Summer budget panic!

[#1hockeymom]

*RING, RING*

"Hello, this is Suze Orman! Thanks for calling The Suze Orman show and the 'Can I Afford' it segment. What is it you would like to buy?"

"Well, Suze, my husband and I would like to take our family to Walt Disney World. We really want a vacation, and the total cost would be $2000."

"Girlfriend, show me the money!"

"Well, my husband and I both work full time, but we have nothing in savings and it's hard to make ends meat. We basically live paycheck to paycheck. However, we save some money on food as our kids qualify for government-sponsored school lunches. Plus we take them to Sam's Club for the free samples. The money we don't spend on food then goes into saving for Walt Disney World."

"So Suze, can we afford it???"

"Girlfriend, you are DENIED! DENIED! DENIED!!! YOU CANNOT AFFORD IT!!!! Are you kidding me? You have NO money in savings, you can't even afford to put food on the table, and you are asking me if you can take a vacation! Don't you dare, do you hear me?!"

*CLICK*

I LOVE IT!

 

[LotsOfQuestions]

Our dues are around $10 a month. Yes. We have very few points. enough to go every other year.. during value season.

So, If I make your meals, for $5.00. Why am I not *allowed* to use that money for what I desire?

Because you are taking more than $10.00 a month from the government to feed your children. That $10.00 a month should be used to buy your children lunches in order to ease the tax burden of the citizens paying for your children's lunches.

Telling me that I am the reason this country is screwed up, is quite the statement, considering you have never met me, and know nothing about me, except I admit that I have DVC and my kids get reduced meals. That's quite a burden to play on my shoulders.

I suggest you write your congressman, and ask him to change the requirements for free/reduced meals. Or ask him/her to stipulate that anyone using them has to get written permission before spending extra money.

I will do just that. And use this thread as a prime example of the entitlement attitude of those receiving government assistance.

 

[hentob]

Now--Does this PERFECT statement above make anyone rethink what they are doing?

If you CAN afford to feed your children, WHY aren't you?

Seriously, can anyone who is posting on this thread that receives free/reduced lunch answer this? I want to be proved wrong.

I want to say--"Oh, I understand why you accept government help even though you don't need it."

Make me say it. Change my mind.

 

[LotsOfQuestions]

Did you accept your stimulus check, or did you say, no thank you, I don't NEED it. That is government assistance.

We weren't eligible. Didn't get a dime. Sorry.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

We didn't get one this year. Sorry.

Well then I hope you at least got a postcard from those people that you sent on a WDW vacation.

 

[Swtcn]

Why wouldn't you use that money to feed your children? Why should others have to do that for you?

I am glad you sleep well at night. I could nevershow my face in public if I couldn't afford to feed my children, yet owned a timeshare

DELETED SORRY

 

[Mouse House Mama]

THAT was so RUDE of you to SAY!!!!

It is not rude if that is how they truly feel. Sorry but some people would be very ashamed to accept a handout. Especially if it was for basic needs like feeding their children yet they have a vacation to WDW planned.

 

[#1hockeymom]

It is not rude if that is how they truly feel. Sorry but some people would be very ashamed to accept a handout. Especially if it was for basic needs like feeding their children yet they have a vacation to WDW planned.

We were those people when DD was a baby. We couldn't/wouldn't accept what we were eligible for. We worked, scrimped, saved, did w/o and am glad we did.

 

[tarheel618]

Question for OP

During the summer when you will have to buy extra food for lunch and breakfast, will you still be able to save the same amount of money that you usually do for your vacation fund?

If you can't then the money that you are actually saving is other people's money.

If you can then you don't need to accept free/reduce lunch and that money can go to someone else.

 

[Anc96]

Add another who totally agrees that you should NOT be using a government funded program if you can afford any type of vacation AT ALL. There are many free, or close to free, things you can do with your children.

What are you allowed to do with your money? Any damn thing you want if it's YOUR money. However, when you have more of YOUR money because you are using tax payer's money to feed your children, that is wrong.
You qualify? Good for you.. so do I. Do I take it? No way. I make enough money to feed my child lunch. I will not be a burden on fellow taxpayers by getting free lunch just because I can. Those programs are not intended for people who can afford to buy lunch, although there are some people, like you, who do it because they can. That's not even remotely a good reason, and certainly not something you should teach your children.

I'm pretty sure no one here thinks you would rather save for Disney than feed your kids, I'm sure you can, and do, feed them well. You can afford to buy lunch.. so buy it. Stop taking advantage of programs that are meant for people who really can't afford to feed their kid/kids. Just because others do it, doesn't mean you have to... haven't you already taught your children that?

If it takes a bit longer to save for your trip to Disney, you'll be teaching your children a good lesson in saving for things you truly want.

As for is it anyone else's business?? Only if you're a taxpayer. You opened this all up for discussion by posting here.. we all have a right to our say.


Sigh.. is it really worth it trying to get these people to see the point? They see nothing wrong with what they're doing because they qualify..lol. They sleep well. They will either raise their kids to do the same as they do, and be an additional BURDEN to taxpayers, or have kids that are ashamed of them for taking advantage of the system.

But at least they sleep well....

 

[LisaNJ25]

But you have to fill an application out for free lunch

Why did you fill out an application that says "I can't afford to feed my kids"?

I cant tell you at my kids school, yes you do have to fill out the form. It is one of the required papers that is sent home in September with all of the other paperwork you have to fill out.

The majority of student in their school qualify for it. Its not people cheating the system. Its based on family size and annual income.

