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Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
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10% Paycuts - Effective Immediately
Temp174496125006552
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So, the administrative staff was called in one at a time today to let us know that effective immediately, our salaries are being cut 10%. For me, this is in addition to the already 10% cut I took to be able to WAH on Mondays (and be with Ben - which I was ok with). So, I'm now looking at a 20% paycut from last June. It blows...and is going to make things even tighter than they already are, but I am grateful to still have a job.
The only good thing that came of this is that they cut my days from 4.5 to 4 -- so now I am off on Mondays. Which means no nagging boss calling 3-4 times asking me to do X, Y and Z. Ben now has me all to himself on Mondays. I'm thrilled!! 
DH and I are going to sit down tonight and take a long, hard look at what expenses we can cut around the house. Any suggestions are most appreciated. I'm already considering cancelling our home phone and using our cell phones.
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Re: 10% Paycuts - Effective Immediately
That happened to DH last May...then he didn't get his yearly raise in June. Then he was switched to day shift (messing up our nice no daycare situation). He did get $1 of his 10% back around November but now he is down to 32 hours/week. Yesterday they told him everybody needs to take a week off before the end of April so they can have money to buy material (he works at a machine shop). I told him if his company doesn't even have the money to buy material then he should start looking for a new job.
Sorry about your paycut. It's sounds like you are finding the bright side to things, though.
DH and I just looked at our finances and found a few ways to cut bills:
We refinanced our house. This will save $200/month
Switched from Comcast Cable to Dish Network, this will save $50/month
Got rid of our home phone. This will save $29/month.
Good luck!
I am sorry to hear that. At least now you get that full day with Ben. I am hoping to do that for the summer.
I think cancelling the home phone is a good idea. Also, if you have cable change the plan to a lower one. Get a smaller trash bin. Clipping coupons and buying store brand instead of name brand stuff. Just some ideas.
DH and I are also struggling too. We talked about cancelling our cable all together, but that is seriously our only form of entertainment since we can't afford to go out so we are keeping it for now just on a different plan.
That sucks. I'm so sorry.
When we wanted to cut expenses, we looked at:
- reducing our channels at dishnetwork
- changing cell phone plans (less minutes)
- finding a better and cheaper option for our car/homeowners/life insurance policies
- eating out less (duh) - this was made easier for me when DH offered to do the weekend cooking, so I knew I just had 5 nights to cook and then I would get a break. It made a HUGE difference for us.
- finding the cheapest gas in our town, not just the convenient location
- unnecessary expenses like magazine subscriptions (just not renewing), late fees, etc.
Mama Jan's Kitchen... a food blog
Oh no! I'm so sorry. Yeah, I'd cut the home phone and cable.
I was just reading an article about dollar stores. Apparently there are some fantastic finds, where the groceries just have a misprint on the label, etc. I know personally that I spend the most money on groceries, so it's an area where I could do a lot better.
I also hear that the Money Matters board is a great place for budget-cutting. I think it would be a good place to check out.
So sorry!
Curious, how does this save money?
It could be much worse and good for you for looking at the bright side.
A couple of sister stores of the (local) company that DH works for has cut salaries 20%. DH is pretty much expecting to hear the same at any point for his own store. Luckily, he contributes the maximum, so in worst case scenario, he can just cut down on what he's putting into his 401K.
My previous position was cut, but thankfully I was proactive and had already bid on a position on my contract & got it. Right now, I'm pretty secure...until my contract is up for rebid (2010).
Of my other 2 colleagues on my former program, I just found out one's last day is today. Her position was cut too... though I found it odd considering her seniority and the fact that she also worked on other programs. The other jerk-off is only working 2 hours/day... he's the senior engineer on the program. I'm pretty sure his going to part-time (which was initiated by HIM, we're all convinced he has a job elsewhere) fueled our positions being cut. It doesn't bother me though, I'm much better off now.
Before you cut out your home phone, you might want to do a little research. Someone told me that if you call 911 from your home phone, they can trace it, but can't trace it from your cell phone. So if there's some emergency and you can't speak or get cut off, the land line is better than a cell.
But I'm not 100% certain that this is true, so do some research.
How many miles do you put on your car(s)? Our insurance company offers a great discount if you put on less than 8,500 miles/year! It's Erie insurance.
Oh a more positive note - you can now come to HAPPY HOUR on Mondays!!!!!
Thanks, ladies. And some good suggestions. Althought I'm scratching my head about the trash can thing too.
