The other shoe fell. Hubby got notice today he will no longer

[mnhtnbb]

be needed at the third county mental health clinic where he's worked the past several years.
No money for shrinks. At least they gave him notice to the end of February.

So, I did a budget after he was told last week he wasn't needed at the two other county clinics
where he's been working for years. We would be ok (thanks to him starting to collect social security last November) UNLESS the third clinic day dropped out.

Now we start making the cuts to our lifestyle. I guess when people do polls, we can now officially answer that we've been affected by the tanking of the economy.

:shrug:

We're going to have to make some tough choices about what to cut. Thank goodness we took a smaller loan on a smaller house to replace the one that burned down last year. We won't be making tradeoffs
between food/heat/medicines, but we won't be buying things without thinking, either.

[mnhtnbb]

1. We have to come up with $21,200. in cuts to our budget.

[flvegan]

2. Wow, that's a LOT.

I hope things work out for you.

[mnhtnbb]

3. The biggest, most obvious cut is room & board for our freshman son at UNC Chapel Hill.

Not only do we live within walking distance to campus, but we still have a studio apartment above the garage that didn't burn at the old lot right down the street. Can't sell the lot; no builders are buying. Right now his drums are in the apartment. If we can convince him to live there (with a roomie) next year, it would save us $7500. for his room and board, and we could probably get $250/mo income from a roommate.

[flvegan]

4. That is brilliant thinking!

As a son, I'd gladly give up my on-campus residence to same my folks that kind of cash.

[mnhtnbb]

7. Did you forget that sarcasm thingie?

[flvegan]

8. No, why?

[petronius]

5. "Convince"? I'm not sure that's the word you're looking for...

;)

I hope things work out well - we're dealing with similar issues, and while I realize it's not nearly as tough as some people have it, it really sucks...

Good luck!

[JVS]

6. You expect someone to pay $250 to share a studio apartment?

[mnhtnbb]

9. Studios within walking distance to UNC Chapel Hill rent for $500 +

I don't think we'd have any trouble renting to a grad student. I'm not sure a sophomore
is ready for it.

I'm just looking at the biggest bang for a cut. Not saying we'll do it.

It's 440 sq ft., full kitchen, stained glass windows. End of a dead end street. 20 minute walk
to campus, or 5 minute walk to catch the free bus.

[JVS]

10. Splitting a studio is cramped as hell, unless the roommates are lovers

It's not the price, it's the fact that you'd be trying to have two people have a place to sleep and work in a small space without privacy.

[mnhtnbb]

11. It's a helluva lot larger than a dorm room--which he shares.

[JVS]

12. That is one of the many reasons people leave the dorms ASAP

[mnhtnbb]

13. Before hubby was laid off 3 days/wk, our son had asked to go

back to the dorms. I thought he'd want to share a house or an apartment--but he is concerned
about not being able to have transportation. He doesn't drive (vision impairment).