Websites for Your Financial Survival - Part I
With one in seven Americans living below the poverty level, resource organizations and websites have become more crucial to the population’s personal and financial survival.
Food is the generally the third biggest expense in afamily’s budget, however, it is a cost that you can somewhat control. Angel Food Ministries is a nonprofit food assistance organization that operates in forty-four states, mainly through churches, and does not have income-based enrollment. These distribution sites take orders by a specific date each month and distribute boxes of food at the end of the month. The monthly menu is posted on the website with meats, vegetables, fruit, and starch, both fresh and frozen. Each box is designed to feed a family of four for a week or a single person for a month for $30. In addition there are supplementary boxes containing special meat, seasonal fruit, restricted dietary meals and holiday offerings.
Another major expense that can throw a budget out of whack is prescription costs. To save on medication you can order a 90-day supply of certain medications at a discount by mail or online. Major drugstore chains offer low-cost plans and Walmart and Target offer certain drugs at $4 per month. Some wholesale clubs offer prescription discounts even for non-members.
When you can’t find generic substitutes through your doctor check online retailers such as drugstore.com where you can save up to 25%. Just make sure the site has a VIPPS logo (Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site). Don’t buy from foreign retailers because their ingredients may be different and some countries don’t have the same oversight or regulation as in the U.S. In addition, many prescription manufacturers have different dosages per medication with small price differences. So you may be able to get the larger dosage and split the pill in half for significant savings. (Pill splitters can be purchased at drugstores for $2.) Be sure to go over your medications with your doctor and pharmacist on an annual basis to find out if there are new cheaper or generic brands available. Check with your doctor before changing doses or using a pill-splitterBelow is a list of good websites that will help you find jobs, get legal help, and lower basic costs. The list is not complete by any means, but will serve as a starting point for you to bring your budget more in balance. Additional websites will appear in this column in the next few weeks.
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