The past two years have brought a lot of financial trouble for us. I hated the job that I was in and just walked away. It was a stupid move financially, but a smart move as far as my mental health goes.
Sometimes you have to choose what is best for yourself. I chose my health over earning good money. I angered my husband, but he has finally come to understand how stressful my job had become. I went on unemployment, but that was only a fraction of what I was making. We had to make some serious decisions about what to give up in order to make ends meet.
I hated losing my van. I had a 2005 Honda Odyssey. I loved it so much. All leather, four captain chairs, dvd player, fold down back bench, sunroof - it had it all. But it came with a high monthly payment of $580. I fought for as long as I could to keep it, but in the end, I just couldn't. That was a devastating blow to me.
We went to one of those car lots that doesn't do a credit check in order to get another car. We put $1,000 down and we pay $250 a month for a 2000 Mazda 626. The car itself is okay, but just very basic. I think the thing I hate the most about it is the rough idle. But, you get what you pay for. Right now, the low payment is great. But, I look forward to the day when I can go to a reputable car lot and buy a nicer car.
I also watch very closely our electric bill. If we aren't in a room then I don't have the lights on. I make sure that we conserve as much as possible. We were able to use our air conditioner during the summer, but just on a higher setting. In combination with the ceiling fans, we stayed nice and cool.
Our problem right now is the fact that our furnace doesn't work well. So, we keep it turned off and use ceramic heaters for the bedrooms and the fireplace for the rest of the house. The fireplace has an insert on it with a blower, so the heat travels throughout most of the house. It is a hassle dealing with the wood all of the time, though. Just another loss of convenience.
Sometimes you have to choose what is best for yourself. I chose my health over earning good money. I angered my husband, but he has finally come to understand how stressful my job had become. I went on unemployment, but that was only a fraction of what I was making. We had to make some serious decisions about what to give up in order to make ends meet.
I hated losing my van. I had a 2005 Honda Odyssey. I loved it so much. All leather, four captain chairs, dvd player, fold down back bench, sunroof - it had it all. But it came with a high monthly payment of $580. I fought for as long as I could to keep it, but in the end, I just couldn't. That was a devastating blow to me.
We went to one of those car lots that doesn't do a credit check in order to get another car. We put $1,000 down and we pay $250 a month for a 2000 Mazda 626. The car itself is okay, but just very basic. I think the thing I hate the most about it is the rough idle. But, you get what you pay for. Right now, the low payment is great. But, I look forward to the day when I can go to a reputable car lot and buy a nicer car.
I also watch very closely our electric bill. If we aren't in a room then I don't have the lights on. I make sure that we conserve as much as possible. We were able to use our air conditioner during the summer, but just on a higher setting. In combination with the ceiling fans, we stayed nice and cool.
Our problem right now is the fact that our furnace doesn't work well. So, we keep it turned off and use ceramic heaters for the bedrooms and the fireplace for the rest of the house. The fireplace has an insert on it with a blower, so the heat travels throughout most of the house. It is a hassle dealing with the wood all of the time, though. Just another loss of convenience.
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