At the first of every year, I tend to reevaluate my life. I have friends who do this on their birthdays, and others who plan a meditation retreat one weekend every year, but for me, the New Year just seems to work.
This year I am reevaluating my career choice and the cost of energy. And before your eyes glaze over, this isn't really about gas prices beginning to go up. I left my career in accounting to be a teacher for a couple reasons. One, the Lord told me to. Two, when I drug my feet about opening that new door, he threw me out the window. (I found myself unemployed a little earlier than I had planned on. Luckily I was only a couple of months away from beginning my new career in education.)
Being an accountant, I had created several spreadsheets that did a cost analysis - could I go from making a nice salary to only getting paid for 9 months of work? Several factors were involved: drycleaning, maid service, and childcare costs. I figured I could squeak by, but it would be a sacrifice.
Teaching has been more profitable than I ever imagined. In the past 5 years, we purchased a house, a new (to us) car and began a new savings account. This doesn't really seem possible when I look at the spreadsheets. However, sometimes the little things add up. Now I don't buy clothes that need to be dry cleaned. Per month savings: $50. No maid service - per month savings: $150. Free parking - per month savings $70. No afterschool and summer care - annual savings....$5000. Not driving during rush hour - approximate savings of $200 per month.
The biggest change was meals. Although, I come home tired, I don't come home late. We actually have time to cook a meal instead of eating out. I used to have lunch out every day. Sometimes I'd eat in the company cafeteria, other times I would escape the great and spacious building. Average weekly cost for lunches - $40 including tips. When I started teaching, I would purchase my lunch from the bacteria at $2.75 a day, saving me nearly $25 a week.
This year during lunch, my friends and I were discussing budgets and several of us made a goal to eat lunch for less than $10 a week. This means bringing food from home. I was excited because I could eat leftovers from the previous night's dinner since N & B don't believe in leftovers. This worked great until October. For some reason in October, there stopped being leftovers. I couldn't figure out what was happening, until I noticed the heaping platefuls that Ben was eating. The 7th-8th grade growth spurt has hit. My grocery budget started having severe shortfalls - and I was not getting a good lunch. I learned to shop the sales and eat Lean Cuisine and the like. But then, my Lean Cuisines started going missing from the freezer. It seems that Ben would eat them for a snack after school. (I'm sure in your mind you are thinking that he must be HUGE, but on the contrary, he's getting taller and not wider.) The cost of fueling my son is a major expense these days....surpassing our insurance bill and our summer a/c bill.
So I'm thinking that I need to leave teaching and return to the business world so that I can afford to feed my child. But first I'm going to try something new...stop at the grocery in the morning and buy my lunch. That way I'm sure I'll get to eat it!
Another strategy is to spend more time planning meals and looking for savings. I especially love the $5 Dinners.com blog. I get some great recipes there and hear about good sales. Right now they are even having a giveaway for a designer lunch tote. Check it out!
Now, if I can find some way to convert the cost of fueling B into a savings in another area of our budget....maybe I'll feed him in exchange for lawn care - then I can cancel the lawn service. Or maybe he can pay me for his meals...he has that dog-walking job. Or maybe I'll just enjoy this stage of life and find ways to make it through without changing careers or taking out a loan.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
Home Improvement - ADD edition
What is it like to do home improvement projects with ADD? Let me tell you....
Two years ago, I commenced cleaning out the boxes of stuff behind the bar in our den. Putting away that stuff necessitated cleaning out and reorganizing a closet, which in turn required clearing out and reorganizing all the built-in cabinets (12 of them). I am on the final stretch and am only a hard day's work from being completed. Instead of finishing, here is what I have accomplished:
November 2007...I painted my bedroom and replaced all the baseboards with new ones. I hung curtains and have a new bedspread. Still need to hang pictures and few nice things. I have the ideas, but first I...
...Sleep through alarm and awake refreshed at 9:04 a.m. Return to Lowes with a picture of our water supply connection to show the plumbing guy. Fortunately, this associate was born before our house was built and knows that we need a 1/2" flare. I almost cry with relief. Purchase another $60 in plumbing supplies and return home. Everything goes together and now we only have 2 leaks. Apply sealant and plumbers putty. Voila! We have running water....cold water...there is no water pressure on the hot water side. Take everything apart and discover sediments have blocked the hot water supply line. Clean it out with tweezers. Clean floor, sink, and tub. Hang up old, dirty mini-blinds since I forgot to buy the new roman shade. Hang up new shower curtain and fill dispenser with soap. Throw new rug on floor. Discover that we forgot to buy screws to hang mirror. (jan 4th) 
Two years ago, I commenced cleaning out the boxes of stuff behind the bar in our den. Putting away that stuff necessitated cleaning out and reorganizing a closet, which in turn required clearing out and reorganizing all the built-in cabinets (12 of them). I am on the final stretch and am only a hard day's work from being completed. Instead of finishing, here is what I have accomplished:
November 2007...I painted my bedroom and replaced all the baseboards with new ones. I hung curtains and have a new bedspread. Still need to hang pictures and few nice things. I have the ideas, but first I...
