# Are many literally living mth to mth finacially ?



## whitehawk (Aug 14, 2012)

Since we separated over a yr ago l have been literally just working to pay bills and house.
lt's just that damn frustrating. The minute l think l'm set for a few wks or a mth, dream on , bang , in comes even more crap. My total in bills per mth aren't really that bigger thing it's the relentlessness of them and the fact l'm self employed and money comes in all over the place. So your no sooner ahead and get get a slow mth or bad paying , or fall asleep at the wheel for a few wks and bang.
l do get to splurge on good pays but not in a big way and really that's all l'm getting out of life right now.

Anyone else having this sorta crap , so frustrating ?
And l can't really reorganize my life or debts until the house sells, if it sells .


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## Janky (Nov 26, 2013)

I think many of us are in the same boat as some unexpected expense always pops up.

Its gets to a point where either working OT or a second job just doesn't cut it anymore.

CS for 2 kids has completely strained me over the past 5 years, thankfully I only have a few more months left until im done. :smthumbup:


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## OhGeesh (Jan 5, 2010)

Yes most family's do live month to month. Most people have less than 100k in retirement by the time they are 65!!


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## Gonnabealright (Oct 24, 2013)

I was self-employeed for years. I'm still paying off back taxes. Kinda glad I'm not in Sales anymore. It was nice to have the big checks but it was way to easy to spend the whole check instead of taking out 33% and putting into savings to pay taxes at the end of the year. 

Maybe look into some new software. I've been out of the loop for awhile now but I've heard there are good ones out there that help you balance and track your finances.


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## soulseer (Jul 26, 2013)

I work in tourism , in an area where its busy in the summer. Half the year is okay . I save money in summer to help get me through the winter. 

When the money runs out its pretty tough until summer again. How well I do in the summer dictates the conditions of my next winter.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## southbound (Oct 31, 2010)

I've often said that I don't have any material stuff, but I don't have any debt either. I have some money saved up and i wouldn't say I'm just living from month to month. I don't suppose my income is any more than other people I know, but I'm just not in constant pursuit of stuff; I'm basically happy with a roof over my head that doesn't leak. When you have that mind-set, you'd be surprised how finances become less stressful and the savings account starts to swell.


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## 29forever (May 18, 2013)

More like day to day.


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## SimplyAmorous (Nov 25, 2009)

We are a larger family making less than $55,000 a year.... we have never lived month to month except for a short span of time when we bought our Farmhouse & property... we cut our mortgage in half from 14 yrs to 7 paying it off.... We've always been very careful with our $$... this gives us peace of mind. 

Some of the things we do to cut expenses: 

*1.* we take the family to the $1 theater (same movies coming out 6 months later).. if our kids want to go with friends... that is Different...we give them $10 & they enjoy.. but funny we can take the whole family out for less than that - doing it our way...

*2.* We take them out for Pizza on Mondays when it's a special deal (8 cut for $4).... 

*3.* We only get water when we eat out..

*4.* we pay our credit cards in full every month & make $$ off of them.. put our last 2 vehicles on the credit card...

*5.* Anything we buy, we shop for the best deal, we use Ebay, Consignment shops, etc..

*6.* we drive older vehicles , have never had a car loan since we've been married.....husband repairs / paints them himself.

*7.* Only cell phone we own is a Tracfone (for emergencies) ...kids have I-pods.. so long as internet access is there, they have phone capabilities. 

*8*. We use coupons, do rebates, doesn't have to be name brand..(though some things are not worth skimping on). 

...so much more really..it's a lifestyle of changing spending habits... once you start, you will see how $$ accumulates... just by cutting out little things... so long as you have an adequate income...to cover the essentials.. while tacking the debt..but it will take some sacrifice on all of your parts to get to this place.


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## ScarletBegonias (Jun 26, 2012)

When I was in my early twenties I was always living pay check to pay check.Even worse,I had to pick which bills I'd pay and which bills could wait

It is an uphill battle.Especially when every time I seemed to get a bit of money saved something crazy would happen to my car or I'd get sick and miss work. It was ALWAYS something.That cycle wore me down so badly I didn't even want to keep going.Depression was an understatement.

It does get better though.I lived super lean for years and have no debt now and a very good savings.Somehow you just have to keep going.When you feel like all you do is stumble you have to keep your head up and keep moving.If you are careful with every penny it WILL improve.You may not have an ideal amount in your bank account but you'll get to where you have a little cushion so you can breathe again.


