Beginnings

 So, for very very many reasons I am now an empty nester.  It has been a couple of months, but I am only just now getting used to the idea.  After the initial lethargy and depression and feelings of uselessness I am finally coming around and getting energized.

Early in the year I read the blog about the teachers who tried to eat on $1 a day. I think if they had planned better they would have had a much easier time of it, as many people pointed out.  I figured I should do something similar, but have not been able to.

What I have figured out I need to do, not only for my own sanity, but also to help out my husband with expenses since he has the younger kids now.

I have a job at a local hospital with a fairly low wage but with full benefits.  my take home pay is like $1700.  I figured that if I pay for the house and my car insurance, the electric and the home phone and lived the rest of the month on what was left I would be very useful indeed.

So the budget looks like this

Take home pay       $1700

Mortgage payment $1100 (includes tax and insurance)

Phone & internet     $ 114 (just reduced by AT&T)

Electric                      $   91 (during the winter)

Car insurance          $  80 (part of multi car plan)

my cell phone          $  15 (part of family plan)

So that leaves me $300 to spend on gas for the car and home things, like food etc.

When you consider that I normally spend over $600 on groceries when the kids are here, you can imagine that I have some rethinking to do.

I have always been frugal. Raised on welfare by my grandmother who lived through the depression in Southern California where there was always a drought and a recession or two.

But now I have to go beyond creative.

My next blog will talk about ways I have cut down on energy use.

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