Family Food Crisis
The Dollar Stretcher Blog
by Gary Foreman
gary @stretcher.com



Dear Dollar Stretcher,
I only have a little money to spend on food this month, about $80 for a family of 4. What kind of meal suggestions can you give?
Thank you.
Red

Feeding a family of four on $80 is a challenge. But, for many families, it’s a reality. And, although it is hard, it is not impossible.

Begin by checking your resources. You may have more resources available than you think. What do you already have in your pantry? Probably not a lot, but when you’re struggling every bit counts.

Check to see what other sources of food might be available to you. Don’t hesitate to ask for help. Your local food pantry is there for a reason. Many churches and synagogues also have pantries. If you have trouble finding one contact a couple of churches. They should be able to point you in the right direction.

Another private source for help is Angel Food Ministry. They’re able to provide a box of food worth approximately $65 for $30. There is no qualification required. Check their site to see if there’s a location near you .

SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) or as it’s more commonly known “food stamps” is designed to help families who need assistance to buy groceries. Over 40 million people receive SNAP aid each month. You can find out more at the government website .

If your children are in school find out what lunch assistance is available. Knowing that they’re eating well at noon will make your life a little easier.

You might also be able to trade some manual labor for food. Check with local farmers or fruit/vegetable stands.

Once you know what resources are available to you it’s time to think about what to buy. You’ll want to shop the perimeter of the store. The cheapest foods (and often the healthiest) are usually found along the side and back walls of the grocery store. Avoid all the prepackaged and processed foods.

Rice, potatoes, pasta and flour are all relatively inexpensive and filling. Use these items as the foundation of your meals. They’re easy to cook and can be used in a variety of ways. For centuries they’ve been the main part of the working person’s diet.

Every meal does not have to include meat. In fact, you’ll need to resign yourself to the fact that meat will be an occasional treat during the month. Ask the grocery butcher when they mark down meat that’s near it’s expiration date for clearance. That’s your best bet for affordable meats.

Study depression era strategies. Basic, filling foods fixed in an engaging manner. One example is Clara Cannucciari. She’s a great grandmother who has a video series showing depression cooking. You can find one of her videos here . See if your local library has older cookbooks. Or cookbooks with traditional recipes.

In season vegetables offer nutrition and add flavor to your meals. Add them to potatoes, rice or pasta to create variety and interest to your meals.

Beans are an excellent, inexpensive source of protein. Not only are they cheap, they come in a variety of flavors. Buy them raw or dried and prepare them yourself. You can find instructions on the web or most cookbooks.

Also remember that soups offer a low cost meal. Start with whatever veggies you have and add potatoes, rice or noodles.

When you have very few dollars to spend, it’s important to make your purchases count. So know how you’ll use something before you buy it. Waste is not an option with a really tight food budget.

The task may seem very difficult, but be encouraged that others before you have successfully fed their families on a very tight budget. I’m sure that you can do it, too.

______________________

Gary Foreman is the editor of The Dollar Stretcher.com HYPERLINK “http://www.stretcher.com/”website and HYPERLINK “http://www.stretcher.com/subscribe/subscribeDS.cfm”newsletters. For more information about living on a bare bones budget.

Repaying Charged-Off Debts
The Dollar Stretcher Blog
by Gary Foreman
gary @stretcher.com



I have fallen behind on some credit card payments and the debts were sent to collection agencies. I have paid them in full except for one. That one offered a settlement amount less than what I owed and I paid it. My question is: is still it helpful to pay the amount in full as far as my credit score goes? Will they show it paid in full on my credit. As for the debt that I paid the settlement on, will that be worse on my credit than the ones I paid in full and will it show on my credit as settled or what? I know I was late and that shows. How does the rest of the story go?
Laura

Let’s start by examining some of the facts about how past due credit card accounts are reported on your credit history.

Depending on which reporting agency you check, the status of your payment may be stated in plain English or a code may be used. If it is in code “R” is used for revolving credit (think credit card). “I” for installment loans (like a car payment). The letter (I or R) will be followed by a number. “1″ means paid as agreed. A higher number means a worse payment history with “9″ meaning “charged off as bad debt.”

Next we’ll examine charge offs. They often confuse people. When you borrow money two things happen. One you agree to repay the money plus interest on some type of schedule. Two, on the bank’s accounting records it replaces a current asset (the money that it lent you) with another asset (your promise to repay the debt).

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Written by: Gary Foreman





“Never make predictions, especially about the future.” – Casey Stengel

For years Casey Stengel managed in baseball’s big leagues. Some of his quotes are legendary. But, given our current economy, I’d have to take exception to his advice. At least as it applies to our personal finances.

Let’s look at some current information. Unemployment is at 9.8%. Nearly double what it was at the beginning of 2009. Hiring remains anemic.

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