The first 30 people to comment with their e-mail addresses will get a code for 30% off their entire purchase. I am about to head into work so you won't get it until late tonight. Starts tomorrow and runs through the 15 i believe. Online is good for one time use only.

I'm looking for advice from people that have had their child support payments reduced. My boyfriend is currently paying out 25% of his income to a child he isn't even allowed to see (for NO good reason!).

How did you go about doing it?
Did you need a lawyer?
How long did it take?
Was it successful? (I've heard it doesn't always work out for the better.)

Anything other advise you can offer up?

Right now i'm eating curry rice, with a hot dog chopped up in it. :( I'm moving soon and I refuse to go grocery shopping until I eat all the food I have, so nothing goes to waste.


I was just wondering what strange food combinations you guys have eaten when you were low on money and only eating things that were already in your pantry!

This is a matter of life and death, and I wish I was kidding.

My mom has a very large tumor in her chest, and we can't do anything about it.  It's bad enough that she's in the hospital through the ER every 2 to 4 weeks, and they said it needs to be taken out.  Her last ER/hosp trip they found out the tumor has a tumor growing on it now.  It's not cancerous, so if they can get it out, she'll have a recovery period the doctors estimate for 6 weeks, and then she'll be okay.  Left alone, it's expected to kill her within months.  We've been dealing with this for a year, with the first tumor diagnosed in March.  The county where she lives has a very small, inadequate hospital that doesn't have the equipment or any doctors with the skills to remove this particular tumor.  The hospital that's nearest that can is in another county.  She can't get in the doors of that other hospital without insurance or Medi-Cal.  She tried once by ambulance, and was transferred back to the small hospital 100 miles away after being stabilized.

The doctors had her apply for disability since she can't work, and she was denied.  An attorney took it on on contingency, but today she got a decision on the court appeal and the court denied it.  So she gets nothing.  The social security office says she's well enough to be working full time, and the judge sided with them even her doctors, the ones who are professional, and her medical history since last summer show she can't.  How can someone work when about a third of her time is spent hospitalized with the doctors struggling to stabilize her so she doesn't die and can live another week? 

What she has now is a county coverage that only covers doctors in her county.  No where else.  The doctors she's seeing have tried getting her in the doors at the larger hospital, but can't.

She's under 65, not considered disabled even though she really is, isn't pregnant, or anything else, so she doesn't qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare.  She also has been turned down for private insurance.  If she was accepted anyway, we don't know how the premium would have been paid since I'm not floating with extra dollars either, but I'd find a way.  But she was denied anyway so it doesn't matter.  I've applied for her for every medical insurance company in the northern California region.

She lives in Merced County right now, and the hospital she needs to be in is in San Mateo County, if this makes a difference at all.  She worked until she not too sick last summer, a nurse for 25 years who now can't get medical help and will die, the doctors are surprised she hasn't died yet but she's close.  It's really dire.  She's wasting away from her organs shutting down from these tumors.  On a "good" day, her weight goes up to 95 pounds, which is too little for 5'5". 

What are some options for us/her, or do we have to accept she's just going to have to die?

I really have tried looking, so I thought I'd seek input.

I'm finally moving in with my husband, after being forced to shell out 950 dollars a month in room and board on campus for the time up until our marriage. The agreement with him is that I pay for and prepare all foods, something he's not exactly the greatest at (and has been living on fast food). As we all know here, fast food is very expensive, especially when the costs start to add up.

Since neither of us will be at home at one set time for lunch, packing seems like the best option. We both will have access to microwave and refrigerating facilities.

So, what makes a good, cheap, packed lunch for someone older than 10? And please don't suggest lunch meat sandwiches unless you have a tip on making them cheaper, lunch meat is actually surprisingly expensive compared to the costs of most any kind of meat, and it's a pretty obvious option anyway.

So, share with us your recipes, any interesting links, any ideas, any suggestions, anything related to the process of lunch packing! Heck, I'll even take suggestions for things that reheat well.

