A meeting that I was really excited about got cancelled yesterday. That sucks.
My work shoes (for the night job) came in. That's a good thing (but I won't like seeing the deductions that will come off my paycheque until the shoes are paid off). I'm hoping these shoes will be better for my feet. The soles of my feet are blistered now and it hurts to walk. Maybe these shoes will be better for my feet and back, too. I'm hopeful.
Last night it was emotionally difficult to be at work, and I'm not sure why. Maybe because of the big anticipation and disappointment earlier in the day, maybe fatigue, maybe because I rushed through my pre-shift prayer... I don't know.
Today's food costs:
breakfast - coffee (cost me about $1 for the whole day because I gave coffee to the workmen who were here - the reason they were here is a whole other lousy story.)
Lunch - peanut butter and jam on toast - $0.28 (the jam was almost free... that's a cool story)
yogurt - $0.76
Dinner- spaghetti & two pieces of bread - $0.75
Total food costs for the day - $2.79
I think that no matter how good for me the yogurt is, after it's gone I'm not going to buy it again. It's too much per serving and it doesn't fill me up at all. Last night/this morning, as tired as I was, I was having trouble sleeping because I was hungry.
I'm very tired today. It's hard to focus enough to even figure out what I'm supposed to be doing today, never mind actually do it. I have to figure out a way to stay positive. In business one cannot afford to be negative or sanguine.
I have to come up with many thousands of dollars by tomorrow and I don't know how I'm going to do it.
I'm scared today.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Respect The Clothesline
Ontario is considering lifting the ban on clotheslines. I didn't even know there was such a ban!
If you hang out your clothes in the winter, don't they just freeze instead of dry?
In the summer, hanging out the clothes would be nice. That would save hydro.
Is there such a thing as a retractable clothesline? I'd like to have one that I could reel in or retract when it's not in use. That would be perfect.
CBC did an article on the issue of the clothesline ban and in it Keith Stewart of the World Wildlife Fund said that it's time to give clotheslines the respect they deserve.
If you hang out your clothes in the winter, don't they just freeze instead of dry?
In the summer, hanging out the clothes would be nice. That would save hydro.
Is there such a thing as a retractable clothesline? I'd like to have one that I could reel in or retract when it's not in use. That would be perfect.
CBC did an article on the issue of the clothesline ban and in it Keith Stewart of the World Wildlife Fund said that it's time to give clotheslines the respect they deserve.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Diet In Terms of Dollars
In order to save money one of the things to do is to figure out where it's being spent. It's easy to see where larger amounts go, but one can lose a lot by not being careful with the little things. For example a medium Tim Horton's coffee costs $1.37 (I think). No big deal, right? Say you buy a coffee every day on the way to work. Allowing for two weeks a year of not going to work (therefore not buying the coffee), your coffee bill adds up to $342.50 a year.
Okay, coffee can be a sensitive subject. The point is the little stuff can get ya'.
I'm paying attention to how much it costs me to eat and I'm going to keep track of it for a while.
Yesterday went like this:
Breakfast - nothing
Lunch - egg salad sandwich (no butter) $0.89
Dinner - wasted egg salad (the one that froze) $0.89
- hot chocolate $0.30
- cheeseburger $2.
Today
Breakfast - coffee at home approx $0.50 for the entire day's worth
Lunch - egg salad sandwich $0.89
Dinner - spaghetti - $0.53; two slices of bread $0.22; yogurt $0.76 (I'm trying the yogurt thing to see if it helps with the tummy problems)
So my food costs for the past two days is $6.22. (Everything was bought on sale, by the way.) Not too bad.
Is it balanced and healthy? No. But in the past I've spent more and done worse.
Food shopping tips:
If it has no nutritional value it's a waste of money. If you don't have enough money to spend freely at the grocery store, you need to buy things that are going to give you a nutritional bang for your buck. (yeah, yeah, I know.... I drink coffee every day, but I need it now to stay awake to work the two jobs!) If you can't eat a lot then it's even more important to get at least some nutrition into you.
Buy whole wheat bread. The store brand whole wheat costs the same as the white. No matter what the ads tell you, food that is less processed is better for you. If you don't like whole wheat, try it anyway; You'll get accustomed to it.
If you like to snack, invest in an air popper for popcorn. You can get a lot of popcorn for very little money if you do it that way. Even the Light microwave popping corn is full of stuff that is terrible for you and it costs a lot more per serving. If you go with air popped, both your wallet and your body will thank you.
