It is possible to increase your income

• Paying down debt - Overwhelmed.
  • are your taxes and insurance in with - Linda
  • It is possible to increase your income - mtstudent
  • Pay off highest interest rate debt first, then the next, and onto the next. The house can wait. Do - Suze says
  • wow you pay 350 a month for a HOUSE? - where do you live, i'm moving
    • A very small town in West Texas - Overwhelmed.
      • good luck, i hope it works out for you - ((((hugs)))))
  • daveramsey.com is a good one for you . . . nm - gazelle
  • Well, my better judgement said - Overwhelmed.
    • Agree with poster above. DO NOT take $ out of 401K...sm - ex animo
  • debt - rebecca goede
  • what some of the experts say to do - sm - mazzel
    • ACTUALLY, it is pay off the smaller ones first . . .sm - DEBT
      • LOL -Yep, what is what I MEANT to say - sm - mazzel
  • Some advice -- been there myself, - mtroadie
  • Paying Down Debt - Overwhelmed2
  • Have you considered a home equity loan to - mtmtmt
    • Yes, but I am not too sure how that works. - Overwhelmed.
      • I know it's popular, but don't put unsecured debt on your home. - mtstudent
      • have you ever thought about sm - i feel for you

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Typed in a report today:  His blood pressure is 160/100, however, he attributes this to his wife's driving.  

Typical male remark, LOL. 

I have tried this off and on for a few months and every time I chew gum all day my line counts go up.  For some reason they say spearmint is the best.  I find that it increases my focus and keeps me alert and helps me type faster!! 

Current studies are looking into three areas of potential benefits, the company says:

• Stress management: What's behind the common practice of chewing gum to relieve tension? Wrigley cites research showing that it stimulates certain areas of the brain, but wants to go further. "Consumers tell us they use it for that, and yet we don't understand how that comes about," Kumar said.

• Weight management: As a 5- to 10-calorie substitute for a high-calorie snack, gum could obviously reduce caloric intake. But does it help suppress appetite? "It's not that chewing gum has any particular magic, but it can be a useful behavior modification pill," said Gilbert Leveille, executive director of the Wrigley Science Institute, which held its inaugural meeting in Chicago in December.

• Cognition and focus: Is gum-chewing a way to increase focus, concentration and alertness? Wrigley points to studies that show that it increases blood flow to the brain but would like to see it linked definitively to higher concentration levels.

What would you do?  I just opened my gas bill yesterday and found that my gas bill is 6 x last month's.  I live in an apartment and the only gas appliance I have is the water heater.  There have not been other people visiting me (I live alone) and I use cold water for clothes washing 99% of the time. I do use my dishwasher about 3 times a week...trying to eat at home!  I would have to take 10 long showers a day for this kind of increase.  In other words, I do not believe my consumption has increased so much or the rate has recently increased this much! 

Many years ago I had a similar thing happen, instead of gas it was an electric bill increase, and it turned out to be a faulty air conditioner.  I paid 3 outrageous power bills before that problem was solved and I didn't try to recoup what I paid from the apartment complex.  This time I'm not going to do that, as I'm now older and meaner : )  If it turns out to be some sort of leak, can I take the apartments to small claims court?  Any similar experiences?  TIA...

I have to ask - what are you spending the money on?  Rent is the first thing you should pay, then food, and then transportation.  If you are worried about paying credit cards first, or some other debt, you are cutting your own throat. 

I would advise you to do some looking at Dave Ramsey.  He has several excellent books, available usually from the local library. 

Also, as for the husband, sit down with him and talk to him - I don't know if you have done this or not, but his playing the video games may be a way for him to escape.  If he has always been responsible in the past, then his irresponsibility now is probably a defense mechanism. 

You both need to step back and take the emotion out of it.  If you are not able to do that, the situation is not going to improve.  You both have to show commitment to making the relationship work, even on so little money. 

If you have a pastor or some sort of mentor/advisor, that might be a good place to start, once you have talked to your husband.  A neutral party who can look at the situation from all sides can help. 

Good luck, from someone in similar shoes.

HC

but you would never know it by our lifestyle. We don't need to impress anyone or put ourselves in debt for material things that depreciate the minute you walk out of store with it or drive it off the lot. Americans need to SAVE money, a concept that has been long lost through the generations.

I am a self-employed IC and have purchased 4 homes in 4 different states as a single person.  I was able to obtain a Stated Income Mortgage based on my credit, rather than my W2.  No tax info was used, needed or requested.  I guess, if your income is needed along with your husband's to qualify for a loan, then you would need the W2 info.  But as a single person you can obtain a home loan based on your credit and not your tax info.  Also, if you don't have enough for a down payment, you can take out a "second" against the house you are purchasing to finance your downpayment.  You will have a short-term payment for the downpayment and your 30 yr note on the home.  I was also able to obtain very low interest rates based on my credit rating.

Good luck, I did have to provide extra documents when I purchased one home with my exhusband.