Payday is a-comin'. This is significant because it will be the Petite Filet's first real paycheck in several months after taking unpaid maternity leave. We survived, people! It wasn't easy. Our savings will need rebuilding. But now we'll be able to buy things like bread! Woo hoo!
If you ever find yourself facing financial adversity, here are a few tips to keep you solvent during the rough patch:
• Pack a lunch every day before you head to work. Sure, you'll get really sick of peanut butter, but keeping the electricity on at home is more important, is it not?
• If you get really desperate, raid the office fridge while nobody's looking and take a few bites out of everyone's lunch. Put chopped raisin shavings to act as faux droppings near the bottom of the fridge to make it look like there's a wayward rodent stalking the breakroom.
• When you must eat out, cut your lunch in half and take it home. That way you're getting two meals from one. Plus, your pants will fit better after a bit. If you've got nowhere to stash your vittles during the day, go to lunch with a co-worker who is willing to go splitzees on one lunch entree.
• Drive to work using downhill momentum to save gas. Obviously, if walking, bicycling, taking the bus or train or carpooling is available, do it!
• Save money on toilet paper. "Do your poopin' at work!"*
• Resell office supplies on eBay.**
• Learn to draw a cartoon turtle and live the good life as a cartoonist!***
• Become a contestant on a TV reality or game show that pays big. Think "Are You Smarter than a Fifth-Grader?" because the contestants usually look pretty well-fed. Stay away from "The Amazing Race" (too much running!) and "Survivor" (insects and pineapple don't make for a happy tummy).
• Have a baby late in the year so you can take full advantage of mommy and daddy's new little tax write-off. We didn't plan to have both of ours in December, but we didn't complain when our refund check came (and went to living expenses during the moolah drought).
*"Do your poopin' at work!" was actually said at my house this week. Watch out Wal-Mart, here we come!
**Don't really do this.
***You can't base a career on cartoon turtles.
congratulations on making it through the financial problem. Now you have such a nice family, I'm sure it was worth the belt tightening.
How about some pictures of those cute kids?
i'm applying each one of those starting now. they seem environmentally sound too.
Hey, great tips!! I'm totally going to consider the poopin' at work one..think of the money I can save...
Don't forget to buy gas 1 gallon at a time with the money you found in the couch and in the kids' piggy banks.
Oh and Good Luck and Strong Legs!