Why is it hard for low income families?

[omisimaw]

Oh please, can a person not have a bit of common sense! Legitimate question in what way? What difference does it make? The point is instead of spending hundreds of dollars on food a person can make changes and save and lighten their load in whatever area they have a need...
for low income families this could be putting the savings toward the lights and heat in the winter
or maybe the treat of a nice bottle of wine to go with that meal!
There was nothing legitimate about the question at all ... it is rude and intrusive at best to ask a person what they do with their savings...
The lesson is not in "oh wow I have money what can I spend it on".... the lesson is how to get by with less

[oneh2obabe]

for low income families this could be putting the savings toward the lights and heat in the winter
or maybe the treat of a nice bottle of wine to go with that meal!

Wasn't hard was it saying treating yourself to a bottle of wine to go with the meal.

[normaM]

If people can think there is a reward in the end ( your example maybe a bottle of wine with their meal once in awhile, or extra for gifts) it might give them more motivation to learn how to cut back on groceries, buy wise and how to cook/can/preserve.
You know, like that show til debt do us part.. they actually budget because of the hope of getting the $5000.00.

[omisimaw]

nope don't watch reality shows so have not caught the one mentioned but sure think it is a sad reality that too many individuals today have been raised without the lesson of the value of money and how to save.
Also many become 'low income' by choice and those are the ones that really bug me.
Raised without the value of a dollar sense, start work, get credit, run it up and do not keep up with payments (even minimums), end up losing a job, now have big debt, maybe a family or child to support, pets to care for and no safety net....
Living frugally is just putting life lessons to work.... there is no treat of the bottle of wine, it too would be budgeted into the equation....

maybe giving up smoking and drinking when you are on social assistance or in a low income bracket or behind in your credit payments would suffice and you can still have your take out....

life choices, that is all they are. and to have them you first have to have life skills and coping skills.

I wonder how all the low income types are going to afford xmas trees this year, $40 with tax! incredible... vroom chain saw up the logging road.... free unless you get caught.... so a littlle hint.... check around ... you can get permits to go and get the wild ones if you want the experience.... but $40 for a pine tree in pine tree country.... unbelievable....

[kgcayenne]

Many years ago, we had a lot less on which to spend our money.

1 telephone bill, not a landline and multiple cells
1 cable TV package, no add-ons, no internet, no PPV
Video game consoles didn’t change like underwear (kids played outside dawn-dusk)
Technology didn’t change like underwear either, so it was made hardier
Cookies, we baked them more often than we bought them
OAC wasn’t nearly as easy as it is now
Smoking cost less

Now we spend more on things we don't need---and it is considered normal.

[Catz]

Many years ago, we had a lot less on which to spend our money.

1 telephone bill, not a landline and multiple cells
1 cable TV package, no add-ons, no internet, no PPV
Video game consoles didn’t change like underwear (kids played outside dawn-dusk)
Technology didn’t change like underwear either, so it was made hardier
Cookies, we baked them more often than we bought them
OAC wasn’t nearly as easy as it is now
Smoking cost less

Now we spend more on things we don't need---and it is considered normal.

Awsome post.
The bills are stupid, IMO, and what things cost.
I would love to go back to 3 channels or none at all, but can't.
It is almost like society has forced me into this situation.
I am far from keeping up withe Jones's, but do need a cell and my kids, too.
I need a computer, and my kids.
They all want a shower in the am...4 people everyday.
I drive them all over hell and back...no choice for different multiple reasons, but have a cheap car.

[Nom_de_Plume]

Many years ago, we had a lot less on which to spend our money.

1 telephone bill, not a landline and multiple cells
1 cable TV package, no add-ons, no internet, no PPV
Video game consoles didn’t change like underwear (kids played outside dawn-dusk)
Technology didn’t change like underwear either, so it was made hardier
Cookies, we baked them more often than we bought them
OAC wasn’t nearly as easy as it is now
Smoking cost less

Now we spend more on things we don't need---and it is considered normal.

Awsome post.
The bills are stupid, IMO, and what things cost.
I would love to go back to 3 channels or none at all, but can't.
It is almost like society has forced me into this situation.
I am far from keeping up withe Jones's, but do need a cell and my kids, too.
I need a computer, and my kids.
They all want a shower in the am...4 people everyday.
I drive them all over hell and back...no choice for different multiple reasons, but have a cheap car.

Agree, society has altered to the point where one can't actually get along without internet, I know a few years ago, when my kids had friends in the regular school system (my kids were home schooled) Their grades suffered if they didn't have internet at home. Even in the home school system, it morphed over the years to do more and more online classes and less workbooks.
Also banking has changed, you get charged a fee for not using the online system of paperless. No one takes cheques anymore.
So you really can't go back to a simpler lifestyle and still function in today's world.

[Thinktank]

The guy on another forum talks about making homemade pizza. being frugal doesn't mean doing without. I think it means getting better stuff.

So for example, why pay good money to see some stupid movies made by simpletons in Hollywood
who can't make a good movie? No cable tv for me. Why buy some garbage from a fast food place
that is loaded with 22 chemical additives (McD) when you can make good quality stuff at home?

Being frugal is great. Reduce the amount of times you drive downtown. Bike in the summer or walk more.
But the two worst things are rent, or mortgage, and I feel sorry for anyone who has to pay those.
I don't know what to suggest to them.

