I'm with you, today I just receive my bank statement and showing already in a hole. I couldnt help it but to take a deep breath and sigh. There is nothing I can do between me and my husband makes only above 8.00 an hour both work 40 hours. We don't owe any credit card everything we pay is cash. Yet, we are also struggling too. somehow no matter I cut our budget someone will raise our bill. I am still catching game. First, our rent must have to pay for that so you don't look the utilities to pay, then second, your car most important for us or else we could not able to go to work, then you look into your insurance auto, health, and maybe life. Finally we look into our which utilities you pay first.. of course you pay the one your most necessities water and electric and if you lucky may be you can squeeze gas company. Then if you have left over food and gas. We don't even get to do nothing anymore except work and church. What sad about this you dealt with some company to lower your bill I deleted my home phone, and get just the basic tv, told me I will have just 60.00 month for tv and internet. Send me an e-mail my bill is ready open up they charge me 125.00 this month. so what did I save nothing and yet you found out you were charge more than the original what you sign for. I change my car insurance to Progressive to save some money then last night I open my e=mail they withdrawing 363.00 for th is month. Oh this morning mail I get a letter from the gas company If i don't pay them by next week our gas will be disconnect. Yesterday mail our utilities also giving me notification if I don't pay the full amount by July 14 our utilities will disconnect too. Rent is due this week and my car that I bought with no choice probably will call my work soon seen's I don't have home phone to contact me. Our cell phone is p ay as you go therefore no one can reach me until I refurnish with minute. The only I am making month to month I had to take out advance check, I pay them then withdraw again so I can pay the bill.

I hate to tell my husband next month we might not have internet and tv because I have to save more to start paying all what we owe. Utilities bill, and I would like to pay off my car so my car insurance would go down, not only I will save 465.00 a month. Yes that how much I pay for my car. My husband file bankruptcy last year so our car that I am only paying 350.00 a month got repossess. We would like to keep it but our lawyer handling bankruptcy not the most communicative to us. I am really frustrated right now, because I feel living in hell right now. Everyone is out to get you, but you had no choice because is necessity. The hardest part about this you have no one to turn to, your shame to tell anyone. We are old couple and we have not much strength like we use too. I would like to get another job just to eliminate our bills but is recurring bill which is not do me any good. Do you know the FICA was even taking so much tax out of my paycheck. Furthermore I pay two taxes because I live in another state and work in another state. So joebee, I feel your pain....All I can advise to you be prayerful hopefully god will answer it..

okay i reply on this earlier where did it go

I feel your pain. Not only do we have rent of $800.00 a month but two (2) car payments of $380.03 and $343.30 but the sad part is we need the cars for job searching and interviews. We get our unemployment benefits and it is gone before we bat an eye. Like you, I have all the bills on an excel spreadsheet and pay the one with the most priority or if there is a shut off notice. Then the second highest priority. I tried for public assistance and we are "above" the poverty level to receive any. Food is expensive. I try and buy the $1.00 items but there is rarely any "healthy" food items that are $1.00. Fresh veggies are expensive and should not be this time of year. We by dented cans or managers special meat and hope we don't get e-coli poisoning. Without health insurance, we cannot afford to get that. I pray and pray and pray for help from somewhere or someone. But there are so many people out there like us that all the rich people helping are overwhelmed. I can guarantee that if we are ever so lucky to well off in the future that we are going to help people like us out of their plights.

Well I got good news and bad news.. Good news is I finally get clear to my husband our situation, and I gave him alternative what is our option. So, now he is looking to my option find a place where we can rent all including utilities. I have next door neighbor who have a carriage house renting it for 550. including utilities. It is not big, but enough for two of us. I have been begging him for us to move in a apartment which I said cheaper, but his not badging. I think this time he learn his lessons.. maybe. I am praying this time is our break if indeed happen I can actually save money. In gods, will.. By the way which region do you live, I live in the midwest and I though my rent is high. I hope you find a job soon is the only way really you can break loose.

