Oh no! I messed up big time!

[Graleyne]

Originally Posted by scrappysmom

mabe with the electric you can set up like a payment plan where they spread the one month bill out over the year try calling them they have that here then thats a little extra money.

I will call and ask. I have never heard of them doing that. It's worth a shot though.

[scrappysmom]

Originally Posted by Graleyne

I will call and ask. I have never heard of them doing that. It's worth a shot though.

ive done it a few times they just take this months bill and spread it out over a 12 month period and put it in with your regular bill so it will be a little bit more for 12 months.

[yougetthesmiles]

Originally Posted by Graleyne

DH and I have a pretty strict budget that we stick to. We HAD to do it this way to pull ourselves out of a financial rut.

The way he works is 36 hours one week, and 48 hours the next. So he gets paid two different amounts.

When I sat down and did the budget for December I got the weeks mixed up. So now nothing is going to work out the way I needed it to (and thought it was going to). That means a couple things will be late, which means late fees, which is going to cut into the already short (and by short I mean it is now down to less than $100 for 3 kids) Christmas money.

I can not believe I screwed up like that.

I know the feeling I work private elderly care, and a couple weeks ago one of the ladies past away so I'm out of a job for awhile. I hate when stuff like this happens right before x-mas.
I have placed some stuff on ebay hoping to raise a little money. Maybe you can do the same?
Best wishes!

[yorkiegirl83]

I feel for you. It is a tight Christmas this year here also. My DH got behind on some major bills (house, ect) w/o telling me and for the past month and a half we've been paying double payments and really scrimping to get by.

We should be caught up mid January as well, it just stinks when it's at the Holidays. Everyone is shopping and all the fun things like that and it's tough to stick to a budget.

I'm baking cookies for all my family this year and the dogs are getting homemade toys and dog cookies this year too since I just don't have the budget for any gifts. DH and I may try to squeak out 10-15 to spend on each other but no guarantees.

I hope your finances start looking up for you soon!

[MIZBROWN]

Hate when that happens... Hope everything works out for ya

[patty58]

I am so there with you. We are retired and supporting my daughter and her 2 kids...who gets NO child support. I have warned everyone that Christmas will be pretty meager this year. Ten year olds get it but not 7 year olds.

[Graleyne]

I had already explained to them that Christmas was going to be tight this year anyway. We are trying really really hard to get on top of our finances.

I guess when we have been struggling for a year, and we are this close, setting us back a few weeks really isn't THAT bad. It just really stinks that its right here at Christmas and is going to cut into what little money I was going to be able to use for gifts for the kids.

[chachi]

I am sorry that happened. Our Christmas is very lean this year also

[yorkiesmiles]

I've made this huge type of mistakes before. I've forgotten to deduct things - like the house payment one time and another time a big payment I did online, I was walking around thinking I had all this money and I didn't

I hope your utility company will work with you - I've done the same thing before. Are you on budget billing with them? If not, that might help you to get on that, so you know exactly how much your bill will be each month.

Ebay or selling things here are terrific ideas if you can do that. How about brainstorming for things that you could make for your children. Or perhaps you could work with you children to come up with some great ideas for how to spend time as a family during Christmas that doesn't involve money.

Another idea to stretch your money is the dollar store -- it is really unbelievable the things you can uncover there. Just this last weekend, I saw ABC morning news do an entire thing about the bargins people are finding at places like Dollar Tree and Dollar General. They showed a guy making 6 figures shopping at the dollar store, and talked about how people who shop high-end stores are also shopping at the dollar store.

But most importantly you may have a great chance to put the focus on what Christmas really means; it's hard to understand how Christmas came to be about this huge mound of wrapped gifts, when really it's about accepting God's greatest gift to us.

[Yorkiekids]

Graleyne I know how you're feeling. I'll pray for things to work out for you. It seems like most of us are going through bad times right now.

[Graleyne]

Originally Posted by Yorkiekids

Graleyne I know how you're feeling. I'll pray for things to work out for you. It seems like most of us are going through bad times right now.

Oh I know you know! HUGS! How are things on your end? Are they getting any better?

[celstu1]

Try to pay the bills that won't charge you late fees late and pay the other ones on time. Electric, gas and phones(cell or home) won't charge you late fees.. pay those late. Mortgages allow 15 days before a late fee kicks in, if that helps. Pay credit cards cuz they charge late fees a minute past the midnight hour of the due date.

I hear ya girl, I have no kids thank goodness, but Im living off fumes myself and it SUCKS! Yesterday I bought my dogs food and I got home and said to them "You guys are soooooo lucky mom would rather starve than to starve you.. so you eat again this month!!!" HAHAHA They just wag their tails! Silly boys!

[mizzwanned]

I'm so sorry Is there anyway you can borrow from somebody?

[Graleyne]

It wouldn't be as bad if it wasn't right here at Christmas. The timing is worse than anything. I can straighten it all out in about 7 - 8 weeks, the problem is that Christmas is 4 1/2 weeks away.

If I'd screwed up LAST month it wouldn't be so bad.

[MeganS]

I know you're probably really dissapointed, but try not to beat yourself up too much. I'm sure your kids will understand. People make mistakes. It's not your fault. *hug*