Housesharing--Upsides & Downsides

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Friday March 09, 2012 · 9:38 AM PST

2012/03/09 · 09:38

My spouse and I are poor. There's no getting around it.

One way we deal with this is that we participate in a house share. We pay roughly what we would for 1 bedroom apartment, but we have all utilities included, as well as the ability to garden. We also have a line into the community, since the house owner, C, has lived in the area since birth.

In some ways, it's great. In others, it's not.

(This is the first day I've been at my computer for almost a week. Yay for things percolating while you're laid up sick!)

domestic goddess

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Thursday February 16, 2012 · 5:53 AM PST

2012/02/16 · 05:53

These are frugal recipes from my grandmother (Good Cheap Food I Learned From My Grandmother). So pasta fazool (pasta & beans) was one of my Friday favorites. My grandmother or mom would make this in the winter on Fridays because it is meatless. We were good Catholics. I loved Friday dinners.

GoGoGoEverton for SurviveAndThriveKos

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Monday February 13, 2012 · 11:00 AM PST

2012/02/13 · 11:00

This diary will be some about some strategies that I currently and have in the past employed when time/accessibility does not mark possible to cook at meal at home. Though even eating out cheap will be more expensive in the long run that cooking at home (and expensive to your health as well), sometimes it cannot be avoided, and I think it's surprising and shocking how many folks who are very spending very smart at home fail when it comes to outside eating.

Feel free to leave additions or other strategies in the comments. If possible, I will attempt to update this diary with the best offered strategies and tips so it can remain a resource.

M E C

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Monday February 06, 2012 · 11:09 AM PST

2012/02/06 · 11:09

If you work retail and have children you may be on EBT - food stamps. If you are on EBT, and are having trouble keeping food in the house now that it's February and everybody's hours are cut, there is help available.

This info is general - I live in Oregon, (the food stamp capital of America - no lie - we have a higher percentage of people on EBT than any other state)

EBT is a federal program administered by the states, so the feds are putting the money on the card, the state is paying to process the paperwork.

If you'll follow me over the fold here, I'll explain how this can help you.

Dewstino

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Friday January 20, 2012 · 10:41 AM PST

2012/01/20 · 10:41

Losing a job can be really scary. It brings up all kinds of primal fears like, "will I be homeless, will my spouse divorce me, will I not be able to feed my kids"...truly scary stuff. I got hammered in the dot com bust of the late 90s and then again in the bankster bust of 2008. The first time I was unemployed for six month and the second time for eight months.

I've been fortunate in that I've had a good career. I started out as a technical support representative and went as high as executive vice president of sales, marketing and customer support. I've been in my current job for just over two years and really like it. I feel lucky to have it and I never take it for granted. I know, that this job will come to an end also, sooner as opposed to later. I'm in tech, at two years on the job. I've probably got between nine months and two years left in this job, best guess. That's the way it goes in tech, you are always on the move, the clock is always running down.

Don't get me wrong, I really like tech, it's fun and exciting. The problem for me is that as I get older, I need less "fun and exciting" and more stability. Anyway, enough about me. This diary is for you. What I have to offer you is a great approach to finding a job quickly. I've honed it over the years by necessity. I know it works for me because it has landed me eleven jobs over the years. I've also coached family members and friends through the process, with great success. It seems to work regardless of industry and or type of job sought. Interestingly, this process also works well for consultants, contractors, and small business people offering services to the business community.

What I'm offering below the squiggly is a step-by-step process for finding a job quickly. I'm also offering support. Looking for work is a long and lonely process. I will be here to listen and help.

This is my way of saying "thank you" to the entire Occupy Wall Street movement. Occupy has given me and my family hope that we can get our country back from the 1% and make it work for the rest of us also. I look forward to the day when I can once again say, "I'm proud to be an American". I also want to thank MinistryOfTruth (MOT), from here at KOS. MOT is our lobbyist. He is our spokesperson. He speaks for the 99%! Last but not least, I want to thank Zwoof, also from here at KOS, for this amazing video. The video is a masterful piece of film making. It's amazingly inspirational! It brings tears of joy to my eyes every time I watch it. I live in Oakland California and was at ground zero with my kids 45 minutes before...shit hit the fan...watch the video and you'll understand. Thanks again Zwoof...amazing.

Okay, let's jump the squiggly and get down to business...

domestic goddess

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Wednesday January 11, 2012 · 9:03 AM PST

2012/01/11 · 09:03

I read the diaries here of people really struggling to keep the roof over their heads and food on the table. I learned to cook from my mom and grandmother. My grandmother was a phenomenal cook and she survived the Depression and could turn anything edible into something great. So from time to time I will write her "recipes" (she really didn't have many, she just cooked by feel) here and hope that you enjoy them and find them useful. She would have liked that.

Noddy for Practical Survivalism and Sustainable Living

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Saturday January 07, 2012 · 8:20 AM PST

2012/01/07 · 08:20

These aren’t your usual survivalist tips on guns and weapons and fighting skills, because while those can be useful, they’re meaningless unless you also have most, if not all, of the following skills. These skills are useful in any situation and cost nothing to acquire. Many are attitudes, because in many cases, survival is a lot more about attitude than things.

