Shortage of money....

[KellyKS]

Ok, now I really feel Blah!!!! I was just looking over my bills and how much I make and it doesn't add up at all. I kept redoing the amounts differently but it still doesn't help. This is really stressing me out that I won't have the money to pay for everything. Especially nothing extra.

To think positive, at least my husband has relatives that can lend us money so that I can go visit hubby in Mexico. So at least I don't have to come up with that money. If so, I would never be going to Mexico to visit him again. Though that will put us even further in debt, but at this point I don't care.

Any ideas??? I already cut the cable, so there will be no tv for us. I can't cut internet, I use it for school also, plus I would go insane without the internet. I need to get in the habit of turning off lights in rooms that I am not using, that would help with energy costs. Not right away, since I am on the budget plan, but later on it would probably help. What else!!!????

I can't take out more loans or anything. That is part of the problem, the debt that we already have.


If I didn't have to pay for daycare it would make me close to even.

Ok, so I am brainstorming ideas on the daycare part. One idea is to find a person to care for my children in my home in exchange for room and board and maybe a small payment as well. But I am thinking then what do I do with that person when my husband comes back. I have a couple people in mind, but not sure if they would want to do that. Plus not sure if that is the best option. Though it would help me out when I have night meetings for work, which would mean I wouldn't have to pick up my children late at night from somewhere and also that would mean less stress. I could also work more hours that way too. Right now I have to take my 6 year old to one place and the two younger ones to another. That adds a lot of travel time in the morning and evening. Though once summer comes I can take them all to the same place.

Other is that I have the children stay in Mexico with hubby. Problem with that is who would watch them. My husband will be working and doesn't feel that his mom's health is the best to watch children all day. She thinks otherwise, she feels she could watch them.

Today, i am really feeling this whole immigration process is very unfair! I feel that I had hardships, but that they didn't matter. It is as if the US government doesn't care about their own citizens. If only my husband was here to help me. :cry:

[Mami-cinco]

Wow, reading you story is what I have been thinking about if my hubby is not approved. There is no way I can pay the bills and I wondered about renting out a room. Reading your story really brings it home for me. I am so sorry. I think having someone board letting them know it is for a short time is a really good idea.

I even thought if my hubby does not come back then I will have to donate plasma and babysit on the weekends, so I could bring my daughter.

[KellyKS]

papi-cinco, thanks for your response.

My husband just called me right now and I was discussing our bills and the idea of having someone live here. He was totally against the idea and said he would rather borrow more money then to have someone else living in our house. So I guess there goes that idea. Which is ok by me...I do like my privacy. Now I need more ideas.........

[Mami-cinco]

Oh I am the same way, when I go the the bathroom I want to be able to walk out in my underpants.

Well how about donating plasma $20 bucks a shot and babysitting on the weekend?

[KellyKS]

Oh I am the same way, when I go the the bathroom I want to be able to walk out in my underpants.

Well how about donating plasma $20 bucks a shot and babysitting on the weekend?

Hmmm....donating plasma....not sure how one goes about doing that or where. Babysitting....that is an idea. I do work Monday-Friday. I wouldn't want to babysit on the weekends all the time, but maybe I could find people that want to go out for the weekend and just need care sometimes.

[Latina21]

Hi Kelly
I was reading your Thread about the shortage of your money. Can you tell me a little bit more about your case. What were your hardships? I would really appreciate your answer. I'm waiting for my interview so I know that pertty soon I'm going to have to create my hls.

[Christabel]

Are you bilingual, by chance? My mom makes extra money by translating German documents into English for a publishing company. She has been doing this from home for as long as I can remember. If I felt skilled enough in another language, I would do that too. It's a convenient way to supplement an income.

[Mami-cinco]

Well, since I might be in your situation, I have been planing as to how I could survive. I have a place up the street that I could donate plasma. Would I want to babysit on my days off no but if other people chime in with ideas then maybe I won't have to do that. I will probably have to go get food boxes too. So sad, since I have a Master's in Social Work and can not pay the bills on my own.

[Latina21]

Hola Papi Cinco
Wow what state do you live in? I'm working on my Bachelors in Social Work. so I just imagine how much I will be getting paid.

