About 10 days ago, we dropped the price of the house $10,000. We didn't want to do it. But it was time.
Back in July when we put the house back on the market with the new realtor, we had an open house for brokers, and the price was the only REAL comment we got from them. Most would have priced the house in this new range, but after talking with the realtor....we left it where it was for the summer. However, part of that discussion was if we got to September and the house was not under contract, we may need to make changes. She asked us if our parents would just give us whatever money we may need. Um, if that was an option, we would have visited it a long time ago.
So we went through Labor Day, and then talked to her about the adjusting the price. We were all in agreement that this was the right decision. It would open up the pool of buyers since most people search in increments of 10k.
We noticed that on Zillow, our number of people who "saved" our house increased about 40%. However, we have only had one showing since we made the change. This coming weekend is a crapshoot...there is a large local fair that people attend and the weather is going to be beautiful! No idea what that will mean for real estate.
If the house sells at the current price (although we were told that most houses sell for 96-97% of the asking price), we would JUST cover the payoff on the mortgage. That leaves all the fees that go along with selling a house....realtor, conveyance, etc. Some things will get refunded down the line, but strictly speaking about going to closing...we will need 10k-12k to just close.
In order to cover the cost of dropping the house....we took out a personal loan. This loan is sort of a 2-part thing. The loan is for 22k at 6.99%, and is $435/mon for 60 months. The first $9400 went to pay off the retirement loan (although I have a feeling that we will end up making a slight overpayment since we paid this off right at the end of a paycycle and there may be an extra payment that will come out of G-man's check, which would be refunded to us). This will free up $441 a month (so a cash flow wash), which will then pay for the new loan. It also starts the 60 day "clock" that we have if we wanted to dip back into our retirement account down the line (possibly to lower the interest rate of the personal loan, money for a new house if that is a route that is open to us).
That leaves us $12,600. We originally were thinking we would need closer to 10k for the closing, and were going to use the difference ($2600) to pay off G-man's car, thus freeing up another $127 a month. However, we got nervous. I have said before, I have a problem with liquid money....I don't like to use it, because what if I NEED it (which contradicts myself since I have a hard time using it!). If we paid off the car, and then needed more for the closing, we would be scrambling. Even funneling all the "extra" money we would have in the budget (roughly $300 a month between everything that we have recently done), it would take 7-8 months to cover that amount. So, we are leaving it liquid.
We have $7000 put aside already for the moving costs (which also includes deposits for utilities, travel, etc). Add in the new $12,600....and we are at just under $20,000 cash. So this will cover the house and the move. And HOPEFULLY will have extra at the end that will then go toward some debt (at the moment, G-man's car, then my car....we are purely looking at cash flow, not at interest rates or long term goals). We also know we will have tax season coming before we know it....and if we move in 2015, our return will be much larger than usual because we will be able to deduct the move....and all of that money would go back into the debt reduction efforts.
I will update the side bar to reflect new numbers soon. So, yeah....a $12k set back. I played with the numbers until my eyes crossed. This was the option that made the most sense on paper.
I do feel better knowing that if we had to move quickly (if a buyer wanted a very quick closing), that we have this taken care of. Our cash flow isn't changing. Nothing really changes....except we now have $12k more in debt. That part....that I don't feel good about.
I guess time will tell how this will play out.
Showing posts with label house. Show all posts
Showing posts with label house. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Friday, March 20, 2015
Follow-up
WOW! I had no idea so many people would weigh in on the St. Joseph concept. My take away from the discussion was that it really is the power of belief and faith, along with positive thinking, not necessarily St. Joseph himself that is the key. I also found it interesting the number of people who had never heard of this, including Catholics! It sort of makes you wonder how traditions are started and spread......that is a whole other concept, but an interesting one. Any Anthropologists out there??? I am still not inclined to actually go through the ritual, but maybe I will explore other rituals that are more in line with my personal beliefs. So thank you for all of that!
A few people made some comment that I did want to address.
The Price. We had many discussions about the price. The price was set based on several things, one of which includes our current mortgage. But it also was based on the fact that our property is about 2x the size of alot of the properties in our neighborhood, and bigger than most of the properties in the "comp" area. We also have a deck and pool (which could be a negative as well....but it really comes down to a buyer). It is also NOT in disrepair (more on this in a minute).
The discussion we had (between us, and with the realtor) was that if we set the price where we did, and we weren't getting traffic, then we would have to assume it was the price. If we were getting activity, then we would then assume that the price wasn't the barrier. If people are willing to look at the house, then from the start they are willing to spend this amount of money on a house, even if it this isn't THE house for them after they have seen it.
We dropped the price in November. But we also knew when we put our house on the market that we were looking at a long haul. Unless the house sold by October, we were probably not going to sell it until Spring. No one wants to move during the holidays. And January and February in New England are really not prime either!
But here we are at Mid-March, and this IS the time that people want to buy and move. I am just a little weary after a long winter.
The buyer doesn't care about our personal situation....totally get that. We aren't trying to make money on this house. We just need to clear the mortgage. If the house doesn't sell as we get further into the spring, then more discussions will be had. But right now...here is where we are.
Condition. One commenter (unpublished) assumed that my house is in such a state of disrepair and that we are refusing to fix things! NO!!!!
My house is NOT in disrepair. Disrepair means that things are broken. Nothing is broken. Anything that was broken was fixed (such as a cracked window pane). In fact, all of the comments we have had from the showings have commented that the house is very clean and well maintained.
My house needs some UPGRADING by today's tastes. We do not have granite countertops or 42" cherry cabinets or glass tile backsplashes. If that is what you are looking for, that is NOT in this house. And as the realtor has said, if that is what you are wanting.....then you are looking in the wrong price range to start with.
But the cabinets are not falling apart. The floors are not rotted. The appliances work (even though they are older). With the exception of the kitchen, the house has a neutral color scheme (ok...Sassy's room screams 12 year old girl....). There is nothing that a new buyer HAS to do to make the house livable.....but all people want to put their personal stamp on things. I fully expect a new homeowner will paint, or rip out the vanity in the downstairs bathroom (which was Golden Oak and we painted about 5 years ago...but stylistically it is an older vanity). We have older items....but they still are in working condition.
I have complained about my house....and if that has led people to think it is worse than it it....I am sorry. But in reality, the house is fine. It just doesn't suit us anymore. In 2001, it was perfect. In 2015, not as much. If we were staying here forever, then we would upgrade things in the coming years. But we aren't staying. And ripping out a kitchen to put in a cheap upgrade isn't the answer to selling the house. All that looks like is that we put a cheap upgrade in.
We originally were going to take the house off the market for the winter and put it back on, well...NOW. The realtor talked us into leaving it on the market. That was a mistake. Yes, we had alot of traffic in January and February. But I think most of those buyer were new to looking at homes, and weren't ready to buy yet. Plus, the added pressure of the weather made it very difficult. If we had left it off, I would still be where I am....just less weary.
So here we are....Spring this weekend (but we will still have snow on the ground, and 2"-4" coming later today!). I will trade my snow shovel for a lawnmower in a few weeks. We can't do any planting for awhile, as it typically is May before we get past the frost point. Once we are able to, I look forward to putting a few plants in the front yard, taking out the patio furniture, and doing some sprucing up outside after the winter. I probably will get a Spring Wreath for the front door.
Inside, I think some fresh air will be lovely, when we can open the windows again! I already have a "spring" set of curtains (ok...they are actually table runners we use as curtains!) for the living room that will go up this weekend, and I may get some new "spring" hand towels for the kitchen.
So come on Spring....come on buyers!
A few people made some comment that I did want to address.
The Price. We had many discussions about the price. The price was set based on several things, one of which includes our current mortgage. But it also was based on the fact that our property is about 2x the size of alot of the properties in our neighborhood, and bigger than most of the properties in the "comp" area. We also have a deck and pool (which could be a negative as well....but it really comes down to a buyer). It is also NOT in disrepair (more on this in a minute).
The discussion we had (between us, and with the realtor) was that if we set the price where we did, and we weren't getting traffic, then we would have to assume it was the price. If we were getting activity, then we would then assume that the price wasn't the barrier. If people are willing to look at the house, then from the start they are willing to spend this amount of money on a house, even if it this isn't THE house for them after they have seen it.
We dropped the price in November. But we also knew when we put our house on the market that we were looking at a long haul. Unless the house sold by October, we were probably not going to sell it until Spring. No one wants to move during the holidays. And January and February in New England are really not prime either!
But here we are at Mid-March, and this IS the time that people want to buy and move. I am just a little weary after a long winter.
The buyer doesn't care about our personal situation....totally get that. We aren't trying to make money on this house. We just need to clear the mortgage. If the house doesn't sell as we get further into the spring, then more discussions will be had. But right now...here is where we are.
Condition. One commenter (unpublished) assumed that my house is in such a state of disrepair and that we are refusing to fix things! NO!!!!
