Lost my job today - need your ideas to save money...

[needmorechickens!]

Sorry this is so long....
I was an IT business analyst at a company that makes automotive axles. The company has been laying off a lot of people lately, so it was only a matter of time.

Today was my day. I lost my job. I have never lost a job before and I will be 39 years old this month.

What this means is that I am not used to cutting a lot of corners on spending. I can absolutely do it. When we were first married and had our kids, my DH was in the military and I stayed home with the kids and we didn't even have a car or a washing machine and we made it.

For the past 10 years, however, I have worked in IT and made a lot more money than we will have now. We should have saved more and wish we would have, but we didn't, so here we are.

I need help on ideas that help save money. I live on 5 acres and have chickens, a dog and a horse. I am going to put up a clothesline to save on electricity, I am gonna grow a garden (I saved some seed from last year). I may have to get rid of the horse, since now I can't afford to get her fence built to give her some grazing room. I can't keep buying hay for her.

So tell me what you do to save money on food, electricity and cleaning products, and whatever else you can think of.

~Rebecca

 

[dave_Cash69]

well; continue eating eggs, and maybe invest in some meat birds?

 

[rooster0209]

Sorry you lost your job. Hopefully things will turn out for the best for you and your family. Being in the IT field will hopefully make the search for new employment easier for you.

I was just reading an article today about finding jobs after layoffs
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/05/job.search.tips.industry/index.html

You will be saving money right from the start by not having the gas bill driving back and forth to work & lunch meals out.

 

[vfem]

Maybe you should cut back on the birds?

Ok.... that was a dumb option.

 

[needmorechickens!]

Quote:

That will be a last resort!
~Rebecca

 

[Schultz]

DH and I have been laid off for over a year. I am sorry you lost your job. We actuallt contacted many local breweries looking for their mash to feed chickens. We found one willing to donate to our chickens after 3 phone calls. We are mixing it with the chicken feed to cut corners.

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

My husband lost his job last october.. Being unemployed lasted about a month and a half. Maybe it was more like 2 months. I cant remember. But it seemed like forever. But when you live pay check to paycheck, it takes awhile to get back on your feet..

1. We reduced all our car insurance to the legal minimum.. Which it is still that way.

2. Sold one car to make rent payments. Which paid 2 months worth of rent.. After we sold it dropped that insurance.

3. Sold our playstation 2 and the Wii.. For extra $$

4. Had a garage sale to get rid of stuff we no longer wanted or needed.. For a little extra cash..

5. Cut down on water and electric use. Closed all doors to rooms when not in use to keep from heating the whole house.. Put more blankets on the beds at night to keep warm..

6. Made cheaper meals.. I, the adult ate one less meal.. Kids always ate..

7. Reduced our phone/internet service... Got rid of some extra features.. Needed the phone for job calls. No relatives live in our same town, so we had no on to take messages for us.

8. We only drove to stores and to find work. No extra driving.. And try to do all errands at the same time.

9. We dont have cable or any dish network.. DVDs only.. Yes it does get boring some times..

Thats all I can think of right now..

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

Sorry to hear about the job loss. I lost mine two weeks ago. Granted it was only part time. But it was money. And I loved my job. I think I miss the work more than the pay to tell ya the truth.

Since we had basically been making it on just dh's paycheck for 6 years anyway it hasnt been too much of a shock.

When I left my job 6 years ago we made the cuts.
Sold one car. Cut insurance on the one we kept.
Forgot about the trips we wanted to make.
I was a SAHM. to save on child care $$$

Other changes we have made since then.

I use a clothes line during the warm weather. I just cant this time of the year.
I planted a garden last summer, will again this year. But it will be bigger
Without my "extra" money the day trips we had planned are mostly gone. But we will still make some.
Saving is out.
If you have a car payment contact the financing company and ask if they can rework the loan terms. We just did and it cut nearly $200 off our payment.

And keep looking.
Honestly what is helping me not get too depressed is knowing that it isnt just me that is out of work. And that as long as the stock market is "there" my dh will have a job. In fact they are have grown over the last month. And if they do cut jobs there. He has seniority and more experience than anyone else in his dept. Actually he knows more about the programs than the CEO does. So he will be the last one to be out. And I will just keep looking and waiting for something to happen.

 

[turney31]

Home made laundry detergent- this has saved me a small fourtune. 2 cups borax 2 cups washing soda 1 cup all color bleach 1 bar fels- naptha laundry soap (grated) Use 2 tablespoons per load. I found all ingredients at Krogers. Hope this helps. Micah

 

[bheila]

Since you have 5 acres, can you board horses for extra money. Where we live boarding is anywhere from $150-$500 a month. Let your property make money for you.