Excess Expenses

Turning off cable isn’t an issue for us because we mostly watch tv shows on Netflix, but the decision to turn off my phone was a big one. 

I text people all the time, especially to send reminders to the kids.  “Speg for dinner if you want.”  “Garbage night.” “How’s grama doing?” That last one is to my mom.  Grama just turned the fabulous age of 80, but she doesn’t think it’s so fabulous. So you see, texting is my main form of contact with most of my family and friends.  I realized last night that I’m about to become one of the many people who live on Facebook.

The automatic sprinklers have been turned off.  The lawn will survive on its own, or not.  We’ll still water the bushes because they’re so expensive to replace, but there will be no ground cover (aside from crabgrass) or perennials this year.  This hurts.  Hubby and I are both avid gardeners.  We were half way through escrow on this house before I actually looked at the kitchen, but we sure knew what the back yard looked like!  It was a beautiful blank slate with no Home Owners Association rules.  Not being able to plant annuals and new filler bushes is going to hurt.  The chickens are going to love this summer because there is no need to keep them in their own yard.  (chickens destroy a landscape, if you didn’t know)

I’m interested to know where you have found to cut back on expenses.  What else can be done to use less water, energy, groceries…

After the Lay-off – Day 393

I was laid off January 15, 2013.  We knew it was coming and I knew I’d likely be hit.  I looked forward to being laid off.  I had a huge to-do list that I planned to tackle over the next few months of being home.  I think I was also looking forward to a change in employers since I’d been at the same desk for five years.  I loved my boss and my team, so I didn’t want to admit that I’d become stagnant in this position and wanted a change.

I’ve never had trouble finding work in the past, so I shouldn’t have much trouble this time around – never mind that the economy has taken a major turn for the worst.  I’m good at what I do, placement companies love me, and I didn’t believe the rumors and fluffed up news reports.  I’ll be working with in a couple months of applying myself to finding a job.

I did look in those early months, but I was selective of the location and companies I applied to.  Come August, I really put my nose to the grind stone.  I would be working by November so Christmas wouldn’t be affected by the difference in our budget.

It’s now February 11, 2014.  I’ve been home for 56 weeks.  392 days.

There are major To-Dos left undone on my list:  write my book(s), start a gardening blog, watch all those movies and read all those books, cook for my family every night (ok, most nights)…  I have managed to increase the number of sales in my Etsy shops, but that could have happened even if I weren’t home 24/7.  The money from the shops does not in any way make up for the loss of my income.