My house is NOT in disrepair. Disrepair means that things are broken. Nothing is broken. Anything that was broken was fixed (such as a cracked window pane). In fact, all of the comments we have had from the showings have commented that the house is very clean and well maintained.
My house needs some UPGRADING by today's tastes. We do not have granite countertops or 42" cherry cabinets or glass tile backsplashes. If that is what you are looking for, that is NOT in this house. And as the realtor has said, if that is what you are wanting.....then you are looking in the wrong price range to start with.
But the cabinets are not falling apart. The floors are not rotted. The appliances work (even though they are older). With the exception of the kitchen, the house has a neutral color scheme (ok...Sassy's room screams 12 year old girl....). There is nothing that a new buyer HAS to do to make the house livable.....but all people want to put their personal stamp on things. I fully expect a new homeowner will paint, or rip out the vanity in the downstairs bathroom (which was Golden Oak and we painted about 5 years ago...but stylistically it is an older vanity). We have older items....but they still are in working condition.
I have complained about my house....and if that has led people to think it is worse than it it....I am sorry. But in reality, the house is fine. It just doesn't suit us anymore. In 2001, it was perfect. In 2015, not as much. If we were staying here forever, then we would upgrade things in the coming years. But we aren't staying. And ripping out a kitchen to put in a cheap upgrade isn't the answer to selling the house. All that looks like is that we put a cheap upgrade in.
We originally were going to take the house off the market for the winter and put it back on, well...NOW. The realtor talked us into leaving it on the market. That was a mistake. Yes, we had alot of traffic in January and February. But I think most of those buyer were new to looking at homes, and weren't ready to buy yet. Plus, the added pressure of the weather made it very difficult. If we had left it off, I would still be where I am....just less weary.
So here we are....Spring this weekend (but we will still have snow on the ground, and 2"-4" coming later today!). I will trade my snow shovel for a lawnmower in a few weeks. We can't do any planting for awhile, as it typically is May before we get past the frost point. Once we are able to, I look forward to putting a few plants in the front yard, taking out the patio furniture, and doing some sprucing up outside after the winter. I probably will get a Spring Wreath for the front door.
Inside, I think some fresh air will be lovely, when we can open the windows again! I already have a "spring" set of curtains (ok...they are actually table runners we use as curtains!) for the living room that will go up this weekend, and I may get some new "spring" hand towels for the kitchen.
So come on Spring....come on buyers!
Friday, February 20, 2015
Just Call Me Mario...
the plumber!!
In addition to the snow and the car....the next biggest bane of my existence is probably the plumbing. How does it know that G-man isn't here, and I don't know anything about it? In the almost 3 months (yes, it has been almost 3 months already!) since he left, I have:
and the newest notch on my bedpost....
Fortunately, none of the repairs were major. The total cost was about $13 for the 3 parts I had to replace (the washer I need to fix the sink was free). But all of these little adventures has highlighted something: the need to know some basic home repair!!!
I know a little about A LOT of things. I know a lot about a few things. Plumbing was not on either list.
I am an "end user" on this subject...as in I don't know, or really want to know, how it works....I just want the end product (aka, working units). I don't care how the toilet actually works, I just want to go potty, flush, wash my hands, and leave. I don't WANT to know that the float drops to the bottom of the tank when you flush and as the tank refills, it "floats" up and has a stop to prevent the tank from overfilling.
But I do know this now.
I think alot of people don't learn much about the stuff that their significant other deals with....because THEY deal with it so you don't have to. But I am telling ya from first hand experience....not knowing anything SUCKS when you have to deal with it. I have had my crash course in plumbing, which has lead to putting plumbing in the "know a little" category. Do your loved ones a favor.....
In addition to the snow and the car....the next biggest bane of my existence is probably the plumbing. How does it know that G-man isn't here, and I don't know anything about it? In the almost 3 months (yes, it has been almost 3 months already!) since he left, I have:
- Unclogged both toilets with a plunger (on more than one occasion)
- Unclogged one toilet with a snake (twice!)
- Fixed the separated pipes under the kitchen sink (which included a trip to Home Depot) **and in full disclosure, this actually happened 2x, but the second time I just couldn't get it, so I ran over to the neighbor for help
- Dealt with a broken float in the tank and leaking pipe **my friend's husband actually fixed both of these, but I got to go to Home Depot...twice....for parts (why couldn't both pieces malfunction at the same time so I could just go to the store once??)
and the newest notch on my bedpost....
- A leaking valve (which I proudly used the pliers to tighten the nut and stopped the leak)
Fortunately, none of the repairs were major. The total cost was about $13 for the 3 parts I had to replace (the washer I need to fix the sink was free). But all of these little adventures has highlighted something: the need to know some basic home repair!!!
I know a little about A LOT of things. I know a lot about a few things. Plumbing was not on either list.
I am an "end user" on this subject...as in I don't know, or really want to know, how it works....I just want the end product (aka, working units). I don't care how the toilet actually works, I just want to go potty, flush, wash my hands, and leave. I don't WANT to know that the float drops to the bottom of the tank when you flush and as the tank refills, it "floats" up and has a stop to prevent the tank from overfilling.
But I do know this now.
I think alot of people don't learn much about the stuff that their significant other deals with....because THEY deal with it so you don't have to. But I am telling ya from first hand experience....not knowing anything SUCKS when you have to deal with it. I have had my crash course in plumbing, which has lead to putting plumbing in the "know a little" category. Do your loved ones a favor.....
- Teach them something about subjects that they don't normally deal with
- Make sure they know how to access information (to bring this back around to finance....make sure they know how to find the accounts and passwords!)
- Realize there is a learning curve in all of this
- Celebrate the new found knowledge
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Net Zero
If two things happen in the same day, and they cancel each other out....are you still allowed to be excited and upset?
Excited
Our town did a reassessment of the houses for tax purposes, and it assessed lower than what we have been paying for the past 5 years! I wish I was more savvy over the past years about this, or I would have had the house reassessed when the marked bottomed out.
In 2008 (previous assessment), our house assessed at $133K (70% of market value). Then the market tanked, and our house value plummeted. But we continued to pay taxes based on the 2008 assessment. Each year they have increased the mill rate, and our taxes continued to go up. In 2008, our taxes were $3400 for the year. Last year we paid $4126. That is 21% higher than 5 years ago.
So, at a lower assessment, we are hoping our taxes will go down some. It is all dependent on the mill rate, which hasn't been announced yet. This will all go into effect for Oct 1. They are sneaky that way....we will still have to pay at the higher assessment rate for July 2014 taxes, but our January 2015 will have the new numbers.
MAYBE it will go down a bit. MAYBE.
Upset
G-man got cut off on his way to work, and in order to avoid being hit, he swerved....hit the curb....and blew out his tire. When we bought this car in October, the tires were practically new. And now, one is dead.
He has a full size spare on the car now....but now we will need to get a new spare, or at least a donut, incase something else happens.
I love how these things happened in the same day.....it is like the cosmos just can't let the good stuff just hang around. It has to make sure it is negated.
Excited
Our town did a reassessment of the houses for tax purposes, and it assessed lower than what we have been paying for the past 5 years! I wish I was more savvy over the past years about this, or I would have had the house reassessed when the marked bottomed out.
In 2008 (previous assessment), our house assessed at $133K (70% of market value). Then the market tanked, and our house value plummeted. But we continued to pay taxes based on the 2008 assessment. Each year they have increased the mill rate, and our taxes continued to go up. In 2008, our taxes were $3400 for the year. Last year we paid $4126. That is 21% higher than 5 years ago.
So, at a lower assessment, we are hoping our taxes will go down some. It is all dependent on the mill rate, which hasn't been announced yet. This will all go into effect for Oct 1. They are sneaky that way....we will still have to pay at the higher assessment rate for July 2014 taxes, but our January 2015 will have the new numbers.
MAYBE it will go down a bit. MAYBE.
Upset
G-man got cut off on his way to work, and in order to avoid being hit, he swerved....hit the curb....and blew out his tire. When we bought this car in October, the tires were practically new. And now, one is dead.
He has a full size spare on the car now....but now we will need to get a new spare, or at least a donut, incase something else happens.
I love how these things happened in the same day.....it is like the cosmos just can't let the good stuff just hang around. It has to make sure it is negated.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Murphy....you better not stay!!
OK, who sent Murphy to me? Kim? Was it you????
In the past week, Murphy has decided to be a devilish little fella, and has infiltrated a few things. While I appreciate it isn't a full on attack, I am still not thrilled that he is here at at all. C'mon dude....my house isn't that nice...you really don't want to stay.
1) My tire. A few weeks ago, my digital read out in the car rang off "low tire pressure." Ok...I went on a search for a air pump (not as easy to find as I would have thought), and one tire was in the low 20's. Yeah, that is low. OK....moving on. A week later, same thing. Same tire. This time I noticed a gash in the side. It is about 1.5 inches long. No idea what it is from. Since it is on the side of the tire, I am guessing something from the road kicked up.