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## OhGeesh (Jan 5, 2010)

southbound said:


> I've often said that I don't have any material stuff, but I don't have any debt either. I have some money saved up and i wouldn't say I'm just living from month to month. I don't suppose my income is any more than other people I know, but I'm just not in constant pursuit of stuff; I'm basically happy with a roof over my head that doesn't leak. When you have that mind-set, you'd be surprised how finances become less stressful and the savings account starts to swell.




Great mindset  it's a very hard one to attain!! I do agree if you can live extremely simple with no desire for the "extras" finances will not be a worry.

I'm not too good at living with that mindset and a extra 100k/yr would be great :rofl::rofl:


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## whitehawk (Aug 14, 2012)

Our finances are still jointly sorta because everything was a two wage deal for the next 3yrs but we've split and now have an extra household thrown into the mix. Worst yr ever at work , wish l clocked on and took orders better than l do l'd work for a boss on a wage instead right now.
This house actually costs FA but we have big old credit cards left , loans , then the bills have gone mad this last few yrs , costs of crap.
lots of left overs from our old life .
lt's been day to day here to since we split , bloody horrific.
Every time l think right and start looking for a job instead work pics up again as a teaser so l scrap the idea again. lt's done it to me 3 times this yr .
l've had to hock stuff 3 or 4 times t get by then pay a fortune to get it back , youch . Had to leave the last batch with them it wasn't worth the buy back interest.

So want outa this mess and back to some simplicity . living like this is [email protected] .
Ahwell , gripe over


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## Cyclist (Aug 22, 2012)

Did the month to month thing for 3 years after my divorce. Between the D and the economy it was very difficult.

Its just been over the last 6 months that things started to change. Some of that is economically driven, some is I am pushing harder.

I started using Mint to handle my personal finances. Its extremely easy to use, you can set easy budgets and goals, and its free.

Started out slowly but for the first time in years was able to have xmas paid for far in advance, emergency fund, and a decent savings. Mint helped a ton.

Good luck. Its a tough road but it does get better.


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## alexm (Nov 29, 2008)

whitehawk said:


> Since we separated over a yr ago l have been literally just working to pay bills and house.
> lt's just that damn frustrating. The minute l think l'm set for a few wks or a mth, dream on , bang , in comes even more crap. My total in bills per mth aren't really that bigger thing it's the relentlessness of them and the fact l'm self employed and money comes in all over the place. So your no sooner ahead and get get a slow mth or bad paying , or fall asleep at the wheel for a few wks and bang.
> l do get to splurge on good pays but not in a big way and really that's all l'm getting out of life right now.
> 
> ...


You just described our life at the moment, to a T. I'm also self employed, so I know the joys of not knowing what your income will be next month, or the month after. So many perks to being self employed, yet so many drawbacks, too...

We've cut back in almost every area, and we're still just barely making it. Wasn't like this even 2 or 3 years ago, and nothing's really changed, except things are just more expensive, including the monthly bills.

Oh, and I second the Mint app. Just sorted that out a few days ago, and I'm thinking it'll help immensely.


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## Toshiba2020 (Mar 1, 2012)

Most people do live paycheck to paycheck, but honestly you dont have to live that way, most people just have been taught to spend money as fast as it comes in. I am friend with a couple who are both pharmacists, their combined income is nearly $250k a year yet they barely can pay their mortage at the end of the month, but thats because they buy expensive things and throw parties. Another couple lives on a single $40k income and they have NO DEBT, the cars, house and student loans are all paid for. I am somewhere inbetween the two both income and financial stability wise. My wife and i paid off student loan and car debt but still have a mortage, but that could have easily been paid off if we made a few cuts in out monthly budget, but she likes her cable tv and i like my gym membership, it is important to enjoy life to a reasonable level, you cant take money with you to your grave but you also shouldnt leave your children with debt either.


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## Married but Happy (Aug 13, 2013)

Living month to month was the only option during the first years of my first marriage. It took time to pay off student loans and set aside enough to buy a house, but before long we could put money into retirement funds and have a small emergency fund.

Upon filing for divorce, things soon went back to month to month because of child support, and then 9/11 nixed my job. It took several years to get beyond that so I could build an emergency fund again, but at least the divorce allowed me to keep my retirement funds so I'm in good shape there. I think I could retire anytime now, but will probably work for a few more years (or until this job ends, whichever comes first).


