Just curious who else is living super frugal

[EweSheep]

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You know, sometimes the men in our lives think we are fragile creatures, when really we all all quite tough (most of us!). I know, I'm sure you are like my "most glorious spousal unit", you probably want to give her the moon. She knows

 

[Raiquee]

Hey all! Good to see all the frugal tips!!

I can't wait until tax time. Where are your tax moneys going?

I am paying off my car, so we are down to one car payment again. Rest is going into savings. May pay off one of my credit card bills, depends how much we get back next year.

I did enroll for the cheaper benefits program at work for 2012. I will only pay 132 a month, our deductable is 3600 as a family, but we figured it out and we are still paying exactually that amount if we pay for the higher insurance!!We would have been paying 440 a month on the higher plan. higher plan is 440*12+600 deductable=5880...cheaper plan is 132*12+3600 deductable=5184. So actually its cheaper anyways. So, unless something bad happens, we should be able to save money that way. All our "well" visits are paid for 100 percent on either plan (physicals, baby well visits, vaccines the kids need, obgyn visit) so...why not? I doubt we will come close to that deductable.

We are looking to put our house up for sale in March, to finally get our hobby farm

We are looking at a liveable but fixer-upper, that will lower our mortgage. I am going to take a 30 year on it, but pay it as a 15. That case if someone loses a job, or an emergency comes up, we can still pay the base minimum. Will save us a ton in interest to do it that way.

I have a lot of things I want on my hobby farm, but when we move I think my top priorities will be meat chicks, my chicks for egg layers so they can grow up, annnnd my orchard. I may miss a garden entirely next season, depending when we sell, move and close. I may get in a fall garden. I hope to get garlic planted and we aren't on the market that long. Hubby is allowing a 1/2 acre for my orchard, which will be 32 dwarf trees!!

I am not even sure I need that many!! The food pantry will tho.

 

[EweSheep]

Got a question to ask you all!

We have BC/BS as our insurance carrier and always looking to cut the "fat" and save a bit more. I have been paying my dd's Medicaid's All Kids Care for $40 a month, whether we use it or not. Our BC/BS has been paying dd's insurance but alot of it was not covered by Medicaid as secondary carrier. Would it benefit me to "drop" Medicaid because almost all the bills we have are not covered by Medicaid (or very very little of it)? They don't pay for her ADD meds either because it is not covered as well as her counseling for ADD either. Once or twice a year she will go to doctor for a simple check up or ear ache.

What do you all think? There are plenty of things I could by with that extra $40 a month!

 

[ChicksterJo]

I bought a relatively new pair of pants at the thrift store for $3.25. I didn't even know it was on sale from $6.49 and it was Old Navy brand. All I had to do was hem it, and I did that to save me some money too.

 

[Desirai]

my family hasn't been hit TOO hard by this recession.
Myself as an individual, yes, because I was forced to quit school and begin immediate repayment on my student loans after I lost my job last year.
I work part time at Walmart while I try to find a better full time job.

My family was never well off, but we always had enough to pay our bills and be comfortable.

But now it's getting a little harder. Lots of things we don't do anymore because we can't afford it.

If I wasn't living at home, I'd be homeless. So I am grateful for that. But it is very depressing to be in this situation. I'm an adult living with my parents..

 

[faerielady]

Thanks to all the suggestions for curling my hair! I got a pm from someone to try rag curls, and since I had flannel fabric sitting around (Christmas present "extra" that I couldn't bring myself to get rid of) I cut strips and used them to curl my hair. I don't have enough socks to sacrifice any, otherwise I might have tried that! My hair looked great.

Can someone tell me the approximate cost of raising a cow for butchering? I have no clue, and my dad asked because they are considering it.

 

[EweSheep]

My sister told me half a cow would be close to 900 dollars, processing and ready to go.

 

[faerielady]

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I think he meant raising it... is that what your sister said?

 

[GreenGables]

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This is difficult to answer for you. Add up the payments Medicaid did pay, including co-pays. Now, take a look at what you would have paid without it. Did Medicaid pay over $480 (your monthly payments times 12 months)? Medicaid is there to supplement what the BCBS doesn't pay. I hope this helps you decide and I didn't confuse you.

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
This is difficult to answer for you. Add up the payments Medicaid did pay, including co-pays. Now, take a look at what you would have paid without it. Did Medicaid pay over $480 (your monthly payments times 12 months)? Medicaid is there to supplement what the BCBS doesn't pay. I hope this helps you decide and I didn't confuse you.

You also need to consider even if it isn't paying much for her CURRENT medical issues, what it would pay for medical issues that may arise in the future. B/c once the medical issue arises you wouldn't be able to get that problem covered by insurance if you have to get the insurance after she has the problem. So it really is a matter of how much risk you are willing to take.