G-man put the spare on (it is a full spare, not a donut). So we need to save up to get a new tire.
2) Washing machine. We have a front loader. In the drum, there are these "shelf" things. They help with keeping the clothes balanced and tumbling. I have since learned that they are called baffles. One came off. G-man looked into it, and apparently on our model they didn't use very secure tabs to mount them, as other people have had the same issue. At first, we were just going to let it go. But the clothes aren't spinning right, and the raw edges are snagging the clothes. I did some laundry yesterday, and several pairs of socks got trashed, as well as one of Sassy's favorite shirts. So we had to order a new baffle.
3) Door shelf on Fridge. Our fridge was manufactured in 1994. Stuff is going to wear out. And periodically, the bracket on the door shelves decide to go ka-put. When we open the door, the bracket will come loose, and the shelf contents go tumbling. We have replaced 2 sets so far. Well, make that three as of yesterday. The same place we ordered the baffle has these....so we ordered a new bracket.
So far, the cost is only $36, since we haven't done the tire yet. I can live with $36. But let's not make a habit of all of this.
In the past week, Murphy has decided to be a devilish little fella, and has infiltrated a few things. While I appreciate it isn't a full on attack, I am still not thrilled that he is here at at all. C'mon dude....my house isn't that nice...you really don't want to stay.
1) My tire. A few weeks ago, my digital read out in the car rang off "low tire pressure." Ok...I went on a search for a air pump (not as easy to find as I would have thought), and one tire was in the low 20's. Yeah, that is low. OK....moving on. A week later, same thing. Same tire. This time I noticed a gash in the side. It is about 1.5 inches long. No idea what it is from. Since it is on the side of the tire, I am guessing something from the road kicked up.
G-man put the spare on (it is a full spare, not a donut). So we need to save up to get a new tire.
2) Washing machine. We have a front loader. In the drum, there are these "shelf" things. They help with keeping the clothes balanced and tumbling. I have since learned that they are called baffles. One came off. G-man looked into it, and apparently on our model they didn't use very secure tabs to mount them, as other people have had the same issue. At first, we were just going to let it go. But the clothes aren't spinning right, and the raw edges are snagging the clothes. I did some laundry yesterday, and several pairs of socks got trashed, as well as one of Sassy's favorite shirts. So we had to order a new baffle.
3) Door shelf on Fridge. Our fridge was manufactured in 1994. Stuff is going to wear out. And periodically, the bracket on the door shelves decide to go ka-put. When we open the door, the bracket will come loose, and the shelf contents go tumbling. We have replaced 2 sets so far. Well, make that three as of yesterday. The same place we ordered the baffle has these....so we ordered a new bracket.
So far, the cost is only $36, since we haven't done the tire yet. I can live with $36. But let's not make a habit of all of this.
Monday, July 2, 2012
A Surprise Visitor
As I was working around the house on Saturday, the doorbell rang. Turns out it was a lovely woman (and her very embarrassed husband), who lived in my house in the 60's!! The husband couldn't believe his wife just rang the doorbell of a stranger.
I got a good feeling from them (you know, that one that says it is ok....), and invited them in. Now, my house wasn't dirty, but it was still a work in progress....so I was rather proud of myself that I put those feelings of "OMG, my house isn't perfect" aside to let them in.
It was a trip! She was telling me what everything looked like then, where things were (like their TV was in the opposite corner from ours), where the Christmas tree went. We were standing in the kitchen, and she said "there is a bathroom over there." Yep. Well, it was a pantry when she lived there! (We suspected that.) She remembered when her parents made it into a bathroom.
She used to play "house" on the front porch. And "dolly-ies" in the attic.
Her old bedroom is now Sassy's (and there was a big walk in closet back then, which got sacrificed to make the bathroom bigger). Bossy's room was her parents (and when I told her about the laminate floor we found when we changed the carpet a few weeks ago, she told me her parents put that down!). My bedroom was the "junk" room.
There were trees that are now gone. But found out that some of the plants (like our forsythia bushes) were there back then! Apparently so were the Mountain Laurel and the Dogwood Trees. Go figure!
She told me about the neighbors back then, and riding bikes around the neighborhood. There was a school next to the post office, which has since been torn down. A group home around the corner (it is a large house), was a Convent for the neighborhood church. And there was a hill across the way that they used to go sledding on in the winter.
All the neighbors were friends, and the kids used to just wander from house to house. Sounds like the 60's to me.
It was neat taking a walk down memory lane through her eyes.
I got a good feeling from them (you know, that one that says it is ok....), and invited them in. Now, my house wasn't dirty, but it was still a work in progress....so I was rather proud of myself that I put those feelings of "OMG, my house isn't perfect" aside to let them in.
It was a trip! She was telling me what everything looked like then, where things were (like their TV was in the opposite corner from ours), where the Christmas tree went. We were standing in the kitchen, and she said "there is a bathroom over there." Yep. Well, it was a pantry when she lived there! (We suspected that.) She remembered when her parents made it into a bathroom.
She used to play "house" on the front porch. And "dolly-ies" in the attic.
Her old bedroom is now Sassy's (and there was a big walk in closet back then, which got sacrificed to make the bathroom bigger). Bossy's room was her parents (and when I told her about the laminate floor we found when we changed the carpet a few weeks ago, she told me her parents put that down!). My bedroom was the "junk" room.
There were trees that are now gone. But found out that some of the plants (like our forsythia bushes) were there back then! Apparently so were the Mountain Laurel and the Dogwood Trees. Go figure!
She told me about the neighbors back then, and riding bikes around the neighborhood. There was a school next to the post office, which has since been torn down. A group home around the corner (it is a large house), was a Convent for the neighborhood church. And there was a hill across the way that they used to go sledding on in the winter.
All the neighbors were friends, and the kids used to just wander from house to house. Sounds like the 60's to me.
It was neat taking a walk down memory lane through her eyes.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
I think I figured out part of the problem
We have spent some extra money this week. Pretty much the entire lot of purchases were not necessary. Emotional spending.
Yesterday, we were talking about new living room furniture. We took the slipcovers off to wash them, and WOW, our couches were bad. I forgot to take pictures before we put the slipcovers back on, but the material on the cushions is DESTROYED. Everytime you sit down, you feel it rip. The attached backs are only partially attached. Threadbare doesn't even describe them. And because the slip covers are a chocolate brown, the dye from them has rubbed off over time onto the material, which makes them look that much worse.
If we hadn't been in grubby clothes at the moment, I think we would have bought new furniture.
I think for us right now....we have hit a wall of existence. That is all we are right now. Existing. We meet the minimum qualification for things...food on the table, roof over our head, clothes on our back....but we don't LIVE. Our house is not a place we come HOME to. All we see is the old, falling apart CRAP. We have been together almost 15 years....and our stuff has been around just as long. It is worn and done....and we can't do much about it.
Using the current situation....we don't see any of this changing in the next 5 years. Even 7 years.
We are in constant CRISIS mode. We need to get into a different mode. We can't just live to fix the next problem. It is wearing us down.
Will buying new furniture fix the problem....nope. Will it make it easier to live with the problem....maybe.
All I know is that while I do believe in Dave Ramsey's idea of "Live like no other so you can live like no other," that will only work if it is for a finite period of time. If you know there is something better at the end of the tunnel and that tunnel will take 3 years to get out of...you can deal with it. But when that tunnel is so long and dark and filled with spooky stuff....you can't stay there indefinitely...you will lose your mind.
So that is where we are at. We have identified part of the problem....now it is finding a reasonable fix.
Yesterday, we were talking about new living room furniture. We took the slipcovers off to wash them, and WOW, our couches were bad. I forgot to take pictures before we put the slipcovers back on, but the material on the cushions is DESTROYED. Everytime you sit down, you feel it rip. The attached backs are only partially attached. Threadbare doesn't even describe them. And because the slip covers are a chocolate brown, the dye from them has rubbed off over time onto the material, which makes them look that much worse.
If we hadn't been in grubby clothes at the moment, I think we would have bought new furniture.
I think for us right now....we have hit a wall of existence. That is all we are right now. Existing. We meet the minimum qualification for things...food on the table, roof over our head, clothes on our back....but we don't LIVE. Our house is not a place we come HOME to. All we see is the old, falling apart CRAP. We have been together almost 15 years....and our stuff has been around just as long. It is worn and done....and we can't do much about it.
Using the current situation....we don't see any of this changing in the next 5 years. Even 7 years.
We are in constant CRISIS mode. We need to get into a different mode. We can't just live to fix the next problem. It is wearing us down.
Will buying new furniture fix the problem....nope. Will it make it easier to live with the problem....maybe.
All I know is that while I do believe in Dave Ramsey's idea of "Live like no other so you can live like no other," that will only work if it is for a finite period of time. If you know there is something better at the end of the tunnel and that tunnel will take 3 years to get out of...you can deal with it. But when that tunnel is so long and dark and filled with spooky stuff....you can't stay there indefinitely...you will lose your mind.