Tess~ good to know, thank you. And you know what? As I'm typing this, I remembered that our home phone service also includes our DSL. So, unless we're willing to give up all internet access at home, we'll probably wind up keeping it (or finding a cheaper plan). I'd rather cancel our Dish Network service before I do that. We can always watch shows online.
city~ see my post above. Great minds!!
Yes, a landline lends the dispatcher solid location info. This is part of the main reason why I made DH keep our landline.
Though, when our FiOS went out for the first.time.ever over the weekend, I noticed it took our landline down with it
That bothers me.
Trash can- smaller can means smaller city charges (we get charged per size of can. This is the can that sits by your garage- not the one in your kitchen!)
We moved some CC debt around and consolidated and eeked out $50 a month. Did the whole rebundling of cable/phone services. I heard of someone going on a spending freeze for awhile- just stop spending money. like instead of getting groceries, get creative with what's in your cupboard for a couple weeks (but get necessities for DC). I saved several hundred dollars in the past couple months by avoiding the mall/target/etc and not buying ANYTHING unless it was an absolute necessity.
Jonathan Dean 4.5.08
Anna Capri 5.4.11
You are pretty lucky that they compesated the pay cut w/less duties. When my DH went through the multiple pay cuts it included increased duties (b/c they were laying off his colleagues and he had to do their job).
When we went through this we sold his house and when I was put on bedrest and was out of work for the most part we sold my condo. We stopped all eating out, cut the home phone, only shopped at Walmart and bought generics. I made my old clothing work and DH sold his beautiful new truck and bought an 88 Maxima. We car shared on the weekends.
One thing I know that costs me a fortune now is Harm's PT Nanny! You might consider looking for a day care center pt, for Ben. I've been looking into that and I would save 1/2 the cost. Right now we have the money but if later we don't this is one the places we will cut. Also he is at the age right now where I think it could be a great thing to have more group time.
My last advice is don't get comfortable. Work 3x harder than you have b/c if your company is shaky layoffs are a matter of time. GL! This is so unnerving and difficult. I've been in your shoes, it isn't easy
we play the grocery game. a woman combines all of the advertised and unadvertised sales with available coupons to get you most items for more than 50% off. think Bi-Lo bonus buy + previous Bi-Lo coupon + doubled manufactured coupon. this week I got free sour cream and rice with her combinations.
it has saved us a TON of money on groceries. we spend about $40/week max on groceries and all of our incidentals (like toilet paper, etc). it costs $5 a month plus the cost of papers to get the coupons. we save that amount in one week's shopping bill. it's also faster because the list tells me exactly what to get and I don't spend time comparing prices.
Ha- I can only imagine the grief you heard from your DH. Mine sold his 2000 Porsche 911 last November, and I heard it!
In the DC area, daycare centers are full-time only (as in they charge by the week only) and in-home daycare centers tend to be more flexible. In-home daycares also tend to be less expensive. IMO, in-home daycares provide a more intimate, family-oriented environment. Just make sure the DCP is licensed!
Oh I did, this was no regular truck! It was the pathetic pimped out on huge tires and custom rims brand new extended cab, extended bed 4x4. I think he loved it more than he loved his house, but filling the tank was $88! The insurance was absurd and the lease... you don't want to know. I felt bad b/c this was his sign that he really "made it" but than the housing crisis began and heads (and paychecks) were rolling. We were lucky his Dentist friend was dying for that truck and took over the lease!
He whined for a year, but being a father humbled him and now he is even more successful than he was back than (ironically he doesn't feel like he needs the vehicle to show it either). He knew I was giving up a lot as well. Lets just leave it as: I had grown accustomed to the Vegas lifestyle.
Ugh, that really sucks
So sorry to hear that, Cheryll. I'm glad that you're able to look on the bright side and see the good things that will come of it though 
I know you're going to love that extra time with Ben.
It looks like the other ladies have definitely hit on some good money saving tips. We do most of these things too, and things are still tight. You just make it work though. GL to you and I hope you're able to trim your budget and make a difference.
Our trash service offers 3 different size cans and they are all different prices. We had the big one and weren't filling it full every week so we dropped to the smallest one. We didn't save a ton of money by doing this, but when things are tight any savings is good to me.
Oh honey I have champagne taste too
I love me designer clothes, expensive skincare, fine restaurants. Now that I'm in the real world, all of that has slowed its roll!
I love the decadence of Vegas! So what was your favorite spot on the strip?