Pesach debt | Imamother

baby12x

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 11:40 am

Did you go into debt to pay for pesach expenses? This includes putting money on a credit card that you did not pay off immediately.

This is a VERY informal survey that I'm doing for a blog post I'm writing.

Iymnok

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 12:53 pm

What about being in debt from before Pesach? How about having debt before Pesach, but not adding to it with the Pesach expenses?

amother

Crimson

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 12:56 pm

deleted

Last edited by amother on Mon, Apr 29 2019, 1:02 pm; edited 1 time in total

aricelli

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 12:58 pm

No- bh

amother

Seashell

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 1:01 pm

We're a bit tight because it's also tax season and we need to pay in. But bh we made it, we pushed off getting the kids a new wardrobe.

baby12x

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 1:23 pm

Iymnok wrote:

What about being in debt from before Pesach? How about having debt before Pesach, but not adding to it with the Pesach expenses?

Specifically talking about having to go into debt for pesach and pesach-related expenses.
This is not a very scientific study😀
I just want to know how many people were able to "cash-flow" pesach

amother

Olive

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 1:32 pm

Hosting several additional people for sleeping, eating, etc, +some cleaning help.

We cut this month close. BH, no debt from Pesach.

amother

Goldenrod

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 1:56 pm

Went into heavy debt. We are Low income and pesach expenses are alot for a kids gebentchta family kah...

naturalmom5

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 2:38 pm

BH no

But now it's back to free food wherever we can get and DejaNew clothes and no vacations and doing my own sheitls and face etc.. for the next 12 months

amother

Tangerine

Mon, Apr 29 2019, 2:43 pm

Obviously it depends who you ask. From discussions here, I think that this forum skews young and poor. If you asked a different crowd, you'd get different answers.

baby12x

Tue, Apr 30 2019, 7:14 am

Bumping.
I'd love to hear more responses

imasinger

Tue, Apr 30 2019, 7:54 am

B"H, no. DH makes a decent salary, but we have a lot of medical related expenses. My secret is to plan ahead. And to have the storage space to do that. It helps that we broch and eat anything not chametzdik or kitniyos, so there are more sales. We have family come to us, so food expenses could spiral if we weren't prudent.

Anything that can keep (cans, bottles, jars, potato starch), I buy at half price the year before. Yes, my spices might not be quite as strong as if I got them just before Pesach, but they keep pretty well unopened. Also, anything that will do OK frozen (matza meal, nuts, prepared stuff like chopped liver, kishka, gefilte fish). I wrap it properly and give it freezer space. I also find that butter keeps well in the freezer.

During the year, I look for meat sales, to buy and freeze. I check with our rav about it, but thus far, there hasn't been any issue with what I buy, as long as it's rinsed in cold water. We also look for wine sales.

So, the only things I need to buy closer to YT are matza, chocolate (often goes on sale around Purim), dairy, eggs, chopped or processed meat, oil, and produce.

New clothing we do when needed. (We live OOT.) Chol hamoed trips we keep simple. That way, we have enough for afikoman prizes, extra hagaddas as we see them, etc.

This obviously wouldn't work for anyone with more limited storage space. But works for us.

mommy3b2c

Tue, Apr 30 2019, 7:58 am

Bh no. We do not go into debt. But my husband asked me to please not spend on the credit card till the next billing period aside from actual needs such as food.

baby12x

Wed, May 01 2019, 8:48 am

Thank you all for your responses! I decided not to include the poll in my post but here is the post anyways if anyone is interested!

https://adimesaved.com/passover-without-debt

amother

Plum

Thu, May 02 2019, 2:14 pm

B"H, no. I'm totally, fanatically opposed to debts and would pretty much rather live off matzot with salt and water than go into debt. It's my attitude towards life and money in general. If I can't afford it, I don't buy it. And it also would be a reason for me to not host people.
I have had very frugal times in my life but always done the utmost to avoid debts. Dh is on the same page with me in this. And B"H, we had good food this Pessach, though I didn't buy new clothes for anyone - didn't feel the need to do that, anyway.

amother

Blush

Tue, May 07 2019, 7:55 am

I went into debt for Pesach, we had guests that couldn't afford to help at all, were in worse position than us.
I'm unable to buy food or gas for at least a week or so now, using up Pesach leftovers.
We didn't buy any clothing or extra items, free chol hamoed trips only.
We don't qualify for Pesach help but can't really cover.
We don't get a tax refund or any family help either.

We also know that Hashem repays for Yom Tov, so confident it's temporary!