So that is where we are at. We have identified part of the problem....now it is finding a reasonable fix.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
So THAT is why we aren't getting anywhere!!!
I have really been racking my brain (which, is full of holes at this point....) on why we aren't making more progress. If others can do it...so can we! So what about our plan isn't working.....Then it finally came to me. The reason we aren't making more progress....is we are PLANNING.
I can hear you all now.....Huh? Mysti....you really are off your rocker. Since when is planning the reason that something doesn't work? That is so counter intuitive.
Oh, but listen, my little grasshoppas....
I looked at our budget and where all the moola is going, and it dawned on me. We are SAVING for PLANNED expenses. In the past...we would hope that we could use our three paycheck months to cover the shortfall. There were some things we would put on a credit card, and then we really didn't think about them as expenses, because they just fell into the abyss known as DEBT.
Last April, I opened our first ING account, and have since opened several more. These have allowed us to save for planned expenses, and to actually visually see where it all is. And we are now paying CASH for things that either previously went on a credit card, or we shuffled around to make ends meet.
ETA: Please remember....I have a child with Autism. He simply will not tolerate having people in the house for a party. Kids "touching" his stuff....will set him over the edge and he will not even attend his own party. We can't do parties the way the rest of the world does. He likes bowling....he understands what happens there. We can do a party for him and have him have FUN...and that is important to us.
Sassy....her party will be for her and 3 friends. She doesn't have friends. She doesn't get invited to parties. She doesn't have playdates. She is the kid that has "that brother." If she has a friend over, Bossy goes into hysterics, and it is a mess.
No one has to agree with us on this one. But if you take a 9 year old kid who has had ONE party in their life......I don't think we are being over indulgent.
(I should add that originally this was going to be for G-man's 40th birthday bash....but after this year of issues, I decided against holding it, and decided that it would go to the kids).
After I thought about all of this.....THERE is where my debt repayment money is. I used to think I should have at least $500 more a month to repay debt. NO....we were living above our means, and now that $500 is being saved for REAL expenses.
I can beat myself up for not slashing through our debt in Gazelle style. But I am not going to. We are living a more realistic budget now. (Even if the food budget is STILL crazy, and gas prices aren't helping either). Baby steps.
Dave Ramsey might not be proud per se....but he at least wouldn't call us an idiot.
I can hear you all now.....Huh? Mysti....you really are off your rocker. Since when is planning the reason that something doesn't work? That is so counter intuitive.
Oh, but listen, my little grasshoppas....
I looked at our budget and where all the moola is going, and it dawned on me. We are SAVING for PLANNED expenses. In the past...we would hope that we could use our three paycheck months to cover the shortfall. There were some things we would put on a credit card, and then we really didn't think about them as expenses, because they just fell into the abyss known as DEBT.
Last April, I opened our first ING account, and have since opened several more. These have allowed us to save for planned expenses, and to actually visually see where it all is. And we are now paying CASH for things that either previously went on a credit card, or we shuffled around to make ends meet.
- We saved $1,000 CASH for the kids' camp. They didn't take credit cards, so that wasn't even an option. Last year, Nannie paid for camp (which was great, because we hadn't saved enough.....). This year, we had it, no problem.
- The kids' birthday is coming up at the end of August. They will each have a party (their first one since they were 4, and they will be 9). I researched the cost (she is having a spa party, he is having a bowling party), and saved up. I saved $700 for their parties, gifts, cakes, and their special dinner on their birthday. Probably more than I need, but the left over will roll into the Christmas account. Now, I realize that is ALOT for a birthday....but this is for 2 kids' parties, and they haven't had one in 5 years.
ETA: Please remember....I have a child with Autism. He simply will not tolerate having people in the house for a party. Kids "touching" his stuff....will set him over the edge and he will not even attend his own party. We can't do parties the way the rest of the world does. He likes bowling....he understands what happens there. We can do a party for him and have him have FUN...and that is important to us.
Sassy....her party will be for her and 3 friends. She doesn't have friends. She doesn't get invited to parties. She doesn't have playdates. She is the kid that has "that brother." If she has a friend over, Bossy goes into hysterics, and it is a mess.
No one has to agree with us on this one. But if you take a 9 year old kid who has had ONE party in their life......I don't think we are being over indulgent.
(I should add that originally this was going to be for G-man's 40th birthday bash....but after this year of issues, I decided against holding it, and decided that it would go to the kids).
- The boat. My nemesis. It needs some repairs. We are now saving $40 a month toward that.
- The cars. Having a car maintenance fund has saved our tushies a few times. It has covered oil changes, wiper blades, a few smaller repairs. Granted, it didn't do squat when we had the $2,000 transmission bill. But over the past year, I guarantee ever last one of those expenses would have been on a credit card if we didn't have an account for this. We save $140 a month for insurance and maintenance.
- Christmas!!! We are all guilty of charging up Christmas. And last year I planned to not do it....and then did. Not this year. We have a Christmas fund. We are saving $230 a month for Christmas right now (this fund is still small....we had to save for camp and birthdays first). And we decided that the kids really don't need alot of fancy stuff...she is really happy with books. He is harder, but again, fancy doesn't do it for him. We budgeted for gifts, cards, postage, the tree....and when the money is gone, it is gone. I am not going into more debt for this.
- Irregular expenses. These are things like the 2x a year car tax bill, 2x a year water bill, quarterly trash bill. Those things you know exist...but sort of ignore until you have to deal with them. Not anymore. I save for them, to the tune of $80 a month.
After I thought about all of this.....THERE is where my debt repayment money is. I used to think I should have at least $500 more a month to repay debt. NO....we were living above our means, and now that $500 is being saved for REAL expenses.
I can beat myself up for not slashing through our debt in Gazelle style. But I am not going to. We are living a more realistic budget now. (Even if the food budget is STILL crazy, and gas prices aren't helping either). Baby steps.
Dave Ramsey might not be proud per se....but he at least wouldn't call us an idiot.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Adventures in Yard Sales - Part One
Despite reading alot about how to have a yard sale, we have never actually done it. Talked about it...but never did it. Most of what I read said it is better to have several smaller ones over the course of years, than saving it all up and having a huge one ever 10 years. Mostly so you can sell stuff while there is still some interest in fad type items.
Oh well...we are having a huge one with a decade worth ofcrap treasures waiting for a new home.
This yard sale has several concurrent objectives:
It is somewhat appalling how much stuff we have. Granted, it was collected over time, but seriously.....some of this is absurd. For example, we have like 20 sets of sheets. I think my mom bought them for us over time. Unless we are running a hotel, we don't need this many. Most of them I don't even like. So I washed and folded them, and if they can go to another home....great.
I also found binders from 2006 when the kids were in preschool. I kept every daily "schedule" of what they did....all in order, in a binder, sorted into tabs by month. OK....do I really need to know that they fingerpainted on 2/16 and had carrot sticks for snack? NO. Those were pitched. I kept the boxes of all the art and such to go through later and streamline. No time right now for that, but I have the boxes together waiting for me (it isn't like I was selling that stuff....unless....maybe my kids are Ar-TEESTS, and I can sell it for thousands!!!)
Our first pass at emptying the attic went well. Our playroom now looks like the attic barfed all over it, but we needed somewhere to put it. There was only one item that G-man and I had to discuss getting rid of vs. keeping. That was Bossy's bouncy chair. I said get rid of it, but with tears running down my face. I was trying to be practical. But there are so many memories with that chair. In the end, we kept the cover (for his memory box) and pitched the frame.
I can't wait to show you what the attic looks like now!!! But alas, you will have to wait. I know you are as excited as I am.
Oh well...we are having a huge one with a decade worth of
This yard sale has several concurrent objectives:
- Clean out Attic (see Personal goals 2011)
- Make money (see Financial goals 2011)
- Entertain you guys.
 |
| Looking down the length of the attic |
 |
| Far end of attic |
 |
| Christmas stuff |
 |
| One side |
 |
| Dormer Area |
 |
| Other Side |
It is somewhat appalling how much stuff we have. Granted, it was collected over time, but seriously.....some of this is absurd. For example, we have like 20 sets of sheets. I think my mom bought them for us over time. Unless we are running a hotel, we don't need this many. Most of them I don't even like. So I washed and folded them, and if they can go to another home....great.
I also found binders from 2006 when the kids were in preschool. I kept every daily "schedule" of what they did....all in order, in a binder, sorted into tabs by month. OK....do I really need to know that they fingerpainted on 2/16 and had carrot sticks for snack? NO. Those were pitched. I kept the boxes of all the art and such to go through later and streamline. No time right now for that, but I have the boxes together waiting for me (it isn't like I was selling that stuff....unless....maybe my kids are Ar-TEESTS, and I can sell it for thousands!!!)