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## hookares (Dec 7, 2011)

People, you need to set some money aside into an IRA with a reputable investment firm. Put it in there and don't touch it no matter how badly you think you need it for everyday expenses.
It can grow through dividend reinvestment and can make a good contribution to your retirement.
Had I not done this, I'd be living under the bridge with my ex cheater.


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## missthelove2013 (Sep 23, 2013)

hookares said:


> People, you need to set some money aside into an IRA with a reputable investment firm. Put it in there and don't touch it no matter how badly you think you need it for everyday expenses.
> It can grow through dividend reinvestment and can make a good contribution to your retirement.
> Had I not done this, I'd be living under the bridge with my ex cheater.


I have a 401k...multiple IRA's and other investments....and we live paychecks to paychecks...thats money I cant/wont touch


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## whitehawk (Aug 14, 2012)

We bought this double block that l was gonna build up to retire on later.
This sounds like oh yeah , we were one of these couples with a spare 100grand to buy some extra land but no no way.
We were renting then still looking for a house . But we were dwindling away our deposit so this land came up while we were waiting and we put the deposit to buy that instead. The idea was to use that against the house we wanna buy when we found one . Then later build on the blocks and rent those out for 20yrs.
lt wasn't a bad plan , we found our house and used the blocks as the deposit.
We had a two wage idea set up for about 3yrs but after that we'd refinance and consolidate all our debt using equity after we finished renovating and be cruising.
Cept we split up after 18yrs , about 15mths into our new house, well old new house .
So the nightmare begun, what a fkg mess.

l could make much better money at work but l need better capital to do the better jobs.
So l've built my capital up twice this yr to move onto those and twice it's been wiped out with bad mths and bills, can't win.
Meanwhile we have her rental and costs there on top of the blocks and the house and the unfinished reno's , bloody mess.

So we've had both on the market now but things have slowed right down here now , no takers as yet.
So in the new yr if still no takers l'm thinking of renting the house out and using it against a third property .
l only fkg want one cheapie and l can only afford that now but l might end up with 3 .
l so just wanna undo everything and get back to simple but holy hell , trouble is that ideas just gonna complicate things even more , trouble is l just really need to get the hell outa this house and this spot now . lf it doesn't sell though and l don't do something ;like that l'll be stuck here , don't want that.


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## MaBi123 (Nov 28, 2013)

I'm in the same situation as you. My fiance and I wouldn't even eat if our parents didn't always happen to make extra food and then suddenly need to clean out the fridge every time we see them 

Money is very, very tight and has been for 3 or 4 years. We don't go out and do anything fun. The electricity is always in danger of being turned off. He doesn't have health insurance, I have the most basic. 

I don't have any advice. Just wanted you to know you aren't the only one.


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## whitehawk (Aug 14, 2012)

Thanks Ma and l'm sorry about your sitch. Don't worry l don't think anyone can advise me outa this one although my sister had the idea of renting it out if l can't sell and building it up . They're rich and own a lot of property so coming from her that sorta made me think about it. That'd just be an alternative though if we can't get a good price , really l want it gone and the damn cash so l can restart properly. Won't be much but least l could sort out debts, some :scratchhead:

If it's any consolation we lived something like you for yrs too before , that's why we wer dwindling away that deposit. We couldn't afford all of us to take my d to the pics , many clothes , even petrol and food half the time.
I've had that many disconnection notices even here this yr too , ain't they a pain.
l dunno about there but here you've gotta call them and they put you through the ringer , takes 45mins just to reach a human after all the machine and id checks , it's a nightmare and then they screw you into the ground for another hour trying to work out a pay of plan .

l hope there's some light at the end of the tunnel for you guys , got any plans or ? Good luck


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## jorgegene (May 26, 2012)

The unemployment situation has been crappy for the last 5 years, as everybody knows.

10.2% to 7.1% nationally. That sucks. A healthy economy is 5% or below.

But the rest of the story that doesn't seem to get attention is UNDEREMPLOYMENT!

I worked for 25 years and went into debt during recessions but always came out and paid the bills during the boom that ALWAYS followed a recession. There is no boom this time.

As a self employed guy, I struggle every month to scrounge up work. I've been underemployed for the last 5 years making about 60% of what i made before the recession. Never seen anything like this, and i've been around a long time.


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