Sometimes, being frugal just isn’t enough. There are situations and circumstances that can cause major financial hardships. I was out of work for three months which was a devastating circumstance for me. I’m a single mother and the loss of income left me terrified and broke.

In situations as dire as that was, there are decisions that must be made. Of course necessary living expenses must be handled first. Rent/mortgage, electricity, water and food should always be a priority. Expenses that don’t directly affect your ability to survive should only be paid once your living expenses have been paid.

Sadly, while going through my unemployment, I was unable to make even my minimum credit card payments. I had worked for years to repair my credit, and it was devastating to feel that I was losing all of the ground that I had gained. I also fell behind on my cable/internet/home phone. There just wasn’t money to pay those bills. I did consider the cable company somewhat of a necessity since I needed the internet to search for a job.

My first instinct was to bury my head in the sand and avoid all of the calls since I couldn’t give them any money. However, I realized that a late pay is far better than a no pay on my credit. If your account is closed by the credit grantor, that is far worse than missing a couple of payments. Missing a few payments will certainly affect your credit, but not nearly as badly and it is far easier to make up for once you get on your feet. I answered the calls and told the same people over and over, every other day, why I was unable to pay. It was annoying, but none of my accounts were closed.

Once I started working again, it was time to play catch up. I know it’s instinctive to want to go online and just get everything caught up. Who wants to spend hours calling a dozen places. However, it is a far better idea to call each and every place that you owe money to. I hadn’t even considered it myself until one of the besties pointed out that I had a better chance of getting late fees waived if I were to call and ask! So, I called every credit card and they each took off at least two late fees. That was, at least, $70 per card!

I even called the cable company and talked them into giving me a discount for paying in full. I also asked about current specials and wound up with an extra DVR/cable box and a faster internet connection for $0.72 LESS per month!

It is important to communicate with the companies to whom you owe money throughout the entire ordeal so your accounts aren’t closed, but it is even more beneficial to communicate when you are ready to catch up so that you can receive the benefit of fee forgiveness. If a company thinks you are unwilling to pay your debts, they will be less likely to work with you, but when they see you making good on them, they will want to help you.

Have you ever had a serious debt experience?

As you all know, I pack my lunch to save money. What you don’t know is that, for some reason, my palette is not satisfied with a simple sandwich for lunch. Now, if it is a delectable (and fattening) sub I am fine. But, when I pack my lunch I try to save calories just as much as I like to save money. Because of that, I am left trying to find items that I can cook that will fill me up and taste delicious. I love a Lean Cuisine as much as the next girl, but they never fill me up and I find myself searching for a snack a little later. I love soup and if I can prepare a soup that is low in calories and can be accompanied with something else to ensure that I’m full, I’m game! This soup is delicious and filling. Eight total servings are 260 calories each!

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano

2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth

8 oz small pasta shells

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 bunch fresh kale, tough stems discarded, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 cans small white beans, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp tomato paste

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Grated parm for serving

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, broth and 3 cups of water. Bring to simmer over high heat. Add pasta and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Stir in kale; cook 5 minutes more. Reduce heat to medium and stir in beans, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Heat through. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

I know it’s been quite some time since I have posted a new blog. I was initially trying to take time off so I could finish up my degree and I intended to start right back up. However, I wound up unemployed for a few months, which set me back a lot. The current economy is very frustrating for any job seeker. However, it is especially frustrating for a recent graduate with 10 years of substantial professional experience under her belt.

During my unemployment, I was stressed and overwhelmed with all of the mounting bills and attempting to budget the meager savings I had acquired. As a frugalosopher, I was better equipped to deal with the lack of income than many would be. However, it was still a difficult time. I am, once again, gainfully employed. During that time, though, I learned a few things that I would like to share. I will delve more into these topics in the weeks to follow, but I want to share the basics now.

