I really am hesitant to do this.... on the Peoria.com Forums - Page 5

But $250 a week is SOMETHING coming in and is showing that your at least making an effort, Hip. Anyway, good luck w/ your interview

Hip, I work with low income people and Public aid,. My focus is work and job training. Flipper is right, any job is better than no job.
Also, as a prospective employer I would much rather hire a person currently working looking to improve their job than someone that has been out of work for an extended time.

the later leads to thoughts of what is wrong with the person, is there no motivation etc.

I also am speaking form experience, ten years ago, 30K a year and I walked in one day an was told the job had been cut, goodbye. I did not wait to find the perfect job, I applied and began working at a grocery store for minimum wage to at least be able to pay something on my bills.

You mention that 250 a week won't meet your weekly needs.
Have you actually set down and looked at places to cut?
Things like Cable, that weekly night out, cigarettes, alcohol are all things that cost much with little return.

Create a budget that will work on a minimum wage job, knowing it is temporary but needed to get through this tough times.

Best of luck

Here's alos a thought. You mentioned you spend $150 a week in groceries? That's really quite a bit for a family of 4, especially 2 small ones. www.hillbillyhousewife.com , while you may not like the views of the site, she offers a sample menu of how to eat on 45$ a week or something like that. Perhaps you could get some ideas there on lowering your eating expenses. also, www.allrecipes.com has some budget friendly recipes...budget friendly, isn't that a nifty word? I used to have a 1 weeks menu titled "omygoshimbrokethisweek" I pulled it out often. Good luck in your quest.

Btw...whatever happened w/ that guy that my bro gave you his #? I never asked.

We don't have cable, don't go out, cut down to less than 1/2 a pack of cigs a day, dropped cable to DSL, went with a very cheap cell phone...
There are no more cuts and no Flip, I HAVE that 250.00 a week job.
I mean, are you few honestly giving me a hard time because I want a good job that will pay my bills?
Goddamn, I'm 44 yrs old. Maybe I'd like to have cable TV again. Maybe I'd like to have a NICE cell phone, or a car! There's a thought. A CAR!! WOW!
Maybe I'm tired struggling. Plenty of people out there work ONE job and make GOOD money. Is it bad that I'd like to have a job like that? I mean, I'm qualified, so why is this such an insult to you, and tapeworm etc, that I'm asking for a little friggin' help so MY family can have little security, too.

Actually, it's not a lot, but I'll check that site out.
We eat a lot of chicken. Split breasts usually run 5-6 bucks each for a 2 pack. If we do that for 4 days, that's 25 dollars right there. Then you need potatoes, vegetables, we HAVE been paying for baby food, formula, diapers, which runs about 50 bucks a week, then there's cereal, drinks, canned goods, dog and cat food, water, a few snacks...
150 bucks is nothing!

I always worked as a food server for over 30 years. It was part time night work, and I took home over $400 a week. Some of the girls worked a day job on top of the night serving job. If Bridgett could wait tables at night, you could work some crap job during the day and at least make a living until the perfect job comes along. She would have 2 week days off and work week-ends, the big money nights. You could be off week ends and never have to pay a sitter. Heck, even waiting tables an 8 hour shift at Steak & Shake pays more than retail work.

Forget we ever mentioned anything good luck with your negativity and hope it does not eat you up.

Suggestions an recommendations are what I thought you were looking for, I guess I don't know What you really want.

Disregard our thoughts and continue to wallow in your self pity I am done!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry things are so rough. Brad and I have been there before. You may reconsider a temp agency. Brad got a **** job through a temp agency because I was pregnant and we were desperate. He worked his ass off and the company bought out his contract from the temp agency early and hired him on full time with benefits and put him in a better job. Showing that he was willing to do whatever it took is what impressed the company. Don't let your frustration defeat you. I hope things look up for you and your family.

So nice you can eat lily white chicken breast. But I think that is def. one place where you can cut back. When me and DH were without a job he ate cheaper cut legs and thighs. We actually ate more vegetarian in those days. Eating lots of veggies and beans and soups are filling, cheap and give you all the vitamins you need.

