My car

The hubby and I had never purchased a new vehicle until he bought his motorcycle a couple years ago. We've always driven used cars and paid cash for them. Last year we purchased a new Toyota Tacoma pickup truck. We were looking for used, but with rebates and the Costco automobile purchase plan, we were able to find a new truck cheaper than a used one. We always pay cash and haven't had a car payment since shortly after we got married, over 30 years ago.

Right now I drive a 2000 Grand Vitara with 150,000 miles on it. It's not a great car. It's rough to ride in and too small, but it gets me where I need to go. If I need something bigger and more comfortable to drive, I just borrow the hubby's truck. Next year I am hoping to purchase a new car, for the first time, since 1977!! But, the one I have now will work until then. I've gotten laughed at sometimes because of the cars we drive...but frankly, I really don't care.

Why have we always paid cash and always bought used? Dave Ramsey says it best.



ht: Finally Frugal.

SNL

Catherine at Frugal Homemaker Plus mentioned this video over at Frugal Hacks...love it!

i can see clearly now...

I have a few basic rules I follow when it comes to my house:

1. If I don't love it, I don't keep it.
2. If I'm not going to use it, I don't keep it.
3. a place for everything, and everything in it's place.

and most important...

4. If I were to move tomorrow, is this cupboard, (room, closet?) neat and organized so that i could quickly pack it in a box, label it, move it, and put it away in my new home?

If I have to sort through stuff, decide what to keep, decide what to get rid of, donate, etc., then I haven't got things clean and organized enough.

If I want to find something, I don't want to have to hunt high and low, here and there...I want to go to where it is supposed to be and find it.

A little extreme? maybe, but it keeps things running smoothly around here...hence, my problem and my stress. Stuff is laying around all over. I can barely park my car in the garage...where did all of this mess come from? Have I been walking through life asleep the last year?

My gluten-free, dairy-free diet is helping to clear my brain...but causing me more stress because now I can finally SEE thru the fog!

oy vey.

discouragement

I'm in danger of becoming discouraged.

I can't keep up.

Closing at work 3 times a week...one day a week to go and visit my son, not getting home until 10:30 at night...bible study one night, where i'm totally slacking...church on Sundays...leaves me only two nights a week at home. My house is a wreck, my laundry is stacked up. I haven't visited my parents in months...You wouldn't think it would be so hard to keep up when I'm feathering an empty nest. Something has to give, but what? If I get any less sleep, I'll drop. Work? How?...my daughter, the manager, is 9 months pregnant. She shouldn't even be working at all.

I've always believed that if we can't keep up, then our priorities are somehow out of alignment. I just need to find out where...

Free!

I just found a really awesome website. It offers free things to people for their birthdays. How great is that!

My daughter and son-in-law are taking their family to Red Robin tomorrow for two of their girls' birthdays...I'm hoping to sign them up to the Red Robin Kids Club and see if we can get them free meals.