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Thrifty Living 2012

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We’re starting a new series today – Thrifty Living 2012.


In this series, there will be five women sharing the economic struggles they and their families face in their particular region.

Each week, one of us; Brenda, Claudia, Elaine, Jen and Diane, will be featured with a topic on how we are living more thriftily in the year 2012. The rest of us will provide our own paragraph or so on how we apply that thrifty tip to our own lifestyle.

We run the gamut. Brenda is the only single family household. Claudia and Don live with their two dogs in New York. Elaine has a small daughter and grown children in Southern California. Jen and her husband have just relocated to another part of Canada and are looking for their first house. Diane and her husband live in Florida and are retired.

My story:
This series calls for an honest appraisal of how the woeful economy has affected our lifestyles, so I will be as honest as I can, while still protecting my privacy.
My name is Claudia and I live with my husband and two dogs in upstate New York, about 75 miles northwest of Manhattan.
Ten years ago, I left my full-time position as an Associate Professor and Resident Vocal Coach for a well-known theater program to move East with my husband. He’s an actor who, after having spent all of his professional life on the West Coast, found that he was getting more work on the East Coast. I was suffering from teacher burnout. Don was turning 50 and we figured it was now or never. I started to do freelance work as a Voice coach for the theater and Don? Acting is always freelance.
Since our move, we have had the usual fluctuations in income that come when both wage earners are freelancers. But the past 2 years have been terrible for us. Acting work has dried up, thanks, in part, to Reality television. (More on that next week.) Don has found himself in the same boat as so many of his actor friends, actors who have worked professionally for 40 years, suddenly facing the fact that there is little, if any, work to be found.
My work comes and goes. Theaters have had cuts in funding. Budgets don’t always allow for a coach. Something has to go and it can’t be costumes and sets, can it?
We bought a house at the height of the real estate boom and now make hefty mortgage payments on a house that is not worth nearly the amount of our loan. We’re struggling to get by.
We’ve never lived anything close to a lavish lifestyle. Our lifestyle has been extremely moderate. But now? We are having to cut corners on essentials. Every month the mortgage payment has to be made and the bills paid and we cross our fingers and hope that this month we’ll have enough.
I’ll share more with you next week.
To read the introductions of the rest of the team, please visit:

Comments

  1. I applaude you all. I am finding myself in the same boat. My husbands business of 90 years is hanging on week by week. He can no longer contribute to the household income. I have never been wealthy and have had time of struggle but have never felt so panicked about making ends meet like I do now. Hopefully we all will come out ok in the end.

  3. I’m a new follower coming from Lavendar Dreams, I will enjoy teading your blog very much, I’m sorry that things have turned out this way but you have a wonderful outlook , we will all learn new ways to survive this new way of living, I should say better way of living, more frugal , and smarter money wise.

  4. I’m so happy to get to know you better and learn from you! You lead such an interesting life! I’m very excited about this series and think it will benefit all of us! Hugs! ♥

  7. For many of us it’s time to think about retiring. Or maybe it isn’t. I’m looking forward to this series. As to reality tv – please make it stop. Networks who could be making us laugh and learn and escape – are causing us to squirm and sigh and quit watching. On the other hand, real tv aka HGTV, DIY, etc. are making us crazy with their unreal makeovers. There was a time when you watched these channels to make your life a little better. Now I’ve almost given up on them because they are so over the top. Sorry, you just pushed one of my buttons. I hope and pray your husband gets work – for you two and for us, too.

  8. Hi Claudia. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for thinking of Brett.
    I am so excited about this series. Our life took a total turn around a few years back. I am running out of ideas on how to cut back.
    I love your blog, but I have said that before haven’t I.
    Your home is beautiful.

  9. Good morning Claudia,

    I look forward to this series because like many others, my husband and I found ourselves 7 years ago with our lives turned upside down. My husband lost his job of 32 year due to downsizing. Even though he is still young and fit, he worked at his company since he was 18, he just now got a part-time job. I am interested to see how others are coping.

    Have a lovely day,
    Sue

  10. I shall follow all your frugality with interest Claudia, and that of the others.

    With me no longer working due to problems with my health we know all about the struggle to make not enough go ever further! And the treat of redundancy looms over my husband just now and goodness knows what we’ll do if that happens. But I’m looking on this year as a challenge and an adventure, it’s the only way isn’t it.

  13. I just shared your post on Facebook. You’ve got a great range of living situations that I think anybody would be able to find something!

  14. Claudia thank you for sharing so much of your personal life in this series.

    It’s hard for everyone out there, and I think we can all learn from each other’s stories.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

  15. Looking forward to this new series and open to learning what’s possible. Thanks for sharing, I really enjoy your postings/blog.

  16. This new series is the best idea for 2012 in blogland. I’m retired even if I don’t want to me. Lost my job 3 years ago and now find myself at 61 living on savings and hoping that SS is there for me in a couple of years. Living a frugal lifestyle is a must. Glad to get to know you better and follow along with you and all the ladies. Hugs, Linda

  17. First, I just want to say how much I love your big porch … what a lovely spot that must be in warm weather. Secondly, I’m really looking foward to this series; we all can use some good ideas at this point. Although my husband is blessed with a good job (and horrendously long hours) and able to work at home, we’re finding that the venture we started here in Havasu is not as profitable (if at all) as we had hoped so it means we need to re-think what path we’re going to take going forward. Frugal ideas are most welcome!

