Friday, January 30, 2009

"Fun" Money

Well, I listened to some advice and revisited the budget, Like Katy said, I have to be realistic on our entertainment expenses. We can't just sit around looking at each other. Plus, I hadn't factored in birthday presents, which we're not going to ignore, and I needed to allow for the rise in energy costs in the summer, so that we don't bake while we just sit around looking at each other.

We'll miss you Harrison, but you're cute, so I'm sure the gypsies we'll be selling you to will find you a good home, no problem.

Okay, okay, we're not selling Harrison. But if someone makes an offer on Lennon's hair, done deal.

In the meantime, I'm going to have to come up with extra money every month. Not a lot. Like, not enough to justify sending Eric into zombie mode again with a second job. But maybe enough to allow the government to inject us with radioactive dye just to see how long we'll glow. Medical experiments, market research groups, secret shopping, phone book delivery, census working,ebay, etsy shop in which I sell......jokes?, panhandling, adult masseuse, scam artisting..... just brainstorming here.

Come on team, I know you guys have some options I haven't considered yet. There are no wrong answers. Except for Etsy shop in which I sell jokes. That was stupid.

10 comments:

witticism here said...

I honestly don't know. We have cut back on things like cell phones or sold stuff on ebay or Craigslist rather than donating.

If you have credit cards have you called to ask them to reduce the interest rate? Called cell companies to see if there are cheaper plans?

Hmmm

Anonymous said...

You could always have a yard sale and sell your old fun to get some new fun. Course that is really only a temporary fix. And they don't pay for blood donations any more so that is clearly out. ooh I know maybe you could have like 18 or more children and buy everything in bulk and put them to work and also then you will be given a show on TLC in which you will earn enough to buy whatever you want including a really huge house. Oh and maybe people will donate stuff to you because they will feel for your plight.

Renee said...

Keiko, that's the funny thing about our situation. We can't really cut anything else. We're cut to the bone. We have an EXCELLENT interest rate on all our cards already, and it's kind of a moot point anyway, since we're paying all of them off with our tax refund in a couple of weeks. Also, our cell phone has the lowest plan and the cheapest phone.

We're already cutting Tivo, cable, and once the plan obligation runs out, we're done with the cells too.

Really, it's about bring stuff in.

Scarlet, your suggestion is not too far off one of the options we joked about. If we had one more kid, we'd qualify for SSI, thanks to being blind. It'd be an extra $900/month. We'd also get WIC for groceries. IT'S CRAZY that having another kid would put us into enough poverty to get gu'ment assistance. That system is so flawed.....

Renee said...

Also, I think I'm coming across as whiny and needy. Like I'm laughing in the face of 3rd world countries or something. I swear guys, I do have perspective on this. I just really want to move out of my mom's basement and be able to afford a house.

I'm so tacky.

diane said...

I love you being tacky.
I'll buy you some candles and some skanky lingerie, and even babysit so you can get knocked up. Sounds like baby #3 is the best option here. In fact, I'm wondering how many babies I need to have to get the same deal going. I'm gonna have to ponder that one for a while...

Jillsywillsy said...

I know you don't want to sell him. Would you consider renting him out?

Renee said...

Diane, would it be tacky if I accepted your offer, but just forgot about the knocked up part? Or is it just tacky enough that I have no problem telling everyone I like the idea of babymaking without any actual babymaking?

Yup, tacky.

Jill, if you're somehow suggesting that someone would pay ME to babysit him, I don't know why I didn't think of it before. It's just crazy enough to work.

Attention all: You Can Watch Harrison this Saturday Night, For a Small Fee. There is a minimum two-hour rental fee, as I will be needing that time for babymaking.

meghan said...

You know when I got really desperate for money I took a look at the adult gigs on craigslist. I just figured it seemed a shame to have these skills being donated to just one person who doesn't appear interested in paying for them anyway. Just a thought...

Katy said...

I too have had a looksie or two on the adult section of craig's list. You can be a nude model, that's likely to pay at least $20. I'm a secret shopper, seriously, I am. I don't do it for the extra income necessarly, but for the free stuff/date nights. We've stayed in hotels, had fancy dinners, gone bowling... all for free (well to write up a report on the experience.) That's a good way to save money you'd be budgeting on entertainment.

mrsmouthy said...

Some of the grocery stores sometimes hire people to buy groceries for the on-line orders. Would that work? If not, I recommend harvesting your organs.