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Archive for September, 2015

Slowing Down

September 29th, 2015 at 02:34 pm

Projects have slowed down a bit.

My paycheck is less than half of what I'm used to. Boo. And the following one will be even smaller. I hope that the vet calls back soon.

I still managed to put $100 towards the computer, husband saved for his truck, and I put back money for the house payment. Besides that I had less than $100 left which I applied to the credit card.

I've changed my October goal to something simple. Save something. I just want to be able to pay my bills, and I'll be happy if I can save anything.

Windows & Jobs

September 25th, 2015 at 02:54 pm

The windows ended up being almost spot on to my original estimate. $2,900 for the 3 doors, and 2 windows.

We decided to forgo the main back door, and just get the essentials for now. So the total bill is $1,900. We will keep shopping around for the door. But honestly that is the cheapest I've found, for an installed door of that quality, which has everything we want. I might trying purchasing a new door knob and seeing if I can rig up a way to make it close for now.

I put the down payment on the credit card, and have $1,000 which I need to deposit and pay the credit card with. Will have to scheme up a way to come up with the other $900, especially since I'm worried my checks won't be enough to cover bills, let alone extra.

Anyway. Business is still super slow, and I'm getting worried. I did send in the application for the vet job. And my old job is begging me to come back. (Still haven't found a permanent replacement since January.)

Lots to think about. Husband does not want me to go back to old job. It was very stressful and draining on me. The job its self wasn't bad, but I had so much "extra" work to do, and I had to work several evenings, come in on my days off, get called at home, etc. I felt like I never got away from it.

IF I did consider going back, I'd have to sit down and have a heart to heart with the boss. About what I would and WOULDN'T be doing. I'd have to make a list, and lay down the law at the beginning. I just can't go back to that much stress again.

We'll see. Hoping the vet job calls back. From what I understand they are giving interviews to everyone that applied, before deciding. Hopefully I have a good chance since I did work as a receptionist/secretary for 3.5 years, and I have very good references from all my bosses.

Still pushing on the house. I caulked/painted another window. And also the outside of all of the windows. I'm not sure what happened but when I looked at my painted window yesterday, it had 3 cracks in it. Frown It definitely didn't crack as I was painting it. So I'm wondering if the caulk didn't stress it as it dried or something. Bummer. Now I'm kind of scared to do the others.

Also working on the kitchen archway. That's a big project. 9 boards to cut, sand, stain, seal, and hang. Yikes.

More Progress & 2nd Job?

September 18th, 2015 at 02:32 pm

So I did get the windows painted.

I stopped in the window company to push them along. They couldn't give me the final estimate but they did give me a price on the windows and also a rough estimate. It comes out way cheaper than I was expecting. It looks like it will be around $2k for all the doors and 2 downstairs windows. Whereas I was initially thinking it would be $3k. I'll know more when they send me a written estimate.

Husband wants to go ahead with the windows. After payday I'll have $500, and my parents are giving $500 to count as an early Christmas present. The other $1,000 we'll have to come up with. But we do have the LOC open if we need it. It will take about a month to get them in, so it's possible to come up with some of the money before then.

Husband and I have sat down and talked, and we also went into the bank and looked at our options. We had a heart to heart with what we really want. We have decided to forgo a truck at this time. Husband will probably purchase another cheaper Jeep around 3k.

We are going to make a large push and try to get as much finished on the house as we can. Then we hope to get the ball rolling in the spring/summer with the addition, and refinance, etc. We have decided we would rather have the addition than a truck, and also after talking with the banker it will only add an additional $100 - $200 to our monthly payment if we can get it done at the price we are shooting for.

We will see how it pans out. Lots that has to happen first.

Also, a position has opened at the local vet for a part time receptionist. I'm seriously considering applying. It would give me some stable additional income, and also I'd get out of the house a couple days a week, and get to work with animals. Win win. I'm practically family there anyway, lol. Feels like I'm there every week.

Husband doesn't want me to work a 2nd job. But I don't work many hours now anyway, so I don't feel like I will be overworking myself. Besides if business picks up and it gets to be too much, I can always quit later.

Anyway, I will talk to the boss. And maybe put an application in. If I get it, great, if not, no big deal. We'll see.

Progress

September 17th, 2015 at 02:47 pm

Some progress on the money front. Sent $100 to the computer, and $110 to the truck fund.

Only owe another $200 on the credit cards, and still have $100 owed to me for freelancing.

Next check is husband's extra check. I think I will save the extra $350 for our windows/doors. The Roth is so close to being finished. But my work is slowing down. Frown And honestly I'm a little worried about the future of the job. So I'm having to prioritize things. We have to have a door before winter. So that takes precedence over the IRA, especially since I have until April to fund that last $500.

The $500 coming in, in a few weeks I haven't decided on. It will probably go towards the animal fund, or towards hay/other animal expenses.