God bless you and your huband. We moved just before Hurricane Ike in TX so I know how u feel. Have u tried the local christian charities in ur area? They helped us with our electricity bill. Also your county social services may help with rent if you are behind. Take care!

Good for you to put everything into excel. Now it the time to cut all unneccesary expenses so get rid of one of one of the cars. You do not need two. I know, job searches, well you'll need to work together and coordinate your job interviews, trips to the grocery store, etc. There is only two of you. Start planning this together.

Next, talk to the landlord. Will they reduce your rent? if not will they let you out of your lease ( I am sure they will do this rather than go through a long drawn out expensive eviction) so you can find yourself a less expensive rental or even, like a college student, share a rental? Can you move in with family. At this time, everyone is having troubles financially but if you pool your resources with family or friends you will get throught this situation.

Good luck

I understand your pain, joebee. My husband has been self-employed in the construction business for over 15 years now and over the last year his work has dwindled to nothing. I, stupidly mind you, quit my job to spend more time with our 3 boys - 14, 11, 8 - last november. This happened 2 weeks before my husbands work started to suffer. At the time, there was a good deal of money coming in on his behalf and we discussed the decision. Now, I regret it fully. For the past two years, my husband and I, along with our children and my brother in law, his girl friend of almost 7 years and thier three children - have all been living in the same 5 bedroom mobile home together. That makes ten of us folks. My husband and his brother work together, so they are both out of work and cannot find jobs. We are two months behind on our 900 month rent, about to loose our electricity, live off 345 month infood stamps for all 10 of us, and only one adult has steady income, and this income will dwindle in a month when her place of employment closes for the winter. I keep seeing all these "tips" on how to save money and how to make it through these hard times, but my question is - HOW DO YOU SAVE MONEY AND MAKE IT WHEN THERE IS NO MONEY TO SAVE? My hsband can't draw unemployment because he was self-employed, neither can is brother. I can't draw unemployment because I quit my job. Before the recession started, we were barely making it paycheck to paycheck so there is no money saved. I am not sure what to do, where to turn. We can't go to family because everyone else has been hit just as hard. Living in a rural area, jobs are few and far between and the ones that are available are 60 and 70 miles away. I am not asking for charity, or anything of the like. I just would like to know that I don't have to make my three children sleep in the back of my car next week. I would like a job doing something - anything. I will wash dishes if I have to. I am in college right now, studying Graphics Design, but just started so I am not that knowledgable yet. I just seems hopeless - but I am trying and not giving up.

I know how you feel. My husband and I are both out of work. He doesn't even get $200 a week in unemployment. It's really rough on us right now, we are trying not to lose our apartment but we already lost our car. We live in a very small town, no such thing as a bus or cab around here haha. I pray eveyday that I will get a phone call from one of the jobs I applied for but I continue to receive nothing. I can feel myself becoming very depressed. I hate to know other people are going through the same thing. I wish there was something I could do.

Always remember, God is Good All the Time! No matter what the devil tries to put in front of your eyes. The devil is a liar, and no weapon formed against you shall prosper. But we must submit to the will of God. He will keep us in perfect peace. As long as we keep our eyes on him. If you have not accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we will continue to suffer. Not just you. But me and the entire land. Get into a good faith based church. Learn and grow with the Lord. Talk to your Pastors and seek their guidance based upon God's will. I have 2 children. Lost my job of 6 years about 1 and a half years ago now. If it had not been for the Lord on my side. Tell me where, would I be. Where would I be? We have never gone without food on the table, clothes on our backs. Yes, the bills in the natural are backed up but God is giving us all favor with our creditors. Amen! As they bless us, He will bless their businesses. If they don't he will close them down. Who would have imagined big banks being closed down. God wants us to know He is in control. And we should never forget it.

I love you my brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray every day! Be thankful for you have not for what you don't have. Help others who cannot help themselves. Reach out and touch someone elses life and try to make their's better. What how God will help yours.