family silhouette

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Aren't we all in the same boat?

http://www.stretchingabuckblog.com/2009/02/its-confession-time.html

If you don't follow this blog and you like deals, well you should follow it. I have to admit that I am not that great about following deals and cutting out coupons but I am trying to start. Just like week I had coupons that I found in the paper and when I bought the kids Madagascar 2 I got $9 off, I thought that was pretty exciting. $9 adds up when you already have $100 worth of stuff in your buggy at wal-mart.
I thought that todays post on http://www.stretchingabuckblog.com/2009/02/its-confession-time.html was real because she talked about how people discussing their finances is sort of taboo. I know that everyone doesn't want to put their "business" out there, but it is great when people want to share a little something that they have learned.
I think especially in the past year or so that we have all been in the same boat. Gas was outrageous when it was $3.80 a gallon and Jason drives to Memphis daily. Just two years ago we were both working in Memphis, but hey we both had jobs and it was fine until gas got so high. I have been blessed by finding a wonderful job at Regions in commercial banking in the fall of 2007 where I worked for a year before I started here at BHS. I had always wanted to teach but with kids while I was finishing my degree, not working for 6 mths to student teach then trying to get a job was not an option at the time. Business was something I also loved, so now I get to do both things rolled into one!
I think as mothers, and if you are a mother like me who pays all the bills and balances the checkbook, we all tend to get a little stressed out over money. There is never enough of it to go around! But we make it through and we are thankful for the things that we have and the jobs that we have to be able to pay our bills and have a car and a house to live in! Just this month there have been baseball sign ups for 2 boys, softball sign ups, and just this week payment for 3 dance costumes for recital. Kate and I were standing up there writing our check together saying "no wonder I'm always broke!" But... when it comes down to it, I am willing to give up other things so that my children can participate in activities, how many times do we hear "they are on little once" so they may not remember always having every single thing they wanted (like Brent wanting a North Face jacket for Christmas) but they will remember they played, baseball, basketball, dance, etc. and met many new friends and learned valuable lessons and enjoyed being a kid.

2 comments:

Susan Sampson said...

Amen sista! It's off to work I go!!!

Christie Jarvis said...

I think that part of the problem is that we try to put up a front to make everyone think we are "just fine" but when we do that, we are really hurting ourselves AND the other person because they want to hide their problems too since they think we are not struggling.....hello! We all are! My husband WAS a home builder....then tried remodeling....construction is suffering BIG time. If it weren't for the fact that I keep children at home, we might have had no $ for groceries at times.
I have become a lot more frugal in the past few months and have been using coupons like crazy! I am very happy with my life and feel blessed even through the struggles.
There are SO many people out there that are hurting more than me....we know that for a fact don't we? :)