I'm starting my "what to cut, shave, trim, snip, and other hair analogies" list.
Our goal will be cash preservation.
So, I think I'll pare down the retirement plan contributions since we have no match, increase the insurance deductible on DH's car which we should've done months ago, stop the mortgage principal prepayment, but what else?
We have no cable, but we're keeping Netflix streaming. I've considered giving up the Sunday NYT, but not yet. Kumon also stays. The grocery bill and the energy bill both need some scrutinizing. The prepaid phone is about as cheap as it gets.
Today I used the Mattel vouchers to buy toys for the Christmas donations at church with a little left for DD's stocking stuffer and some upcoming baby gifts.
I thought I might have a hard time using the voucher at Target, but checked with the service desk first, and they were happy to help. Between that and the coupon for free milk, it was a cheap day.
DH got the official news today. He'll be done at the end of the year. Tomorrow's list will be on more income generation and job search stuff. I'm a little daunted and welcome any advice you want to throw my way!
Hmm--What to Trim?
November 17th, 2011 at 05:34 am
November 17th, 2011 at 06:05 am 1321509938
All I can say is apply for as many jobs no matter how crazy the job might be. When DH quit his previous job just over a year ago he applied for 25 jobs in that first weekend. And applied for 2-3 jobs every night on week nights and called any job agency he knew. It takes a lot of time but he got another job just before he officially left the previous job (just a month into the new job search).
There was a lot of rejections but that's what happened when you apply for a lot. Some of the job he went for was way above to what he thought he could get. Some of them flat out rejected him but some actually short listed him and few he managed to get an interview. The one he got was a perfect match.
Good luck to you and your DH.
November 17th, 2011 at 06:29 am 1321511346
I'd also hone my and DHs routines. If you love x, is there a free way to do x?
I'd shut off his 401K contributions entirely at this stage. And if you are with a big bank, this is the time to switch to a credit union - getting screwed over by them at your weakest moment is not fun.
November 17th, 2011 at 08:39 am 1321519151
Sul nostro sito le milgiori ricette per i tuoi piatti dall'antipasto al dolce, ricette sempre nuove e gustose
November 17th, 2011 at 12:57 pm 1321534634
November 17th, 2011 at 01:35 pm 1321536957
November 17th, 2011 at 02:07 pm 1321538861
I am sorry that it didn't turn out better.
BUT, I think it definitely helps to have a plan in place and even the small things like being more diligent about coupons can help add up to bigger savings.
The only suggestion that I can personally make is in regards to Kumon. My son receives "academic therapy" at a private agency and the cost is $40 per hour. We've run out of funds for the HSA (not a true HSA, but what the company sponsored money) with the HDHP and are paying out of pocket $250 for older daughter's asthma meds (that is monthly). I talked with the office manager at the tutoring place and they were able to have DS go every other week, giving me what I should do on the off weeks. This saved us $80 per month and once January rolls around and our medical funds are replenished, he'll go back to once a week. I was honest about our situation, stating that if they couldn't accomodate us, we'd find a way or else would have to leave and return. Just my $0.02.
Take care!
November 17th, 2011 at 02:35 pm 1321540559
November 17th, 2011 at 03:12 pm 1321542737
Thanks, Laura, for the Kumon advice. We're going tonight and perhaps I'll talk with them. It's done miracle for DD's math. When her teacher and I were discussing her progress at her conference, they expected her to go up 7 levels this past year, but she's gone up 23 levels. The teacher was amazed.
DH's 401K contributions are shut down now, and I'm looking at the Roth IRA reduction. But I've got soup started in the crockpot, so I feel warm and happy-ish!
November 17th, 2011 at 10:23 pm 1321568608
November 18th, 2011 at 02:22 am 1321582968
Do any of the public libraries or the university library subscribe to the NYT?
Does your DH cook? Maybe you could cut down on your grocery bill by him doing things that you don't have time for that would save money.
November 18th, 2011 at 02:31 am 1321583477
November 21st, 2011 at 04:10 pm 1321891841
We've been there, Hubster was looking to work at least 8 more years but his plant shut down and there were no more jobs in the offing so we went with early SS.
On the homefront...I'd look to do (possibly even) more from scratch home cooking. Make a plan - inexpensive rice, pasta, beans, soup, leftovers becoming a weekly thing if they aren't already. Also we did weekly themed cooking as it makes leftovers easier to combine...Italian week, Mexican week, Chinese week, etc. Hope this helps a bit.