But that's not the only progress. We've had a second wind with house projects and have knocked some stuff off the list. Last night we scraped and caulked 3 of the windows on the outside of the mud room. There was barely any paint left on, and all the old caulk holding the window panes in had dried up and fell off. Only a couple very old brittle nails were holding the glass in. Yikes. It was hard work though, it took several houses to scrap all the loose paint and wood. We had to finish up the caulking after dark, which means it's a little sloppy. But at least it's waterproof, and the windows will stay in.

Now that the caulk has dried I'm getting ready to paint them this morning. That will add a big improvement to the outside of our house.

Unfortunately there are still 8 more windows to do. 7 of which are 12 pane windows. >.< It took me hours and hours to do 15 panes... I'm going to be at it for days to finish 84 panes. Hopefully these will be a little easier.

Money Blues Part 2

September 10th, 2015 at 03:57 pm

Last post was getting long. And I've not finished my pity party yet. Big Grin haha.

I've never been the jealous type. But lately I've been feeling it a bit. :/ One of my best friends, recently met and is engaged to a guy. I mean they've literately known each other for less than 4 months.

They are great together, and he is great. I am so happy for her, but I'm feeling a twang of jealousy.

She just finished college, and hasn't been able to get a job yet. Her family is poor, and she has always been raised frugally. Well he is loaded (and very good with money). She went from the pauper to the princess, nearly overnight.

He has a nice house which he just purchased about a month before they got together, he has a newer truck, a Dodge Charger he purchased new a couple years ago, and he just bought a new custom order Dodge Charger Hellcat. In case your wondering, starting MSRP is $62,000! Embarrassment

All his cars are paid for with cash. She was driving an old Sebring last month that would die at idle, and this month he surprised her by buying her a close to new Subaru.

Right now they are on a 2 and a half week "pre-wedding' honeymoon at Disney World.

It's just such a quick and shocking change. A couple months ago, our girls nights consisted of watching movies at home because we couldn't afford to go out, and chatting about her crushes. Now she is at Disney World, going out to eat everyday, and I'm sitting at home trying to figure out how I can save enough money to have a bathroom door.

It's just hard to swallow. I've never had close friends with so much disposable money.

Add that to the fact that I recently had to tell husband we can't afford to buy a truck right now. (He's been looking.) Now he is upset with me, and anytime I talk about spending money he will say something like, "Oh so we can afford to buy a storm door, but I can't have a truck."

My new computer has been brought up several times. I do feel bad about it. But it's done, and we are using and enjoying it. Hind sight is 20/20.

Money Blues

September 10th, 2015 at 03:38 pm

Well husband and I have seem to have gotten a second wind with the house projects. I'm really really itching to get stuff done.

The problem is money. Frown

Everything to so darn expensive in an old house which needs everything custom.

We are trying to finish up things that we can without spending much. We put up the trim around our bedroom door. I removed and cut down a door that hasn't been able to be opened since we installed new flooring... over 2 years old. Yikes! I also sanded and painted it. Which is not an easy task when it's a 15 glass pane door. It took me over 6 hours to do 3 coats, and then scrap all the windows. I'm still sore from squatting 3 days later, and it could really use a couple touch ups still. But alas it's so nice to have a functioning, white door in the kitchen now. It looks so clean and bright.

Tonight we are going to paint and put up trim around it, and another door.

I've done a little more work on my desk. It's done for now except the wall shelf, which I am undecided about. I really love it. We have a friend over occasionally and all 3 of us can fit on the desk with our computers for online gaming.

Still waiting on the fencing guy who just had a baby. I will call him soon.

I called around to get quotes to refinish the hardwood flooring. $2,000 seems to be the going rate. Ouch. Not going to happen anytime soon.

I got a new window company to come and measure my doors and windows, since I was so displeased with the last guy. They haven't given me a quote yet, but I'm going to estimate it will be $1,500 for the 2 downstairs windows, a storm door, and a bathroom door. Another $1,500 for the back door. And $2,400 for the 6 upstairs windows...

The storm door and bathroom door are must haves. Neither have doors right now. I've been living with a curtain on the bathroom for over 2 years now.

The storm door is needed because we have to heat the room in the winter to keep the pipes from freezing. Can't heat a room with no door.

The backdoor does not have a functioning latch. We put in one of those cheapo eyehooks on both sides to keep it from blowing open, or the cat getting in, and we literately have to lock ourselves in or out. So if husband goes to work, and accidentally latches the eyehook, I'm locked in and have to go out the front door and walk all the way around the house through the wet grass to unlock it from the outside. Totally fun. Especially when the snow gets here...

Add all that, plus we still need more trim and about a million other little projects, and the dollar signs are flying. Sigh.

I have $800 on the credit cards, from projects, vet, insurance. I do have $400 coming from some goat sales, and freelance work I've done. So that's good news. Tomorrow is husband's payday, and next check is his "extra" paycheck. So it will get paid off. But it feels like I will never get enough money to finish our house. People always ask us if our house is finished yet, and are surprised when we haven't made much progress. They just don't realize how expensive it can be to purchase something as simple as a dang door. Especially when that causes a chain reaction of other projects. Such as when the bathroom gets a new door they have to remove the dryway, so then I will have to redo that, and repaint. It just seems never ending. More projects, more money.


Just feeling a little disheartened.