Moving Forward by Standing Still

Everyone will come to a point in their life, when things are just so out of control that the best thing to do is absolutely nothing. There is a point at which we must all make the decision to be still when every inch our being is telling us to do anything. I have been there and back. With the house falling through and living with my parents, my first instinct was to find a way out, but I couldn't...or shouldn't. To be completely honest with all of you, and myself, there was no good decision in the craziness of it all. The economy sucks and despite hopeful jumps in spending, the nation is still out of control. I couldn't make a decision knowing that we could loose everything tomorrow. So, I was just at a standstill. For a month, I made no permanent decisions and it was probably the best things that could have happened. Because, just when we thought we couldn't take it anymore everything became clear and we found a house in the neighborhood we wanted, with the size we wanted, and the price we wanted. To tell you the truth we got a steal. It was a house that we overlooked in the beginning because it needed a little work, and I am so glad we did, because the price came down drastically. And you know that makes it all the more exciting for me. Not only did we find a house, but I got it for what it was worth 3 years ago. Still, I am not holding my breath, because anything could happen between now and the closing, but we are on our way. 

So after assessing the global financial situation and our budget, I decided that I needed to be bringing in some extra income. As hard as it was for me to swallow, I knew that something had to be done in order to protect my family from this recession. These days, there is no promise of job security, and having a single income is very risky.  So, I went to real estate school. (I know, it's shocking.) So, I will be doing this part-time on top of everything else. I will continue to stay home with the kids, and be The Budget Queen, and I will work it into my schedule however I have to. I plan to stick to my current budget and save everything incase things get worse or we loose an income. As crazy as it seems, it is one of the times in all of our lives when we will have to do whatever is necessary to make it through the rough patch. I have recommended this to all of my single-income clients, at least for now. 

I have been sticking to my monthly budget for the most part. I have been taking out an extra $25 per week for Christmas shopping. Things have changed since we moved into my parent's house, so we have been enjoying the wiggle room while we can. We are saving a lot, but we have also taken some family outings that were so overdue. Sometimes I feel like a bad parent for being so frugal, but then I realize the important lessons that my kids have learned from watching me. My son knows how to find the lowest prices online when he wants something, my daughter collects coupons, and they all know how to earn money if they want things. They are so smart about money.

Being that I have been at my moms my shopping has been a little more impulsive. I suppose knowing that I have no mortgage, utilities, cable or phone bill, etc...I feel like I have more to spend even though I shouldn't. I caught myself buying things for other people 3 times this month saying, "no worries, I'm not paying a mortgage." After the 3rd time I knew I was in trouble. Fortunately it was only a coke, a magazine, and a hotdog. But, it could've been worse. So, now that I am aware, I will try to stick to my guns and save every extra penny to ensure that we have a good emergency savings amount when we get into the new house. It's just that I love helping people so much. 

So, today at church there was a bulletin about some additions to the cemetery. I told my husband that we ought to start thinking about where we would like to be buried so that we could secure plots. He said to me, "I thought that you wanted to be cremated!" And I replied, "Yes, because it's cheaper." Then he busted out laughing in church and said, "Only from the mouth of The Budget Queen."

Hurricane Preparation on the Cheap

 Hurricane season has begun and smart shoppers are getting prepared.  Don’t get caught by surprise when a depression hits the gulf.  Be one step ahead of the crowd and start getting prepared now.

 One of the easiest and cheapest things that you can do to start preparing for hurricane season, is to gather water in empty milk jugs. Be sure to wash them out very well with warm soap and water, then fill with water and freeze or store in a pantry. The sooner you start, the more you will have in the event of a hurricane that a hurricane sneaks up on us.

 Bread is another item in demand during a hurricane. The cheapest place to find bread is at your local bread factory store. You can get bread for around one dollar per loaf, even for whole wheat. It’s much easier if you grab several loaves now and freeze them then to run out in the mad rush before the storm.

 Other non-perishable food items can be purchased throughout hurricane season as they go on sale. When you see a great deal on canned food or other meals, stock up.  Check the sales ads each week as they come in the mail to try and score some major discounts and stock your pantry.

 Drug stores, like Walgreen’s, host sales on paper plates, cups, and plastic-ware fairly often. Check your Sunday papers for free and cheap deals at drug stores and stockpile so that you don’t have to worry about how you will wash dishes in the event that you loose water.

 Generators are in high demand during a hurricane, so don’t be caught without one. Start looking into your options now. Check out discount scratch and dent warehouses, like the Sear’s warehouse in Scott, LA. You can get some pretty deep discounts for buying appliances with minor blemishes.

 Last but not least, everyone is looking for batteries on the days leading up to the storm. As expensive as they are, people tend to avoid them until the last minute. Fortunately, discounts stores like the Dollar Tree carry all sizes of batteries for only one dollar a pack. So, feel free to stock up!

 The best way to save money on hurricane preparation is to buy things ahead of time so that you are not forced into buying expensive items right before the storm. Buy a little each week and the damage will not be as bad on your pocket book as if you have to buy it all at once.  You can breathe easier if you are stocked up and ready to go instead of fighting the crowds in the days leading up to a hurricane.

 Teresa Theriot is a stay at home mother of three children. She is an expert on saving money and founder of www.thebudgetqueen.com.