Water is your friend. Forget about the bottled stuff. It's been proven that it's no better than tap water. Your wallet and the environment will thank you if you stick with tap water. Drinking water instead of pop is much better for you anyway. In spite of my need for coffee, I've replaced much of it with water.
***
Well, I'd better get off of the computer. I only had two hours of sleep last night and have a busy day at both workplaces tomorrow. There are still a few things I have to do around the house before I can go to bed. My pillow has been calling me all day!
.
Okay, coffee can be a sensitive subject. The point is the little stuff can get ya'.
I'm paying attention to how much it costs me to eat and I'm going to keep track of it for a while.
Yesterday went like this:
Breakfast - nothing
Lunch - egg salad sandwich (no butter) $0.89
Dinner - wasted egg salad (the one that froze) $0.89
- hot chocolate $0.30
- cheeseburger $2.
Today
Breakfast - coffee at home approx $0.50 for the entire day's worth
Lunch - egg salad sandwich $0.89
Dinner - spaghetti - $0.53; two slices of bread $0.22; yogurt $0.76 (I'm trying the yogurt thing to see if it helps with the tummy problems)
So my food costs for the past two days is $6.22. (Everything was bought on sale, by the way.) Not too bad.
Is it balanced and healthy? No. But in the past I've spent more and done worse.
Food shopping tips:
If it has no nutritional value it's a waste of money. If you don't have enough money to spend freely at the grocery store, you need to buy things that are going to give you a nutritional bang for your buck. (yeah, yeah, I know.... I drink coffee every day, but I need it now to stay awake to work the two jobs!) If you can't eat a lot then it's even more important to get at least some nutrition into you.
Buy whole wheat bread. The store brand whole wheat costs the same as the white. No matter what the ads tell you, food that is less processed is better for you. If you don't like whole wheat, try it anyway; You'll get accustomed to it.
If you like to snack, invest in an air popper for popcorn. You can get a lot of popcorn for very little money if you do it that way. Even the Light microwave popping corn is full of stuff that is terrible for you and it costs a lot more per serving. If you go with air popped, both your wallet and your body will thank you.
Water is your friend. Forget about the bottled stuff. It's been proven that it's no better than tap water. Your wallet and the environment will thank you if you stick with tap water. Drinking water instead of pop is much better for you anyway. In spite of my need for coffee, I've replaced much of it with water.
***
Well, I'd better get off of the computer. I only had two hours of sleep last night and have a busy day at both workplaces tomorrow. There are still a few things I have to do around the house before I can go to bed. My pillow has been calling me all day!
.
Sort of Egg Salad
Even though I get a discount at the fast food place it's not cheap enough for me. Yesterday, thinking I'd be smart and save my $2, I made my own lunch to take to work. I made an egg salad sandwich - sort of egg salad. Yes, I used real eggs and mayo, but there was none of the other good stuff that is supposed to be in egg salad, like onion and celery. That stuff is too expensive.
I like to cook (although I admit that making egg salad hardly counts as cooking). Back when I had money I would come home from work and make myself a gourmet meal every single night. Then I would clean the house, play with the cats and read. That's not at all exciting for most people, but I really enjoyed it. I was happy.
Now there is no money, no time, and no energy for cooking. This too shall pass - or so I keep telling myself.
Anyway, so I've got my egg salad and homemade hot chocolate. I leave it in my car because there's no place to put it at work, no fridge for employee lunches. I figure the car would keep the egg salad cold and my trusty thermos will keep my hot chocolate hot.
At break time I went to my car to retrieve my lunch. All I'd had all day was a sandwich and I was hungry. I unwrapped my sandwich, anticipating how good it's going to feel to eat. I was feeling grateful.
I chomp down..... ick! It's frozen! My sandwich is frozen! Ugh. Maybe I can still eat it. I take another bite. This isn't going to work.
I go back in. I'll have to buy something after all. There's no way I'm going to make it through the rest of the night without eating. I dig in the bottom of my purse and, luckily, am able to come up with enough change for a cheeseburger. Now I have to wait in line. My 30 minute break is almost over by the time I get my burger and get back to my car. All I want is something to eat and ten minutes to myself.
That burger did taste good. I opened my thermos with the same anticipation as I did my sandwich. I took a big swig. My hot chocolate was lukewarm and didn't taste right. I drank it anyway and was sorry afterwards. I think it had gone off.
So I'll eat the rest of the egg salad for lunch today (at a sort of normal lunchtime at the day job). I'll stick with peanut butter and jam for nighttime. I have to figure out where I can leave it while I'm working. The only place is the employee bathroom. I think it's gross to leave food in the bathroom. Maybe if I wrap it well and double bag it... I mean, it's not going to kill me.
