Oh man, that really sucks. BIG TIME! If I had money, I would send you some, but I am unemployed right now. Do you have homeowners insurance? If you do, it should replace everything that was stolen. When you have insurance and you get robbed, it actually come out better than before, if you keep it updated. I think the minimal coverage is $15,000 in damages/stolen goods. At least that what it is here in NC.

Where do you live exactly? What state and city?

So you think your neighbors did it? Or do you think your ex had something to do with it? Odds are, they when you get robbed, you get robbed again by the same people until they are  caught. Not only that, a detective rule of thumb is that criminals returned to the scene of the crime 80% of the time. You just got to figure out who they are. Also, it's usually someone who knows you or has been eyeing your place for some time. You might not even know them, but most likely have at least met them.

Keep us updated on your situation. I'm worried about you.

You called my phone?  I got a new phone, but still keep that prepaid phone, just don't have any minutes on it.  Now I'm with Cricket, will post up my new phone number in the team boards...

Merry Christmas

Looking for an update. How are things going? Hope all is well.

Cheers.

I know exactly how you feel, I already been down that road. It takes a couple of years to get straightened back out. If you need any advice, just ask. If your looking to save money, I can go ahead and tell you a few ways.

1.| Netflix - costs $8.00 a month and has thousands of movies and TV shows. Makes cable TV obsolete in my opinion, because it's way cheaper and commercial free. Use it on up to 9 devices in your home, including your smart phone or PC.

2.| Magic Jack - $40 first year(because you need the device), and $20 there after. This allows you to have a normal house phone, with a normal number, including free long distance calling, 3-way, call waiting, and voice mail. $20 a year is way better than paying a monthly fee for the same service through your internet provider or vonage.

3.| Safelink - if your drawing food stamps(EBT), medicaid, daycare assistance, or if your a senior citizen, you can get a free cell phone from the government.

Just those alone can save you $100-200 a month. You can save even more though...

4.| Zune Pass = $9.99 a monthly and stream all the music you want. They have almost everything you can possibly imagine. At the end of the month, you can download a keep 10 songs to burn to any device you want, and do with it as you want. If your buying music all the time, STOP. Get a Zune Pass, you'll get a better return on your investment. It also supports multiple devices. There are also other alternatives for around the same cost, but I have not tried them like Rhapsody.

5.| Shop At Walmart & Sam's Club - I kinda hate wal-mart, but if you want to save alot of money(not just a little, but alot), it's best to shop there. At Sam's Club(which is owned by wal-mart), allows you to buy in bulk. You can buy tissue or paper towels there for roughly $20 a pack, but that pack last you 6 months. It's nice having to only buy stuff like that very 6 months, versus every week.

6.| If you own a home, the government is helping prevent foreclosure. Best way to find out which programs are available is to visit your local "Department Of Social Services". There is also a little bit of information here.

7.| Sustainability - invest in energy efficient appliances and devices in your home. It costs more up front, but it will reduce your monthly bills, which is the goal. So if earn a little extra cash, use it to improve costs in your home. Replacing your light bulbs can save you up to $44 a month, and just replacing your shower head can save you up to $12 a month in water. If you have any questions about ways to save, just ask. I have a experience and can help you. It's just too much to mention here at once...

8.| Homesteading - spring is coming, garden your own vegetables. Things like grape/cherry tomatoes and banana peppers grow themselves and the more you pick from it, the more that grows. They will last from spring through fall, lasting half the year. Things like squash are really good to grow in the fall, just pick them small & young and it will carry you over until your first frost. Having 2-3 chickens will give your 1-3 eggs a day, but at the same time 3 chickens are easy to manage, versus a whole flock like farmers.

9.| Medicaid - since this is a sensitive subject, I'll let your do your own research.  AllI can say is, if you have over $5600 in unpaid medical bills in the past 6 months, you may qualify. You can contact your local department of social services for info or qualification. Do waste your time paying for medical insurance premiums, that you'll never use because your deductible is too high. I paid $200 a month for 8 years straight and never used it because my deductible was $3000-$6500(increased each year). Knowing what I know now, I'll never piss away $200 a month again.

Bah, I'm rambling and going on & on. Gotta stop.There area lot more ways, if you have questions just ask. One last thing, refinance your home about every 5 years to reduce your monthly payments. Just pay extra if your want to still pay it off quicker, but at least you will not be required to pay more in case of an incident that sets you back financially for the month.