*The Dave Ramsey 'Baby Steps' Thread*

[FreeTime]

@WDW_fan_in_TX you mentioned not eating leftovers. This is ringing a bell to me that w have already went around and around about this on this thread. If you refuse to eat leftovers then make less. I believe the suggestion above to make everything on Sunday for the week was mentioned to you also before and you felt that it was like having leftovers and you won’t freeze your food. You have to get the eating out under control. These are the ways to do it.

I think you need to ask yourself are you really ready to tackle your debt and no longer live paycheck to paycheck or do you just want to continue saying why you can’t? I say these things with love. You need to be willing to try.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Thanks. I will check into it. The stuff we buy is like $32 for 32 rolls at Sam's, and that lasts us a month. It's $15 for 12 rolls at Walmart. Just to check, I just checked Walgreens, and it's $18 for 12 rolls there. So seems like Sams is best choice for that. Plus, we bulk buy other stuff too that's cheaper like cases of water. But I am going to start checking into getting some paper products at Walgreens. Kroger and Tom Thumb are too far away to buy cold stuff, as they're about 15 minutes one way away from where we live. So I can't buy the cold stuff there. But for sure can check for paper products, toiletries, etc.

Just some things to consider...

Cases of water when tap water is free? I get it, I like to keep a bottle of water in my purse because a thermos doesn't fit. But, we still use a water filter at home and reusable filtered water bottles on the go.

Also, we live rurally and travel 45 minutes in one direction to our preferred store. 15 minutes is nothing. We pack a cooler with ice packs and survive.

Your situation requires some serious personal reflection and evaluation of how small choices that seem insignificant add up to the place you find yourself today. I know it's hard, I know it takes time, but it seems like there is a disconnect with the reality of the situation and your perception of it. I speak from personal and familial experience--broke people don't buy, pay for, or experience many of the things you are spending your money on. They take calculators into the store to make sure they don't spend more than the few dollars they walked in with. They go without food. They go without YouTube, and Amazon, and entertainment, etc. You are living on a razor's edge with no margin or buffer, but the actions taken don't match the urgency of the situation.

Everyone here is seriously rooting for you! You can do hard things, you can say no to yourself and others, and you can do this!

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

Since I made those comments (I think in the meal prep section), we've gotten better about eating food leftover. We made enchladas on Saturday and ate them Sunday night, Monday for lunch and Monday night before finally throwing the little bit that was left away. But we ate 4 meals on just a few bucks (probably $15 total for the entree). So yes, we eat leftovers. And we've really cut down on food waste by just buying every 5 or so days as we need. Yes, ready to make change, and we have. Only eating out basically once as a couple (on Sundays after church with friends) then whatever I had to do for work. As I said, we go out probably 2x-3x per week and have meetings at lunch, but we have to buy our own. Changes have been made, and I've tried to explain why stuff can't happen for whatever reason (we've shopped all of our bills around), and I'm actively looking for a second job. Hopefully can find one by the end of the month. No excuses. Just ready and willing to change.

@WDW_fan_in_TX you mentioned not eating leftovers. This is ringing a bell to me that w have already went around and around about this on this thread. If you refuse to eat leftovers then make less. I believe the suggestion above to make everything on Sunday for the week was mentioned to you also before and you felt that it was like having leftovers and you won’t freeze your food. You have to get the eating out under control. These are the ways to do it.

I think you need to ask yourself are you really ready to tackle your debt and no longer live paycheck to paycheck or do you just want to continue saying why you can’t? I say these things with love. You need to be willing to try.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

Thank you for the confinued support. I'm going to back out of this thread for a bit and see what changes can be made, where we can cut (and still have what we need and want) and just some things we can do differently. Hopefully by the time I come back in and post, I'll have found a second job. Going to put in an app on Lowe's website today as a matter of fact. So thank you for everything you and others have expressed over the last few pages. It's really opened my eyes to some stuff.

Just some things to consider...

Cases of water when tap water is free? I get it, I like to keep a bottle of water in my purse because a thermos doesn't fit. But, we still use a water filter at home and reusable filtered water bottles on the go.

Also, we live rurally and travel 45 minutes in one direction to our preferred store. 15 minutes is nothing. We pack a cooler with ice packs and survive.

Your situation requires some serious personal reflection and evaluation of how small choices that seem insignificant add up to the place you find yourself today. I know it's hard, I know it takes time, but it seems like there is a disconnect with the reality of the situation and your perception of it. I speak from personal and familial experience--broke people don't buy, pay for, or experience many of the things you are spending your money on. They take calculators into the store to make sure they don't spend more than the few dollars they walked in with. They go without food. They go without YouTube, and Amazon, and entertainment, etc. You are living on a razor's edge with no margin or buffer, but the actions taken don't match the urgency of the situation.

Everyone here is seriously rooting for you! You can do hard things, you can say no to yourself and others, and you can do this!