Austerity Measures at Home

I've just read through a long list of blogs I used to enjoy on a regular basis. I really miss the connection of regular blogging and will probably break down and pay for internet quite soon. I don't miss the television at all, or the phone, but the lack of internet is sorely felt. With only one vehicle, it is difficult to find the time when transportation is available to go somewhere else to use the internet. I just have to put up with the inconvenience until I am suitably caught up financially to splurge on connection.

While leaders propose "austerity measures" to pull their countries through the recession, so do we individuals propose our own plans to our families to pull through tough times. Some of us plant fabulous gardens, others coupon, some subsist on lots of bean and rice dishes, and many just go without certain things that others take for granted. Lately it's as if I've gone back in time to when I was even poorer. I once walked everywhere, never had a phone or television, and rented the most horrible of dumps. This wasn't because I was saving up for something or getting out of debt. I didn't know what debt was at the time, I was just incredibly poor. Now however, I have a goal in mind. I have a few more big payments to make on this bill so I can get it down to a more manageable figure before I add more bills to my month. Ten  more payments and the RV will be paid off and I will be debt free once more.

Speaking of the RV, I've spent a few days cleaning it out and dreaming. The more excited I get the more stressed my husband gets. He comes home and I show him a list of things we need to do, and other things we may need to purchase and then he can't sleep that night. I need to tame my enthusiasm so he can take things slower and calmer. If I could find a way to take off tomorrow I would. I guess it's the big change that worries at his subconscious.

Times up, I have to run. Until next time, I'll ask you this: What austerity measures have you proposed to your family to help get through a rough patch, or to survive the recession?

Everything's Coming Up Roses

A long time has passed since I have even been online. This post will be just a brief update to let everyone know that I am in fact still alive, and there is exciting news.

The first bit of exciting news is another grocery company bought the one I work for.  What this means is the location is staying open and everyone keeps their jobs. They were also nice enough to let us know immediately. It happened that morning and that afternoon they let all the workers know what happened. So far it has been a positive experience.

My husband delivered a pizza to a couple that lives a few miles away. He made a comment about their RV, and the man said, "Hey, it's for sale." My husband kept his number and told me about it.

After our debts were paid, our credit card company sent us these checks in the mail. We could use the checks for anything we wanted and it would be interest free for one year. My husband didn't want to do it at first. We were debt free and still had some emergency funds in the bank. Finding out my job was secure set his mind at ease and he signed a check for me. We bought that RV!

The year ahead will be busy. I figured out exactly how much I need to pay each month to have the debt paid off in eleven months. It will not be a problem for us at all. We also have to build our emergency fund back up before we can do any traveling. We also have one more daughter at home who needs time to get back on her feet. It will be a very busy year.

I'm writing this from my eldest daughters home, because she has internet in her new house. She and my son are doing well so far. I may get internet myself, but it will be a while. I have too many chores and financial goals at the moment to allow myself the extra expense or distraction.

For the time being I will be scrubbing my home, getting rid of clutter, and working every extra shift I can so we can get rid of that debt and rebuild our savings. I will return to more regular blogging at a later date, I just don't know when. I have to get comfortably caught up.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic new year!

Bah Humbug!

Hello everyone! I've missed blogging but there just hasn't been much time for driving about chasing WIFI when there is so much work to be done. My husband and I have been picking up as many shifts as we can and the putting all spare money into car repairs. Nothing major has happened, we just make sure to maintain our beloved '94 Honda Accord so we can keep him as long as possible. We just replaced an axle and will be having another one replaced tomorrow. After suffering through most of the summer thinking we couldn't afford to get the air conditioner fixed, we found out it was a worn hose and had that repaired. Next up is an oil leak repair but we have to save up a few hundred and get a day off because that will be a big job. We also will need tires fairly soon. Regular maintenance and not ignoring needed repairs keeps older cars on the road longer.