Our first pass at emptying the attic went well. Our playroom now looks like the attic barfed all over it, but we needed somewhere to put it. There was only one item that G-man and I had to discuss getting rid of vs. keeping. That was Bossy's bouncy chair. I said get rid of it, but with tears running down my face. I was trying to be practical. But there are so many memories with that chair. In the end, we kept the cover (for his memory box) and pitched the frame.
I can't wait to show you what the attic looks like now!!! But alas, you will have to wait. I know you are as excited as I am.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
I totally jinxed it....
The washing machine pump is acting up. Probably be about $125, and G-man will be able to replace it himself.
Not horrible....but GRRRR.
Not horrible....but GRRRR.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The timing is STILL not right...but.....
UGH. Why this week? Why when I am stressed about school and money does this happen?
August is just a bad month for me emotionally. I have had alot of bad things happen in August, and it just builds over the month. So, I tend to be a little edgy to start.
Add in the kids' birthday (which is related to the emotional stuff too). Presents and cake. And we do not do parties, but we do one special day for them instead. This year it is the movies, lunch, and Bounce house place. (It was supposed to be a theme park, but the weather isn't good).
Add in back to school shopping. And August is an expensive month.
I got a small bonus at work. Which we decided to use towards the kids' birthday celebration. We have leaned a little on the credit cards due to higher than normal spending, and my mistake of opening Pandora's Box to get the credit card points.
And what happens.....My coveted bookcase is back. Maybe it is a good sign that no one wants to buy it and it is just waiting for me.
Not a good week to tempt me! UGH. WHINE AND CRY!!!
Someone slap me.
August is just a bad month for me emotionally. I have had alot of bad things happen in August, and it just builds over the month. So, I tend to be a little edgy to start.
Add in the kids' birthday (which is related to the emotional stuff too). Presents and cake. And we do not do parties, but we do one special day for them instead. This year it is the movies, lunch, and Bounce house place. (It was supposed to be a theme park, but the weather isn't good).
Add in back to school shopping. And August is an expensive month.
I got a small bonus at work. Which we decided to use towards the kids' birthday celebration. We have leaned a little on the credit cards due to higher than normal spending, and my mistake of opening Pandora's Box to get the credit card points.
And what happens.....My coveted bookcase is back. Maybe it is a good sign that no one wants to buy it and it is just waiting for me.
Not a good week to tempt me! UGH. WHINE AND CRY!!!
Someone slap me.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
GBU - August 15, 2010
Another Good, Bad, and Ugly round up for the week! We all have them....things that are great about our financial week....things that just plan stink. These are subjective, so there are no hard and fast rules. What are yours for the week??? Mine:
The Good: During a re-con mission to Ikea yesterday (scouting out B-day present for Bossy, vanity for the bathroom), a few things happened:
1) G-man lost his wallet, without knowing it! He was paged over the speaker system, and was able to get his wallet back, in tact. It couldn't have been gone more than a few minutes. Thank you to the person who found it and turned it in. I am not too worried about "theft." I will watch his accounts, but I think it will be ok.
2) We resisted a clearance killer sale. They had a bookcase (techinically 2) that was similar to what we wanted, and the pair would have been $120. It was tempting! But it wasn't exactly what we wanted, and to spend that much money, unbudgeted and for something that wasn't really what we wanted made no sense. A deal isn't a deal in that case.
The Bad: The temptation to use the credit card for points. Just isn't working for me. I will just have to wait it out to make the few large purchases and get the points that way. Even though I had cash for my purchases, it just wasn't working for me.
The Ugly: Eating out! We had dinner at a mediocre diner last night due to time issues. And mediocre was being generous. The bill came, and with tip, it was $44!! At a crummy diner! We had 3 waters and an apple juice; kids spaghetti, kids grilled cheese, a chicken sandwich, and a chicken souvlaki and salad. Totally not worth that much money, especially for crummy food. I spent the rest of the night annoyed about it.
The Good: During a re-con mission to Ikea yesterday (scouting out B-day present for Bossy, vanity for the bathroom), a few things happened:
1) G-man lost his wallet, without knowing it! He was paged over the speaker system, and was able to get his wallet back, in tact. It couldn't have been gone more than a few minutes. Thank you to the person who found it and turned it in. I am not too worried about "theft." I will watch his accounts, but I think it will be ok.
2) We resisted a clearance killer sale. They had a bookcase (techinically 2) that was similar to what we wanted, and the pair would have been $120. It was tempting! But it wasn't exactly what we wanted, and to spend that much money, unbudgeted and for something that wasn't really what we wanted made no sense. A deal isn't a deal in that case.
The Bad: The temptation to use the credit card for points. Just isn't working for me. I will just have to wait it out to make the few large purchases and get the points that way. Even though I had cash for my purchases, it just wasn't working for me.
The Ugly: Eating out! We had dinner at a mediocre diner last night due to time issues. And mediocre was being generous. The bill came, and with tip, it was $44!! At a crummy diner! We had 3 waters and an apple juice; kids spaghetti, kids grilled cheese, a chicken sandwich, and a chicken souvlaki and salad. Totally not worth that much money, especially for crummy food. I spent the rest of the night annoyed about it.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Why it pays to have an organized house
Confession.....my house isn't as organized as it might seem when I describe some things. Probably more organized than most, but less than ideal. I have this fantasy of having everything in its place, labeled (using my label maker), and being able to maintain it. (And as a TMI.....I keep encouraging G-man to help with this fantasy.....it might "benefit" him in the long run. :) )
Anyway, G-man needed some new clothes (seriously, I can't even remember the last time we bought him clothes....that is an entirely different rant.....). With Vacation only 2 weeks away (EEEK!), he needed some shorts (he had 1 pair that were in decent shape to be seen in public, the rest....well....we won't go there). He tends to have good luck at Kohl's, so off we went.
Wait....back up....before we left.....I had a few things that needed to be returned. A couple of tops I bought him that didn't fit. A pair of jeans that didn't fit Bossy....and wait....what is this mysterious box I found in the attic...KACHING! It was the box of a ton of kids clothes that they never wore....brand new....and my brilliant mom stapled individual gift receipts to each item!!
So now we go to Kohl's. The two shirts got credited back to my card. The rest was gift cards to the store. $95 dollars in Gift Cards!!!
While it is ideal to not have to go back and return items, it is part of life. Keeping track of receipts....remembering that "special" place we all stash these items to be returned....all of this impacts our budget bottom line. How many hundreds of dollars have we wasted on items we meant to return, and never did? Now they are clutter. And we end up donating them, or selling them for pennies on the dollar. Designate one spot for all of this!!!! It will save you so much time and money in the end.
G-man got 3 pairs of shorts, a few tops, and Sassy got 2 pairs of shorts and 2 tops. We paid less than $50 after using our gift cards, and got $30 in Kohl's cash to spend in the next week!
As a side note.....a HUGE shout out to Kohl's customer service!!! The items from the kids....were dated 2007. Seriously, my mom bought them 3 years ago (and as another aside....mom said it was ok to keep the money from the return and use it for new purchases). And Kohl's figured out a way of tracking the gift receipt from 3 years ago and gave us back what my mom paid for. Additionally....our total came to $144, pre gift cards. Kohl's was offering $10 in Kohl's cash for every $50 spent, and the cashier just rounded us up and gave us $30, vs $20. Another huge thumbs up!
So dear bloggy friends.....the lessons we learned from this are: 1) Keep your receipts and items to be returned handy. 2) Customer service can go a long way in helping you out. 3) Clutter is bad....finding a gem in your house is a lucky by-product, but keeping the clutter at bay is even better!
Anyway, G-man needed some new clothes (seriously, I can't even remember the last time we bought him clothes....that is an entirely different rant.....). With Vacation only 2 weeks away (EEEK!), he needed some shorts (he had 1 pair that were in decent shape to be seen in public, the rest....well....we won't go there). He tends to have good luck at Kohl's, so off we went.
Wait....back up....before we left.....I had a few things that needed to be returned. A couple of tops I bought him that didn't fit. A pair of jeans that didn't fit Bossy....and wait....what is this mysterious box I found in the attic...KACHING! It was the box of a ton of kids clothes that they never wore....brand new....and my brilliant mom stapled individual gift receipts to each item!!
So now we go to Kohl's. The two shirts got credited back to my card. The rest was gift cards to the store. $95 dollars in Gift Cards!!!
While it is ideal to not have to go back and return items, it is part of life. Keeping track of receipts....remembering that "special" place we all stash these items to be returned....all of this impacts our budget bottom line. How many hundreds of dollars have we wasted on items we meant to return, and never did? Now they are clutter. And we end up donating them, or selling them for pennies on the dollar. Designate one spot for all of this!!!! It will save you so much time and money in the end.
G-man got 3 pairs of shorts, a few tops, and Sassy got 2 pairs of shorts and 2 tops. We paid less than $50 after using our gift cards, and got $30 in Kohl's cash to spend in the next week!