[llanderos11]

Hello. It is so hard with children. That is why some women opt to leave their kids in Mexico. If they stayed with you Mother-in-law in Mexico during the day, you could afford to get a nanny to help in her home for about $40-$50.00/wk. That way the kids are with Grandma and Grandma doesn't have to do the heavy work. I hate to see Mommies separated from their little ones but that is an option. As for me, I don't have little ones anymore but I am still about $5000.00 in debt. We spent $3000.00 to go to CDJ twice in January with airlines, expenses and waiver money and I had to borrow from my poor Mom. She is so good to me and if it weren't for her, we would really not have been able to do the CDJ thing. I actually told my husband about the money I owe today and he wasn't worried about it. He said that if he gets back, it will be well worth it. That kind of took some of the stress off of me. Maybe you can borrow a little before you get too much in debt. If you are getting student loans, you can talk to the financial aid office about getting a little extra for expenses and gas. You would get a check at the end of each semester. Many people do this since it actually helps them stay in school - I did. As you know, student loans are the best loans available because of the low interest and the ease of payment afterward. Plus babysitting isn't really so bad. There are a lot of Mom's that work at night or on weekends and they are really hurting for good sitters. If you could find a kid that is not too young, you could take care of him/her in the evening. Remember that a lot of evening is sleep time. You could probably even learn to accept the kid as part of the family and tote him/her around doing the family things that you always do. Good luck.

[Mami-cinco]

Hola Latina,

I am from Oregon. I owe $49,000 is student loans. It is tough but a very rewarding job!!!

[Chapital]

Tough..I understand, although I have been the primary earner in our home for some time (so we are not missing an income while my husband is in Mexico), just the extra expense of maintaining two households and paying for trips back and forth to Mexico has put us in much more debt than we are comfortable with. My kids are in Mexico with my husband so that we don't have to pay for child care, and I have significantly cut back on anything I can. I am also planning to have a yard sale in a month or so ti try and get enough money to pay for our next trip to Mexico. I am too proud to accept money from others, but I may get to that point eventually. Think through all your options and you will find a way!

[jveli]

KellyKS- Do you qualify for any kind of assistance such as child care payment assistance, WIC, food stamps, section 8, a lower rate on your electric through the electric company, or put your children in a Boys & Girls Club after school program where you pay say $100.00 for the whole school year, do a loan consolidation with all your bills, get supplemental food from a pantry or food bank...anything? I fully understand that you are married, but he is not living in the household, so it would not count against you. Geesh, my husband IS living in the household and myself and the children qualified for medical insurance through the state as a secondary insurance to his employer supplied insurance. Anything is worth a try.

[KellyKS]

KellyKS- Do you qualify for any kind of assistance such as child care payment assistance, WIC, food stamps, section 8, a lower rate on your electric through the electric company, or put your children in a Boys & Girls Club after school program where you pay say $100.00 for the whole school year, do a loan consolidation with all your bills, get supplemental food from a pantry or food bank...anything? I fully understand that you are married, but he is not living in the household, so it would not count against you. Geesh, my husband IS living in the household and myself and the children qualified for medical insurance through the state as a secondary insurance to his employer supplied insurance. Anything is worth a try.

I qualify for medicaid and WIC, but most other things not. I make to much money. Though I didn't work for 5 weeks and decided to apply for food stamps and will see what they say. I figured it didn't hurt to apply and see what happens. Especially since at my job, I have assisted many Spanish speaking clients in applying for benifits, so I really do know what to look for and how to apply. I could probably fill out the medicaid and food stamp application in my sleep. :wink:

[KellyKS]

Hi Kelly
I was reading your Thread about the shortage of your money. Can you tell me a little bit more about your case. What were your hardships? I would really appreciate your answer. I'm waiting for my interview so I know that pertty soon I'm going to have to create my hls.

I had several hardships. Some were... My son died 4 years ago and my husband is my support person,also I wouldn't be able to leave the USA live in Mexico because I wouldn't be near my son's burial place.

I also have a daughter with my ex-husband and he wrote a letter stating he wouldn't let her live in Mexico.

I also go to school and am study in the Human Service field and wouldn't be able to study in Mexico. I also am receiving student loans.

I also talked about my age and having gestational diabetes and the future of having other children.

There were many other things also. I did post my hardship letter on this forum longer ago. So you can search for it or let me know and I can find it.

Where are you in the immigration process?

Are you bilingual, by chance? My mom makes extra money by translating German documents into English for a publishing company. She has been doing this from home for as long as I can remember. If I felt skilled enough in another language, I would do that too. It's a convenient way to supplement an income.

I am bilingual, but more so in the spoken language. My translation skills aren't the best. I wish I was, though I could get some interpreting jobs on the side. Just than I would have to find daycare.

