utility bills
16 Feb 2024, 9:29 pm
colliegrace wrote:
Usually households that can live on that have multiple incomes. I earn above minimum wage, but not exactly a living wage. I live with my mom and we both tackle the bills with our combined income. My mom probably makes about as much as I do.
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i am single and have always been.
my parents are dead.
i have zero children.
in undergrad, i had some roommates. some of them were great. some of them were a nightmare to live with. accusing me of stealing. making fun of my breasts. having the nerve to tell me that i was "trying to wake everyone up", by going to the litterbox in the middle of the night (and that was after living in his house for over two years, so it wasn't the first time i went to the litterbox in the middle of the night).
precious lil "people" often have: felony convictions, psychiatric diagnoses, gang affiliations, short tempers, weapons, sex with the boss. yes, "desperate times call for desperate measures". however, as an autistic, i am very bad at dealing with change, and i am clinging on (in denial) to the fantasy that i might be able to financially afford room, board, utilities, and public transportation.
16 Feb 2024, 10:00 pm
ToughDiamond wrote:
I don't know how anybody manages to live on the minimum wage. Maybe you could ask them how they do it. They might feel flattered by your admiration for their achievement and thus willing to explain.
Beyond that, I suppose living on a tiny income is a matter of making every dollar count, of thinking before you spend or consume anything. Do you really need it? Is there a cheaper way? Can you make / repair stuff instead of buying it new? Maybe there's a food pantry, assuming you're not already using one. I've heard of church charities that will pay an overdue electricity bill when the user gets a shutoff notice for non-payment, but it seems a risky strategy and if you're as secular as I am, you won't like the bit where they get you to pray with them, if they do that.
The hippies I knew were often good at finding ways of doing things without spending much money. I wish I could remember more of their tricks. I used to have a book called Alternative London which was full of ideas for getting stuff for nothing.
At one time I got obsessed with reducing my grocery bills to the absolute minumum. I went round every shop and took notes on the prices, and was surprised how much I could save by using that information. I took it to extreme levels, and people were surprised how low my food bills were. But it was a lot of work, and I had the advantage of coming from a family who'd always had to be very thrifty, so it was already in my nature to be a cheapskate. I was also lucky enough to have something like a reasonable income, so I had the spare money to bulk buy stuff while it was cheap. They didn't have central heating for ages. My parents just heated the living room with a gas fire, and if they really wanted to heat another room, they'd use a small paraffin heater which didn't make it very warm but was very cheap to run.
Beyond that, I suppose living on a tiny income is a matter of making every dollar count, of thinking before you spend or consume anything. Do you really need it? Is there a cheaper way? Can you make / repair stuff instead of buying it new? Maybe there's a food pantry, assuming you're not already using one. I've heard of church charities that will pay an overdue electricity bill when the user gets a shutoff notice for non-payment, but it seems a risky strategy and if you're as secular as I am, you won't like the bit where they get you to pray with them, if they do that.
The hippies I knew were often good at finding ways of doing things without spending much money. I wish I could remember more of their tricks. I used to have a book called Alternative London which was full of ideas for getting stuff for nothing.
At one time I got obsessed with reducing my grocery bills to the absolute minumum. I went round every shop and took notes on the prices, and was surprised how much I could save by using that information. I took it to extreme levels, and people were surprised how low my food bills were. But it was a lot of work, and I had the advantage of coming from a family who'd always had to be very thrifty, so it was already in my nature to be a cheapskate. I was also lucky enough to have something like a reasonable income, so I had the spare money to bulk buy stuff while it was cheap. They didn't have central heating for ages. My parents just heated the living room with a gas fire, and if they really wanted to heat another room, they'd use a small paraffin heater which didn't make it very warm but was very cheap to run.
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yes, they might be "flattered by your admiration". however, sometimes someone responds in ways that are hard to predict or understand. some precious lil "people", esp the ones @ home depot, tend to effortlessly, naturally, and subconsciously distort any unusual statement or action, into a personal insult.
almost all my $$$ that i waste, goes to health insurance or groceries or transportation. while i admit i waste way too much $$$$ on groceries, i do not go to restaurants, and groceries are not merely a luxury. there are plenty of soup kitchens, but they are open only @ certain times, you have to wait in a long line, and you only get one meal, which you do not get to choose. i do not have a car, so i would find it hard to go to a food pantry. comparison shopping sounds like a good idea, but almost every piece of food i purchase comes from foodmaxx, which is already about as cheap as it gets. besides, without a car, i don't have much choice.
17 Feb 2024, 6:27 am
shortfatbalduglyman wrote:
autisticelders wrote:
in the USA you can apply for help paying utilities if you meet the test for low income. Social services offices are in every county in the USA, and you can ask 211 online or on the phone about resources for help in your area. (USA) If you can get help from food banks, get on food stamps/link/ etc more of your budget can be used for paying utilities and rent.
balancing the budget is really a struggle, in many places there might be a little help available. It could be worth checking out to see what programs you might qualify for.
balancing the budget is really a struggle, in many places there might be a little help available. It could be worth checking out to see what programs you might qualify for.
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the utilities are under my sister's name, not mine. she is not low income.
that can be changed, the utilities could be put under your name.
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https://oldladywithautism.blog/
"Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect.” Samuel Johnson
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