As a side note.....a HUGE shout out to Kohl's customer service!!! The items from the kids....were dated 2007. Seriously, my mom bought them 3 years ago (and as another aside....mom said it was ok to keep the money from the return and use it for new purchases). And Kohl's figured out a way of tracking the gift receipt from 3 years ago and gave us back what my mom paid for. Additionally....our total came to $144, pre gift cards. Kohl's was offering $10 in Kohl's cash for every $50 spent, and the cashier just rounded us up and gave us $30, vs $20. Another huge thumbs up!
So dear bloggy friends.....the lessons we learned from this are: 1) Keep your receipts and items to be returned handy. 2) Customer service can go a long way in helping you out. 3) Clutter is bad....finding a gem in your house is a lucky by-product, but keeping the clutter at bay is even better!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Our Energy Audit
We signed up for an energy audit through our electric company. The charge is normally $75 (which is a good price to start with....) but I had a coupon that brought it down to only $25!
They started by testing our "draft" level of the house. Without getting technical, lets just say our house is a wind tunnel. Our house is 100 yrs old, with the original rope hung, single pane windows. Enuf said. The minimal air level we should have in the house was 875 (below that would require mechanical ventilation). Our starting level was 4100!!!
The program is designed to seal up to 25% of the draft areas and make energy saving recommendations. Additionally, they would replace our light bulbs with the newer energy efficient ones. Heck, we got over $25 in light bulbs alone.
The guys caulked around windows and doors. Added weather stripping and draft guards to the doors. Plus, they found a HUGE hole in the top of our linen closet that was leaking air into our attic. By the end, our draft level was down just over 25%. We got 8 new light bulbs, plus a fancy dancy 3-way energy efficient bulb.
Additionally, we are eligible for a TON of rebates if we do some improvements in the next 45 days. Alot of this requires buying new appliances, which isn't happening. BUT, the one we are seriously considering is adding insulation in the attic. Currently we have an R15 value, and it should be R30, minimum. The initial layout would be about $890. But we would get $445 back as a rebate (50%) and be able to right off another $187 on our taxes next year....bringing the final cost to $258! This will save tons of money on heating since the heat won't be escaping.
The whole audit took about 2.5 hrs, and again, cost us only $25. WELL worth the money.
They started by testing our "draft" level of the house. Without getting technical, lets just say our house is a wind tunnel. Our house is 100 yrs old, with the original rope hung, single pane windows. Enuf said. The minimal air level we should have in the house was 875 (below that would require mechanical ventilation). Our starting level was 4100!!!
The program is designed to seal up to 25% of the draft areas and make energy saving recommendations. Additionally, they would replace our light bulbs with the newer energy efficient ones. Heck, we got over $25 in light bulbs alone.
The guys caulked around windows and doors. Added weather stripping and draft guards to the doors. Plus, they found a HUGE hole in the top of our linen closet that was leaking air into our attic. By the end, our draft level was down just over 25%. We got 8 new light bulbs, plus a fancy dancy 3-way energy efficient bulb.
Additionally, we are eligible for a TON of rebates if we do some improvements in the next 45 days. Alot of this requires buying new appliances, which isn't happening. BUT, the one we are seriously considering is adding insulation in the attic. Currently we have an R15 value, and it should be R30, minimum. The initial layout would be about $890. But we would get $445 back as a rebate (50%) and be able to right off another $187 on our taxes next year....bringing the final cost to $258! This will save tons of money on heating since the heat won't be escaping.
The whole audit took about 2.5 hrs, and again, cost us only $25. WELL worth the money.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Keeping the old
At what point do you feel the need to replace something? When it is actually broken beyond repair? When it is showing signs of age, but isn't broken yet? When the newest upgrade comes out? Never....if it breaks, oh well?
In our house, we tend toward the "broken beyond repair" camp.
It is funny though....we have some things that are OLD, work fine, and have no desire to replace. Case in point....our alarm clock. It is a clock radio, that I got when I was in 6th grade in 1985. Wasn't I so cool? I listened to Madonna and Michael Jackson, on my clock radio (oh and of course, my pink Walkman!) But this clock radio still works fine. Even the radio part works (although we never use it). We set it each night, and it wakes us up in the morning....isn't that it's intended job? Until it completely fails, I have no reason to replace it.
On the other hand, we used to use the chair I had a teenager (I am sensing a theme here.....) as our computer desk chair. Until one day I sat down rather hard, and I heard CRACK, and it fell apart and we all went tumbling to the ground (cue Debbie Gibson....I think we're alone now....). And the pathetic thing....I still refused to spend money on replacing it, and we used a folding chair (until it too gave its life in service to our family and fell apart). (By the way, we did break down and buy a $15 office chair off of Craigslist, and it is MUCH better!!)
Because G-man and I have been married for 12 yrs, and together for 13 1/2 years...the stuff we got when we were first together has gotten....well....OLD. We bought a kitchenette set and living room set when we moved in together. At this point, the finish is gone from the table, and if you aren't careful, you will get a splinter, and the chairs....doesn't matter how much glue we use, they won't tighten up and just wiggle. Our sofas....about 2 years ago we bought slipcovers to try and buy us more time. The fabric is shredded in some areas, one leg on each sofa has broken off and had to be reattached. I wouldn't even give them to a fraternity house at this point....they will go to the dump when their day comes.
We have looked at replacement costs. We decided that we wanted to buy something of a reasonable quality so we didn't have to replace it again for a long time. This doesn't mean it is top of the line, but it is good stuff. But good stuff costs money....that we don't have. I would love to say we are saving up for it, but we aren't. Other things are more important to save for right now.
So listen up sofas, table, and alarm clock......I don't care that you are in your golden years. I don't care that other items of your age have long since retired and are enjoying brunch at the club. You are a work horse, and you will continue to work until you go out in a blaze of glory!!!
(and a topic for another post......clothes.....how long do you keep them? Take a guess how old my oldest item of clothing is that I still wear....)
In our house, we tend toward the "broken beyond repair" camp.
It is funny though....we have some things that are OLD, work fine, and have no desire to replace. Case in point....our alarm clock. It is a clock radio, that I got when I was in 6th grade in 1985. Wasn't I so cool? I listened to Madonna and Michael Jackson, on my clock radio (oh and of course, my pink Walkman!) But this clock radio still works fine. Even the radio part works (although we never use it). We set it each night, and it wakes us up in the morning....isn't that it's intended job? Until it completely fails, I have no reason to replace it.
On the other hand, we used to use the chair I had a teenager (I am sensing a theme here.....) as our computer desk chair. Until one day I sat down rather hard, and I heard CRACK, and it fell apart and we all went tumbling to the ground (cue Debbie Gibson....I think we're alone now....). And the pathetic thing....I still refused to spend money on replacing it, and we used a folding chair (until it too gave its life in service to our family and fell apart). (By the way, we did break down and buy a $15 office chair off of Craigslist, and it is MUCH better!!)
Because G-man and I have been married for 12 yrs, and together for 13 1/2 years...the stuff we got when we were first together has gotten....well....OLD. We bought a kitchenette set and living room set when we moved in together. At this point, the finish is gone from the table, and if you aren't careful, you will get a splinter, and the chairs....doesn't matter how much glue we use, they won't tighten up and just wiggle. Our sofas....about 2 years ago we bought slipcovers to try and buy us more time. The fabric is shredded in some areas, one leg on each sofa has broken off and had to be reattached. I wouldn't even give them to a fraternity house at this point....they will go to the dump when their day comes.
We have looked at replacement costs. We decided that we wanted to buy something of a reasonable quality so we didn't have to replace it again for a long time. This doesn't mean it is top of the line, but it is good stuff. But good stuff costs money....that we don't have. I would love to say we are saving up for it, but we aren't. Other things are more important to save for right now.
So listen up sofas, table, and alarm clock......I don't care that you are in your golden years. I don't care that other items of your age have long since retired and are enjoying brunch at the club. You are a work horse, and you will continue to work until you go out in a blaze of glory!!!
(and a topic for another post......clothes.....how long do you keep them? Take a guess how old my oldest item of clothing is that I still wear....)
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Realizing the limitations
I knew getting out of debt would be hard. I understand Dave Ramsey's mantra. But realizing what you really can and can't do....that is hard. I mentioned the other day formulating a plan for things. Putting it on paper, making a storyboard. Knowing the costs before proceeding. All good and well. It is realizing that these dreams are just that....dreams.
Home improvement. That is the hidden cost of owning a home. There is always something to be done. Some it is needed....some of it is wanted. G-man and I spent some time this afternoon discussing it. And while there are some cosmetic changes I am itching to do....the ole funds just won't support it. We tried breaking the projects into smaller chunks, with the idea of doing it in stages. Nope. Need has to win out over want.
I wanted to make over this alcove area. Paint, new bookcase, new chair, light, and area rug. Found a chair we both love. Talked about the paint. The rest would wait. Until we really started talking about what we needed to do.
The main bathroom has several areas that need to be repaired.
The driveway needs to be resealed.
