Well, the week is over, and it appears for the time being, the financial industry has calmed down a bit. Who knows what the bail-out package will turn out to do, but know this, the economy isn't getting better overnight. Without confidence in the investment, credit and consumer markets, the stock market will ebb and flow, banks won't lend to each other, and people won't consume again. And frankly I don't blame the consumers. If they can't use their homes as ATMs (DO NOT DO THAT, pay off your mortgage as soon as possible), then they won't consume like money's going out of style. In case you're wondering, I've done all this and it ain't that hard, even to keep it up for 5 years...
All that means that it's every family for themselves! Take ownership of your own household. Spend less, make a budget and stick to it. Cut out what you don't need. Use that savings to put it away for a rainy day. It may rain sooner than you think. So try to build up 6 months of your budget in conservative savings accounts and let it sit there and don't spend it on anything unless you ABSOLUTELY need to. It's as simple as that.
OK, sorry for the rant, but someone's got to say SOMETHING about taking your own financial present and future seriously. Oh, one more thing... start a garden, start one in a small sunny patch in your yard, on your patio, in pots or SWCs, wherever. Just start growing something for your family to eat! Lettuce, carrots, radishes, they're all amazingly easy to grow. If you're not already a gardener, then start!
Ok, for some reason I felt compelled to start with that. Of course you're already a gardener, nobody comes here that doesn't garden. So add a veggie, preserve something, bake some bread, stretch! And let me know what you're doing... Oh and if you want to start a budget and cut back voluntarily, let me know that too. Or don't let me know, just do it!
So, for me, I couldn't be more happy about the weekend, despite the rainy weather we're having, I have tons to do and I'm excited to get started. I called my brother to order up some garlic for planting and the truck for going shopping for beauty bark and corregated fiberglass.
Not sure how much I'll get done tomorrow (shopping for sure) as there's an 80% chance of rain. But Sunday is supposed to be partly cloudy with a high of 58... burrrrr. No problem, I've got sweatshirts I should pull out.
Well, that's enough for me. I didn't have much but wanted to rant away.
Enjoy your garden and start a budget...
I fed my family of four on $30 per week all last fall and winter. (It can be done!) We are in landscaping and our area was going through the worst drought in recorded history. Didn't have much going on in the garden because we couldn't afford seeds, soil amendments, etc.. It was so bad I was 12 pounds underweight by February. I baked bread and we ate a lot of beans and lentils. There just wasn't enough work to pay the bills and eat. We didn't have a single spare PENNY. You bet your booty I've got the garden going this year! Of course, if people continue to not pay their landscaping bills (the company my husband is with is owed $30,000) the garden will be a moot point because we won't be able to keep our house.
ReplyDeleteNow that I've gotten that off my chest, I'm going to go plant the rest of my garlic, and pray.
I’ve always lived with my belt tightened. Not from need, but from inbred frugality from ancestors who subsisted on what they could grow from the good earth. Having never lived depending on “plastic” or bank loans…if we want to buy something we save for it…we aren’t suffering from this apparent collapse of the economy. If any lesson is to be learned from this, it is to live within one’s means.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't you dare tell anyone how much those birdhouses I built ended up costing me!
Hi Rich! How's it going? Garlic time, eh?
ReplyDeleteEverything you say is right!
ReplyDeleteThe economic boom that has run without check for sixteen years had to go pop! But those sixteen years led people to believe that their lifestyle could be built around credit and consumerism.
If there is anything good that will come from this shambles, it is the hope that we learn to live within our means and discover what is really important.
Cheers
Rob