text: what can we do to afford our bills? we are having a hard time of paying our bills we have 2 little ones. give me some ideas how to budget to make ends meet. need alot of help. here are some tips:  a. reduce your current bills: 1) eliminate immediately anything that is not needed.  (i.e. cable tv, cell phone, a subscription, etc.)  2) phone bill - switch to a internet based phone.  i used to pay about $100 per month.  i switched to vonage and now only pay $27 flat fee.  3) call up your gas and electric company and ask for advice on how you can reduce your bills.  they will give you some good advice.  it saved me about $200 per month during the winter.  b. credit cards get rid of all the credits except for only one.  credits cards can get you into trouble fast.  if you have many, then you should look pay the most to the credit card that has the least balance.  all others you should pay the minimum.   once it is paid, repeat the same with the remaining cards.  this also works for any other debts you may have.  c. spend less 1)  use coupons when you go food shopping.  buy healthy and natural food for the family.  2) don't buy anything for yourself personally for a while (i.e. clothes, toys, etc.) until your situation is under control - unless of course you absolutely need to.  d. saving money 1) if you can, have your employer automatically deposit part of your paycheck into a different bank account.  this way you won't see the amount in your checking account.  this is a great way to save money.  e. stay on top of your finance - stay disciplined pay your bills on time and balance your checkbook often.  a great way to do this, is to use online banking.  there is a bill pay service you should sign up for with www.paytrust.com.  all your bills become viewable online and you can setup up automatic payment schedules.  this will ensure all your bills get paid on time.  f. donate money i know this sounds crazy when you are trying to save money, but trust me.   if you lend god money we will give you manifold more.  do it as often as you can and whatever amount.  even if it is $1.  best of luck.  ps.  pray to god for help.  he will answer.