So what do you want first, the good news or the bad? Of course perhaps none of it is bad, perhaps ummmm a learning experience as with everything in life, there are always lessons to be learned and some new thing we can take from each experience we go through.
Okay I suppose I will start with the Ugly,
The dreaded news of my son's Dad getting laid off is now a reality which means there will be no child support at all for August, in addition to this is also means that I am suppose to appear in court as he is seeking reduced payments for a year or more as he has decided to go back to school. So a reduced income of $300 for August AND I am suppose to come up with an additional $60 or more for the gas to show up in court? I don't think I will be showing up and YES I know that this looks really bad and you must petition the courts for reduced payments.........they will grant it to him regardless if I show up or not, you can not help the fact your factory decided to outsource to Mexico like all the others and will be tearing down their building after permanently laying off all their American workers which is now a done deed and the last of the workers have been laid off. No hard feelings, it is what it is and I really expected this a long time ago........still kind of sucks though!
My adult son who moved in with us a month ago increasing our family to 6 people and a home style diet fed dog still is looking for employment.......no such luck yet.
This all means a monthly income of between a Grand a month to 1200 depending on IF hubby gets any overtime that will need to be budgeted making for a survival only budget......apparently perhaps longer than we originally anticipated.......we anticipated a couple months NOT a year or more. On my Budget page I do already have this figured out ( on the right links to stand alone pages) although I doubt it is a very realistic budget.....it is what it is and failure is NOT an option.
I have been really quiet this past week contemplating directions, changes and goals, I was way over optimistic on goal setting at the beginning of the year. Every income increasing thing I have tried so far has been an epic failure and has been a real drain on my energy. So I have been really doing some serious soul searching to see what to do from here even if it means a complete turn around in directions and some major changes.....it is what it is and something needs to be done!
Okay now for the BAD,
My Garden is under attack! I spent all morning trying to save it and have more to do, I think I took care of all the squash beetles this morning but I also think I am dealing with squash bores as some of the plants were completely wilted this morning......I really can not afford to lose my garden! I also suspect the farmers sprays this week may be resulting in some of the damage.......we actually had to close our windows the other day in the hot heat as our house filled with the chemical smell of whatever the heck he was spraying ( yeah we are that close, our yard is in the farmers field basically!)
I hate chemically treated farming.....nasty!
Hubby has not been feeling well resulting in him coming home early yesterday and is sick enough today he may have to call in for tomorrow.........resulting in loss of overtime and a shortage of hours.
I feel like I am hitting a brick wall and the more I try and the more I work my arse off, the farther we fall. This is leaving me with a feeling of exhaustion, exasperation and a whole lot of confusion, I may have to face the only choice I have is seeking some type of employment......not my ideal choice with homeschooling and all but it may be in the end, the best choice for now......
Stress is obviously slightly higher this month with all the coming changes, although I continue plugging away and really trying to keep my naturally positive outlook......NOT always easy but worthy of retaining!
Okay so now on to the GOOD!
Me and hubby had a wonderful 13th anniversary and spent only $11 on it for lunch out for the two of us ALONE like never happens! LOL We also went for a nice walk together and hung out in town alone.......as homeschooling parents time alone is not easy to come by and is very precious when we take the time for it! Hubby also picked me the cutest tiniest little pink flower he found in the yard and then we rented a movie that we put in the computer and only the two of us watched at bed time cuddling and laughing! IT was fantastic!
We have been eating well out of the garden and also being able to be generous giving some to our elderly neighbor. Our tomato's are loaded and while we have been using green ones, can not wait for them to turn red!
We had a night of eating PORK CHOPS! I splurged and bought enough for a dinner and had them with sweet potato fries and caramelized turnips from the garden........awesome meal! I don't buy pork chops hardly ever so they were very very very much appreciated!
We got propane this morning and we never lost our hot water! He said we had more than we thought as the heat affects the gauge and it can not be trusted! YEAH HAPPY it was close but we did it! Again thankful it was hot summer and not winter! It had been on 0 for a whole week!
4 more payments and the truck will be paid off......I swear this will be the LAST time we EVER have payments.......we went to the Cash Only frame of mind right after we got that truck as at the time, the only way we were gonna get a vehicle and quit having to bike every day was to get one on payments. As soon as it gets paid off, we will start a new car fund so in the future we will pay in cash.
After a month, we have all adjusted to our increased family size and it seems to be working out fine for now.......I do wonder if there will ever be a day it is just me and hubby though LOL. ????? perhaps, perhaps not!
Another 2 days of extreme heat but today it cooled off again and I heard we have a chance for it to rain all week! HAPPY HAPPY DANCE!
I have found some wonderful new blogs to read!
6 to 7 weeks to go for when we should start getting eggs from our chickens!
I have been given a whole lot of attention to contemplating what we want for our directions and am happy with how those thoughts are progressing.....nothing definite yet but it is a work in progress and should be more attainable and desirable for us!
While going over budget, I am sitting at only spending $230 on groceries so far this month and am pretty happy with that! ( I just spent $70 the other day and need to put up the list still!) but by end month it should be close to last months total of $260 and for a family of 6 I think that is pretty good. They are numbers I am very pleased with while we have eaten well, and had enough.
Okay I think that about does it...........stay tuned for upcoming changes.......
How has your July been?