Hello. It is so hard with children. That is why some women opt to leave their kids in Mexico. If they stayed with you Mother-in-law in Mexico during the day, you could afford to get a nanny to help in her home for about $40-$50.00/wk. That way the kids are with Grandma and Grandma doesn't have to do the heavy work. I hate to see Mommies separated from their little ones but that is an option. As for me, I don't have little ones anymore but I am still about $5000.00 in debt. We spent $3000.00 to go to CDJ twice in January with airlines, expenses and waiver money and I had to borrow from my poor Mom. She is so good to me and if it weren't for her, we would really not have been able to do the CDJ thing. I actually told my husband about the money I owe today and he wasn't worried about it. He said that if he gets back, it will be well worth it. That kind of took some of the stress off of me. Maybe you can borrow a little before you get too much in debt. If you are getting student loans, you can talk to the financial aid office about getting a little extra for expenses and gas. You would get a check at the end of each semester. Many people do this since it actually helps them stay in school - I did. As you know, student loans are the best loans available because of the low interest and the ease of payment afterward. Plus babysitting isn't really so bad. There are a lot of Mom's that work at night or on weekends and they are really hurting for good sitters. If you could find a kid that is not too young, you could take care of him/her in the evening. Remember that a lot of evening is sleep time. You could probably even learn to accept the kid as part of the family and tote him/her around doing the family things that you always do. Good luck.

That is an idea to look into about getting a nanny. Plus I could look into getting more student loans. Anyway I look at it, I will be in debt for a long long time. But at this point it really doesn't matter.

[Glühbirne]

Everyone always talks about all these translations jobs but I can never find them..... Where are you finding these? I think I could do basic translation on the side. I translate things for my company all the time.

[brezarenee]

One thought, is you could try advertising for a childcare swap on craigslist. I did this and actually found a woman in my own neighborhood that needed care for her daughter in the evenings. So, we traded, I watched her daughter every evening and she watched my son every day. This was an awesome set up because there was no cost to either of us. I know it would be more difficult because you have 3 kids, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway.

[Auntlily]

What about selling stuff on the side? I use to sell jewelry. It had started out as a hobby first, but people started telling me that I should sell my homemade jewelry, so I gave it a shot. And like you, I would work from 8-5 and thought I wouldn't be able to sell it afterwards. Well, I was VERY wrong. I made a TON of money doing that. I almost quit my regular job because I was making way more! Anyhow, there are lots of things you can sell on the side and can make you extra money. Are there any crafts that you can make and sell? What about selling stuff online? Have you tried selling stuff through ebay? Hmm, where do you live? Do people in your area like cheap jewelry and accessories? Our downtown area stocked with tons of little jewelry shops that sell stuff by the bulk and maybe you can sell it for double the price? I can get together with you and maybe send you stuff? I wouldn't charge you anything, being that I can lend you a hand. :) Anyhow, let me know..

[LilB]

I was in a very similar boat recently with regards to finding a sitter. First, I posted an ad on Craigslist and stated exactly how much I was able to afford (which isn't a lot) and I got responses. I also posted a sign in apartment communities nearby with the rate I can afford. You'd be surprised how many people there are out there. It's just finding them. I do have to say though, most of the responses came from stay at home moms or mature women (50's and 60's) that are home all day and wanted to make a little extra money. One girl even said she takes care of kids cuz she didn't have her papers (she confided in me after I talked to her about my hubby). The ones you least expect are sometimes the ones that will take the best care of your kids and the least expensive.

Oh, another thing you can do to save money is couponing. I'm queen of that and it has saved me so much money.

[nineten]

I had read articles about the foreclosures on homes and said it the rate was lower for Hispanics because they will take in another family member or a renter. I discussed this same issue with a white guy at work the other day and he said that he thinks the whites will let their homes go before they'll take anybody in. I've suggested to a couple of people that I know that are having financial problems to do the same but they won't. If it was me I'd let go of a spare room for a while.

I've never given plasma but I've heard that too many times can leave needle marks in the skin and look like one might be a drug addict. I've only heard that, I don't know for sure.

[jveli]

I qualify for medicaid and WIC, but most other things not. I make to much money. Though I didn't work for 5 weeks and decided to apply for food stamps and will see what they say. I figured it didn't hurt to apply and see what happens. Especially since at my job, I have assisted many Spanish speaking clients in applying for benifits, so I really do know what to look for and how to apply. I could probably fill out the medicaid and food stamp application in my sleep. :wink:
Hey, I hear ya!!! I could fill out those things in my sleep too. I was a single mom for a long time, and even though I worked I still qualified. And than I got a good paying job...well at least to me...worked for two years...and at the beginning Oct. 2007 had a falling out due to a lying, backstabbing, manipulative, jealous, prejudice supervisor (yeah still a little pissed)...anyways...filed for unemployemnt and approved (quite a battle though) and applied for foodstamps...I was told that between my unemployment and child support that I did not qualify for a family of four...made $180 too much per month.

What a joke!

So now I am married and even though the family size is now five...I doubt very likely that we would qualify for foodstamps, because he works...but what pisses me off is the price of gas and food is astronomical now. Every week on food we spend $95-$115 and that is barely getting anything. Than there is gas, bills, etc. And at the end we are left with nothing.

Sigh....

I cannot wait until I finish my bachelors...only 9 classes left.