Are We ever going to have enough....

Just three minutes ago I resolved to do something about this plaguing problem!  I decided without discussion with my spouse that "We" will save some of our tax return in a savings account not connected with our checking account, and that "We" will save some of "His" paycheck in that account.  Huh, I bet I, I mean He will think we should have discussed this.  He is probably right.

I watched another documentary today.  I like watching those, it is like watching Fox News channel without all the commercials or theatrics.  Just in case you did not know I love to park the TV on Fox News, it is like my white noise machine.  Anyway the documentary was called "One Percent".  If you haven't watched, I don't recommend it for entertainment value as I have seen far more moving documentaries about the same subject, maybe it was the poor sound track choices.  Anyway.  For some reason I decided to do something a few minutes ago.  "One Percent" is a show by a Johnson & Johnson heir who is concerned about the disparages between the Richest One Percent and the rest of us.  He interviews a few of the riches billionaire's and a few heirs to their fortunes as well as poor folks.  He is unhappy with how big the gap is, and seems to be concerned that their is not a way out of the cycle for the poor, but he does not offer any solutions on what could be done to change the plight of the poor.

While I am not a fan of President Obama's policies on social services, I find myself literally torn in two on the subject.  First I think the idea of Universal Health Care for all is a ridiculously bad idea, not just Obama Care.  I don't like big government or the United States debt, and most of the policies.  I am not certain I am a Republican, but I do find Glenn Beck entertaining, and most of the redistribution of wealth ideas presented over the last 20 years appalling.

But as a poor American Citizen trying to redefine what the American Dream is I currently accept Food Stamps and Medicaid.  I know I said Universal Health Care is a bad idea, I also have to accept the bad choice, because individual private health insurance in Arizona is completely unaffordable. (Note: Arizona's private health insurance is unaffordable because the State Government has Mandated coverage of many life saving treatments, as well as many alternatives.  These Mandates about the types of minimum services covered has greatly reduced the number of providers to choose from which has increased the price.  Something about Supply v Demand, limited supply/choices in AZ means those rotten Insurance companies that are mandated to cover stuff can demand higher fees.) So as you can see the health insurance issue leaves me with two bad choices, spend 2/3 the yearly salary on health insurance or accept state Medicaid.  Oh, and it is only two choices that I have at this moment, the second I find an employer that offers health insurance I am so off this medicaid program.

Not sure why that popped into my head.  We are considered poor.  My household qualifies for food stamps, medical care, probably section 8 housing, pell grants, discounts on utilities, food boxes and other assistance from charities.  We have lived paycheck to paycheck for as long as we have been working.  I lived paycheck to paycheck before I was married and thought that when I got married that would end.  It did not.  Does not seem to want to end.  So how to change it?



So how do I solve the Are we ever going to have enough problem?  I think I will start by building a savings account.  Not a lot, because we all ready spent half our tax refund on a new to us Truck, paid off the loan shark installment plan to Pruitt's Furniture for our couch and 2 chairs.  And yes, my husband had to take time off work because I had surgery, and no his employer does not provide any paid leave, not even sick days, so some of that tax check went right to helping us bridge the gap created by the missing pay checks, something that makes me rather angry!  I so hoped that the tax check money would do something to help pull us out of the whole we are in so we could be come Middle Class Americans instead of Poor Americans.   I can only hope that setting aside just 25% of our tax check helps us in some way, may the economy have mercy on our savings, and may we learn new ways to make the two pennies we got go that much further.  Damn to hell the $5.00 gas that is coming!

Obsessive Hoarding?

Have you seen that show Hoarders on A&E?  I find it enthralling and gruesome at the same time.  It is the story of people that simply can not throw anything they have ever purchased, received as a gift of simply found on the street away.  Worse still they can not stop buying more stuff, usually useless stuff.  

My husband claims I have this problem...  He is totally wrong!  I buy really useful stuff and yes I stockpile it!  It is so much better to have the stuff your family needs right there in the pantry before you need it.

Well, have you ever paid just 50 cents for a tube of Crest Pro Health?  I have and it is very comforting to know that I have 8 tubes, which should last the whole year!  If you did the math that is $4.00 for 8 tubes of Crest Pro Health toothpaste, that is 50 cents less then it cost to buy one tube at regular price.  That is less then you pay for regular toothpaste from China at the Dollar Store.  Doing the math on the savings:  $32.00 on a years worth of toothpaste!

Did you know that I save 50-75% off of household items, beauty products and even pantry items like spaghetti sauce?  If I told you I got a bottle of Windex (32oz) for $1.50 and that it retails for nearly $5.00 every week, would you think I was hoarding if I bought 2?  What about Lysol Cleaning wipes, they were buy one get one free at Walgreen's last week.  That typically means that you get 2 boxes of 35 wipes for $3.75.  I got it even better!  I used their buy one get one free deal to buy one get three free and I spent $2.75 for 4 boxes of 35 wipes.  That is 140 wipes for just $2.75, which would normally cost $15.00!  Yeah I got more then just the 4, I got a total of  boxes for just $3.38 after my coupons.  Doing the math on the savings:  $11.62 on nearly a years worth of cleaning wipes.

If you add that up so far I have saved $43.62, on only 2 of the products we buy all the time!  

Is it still hoarding or is it obsessive savings?

How about what I saved on Johnson and Johnson's Baby bubble bath?  They were on sale at Walgreen's, basically it was 25% off each bottle.  They normally run about $5.00 each.  What happens when you buy 2 at $4.49, subtract 25% and then take an additional $1.00 off each bottle?  Well it only cost $4.73 for 2 bottles of bubble bath.  If you have kids, you know that can last anywhere from a week to well months and months.  Keep it out of the kids reach and it should last about 4 months for 3 little boys.  Doing the math on the savings:  $4.25 on two bottles.  

 

How about buy 2 Johnson and Johnson's Band AId Brand kids Band-Aids for 50% off?  I did it at Walgreen's with their store coupon $1.50 off each product and $1.50 off 2 Band-Aids coupon from the manufacturer.  The total cost for 2 Band-aid boxes just $2.98, for a total of 80 kids band aids!  Doing the math on the savings:  $4.50 on two boxes of band-aids.

What could you do with $52.37 back in your wallet?  What if I told you this week I purchased about 4 months worth of cleaning products, a months worth of spaghetti sauce, months worth of juice boxes  popsicles, chicken nuggets, a weeks worth of meat and veggies,and one moths worth of pizza.  If I told you that I spent $225.40 on all of it and saved $210.86.  

The savings paid me $26.36 per hour it took me to cut coupons, organize the grocery list by the best deals at each store, and actually shop and drive.  Would you say it is worth it to cut the coupons? Maybe even hoard the toothpaste and cleaning supplies?

Did I mention my hair dye cost me only 20 cents per box?