It disappeared somewhere in the blur of clearing out rooms, scrubbing, cleaning...and hoping that our house would sell quickly. It's been up on the market for less than a week now. Lots of interest; we're hoping for a quick sale. This whole change in life has been a long time coming; thank God it seems to be close to being over and done.
That having been said -- this was NOT generally a frugal month at Chez Brick.
FRUGAL HITS
*We bought a trailer! And paid less for it (even though it was 5 feet longer and years newer) than we gained in insurance payment money for our previous 5th wheel. Same Arctic Fox brand...and a lot more usable features. We're already settling in nicely.
*Got rid of a LOT of clothing. (This moving stuff has also helped me to lose about 20 pounds. I've got more to go -- but what an encouragement.) I have hoped to go to a more minimal wardrobe, and this is a good step forward.
*Booked a world cruise -- for roughly 66% off! More about this soon.
*Ate leftovers from the restaurant/fast food meals we've been existing on. More about this below.
*Had the help of Daughters #1 and #2, Son #1, and Daughter #1's partner. Boy, have we been grateful for this. Several kind friends have also pitched in.
*Tried to use special care in buying flowers and furnishings for staging the old place. Bought on sale, and used hardy plants that would last for longer periods. Bought curtain rods at discount -- and we'll return anything that we didn't use.
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| from Flickr.com |
*Tried NOT to buy much for the new place -- until we see how our 'former' possessions work out. This has been more difficult than I'd thought.
*Waited on some repairs for the new place. We're getting by ok for now.
*Hired our friend Thommy of Procrete Services to do cement work. He and his people did a sterling job, and we were able to send some references his way, as well. (Hopefully, they'll add up to future work.)
*More money found while cleaning up -- including inside a purse. $2.49...plus a family pass to the Denver Botanic Gardens (no expiration date). This doesn't count a number of quarters, nickels, dimes and especially pennies, found here and there. I had no idea.
*Used foods out of the fridge and freezer, plus cans, while we could. (Meals have been a little boring, though.)
*Used coupons and specials to eat. While on the way to/from dropping off storage stuff in Michigan -- as well as while the house was emptied out and put on the market. Burger King and Little Caesar's have been a particular help.
*Replaced front bearings on the truck. More than $1000 -- but it would have been double that, had we hired the dealer to do it. Instead, we went to a local mechanic the Brick has used before.
*Swapped rides and borrowed vehicles, when needed. Thank God for good friends.
*Bought a chainsaw, rather than limping along with our old one, which kept breaking down. We should have done it sooner.
*Rented a truck one weekend, when we had to go in two different directions. Got a discount, plus credit for gas already in the tank.
*Taught at a gig. Did a couple of lectures, as well. Now that the house is on the market, I'm working to finish up the appraisals I did during this month, too.
*Bought some $2 DVDs (from the library's used book room) to entertain us in the trailer. Shogun, with Richard Chamberlain, has been a surprising favorite. Books from the library have been a wonderful escape, as well.
FRUGAL MISSES
*Paid on the contractor's bill for the house. (You don't want to know.) Even with some negotiations for work we did, as well as work that wasn't done, this took a big hit.
*Paid the housecleaners. Another big ouch, particularly when we had to re-clean some areas.
*Paid to fix new problems and changes as needed. I realize these are inevitable -- but that doesn't make pulling out the checkbook any easier.
*Paid to make the (empty) freezer go away. Did you realize you have PAY for appliances like this to be recycled?
*Ate out -- a lot. We had to; people were working in the kitchen. And when the house went on the market, it had to stay that way. We are starting to cook in the trailer...once the leftovers are completely gone. (P.S. Eating out isn't that exciting after a while. Trust me.)
*Realized that we let some things go -- that we shouldn't have. Like selling our wheelbarrow. (We got another; fortunately, Son #1 and Daughter #2 can use it.)
Gradually, off and on, we're getting more sleep -- though it's hard. (Stuffy and restless nights, with a bad dream or two thrown in.) We both now stiffen right up, when we sit for longer than a few minutes. And we still have the garage to empty out, and stuff to put away in the new place.
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| This is us, as well. Stiff, stiff, stiff. |
But it's progressing.
With God's grace, we'll soon have a contract and closing...
then on to the next part of life.
As the Brick said, "I never want to sell a house again." But we both realize that the house and garage had to be cleared out and taken care of. In effect, we've tidied up our estate considerably. Should anything happen to us, our kids will have a
much easier time of dealing with all of our Stuff.
We will, too.
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