Originally Posted by cheeselover8481 (Post 2288724)

I live in a apartment on an end unit and there are lots of cracks in the windows and doors. The apartment has lots of cold air coming in. Any suggestions on keeping the cold air out? I think I can reduce my energy bill if I can fix this.

Originally Posted by cheeselover8481 (Post 2288724)

I live in a apartment on an end unit and there are lots of cracks in the windows and doors. The apartment has lots of cold air coming in. Any suggestions on keeping the cold air out? I think I can reduce my energy bill if I can fix this.

Originally Posted by red98vett (Post 2271694)

HOW ? Can you tell more ?

Originally Posted by YorkieShadow (Post 2298754)

living from check to check is very hard. but we do what we have to. and be Thankful for what we do have, even if its not much we have each other. That's what Family's are all about.

Originally Posted by C C Kent (Post 2278033)

WE started getting out of debt a couple of years ago when my next door neighbor introduced me to Dave Ramsey by loaning me his book "Total Money Makeover." I love to read so I cracked it open and didn't stop until I finished it. I was surprised because I thought I was a good money manager until I read this book.

This slowdown has hit us like everyone else but we have no monthly payments (consumer debt) so we just don't eat out, drive less, and we're OK. The company I work for has been bought out and my pay was cut by 25%. My wifes job depends on the building trade and it's almost non-existent right now so our income has been slashed. The tuition for our daughter is paid up through this semester (again no debt) and I have about half of next semester in an envelope. We save money for things in separate envelopes and we don't buy anything until the money is there. Freakish huh?

We live in flyover country and the wages here are notoriously low, but gas, groceries, and housing is not equally low so we're constantly pressed to be efficient. I felt like we got a raise when we did our first budget, where we sat down and spent every dime...on paper...on purpose, before the month began. Thank God my neighbor loaned me the book two years ago.

Times are tough right now, but learning how to survive in tough times will be a blessing in the end because you can learn how to thrive when things improve. Your income is your best wealth building tool, anything you purchase and pay interest on is like inviting a parasite to attach itself to your paycheck. Even though our income has declined during this time we have managed to lay back three months of expenses in a savings account and pay off everything but our house. We're not special, and it wasn't easy, but we did it.

If the average American carried little or no consumer debt, like thirty years ago when you had to actually qualify for a loan, this slowdown...recession...depression...whatever it is, would not be happening. It's time for us as Americans to COWBOY UP BABY!! Share ideas, encourage each other, expect more from ourselves.....you know....all the things that made us the greatest nation ever in the history of the planet. Let's put our houses in order and then demand the same from our leaders. Let's shrug off the thinking that got us here and look to tried and true, self reliant, personal responsibility to guide our lives. Let's stop whining for the government to give us things and just get them for ourselves. Our grandparents were right, waste not want not, save for a rainy day, if you don't have the money...don't buy it. So be of good cheer, your circumstances don't determine who you are, your decisions do.:D

Originally Posted by YorkieShadow (Post 2298754)

Well We have cut back so much in the last three years , I don't know if we can cut back any more. I hurt my back 4 years ago and had to quit my job. we used our savings up in a years time and had to depend on the credit cards more then Id like to say. vet bills and yearly bills as home insurances car Ins and stuff like that . My Hubby gets paid every 2 weeks and he has pretty much had to work more hours to make up for what I wasn't bringing in.

WE live in a double wide on 5 acres I was working at the time and we had hoped planned to someday build a house here
on this land, but after I got hurt there was no way that was going to happen. but we can always dream.this place needs so much work.I dont know if well ever be able to fix every thing. central air is a must. but all summer we only had it on 80 so just enough that we did not get heat stroke.
In the winter its set to 7o.

My Hubby works an hour away from home, so him and my son and another guy all ride together to save on gas.

I try my best to make one trip to town a week to go grocery shopping, pay bills , go to the bank every thing is done the same day.

I have dial up so that's only $21.00 a month
I have never owned a cell phone
I do have a home phone and I don't use long distances unless its an emergency
I do save what coupons I can. But I need to work harder on that.but you cant get coupons unless you buy the news paper or have ink to print them out.( witch cost extra)
we cut back from eating out one day a week to only eating out on a special day like sweetest day or our birthdays.
I cook a big meal a day. we shop at wall mart and save alot.

I don't buy on line no ebay nothing ever. no extra money for that.
On Holidays me & hubby and my adult children all go in on the meals.

this year instead of getting each other we are drawing names and only buying for one.

us and a neighbor share the trash bill.
Hubby go's many hours at work with out eating and only eats before he goes to work and I get onto him for that.

We haven't bought new clothes in years. we get them on the holidays.
living from check to check is very hard. but we do what we have to. and be Thankful for what we do have, even if its not much we have each other. That's what Family's are all about.

Originally Posted by cesar49 (Post 2276693)

:)
i would love to make my own cards.. how do you do it?

i have an embosser...:)

Originally Posted by YorkieShadow (Post 2298754)

Well We have cut back so much in the last three years , I don't know if we can cut back any more. I hurt my back 4 years ago and had to quit my job. we used our savings up in a years time and had to depend on the credit cards more then Id like to say. vet bills and yearly bills as home insurances car Ins and stuff like that . My Hubby gets paid every 2 weeks and he has pretty much had to work more hours to make up for what I wasn't bringing in.

WE live in a double wide on 5 acres I was working at the time and we had hoped planned to someday build a house here
on this land, but after I got hurt there was no way that was going to happen. but we can always dream.this place needs so much work.I dont know if well ever be able to fix every thing. central air is a must. but all summer we only had it on 80 so just enough that we did not get heat stroke.
In the winter its set to 7o.

My Hubby works an hour away from home, so him and my son and another guy all ride together to save on gas.

I try my best to make one trip to town a week to go grocery shopping, pay bills , go to the bank every thing is done the same day.

I have dial up so that's only $21.00 a month
I have never owned a cell phone
I do have a home phone and I don't use long distances unless its an emergency
I do save what coupons I can. But I need to work harder on that.but you cant get coupons unless you buy the news paper or have ink to print them out.( witch cost extra)
we cut back from eating out one day a week to only eating out on a special day like sweetest day or our birthdays.
I cook a big meal a day. we shop at wall mart and save alot.

I don't buy on line no ebay nothing ever. no extra money for that.
On Holidays me & hubby and my adult children all go in on the meals.

this year instead of getting each other we are drawing names and only buying for one.

us and a neighbor share the trash bill.
Hubby go's many hours at work with out eating and only eats before he goes to work and I get onto him for that.

We haven't bought new clothes in years. we get them on the holidays.
living from check to check is very hard. but we do what we have to. and be Thankful for what we do have, even if its not much we have each other. That's what Family's are all about.