We're doing the best we can but are sadly failing so far to live within our current means. We do have a pad in the checking account, but that's been gradually shrinking as outgo surpasses income. That just won't do. Plus we've been notified that The Husband's long-term care insurance premium is going to increase by about $45 a month. The one thing I can think of to do -and I hate to do it- is decrease the amount that's deducted from the paycheck for retirement savings.
I realize it's early days yet and we're only a couple of months into these new constraints, but it's frustrating when we cut back so much and it's still not enough. I wish there was a magic way to make this same amount of money go further. I'm not seeing much else we can do to cut expenses.
The dark cloud photo at the top of the post illustrates my current mood. I'd love suggestions and recommendations if anybody has them.
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This was written a few days later:
The Husband and I went over the expenses since the income cut-back and think we'll postpone cutting back on pension contributions for now and just continue to watch things. I hadn't taken into consideration that city and county property taxes and an increase in HOA fees that we paid in a lump sum had taken a toll. Things aren't as bad as I feared, and I just need to allow more time for it all to shake down. Patience and persistence, that's what I need. I was fretting, which isn't helpful. So the photo below illustrates my new current, more hopeful mood.
I'd still appreciate any suggestions and recommendations.
The moral is, Don't Panic! Slow and Steady! Persistence is its own reward! And all those other encouraging lessons you've heard a million times but completely ignore when you need them most. If you think things are going bad, reconsider, ask someone what they think, get your mind off of it for a while, have a soothing hot beverage, and come back to the problem when you're refreshed. It's never as bad as you thought it was. Well, almost never.
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I can understand your apprehension. Himself just retired so there are the questions of is there enough to cover expenses? And what if health fails? Perhaps you could go over financial planning with your bank? They usually offer those services free.
ReplyDeleteThx! Yes, we plan to go talk to the bank about ways to get better interest from our savings. It won't be much, but it'll make us feel better.
DeleteSound advice. I know what you mean about taking a moment or two with a hot beverage. My Gran was one for always making us a cup of tea during times of joy, times of worry/saddness. As a kid I thought tea had magical powers but now as an adult women (who struggles with adulting all the time) that it's the process of making the tea, brewing, pouring out & sitting with it until it's cool enough to drink, it all creates that pause in a moment to ground yourself. We have been watching our outgoing quite closely as we too are wanting to make life/job changes. I keep going back to want vs need ... looking at the big picture. It's good to have a partner on the same page. I'm there with you looking for the blue skies ...
ReplyDeleteThere's so little I actually _need_, isn't there, that I don't already have. It's good to hear that other people are going through this process. Thx!
DeleteHappy to see that blue sky picture at the end of the post. Often things look better after a good look around at what you have and what you need. Beyond taxes, food, utilities and gas we spend very little. Having paid off debt before retiring helps a lot.
ReplyDeleteYes, I can't tell you what a joy having no debt is. Well, I don't have to, coz you know! It's a fact that brings me daily comfort :)
DeleteI've lived with my husband being laid off twice at different times during out marriage. The first time was really hard as we had just bought our house and we were young and hadn't had much saved up. It was that 1990 recession and it sucked! He was out of work for 14 months. The second time was 5 years ago but luckily he found a job within 2 months. It is still tough though, and I can feel your pain. And worry. The only thing I know is that we made it through and if we can do it, you can do it. Keep smiling. I liked the blue sky better than the clouds. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteThank you for such encouraging words :)
DeleteI shut my AC (whole house) off this year and only ran the window unit in the office. That was a lifestyle change, but I wanted to be able to eat out a few times each month, so I am willing to sacrifice that way. I also don't mind eating food like ramen noodles, which are cheap or carrots and peanut butter to save on food costs, too. My electric bill is/was about $60.00/month this summer and I get by on around $25.00 to $30.00 month for groceries. These are the two places I save money. I've bought no craft supplies since April and haven't purchased any clothes in at least ten years. I DO buy one pair of shoes about every two years, though.
ReplyDeleteWe turn off the AC whenever we can bear it, but it's been a hot year and our house doesn't get good air flow. Fans do help.
DeleteI'm impressed with your grocery expenses! I'd love advice on that. Our groceries are _much_ more than that, even though I love frugal foods like rice, beans, oats, etc. I do get fruit every week, and we buy cookies. I can't imagine how I'd get groceries down to $30 a month.
Only advice I have is that if you have lump sum payments once a year that you take out money every month so you don't get that big chunk all at once...things like that make a huge difference on a tight budget. Lots of planning ahead, cutting back, and prioritizing. I believe you will make it through this well. :)
ReplyDeleteI could've sworn I responded to this... Hmmm... Yes, we learned the lesson of planning for those quarterly and annual payments when we were first married and having to make income tax estimates. It's scary when those payments sneak up on you!
