Celtic Radio Community [Powered by Invision Power Board]

Printable Version of Topic
Click here to view this topic in its original format

Celtic Radio Community > General Discussion > Income & Making A Buck

Posted by: englishmix 03-Jun-2009, 07:32 PM

Let's use this thread to help share ideas for those struggling to make ends meet. I'm thinking of honorable ideas which have worked for you to bring in a little more income or reduce expenditures.

Times are certainly rough; actually, horrible for some. The company where I work has actually been doing well so far, but just had its first layoff today. Fortunately it was minor and I am still employed (although not a minor deal for those involved). Yet I have always been rather fruggle, and several years back when the economy was riding the bubble I had found myself unemployed and under-employed for 2 years.

I've learned some things (I think), perhaps things worth sharing. Perhaps you have too.

Posted by: Faerydreamer 05-Jul-2009, 07:18 PM

I have started shopping more at the discount groceries. I also buy bulk packages of meats. It is a bit more at first but in the long run we are able to save money with fewer trips to the store.

Posted by: McRoach 05-Jul-2009, 09:51 PM

englishmix, great topic!

I look forward to coming back to this one and seeing what others are doing because I can certainly use any pearls of money saving wisdom folks have to offer in these tough times.

I have adjusted my budget to start paying more into to my savings account. I have also started turning up the thermostat when not home (not too hot though).

Posted by: Faerydreamer 06-Jul-2009, 10:09 PM

We moved to a small town that has lower rents than where we were living. The hardest part is that my dear hubby cannot leave his job with the way things are right now. This means that he drives 50 miles one way to work. We have stopped going out to eat once a month and decreased our McD's intake to save money.

I have my birds to keep me company. I spend a bit on them but have found ways to save on their food.

Posted by: coastman 07-Jul-2009, 12:54 PM

Try cooking in your crock pot or slow cooker. My wife teaches GED at the local detention center. I call it the local prison. She teaches 3 nights a week. I crank up the crock pot on Monday morning with cheaper cuts of meats. When I get home supper is ready. There is usually a salad. I may fix some pasta. There are some great receipes on the food network. Try it and you can reduce your food bill.

Posted by: Aaediwen 08-Jul-2009, 02:55 PM

Take inventory of your expenses, and then pay the bills off one at a time. Then take the money that used to go to that bill and put it in some sort of savings every month. Stocks would be the best right now, while they're still down, but at LEAST in some sort of a savings account. Preferably though, in something where you can't get it back out very easy.

Posted by: englishmix 08-Jul-2009, 07:30 PM

Thank you all for some great ideas. I'm going to mention the crock pot idea to my wife. We used to use it, and it is great for busy folks (like those working two jobs) and for making great meals out of mediocre meat.

One thing I have been doing for petty cash buying books at the library sell for $0.10 to $1.00 each, and relisting them online selling them for about $2-$10 each. Most libraries are cleaning out room for more dvds than books and they always get books donated to them - sometimes brand new books which they just immediately sell for a $1 each.

You can use HALF.com, Alibris.com or amazon.com. Actually I do a little online research on the libraries computer and decide which books might sell. That reduces me from having excess inventory at home. With a little effort and initiative this can be worked. I make about $50 average every two weeks, now.

Over time I have found this enjoyable - kind of a hobby which pays me. So you could say that I "flip" books.

Posted by: coastman 09-Jul-2009, 12:33 PM

Books!! Go to any local Goodwill Store. My wife buys books for pennies on the dollar and she gives them away to her students that don't have books at home. Not only does she teaches GED at the prison but she teaches in a special reading program. I find hard to comprehend she gets kids in 6, 7, and 8 grades that are reading on 1st grade level. By the end of the school year she has most reading on or about grade level. The success of government sponsored schools.

Posted by: Faerydreamer 09-Jul-2009, 06:03 PM

My nephew graduated from a local high school last year. He cannot read above a fifth grade level. He has difficulty filling out job applications. Fortunately, he has been working for a McDonald's for years and does not have to fill them out often.

My brother just says, 'Yeah, no child left behind...NOT'

Posted by: coastman 10-Jul-2009, 12:02 PM

Public education is a mess. It seems schools have gotten away from teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Political correctness is all over the schools. Teaching kids to "think good about themselfves" or self esteem is more important that learning to read. It seems accountability for your actions is someone else's fault not yours. Wow! Future leaders of America.

