Aidpage

Hi, Soulight, Wow, you have collected a lot of good information! I wish I had found this site a few months ago. Now that the treatments have already been received and paid for (even though the money was borrowed), I don't qualify for these programs at this point, but I am squeaking by with my bills and repayment plan, as long as nothing unexpected comes up. The gift certificate definitely helped, because it allowed me to set aside $25 of my budget and save it for his neutering coming up in August. I hope that with really careful budgeting and any help I receive, I'll be able to pay for the neutering outright when the time comes. My credit is decent and I could probably get another loan, but I'm struggling so much to pay this one back that I dare not. The problem with vet bills is that you're never sure how much it's going to be until they're done and you're standing in the office with your checkbook. They must get mechanics to figure their estimates; after the blood tests and poking and prodding, they never fail to realize that he also needs an oil change and new brake pads...but after all he's been through and with the heartworm treatment still ongoing, I don't want something to go wrong and then feel that I could have prevented it. I'm right there with you when it comes to caring for pets as much as people. I live really far away from my family, and I live alone, so my buddy is as big a part of my life as any person is right now. Spooky thanks you for the compliment. I think he's cute, too, and he definitely looks like a whole new dog since December! Cindy

Thank you for the gift, whoever you are! I received a gift certificate for a pet store, and was able to buy two bags of dog food, and had a little left over for a chew toy for Spooky. He has some broken teeth, but he still likes to chew things that are hard on his teeth, so the vet had recommended one of those bone-shaped toys that are made out of rope. I hadn't bought one because they're kind of expensive for a piece of tied rope, and it wasn't an absolute necessity. Spooky loves it! Thank you again from both of us! Cindy

Thanks, Greenbabi. I'll definitely check into that possibility. My dad is a mechanic and welder (who lives 800 miles away), and he always says it's worth it to fix a car rather than buy another one, but that only works when you are a mechanic. ;-) I even thought of buying him a plane ticket and letting him do it, but I don't have tools or a proper place to work. I spoke to a friend who knows some "car guys" who might be interested in some side work, so hopefully something will work out - I'm willing to pay for the work, but I don't want to be foolish about spending more on the truck than it's worth. On the other hand, a car payment doesn't sound great either, since the truck is long ago paid for, so hopefully I can get it done at a price I can afford. I will look for a car care ministry - thanks for your advice! Cindy

Beloved, Do you know if you are having a boy or girl? I have a small dresser, maybe two feet high, with three drawers, that I painted in pastel colors and pretty designs that would be perfect for a baby girl's things. You are welcome to it if you would like it - I'm in the Philly area, so I could meet you someplace. It will fit in a car. Cindy

Morgan, Check the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Also, do a Google search on "(your state here) historic preservation." The problem with grants of this type is that you have to show that your site is historically significant from a national standpoint, and that is not easy for most small sites - unless someone famous in history is buried there, you may not have much luck. Depending on the size of the cemetery and what needs to be done, especially if it's mostly lawn and landscaping work, this might be a good project for a local club, like the Lion's Club, Shriner's, etc. Check your town's phone book and start calling around. Also call nearby high schools and colleges to see if they have a student volunteer group who might be interested in taking on part of the work as a project. Cindy

Hello, Melan, I didn't see your original post before you took it down, but seeing your references to children and debt brings up a philosophical issue that appears to come up over and over on this sight. Asking for or giving help is a complicated issue. Questions of worthiness, how hard a person is really trying, what he or she might have done to cause the situation, differences in priorities...asking for help opens you up to judgment, but don't let it scare you away if you really need help. In my case, I took a big risk and borrowed a lot of money to save a dog. His treatments were successful, but by asking for help now, I open myself up to criticism from those who might say that a dog is not worth that cost, and that if I couldn't afford it, I should have let the dog die. But my heart told me I had to do it if I possibly could, and that's all there is to it. I live alone, 800 miles away from any family, without a partner or children, so that creature has become as much a part of my life as a person would be, and I know I did the right thing. I will manage somehow, with or without help. But I know there are other people who value animals the way I do, and are interested in helping, either by making a donation or by sharing stories and moral support. In the few days I've been here, I've met other animal lovers, other starving students, and a person in my area who needs some crafting supplies that I have extras of. And I've met people who can't relate to my situation, but have a lot to offer people who are in other types of need, and that's good, too. Someone anonymously donated a gift certificate for a pet store, which I used yesterday to buy two bags of food and had enough left for a chew toy. The gift certificate allowed me to save another $25, which I put aside for his neutering appointment in August. So there are probably people who have been in similar situations, have made similar choices, and have had to struggle with them just as you are now. If you still need help, regardless of any mistakes you might have made, sometimes asking for help is still more responsible than not doing so. Anyone can say "you shouldn't have had children if you couldn't afford them," etc. And you can contemplate those criticisms when considering whether to have more children in the future. But the children you have now are already in the picture, regardless of how they got there. Those children cannot fend for themselves and are not responsible for their own situation. So if you need help with your children, don't let anyone scare you off. Put your Aidpage back up. You probably won't get any money directly, but there is a network of single moms and low-income families who have developed coping strategies. They can give good advice and point you to helpful information. I wish the best of luck to you and your children. Cindy

Hello, Beloved, You definitely need to go to phillyfreecycle.org. It's a place where people go to post things that they need or that they want to give away. I've given away a lot of things on there. All items posted must be free. I've seen baby items like cribs, playpens, carseats, etc., on there before. Go there and post what you need for the baby, and any other household items or furniture you might need. Best wishes, Cindy

Hello, I am so sorry that your family is going through so much! I admire the fact that you are using the skills you have to make the best of your situation. I'm a crafter, too, and I have some supplies to share. I'll contact you privately for your address. I will pray for you, your daughter, and your grandchildren. Cindy

Thanks for your quick response - I hadn't thought of using Google that way. Also, I hope you didn't take my cynical comments as a criticism of the site itself. The site is a great idea. I was just shocked to find that so many people are in such dire need, making my own 'big problems' seem like fleabites (no pun intended!). It's a little overwhelming, but hopefully I'll be able to offer something to the group. Thanks again!