1. Don’t ever ignore a bill. Regardless of whether or not you can pay the bill at the moment, don’t pretend as if it doesn’t exist if you do not have the money to pay it. By speaking to those to whom you owe money you are keeping them informed that you intend to make good on your debt and also making a great stride in keeping them from closing your account or sending you to collections. If you ignore it altogether, your account will likely be closed. Slow pay looks much better on your credit than an account closed by credit grantor.
2. When times are financially lean, you can save a lot on groceries. I typically do not exist on hamburger meat. We are a family who eats plenty of chicken and steak. However, when times get tough, the tough eat spaghetti. Once a week. It’s not forever, and a couple of months of cheaper meals never hurt anyone.
3. Selling items on eBay can help a lot. I usually donate my son’s outgrown clothing to Salvation Army. However, when I was strapped for cash I decided to post some on eBay. They sold! I would never have the time or inclination to do this otherwise but, in a pinch, the extra income certainly helped.

I will be posting more frequently in the weeks to come. By the way, big news! The book is slated to be released next month! Keep an eye on my blogs and I will keep you updated!

Have you experienced unemployment or another difficult financial time?

As much as I love to cook, I also love to eat out. For some reason, food just always tastes better when you aren’t the one who prepared it. My son is always pestering me to make him sandwiches and when I point out that since he is twelve years old now he can now make them himself, he always explains that they just taste better when I make them. Yes, I’m a sucker, I know. Anyway, I love to eat out, but I hate to spend a lot of money to eat out. This does not mean that I am limited to McDonald’s for my culinary outings…

I very rarely eat out anywhere without a coupon. When I say very rarely, I mean that I must be eating with someone who hates every restaurant for which I have a coupon. As soon as someone asks me to go out to eat, I run for the coupon stash. There are always great coupons available. The Sunday paper always has coupons for restaurants. Check your mailbox too. The mailers that most people just throw away are filled with coupons for local restaurants. Also, there are always coupons books that are free that are usually available at gas stations, laundromats, nail salons, etc.

If all else fails, check Restaurant.com. There are many offerings on that site and you can often score $25 certificates for $10. Just make sure that you read the fine print. Sometimes they are only good for dinner, or you have to spend a minimum. Watch your e-mails for Groupon and Living Social deals. There are frequently coupons for restaurants that I have been wanting to try. Sign up for the restaurant e-clubs too. They send out coupons all the time.

Buy one get one coupons are my favorite, but 20% off coupons are great too! Sometimes it will just be a free appetizer, but whatever it is, you just saved money! Don’t forget to tip your server based upon the pre-discounted total. That was a huge pet peeve of mine when I was a server!

Where do you get your restaurant coupons?

New Year’s Eve is always an exciting time of year. We are saying good-bye to the old year and looking forward to the new. It is an evening of celebration and friendship and it is also a ridiculously expensive evening that, more often than not, doesn’t live up to our high expectations. People spend weeks planning the evening and shopping for the perfect outfit. Babysitters are booked weeks in advance and their rates are tripled for that evening. Clubs, bars and restaurants are far more expensive than they are the rest of the year, but it turns out just like a regular night with the exception of the midnight countdown. So, why not look for less expensive alternatives?

I’ve begun to thoroughly enjoy spending a night in with friends. The clothes are more comfortable, the drinks are cheaper and you can hear your conversations. There is none of the “special night” letdown because there are no expectations other than enjoying time with your friends. Also, it is much easier to be safe because there is usually a guest bedroom or a couch to sleep on so that you don’t have to worry about an irresponsible drive home.

There are also many restaurants that offer less expensive alternatives. These are usually the restaurants that don’t have crowded bars. I’ve seen some local restaurants offering tasting menus so that you can sample a little bit of many of the selections on the menu. Before deciding on a restaurant, make sure that you call ahead to find out if they are only offering a specific New Year’s menu. Some will deviate from the traditional menu and offer only a special menu and those offering are often a lot more expensive than what you would order otherwise. Also, make sure you call to find out if reservations are necessary. There would be nothing worse than driving around looking for somewhere to go.

Whatever you do for New Year’s eve, make sure that you have fun and that you are safe and responsible. Don’t place exceptionally high expectations because you may be disappointed and have a great time. Don’t drink and drive, but try to arrange a designated driver or a place to sleep if you want to eat, drink and be merry!