The fence needs to be washed and stained.
Restaining the deck, mulch and a new solar cover for the pool (ours ripped last year. The bathroom makeover of "just paint and a new floor." Replacing the window in the kitchen that is has the pane cracked (can't just replace the pane....the whole window needs to be replaced). The glass that is cracked on the window in the dining room. Replacing the fence with vinyl. All of this is now officially on hiatus.
The kitchen table needs to be replaced. The couches aren't too hot either. Yeah....no.
In the past, I would say that we would have easily put 2-3k on our CC doing these "necessary" things. But I won't do it now. It is easy to say I won't do it....it is hard to accept that we can't.
The reality of it is, we had to pick the projects that if they aren't done, they will cause problems later. The windows were in the running....but after discussing that they have been like this for a long time, they got bumped. The fence replacement was heavily discussed as well.
So, the bathroom repairs will happen: fix the floor where the linoleum is peeling and letting water into the subfloor, repairing the rotted drywall by the tub. fixing the window so it can open again, thus letting out some of the heat in the house during the summer (we have window a/c).
The driveway will be resealed to prevent cracking.
And the fence will be washed and restained. The bare wood will start rotting if we don't.
None of these projects are exciting. None of them will give you that wow factor. None of them are fun to plan. But between gift cards, cash from selling stuff, and little bits here and there....we can do them without using the CC.
Good bye alcove project. Good bye bathroom makeover. Hopefully we can revisit you eventually.
Home improvement. That is the hidden cost of owning a home. There is always something to be done. Some it is needed....some of it is wanted. G-man and I spent some time this afternoon discussing it. And while there are some cosmetic changes I am itching to do....the ole funds just won't support it. We tried breaking the projects into smaller chunks, with the idea of doing it in stages. Nope. Need has to win out over want.
I wanted to make over this alcove area. Paint, new bookcase, new chair, light, and area rug. Found a chair we both love. Talked about the paint. The rest would wait. Until we really started talking about what we needed to do.
The main bathroom has several areas that need to be repaired.
The driveway needs to be resealed.
The fence needs to be washed and stained.
Restaining the deck, mulch and a new solar cover for the pool (ours ripped last year. The bathroom makeover of "just paint and a new floor." Replacing the window in the kitchen that is has the pane cracked (can't just replace the pane....the whole window needs to be replaced). The glass that is cracked on the window in the dining room. Replacing the fence with vinyl. All of this is now officially on hiatus.
The kitchen table needs to be replaced. The couches aren't too hot either. Yeah....no.
In the past, I would say that we would have easily put 2-3k on our CC doing these "necessary" things. But I won't do it now. It is easy to say I won't do it....it is hard to accept that we can't.
The reality of it is, we had to pick the projects that if they aren't done, they will cause problems later. The windows were in the running....but after discussing that they have been like this for a long time, they got bumped. The fence replacement was heavily discussed as well.
So, the bathroom repairs will happen: fix the floor where the linoleum is peeling and letting water into the subfloor, repairing the rotted drywall by the tub. fixing the window so it can open again, thus letting out some of the heat in the house during the summer (we have window a/c).
The driveway will be resealed to prevent cracking.
And the fence will be washed and restained. The bare wood will start rotting if we don't.
None of these projects are exciting. None of them will give you that wow factor. None of them are fun to plan. But between gift cards, cash from selling stuff, and little bits here and there....we can do them without using the CC.
Good bye alcove project. Good bye bathroom makeover. Hopefully we can revisit you eventually.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Drat, foiled again! But maybe this is good in a way....
Just when I thought that the computer was all better. STRESS!!!
1) Tried to install Turbo Tax, and it is a no go. Went to the TT support site and tried all their suggestions. Nope. Apparently the crash damaged the Microsoft XP. Good thing I have an IT brother who is willing to help his sis out. Guess I am not doing the taxes tonight.
2) To further cement the Microsoft problem, I tried to open Excel to work on my spreadsheet....and yeah, that isn't working either. Guess I am not working on the budget tonight either.
As I have mentioned before, when I stress, I change things. So once again, I am not happy with the look of my blog and have started researching the changes I really want. And my poor house. I sold our glider/ottoman which was at the top of the stairs in an alcove. Now it is empty, and I am itching to do something with the space (I voted for a meditation nook (first choice) or a bookcase area (2nd choice). Of course G-man went with my #2 pick.
I am finding that when something goes wrong and I can't FIX it immediately, it gives me some time to step back and reflect on things. This is good. It helps avoid the knee jerk reaction of the past. Such as....in the past, I would have run out to Wal-Mart and bought new bookcases, brought them home...decided that they really weren't what I wanted but oh well.
So now, I am able to see this, and really plan for things. This has multiple benefits:
1) Budget. No more reaction to things and just doing it. Now I have to research what I want, figure out the cost, and about how long I will have to delay gratification.
2) Pride. My blog....my house.....same difference. I "think" I know what I want....go down a path. Live with it, and it isn't right. All I did was waste time (and money). By thinking things through, I can take pride in my decisions.
3) A storyboard plan! No more making one decision and then MAKING things fit around it. By creating a storyboard, I can see how it all will fit together. And make the changes on paper first.
As for my blog.....I will live with it until I can figure out exactly what I want. Suggestions are welcome!
My house.....I am getting to know myself better through my financial experience. I know that I am tired of "good enough until later." I want what I want. And I am willing to wait. Not to say that there won't be ANY changes....just nothing super expensive until I have formulated the big plan (So far....I know the area of paint color I want, which really was decided a long time ago.....Khaki/tan with white trim. :) ) The bookcases....I think I know what I want....but need to check it out and storyboard it.
G-man has a business trip in a few weeks.....I tend to change things when he is gone. He is used to this by now. But the secret....shhhhhh.....is my good friend might come from out of town to help me!! He doesn't know that. :)
So this evening will be that of planning........what a concept!
1) Tried to install Turbo Tax, and it is a no go. Went to the TT support site and tried all their suggestions. Nope. Apparently the crash damaged the Microsoft XP. Good thing I have an IT brother who is willing to help his sis out. Guess I am not doing the taxes tonight.
2) To further cement the Microsoft problem, I tried to open Excel to work on my spreadsheet....and yeah, that isn't working either. Guess I am not working on the budget tonight either.
As I have mentioned before, when I stress, I change things. So once again, I am not happy with the look of my blog and have started researching the changes I really want. And my poor house. I sold our glider/ottoman which was at the top of the stairs in an alcove. Now it is empty, and I am itching to do something with the space (I voted for a meditation nook (first choice) or a bookcase area (2nd choice). Of course G-man went with my #2 pick.
I am finding that when something goes wrong and I can't FIX it immediately, it gives me some time to step back and reflect on things. This is good. It helps avoid the knee jerk reaction of the past. Such as....in the past, I would have run out to Wal-Mart and bought new bookcases, brought them home...decided that they really weren't what I wanted but oh well.
So now, I am able to see this, and really plan for things. This has multiple benefits:
1) Budget. No more reaction to things and just doing it. Now I have to research what I want, figure out the cost, and about how long I will have to delay gratification.
2) Pride. My blog....my house.....same difference. I "think" I know what I want....go down a path. Live with it, and it isn't right. All I did was waste time (and money). By thinking things through, I can take pride in my decisions.
3) A storyboard plan! No more making one decision and then MAKING things fit around it. By creating a storyboard, I can see how it all will fit together. And make the changes on paper first.
As for my blog.....I will live with it until I can figure out exactly what I want. Suggestions are welcome!
My house.....I am getting to know myself better through my financial experience. I know that I am tired of "good enough until later." I want what I want. And I am willing to wait. Not to say that there won't be ANY changes....just nothing super expensive until I have formulated the big plan (So far....I know the area of paint color I want, which really was decided a long time ago.....Khaki/tan with white trim. :) ) The bookcases....I think I know what I want....but need to check it out and storyboard it.
G-man has a business trip in a few weeks.....I tend to change things when he is gone. He is used to this by now. But the secret....shhhhhh.....is my good friend might come from out of town to help me!! He doesn't know that. :)
So this evening will be that of planning........what a concept!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
What triggers you to spend?
Some people find themselves in debt because they LIKE to spend. New cars, the latest electronics, upgrading furniture, vacations. Doesn't matter what is going on, happy or sad, they just like to spend. While that is not us, at least these people have something to show for their debt.
Some people spend to celebrate. YEAH! I got a new job....let's buy that new tv we have been coveting. YEAH! We have a new baby on the way....let's buy everything we need today.
Some people spend in anger. GRRRR.....I had a bad day at work, so I am going to treat myself to that new CD I wanted....I deserve it. GRRRR.....I had a fight with my spouse, so I am going to make myself feel better by going shopping.
The majority of our credit card debt was "life." Diapers, food, gas. Not to say there wasn't take-out, some clothes, etc too. But if you were to look at the statements over the past 7 years, I would guess at least 75% fall into the "life" category. Outside of our "life" debt....lies the debt from why we spend. Sorrow.