By the way, for others looking for help with the cost of emergency veterinary care, check out United Animal Nations at www.uan.org. I am not eligible for a grant from them, since the procedures have already been done, but this link may help someone else. I wish I had known about it before!

I'm a grad student working on my doctoral dissertation, so a computer is truly necessary for my schoolwork. However, I did get a computer-savvy friend to help me shop around for the very best deal on the computer itself as well as the best deal in my area for internet access. I've even bought accessories, USB cords, and things like that at one of the flea markets in my area. I use the free computing services (especially when it comes to printing out large documents) provided by my school whenever I can to minimize costs.

Thanks for your comments, Soulight. I've read many of your posts, and you definitely have some good advice to offer! I'm obviously new here. It just scares me that between the creepy guy looking for pregnant women in his area, and the work-at-home "opportunities" that require an up-front "investment," and the woman who tells everyone that all of their problems are caused by their sins...it just seems that people who need help (and many are in far worse shape than I am) are vulnerable to being victimized even further, especially since so many are very young people. Anyway, do you know if there is a way to search the Aidpages for particular things people might need, like a way to look for "toys" or "furniture," for example? I have some things that I will be able to give away when I move later this year. I was thinking I'd take them to my local charity thrift shop, but it would be nice to give them directly to someone. But I can't figure out how to search for anything other than browsing through hundreds of pages. Thanks, Cindy

I've been reading a lot of Aidpages and posts. Does anyone else find this site discouraging? There are thousands of people in need of help, a tiny handful of people with genuine advice and good wishes to offer, a boatload of scammers, a few perverts, and a few extraordinarily self-righteous, small-minded people who entertain themselves by judging the life choices of those less fortunate based on the information in a photo and a paragraph. Perhaps the only people this site is truly helping is the ad sales department - please say it ain't so...

Hi, I'm a bulldog lover as well, and am working on a fundraising campaign for an American Bulldog, Spooky, that I rescued after a terrible injury and illness - check out his aidpage. The good news is that I was able to borrow the money for the vet on credit cards and through a friend, but now I'm struggling to pay it back. How is Marla doing? Have you been able to get her surgery yet? If not, have you checked into www.uan.org? They give small grants for vet treatment under certain circumstances and it might be a start. Also, you've probably thought of this already, but are there any vet schools in your area? Sometimes you can get vet services at lower cost, and the quality of the work is still high. Good luck! Cindy

I have a 94 Ford Ranger four-cylinder manual transmission with 150,000 miles on it.  Until the transmission went, it was a great little truck for the ten years I've owned it.  It still runs, but I'm afraid to drive it.  It makes a lot of noise in first and second gear.  I had it diagnosed at a garage, and they said it needs a new transmission, but they wanted more to install a new one than the blue book value on the truck.  So...I bought a used transmission for it on ebay for $185.  The seller guaranteed it to be good.  The used transmission has 60,000 miles on it.  So now I have a transmission to put in it, but I can't find a garage that is willing to do the work for me, because they don't want to be held responsible - if it doesn't work, they're afraid I'll blame them instead of the used transmission.

I really need to get my truck fixed, but I have no idea what would be a fair price for the labor even if I could find someone to do it.  I'm a student on a tight budget.  Are there any private mechanics or small-time garages in the greater Philadelphia area on here?  Would I be better off to just sell the truck and transmission for what I can get and try to find myself another used truck?  Advice from someone knowledgable would be much appreciated!

Hi, I'm also an animal lover looking for help with vet vills, so I don't have money to give at the moment, but I can offer moral support. My friend's cat was just diagnosed with diabetes after going through the same thing you are. Her cat became ill and dropped weight suddenly, and it was a long process to diagnose the problem. Has your vet looked into this possibility? It takes more than just a simple blood test to diagnose the problem correctly. My friend has to monitor the cat's blood sugar level just as if he were a person, and has switched from dry to wet cat food, since dry cat food contains too much starch, which aggravates diabetes. I may be telling you a lot of things you already know or have already checked into, but your story reminds me so much of my friend's, and we animal lovers have to stick together! All the best to you and Joey, Cindy

In December, I saved a wonderful dog from being put down after an attack by wild boar (yes, you read that right!).  I was fortunate enough to be able to borrow the money to pay for his treatment rather than let him be euthanized, but I still owe the lender $1250.

I've already paid the debt down quite a bit since December by selling a lot of my belongings, cutting out extras, and creatively budgeting my monthly expenses.  At the end of some months, I'm staring into the fridge and wondering if I can make a meal out of ketchup packets, maple syrup, and saltines.  :-)  Any donation, no matter how small, would help to pay that balance down and help me save up for his neutering coming up in August.  Check out Spooky's Extreme Makeover to read his story, and see lots of photos showing how fat, happy, and grateful he looks now!  And make a donation!

In terms of what I can offer the group, I am a good writer, so maybe I could help someone with their resume and cover letter to apply for a job, or edit the text for their webpage.

Cindy in Philadelphia

Take a look at Spooky's Extreme Makeover on my Aidpage and my website.  You can see his amazing recovery and help with his continued treatment.