  18. Tight budget – looks like we are both in that situation. I had planned to retire in 2010 but was hit will an illness in 2008 so I ended up retiring early and now I am unable to work. I am so much better now so I have started my own little jewelry business on Etsy. I enjoyed you sharing your life.

  19. Good Idea Claudia…I’ll check out the other blogs too!

    Living in California is the place where we want to be, but unfortunately, it and we have had to also budget…BIG TIME!! I work 2 hours a day in a middle school and my husband has endured a pay cut..we thank God he still has a job and that he and I have been pretty sensible as far as spending goes.

    Can’t wait for the the next entry.

    tootles,
    bunny

  20. WHAT A TERRIFIC IDEA…..READ ALL THE OTHER BLOGS AND THEY WERE ALSO INTERESTING……..WITH ALL THE HIGH PRICES TODAY…..IT WILL BE A BIG HELP…..I GET SS……I THANK THE LORD I AM LIVING WITH MY DAUGHTER….
    HAVE A GREAT DAY……RIZZI

  21. Claudia, this is a great idea as so many of us are in the same boat. I appreciate your candor and look forward to reading the other contributors’ stories and the series as a whole. Ann

  22. My husband and I were in Florida, NY until early 2010 while my hubby was working in Manhattan. We met so many wonderful people. I don’t think I ever fully realized what the taxes in NY do to families before. We coordinate Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University classes when we can (this is mostly for us to keep us on track!) and it was truly a wake-up call to see how people are struggling to make ends meet due to the effects of the taxes in that area on everything from food to utilities and home ownership. Wow! I look forward to reading how you are making ends meet in your area!

  24. I know you gals will provide a great service doing this – any help one can get to combat the ever rising expenses of basic daily living will help so many.

    We started out with very little in the early ’60’s when I emigrated here – lived by the envelope system in the early years, and struggled, oh yes, we did! I retired 15 yrs. ago to care for a grandchild. Hubby retired 6 years ago, however returned to work the next day, first as a part-time consultant, now a full time employee traveling often. He is 71, fortunately in good health, loves what he does, and has worked for the same company for well over 50 years! This income now is what allows us to travel. We have lived ‘small’ for the most part – very small house which is thankfully paid for, no fancy vehicles, vacation homes, boats, or tons of unnecessary ‘stuff’. We never felt the need to keep up with the Jones’! We are both cancer survivors and give thanks every day that we are still here enjoying life.

    Knowing that it would be impossible to live on Social Security, we planned ahead for the so-called ‘golden years’. We’ve never inherited money, everything we have we worked hard for. Today it’s different – jobs are never secure, employees are often not valued and are just a payroll number. Young people are not prepared to go without the ‘toys’ and don’t save much, if anything…….their futures will be even harder than ours!

    So, in all honesty I don’t really have to live a frugal life right now, however I always look for bargains, clip coupons, and think twice before making any purchase. We cannot get longterm care insurance because of our cancers so still have to save for the future, not knowing what lies ahead. So I’ll be checking in with you gals to get ideas for living carefully if not actually frugally.

    As for reality TV – it’s all disgusting – and even HGTV is no longer watched much in this old house! However, that Dave Ramsey is one amazing guy – everyone should listen to him on the radio – their finances, and lives, would be so much better!

    Thinking of you Claudia – hugs, Mary

    P.S. Glad Diane came on board – I’ve met her in person and she’s a sweet, very Southern, gal, right Diane?

  25. Claudia,
    I can’t tell you how refreshing it is that you all are sharing your experiences so honestly. So many of us are in the same boat right now and it’s really wonderful to read all of your stories. I look forward to reading this new series.

    Betsy

  26. Sounds like it’s going to be a great series, can’t wait to read everyone’s stories.
    As for reality tv; I just don’t get it. It’s all so fake and lacks and value. If it weren’t for the classics (movies and series), I wouldn’t bother to watch anything.
    Hang in there Claudia, the economy has got to get better soon!

  27. Hi Claudia, I found your blog on Lavender Dreams! I look forward to this thrifty living series and am your newest follower. Hope you’ll stop in sometime. Living thriftily in Wisconsin – Judy

  28. Great idea, Claudia.

    The economy has been hard on so many. We lost our software jobs in 2000 and were forced to sell our home at a loss to avoid foreclosure. At the time, we had no idea what a blessing that was. Building our tiny house ourselves with cash has meant no mortgage for the rest of our lives.

    I know we all define “thrifty” a little differently. I look forward to reading what you have to share.

    Happy weekend,
    Zuzu

  29. I’ll be reading your posts with interest! We are also struggling due to the economy (here in Greece, it seems like everyone is!) and every frugal tip is a Godsend! Great blog – I just found it through one of your other Thrifty Living sisters :)

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