I have begun ways to cut down my expenses.

When I moved I got a letter from the electric company asking me if I wanted to apply for their low income program. Well I thought "What the heck" I filled out the form and sent it back. I qualify for one of their programs! I save 20% on anything used over 130% of baseline. I always go over. My bill came and I saved $20. Pretty good, huh?

I looked into the other utilities and there aren't any other savings programs.

My health insurance for me and the kids goes up effective 12/1/05 to $750 month (wince, cringe, gag). My employer pays $565. That means that I am will be paying close to $200 per month in insurance just for health. I also have dental which is another $80 and eye insurance which is $16 per month that are not included in the $750. I dont' qualify for state programs because I would have a huge share of cost if I was eligible, but I'm not because I'm over property. I applied for private insurance through Kaiser for my 3 youngest kids. I'm hoping they approve me. This will give me another $200 monthly. I told my oldest daughter (who is at school) that she needs to get her own insurance. She just got a new job that pays $10 an hour and they offer health insurance for $34 per month. I told her to apply for it. What I don't spend of that $565, I get back in my check. To insure one person is $320 per month. So I'll get $230 back and won't have to spend that other $200. I'm thinking about a $400 monthly savings.

I have called and complained about my new cable so many times, that they are giving me 3 more months of their new enrollee plan and Showtime for 13 months free. Apparently I needed a new box. For the life of me, I can't figure out why the other three guys that came out to my house couldn't figure that out.

Someone I work with lives right down the street from me. I asked her if she wanted to car pool. She goes and works out 3 times a week, but she said she could on Thursdays. I'm off this week (vacation) so we decided that she will drive this month. Next month I'll drive. That is a week worth of not driving every other month! That averages out to about $15 monthly. Heck...that is my milk money for the month.

I don't have any landscaping at my new house. My kids want grass. I want to Xeroscape. I live in the desert and I have found two pieces of wild cactus that I'll plant. I planted some bamboo that was on clearance at walmart and I also got a pride of barbados and a giant bird of paradise. The bamboo went next to my fence so my water loving neighbors could water it when they water their lawn, the pride of barbados went under my eaves so the morning condensation falls on it and my bird has an old gallon water bottle buried next to it to water it (or I should say did, it disappeared and I'm looking for another). My water bill is $16 month. My water bill at my old house was $167 easy.

I also planted some hens and chicks on my slope in front. They'll need to be watered until they take, then they'll spread. I just love succulents.

I save cans and my change. I really need to plan on not spending any money in October or November on myself.