My budget is pretty tight, but I really want to be able to save money. 

I can spare a little each paycheck to put into a savings account, but being that I most likely would be starting it with a different bank than my own(to prevent me from being able to transfer easily), I know a lot of banks have minimums for that.

Anyone know of a good bank I can use to build up a savings account that doesn't require a minimum? Also, is it even a good idea to start an account like that in this economy?

Eligibility:
Kmart customers who present state-issued identification (driver’s license or identification card) and a state-issued unemployment benefits enrollment confirmation are eligible to participate in the program (“Eligible Participants”). At checkout, cardholders will be required to show their valid discount card, their state-issued identification card for signature verification and their state-issued unemployment benefits enrollment verification. Valid signature verification is required to use the card.

This PDF explains what product lines are eligible and other details. They are only issuing cards for two more months, but the cards last for 6 months after you get them. Cards issued in December are good until 6/30, and cards issued in January are good until 7/31.

I don't do much shopping at Kmart, but I get a lot of the Great Value stuff at Walmart, and can tell you that most store brands are as good or nearly as good as the name brands. 20% off STORE brand can save you A TON off the name brands.

Signup at Kmart Smart Assist.

This isn't really a poor skill but I think it will help those who live day to day with double digits or single digits in bank accounts and are always so close to $0 that accidental overdrafts just happen sometimes.

It happens to even the best of us. You forget to put something in the ledger, and next thing you know, that gallon of milk you paid $3 for with your debit card is over $30 with overdraft fees, eating away half your food budget for the week, or maybe all of it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091112/ap_on_bi_ge/us_fed_overdraft_fees

Now the new rule, which takes effect July 1, banks will be required to have customers opt in for overdraft protection on debit transactions. Electronic payments and checks, which are used most for big bills like rent, can still go through and get an overdraft without opting in, but for regular debit transactions, they'll just be declined unless you opt in.

So there will be some relief for us starting next summer.

November 12th through 15th -- that's today (Thursday) through Sunday -- you can save 30% at Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic in-store.

5% of your purchase goes to DonorsChoose, a charity where teachers submit classroom projects for funding.

Print the coupon here: http://www.gapinc.com/giveandget/donorschoose/

Get yourself some sweaters and help some students!

Due to suddenly extremely straitened financial circumstances, my family is looking toward Angel Food Minitries for help, based on so many of your excellent recommendations here! However, with two adults working long hours and no car, I somehow can't envision myself maneuvering pounds and pounds of food all the way across the borough(s) (there's only one distribution site in Manhattan, where I live) after dark, when I'm off work. How does this "online ordering" thing work? Will they deliver, or is it just a more stream-lined way to pick it up yourself? Of course, this is all a moot point because I can't find anywhere even remotely local that even allows for "online ordering"...

I'm sure I sound like a spoiled Manhattanite, but it's been a horrible, stressful week of finding out that we have much, much less disposable income than I have been led to believe for the last two years. So please, please be kind. Thank you so so much for any advice you can offer - I really appreciate it :)

I know this type of thing has been asked before, but I couldn't find anything offhand...if I overlooked something, maybe somebody could point me to a link.

I am wanting to possibly make little bath sets for people for Christmas. I don't really have a lot of spare money this year, and I'd like to do something creative that doesn't require a lot of money going into it. I was thinking of doing like little baskets with soaps, bath salts, bath oils, etc. so forth. I looked around online for kits that would come with the molds and glycerin and oils and everything...but I can't find any kits that make more than 6 of anything. I am thinking maybe it would be cheaper to buy things separately, but not having done this before, I'm really unsure. There is a Joann Fabrics craft store in my area that would probably have some of the things I need, but I figure it'll be relatively expensive. Is there a place online that is reasonably priced? And does anyone have enough experience with this type of thing to recommend to me what I should or should not get? Thanks in advance!