Posted by: Patch 10-Jul-2009, 02:41 PM

My sister, a grade school teacher had her own library of books in her class room and she gave the books to students as rewards for improvement. She felt the education system had changed too much since she started teaching and the education was no longer the primary concern.

Slàinte,

Patch

Posted by: englishmix 10-Jul-2009, 05:30 PM

Suppose we are getting a little off topic, but I agree. Its frightening that many a youth may not even know how to enjoy reading a good book.

Anyway, you may be a college student or just looking to supplement income. You might try selling books from the libraries, goodwill, etc. It will help them out as you earn a bit, and you can help put good books back into circulation.

I have also used www.MyPoints.com for years. You can earn points for reading email advertisements and doing surveys. At about 1500 points (ie about every 2 months time without ever taking up an offer) you can redeem for a $10 Gift Card to a restaurant or store of your choice. I easy earn six $10 gift cards a year, and mostly chose Walgreens to use on Prescriptions or other stuff. This is really legitamate and you do not get spammed.

Posted by: Senara 12-Jul-2009, 10:39 PM

I have a couple things...

Groceries - In the state of wisconsin there is a program called Share (sharewi.org)it is a grocery buying club. There is no income requirements, anyone can participate. Granted the selections are limited, but my freezer is full for the whole month. I only go to the grocery store now for bread, milk, and butter basically. For veggies, well, the local farmer's market just opened for the summer so I will be buying those there. Generally it is cheaper, fresher, and I know where they came from. Will be canning/freezing some of those goodies for the winter.

Household goods and miscellaneous - I

www.freecycle.org! It is a bunch of people just giving away things they have no use for anymore rather than tossing it in the landfill. We use it to get baby clothes and gear, books, appliances, plants, screen doors, what ever. IT IS ALL FREE. You just have to pick it up! Granted it is bad karma to pick up a freecycle and sell it online. Your old junk could be someone elses treasure...

Posted by: Faerydreamer 14-Jul-2009, 09:39 AM

www.freeccycle.org and www.craigslist.com are both wonderful sites for saving money. I have gotten many things for nothing or close to it. I have also been able to help the environment by not putting stuff in the landfills. I am always trolling on Craig's List to see what people have listed there.

Posted by: stoirmeil 14-Jul-2009, 05:04 PM

This is going to sound spartan, but it's doing me good these last few months -- I found a site on line that is called "Eat-Stop-Eat", all about informed fasting. It simply says to eat normally, or frugally, as you ordinarily do, and at one or two points in the week, or more if you don't find it stressful, planned around your schedule, skip the next two meals and don't eat in between, just have herbal teas, broth, and lots of water. This gives you an approximately 24-hour rest for the body, and saves the money for those meals. You could actually put away the money in a jar for household emergencies, to feel a sense of reward. Since I am not a big morning eater and I get hungry at night, I find a late supper extended to the next evening's supper works best for me. You have to be able to do this -- it is not good for children, or for diabetics. But for healthy grownups, once you understand it as non-deprivation but a bodily rest and a thrift measure, it's surprisingly satisfying.

The other thing is, with the crock pot meals, to substitute some of the meat with legumes. A lot more recipes than chili mix meat and some kind of beans or lentils. You might even start to lose a few pounds if you need to -- the Eat-Stop-Eat thing has definitely had that benefit for me.

Other thing? Barter skills. I can tutor, proofread and edit, and I can sew, so I do tutoring and alterations and mending in return for other things I need, either goods or services. This takes a while to take off unless you have a community base like a church, say, but it would work pretty well in such a situation.

Posted by: englishmix 14-Jul-2009, 10:40 PM

If you don't have a day job or if you have become unemployed, substitute teaching is a great way to bring in extra income. You can select you grade level and what days or half days you want to work. So it is real flexible, especially when you have job interviews and job fairs to attend...

You need to have had good grades when you were in school and go through a background check. Most school districts have a telephone bank or a website where you can select opportunities ahead of time or block out days you can't, so that you won't be bugged by early morning phone calls looking last minute for an available sub (and you can avoid specific classes which you may have had difficulty before). See your local school board or school priniciple for more info. The thing is, once you accept an assignment, you must keep it or you will quickly be weeded out for future jobs.

I did this for about 1.5 years when I was unemployed suddenly. I found it helpful and rewarding. Also, one period of the day is for "teaching planning" which I was able to work on job applications and other things during that hour or block.