What can you cut out? We were very broke last year and cancelled all subscriptions, including cable and magazines, stopped buying clothes or going out to dinner or anything that wasn't the basics. It wasn't as not-fun as it sounds, once we got used to it.

Wise, wise and wise. I kinda grew up like this too- in some way, you think of it as a challenge or a game or and adventure. (I look at it that way because that's how my parents got us through it)

ETA: man, I sound like a moron.

I currently work from 8:30-5. I could sleep from 6-10, work from 11-4, catch a nap from 5-6 and then start over and catch up on sleep and "time" on the weekends. I might also work 2 nights during the weekends. They are a 7 day a week operation.

Aimee, does this overnight job pay more than your current job? If so, could you work it instead--maybe even six days a week, and either take Em out of daycare or move her to part time (in order to allow you some downtime to sleep, and still save you some money). There might be other ways around this other than killing yourself. Or, could either you or Joe could get a second job on the weekends, when the other spouse is home?

Also, in less drastic measures have/can you set up a pre-tax childcare spending account through your or Joe's employer? I'm pretty sure you can set up an account that takes your daycare fees out of your pay pre-tax. You submit your bill to them, and they reimburse you out of that account. It's not a lot more money, but it's some more money.

sorry for the xpost on the weekend work. I posted before I saw your comments on working retail.

What can you cut out?

I'm working on getting the cigarettes out. That's huge $$ right there. We could get rid of cable and internet. We could get rid of the landline and only use the cell. But. That would only save us around $120/month.

It's actual debt. We don't go out - if we do it's budgeted. We've never been on a vacation. And it's killing me. It's just a bunch of little things.

Also, in less drastic measures have/can you set up a pre-tax childcare spending account through your or Joe's employer?

My company set this up while I was on maternity leave an no one contacted me about it. I would have done in a heartbeat if I had known.

Trifecta:

And what is driving me even MORE INSANE...THE STUPID BANK STILL HAS THE $3840.00 in our account. I have it in the savings so we don't touch it, but gosh, it's tempting. What are the chances of it being a real check and we get to keep it?

oh, man, that is tough. But you know as soon as you use it it's going to be yanked away. It's like the bank is taunting you on purpose, trying to lull you into doing something....

Aimee, I tried working a second job several years ago. I worked from 9-5 in a flower shop and 6-12 at a liquor store, five days a week. I could only take it for about 4 months and then I was too exhausted to do anything else. And that was without a kid.

I know the debt sucks and drives you nuts, but I'm worried about your health. When include commute time, eating, showering and playtime with Em, you're talking serious lack of sleep.

Plei, package came--thanks! You rock. Also, what kind of fabric softener do you use? I love the smell.

Exactly. And, it would pay off ALL the bills were behind on, zero out or credit cards (we only owe $600 on the 2 we have) and pay off mostly everyone we know.

Edit: Heh. I meant "owe", but eff it. I could pay off all you guys, too!

Speaking of cutting out subscriptions, I just dropped Netflix. One money-drain gone! Not like I have time for movies anyway.

I've tried to do the 8-5, and then 4-6 hours of a second job on top of it.

It was hard, even as a childless person with no real responsibilities beyond making the rent. And at one point I managed to work myself into a 2-week long bronchitis-turning-into-pneumonia state. Which I worked through, until I couldn't walk out of the trailer. (Yes, I was living in a mobile home like Jaye's, only considerably less stylish.)

I get the idea of fiscal need. Really, I do. I did the above for about five years, on and off. And it literally became hazardous to my health. So I would be really hesitant to recommend this to others.