Diana in NoVa

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Saturday January 07, 2012 · 8:03 AM PST

2012/01/07 · 08:03

So far we’ve discussed the first step in writing your resume; actually writing a resume; cover letters, and qualifications briefs. All these tools can help you look for a job.

But sometimes a resume and cover letter simply aren’t enough. You’ve answered countless advertisements, either from the newspaper or on line; uploaded your resume to Monster.com, Career.com, and other places; networked without success, and attended job fairs. Nothing has worked so far.

By now you’re feeling thoroughly discouraged by seeing ads for jobs for which you have five of the seven listed requirements—BUT you don’t know anything about real estate. Or three of the five listed requirements—BUT you don’t know anything about financial services. Or insurance. Or whatever the field is.

Also, after a prolonged period of unsuccessful job-hunting, you are probably feeling more unpopular than a stinkbug. Corporations are heartless and rude; they don’t contact you after receiving your resume or sometimes even after asking you in for an interview. You’re left with a feeling that corporations are all-powerful and you’re lucky if they’ll deign to let you even pass through their doors, let alone offer you a job.

Well, there is something you can do, and that’s a marketing letter campaign.

ruleoflaw

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Saturday October 29, 2011 · 12:57 PM PDT

2011/10/29 · 12:57

I've been digesting the latest news of various Occupy sites being shut down or even trashed by the police. How do we deal with this? Among several possibilities, I see two plans of action that seem to hold the most promise.

>Occupiers in some cities will elect to make the local cops play whack-a-mole. Close one site down, we pop up at another.

>Other G.A.'s will decide to stick it out in one place, essentially daring the cops to keep coming back in a test of wills.

Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses. I will leave that discussion for other Kossacks to hash out. Under either plan, the need for portable shelter remains. With the cold coming on, the need for winter-ready shelter becomes imperative. At present, Occupy Camps are irregular groups of small dome tents, provided by individual occupiers. When these sites were selected little, if any, thought was given to wind direction. We are victims of our own success. Our powers of endurance have led us to a confrontation with Ma Nature. We need to come to an understanding with Mom. Let's do that below the curly orange thingie.

Black Kos

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Friday October 21, 2011 · 6:50 AM PDT

2011/10/21 · 06:50

Commentary: African American Scientists and Inventors
by Black Kos Editor, Sephius1

Gebisa Ejeta, is an Ethiopian American plant breeder, geneticist and Professor at Purdue University. In 2009, he won the World Food Prize for his major contributions in the production of sorghum.

During primary school, Ejeta planned to study engineering when he reached college age, but his mother convinced him he could do more working in agriculture. With aid from Oklahoma State University, he attended an agriculture and technical secondary school in Ethiopia and also studied at what is now Jimma University. The university and the U.S. Agency for International Development helped him earn a doctorate from Purdue.

Senor Unoball

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Thursday October 13, 2011 · 8:18 AM PDT

2011/10/13 · 08:18

Ms. Unoball got an email this evening with some very good news.

The message came from People Acting in Community Together, PACT. This is an interfaith organization dedicated to protecting the rights of minorities and the needy in the San Jose (CA) area. PACT represents 25 congregations and 50,000 people.

(I'm not an official with the group, by the way, so I am not speaking here on their behalf, but just passing information along.)

The message they sent Wednesday evening was stunning.

Continued under the squiggle......

Poll

1951 votes Show Results

I will be transferring my money

1951 votes Vote Now!

I will be transferring my money

To a local credit union

627 votes

To a local bank

147 votes

To my mattress

77 votes

To the pie shop

40 votes

I moved my money already!

968 votes

No way; I love my bank!

92 votes

Climbing Out Of Poverty: Day 1

The Gimp

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Sunday October 09, 2011 · 7:41 PM PDT

2011/10/09 · 19:41

Today, I took the first step to climbing out of the hole of frustration and despair commonly known as poverty.

A brief summary for those of you who don't know me - I'm disabled (I was born with a birth defect and am in a wheelchair with minimal use of my arms and legs) and live in California with my disabled, Canadian wife (who gets no benefits due to citizenship status) and our somewhat disabled live in care provider, pooling my Social Security with her income as our aid to basically live just above the poverty line. We barely get by, most months, and often have to turn to friends to help us get through. It sucks. I do art on the side (and under the table), drawing with my mouth as I make portraits and caricatures when I can find the commissions and scare up the work. Some months, I get several commissions. Most months I get none.

The original ticket out of poverty was supposed to be our comic book/graphic novel, HOLLOW, which I write and draw, and my wife paints, but her health has been so bad for the past few years that the book has been in limbo and remains there to this day. I've recently decided to put all of the weight on my shoulders in an attempt to get us out of the squalor - my wife is too sick, and our care provider burns up what little energy and strength she has just taking care of us. I've begun writing, and today I put up my first offering at the Amazon Kindle store, a 90+ page novella that I hope will serve as the launching point for an ongoing series of serial fiction.

Today, I did something. I accomplished a goal. I took the first step towards self sufficiency.

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How to Use The Hidden Job Market to Find a Job

Good Cheap Food I Learned from my Grandmother

14 Important Survival Attitudes

The Marketing Letter—A Different Way to Look for a Job

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Black Kos, Week In Review

San Jose: Millions Withdrawn from Bank of America and Wells Fargo!

Climbing Out Of Poverty: Day 1