...must have food storage (april 2008). Begin buying sale items and long-term supply items. Store water and wheat behind the bar that I cleaned out in 2006.
...build a raised bed garden (august 2008) and begin a kitchen garden. Food storage starting to take over the den, so...
...reorganize and buy and build shelving for our pantry. (november 2008) Buy new shelf for over washer and dryer. Before I put it up I must take down the old shelving...
...All that working with food has made me interested in some new recipes. (december 2008) I planned, cooked and savored 5 new recipes in 6 days. Ben is slightly freaked out that I actually can cook. Before the last load of dishes were done...
...Thus commences my love affair with Lowe's. I popped into Lowe's and purchased a new vanity and sink for bathroom on clearance. Had to have matching mirror and drove across town to find it. Decide that if I'm going to replace vanity, then I should go ahead and repaint since I am trying to eradicate the gray from the previous owners. Hauled it all home and checked a few paint swatches. Back to store to purchase paint. After paint is mixed, discover that I gave him the wrong swatch. Keep paint anyway since it was our 2nd choice. (december 31st)
...Pull out old vanity and break a pipe in the process. Take down old mirror. Prep wall, clean floor, take down fixtures, tape and tarp necessities. List vanity on freecycle. Give away old vanity with faucets (and water supply lines) still attached. Stay up half the night looking for a new faucet. Click a sidebar to see the in colors for 2009 and find out that gray is coming back in.
(january 1st)
...reorganize and buy and build shelving for our pantry. (november 2008) Buy new shelf for over washer and dryer. Before I put it up I must take down the old shelving...
...All that working with food has made me interested in some new recipes. (december 2008) I planned, cooked and savored 5 new recipes in 6 days. Ben is slightly freaked out that I actually can cook. Before the last load of dishes were done...
...Thus commences my love affair with Lowe's. I popped into Lowe's and purchased a new vanity and sink for bathroom on clearance. Had to have matching mirror and drove across town to find it. Decide that if I'm going to replace vanity, then I should go ahead and repaint since I am trying to eradicate the gray from the previous owners. Hauled it all home and checked a few paint swatches. Back to store to purchase paint. After paint is mixed, discover that I gave him the wrong swatch. Keep paint anyway since it was our 2nd choice. (december 31st)
...Pull out old vanity and break a pipe in the process. Take down old mirror. Prep wall, clean floor, take down fixtures, tape and tarp necessities. List vanity on freecycle. Give away old vanity with faucets (and water supply lines) still attached. Stay up half the night looking for a new faucet. Click a sidebar to see the in colors for 2009 and find out that gray is coming back in.
