We don't have a lot of money. How can we make it work??

Question

We have had money problems for a long time now but it dosen't seem to get getting any better. My dad works full time and gets paid pretty good (Double minimum wadge) and my mom didn't have a job for over a year. She finally found a job but she only works part time (2 - 3 days a week) and she gets paid minimum wadge. Still my dad is crazy with money because we barely have enough to pay the bills. He gets mad when we buy food and we have to fight with him that we need that food. We don't have any money for me to buy school clothes (I have like no school clothes) and my dad fights even when I need small things at the store like pony tails. We never have money to do anything fun or anything, all of our money goes to bills and some bills don't even get paid. We don't have any credit cards by bills I mean like house bill, phone bills, internet bills, heat, electricity, car, gas... My mom is trying to get unemployment but they are having problems with her claim. I mean how can we make it work?? We already buy the cheapest food we can, we looks for sales on everything.... Also my dad puts no money into any saving. I hate hearing my parents talk about our money problems!! I am only 15 so I can't get a job or anything either to help out (I can't even babysit or anything because trust me I have tried everything and no one wants me to baby sit, there are no paper routs around...) Also if you are going to post links to sites online to make money just go away or you will be reported!! I would like some serious answers please!! Thanks!!

Answer 1

School clothes should be the least of your concerns right now if your parents are under a financial burden. By "pony tail" I am assuming you mean rubber bands and possibly decorative rubber bands. Perhaps you can get by with the ones you already own. Perhaps if you really don't have clothes you might be able to try going to Goodwill or another thift store. What about the clothes you currently own? Maybe your mom could Ebay them for you? Take that money and buy a pair a jeans or two. Try searching out Craig's List under "free" people are often giving away all kinds of things on there. Or try out freecycle.org. Get permission first but maybe you can swap clothes with friends.

Perhaps when you turn 16 you'll be able to find a job. Hopefully your parents financial situation will encourage you to go to college. Do well in highschool, get good grades, scholarships and a college degree and you won't have to scrape by on min. wage.

This isn't making money online but its earning gift certificates (it takes a while for your points to acculumate but if you start now you'd have at least a $10 gift card and its legit. www.mypoints.com

Answer 2

Wow, it sounds like you have it pretty tough, and while you're a teenager too. I have two girls but they are both younger than you, otherwise I would ship you a box of clothing right now.  I just donated about $500 worth of clothing to the church down the road.

OK, you need to do a few things. First, you need to get community help. If you can't afford food, your parents should apply for food stamps. You can also get free food at a local food pantry. There are churches and community organizations that can help with food and clothing. As far as clothing, forget about buying new clothes at the store, do you have any older friends who can give u their clothes as they grow out of them?

You can work at 15!!  Instead of babysitting, have you tried petsitting?  Basically you walk people's dogs, feed them and run them when they are away for the day or the weekend. You can make like $10-15 in 30 minutes work.  My 12 year old daughter makes a lot of money taking care of people's pets.

Forget about making money online.  It is not your parents fault they have no money, they ar not making much.

My best advice to you, is stay in school, go to college and get a degree. Work your way through school if you have to. But get your college degree so you can have a real career and not make minimum wage.

Answer 3

c - nothing like airing your personal business and bashing your dad....but - listen, your dad is probably as stressed out as you are about the finances....the best thing for you to do is let your parents work this out and stay out of it....no man likes to be aware (and trust me he is) that he is barely taking care of his family....ease up on him and understand that listening to any griping about it is not making it any easier....trust me i have been without plenty of times and it did not hurt me one bit but made me stronger and more ambitious....now if your dad is abusing alcohol or something like that and that's the reason you have no money then your mom has to decide how she wants to handle it....if not then realize that economically it is hard for everyone right now and you are not in that boat alone....good luck to you guys and i hope it works out for you

Answer 4

Your budget is too high, Living over poverty and yet can't sustain? There are needs and wants get priorities fixed.  Internet? Cable? Reduce your expenses, income is sufficient.  You're living beyond your means.