On January 24, G-man and I will celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary. AWWWW. We have had an interesting 12 years to say the least. But for us, our anniversary is a sorrow trigger that we have to fight under the guise of "it's our anniversary."
See...our twin girls died in August 2007. Complication in my pregnancy. No hope. They are gone. They were due on January 24, 2008....our 10th wedding anniversary. They should be almost 2 years old now, but instead, we have their cremated remains in a box in G-man's dresser...in an area we don't open unless we have to.
And on that fateful 10th anniversary....we "celebrated" as a married couple does.....*blush* And upon our surprise....we got pregnant. (Both of our previous pregnancies were the result of very expensive fertility treatments). So yeah, this was a surprise to say the least. But we were so hopeful....a rainbow baby (that is what a baby is called that comes after the death of a child). Conceived in the love our marriage, and the grief of the sisters that came before. The perfect storm.
Until 2 months and 1 day later that there was no heartbeat, and 3 days later we had a D&C.
Each of our losses triggered something that we bought. With the twin girls, it was a new TV. With our surprise baby (whom refer to as a girl), it was a spending spree a month later when we had a weekend to ourselves while attending a wedding.
So as this Perfect Storm date approaches, we fight the urge to spend. A local chain electronics store is closing.....hmmmmm. The pending move.....gee, shouldn't we upgrade this and that on the house. My car....the check engine light just came on.....does this mean it is going kaput, and we might be car shopping soon.
Don't know. For now, we agreed that we will go out for dinner, with the kids. The rest is up in the air. Trying hard to keep it there.
Some people spend to celebrate. YEAH! I got a new job....let's buy that new tv we have been coveting. YEAH! We have a new baby on the way....let's buy everything we need today.
Some people spend in anger. GRRRR.....I had a bad day at work, so I am going to treat myself to that new CD I wanted....I deserve it. GRRRR.....I had a fight with my spouse, so I am going to make myself feel better by going shopping.
The majority of our credit card debt was "life." Diapers, food, gas. Not to say there wasn't take-out, some clothes, etc too. But if you were to look at the statements over the past 7 years, I would guess at least 75% fall into the "life" category. Outside of our "life" debt....lies the debt from why we spend. Sorrow.
On January 24, G-man and I will celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary. AWWWW. We have had an interesting 12 years to say the least. But for us, our anniversary is a sorrow trigger that we have to fight under the guise of "it's our anniversary."
See...our twin girls died in August 2007. Complication in my pregnancy. No hope. They are gone. They were due on January 24, 2008....our 10th wedding anniversary. They should be almost 2 years old now, but instead, we have their cremated remains in a box in G-man's dresser...in an area we don't open unless we have to.
And on that fateful 10th anniversary....we "celebrated" as a married couple does.....*blush* And upon our surprise....we got pregnant. (Both of our previous pregnancies were the result of very expensive fertility treatments). So yeah, this was a surprise to say the least. But we were so hopeful....a rainbow baby (that is what a baby is called that comes after the death of a child). Conceived in the love our marriage, and the grief of the sisters that came before. The perfect storm.
Until 2 months and 1 day later that there was no heartbeat, and 3 days later we had a D&C.
Each of our losses triggered something that we bought. With the twin girls, it was a new TV. With our surprise baby (whom refer to as a girl), it was a spending spree a month later when we had a weekend to ourselves while attending a wedding.
So as this Perfect Storm date approaches, we fight the urge to spend. A local chain electronics store is closing.....hmmmmm. The pending move.....gee, shouldn't we upgrade this and that on the house. My car....the check engine light just came on.....does this mean it is going kaput, and we might be car shopping soon.
Don't know. For now, we agreed that we will go out for dinner, with the kids. The rest is up in the air. Trying hard to keep it there.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Programmable thermostat
My dear, sweet, NON-detailed husband......he tries. Really. But there are a few things that just escape him.
We installed a programmable thermostat about 6 weeks ago. Our super super SUPER old one was so inaccurate that who knows what the actual temperature in the house was set at. This one allows for 4 different settings per day, and a different program for weekdays and weekends.
I have said numerous times, "I don't think it is working right." He said, in his best husband-y voice...."Yes it is." (Sidenote: Every marriage has its own dynamic. Ours consists of him doing "husband" jobs, me questioning it, him swearing it is right, and me pointing out all the things that aren't.)
I insisted on looking at the instructions yesterday. And actually, it is quite easy to program. Step one: set the current time on the thermostat.
And herein lies the problem. G-man set the timer 12 hrs off. So the night program was running during the day, and vice versa. I have been overriding the program because it was so cold in the house. Essentially, we have had the house at a constant temperature, vs "programmed" temps.
AM is not the same as PM.
Love ya schmoopie....but you are not the detail one.
We installed a programmable thermostat about 6 weeks ago. Our super super SUPER old one was so inaccurate that who knows what the actual temperature in the house was set at. This one allows for 4 different settings per day, and a different program for weekdays and weekends.
I have said numerous times, "I don't think it is working right." He said, in his best husband-y voice...."Yes it is." (Sidenote: Every marriage has its own dynamic. Ours consists of him doing "husband" jobs, me questioning it, him swearing it is right, and me pointing out all the things that aren't.)
I insisted on looking at the instructions yesterday. And actually, it is quite easy to program. Step one: set the current time on the thermostat.
And herein lies the problem. G-man set the timer 12 hrs off. So the night program was running during the day, and vice versa. I have been overriding the program because it was so cold in the house. Essentially, we have had the house at a constant temperature, vs "programmed" temps.
AM is not the same as PM.
Love ya schmoopie....but you are not the detail one.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
The move
A few weeks ago, I mentioned a potential move. See....here it is. If you read this post, I also said we have been down this path before, and I wasn't going to get myself worked up about it. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
I lied. I ALWAYS get worked up. I am a proverbial "Cart before the Horse" kind of gal when it comes to this.
The original job I posted about is dead in the water. Upon further investigation...he isn't qualified. But, another job opened up at the same time (application is due tomorrow!). And he is WAY qualified for this one! We really do have a good shot at this one.
So, here goes Mysti's panic, ahem...I mean plan.
1) We are going to have to pay for the move ourselves. Even doing it ourselves, it is still going to cost a few grand.
2) If we can manage to pay off G-man's retirement loan BEFORE a move, we can dip into it as part of moving, and not have to put it on the ole CC. We would also have some liquid asset to use as a down payment, closing, etc. We have no equity in our house now....so there won't be anything left.
3) Here is a LONG shot.....if we were able to close before the end of April, we would qualify for Obama's house credit! We would need a bridge loan since we probably would not have sold this house yet, but details, details. But getting this credit would allow us to pay some stuff back quickly.
4) I looked at the housing market there...and while I would love a completely updated house, I think we could handle one that needs some TLC. The mortgage would be lower. And once our snowball was really rolling, we would be able to update.
5) If I did manage to sell this house and buy a new one quickly....I still wouldn't take the kids out of school before the end of the school year. This might require some type of temporary housing, or maybe renting our house back from the new owners.
(see....Cart....Horse).
So I am trying to get this house in as good a shape as possible, pay stuff down quickly, and keep my sanity. Maybe I exaggerated a bit and called it a plan. Maybe it is closer to a brainstorm.
Any of you who have done a big move before.....thoughts? Suggestions???
I lied. I ALWAYS get worked up. I am a proverbial "Cart before the Horse" kind of gal when it comes to this.
The original job I posted about is dead in the water. Upon further investigation...he isn't qualified. But, another job opened up at the same time (application is due tomorrow!). And he is WAY qualified for this one! We really do have a good shot at this one.
So, here goes Mysti's panic, ahem...I mean plan.
1) We are going to have to pay for the move ourselves. Even doing it ourselves, it is still going to cost a few grand.
2) If we can manage to pay off G-man's retirement loan BEFORE a move, we can dip into it as part of moving, and not have to put it on the ole CC. We would also have some liquid asset to use as a down payment, closing, etc. We have no equity in our house now....so there won't be anything left.
3) Here is a LONG shot.....if we were able to close before the end of April, we would qualify for Obama's house credit! We would need a bridge loan since we probably would not have sold this house yet, but details, details. But getting this credit would allow us to pay some stuff back quickly.
4) I looked at the housing market there...and while I would love a completely updated house, I think we could handle one that needs some TLC. The mortgage would be lower. And once our snowball was really rolling, we would be able to update.
5) If I did manage to sell this house and buy a new one quickly....I still wouldn't take the kids out of school before the end of the school year. This might require some type of temporary housing, or maybe renting our house back from the new owners.
(see....Cart....Horse).
So I am trying to get this house in as good a shape as possible, pay stuff down quickly, and keep my sanity. Maybe I exaggerated a bit and called it a plan. Maybe it is closer to a brainstorm.
Any of you who have done a big move before.....thoughts? Suggestions???
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