(january 1st)
...Put first coat of paint on the walls. Go to plumber's supply to find out how to fix pipe. Discover they have gone out of business. Go to Lowes, find out pipe isn't broken - that's the way it is made. Yippee! Go to get faucet. Look at 5 others I hadn't seen online and end up with the one I originally picked. Check to see if there are matching furnishings. Decide I can get a better price online. Buy new switchplate. Go home. Start to measure fitting to be sure what I bought will work. Get distracted by police chase down my street. Talk to neighbors for an hour. Come back in and check on paint. Not very sure I like the color. Bid on robe hooks and other furnishings on eBay. Ben comes home and I nag him about science fair project. Go ahead with 2nd coat. Halfway through decide it looks like a prison cell. Nate talks me into finishing. Eat supper. Finish 2nd coat. Talk to my parents who are calling from the airport on the way to NZ. Decide to write blog entry. Go wash out paintbrushes. Tired, but still need to do that load of dishes. (jan 2nd)
...Clean up painters tape and tarps. Install vanity and sink. Remember that I do like this color. I guess the cell effect came when I was sitting on the edge of the tub and all that was in my view was this dark paint and the toilet. Begin installation of faucet and discover that I need more tools. Get Ben started on science fair project. Call Heather and combine shopping trip. Go to Lowe's and get sealant, caulk, plumbers putty, and teflon tape. Help Heather choose paint color for her house. Go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to get shower curtain, rug and extras. Go back to Heather's to look at paint samples inside her house. Fight over which bag of granola I get to have (Mom's granola is worth fighting over). Go home and return to installation of faucet. I cannot figure out these stupid instructions. Ben's classmate (a girl!) comes over to help with his science fair project. Finally make Nate so frustrated that he installs the faucet. Attempt to install p-trap but have to make another trip to Lowes for a fitting trap adapter and water supply extensions. Water supply are wrong size, so return to Lowes. Plumbing "specialist" will not believe that my connection is 1/2" since the standard is 3/8". I guess he doesn't live in an old house. They don't have what I need so drive to Home Depot. They only have the "standard" as well. Get bright idea to purchase two more water supplies and piggyback them onto the water supplies we have as a makeshift adapter. Return home to find that it won't work. Meanwhile, Nate has had enough of letting me "DIY" and is putting on the p-trap. It leaks in 7 places. Go to bed at midnight in tears of exhaustion and frustration. (jan 3rd)
...Clean up painters tape and tarps. Install vanity and sink. Remember that I do like this color. I guess the cell effect came when I was sitting on the edge of the tub and all that was in my view was this dark paint and the toilet. Begin installation of faucet and discover that I need more tools. Get Ben started on science fair project. Call Heather and combine shopping trip. Go to Lowe's and get sealant, caulk, plumbers putty, and teflon tape. Help Heather choose paint color for her house. Go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to get shower curtain, rug and extras. Go back to Heather's to look at paint samples inside her house. Fight over which bag of granola I get to have (Mom's granola is worth fighting over). Go home and return to installation of faucet. I cannot figure out these stupid instructions. Ben's classmate (a girl!) comes over to help with his science fair project. Finally make Nate so frustrated that he installs the faucet. Attempt to install p-trap but have to make another trip to Lowes for a fitting trap adapter and water supply extensions. Water supply are wrong size, so return to Lowes. Plumbing "specialist" will not believe that my connection is 1/2" since the standard is 3/8". I guess he doesn't live in an old house. They don't have what I need so drive to Home Depot. They only have the "standard" as well. Get bright idea to purchase two more water supplies and piggyback them onto the water supplies we have as a makeshift adapter. Return home to find that it won't work. Meanwhile, Nate has had enough of letting me "DIY" and is putting on the p-trap. It leaks in 7 places. Go to bed at midnight in tears of exhaustion and frustration. (jan 3rd)
...Sleep through alarm and awake refreshed at 9:04 a.m. Return to Lowes with a picture of our water supply connection to show the plumbing guy. Fortunately, this associate was born before our house was built and knows that we need a 1/2" flare. I almost cry with relief. Purchase another $60 in plumbing supplies and return home. Everything goes together and now we only have 2 leaks. Apply sealant and plumbers putty. Voila! We have running water....cold water...there is no water pressure on the hot water side. Take everything apart and discover sediments have blocked the hot water supply line. Clean it out with tweezers. Clean floor, sink, and tub. Hang up old, dirty mini-blinds since I forgot to buy the new roman shade. Hang up new shower curtain and fill dispenser with soap. Throw new rug on floor. Discover that we forgot to buy screws to hang mirror. (jan 4th)
However, the important thing is that we can now wash our hands and brush our teeth. Brushing our hair will have to wait until tomorrow. As will hanging the furnishings that I am still the high bidder on. Also the tub refinisher will be scheduled in February. And matching towels will be purchased during the January/February white sales.
Oh, I'd better take down the Christmas decorations. And the toilet in the master bath is broken. The DIY website says it is an easy replacement and should only take a couple of hours. Hmmm....MLK day is coming up...that's a 3 day weekend. Maybe we can get it done then.
You want to see the changes thus far?
Here is the before... It looks pretty good in the pic, but the counter is a very cheap laminate. There is no backsplash and they never sealed it, so everytime you wash your hands or brush your teeth, water runs down the wall. The sink needs to be regrouted, and the counter ran the whole length of the wall, but there was only one 24" vanity on the left. On the right was just a big open space. I liked the red shower curtain. When we bought the house all the rooms were painted gray like this except for the 2 small bedrooms. It was a little depressing.
Here is the new color scheme: Offshore blue in a sandstone finish and white. A pale blue-green rug and towels soften the deep wall color. Mirror will go above vanity. Faucet and furnishings will be rustic pewter (brushed nickel).
Nate chose the faucet. It looks like an old water trough pump:
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