DeleteThx for your encouragement :)
I buy fruit, veggies, and salad fixings when they are reduced. If you eat them within three days of when you purchase them, they are OK. I have two places I can buy food, unless you count WalMart. We have Dillon's, which was bought a few years ago by Kroger, and Aldi. There are never mark downs at Aldi, but there are at Dillon's and WalMart Market. You can save on reduced bread, cakes, cookies made in house, (not Oreo's etc.), and if you eat meat, there is always something reduced, as well as whole cooked chickens. I've even found milk, cottage cheese, and yogurt reduced to 1/2 the original price. When I go to Dillon's, I plan my meals around the fresh veggies, etc. I find reduced. Otherwise, I shop at Aldi.
ReplyDeleteThere are some things I am brand specific to, though, like Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. I get it at Sam's, along with my coffee and peanut butter. i have been known to eat nothing but peanut butter and carrots for days on end. They are really good for me and I'm not suffering from malnutrition, either. I can eat for a week on about $2.50 if I buy a pound of carrots (not the baby ones) and a few ounces of peanut butter, which I get in a big 2 jar shell/container.
If I have excess veggies that must be quickly eaten, I fix a bag of ramen noodles and add it to my veggies. The noodle cost is about $0.28 (bulk at Sam's) and the veggies are some I've gotten on the reduced rack. I agree that rice, beans, and other staples like pasta are really inexpensive, too. I get those at Aldi. My downfall is ice cream. I buy the large tubs at Aldi for $3.99. Dillon's wants $5.99 for the same amount/qty. You probably wouldn't eat like I, but food is about the only place I can save money, since I must have my coffee every day, 24/7. If you don't have an Aldi, I don't know what to tell you to save money on food.
Thx! We do have an Aldi's, but it's further away that the Superlo and Kroger. I never see fruit and veggies marked down but do take advantage of sales when I see them. I appreciate all your suggestions :)
Deletegreat advice. I tend to panic first, ask questions never, lol
ReplyDeleteWe usually shop at walmart for groceries, it tends to be way less expesive than the frys/krogers stores.
That's me: Panic First! You'd think I'd learn lol The local Walmarts are further away than the groceries, so I just never venture out that far for shopping. I haven't checked for price differences to see if it'd be worth the trip.
DeleteWe have at least six Dillon's stores, maybe more here. The Dillon's across the street from Aldi's markdowns are not all that good, but the one that is about a mile further has great markdowns. Sometimes it pays to look at other stores outside your immediate neighborhood for bargains. I try to only shop the perimeter of Dillon's and go to Aldi for canned goods and staples. You wouldn't believe how much cheaper Aldi's everyday prices are. BTW, I only shop about every 10 days, so I can save on gas, too. When I go places like out to eat, I go with Sally, so I can save on gas.
ReplyDeleteWe have a new Aldi's opening up. It's further than the groceries are (I have 4 grocery stores almost within walking distance with 2 of them within an easy walk), but when Aldi's opens I'll check them out. I've heard good things about them, and I'll be excited to try a new place. When I say it's further, it's still only 15 minutes or so by car. I've never heard of Dillon's. Most of the groceries here in town are Kroger stores.
DeleteFrom what I know, or have read, Dillon's was a local company that expanded through most of KS and a good portion of western MO during the 40s through the 60s. When all the Dillon's sons died or didn't want to carry on, the grandchildren decided to sell to Kroger. The deal was the Dillon's name, which meant a LOT in the area, had to be maintained. However, Kroger products are in every aisle, along with big name brands. When I say "Dillon's," you may think Kroger (with a local name). Check it out here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dillons
DeleteBTW, my SIX stores was really wrong. It appears there are 26 stores in the Wichita area. So much for knowing what's outside my neighborhood. ALSO, it appears I've been spelling it wrong. It's NOT Dillon's, but Dillons. The reason I thought that was because I went to high school with some of the Dillon great-grand- or great-great-grand children.
We used to have more variety - like Seessel's (which was local but sold out to Albertsons which sold out to Schnucks which sold out to Kroger). We have Whole Foods, Aldi's, Superlo, Sprouts, Fresh Market, and some smaller more specialty-type outlets, but you pay a premium at some of those and I've never been a regular at them. Kroger is by far the biggest and most widely-present store. I'll pass 2 or 3 Kroger stores to get to the new Aldi's when it opens. I look forward to checking out Aldi's. I know people who swear by them.
DeleteI live in the north central part of Wichita, less than 3 miles from downtown. There's a store on the east side of town (more than 20 miles away) that has a Fresh Market, or maybe it's a Sprouts. The prices were ridiculous, so I didn't think to include it. I've only been once and ended up not buying anything.
ReplyDeleteAt one time we had Albersons, but they went away. Seems the Dillons/Kroger store took over some of the stores and closed others. There's been talk about a Whole Foods, but again, it's for the east side of town. The east side of town, where Sharon (Foxy Stamper) now lives is a mix of wealthy and the poorest of the poor. I forgot we also have a Save-A-Lot, but when it moved out of the neighborhood, I haven't been back. They also only have one store, and their prices, although better than Dillons/Kroger, were not as good as Aldi.