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r26571800-Pizza
^ the pizza thread

[Catz]

Pretty sure the area of food has been covered more than enough.
Is it possible to talk about other issues?
Yes some people are a God on this issue, but please...


ETA...I am NOT a single person...I HAVE 5 people living in the house...can we work with that?

[Queen K]

I'm going to agree with the need for internet, we are just back from 3 days or so without. It's like being in the stone age. Cut off from the world we've created in our heads. What would a low income family had done if their CPU from 2006 suddenly refused to start Windows? Repair? New one? Pawn shop? What? I just wanted to update to having a HDMI port, although now with Smarttvs I don't know why, lol.

I've been following the last few days with great interest. Wow.

I can attest to the fact that making homemade has cut our grocery bills. We now walk past "groceries" offered up for sale with glassed over eyes commenting on how we can make it better and cheaper. Cheaper because we get volume for our money and turn dinner into lunches, which I need 5 days a week. Canned soups have got to be the biggest con on the shelves. Salt-free is often more expensive than salted, why? Did it cost more to not add it? Or is Campbells adding more expensive additives to make up for lack of salt.

Fav. homemade soups: Lettuce, Carrot-Orange, Potatoe, Clam Chowder, Lentil, Split Pea/Ham, Leek, Mushroom, Tomatoe/Lemon.

We don't pay for cable, I've done the math many times on line, but I understand completely when there are more people in a house with diverse interests. My only interest is more money at the end of the month to save to pay for emergency things, like the CPU deaking out on us. I suffer no illusions that the middle class is intended, in todays world, to "get ahead."

[Nom_de_Plume]

We don't pay for cable, I've done the math many times on line, but I understand completely when there are more people in a house with diverse interests. My only interest is more money at the end of the month to save to pay for emergency things, like the CPU deaking out on us. I suffer no illusions that the middle class is intended, in todays world, to "get ahead."

Ditto, I also haven't been a cable subscriber for years.
Television sets have come and gone in our home depending on who we have as a roommate.
Speaking of roommates, this is one way as a single parent I was able to help offset the high costs of things.
we almost always had someone paying room and board in our home.

[kgcayenne]

Sometimes survival is dependent on our sacrifices.

I sacrificed privacy and part of my home for years by renting out a room. We no longer have the same constraints as we once did, but we often discuss what we can/are willing to give up when things get tough. I say 'when' because I think it's foolish to think it won't happen; I know all too well it can... overnight.

So, what are you willing to give up when the fit hits the shan?

[kgcayenne]

You = all participating in this thread.

[Queen K]

That's an excellent new thread. It'd be ashame to bury that one in this thread.

[TyrianQuill]

Pretty sure the area of food has been covered more than enough.
Is it possible to talk about other issues?
Yes some people are a God on this issue, but please...


ETA...I am NOT a single person...I HAVE 5 people living in the house...can we work with that?

 
 
Yes well put.

I suggest taking the process step by step and keep notes/records of the process. In time you can utilize the notes/recordkeeping in several useful ways ...

Look at anything and everything that cost money. And remember to do your research and thinking on the matter, sometimes it is more financially advantageous to pay up front than do it yourself ... only you can decide on these matters. Something small like I dehydrate vegetable to allow freezer costs for things that are not suited to dehydrate.
Anf gardening also to, I aked may years ago why is so much energy and attention spent on growing things that are not resources for us as a species?

If you try to solve a problem using, the same tools and methods that you always have, you most likely will get the same result, so I started investigating and learning from others. Some other's methods I choose not to employ, others I do. I try to keep an open mind.

Knowing myself that there may be resistance to change, I turned working toward the aim, into a game of sorts.

A few years ago I tackled my power consumption, and after contemplating it and thinking it out (excluding the vehicle) in my home now the total to power and heat my home 9and life style) is less that $100. per month (averaged over the year) [gas $85/m and hydro $14/m] and that is for one home of aprox 1000 sq ft and one person, and my average vehicle fuel consumption is aprox $45 per month. (These figures are also including other power consumption costs like batteries etc)

Now admittedly I know a young family would consume more, but this is what I have been able to get my personal power consumption costs down to.

Very small changes, if kept at over time, really do add up. And over time your thinking and habits change; it is really interesting to experience, if you take the game approach to the process, how rewarding the changes can be.

~~~~
I gave up and away my TV coming on 5 years ago (I buy a lot less now) and I enjoyd a lot more, I get my News from the the internet and the liberatry, I've cut down my driving to only when I have to and I mutli purpose every outing, I do not use a cloths dryer, I use a dishewasher as it is more effeciant in several ways including water consumption, baring a few occations I only ever have one light on at any given tine, my computer is on most waking hours (every time I left the screen front I turn off the screen power and genearlly have the speaker power turned off also), I use a small convertion oven (smaller space, lower temp required and faster cooking times) I use the crock pot a lot, I use the stove top as much as I can, I smooth clothes out when I hang so to vertually cut out on ironing.
I generally only put out ¼ to ½ grocery bag size bag, of garbage per week at the max. and many times that is bi-weekly not weekly.
I eat very well I must say, this is one area where I spoil myself; my food consumption I generally keep to under $80./m, but know if I skrimped I could get it down further. Other purchased comsumables cost/m on average, amount to another $20.

My private little game is reduse reuse repurpose.

The way I look at it is $1.00 per day, faithfully everyday ... over 10 years is $3,650.00