Comments on: Suddenly Frugal By Necessity, Not By Choice

By: Kelli

Kelli — Sat, 09 May 2009 14:10:06 +0000

Sometimes external forces have to force us to see a more blessed way of living. I believe that most believe would be amazed at what they are capable of accomplishing it they just put their mind on the right path. Happiness does not come from any of the outside sources but definitely can be taken away by them. Always remember how blessed this transition was for you and continue to look for beneficial changes in the future.

Our first child is 7 months old. I am working part time running my parents vet clinic. However, even this became too daunting in order to prioritize my family so I went out and found a buyer for the clinic. So many blessings are coming from it that I can’t even explain, most of which are for my parents and staff!!!!

By: Going Green Mama

Going Green Mama — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:09:13 +0000

Congratulations on being prepared enough to weather the changes in your lives! I agree that the stress of my husband’s work made an impact on our home life, but so does the stress of not having enough to make ends meet. Unfortunately, it’s so true for many people.

I don’t have a post specifically for TGT this week – work has been incredibly intense lately, and I’m worn out by the time I’m home. But at least my husband is there with the kids – one less thing to worry about at the end of the day.

By: Mrs. Not the Jet Set

Mrs. Not the Jet Set — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:36:50 +0000

It’s amazing how what seems like a devastating event can actually be a huge blessing. When my husband unexpectedly was laid off about 4 years ago it was the best thing that had happened to our family since our oldest was born. The high stress level at his job was hurting our family life so when he stayed home with our daughter things were much happier at home. The also had a wonderful time bonding. To this day they are extremely close. After 6 months at home he decided to go back to work. BUT, it was his choice not a forced financial decision.

It sounds like your family is going to feel the wonderful benefits we did. Congrats on making the right decisions so that your family can prosper!

By: Gina

Gina — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:35:06 +0000

Thanks for the reminder, Joy! I used to be so good about saving money, but lately I’ve been very lax. I recently had my roommate move out, and the rent money she used to give me is no longer coming in. I decided to live without a roommate for a while, but it’s going to involve some frugal changes. This would have been easier with a bigger emergency fund! Now I not only have to pay my mortgage and bills on my own, but I also have to sock more away.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:25:39 +0000

i’m so sorry to hear about your husband’s job loss, but am relieved to hear you were ready for it financially. We’ve just finished paying off our credit cards–yeah!–and now can start saving in earnest.

My tip for the week highlights a web site that says which fish are safe to eat.

By: Mrs Green

Mrs Green — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:14:32 +0000

Am loving your attitude to this situation – for many it would be a crisis, but this is where good planning and resourcefulness come in.

My link today is such a simple and effective tip and it starts saving you money right away. I hope you like it!

I love that both you, and Jaime feel closer as a family because of your lifestyle changes – that has to be win-win

By: Fashion

Fashion — Thu, 07 May 2009 09:51:19 +0000

Sounds good. Great that you are savvy enough to make these changes

By: Jaime

Jaime — Thu, 07 May 2009 05:02:44 +0000

When we discovered I was pregnant, we knew our lives were about to change dramatically. It was very important to us that our child not be put into daycare, so we made arrangements that benefit not only our family and finances, but also the environment. We moved to a smaller apartment that is on the train line to my husband’s work. This allowed us to get rid of one car. Now my husband takes the train everyday..saving on gas and pollution. There are many days when our car never leaves it’s spot. The small apartment is also energy efficient and doesn’t cost much to heat and cool. Now that I’m a stay at home mom I have plenty of time to make my husband’s morning coffee (which he takes in a thermos) and lunch for work, as well as dinner. Sounds cheesy, but it’s fun and saves us a ton of money and we are closer as a family because of it.