Disorganization kills! I haven't paid a bill late in several years. I've been in control and organized. Recently my sister visited and she wanted to shop for the babies one day so we went shopping. I hate the hoopla surrounding the winter holidays so I tend to avoid stores completely during this time. I grabbed what I was going to buy for the grandbabies so I wouldn't have to go to the store again until January. Since I wasn't prepared for a shopping trip, you guessed it, I didn't have cash on me. That was okay because I had a credit card I hadn't used in a long time and I was buying a just a few things so I could pay it off in full when the bill came. Well, the bill came and was placed on a random piece of furniture and then fell behind it. I ended up paying it off nine days late and am thoroughly disgusted over it. That's a $25.00 fee for being sloppy and a hit to my credit. I'm foot stomping mad at myself over this but the bill was paid and I will completely ignore the stores until well after the holidays.

I've worked retail in various positions for two decades. You see the very worst of human nature during the holidays. I've seen fist fights, public beratings, sighs and eye rolls in line when it just isn't moving fast enough. I hate seeing people becoming even more rude and angry. Many seem to have this expectation of how things are supposed to be, and they just get angry at the world when things go wrong. Running all over town to try to create the picture perfect Hallmark, Martha Stewart, Jimmy Stewart, Norman Rockwell holiday will only stress you out. Let go of the crazy expectations and just have a good time your own way, after all you can never please everyone.

Stores drive me insane in November and December. Places become packed with crazed shoppers and those awful holiday songs are playing at full blast everywhere you go. As you push your buggy and hum along just remember the workers are not listening to a few songs while trimming the tree and eating cookies, no we are bombarded with the same set of songs all day, every day we work, over and over. We go mad by the end of the season.

I don't understand Black Friday. It is just stuff. No amount of stuff is worth my camping out in a parking lot and fighting other people. It isn't even worth pushing through crowds to get something I really want. I'll buy what I need in October and skip shopping in November and December. That's how I keep myself sane.

My eldest daughter and my son recently found a home in the neighborhood that they can afford to rent. It is walking distance to her work which she needed because she doesn't have a car. January first my youngest daughter and her baby can move into the bedroom and the house will be a little less crowded and hopefully a tad more quiet. I wish them well and hope it really works out for them. It's been a rough year for everyone.

Zilch Nada Zip Zero

That's what I owe, nothing. November 17, 2011 I mailed my last payment to the last company I owed. I've been looking forward to this time for what seems like forever. I predicted an earlier payoff but then things happened and it didn't work out. I'm not saying I'll never need credit again, however, I'm going to enjoy this debt free status while I'm here. If you see a woman with a silly grin on her face walking past the shops without stopping, that would be me.

Good luck to all of you traveling the same path of debt reduction. It will happen, and your day will be grand as well. ;)

Suckerpunched

I am privy to "top secret" information that I am definitely not supposed to know. It was lucky that one of the lower level managers overheard a conversation and came to me with the information. I am stunned at this point, just numb and wondering what to do first. This changes my plans to some manner. The store I work in will be closing in January. According to the conversation it's a done deal and they will not be telling the employees until the end. There have been lots of corporate visits and locked door meetings in the managers office. You can tell something is up.

This month I will be debt free, so I have finances in line. My savings are not big enough to sustain me for a prolonged period in my current housing. I don't have a fancy place, just a cheap rental house. I would definitely have to downgrade if I were to survive a longer period of unemployment.

I had a job offer as soon as I mentioned this to a friend of mine. She said she knew how I worked and I would have the part time job in a second but it is in another county and I would have to purchase another vehicle first. I know this position will probably be filled before I have a vehicle lined up. There are a few other part time positions here and there but none close to home. Savings will have to give way to more transportation and we may have to move.

The last family meeting we had, I suggested a move out date of October 2012 and everyone agreed. They are not ready yet. I have to consider my son and daughter who have jobs here but not enough money saved to move on. This is a dilemma I didn't anticipate. I was expecting to keep doing the same thing until October and then make plans to do something completely different.

