What now

Ok I know alot of folks have been laid off from thier jobs around the countery.  Or the doors have just plain out closed up and went out.  Eather way on the unenployment lines they are getting longer and you are liveing with half the income in a household.  Or no income at all with things running out around the place.  There are ways to help the place along eather way.  Now with NY State about to shut down as of tomarrow.  I have included dumpster diveing as a way to do alot of things.  Also ask the joints if thier bread expires that day if you can off load it off of them.  Even if it is buns it makes good on the bread.  Now alot of the times alot of folks over spend eather way.  With here you have seen me say that sales and coupons around here.  Ask the places that get the coupons if they have extra inserts that the papers do not want back.  The worst they can say is no.  Also check into food panteries while you are at it all.  If it is within walking distance all the better and along with the wheely bags.  There are signs up all over the place and you may miss them if you are driveing.  Next is to see if you qualify for assistance in the area that you are in.  Now Heap is totally differant than other areas even though it is in the same office.  With the system they want the gas, power,rent/ morgage paments, phone, car, insurance, and a few other things that are coming into as bills along with the 4-8 pay stubs and who is in the household with you.  Another thing is I would not cut the internet at all around here at all.  I would deal without a phone and cable before the internet.  Even though there is other places for the net to check the papers and other sites to get jobs and coupons off of.  And write everything down in what you spend for the first couple of months or so.  Now with that being said you can see where the money is being wasted at pluss bring the recipts home in what you spent for the day.  Now I know someone that eather way if she is bringing in the money or her and her husband are working she has to have her coffee out doing the grocery shopping or out period nomatter if the children are fed and a few other things also.  I shake my head and do not talk with the woman any more after what she pulled with me.  I use to shop at garage and yard sales for garments and toys for the children and nobody knew the differance in what they wore.  Alot of children do not care as long as they are not running bare to school or anyplace else and food is in thier bellies also.  Now with alot of folks they will not tell the children here is the deal.  Alot of children will understand the reasons behind the no we can not afford that at this time.  Also when you start cooking on the cheap alot of children will not mind at all while you are at it.  Hold a family meeting and explain to the children that some of us have got laid off and here is the income from what it was before.  Alot of them will understand on what is going on and down in the household.  Make them a part of what had and has to be done and they need to help out also and you will see most children will be happy to have been asked to do thier parts and thier inputs also.  Ask them to help out and what they can think of doing to do thier part to cut the bills in the households.  Even if it is turning off the lights it is a huge help.  Now otherwise if you do not have children in the household take a look around and see what you can do to lessen the load off the half of an income.  Another is to down size as much as you can if you can not afford the morgage see if you can get an apartment and to help lessen the load also.  Another thing is to see what is in the panteries and cabnets in the household and what meals can you make without going to the store once a week also.  Plan out the meals if the system turns you down and you may be able to go to the food panteries if the system tells you no also while you are at it.  Another thing is cut the fat out of the budget at all costs.  Once you get use to not haveing something is a real treat if you get a cup of coffee out.  There are ways to amuse yourselves without the T.V. going all of the times.  A pad of paper and thinking of ways to be cheaper in the household will work also.  Then once every 2 weeks call a family meeting and say I have a found a way to do this cheaper around here will you help me out for 3 months.  And see where the bills go after that.  Also another thing is check out what you can do for free as a family.  Even if you have to drive to get to some place to do something for free for the day.  There are walks, the park, and several other things that you can do for free out there.  It is the matter of timeing and looking on the net for the free things to do in your area.  Also make it a game going to the stores with the children if you have any.  They learn math in the process of going to the store and checking ok if I ask for this will I be able to get this the next time we all go.  The next is get the children involved with paying bills also.  Let them see where the money is going to.  And explain all the way of ok this is this amount and and this is this amout how much is the total.  With todays world most parents are scared of the children in the household.  When are some going to take controle back and say listen here it is like it or lump it becuase you may need this someday.  That is what alot of the problems are in todays world most parents are scared of the children becuase the children have more power than the parents do in todays world.  There are ways around everything.  If you ever get the Planet green Channel at your place Please watch the 30 day program if you have more than a minamum wage job.  I will tell you what it is so true in what they are doing but it should be at least 6 months intead of 30 days with some folks around.