So I've gone from gourmet to PB&J in the bathroom. I never thought I'd be here. Still, it's better than nothing. I've had nothing before. This is still wealth compared to what some people have.
I like to cook (although I admit that making egg salad hardly counts as cooking). Back when I had money I would come home from work and make myself a gourmet meal every single night. Then I would clean the house, play with the cats and read. That's not at all exciting for most people, but I really enjoyed it. I was happy.
Now there is no money, no time, and no energy for cooking. This too shall pass - or so I keep telling myself.
Anyway, so I've got my egg salad and homemade hot chocolate. I leave it in my car because there's no place to put it at work, no fridge for employee lunches. I figure the car would keep the egg salad cold and my trusty thermos will keep my hot chocolate hot.
At break time I went to my car to retrieve my lunch. All I'd had all day was a sandwich and I was hungry. I unwrapped my sandwich, anticipating how good it's going to feel to eat. I was feeling grateful.
I chomp down..... ick! It's frozen! My sandwich is frozen! Ugh. Maybe I can still eat it. I take another bite. This isn't going to work.
I go back in. I'll have to buy something after all. There's no way I'm going to make it through the rest of the night without eating. I dig in the bottom of my purse and, luckily, am able to come up with enough change for a cheeseburger. Now I have to wait in line. My 30 minute break is almost over by the time I get my burger and get back to my car. All I want is something to eat and ten minutes to myself.
That burger did taste good. I opened my thermos with the same anticipation as I did my sandwich. I took a big swig. My hot chocolate was lukewarm and didn't taste right. I drank it anyway and was sorry afterwards. I think it had gone off.
So I'll eat the rest of the egg salad for lunch today (at a sort of normal lunchtime at the day job). I'll stick with peanut butter and jam for nighttime. I have to figure out where I can leave it while I'm working. The only place is the employee bathroom. I think it's gross to leave food in the bathroom. Maybe if I wrap it well and double bag it... I mean, it's not going to kill me.
So I've gone from gourmet to PB&J in the bathroom. I never thought I'd be here. Still, it's better than nothing. I've had nothing before. This is still wealth compared to what some people have.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Tithing and Scraping
I believe in tithing. I believe if everyone was to give, then no one would need anything - in an ideal world. Of course we don't live in an ideal world, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't do my part as an individual. Maybe my little drop in the bucket doesn't mean anything to most people, but I also know that the ocean is comprised of single drops.
The money I've pulled in falls far short of covering the bills, even basic needs. This makes it very difficult on a mental and emotional level to tithe or donate money. So today I was really struggling with this. I was putting my meager donation into the envelope to give, and swallowing hard against the lump in my throat the whole time. Then I felt bad because I wasn't giving cheerfully.
Guilt is a strange animal. Sometimes I think I should rid myself of all forms of guilt, but then I think that guilt can be a useful thing; It prevents people from doing rotten things. There are people walking around who feel no guilt and they hurt other people without thought or concern. I don't want to be like that.
I'm supposed to be in church right now, but I'm too darned tired and I have much to do before I have to go to work. There's a lot going on in this household that I have to take care of and I still have to get ready for work at the day job this week as well, so I don't feel guilty about not going to church.
Anyway, back to the money issues... Over a number of years I collected reward points. It was time to cash them in. I looked at what I could get. There were some nice things, but I don't want or need more "stuff". I need to pay the hydro bill, the water bill, the morgage, etc. More stuff isn't going to help me do that. I discovered I could get cash for my points, so that's what I did. It wasn't a lot - not even enough to pay a single bill- but it was something. I tithed from that, too and put the rest of it towards my debt load.
I wonder what people think when they get payments from me - $10, $14.50, silly little numbers, the kinds of payments that most people wouldn't even bother with, the kinds of payments that people laugh at. But for me $10 is a big deal and it's still better than nothing.
After I put my tithe in the envelope, I went into my closet to get the ironing out so that my clothes for this week are ready (I won't have time to take care of it later). I saw a bag in the back of the closet. I picked it up and realized that it was a bag of pennies. I rolled up the pennies and found I had $1 less than the amount of money I'd just put in the church envelope. Interesting timing, isn't it. . .
The money I've pulled in falls far short of covering the bills, even basic needs. This makes it very difficult on a mental and emotional level to tithe or donate money. So today I was really struggling with this. I was putting my meager donation into the envelope to give, and swallowing hard against the lump in my throat the whole time. Then I felt bad because I wasn't giving cheerfully.