Okay I suppose I will start with the Ugly,
The dreaded news of my son's Dad getting laid off is now a reality which means there will be no child support at all for August, in addition to this is also means that I am suppose to appear in court as he is seeking reduced payments for a year or more as he has decided to go back to school. So a reduced income of $300 for August AND I am suppose to come up with an additional $60 or more for the gas to show up in court? I don't think I will be showing up and YES I know that this looks really bad and you must petition the courts for reduced payments.........they will grant it to him regardless if I show up or not, you can not help the fact your factory decided to outsource to Mexico like all the others and will be tearing down their building after permanently laying off all their American workers which is now a done deed and the last of the workers have been laid off. No hard feelings, it is what it is and I really expected this a long time ago........still kind of sucks though!
My adult son who moved in with us a month ago increasing our family to 6 people and a home style diet fed dog still is looking for employment.......no such luck yet.
This all means a monthly income of between a Grand a month to 1200 depending on IF hubby gets any overtime that will need to be budgeted making for a survival only budget......apparently perhaps longer than we originally anticipated.......we anticipated a couple months NOT a year or more. On my Budget page I do already have this figured out ( on the right links to stand alone pages) although I doubt it is a very realistic budget.....it is what it is and failure is NOT an option.
I have been really quiet this past week contemplating directions, changes and goals, I was way over optimistic on goal setting at the beginning of the year. Every income increasing thing I have tried so far has been an epic failure and has been a real drain on my energy. So I have been really doing some serious soul searching to see what to do from here even if it means a complete turn around in directions and some major changes.....it is what it is and something needs to be done!
Okay now for the BAD,
My Garden is under attack! I spent all morning trying to save it and have more to do, I think I took care of all the squash beetles this morning but I also think I am dealing with squash bores as some of the plants were completely wilted this morning......I really can not afford to lose my garden! I also suspect the farmers sprays this week may be resulting in some of the damage.......we actually had to close our windows the other day in the hot heat as our house filled with the chemical smell of whatever the heck he was spraying ( yeah we are that close, our yard is in the farmers field basically!)
I hate chemically treated farming.....nasty!
Hubby has not been feeling well resulting in him coming home early yesterday and is sick enough today he may have to call in for tomorrow.........resulting in loss of overtime and a shortage of hours.
I feel like I am hitting a brick wall and the more I try and the more I work my arse off, the farther we fall. This is leaving me with a feeling of exhaustion, exasperation and a whole lot of confusion, I may have to face the only choice I have is seeking some type of employment......not my ideal choice with homeschooling and all but it may be in the end, the best choice for now......
Stress is obviously slightly higher this month with all the coming changes, although I continue plugging away and really trying to keep my naturally positive outlook......NOT always easy but worthy of retaining!
Okay so now on to the GOOD!
Me and hubby had a wonderful 13th anniversary and spent only $11 on it for lunch out for the two of us ALONE like never happens! LOL We also went for a nice walk together and hung out in town alone.......as homeschooling parents time alone is not easy to come by and is very precious when we take the time for it! Hubby also picked me the cutest tiniest little pink flower he found in the yard and then we rented a movie that we put in the computer and only the two of us watched at bed time cuddling and laughing! IT was fantastic!
We have been eating well out of the garden and also being able to be generous giving some to our elderly neighbor. Our tomato's are loaded and while we have been using green ones, can not wait for them to turn red!
We had a night of eating PORK CHOPS! I splurged and bought enough for a dinner and had them with sweet potato fries and caramelized turnips from the garden........awesome meal! I don't buy pork chops hardly ever so they were very very very much appreciated!
We got propane this morning and we never lost our hot water! He said we had more than we thought as the heat affects the gauge and it can not be trusted! YEAH HAPPY it was close but we did it! Again thankful it was hot summer and not winter! It had been on 0 for a whole week!
4 more payments and the truck will be paid off......I swear this will be the LAST time we EVER have payments.......we went to the Cash Only frame of mind right after we got that truck as at the time, the only way we were gonna get a vehicle and quit having to bike every day was to get one on payments. As soon as it gets paid off, we will start a new car fund so in the future we will pay in cash.
After a month, we have all adjusted to our increased family size and it seems to be working out fine for now.......I do wonder if there will ever be a day it is just me and hubby though LOL. ????? perhaps, perhaps not!
Another 2 days of extreme heat but today it cooled off again and I heard we have a chance for it to rain all week! HAPPY HAPPY DANCE!
I have found some wonderful new blogs to read!
6 to 7 weeks to go for when we should start getting eggs from our chickens!
I have been given a whole lot of attention to contemplating what we want for our directions and am happy with how those thoughts are progressing.....nothing definite yet but it is a work in progress and should be more attainable and desirable for us!
While going over budget, I am sitting at only spending $230 on groceries so far this month and am pretty happy with that! ( I just spent $70 the other day and need to put up the list still!) but by end month it should be close to last months total of $260 and for a family of 6 I think that is pretty good. They are numbers I am very pleased with while we have eaten well, and had enough.
Okay I think that about does it...........stay tuned for upcoming changes.......
How has your July been?
Holy Cow, that is a lot to take in!! The old saying "That, that does not kill us makes us strong" is all I can say. Keep up the faith
ReplyDeleteOh yeah a phrase I am very familiar with LOL at our place we say we are developing our true grit! :)
Deleteenjoy reading about your life and times...jobs are hard to find right now ...i am semi-retired afeter long lay off and we are doing ok...tell that grown son to pick up bottles and scrap along the road or look for job sites to clean.....i walk everyday and find 3 to 5 cans everyday.....not much but something....ronaldj fellow michigander...
ReplyDeleteHi ronaldj, nice to see you back! Yeah we do the cans and scrap too but even that seems to be slim in our area this month but every cent sure does help!
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