Saturday, September 23, 2017

Non Frugal Grateful Post

We are hemorrhaging money this month. The will continue for several months as we have three more show choir payments to make, our October (though trying to make it thrifty) October anniversary trip, a college visit road trip, Halloween,  birthdays, Christmas, leading up to the show choir travel season. We booked hotels for Omaha, Nebraska and Branson, Missouri, but not prepaid because we may learn other parents are staying in another location so may want to cancel and rebook. The other competitions are day trips, but still spendy with gas, meals, and entry fees.We've made payments for two different choirs, robe and t-shirt fees, a parking pass for DD, and had additional patches put on her high school letter jacket. New school clothes and school supplies added to this. We've had some spendy gatherings for friends and work colleagues, that included spending more than we would on ourselves for food and drinks plus gift buying. We've been making  donations to various organizations for hurricane relief and want to do more. We've made donation to our local food pantry as the needs haven't gone away here because of storms in other places. 

I don't know if September will see much savings, certainly not what I would have thought a few months ago knowing it was a three paycheck month and I had received a sizable raise the end of July. I'm not grousing or complaining though. Rather, I feel so fortunate as to what is available to me, that I should be counting every dollar spent as a blessing. It means we have the dollar; we have  friends and family to buy celebration and birthday presents for. Our daughter is attending a great school with incredible extra curricular activities. We have a church community that supports its members, its community, and the greater world and we get to be a part of that through our offerings and giving. We have a home that despite the needs for improvements, it is warm (or cool as needed due to 90+ temps), and dry, with food and other needs readily at arms length. 

I know we need to continue to save for our future retirement, DD2's college, and weddings perhaps in the future. But for now, we are spending where we need to. I am sounding like a broken record when I say this is why I try to save where I can-mostly on clothing, groceries, and household, so that I have the luxury of feeling grateful, not burdened, when we  spend with purpose and intent. I'm off to clean my house, launder and perhaps repair a few items of clothing, make a batch of chili for supper (not yet made from the plan), and use up ingredients for a double batch of muffins. DD2 has a study and sushi gathering today, and DH is at work. Tonight, perhaps we'll go for another river walk, taking advantage of this unseasonably warm weather. Mostly, I just want to bask in this feeling of gratefulness.

10 comments:

  1. I have found some months cost much more than other months. When our kids were at home we always put there needs (including monies for their activities) at the forefront of our spending. Now that they are all officially grown and out of school I am so glad we chose to spend were we did. The memories of those things and times are priceless.

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    1. It;s nice to hear others made the same decisions. We love that she loves her activities. We've nixed a few that she enjoyed, but not to the extent of her choirs and music.

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  2. Kids cost money and I am sure you wouldn't be carting her around if you couldn't afford it. Money is a balancing act, that is for sure. Right now more than ever.

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    1. We are maxing our retirement accounts each year, but the cash savings is fairly stagnant. Still, we are lucky to do what we do.

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  3. Ouch
    oh the pain
    If it is any comfort, the AC went out and it will be mega $$ to replace. It is always something regardless who you are.

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    1. I don't feel better but am emphatheic-ouch on the AC, one of a homeowners list of potential nightmares.

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  4. I finally figure out the water heater exploded on top. First, I had to have three feet of water pumped from the basement. It seems it never stops, and I do know how expensive it is to give children opportunities.

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    1. So sorry, Linda. My expensive month does not comapre to your home needs.

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  5. Life has been particularly draining since May; financially, emotionally and practically. Whilst it has been a really terrible few months, I'm grateful that we had the energy and resources to provide support and assistance to someone who desperately needed those things.

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    1. I keep your situation in my thoughts and hope your husbands job i still secure. I feel like I get grousy about not being more cash ahead, worried about school, and then I see what others dea with all the time, and I know I need to shut up and do more with what I have.

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