Guilt is a strange animal. Sometimes I think I should rid myself of all forms of guilt, but then I think that guilt can be a useful thing; It prevents people from doing rotten things. There are people walking around who feel no guilt and they hurt other people without thought or concern. I don't want to be like that.
I'm supposed to be in church right now, but I'm too darned tired and I have much to do before I have to go to work. There's a lot going on in this household that I have to take care of and I still have to get ready for work at the day job this week as well, so I don't feel guilty about not going to church.
Anyway, back to the money issues... Over a number of years I collected reward points. It was time to cash them in. I looked at what I could get. There were some nice things, but I don't want or need more "stuff". I need to pay the hydro bill, the water bill, the morgage, etc. More stuff isn't going to help me do that. I discovered I could get cash for my points, so that's what I did. It wasn't a lot - not even enough to pay a single bill- but it was something. I tithed from that, too and put the rest of it towards my debt load.
I wonder what people think when they get payments from me - $10, $14.50, silly little numbers, the kinds of payments that most people wouldn't even bother with, the kinds of payments that people laugh at. But for me $10 is a big deal and it's still better than nothing.
After I put my tithe in the envelope, I went into my closet to get the ironing out so that my clothes for this week are ready (I won't have time to take care of it later). I saw a bag in the back of the closet. I picked it up and realized that it was a bag of pennies. I rolled up the pennies and found I had $1 less than the amount of money I'd just put in the church envelope. Interesting timing, isn't it. . .
Is It Worth It?
I've taken a second job. I run a small business by day and now I'm working at a fast food place at night. I'm exhausted all of the time and my body aches. Sometimes I don't get home until 3am and I have to get up at 5am for my day job. It's very hard. Sometimes I want to cry just because I'm so darned tired.
Every night before my shift, I stand in the bathroom at work and ask God to help me get through, to keep my physical body functioning so I can do the job, to help me to be a good employee and a good co-worker. Some of these people will be stuck working for minimum wage for the rest of their lives. I won't.
Also, at the beginning of each shift I thank God for the job.
Some people think that minimum wage isn't worth the exhaustion, the aches and pains, the sacrifice of free time, etc. No, it's not. But the slight chance of keeping my home, the roof over my head, IS worth the exhaustion, aches and pains and the absence of free time. Minimum wage is not enough to pay the bills - It's not even close to enough. But zero wage certainly is not enough.
What I need is to make enough money at the day job so that I don't have to do this anymore. I need help with that but cannot find it - yet.
Anyway, is it worth it? The answer would have to be yes because the consequences of the alternative choice are not ones that I can cope with.
Every night before my shift, I stand in the bathroom at work and ask God to help me get through, to keep my physical body functioning so I can do the job, to help me to be a good employee and a good co-worker. Some of these people will be stuck working for minimum wage for the rest of their lives. I won't.
Also, at the beginning of each shift I thank God for the job.
Some people think that minimum wage isn't worth the exhaustion, the aches and pains, the sacrifice of free time, etc. No, it's not. But the slight chance of keeping my home, the roof over my head, IS worth the exhaustion, aches and pains and the absence of free time. Minimum wage is not enough to pay the bills - It's not even close to enough. But zero wage certainly is not enough.
What I need is to make enough money at the day job so that I don't have to do this anymore. I need help with that but cannot find it - yet.
Anyway, is it worth it? The answer would have to be yes because the consequences of the alternative choice are not ones that I can cope with.
A New Project
I'm going to use this space for something different. I haven't told my friends that this space is here and I intend to only tell a select few. I want to diarize what I'm doing and want to connect with others in the way that people connect in cyberspace, but I don't want my private world opened up to those who would actually walk up to me at church or work and pass judgement. I also don't want people to look at me and define the whole of who I am based on a blog. We are all far more than one aspect of our situations or thought.
I've found myself in a dire financial situation. This is a result of a number of things - partly misfortune, partly illness that set me back terribly in many ways and pretty much wiped me out financially, partly because of lack of knowledge that led to bad decisions on my part, and partly because of my having optimism when I shouldn't have.
So I'm going to record my efforts and journey here. Maybe someone else will benefit from it.
I've found myself in a dire financial situation. This is a result of a number of things - partly misfortune, partly illness that set me back terribly in many ways and pretty much wiped me out financially, partly because of lack of knowledge that led to bad decisions on my part, and partly because of my having optimism when I shouldn't have.
So I'm going to record my efforts and journey here. Maybe someone else will benefit from it.
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