Moving slow this morning with muscle
stiffness. I'm in one of my moods
where my mind is working overtime
so bear with my thoughts as I type.
I am starting to get into one of my
moods where I get bummed or a little
depressed when spending large amounts
of money. I already cut back
on everything I can and when situations
arise that means spending large amounts
of money I start worrying. I am a worry
wart. I don't think day to day about money.
I worry about money over the months to
come and upcoming events that will require
more spending than normal. For example:
back to school supplies and clothes,
school pictures (those alone run over $50
for 2 kids), Halloween, school
parties, Thanksgiving meal, then lastly
there's Christmas. So those things and
everything in between like doctor bills,
utility bills, car repairs
and buying food and stuff for the home.
We have more taxes taken out of Tony's
paycheck that way we can get more back
at tax time. To me it's like building
up a savings account and then being
able to use the tax refund along with
Tony's paychecks to live off of throughout
the year. But more taxes taken out means
less paychecks every other week.
We survive and are doing much better than
about 5 years ago when we were literally
living paycheck to paycheck, wondering
how to pay bills, and having literally
less than $20 a week to run on. I knew
where ATM's were that would actually give
out $5 increments if I needed to get that
last $5 out of our bank account. Back
then we only had a savings account because
Tony's work went to direct deposit with
paychecks. We didn't have a checking account.
We didn't use coupons back then because
I didn't know how people were using them
to get cheap of free stuff. Now I know
after doing research.
So if you've lived the life I have
pretty much lived all my life struggling with
money then you know where I am coming
from. You know where you are and where
you could be if you are not careful with
money.
Some people frown upon how we do things
to save money, whether is scrounging
colleges for freebies this time
of year, or buying second hand, or
making do with what we have and not
buying the latest items in the store
to keep up with the Jones'. They can keep
on curling that upper lip. I'm not on
any kind of welfare or help using their
tax dollars. But I probably could be
so they better turn and look away. I choose
not to be.
I don't normally watch MTV but last night
I watched a show that was interesting.
It was called, If You Really Knew Me.
It was about a high school wanting
to do away with all these cliques.
You have jocks, preppies, loners,
nerds and so on.
They wanted them all to come together
and learn about one another to realize
we all go through problems and hard times.
And they wanted these kids
not to judge one another because of
what's on the outside because
"If You Really Knew Me" you would
see me as a different person.
Almost all the kids ended up
crying and supporting one another
after they learned about those
who they picked on or called
names to.
This is me talking:
So if you really knew me, you would
know the the bumpy road I had to travel
to get to where I am today. While it's
less of a bumpy road it still has it's
curves and a few speed bumps along the way.
I still have not found the fast lane
to take me to freedom so I take the
road less traveled that may be a little
slower, unpaved and have a few ruts in
them. Not by choice but as a matter
of survival.
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3:45PM
I have not accomplished a whole lot
today other than buying fence posts
and having Dewaine put them in.
They are in the ground and stablized.
Won't be til Monday til the cement
gets put in.
I did get my one wooden shelf fixed.
It didn't require other shelves being
cut out. Instead I just turned it
upside down so the larger shelf was
on the bottom but I had to add a
piece of wood on it to be able
to mount it to the wall.
We'll see how things go this evening
to see about getting it put up.
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_____________________________________________
8:20PM
Had to run to Zettler to get some
toggle screws for my shelf so I can
get it put up soon. Well, before
I scream because I can't move around
my kitchen.
Then we stopped in McDonald's
and got the kids each a FREE
smoothie.
The the last stop was Kroger
to get some more pop while
I had coupons and they had a
sale on it this week.
10 bottles Pepsi & Sierra Mist 2 liters
$3.70
8 bottles Sunkist, 7UP and Rootbeer 2 liters
$4.00
--------
$7.70 for 18 bottles pop PLUS
I got 2 free things of skittles
with more coupons I had.
Regular non sale price was $1.89
time 18 bottles would have been $34.02
So I saved a total of $26.32 with sales & coupons!!
Even the cashier was impressed.
Still have enough coupons to get
8 more bottles for $3.00 or .50 cents each.
Will get that Friday though.
Stockpiling my pop while I can
get it for cheap!
Will have a total of 34 bottles
by Friday for a total of $13.70!!
Average the price and that's .40 cents each!!
And yes I got all these coupons from
Speedway's pop bottles.
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Here's a few pics of the fence posts
today. Cement goes in Monday.
The one fence will be removed
and placed on the shorter side to extend
the other fence.
I have a handy man friend that is charging
me $10 an hour to do this. So if you have
any remodeling, building, tree cutting
or whatever you need done, let me know!
I'd hate to see what a fencing company
would charge me!!
It has to be done so we can protect
our vehicles and other belongings
in our yard. If it weren't for the stealing
I would have left it the way it was.
I'm sure a sub contractor would have charged
about $1,500 to $2,000 to put up a fence.
I figure it's gonna cost under $600
so it's a big savings knowing someone!!
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I was researching fences when I came
across this cute log cabin playhouse for kids
that can be made out of 6 stockade
fence panels! You can find directions
to make it HERE.
Once kids outgrow it you could use
it as your garden house to store things in!
You know me, I have to have a double
purpose for things!
Or what about a fancy doghouse?
Wouldn't it look soo cute with some
flower boxes under the windows or
around the railings?
Fence panels runs about $25 to $27 new.
Maybe we could find a few sections on
Craigslist for cheap or even free!
The possibilites for making something
like this and adding things here
and there are endless. Like a
plexiglass skylight.
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