Who here is a Fox News defender? Anyone? Because I know the Daily Show is not a real news show and stuff, but, this right here is ridiculous.

And it's one of the many reasons I hate Fox News.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-november-10-2009/sean-hannity-uses-glenn-beck-s-protest-footage

Am I missing a large chunk of the story here? Where are your ethics, Fox? Where are they?



xposted to Journalists.

I looked through the memories but there wasn't a specific entry for this question: I am looking for a craft or yarn store in DC that has embroidery materials, specifically one that has a large variety of colors of embroidery floss, and possibly some interesting yarn as well.

I live in Mt Pleasant and am trying to find something as close-in as possible, though I also spend a bit of time in the Takoma Park area.

Thanks,

A.

Russia will produce next-generation nuclear reactors and new types of nuclear fuel by 2014, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday.

"The programs of developing nuclear power engineering have been separated as a special area in the modernization project, with next-generation nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel enjoying a demand within the country and abroad and will appear in Russia by 2014,"Medvedev said in his state-of-the-nation address to both houses of parliament.

Medvedev said nuclear developments would also be actively applied in other spheres, first of all, in medicine, adding that Russia would also participate in an international project of thermonuclear synthesis as these technologies held promise for the future.

Medvedev said Russia, as a member of the world's club of nuclear technology developers, would team up with foreign partners to open access to a virtually unlimited source of energy.

Russia has repeatedly announced its new nuclear developments and plans to introduce them within the country and promote them on global markets."

Join Russian politics discussion club on http://twitter.com/ValdaiClub

Hi,

I'm looking for a good jeweler. I have a sapphire I need set into a semi-mount setting. Does anyone know of any business or place in the area that has a good reputation? I am willing to go on the pricey side.

Thanks.

"I realized just how effective the demonization of welfare has been when I was actually shocked to hear kids, in a show targeted at other kids, being led in a chant that said being poor or on welfare shouldn’t be shameful and did not reduce their worth as human beings. Can you imagine a TV show, even on PBS, putting something like this on the air today? Our public discourse at this point says that being on welfare is shameful, and that those receiving it in fact aren’t “somebody.” They are dependents, lazy loafers, and their kids are just additional burdens on the state; they don’t have the same rights to dignity and respect as other citizens, and they certainly shouldn’t expect to get it."

[Source]

This picked up my mood considerably today. And while it's not specifically advice or a suggestion of some kind, maybe it'll pick up someone's mood too?


------------------------------------------------
// edit: Throughout the course of the night I have been touched by so many of these stories and replies that I just wanted to say thank you. Just imagine.... For someone to reply, I think, there's someone else out there that isn't replying but might have been touched by this video, what you said, or what you're going through. And I think that's powerful. I also think it's evident that this is message has uplifted and made some of you stronger today so for those of you who would like, I have converted the youtube video to an MP3 so you can download it and listen to it when you need it.

Just hold on everyone, it'll get easier. We're not in this alone. (hug)

I'm amazed that this made it into a mainstream videogame. I've played countless RPGs that flat-out deny you a gay option or else limit it to female characters, so this is a huge step forward.

While the Sims hit this territory first in the second game (if I recall), this is the first time I've seen this in a story-centric game.

I wasn't too interested in the game until I saw this, but I think it's a must-buy now since one of my pet interests is gay representation in video games.

I remember the murder of Marwa El Sherbini being posted about here before.

I thought some people might be interested to learn that her killer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison without possibility of parole, which is the maximum possible penalty for murder in Germany.

This Saturday, you'll have another chance to catch ENGLISH BEATS, a fun-filled free night at
the Argonaut in the Atlas District.

On the second Saturday of each month, you will hear the best in new indie and electro from the UK and beyond. You'll also have the opportunity to sample some of the best food in town, and meet the great bar staff.

English Beats at the Argonaut
1433 H Street, NE
Every Second Saturday from 10 pm - 2am, upstairs
NO COVER!

( Click here for flyer )