Kathy (in Ozarks) apparently finds lots of bargains at her Aldi that I don't have. They seem to cater to the neighborhoods they are in. My neighborhood is a mix of Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian. When my Aldi was closed for two months to remodel, I went to the one in the south part of town, which is a mix of Caucasian and African American. I was surprised to see items at that Aldi that weren't at mine, but only Mexican staples, like tortillas at theirs.
If you are allowed to buy alcohol in grocery stores, like you can in MO, I suspect you will find bargains. In KS, you can only buy beer and alcohol in state approved/licensed liquor stores. I have never been a drinker, but I was taken back the first time Kathy talked about buying liquor at Aldi. Then I remembered you can buy it in grocery stores in MO.
Let me warn you. Like I said before, I'm brand specific when it comes to Ranch dressing. You may not like their dressings, which are limited, although Sally likes their Thousand Island. But for staples, they can't be beat. Milk, eggs, butter, even half and half are far cheaper at Aldi. So are fresh and canned veggies, soups, and fruit. I assure you, if you watch the sales at Kroger, then shop first at Aldi, you will usually find even with the sales, Aldi will be cheaper. Once, however, I found a dozen eggs were cheaper at Kroger than Aldi. ONCE! It definitely pays to check your Kroger sales ad before heading to Aldi. I truly hope you can shave at least $10.00/month off your food bill.
It is a shame that Kroger has taken over all the local options :( We just recently got wine in groceries here, and I was enjoying trying out different ones, but with the new cut-backs I've just given up alcohol completely lol I'm the only one who'll drink it anyway, so that was an easy choice. I've tried, like you have, to shop at Fresh Market and Sprouts, but again like you found the prices too high for me. Perhaps the food is better, but I doubt it'd be that much better.
DeleteI don't eat salad dressings at all, but I know what you mean about brand-specific preferences. Some Kroger brand products are fine, but I don't like their canned soups and veggies, so when I buy those I buy Campbell's and Bush's and other name brands. I had a taste for fig newton cookies during my last grocery trip and didn't get them because of the price. What are they made of, priceless spices? ;)
I'm getting even more excited about the new Aldi's as I read your descriptions. We've had them for a while but off my beaten path, so I never went. Our new one replaces a smaller, older Aldi's not far west of it. This new one will be much bigger, so they say, and I'm hoping it will make the not-much-longer trip worthwhile. I've heard you rent the cart? It sounds like a different kind of grocery, which will be fun :)
I bought some fig newton look alikes at Aldi and they were pretty good. I don't buy the expensive ones, so what I have to go by was taste and I liked what I tasted.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to take a quarter, as you will need it for the cart. Insert in the red area, then push the cart slightly inward to release the chain. After you put your groceries in the car, return and retrieve your quarter. Also, be sure to take shopping bags with you. I say that, because one way I save money is to reuse my plastic bags I get at stores that freely give them away. I line all my trash cans with them, use them to scoop poop (something you don't have to worry about) and to catch all the little bits of paper I cut away from art I'm making. The last goes in the recycle box that eventually goes into my garden. Sally was telling me that Dillons/Kroger is now going to stop giving plastic bags and we will have to bring our own bags. I refuse to buy trash bags when I have gotten them free for years and years.
Spices, herbs, staples like sugar and flour are much cheaper at Aldi. Sugar is sugar, and you can't really mess that up. Sometimes Aldi has name brand foods, too. I've seen Bush's beans, but when you see them, you MUST grab them immediately if the price is right because the next time you go, that item won't be there.
When they redid my Aldi, they enlarged it considerably. The aisles are wider, the produce is the first thing I see, and the ice cream is the last (grin)!
BTW, I have never purchased coffee at Aldi and never will. They don't have anything except stuff that looks like Maxwell House (UGH), and is ground at factories who knows where. I get mine at Sam's and it is fair trade certified. I pay 14.00 for 2 1/2 lbs. That is better than any place else I've found. They have grinders, but I grind mine at home right before I make my pot of coffee. I'm sure I have more I wanted top tell you, but I must shower and get ready to go with Sally tomorrow. She has an appointment at 7:30 a.m. and may need someone to drive her home.
I'll remember about the quarter, thx! And I'll try their fig newtons.
DeleteI always take my own bags to the grocery. It'll be a couple of years here, I think, before Kroger quits having the plastic ones. I'll miss them, because although I don't have furry critters, I use the bags for the bird cage liners in the winter when the finches are inside. I'll also miss them for small trash can liners. The bags you buy are so much thicker that I can't help but think they'll take even longer to degrade in a landfill than the give-away ones will.
We've quit buying decent coffee as part of our monetary cut-backs, but I don't really mind Folgers (or "floor sweepings" as we affectionately call it). I don't ever shop at the Sams or Costco here. Target is where I get supplies I don't buy at the grocery store. I've never thought to look at their coffee prices....
7:30! Wow! That's an early appointment! I guess you get it over and done with that way, so that's one advantage.