you at all. Period. Doesn't matter if you have to have electric to keep someone's breathing machine on, if you don't pay by the cut off date, then they shut you off. And I have heard that if it's below a certain temp. that the gas company won't shut you off. But that doesn't help without electric and that's why they do that, they know that you can't use gas to heat, eat or shower if you have no electric. And if it's warm and nice out then once you own $250 they shut you off. Sometimes calling people and explaining the situation doesn't work. But then again, there is no one here like churches and salvation Army to help either. If you get behind here, well oh well. You can sit in the dark. And now that food stamps and state health care is done on a state level, you can wait for up to 6 months before they let you know if you can receive help from them or not.
You have posted great tips. But in Orange County Indiana they do not apply. Not sure how the banks are with working with people on loans. Will find out tomorrow when we ask the bank if we can pay our loan in 2 installments.

I don't quite undertsand your reply, I was under the assumptiion that all health and foodstamp programs worked at the state level. I did some research on our area and you have a local dvision of Family resources in your county, it is located at the county seat in Paoli:

Orange County

535 N. Greenbriar Drive, P.O. Box 389
Paoli, IN 47454

812-723-3616

This link also shows you all resources in your county:
FSSA: Directory of Local Offices
It also states that the time frame alotted for eligibilty decision for foodstamps is 30 days

For all other counties please visit the closest location below. Once an application is filed, you will be assigned a caseworker and an appointment will be set up for you. Your caseworker will discuss your needs and assess if you are eligible for services. This initial interview with your caseworker will take from 1-1 1/2 hours. Your eligibility is determined within the following timeframes.

• Food Stamps/TANF - 30 days
• Medicaid - 45 days
• Disability Medicaid - 90 days

I also found that you have Head Start in your area, if you have children that are age appropiate for Head Start I would definitely call your local center and inquire about enrolling your children. I was a Head Start Home Visior many years ago and the program has excellent benefits for lower income families (I know this because my children were also in Head Start, it's how I got my job). My oldest son had a Head Start Home Visitor and now has a BA in Computer Science...we were extremely poor and lived in a very rural area, my home visitor was a welcome site each week and she always had wonderful activities and information for my children and I.
IMO Head Start is one of the most successful programs that our tax dollars support. Your Head Start Home Visitor and Center employees should also know all local resources for aid in your community.

I found the utility companies for your area. I will be more than happy to call and inquire about their payment plans and regualtions on shut off if you like, just let me know

[CouponMama]

I called the directtv people and lowered our package to the least expensive. That night I saw a commercial for the same price 29.99 and 100 more channels for new customers. My husband called and asked if they valued existing customers. They said yes. First they said no to the package change then transferred him to a supervisor and guess what???We got it!

It never hurts to try! We also did the same thing KellyMarie did with the phones with eliminating extras. I mean honestly I don't use half of those services. I also called the credit union and explained the situation. We are paying weekly for our car loan vs once a month. That amount seems much more manageable right now.

I am with you all I can't wait for that income tax check. It will be a huge help.

[mpayne]

Those of you who get a tax refund - enjoy it!! We have to pay every year now since our "babies" are mostly grown and gone. Boy, does it hurt to get a BIG bill every year! (and yes, we claim 0 exemptions all year long so they take out the most possible from our checks - and we still have to pay!)

Anyway, here are my tips:

If you have cable internet - call and get it changed to the "lite" service. Unless you do online gaming, you really can't tell any difference in speed, but it will be at least $10 cheaper per month in most cases. We are still able to do music downloads, etc. and can't tell any difference in speed at all.

Get on the equal monthly payment plan with your electric company. We pay $120/month all year. Some months it would be much more than that - but we pay the same amount regardless. At the end of the year, it's balanced out and you might get a credit or refund if you paid more than you should have. It's nice not to have a huge bill pop up when you can least afford it!

CONSERVE - use your dishwasher when it is FULL. I read awhile back that it takes about 25 gallons of water to wash dishes by hand, but only about 6 in the newer dishwashers! Check regularly for leaks and repair them, those little drops of water add up. Set a limit on showers - say 5 minutes - set an alarm in the bathroom if you have to!

Invest in some plastic wrap for windows. This helps both in summer to keep heat out, and winter to keep it in. You can buy the kind that sticks on and smooths out with a hair dryer at Lowes or Home Depot for about $5/box or less (off-brand ... works just as well as the more expensive).

[CM_ANGEL]

Ya know, I LOVE not being on a budget with utlity companies. I know that sounds crazy but I love paying a high gas bill in the winter but getting a break when it goes way down in the Spring and Summer.

[KellyMarie]

mpyane, I miss those huge tax refunds too! Last year was the first time I ever had to pay in!

[mpayne]

Not me, CM! I hate those high bills in the winter!

We have gas heat but electric for everything else. Our gas bill is low in the summer, still - usually only $10 just to keep the service on when we aren't using it. But the electric can go up and down like crazy with A/C and Heat....

Yep, tax bills hurt don't they KM??

