firstwivesworld - Broke and Uncertain - Comments

Such a hard question to

Guest — Sat, 03 May 2008 18:02:44 -0400

Such a hard question to answer, but one worth asking. Which side are you landing on?

Wanda is absolutely the

Guest — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:05:37 -0400

Wanda is absolutely the voice of reason. Please listen to her and take her advice to heart. CM

Take heart, Elaina.

Wanda Woodard — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:33:14 -0400

Don't settle. I know how appealing it is because a woman alone means hard times financially speaking. That's just all there is to it. When we separate or divorce, we lose our money, our property sometimes, etc. I was on our state's TennCare for health insurance and food stamps for groceries. Thank God those programs exist. But do not let money, or I should say, the lack of it, drive you to do something you know in your heart is not right for your soul, your spirit. You cannot be with him simply to have financial security. But...if you have other reasons to be with him, reasons that tell you he is your partner, your mate for life, then by all means go back. Just don't do it for money. I did that twice. In the end, I wound up broker than I have ever been in my life. Somehow we survive, and somehow it turns around, but it takes a couple of years. Hold tight. And know we feel your pain and your fear.

Broke and Uncertain

Elaina Goodman — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:00:40 -0400

Gas is up to $3.69 at the cheap station on the corner and the media has spouted three different in-depth accounts of why I dropped $78 on two bags of groceries this week.

Story number one, the obvious: with gas prices over $4 a gallon in some places, cost of transporting food is driving prices through the roof. Well, of course.

Story number two: a CNN account of how commodity traders are responsible by betting on futures. Get past the basic supply and demand model and economics flies right over my head. I don't totally understand why, but it made sense when I was watching.

Story number three: federal mandates requiring farmers to grow corn for bio-ethanol fuels has cut into our food supply. Not only does less corn make it to market, other grain crops shrink to make way for more corn we can't eat. The point: we need to find an alternate energy source or we'll likely starve ourselves fueling our excessive lives.

Oh yeah, and one more story I heard last week, related to the ridiculous price of surviving: it's been 30 years since the U.S. government has increased food stamp funding. And, the ever-wise W is poised to veto two bills calling for an increase.

I'm low on grocery money this week.

From day one of separation, I've said money wouldn't be a deciding factor. I would not have a poverty-inspired reunion.

I'm not sure now. The higher those prices climb, the deeper my debt. I've been so busy surviving these last few months, I haven't paid any bills. Well, I did pay gas, but only because it was turned off. WiFi, too.

The harder it gets, the more appealing my marriage looks. I keep asking myself, if money weren't an issue would I still be married?

I mean, in these 18 months of separation, I couldn't afford to file even when I was positive I wanted to.

Now, I'm just broke and uncertain.  