What are your plans for New Year’s Eve?

We all make new year’s resolutions that we fail to keep. We promise to work out, to diet or to quit smoking. Some of our resolutions are difficult to keep, but saving money is not a difficult endeavor and it is one that can be done little by little. Here are some resolutions you can make to learn to live more frugally.

1. Get the Sunday paper every Sunday and clip coupons. There are so many savings to be found in the weekly paper and it is throwing money away not to take advantage of them.
2. Don’t assume a deal is a deal just because it says it’s a deal. Many things that say value or bonus are really not. Sometimes they are more expensive than buying the item separately.
3. Don’t hesitate to negotiate prices. Flea markets are not the only place that you can haggle! Cable and cell phone providers will sometimes offer deals if you ask. Even Wal-Mart will reduce the price of an item if there is even a small defect. It never hurts to ask. Don’t be embarrassed to try to get the best deal possible.
4. Don’t carry cash! Carrying cash is the easiest way to spend money without even noticing. Even I am guilty of scratching my head in amazement that I blew through $30 in two days without knowing why. That’s why I always try not to carry cash!
5. Comparison shop. If you know that you want something, don’t assume that the sale price you see in a store’s ad is actually the cheapest price. There are multiple places to check before you can assume that is the best price. Sometimes you will be surprised at how different the prices can be.
6. Plan your monthly menu. By planning ahead, you can make a monthly grocery list which will eliminate the need to be in the grocery store two or three times a week. Fewer trips to the grocery store results in less money spent. We all know that every trip to the grocery store results in purchasing items we may not have purchased otherwise.
7. Watch your grocery store sale ads. There are often really great deals advertised and when you combine coupons with some of those deals, you can find yourself eating for next to nothing! You can plan your monthly meals around the sale items!
8. Curb your spending. If you have a book or movie habit, try the library for both books and movies or the Redbox for movies. There is no need to buy something that you are only going to use once or twice. If you have a passion for designer handbags, try to cut you purchases in half. If you buy two or three a year, cut that down to one. Somehow, cut out some of your unnecessary expenses.
9. While shopping, ask yourself two questions before buying anything. Will this item make me happy six months from now? Will I use this within a month? If the answer to either of these questions is no, walk away!
10. Don’t deprive yourself or your family of enjoyment or necessities simply for the sake of saving money. I am frugal, but I like to enjoy my life. Don’t become so frugal that you are a miser. There is a big difference between being cheap and being frugal. Don’t sacrifice happiness because you didn’t want to part with your money!

What are your new year’s resolutions?

Getting free stuff is as easy as keeping your eyes and ears open! I have already talked about how great of a tool  Facebook is to learn about freebies. The most important thing about finding freebies is to make sure that you share the info. I always try to repost anything that is an incredible deal.

Last night, I was able to take my son to his very first concert because one of my friends was nice enough to repost the information about a freebie concert. My son is a fan of Cee-Lo Green, so we got our free tickets and went out to enjoy the evening. It was especially fun because it was unusual for us to do anything on a school night. It was fun and the best part? It was free!

What is the best freebie outing you’ve had?

It is always nice when you can sneak a variety of vegetables into your meal. Especially since the only side vegetable my son will eat is salad. However, if the vegetable is cooked into a meal he doesn’t seem to mind. I don’t necessarily have to hide them in meals, I just have to make sure that they are mixed with enough different things that he doesn’t mind the flavor. This is one of those recipes that he will happily eat without complaining about the vegetables.

16 jumbo pasta shells

2 cups marinara sauce (I like extra marinara to spoon onto the shells after they are cooked)

1 10oz package frozen spinach, thawed

8 oz frozen broccoli, thawed

15 oz ricotta cheese

2 oz parmesan cheese

4 oz mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400. Cook pasta according to directions. Pour sauce into bottom of baking dish. Squeeze spinach to get rid of excess water and chop spinach and broccoli and place in bowl. Stir in cheeses (only half of the mozzarella) and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and spoon mixture into shells. Bake 10-12 minutes or until shells are heated through.