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grerp: the PERSONAL side of AAR Rachel
Garage sale time again
posted Wednesday, 3 May 2006
So last week I went to 4 rummage sales and at least 4 garage sales. I LOVE garage sale-ing and I miss it so much in winter. Nothing beats the prices of people who just want to get rid of their crap. The thrifts are good and more comprehensive, but the prices are almost always higher. There are always things I'm waiting to search for at yard sales. Including many, if not the majority of, my Christmas gifts.
The big finds last and this week were: a frog Halloween costume for Max ($3, from Baby Gap), a Margot Early book I wanted, two pairs of kid sandals for Mr. Big Foot (who outgrew two pair last summer; I'm prepared this time around!), a sweater and a shirt for me, and a few toys for Max. I really haven't bought much, and I have yet to refine my In Search Of list for this summer. Mostly I just try to practice my gimlet eyed sweep for bargains and stuff that might replace things I have but are in precarious condition.
I've been trying to ascertain our family budget and financial health. I've now been home with Max for 18 months, which means it's been a year and a half now since we had two incomes. During that time both of our cars have need significant repairs. Mine alone has needed almost $4000 worth of work (engine, brakes), which ate a big chunk our savings. Fortunately, we had set aside money and have a decent rainy day fund, and more fortunately, we have no debts or loans except for our mortgage so, in spite of our record low earnings in 2005, we did manage to chip away at last year in significant fashion. That adoption tax credit was a lifesaver.
However, we really don't have much retirement savings. Just a little 401K money and some Roths we took out early in our marriage, all of which got hit HARD in 2001 (which is why we switched from saving for retirement to paying off our mortgage; it was emotionally hard to put money into something and then watch it halve in value or worse). This week I checked out Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey from the library. This book has really decent advice to give, but not much for people in our situation. We've already been doing most of what he suggests since we got married. Many of the things Ramsey says are optional items easy to cut out - cell phones, cable, newspaper and magazine subscriptions, new clothes, etc. - are things we already don't have or buy. I pay the mortgage, the credit card (mostly groceries, gas, and meals out), and the utilities every month, and that's about it. Anything we could cut now would hurt. I suppose we could never go out to eat, we could forego vacations, and I could put us on a cash-only spending system, but we'd really feel it. I guess I was looking for more creative suggestions from Ramsey, more along the lines of stuff found in The Tightwad Gazette, but I didn't find it. Retirement will have to wait until I go back to work. I don't know when that will be since we are debating a second adoption.
If money just grew on trees...I appreciate the fact that I can stay at home with Max, but financially it's not the most lucrative decision for us to make.
The big finds last and this week were: a frog Halloween costume for Max ($3, from Baby Gap), a Margot Early book I wanted, two pairs of kid sandals for Mr. Big Foot (who outgrew two pair last summer; I'm prepared this time around!), a sweater and a shirt for me, and a few toys for Max. I really haven't bought much, and I have yet to refine my In Search Of list for this summer. Mostly I just try to practice my gimlet eyed sweep for bargains and stuff that might replace things I have but are in precarious condition.
I've been trying to ascertain our family budget and financial health. I've now been home with Max for 18 months, which means it's been a year and a half now since we had two incomes. During that time both of our cars have need significant repairs. Mine alone has needed almost $4000 worth of work (engine, brakes), which ate a big chunk our savings. Fortunately, we had set aside money and have a decent rainy day fund, and more fortunately, we have no debts or loans except for our mortgage so, in spite of our record low earnings in 2005, we did manage to chip away at last year in significant fashion. That adoption tax credit was a lifesaver.
However, we really don't have much retirement savings. Just a little 401K money and some Roths we took out early in our marriage, all of which got hit HARD in 2001 (which is why we switched from saving for retirement to paying off our mortgage; it was emotionally hard to put money into something and then watch it halve in value or worse). This week I checked out Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey from the library. This book has really decent advice to give, but not much for people in our situation. We've already been doing most of what he suggests since we got married. Many of the things Ramsey says are optional items easy to cut out - cell phones, cable, newspaper and magazine subscriptions, new clothes, etc. - are things we already don't have or buy. I pay the mortgage, the credit card (mostly groceries, gas, and meals out), and the utilities every month, and that's about it. Anything we could cut now would hurt. I suppose we could never go out to eat, we could forego vacations, and I could put us on a cash-only spending system, but we'd really feel it. I guess I was looking for more creative suggestions from Ramsey, more along the lines of stuff found in The Tightwad Gazette, but I didn't find it. Retirement will have to wait until I go back to work. I don't know when that will be since we are debating a second adoption.
If money just grew on trees...I appreciate the fact that I can stay at home with Max, but financially it's not the most lucrative decision for us to make.
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