A Decision

As you know, I've been saving like mad. I want to move. There are no opportunities here. The job market is terrible. I don't have skills or experience to land a dream job elsewhere and the job market is pretty much dreadful everywhere. However, there are areas hiring more often for service type jobs in which I do have experience.

I was planning to move this spring. It may not happen as soon as I thought because we have made other changes. These changes that popped up are quite pleasant indeed. I love spending time with my eldest daughter and grandbaby. We were missing out on a lot being several states away. We were missing out on his spontaneous dancing whenever there is music, his extreme love of blueberries (just hand over the blueberries and nobody gets hurt), and his love/tease relationship with the dog. I'm glad I was still here and able to help my kids when they needed it. I have no regrets.

Here's the decision. I have the emergency fund, and I have my remaining debt. I could cancel my debt in one fell swoop and still have a little bit left over. I could put away much more in savings over the next few months being debt free and build up the savings again and not have to pay any more in interest. I just won't have my instant escape fund if anything pops up, I will be stuck here. We have jobs, we have shelter, we have family. Everything is good, so why am I worried?

I've been able to create this cushion at the same time as paying way more than the minimum amount due on my bills. My husband and I have done this together each with a part time job making little more than minimum wage. It is something to be proud of. I am proud. I also know that I can build up my savings again. I have skills now, so why am I worried over this? I could be done with this and call myself debt free right now. DEBT FREE!

I think what worries me about reducing my savings is that I won't have it there just in case. Just having it sit there gives me imaginary options. If I wanted to I could pay my bills ahead of time and take a month long camping trip through several states. Without the savings I would have to go into more debt for a week long vacation.

I also realize my debt free status could very well be short term because realistically I may have to use credit at some point in the future, although I will consider all other options first. On the other hand I may be able to avoid the credit monster completely.

So here's where I need the help guys. I'm taking this weekend to consider it, and on Tuesday I'm either going to transfer a large chunk of savings to checking and pay off everything and breathe a little easier, or I'm going to keep plugging away as usual and give the credit company even more interest but have a larger emergency fund available just in case.

I'll be honest, I'm leaning sixty percent in favor of being done with it and just forty percent in favor of how I've been doing it. I know I can build it back up, even sooner without the debt payments. I just need some positive energy and comments, lots and lots of comments. Please chime in and tell me what you would do. I know it is my husbands and my decision, I just don't want to rush into it without considering every angle. Give me your thoughts, please really, the dog is sick of me talking it over with her and she doesn't have an opinion one way or the other.

Doing the One Step Forward Two Steps Back Dance

My son interviewed for a management position at work and received the new position immediately. He just has to get a car in the next few weeks. He's been riding a bicycle to work but since this is a third key position he will have to drive deposits to the bank at night. You can't really ride up to the deposit drop with a bag of money on a bicycle.

Of course it can't be roses all the time. My youngest daughters hours were cut down to thirteen. She only has two days this week. If this continues I won't have my empty nest anymore, and I really like my empty nest!

My eldest daughter is still waiting to see if she can find a job where she's at before she decides to come to Florida. Things aren't going well for her but she dreads paring everything down to just a few boxes to ship down. A bus or train ride with a baby will be quite an experience too. It's a big decision either way, I just hope she finds a peaceful solution.

As long as the children are settled and self sufficient my husband and I do have some plans in the works. March is our target month. We want everything pared down, new jobs, and a new state. I'm not sure where we are going yet. I research different areas, get rid of clutter, and save like mad. Daily. I can't wait until we can make some changes!

I had a chance encounter the other day with a business owner who was having problems with an employee. She vented, and I asked what she did. She mentioned she may be hiring in March. Our month for a change. March. I expressed an interest. She asked for my number. I will tell no more in fear of jinxing it. I just really hope I hear back from her soon because it sounds like it would be an absolute dream job for my husband and I. Did I mention she sometimes hires couples? Sigh, I just hope I didn't jinx it.

Welcome Back Snowbirds!

This is a small town and not near the big travel destinations where you expect an upsurge in traffic during the winter. I never realized until I worked here what an impact the seasonally challenged retirees have on our local economy. Every summer our hours get dropped each week til it hurts. Snowbirds, how I have missed you!

Today, it was busier than usual. Large orders kept coming through the line. There were several two and three cart orders. It is the first of the month, which accounted for most of the traffic, however, Pennsylvania also came in to restock her kitchen and Michigan said she would be in the next day because she was certain she forgot several items. I was so glad to see them, I'm down to 24 hours this week!

I had a discussion with a coworker the other day. I complained about only having $1.65 in the bank after paying rent, but quickly added that I did have some savings for an emergency. She said all her savings were gone and her husband will be losing his job soon. This used to be her part time job for extra money. Her factory job died two years ago, now her husbands job is almost at an end too. She said their income dropped from $50,000 to $20.000. They say it's a recession, but it sure feels like a depression for those of us at the bottom.

Hard Times in Modern Day

My mother must have driven home the saying that "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all," because I've been silent an entire month. Times have been rough but I have been through worse. The bad part is it hasn't improved yet.

My husband should be home soon. He figured his hours up and he will have twelve hours tonight when he clocks out. This being the last day of the pay week means he will have a lovely check with five hours for one week and twelve for another. I can't wait to pay the bills with that.

We look for jobs here and elsewhere. Elsewhere hires occasionally but here never does. We may just end up traveling to elsewhere.

Ironically, as I was writing this my husband came home with his schedule for next week. He got his six days back.....with THREE HOURS each day. See why I haven't written?

When the Going Gets Tough...

We are in crisis mode at the working poor household. It's the lean season when the snowbirds are gone and business slows. When the corporations start bringing in less money they get onto their store managers to cut payroll, schedule less and send people home early when it is slow.

My hours are fewer than usual but I haven't worried because my husband has always had a pretty steady schedule and paycheck. This year we are both feeling the pinch. He was working six days a week and averaging around 42 hours. It was enough. We were surviving.

A few weeks ago the schedule changed. Two shifts were taken away and he had two days off instead of one. He was worried when he only had 34 hours but I assured him I could tighten up the budget. I was also sort of happy that he had two days off instead of one. We started tackling chores around the house together and even walked on the beach one day.

A few days ago the new schedule came out. He is down to 24 hours. My hours are down to 24 to 32 at this time. It is not going to be a fun little challenge. In fact it is costing us more. I'm sure the stress contributed to my husbands sleepless nights and sore back muscle. He went to the doctor to make sure it wasn't something more serious. Without insurance and without enough hours to cover frivolous things like health care it meant a trip out for the credit card. He also needed medicine which (you guessed it) went on the credit card. Here I was all set to be debt free in three more months. It's always something.

Blah

This is one of those days where I feel kind of yucky but I have to spend a few hours convincing myself that I feel fine and go to work anyway. There are no full time jobs available. Part time employees get no sick days. The trick is to multiply your hours by your wage and imagine you are picking up next weeks check and it is short by that amount. Will you be able to make your bills? Do you really need those groceries?

This is why the gas station attendant keeps sneezing, and the Walmart cashier looks like she's going to pass out. All part time employees must plan illnesses to coincide with their scheduled days off or they are out of luck. Oh well, I would rather be ill at work and feel better on my day off.