[Lynda1811]

Originally Posted by KellyMarie

I don't quite undertsand your reply, I was under the assumptiion that all health and foodstamp programs worked at the state level. I did some research on our area and you have a local dvision of Family resources in your county, it is located at the county seat in Paoli:


This link also shows you all resources in your county:
FSSA: Directory of Local Offices
It also states that the time frame alotted for eligibilty decision for foodstamps is 30 days



I also found that you have Head Start in your area, if you have children that are age appropiate for Head Start I would definitely call your local center and inquire about enrolling your children. I was a Head Start Home Visior many years ago and the program has excellent benefits for lower income families (I know this because my children were also in Head Start, it's how I got my job). My oldest son had a Head Start Home Visitor and now has a BA in Computer Science...we were extremely poor and lived in a very rural area, my home visitor was a welcome site each week and she always had wonderful activities and information for my children and I.
IMO Head Start is one of the most successful programs that our tax dollars support. Your Head Start Home Visitor and Center employees should also know all local resources for aid in your community.

I found the utility companies for your area. I will be more than happy to call and inquire about their payment plans and regualtions on shut off if you like, just let me know

Yah for headstart. All three of my kids were / are in head start. I love the monthly home visits, monthly parent meetings and the monthly policy council meetings. I would love to work with the headstart program, and they like to hire parents that had kids in headstart. I love helping out in the class room.

Sorry to hijack, but wanted to express that headstart is a wonderful program.

Lynda

[treasurehouse]

Originally Posted by busymomx2

These are all great tips. Remember, at tax time, if you will use direct deposit you will get your refund in about 10 days. The earlier you file the better for most. You need your money back quickly and don't want the IRS to continuing earning interest on your money. Also, if your income is cut drastically in 2008, you may qualify for earned income credit at tax time. Please do not overlook any thing on the tax return. If anyone has questions concerning their Federal Taxes I will be glad to answer any questions I can. I have been a tax preparer for many years and was trained by a national large company and also worked for them for many years. I am in SC so I can't answer many state questions, other than SC. Feel free to PM me anytime.

That is so kind of you, to share the knowledge you have. AFC is a wonderful site because of people like you!!

[twodogmom]

A reminder for those who do have their tax refunds direct deposited to their accounts. PLEASE BE EXTRA CAREFUL IN WRITING YOUR BANK NUMBERS. If you would happen to write a number down wrong, it could take quite awhile to get this cleared up defeating the purpose.

[treasurehouse]

Originally Posted by morgansmom

I'm just ready for all this bad economy to end! My DH is facing a temporary layoff in 3 weeks. He has been temporarily laid off before about 6 years ago, but then we had no house note, and now we do. My father and BIL work in the oil field, and back then they got my DH a job until the mill put him back to work. Now even the oil rigs are not hiring. My dad says they are on a hiring freeze.

Thanks for all the tips. I pray things pick up and everyone can keep working!

It hasn't been in the national news much, but North Dakota is having a HUGE oil boom. Our community is prosperous because of this. Home sales are up, there are help wanted signs in most businesses. We see licsence plates from many states. This will probably increase as more people move here looking for jobs. The airforce base is expanding. Yes, it is cold up here, but this area of the country (at least for now) is thriving. If your family has experience in the oil fields, you might want to do research on North Dakota. This might help for a little bit or be a permanent move. There are four other gals that are regulars on AFC from our community. You can PM me with questions or contact the other four and I am sure they would gladly help.

[Linz]

I wanted to add a couple of our money-saving tips to this thread (great thread Kelly! Thanks for starting it):

• If possible, close off rooms in your house. Close the heat or a/c registers, stuff towels under the doors so the cold air doesn't draft out of that room and into the rest of the house.
• Get an adjustable thermostat. If you're gone during the day, set it so the heat is low in the house during the day and then warms up a few degrees right before you get home.
• Purchase an insulated blanket at the hardware store for your water heater. We saw a reduction in our gas bill when we did this. I suppose it's because it doesn't take as long for the water to heat up.
• Check for cold air coming in along windows and outlets. Either repair or cover.
• Unplug any appliances you can when not in use. This also includes not leaving your cell phone charger plugged in to the wall when you are not charging your phone.
• We were able to trade for firewood this year. My DH helped a guy cut down trees on his property in exchange for the wood. In the past I've also cooked for people in exchange for firewood. If you are in need of something like firewood and know of someone who has wood, ask them if you could possibly trade services for firewood.
• Don't carry unnecessary things around in the trunk of your car. The extra weight causes a reduction in gas mileage.
• Try to re-purpose as much as possible. For instance, my DD is still on formula. So for Christmas gifts for a couple of people I'm making cookies and fudge and putting it in empty, clean formula cans that I'm decorating with Christmas paper I had around the house. This saves me from having to run out and buy Christmas tins or bags or whatever.
• We keep a large basket with blankets out in the living room. We can keep the heat set lower and just throw blankets and quilts on ourselves in the evenings when we're hanging out together.
• When I was pregnant with DS I got laid off. I couldn't find another job that would hire me pregnant. So, to earn money I: did some bookkeeping for a friend who owns his own business, made things to sell on Etsy, sold extra stuff on Ebay, and baked for a local bakery. This at least allowed us to have some money coming in during that hard time.

Hope those help someone!

[KellyMarie]

Originally Posted by Lynda1811

Yah for headstart. All three of my kids were / are in head start. I love the monthly home visits, monthly parent meetings and the monthly policy council meetings. I would love to work with the headstart program, and they like to hire parents that had kids in headstart. I love helping out in the class room.

Sorry to hijack, but wanted to express that headstart is a wonderful program.

Lynda

all four of mine were and we did weekly visits, 2 hour ones! I carried 11 families when I worked for the agency and it was the most rewarding job I ever had. It's a progrma that works, they hire within the community and try to hire families in the program...your tax dollars at work!