I've worked part time for so long, and the hours have been so low that unemployment would not be enough to live on if I were unemployed for an extended period. I feel I have to make some fast changes to stay afloat.

I've always been the one at the counter cashing the unemployment checks for my customers and offering words of encouragement. I've always said, "This is a great job during the recession because people still eat." My stomach is in knots and my mind is reciting that famous speech/poem "First they came..." because that is how I feel at the time.

First they came for the construction workers,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a construction worker.

Then they came for the factory workers,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a factory worker.

Then they came for the office workers,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't an office worker.

Then they came for me,
and there was no-one left to speak out.

I know, totally tacky to steal that quote. It was from a much more devastating time and my worries are tiny compared to what was faced by so many back then. That just sums up how I feel about the situation in general. I have been affected by the recession previously but not as much as so many others have. So many more have lost work and not been able to find work. Many have lost their savings, their home, their health. I feel I've been almost smug thinking it wouldn't happen to me. I felt safe in my little nook waiting for better times to arrive so I could jump off into something else. Now I have to rethink everything and create swift new plans.

I'm at the edge of the pool of unemployment dragging my big toe through the water, waiting to dive in. Those of you already having a swim, "How's the water?"

Random Stuff

So far so good, life is much calmer and a bit quieter at the working poor household. Family members are not up til three  in the morning chatting on the computer, or watching movie after movie. One person even tidied the living room without being asked! A few are still mad at me, but they can just get over themselves. This was a call for household help from an exhausted matriarch (Am I old enough to be called a matriarch?), and the savings from getting rid of that bill can be used towards those scary heating bills that I know will be coming. It does get cold in Central Florida and my usual one space heater in the bedroom will not work with babies in the house.

I was happy to see that Kmart was doubling coupons last week. No-one doubles coupons where I live so when they choose to offer this once or twice a year it's a big deal. They didn't have great sales to match but they were doubling so I shopped. I picked up some household cleaners and paper products. Most of it was products that I actually use that I was running low on. A few were items I wanted to try. I didn't do too bad but I noticed I actually do better at regular grocery store buy one get one free sales. I don't think I'll be lured to the next double coupon event unless I really need something.

The baby had her first big bath today in her new pink tub. She was pleasant throughout the entire experience. It did take two of us to get the job done. Grandmother to hold her fairly still and mother to scrub. The baby has long skinny arms and legs that wriggle constantly whether upset or happy. Luckily, she's happy most of the time.

I found an older RV for a third of the price of the one we were wanting to purchase before. Hey, I can look can't I? It looked like it was in really good shape, but my husband isn't ready to start looking again yet. When we do find one we have to be careful, we don't have much money, and neither one of us has any mechanical abilities. Therefore, we can't be looking at fixer-uppers.

Extreme Measures

I have a little problem in my house where everyone is not working together at a steady pace to keep the household running smoothly. I'm extremely frustrated with this, and feel like a fraud. I've written about house sharing situations and how to deal. It has worked out for the most part. Lately, however, there has been a distinct lack of co-operation. I am deeply exhausted and something has to give.

I'm going to be horribly mean. Yes, my decision will make it more difficult for me to pursue my interests, but I have to do something. Tomorrow morning I will be canceling my cable, Internet, and home phone. I will be forced to keep minutes on the track phone, and to blog at the library or a parking lot with WiFi after work. My husband will really miss his football. Perhaps without the electronic distractions all members of the household will find time to pursue work and help keep the house somewhat clean. I'm not asking for perfectionism, just to have the house comfortable and for everyone to show up at work.

That's enough of me griping. I just wanted to explain what is happening so when mail is unanswered for a few days you know why. I'm already down to once a week (if that) writing. In the fast paced world of blogging I'm surprised that readers keep coming back. A big "Thank You" to everyone who stops by my little blog.