 

[Grumpy'sWife4Ever]

She changed the title to the thread.

It originally said she was in a Budget CRISIS.

This implied that she was in a crisis because her kids were now home for the summer and no longer were on the free and reduced food plan.

Hi! Just your friendly neighborhood OP here, sticking my head in to be a pest and say that I did NOT change the name of the post, it started panic and remains panic, which of course is a bit of hyperbole on my part to make my title eye catching to other moms on a budget.... Just don't want to be misquoted....Also, wasn't complaining that now I have to feed my own kids, just trying to start a thread on ideas to stretch the summer food budget.....
That's all! Resume your business.....

 

[Frankiesmom]

Well said Anc! This whole thread is BS and I really think this chick has a serious screw loose! Anyone who can afford WDW can afford their kids school lunches!!!

 

[MrsPete]

I cant tell you at my kids school, yes you do have to fill out the form. It is one of the required papers that is sent home in September with all of the other paperwork you have to fill out.

The majority of student in their school qualify for it. Its not people cheating the system. Its based on family size and annual income.

No, you have that backwards. The school is required to send it home (so that everyone is aware of the program -- we even have it in Spanish); however, no one is required to send it back. Since it's the FEDERAL lunch program, I know it's the same in all states.

Every year I get 1-2 total back from my homeroom students.

 

[LotsOfQuestions]

or did you say, no thank you, I don't NEED it. That is government assistance.

Not to the stimulus check, as I mentioned before that we were not eligible for a single dime.

But, we do have a child with disabilities. We are entitled to receive SSI benefits of at least $650.00 per month. Have been entitled to them since birth. But, because we can afford to provide for our children, both disabled and typical, we have never applied for the SSI benefits.

So, to answer your question - yes, we have told the government, no thank you, we don't NEED assistance even though we are entitled to it.

We DO practice what we preach.

Although, I am now beginning to think that the $650.00 a month would make a mighty fine vacation fund.

I never looked into DVC. Anybody want to tell me what I can get for $650 a month, funded by the United States Government?

Or perhaps a nice lease on a new Beemer? Oh the luxuries I never thought of getting by taking money I don't need.

 

[Anc96]

Hi! Just your friendly neighborhood OP here, sticking my head in to be a pest and say that I did NOT change the name of the post, it started panic and remains panic, which of course is a bit of hyperbole on my part to make my title eye catching to other moms on a budget.... Just don't want to be misquoted....Also, wasn't complaining that now I have to feed my own kids, just trying to start a thread on ideas to stretch the summer food budget.....
That's all! Resume your business.....

Actually, your post said exactly enough.

All school year long, both of my DS's ate both breakfast (free federal program) and lunch (reduced price) at school.

Then your sig states your next Disney vacation. Exactly enough.

VERY simple OP. Get OFF the government program FUNDED BY TAXEPAYERS if you have enough money to go on vacation. You should be ashamed, but you're not, so instead of my anger, you get my deepest PITY.

 

[MrsPete]

cold cereal breakfasts . . . cheese and cracker snacks (Handi Snacks), granola bars, fruit snacks and Roaring water pouches

All of these are relatively expensive foods. If you compare cold cereal to hot cereals or eggs, it's considerably more expensive. All pre-packaged snacks are expensive and also high in sodium and preservatives. If you're really having a budget crisis over adding kids' lunches to your budget, cut back on snacks altogether and when they're really needed, look at plain Saltine crackers with peanut butter or real cheese (not Kraft singles, which are mostly vegetable oil and aren't cheese at all) or inexpensive bagged fruit. Make cupcakes or cookies from sale-purchased box cake mixes; that's considerably cheaper than pre-packaged sweets. Buy some refillable water bottles and use tap water or Kool-aid.

Also, wasn't complaining that now I have to feed my own kids

It DID sound like that.

I cant tell you at my kids school, yes you do have to fill out the form. It is one of the required papers that is sent home in September with all of the other paperwork you have to fill out.

The majority of student in their school qualify for it. Its not people cheating the system. Its based on family size and annual income.

No, you have that backwards. The school is required to send it home (so that everyone is aware of the program -- we even have it in Spanish); however, no one is required to send it back. Since it's the FEDERAL lunch program, I know it's the same in all states.

Every year I get 1-2 total back from my homeroom students.

 

[OFFTONEVERLAND1]

OP, take the kids to BJ's, Costco or Sam's for the free samples and fill up for lunch. The food court at my mall gives out lost of samples, too (lots of chicken samples). And Taco Bell has a 79-89-99 menu no0w (remember 59-79-99?)

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

I will say that when you really pay attention to what you are spending it seems to slow it down to a halt. Of course with the price of gas we don't go out as much anymore either. The one positive is that it is forcing me to be much more creative. How old are your kids? Is it a food issue or activity issue?

Hah, neither-those were sort of pre-planned back in february. It's the "I need to return these shorts to target and suddenly I've come out of Target with 100 worth of crap" issue!!!!!

I do find that we're stopping at Subway or Einstein's bagels at least once a week, and before they were out of school that never happened-I have no trouble with my tummy growling for a half an hour, not so good when the girls do-they're 8 and 9...

I am trying with the budgeting, we are going to do the Family Fun month's worth of meals (thank goodness my DH will eat just about anything). http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/meal-planner/index.html

It's those random Target/Subway runs that I need to just stop.

 

[#1hockeymom]

I haven't bought a handi snack or a fruit water pouch in years..... No wonder I have extra money for vacations now! What happened to tap water?

YES, I buy sports drinks.. on MY MONEY!