Cold Hard Reality

SIGH

This upcoming Thursday marks our new reality to our finances. We will be on a financial voyage with $120 less a month in income, much better than many families out there I know, but still a tough one for us who is caught between low-income and the vanishing middle class. Oh and that $120 less doesn't take in consideration our increase tax bill thanks to Congress and the President for not making the Bush tax cuts permenant.

I am nervous of course, but not about the loss of income. I'm nervous because I'm making changes to our spending that the hubby is not going to like or agree with. Small changes like no longer purchasing soda (or alcohol), which costs us a fortune since the hubby is addicted to his Diet Coke. Yet I doubt that it'll stop him from drinking it, he'll probably just throw the soda on his personal credit card like he does his cigarettes. And since he doesn't let me see that credit card statement/charges, I have no idea how much debt he's in. Last accounting two maybe two and half years ago he had over $1k in charges on it.

So why 'let' him have his own personal credit card. Well I have no choice. He uses that card for his work related expenses that he gets reimbursed for and therefore must carry it on him (so I'm told). To forbid him to stop making purchases that he can't pay for will make me sound like a harpy or sound like his mother (those two descriptions are not related to each other though :D). It will just make him be even more sneakier than he is today. In the past I've tried to have an open dialogue with him about it, but he shuts down and refuses to give up his 'habits' that we can't afford for him to keep doing. So instead I pretend that everything in hunky-dory while being nervous on the inside and hope to God that he keeps his job.

Getting back on topic - other cuts waiting in the wings is our Internet and phone service. We haven't had cable TV in ages, but still pay a hefty sum for the high speed Internet (which hubby needs for work) and phone service. We already live a pretty bare bone life, so other than those two cuts, there isn't much left. Maybe I'll set the house this summer to 85 degrees rather than the 83 that we set the AC on last summer; the family will be hot and even more cranky than we were last summer, but we can hopfully save on our electric bill (cross our fingers).

Other cuts that are already in effect will continue, like me not seeing a dentist (even though I really need to) and not getting new glasses or lenses even though I'm due. I don't buy many new clothes for me since the hubby and kids constantly need new clothes. My biggest splurge was a few months ago when I bought jeans that actually fit and didn't fall off my hips - yippee!

It amazes me, we make a good wage, but once all our obligated expenses are paid for there just isn't that much left over. And it's not like we live outside our means, we don't have an entertainment budget - our entertainment is the peace and quiet after the kids go to bed. Other than Christmas and birthdays, we don't buy the kids toys. I buy groceries on sale and with coupons, if I have previously bought an item for cheaper, but have run out of it at home - I wait until the price goes down. Any gift money that I recieve goes into the family just in case fund. I scrimp and pinch my pennies but every paycheck cycle I just barely make us squeak by.

I've had thoughts of going back to work too to bring in more income, but with the cost of daycare it would be unrealistic for me to do so - especially in today's economy. Besides I really don't want to go back into the work force and I can't take a job that could have gone to someone who needed it more than I did/do.

So the long and short of it is, it'll be an interesting 2010!