When coming to the conclusion that it cost money to support 4

children my husband went to school to help provide for our

financial stability.

Prior to that we survived on our slightly higher than minimum

wage earnings and did decent for the most part.

But as the children grew we knew we needed something more.

After several years of schooling and looking for that "perfect" job we found ourselves making twice as much money than

we had before.

You think that would have made things easier.

With the cost of

basic needs and gasoline to buy those basic needs continually going

up, we have found that we are no better off than we were living on

our smaller earnings 8 years ago.

I realized recently we are at a point that we are not poor

enough to qualify for any assistance(not that I would want to) or

rich enough to make ends meet.

So what do we do? Sell the kids? Walk the 20 plus miles to

work? Live in a tent? Hunt our own food and milk the neighbors

cows?

Seriously though, the way we are coping with the cost of milk

is simply going without.

We drive less, we don't watch cable or satellite TV.

I scour

the isles for bargains and even have started using coupons!

I shop at thrift stores for clothing and shoes.

Rely on my

fathers expert level of garage selling to obtain items that are

considered a luxury.

You know toys and play things for the kiddo's.

I turned the thermostat up, way up, according to my husband.

I

use fans and spray bottles.

I have attempted teaching the children how to be conservative

and not so wasteful.

I cook more, or at least try to cook.

We don't have brand new cars, or a high house payment.

Not anything that can be done away with, besides our internet and phone.

Our gas hog truck my husband had to have stays parked and in it's place is a

motorcycle.

So how are we coping with the economic uncertainty?

One day at a time, hoping that

one day it won't cost so much to drive to the store for a loaf of

bread.