Sick of feeling like I live paycheck to paycheck.

sarcole530 · November 2010

Does anyone else feel this way? DH and I both have jobs where we are paid hourly, not salary. It always gets extremely hard for us this time of year with the holiday shopping, and the fact that I get laid off for three months. My unemployment checks suck, and it's always a struggle.

I feel incredibly overwhelmed and stressed right now. Sad Thanks for listening.

C.Mo · November 2010

::Hugs:: I'm sorry you're stressed right now. Holidays can really be overwhelming.

Have you ever heard of mint.com? It keeps track of your income/budget and you can set goals for holiday shopping and such. Maybe next year you could put away like $20 a month or something so you don't have to be so stressed next time?

Violet's Mommy · November 2010

This probably isn't much help, but I'm sorry your feeling so stressed! I pretty well know what your talking about right now. I just keep reminding myself things must get better!

MrsPatterson · November 2010

MalloryRae:
I'm sorry. No advice, just sympathy. Michigan is a crappy place to be right now.

This!

mxpxgirl13 · November 2010

Sorry to hear that you are so stressed out... but I am on salary, and honestly, I don't feel like it's any better than hourly. (I've always had an hourly job, until this current one). Maybe it's where I work at, but they definitely take advantage of you because your salary status.

For example, they refused to pay for my vacation time (understandable if I was hourly), but DH told me that is unacceptable if I am salary. It's almost like they want to say they pay me salary, but don't want to give me the benefits of a salary employee.

I know what you mean about the layoff thing, I was laid off from a previous job for 10 months-- it seemed like an eternity. DH and I fought so much during that time. Unemployment checks do suck, big time, but they also taught me what I wanted and what I really needed. Now that I get paid 'regularly', I save like crazy. GL with everything!

FrickandFrack · November 2010

I understand completely. I just recentlly lost my job and am freaking out.

katypresson · November 2010

Yeah I too feel like we live paycheck to paycheck. I'm paid hourly - DH is paid salary. We both make decent money but it's just hard. Credit card debt from college and the wedding is making it difficult to save any extra. I'm just glad we both have jobs and can afford to pay for what we do have.

Also spreading out Christmas shopping over a couple/few months makes it easier. I started in October!!!

Lopo · November 2010

Sorry sarcole!!

Mommy2B_Hart · November 2010

I know all too well where you're coming from. I've been laid off since September of '09. The job market here is dwindling, the number of jobs I find to even apply for decreases each week, no one seems to hire this time of year, I have 10 weeks left in this tier of unemployment extension, with what looks like no prospect of Congress passing anything else to even let me into the next tier. I never thought in my wildest dreams it would take this long to find a job, stressed is an understatement.

sarcole530 · November 2010

Thank you for all of the kind words, ladies! It took DH a year to find a job after he got out of the military. The job he found pays descent, but as a PP said, with credit card bills (from that year where he didn't have a good job), student loans, etc., it's incredibly difficult to save. Whenever we do save money, we end up transferring it because we need it for bills.

I'm just really dreading this winter. I just have to hold on I guess and hope we don't sink! At least I don't have to pay daycare when I'm laid off, that's a good thing I guess!

sarcole530 · November 2010

Mommy2B_Hart:
I know all too well where you're coming from. I've been laid off since September of '09. The job market here is dwindling, the number of jobs I find to even apply for decreases each week, no one seems to hire this time of year, I have 10 weeks left in this tier of unemployment extension, with what looks like no prospect of Congress passing anything else to even let me into the next tier. I never thought in my wildest dreams it would take this long to find a job, stressed is an understatement.

I'm sorry. I will keep you in my t&p's! I truly hope things get better for you. My brother was in a similar situation and I know it's not fun.

Ridgebackmom · November 2010

I totally understand. We are used to working 2 jobs each but since LO it's hard. Weekends are not what they used to be with one of us working it. Keep the holidays simple. People/family/friends understand that with LOs it's hard to spend at the Holidays. I told my DH that we are only buying for the kids this yr. We have a niece and nephew, we are not buying for the inlaws anymore.Plus,the kids don't need much at this age. What do they know.

I was laid off/unemployed for a while before DD, it wasn't too bad but all our money went to our mortgage, now that we are out of the house it goes to DC. I just went from hourly to salary and when I break down the salary it is less than what I was getting hourly BUT now I have paid sick, vacation and personal days. Well, really I pay for it through my salary.

Just started my 1st 401K too which I am very excited about.

GL, maybe cooking and baking for friends and fam is good too

BlairWaldorf · November 2010

I'm sorry. Truly.

We felt the pinch earlier this year with me having to take off so much work between unpaid maternity leave & unpaid medical leave.

smilelari · November 2010

We currently have an empty rental property sucking away all of our $$$

Major suckiness

jamie.renee · November 2010

Ugh...we are living paycheck to paycheck now and I hate it. When we moved here from Germany we lost a good chunk of money. The cost of living here is high and I cannot find a job that pays enough to also afford daycare. And now my husband may be discharged from the Army medically and I am freaked about it.

JenniferTX · November 2010

I'm right there with you. We both are on 100% commission jobs (I'm a Realtor, he sells insurance) and guess what. . .people are holding on tight to their money right now. I posted a few posts last night questions about other careers. DH is also thinking about maybe joining the military. . . We are in a tight spot and have depleted our emergency fund down to literally $200. We both have big deals pending but you never know if they are going to go through until the money is in your pocket. I'm starting to think the grocery store down the road looks pretty good for a couple of nights a week work just to make ends meet. I have a BA from the University of Texas Austin and I'm really thinking that doesn't mean a gosh darn thing in this economy.

jenn_darrin1515 · November 2010

I am right there with you. My DH gets laid off for about 3 months in the winter...and it can happen anytime after thanksgiving and we have to continue to pay daycare to keep the girls slots...we are barely making it now...nevermind on unemploymnet...I am thinking we will have to drop the girls to 3 days a week and hope for the best...I just joined mint.com yesterday after seeing all the posts about it and it looks like it will be an amazing way to track our money and help with planning...

etude de la vie · November 2010

This time of the year is so stressful! We are purchasing a house but had to pay month-to-month on the townhome we are renting at almost $4000 for one month!!!

It has really killed us this month, especially with moving costs, DD's 1st birthday and the holidays coming up.

We only have one salary but I feel like we can't get ahead the next couple of months. Daycare is outrageous here so it doesn't make sense for me to go back to work and it would put us in a different tax bracket that would kill us when taxes are due.

Want a personalized experience?

Sick of feeling like I live paycheck to paycheck.

Re: Sick of feeling like I live paycheck to paycheck.

Choose Another Board

Search Boards