Ok, so I pride myself on being frugal and money is always tight, but this week I've hit a new low. I had a negative balance in my checking account, zero in my savings, and bout two more weeks to live on what...air and love till pay day. I try to tell myself that my new low is for some people, their every day and I wonder how they do it. I know I can use my credit card till my next pay check even though the very thought of it makes my stomach queasy. Chalk it up to my unexpected car accident in March, which thankfully only took my car out of commission. Now I had the expense of getting another used car, and doing all the running around for the last week, taking my husband to work, dropping the kids off at my mom's, taking my step dad to work, running errands. Let's just say it cost me a pretty penny in gas.
It's sooo freaking easy to feel stressed, scared, and even hopeless at times. I have been crabby with my family because of the stress and I hate that because they are truly the only thing that get my through these tough times. As my oh so eloquent husband puts it - "I simply need more to focus on in my life than him so that I don't take all my stress out on him." It's a bit rough, but that's my husband. We are exactly ourselves with each other, on good days and bad, like it or not. There has to be a buffer between life's emergencies, tragedies, stresses, and losses and that buffer is family. Through their eyes we filter out the bad things and instead see the hope that lies beyond everything else. I guess we just need to remember to clean the filter every so often otherwise people's feelings get stuck in the grime of life.
So as I'm clipping coupons, thinking about side jobs, and reluctantly re-evaluating future plans, I think about what it is that keeps being broke from making one feel so.... well broken. It has got to be family. There is nothing else that can pull me out of my own head like taking care of my two little ones and of course my husband. He keeps his worries close to the vest, not on his sleeve like me. Gotta be especially wary of that. I just try to give what I can. Right now that doesn't include much of anything that can be bought. I have to hope that love and perseverance is enough to make it two more weeks, another year, ten years - one hurdle at a time, one step at a time, one filter change at a time.
Showing posts with label frugal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label frugal. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Frumpy Mom or Frugal Crusader?
Ok so I promise not to name names to protect the fashion addicts out there, but I can't help but overhear people complaining (like me) about being broke. The difference is, I also overhear lots of oohing and ahhing from these same people over recent fashion addiction purchases like clothes, handbags, jewelery, and of course the be all and end all of the fashion addicts closet - SHOES.
So being my frugal self I can't help but wonder, how do some people always manage to "find" money for what they want, but find themselves too "broke" to afford what they need? Is it the old adage of "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have" that's creating this need to "Wear Your Worth?" Side note, but that is the freaking worst advice I've ever heard (just my opinion). Are we suggesting that people go into debt racking up clothing purchases on their credit cards to "look" like they have more money than they do? Guess what people - you are in fact shopping with the paycheck provided by the job you HAVE not the job you WANT. Seeing a fundamental flaw with this theory yet??
Besides are we tossing out the idea that we should be judged by our skills, talents, dedication, and character. Is what you see really what you get? Is that what the world is telling us? Take me for instance. I think I'm a smart, hardworking, talented employee, loving wife and mother, talented writer, etc., but does the world simply see a "Frumpy Mom" when they look at me?
Do they see my pony tail, simple flats, bargain clothes, and makeup free face and think that I'm not worth all that much? Do they see that in fact I take care of a 3 year old and a 10 month old, which take priority above all else in my life, or that I value 5 extra minutes of sleep over a compliment on my appearance? Do they see that its impractical to wear high heels and a skirt while lifting children in and out of my mini-van?
Do they see that I simply don't care to wear makeup because it makes my face breakout? Do they know that I have excellent credit because I choose not to be seduced by the lure of what I'm supposed to want? Do they know that I chose to have less income (by switching from full-time to part-time) so that I could have more time with my children and that's why I don't buy things I can't afford to pay for today with the money I "actually" have.
As my daughter cried this morning because the sweatshirt I put on her covered up her princess shirt I had a little tingle of fear creep up my spine. I tried to explain to her that it was cold out so it's more important that she stay warm than see the princesses on her shirt. She's 3; I know she doesn't get it, but the fear hit me anyway. Will she ever understand that as people we need to be more than what we look like in order to survive?
I choose to think of myself as a Frugal Crusader, standing up (sometimes alone) for what I believe. I choose to live my life as a walking example that with people "what you see is NOT what you get." What you see, is just that - what you see. You have to look deeper to REALLY see a person. You can't look with your eyes at all.
So being my frugal self I can't help but wonder, how do some people always manage to "find" money for what they want, but find themselves too "broke" to afford what they need? Is it the old adage of "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have" that's creating this need to "Wear Your Worth?" Side note, but that is the freaking worst advice I've ever heard (just my opinion). Are we suggesting that people go into debt racking up clothing purchases on their credit cards to "look" like they have more money than they do? Guess what people - you are in fact shopping with the paycheck provided by the job you HAVE not the job you WANT. Seeing a fundamental flaw with this theory yet??
Besides are we tossing out the idea that we should be judged by our skills, talents, dedication, and character. Is what you see really what you get? Is that what the world is telling us? Take me for instance. I think I'm a smart, hardworking, talented employee, loving wife and mother, talented writer, etc., but does the world simply see a "Frumpy Mom" when they look at me?
Do they see my pony tail, simple flats, bargain clothes, and makeup free face and think that I'm not worth all that much? Do they see that in fact I take care of a 3 year old and a 10 month old, which take priority above all else in my life, or that I value 5 extra minutes of sleep over a compliment on my appearance? Do they see that its impractical to wear high heels and a skirt while lifting children in and out of my mini-van?
Do they see that I simply don't care to wear makeup because it makes my face breakout? Do they know that I have excellent credit because I choose not to be seduced by the lure of what I'm supposed to want? Do they know that I chose to have less income (by switching from full-time to part-time) so that I could have more time with my children and that's why I don't buy things I can't afford to pay for today with the money I "actually" have.
As my daughter cried this morning because the sweatshirt I put on her covered up her princess shirt I had a little tingle of fear creep up my spine. I tried to explain to her that it was cold out so it's more important that she stay warm than see the princesses on her shirt. She's 3; I know she doesn't get it, but the fear hit me anyway. Will she ever understand that as people we need to be more than what we look like in order to survive?
I choose to think of myself as a Frugal Crusader, standing up (sometimes alone) for what I believe. I choose to live my life as a walking example that with people "what you see is NOT what you get." What you see, is just that - what you see. You have to look deeper to REALLY see a person. You can't look with your eyes at all.
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