tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post7337016704946623157..comments2024-03-25T09:18:22.829-05:00Comments on Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers: LIVING ON A SHOESTRING WITH GUEST AUTHOR LYNETTE SOFRASANASTASIA POLLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03160162455676799133noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post-86879823324388259102018-01-20T12:29:45.941-06:002018-01-20T12:29:45.941-06:00Nice said!! I read your post from top to bottom an...Nice said!! I read your post from top to bottom and it is really a great time with it. Online Tutorhttps://www.homeworkminutes.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post-77743171768256363862015-07-02T17:46:06.379-05:002015-07-02T17:46:06.379-05:00Thanks, Suzanne - it certainly is an emotive subje...Thanks, Suzanne - it certainly is an emotive subject and leaves those it touches feeling very raw. Coming from the UK, I'm learning a lot of new information here, and am very grateful for your comment.ManicScribblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08528286761500899521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post-30716121042956630882015-07-02T10:53:46.041-05:002015-07-02T10:53:46.041-05:00KM Rockwood, loved your comments. A lot of storie...KM Rockwood, loved your comments. A lot of stories of "living on the edge" still involve a fair amount of disposable income. I recall reading a novel about a poor young mother who could only buy her 1-year-old daughter a single outfit from Baby Gap for Christmas. She wrapped the leggings and top separately so the gift wouldn't appear so poor and pathetic. <br /><br />When I was growing up, we were definitely not poor--but all of our clothing came from second-hand stores and yard sales, and the books we owned all came from second-hand stores and the annual library book sale. It's a shock to read about "poor" characters buying coffee out, etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post-11070163709345115142015-07-02T08:38:23.508-05:002015-07-02T08:38:23.508-05:00Marilyn, that quite literally brought tears to my ...Marilyn, that quite literally brought tears to my eyes. What kind neighbours and how brave of you to go to them for help (I know how difficult asking for help can be). You learnt a valuable lesson from that experience. I'm curious to know if you still plan your menus for the whole month? That's a discipline I would certainly love to learn. ManicScribblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08528286761500899521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post-74265313754502062932015-07-02T08:36:51.289-05:002015-07-02T08:36:51.289-05:00Living tight can be a beast. I'm really glad t...Living tight can be a beast. I'm really glad to see someone writing about it because it happens to a lot of people -- especially college-educated, middle-age, divorced women. People who have never had to tighten their belts cannot imagine the little day-to-day hardships that often generate a negative Ripple Effect.<br /><br />For example, if you own a car, even a 20-year-old clunker, you don't qualify for Food Stamps. The Welfare Department expects you to sell that clunker (and get maybe $500 for it?) before they'll consider you for assistance. Of course, not having that car automatically drops you into an even lower rank of poor. And if you have food allergies and cannot eat preservatives, you're going to wind up spending a lot for food regardless.<br /><br />Write on, Lynette.Suzannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11624472793275282926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post-24295425640573327502015-07-02T08:11:19.816-05:002015-07-02T08:11:19.816-05:00Years ago when hubby was overseas during the Vietn...Years ago when hubby was overseas during the Vietnam War, my allotment check was late and I had no food in the house to feed my kids. I went to my neighbors' houses one by one and borrowed one thing from each of them: an onion, two carrots, two potatoes, a can of green beans, and possibly some ground beef (I don't remember what exactly) and I made soup. I prayed the neighbors wouldn't compare notes. When I got my check I planned meals for the whole month, shopped and what I bought had to last.Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04179984154939161530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post-39214886437064711842015-07-02T05:07:01.852-05:002015-07-02T05:07:01.852-05:00Hi Gloria - my goodness, that old saying 'it n...Hi Gloria - my goodness, that old saying 'it never rains but how it pours' must certainly be true. <br />I hope you are well past that difficult stage now. Thanks for your comments. ManicScribblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08528286761500899521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post-30883570844309166102015-07-01T18:29:51.493-05:002015-07-01T18:29:51.493-05:00I can attest to the fact that KM's Jesse Damon...I can attest to the fact that KM's Jesse Damon books are a great series.<br /><br />As for me, I've never experienced real poverty, but there was a time when I was a new<br />teacher - and they don't earn a lot - and my husband of 31 years had a mid-life crises<br />and left. I couldn't afford to buy him out on the house we owned so we refinanced it so<br />I could put a down payment on a small farm with a run down house. Believe me, making two<br />house payments - he only paid for half of the one I was still living in - was a real<br />stretch on my finances. Add to that, someone pulled out in front of me and my car was<br />totaled and since the other person and I both had the same insurance company, I wasn't<br />given enough money to replace my car, which ran very well even though it was older, with<br />anything other than an old clunker. I got through it though.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post-78876126191986871822015-07-01T17:44:24.740-05:002015-07-01T17:44:24.740-05:00Thanks, KM, you make some powerful points, and I&#...Thanks, KM, you make some powerful points, and I'll look out for your books. I think it's important for us to tackle real issues in our stories, instead of always giving in to fairy tale fictions. I enjoy a bit of escapism in my reading, but prefer writing about reality. ManicScribblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08528286761500899521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post-27110016615561453922015-07-01T11:48:03.973-05:002015-07-01T11:48:03.973-05:00Some of my characters live on a financial edge. I ...Some of my characters live on a financial edge. I find people questioning me about characters who don't have cell phones (if you're on government assistance, you have one provided, but if you're making it on your own resources, you have to weigh the costs against everything else) or TV's. A frayed bootlace two days before payday can be a major disaster. Increased peanut butter costs can send a food budget into crisis. An unexpected drug test ordered by a parole officer may take a big hunk of your rent money. SNAP benefits, if you qualify (which is more complicated than many people think) won't provide enough, and don't cover things like toilet paper and soap.<br /><br />It's nice to see a book where the realities of living on a shoestring are presented.<br /><br />KM Rockwood<br />Jesse Damon Crime NovelsKM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6348734432793771357.post-48072182483923237392015-07-01T07:36:11.551-05:002015-07-01T07:36:11.551-05:00Thanks again for inviting me to your excellent blo...Thanks again for inviting me to your excellent blog :)ManicScribblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08528286761500899521noreply@blogger.com