What to do? Budget cuts = hours reduction??

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Our county is facing a $1.4 millon budget shortfall. As a consequence, each dept is being forced to cut $25,000 to $100,000 so far, one lady (a widow) has been laid off as of today. We're having a meeting at 1:15PST to discuss the other reductions. Rumor has it, we'll be going to 4 nine hour days or even to 30 hours. This will mean a $300-$500 month DECREASE in our wages!

Long story short--I need some ideas for some part-time things I can do to make it up. Hubby is threatening to stop all work on my chicken coop and make me sell 1/2 the flock to reduce their feed costs!

I used to draw but with my wrist injury and impeding surgery, I am now unable.

I do have hatching eggs that I sell but those are highly seasonal since we live in a very cold climate in the winter and it's currently over 100 degrees outside now...the only birds I have that are laying now are my Sumatras but it's just too hot to make me feel okay about shipping.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

What happened to the herbal soap venture?

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Well, we just finished our meeting & it's four 9 hour days...which means I'm losing about $300/month in income.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Ouch!

I'm very glad no one else lost their job, that would have been truly devistating.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Well, it was a combo of things.

#1 they were not selling all that well, despite two price drops
#2 my essential oil supplier raised her prices
#3 with my increasing poultry flock and the rest of my life to take care, I simply did not have time to make soap

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Quote:
Well, it was a combo of things.

#1 they were not selling all that well, despite two price drops
#2 my essential oil supplier raised her prices
#3 with my increasing poultry flock and the rest of my life to take care, I simply did not have time to make soap
#4 our house is about 80 degrees, year 'round, except for a few months where it's 90 in there--which makes it very hard to cure the soap properly and my in-laws didn't like me making it at their house

Ahh, good points.

I was curious.

I really don't know what else you could do. When I needed extra cash, I got a second job. It really sucks the life out of you though, especially when you have animals to care for and other things going on in life.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Well, it was a combo of things.

#1 they were not selling all that well, despite two price drops
#2 my essential oil supplier raised her prices
#3 with my increasing poultry flock and the rest of my life to take care, I simply did not have time to make soap
#4 our house is about 80 degrees, year 'round, except for a few months where it's 90 in there--which makes it very hard to cure the soap properly and my in-laws didn't like me making it at their house

Ahh, good points.

I was curious.

I really don't know what else you could do. When I needed extra cash, I got a second job. It really sucks the life out of you though, especially when you have animals to care for and other things going on in life.

Yeah...and in our tiny town...and living out of town quite a ways, after taking into account the 40 mile round trip drive to civilization, the $8/hr pay doesn't really cut with the cost of gas.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Quote:
Yup, the cost of fuel was one of the reasons why I quit eventually.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Yup, the cost of fuel was one of the reasons why I quit eventually.

And we seem to have the highest fuel around. Kind of a monopoly thing...even when my husband & I went on vaca last week, the gas in our town (Okanogan) was higher than anywhere in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming...with the exception of Cooke City, MT which was the same price.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Didn't you used to make cool beaded "jewelry" for horses?