Time to look up HipKat. Your attitude is drowning you! Actually, if you really think about it, things COULD be worse. Count your blessings and move on.

Good luck with your interview.

Unbelievable- some of you people are just, so hateful.

Maybe the dude just wants to vent? Yeah, he's called Republicans names, but I'm a Repubby, and I call Demmies names too, does he deserve to lose his family and home?

So here's what I'LL DO-

HipKat- If you seriously need help, PM ME- I'll give you my address, you can come over.

I have a really groovy bar in my backyard, you can come over, have a few beers, we'll meet and you'll go away with a armload of groceries for your family, and a new Republican friend.
In fact, I open this invitation to ANYONE on here who wants to meet that night, and provide some help to our FRIEND ON HERE.
We have Boulevard Pale Ale on tap, and a fully stocked bar.

PM me for info- let's have a PDC GTG with a foodathon for a fellow human and his family.

I'll post this in the recipe section but this is a great money saving idea:

Leanne Ely's Rubber Chicken
Serves 4 for 3 days

* 1 chicken -- washed and patted dry (get a nice sized one)
* 1/2 celery rib -- cut in pieces
* 1 onion -- quartered
* 1 carrot -- cut in 2" pieces
* salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste


Day One: The adventure begins--Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In the cavity of the chicken, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place cut up vegetables inside. Sprinkle the outside with salt and pepper and a little garlic powder, too, if you like. Cook for about an hour or longer (depending on the size of the bird) till the juices run clear. Let sit a minute and then remove the vegetables. In the meantime, if you were smart, you boiled the neck with some celery, onion and carrot and have that broth, too. To further cut down on the grease from the chicken, you could take the cooking juices and put them in a cup and refrigerate while you make the rest of the meal. This will get rid of a significant amount of chicken fat which will all rise to the top. Make a nice gravy by deglazing the pan with a little water and thicken it up with a flour/water mixture (about a tablespoon should do) Serve your wonderful chicken with Just Like Mama's Mashed Potatoes and lots and lots of veggies. Remember, you want leftover chicken.

Day Two: Let the adventure continue! Take your time and pull every last itty bitty bit of chicken of them bones. You want that chicken skeleton to look like a science project. Toss the chicken in pot with a can of black beans and season with a little cumin, some garlic powder and serve it up with lots of salsa, tortillas, some cheese--whatever turns your key! A great big salad will give you a perfect dinner.

Day Three: The adventure ends--with the skeletal remains finally hitting the stock pot. Throw in the same veggies: onion, carrots and celery, season it with salt, pepper and garlic powder and throw about 3 quarts of water over the top. Cook the daylights out of it and strain. Now make soup or store appropriately. Bet you didn't know one puny chicken had so many meals in it, did you?

Thanks Ron! That's very cool!
I never turned down a temp agency job, it just never crossed my mind. I'm definitley going to see how this interview goes tomorrow and if it doesn't work out, I'll check out Manpower or whoever.
And I just thanked everyone for their suggestions and said I'd explore all of them, so WTF are you talking about, Feldencat?
The problem with wings and legs is that I just can't eat dark meat.
And Bridget has been applying for jobs, but that bus/timing thing has popped up a few times and most just didn't hire her.
Believe me, we're trying everything, and it was only with desperation that I even posted this, especially in light of recent events on here.

Anyhow, I didn't want to argue, and if I came across the wrong way, then I apologize.

Good luck, Hip with your search. Doesn't Bridgett drive either? My husband got his job through Trillium Staffing in Peoria. They had quite a few jobs and the one he took turned into full time employment with benefits after 60 days. He is an older man without a high school diploma who had been self employed all his life and they got him work. Don't give up hope. You can do this.

It's not that either of don't drive. We don't have a car.

Agains, thanks to everyone for the positive thoughts and suggestions.

Tape, when you have kids, talk to me about sending them away, to live with other people for ANY reason.

i spend about 85 a week on us 3 . we only get a bout 1 good meal a day .
 the girls eat at school  which we pay for  .
no free ride  he makes to much .   i only eat 1 meal  aday .  maybe a lil snack in the afternoon .
i did get a deepfreezer so i can stock up  since im not close to a store anymore