Trying to live a thrifty life so you can spend money freely on the things you love or that mean something to you, is a great goal. It is also a lot of work. It takes planning, and a proper mindset. It is so much easier to just buy what you want regardless of the price. Society has made it easy ( and even encouraged ) us to use credit. Buy now pay later is a vicious mindset that will soon get you into a very bad place. All those shiny things you thought you had to have do not take away the anxiety you will experience when you can't pay your bills.
I am frustrated right now, as we are trying to pay off our car. Hubs truck needs to be replaced. I have been trying to not replace the tires as we many times in our lives have sold a car with brand new tires on it. But here we are again with the truck absolutely having to have new tires. It cannot wait. I was hoping to sell the truck next August. Crap and double crap. I don't want to put out the money right now. I have plans. This blows my great plans. DO I have money to pay for the new tires? Well, yes, but I would rather not. Am I going to have to charge the tires? NO, but I still don't want to buy them. All sorts of dirty words are going through my mind right now.^%$#@*&. Will we be able to get more money for the used truck with new tires? Maybe?
I need to be grateful. Five years ago I would have had to charge these tires. Grrrr.
Hubs gets his first covid shot today and I am jealous. I have to go in and give blood for my specialists appointment next week and I am so hoping that he has a fast track to a covid shot for me.
I did no sewing today, just some grocery shopping and then a nap around dinner time. Even made hubs cook his own pork chop. Had many people in the shop yesterday and I must get some sewing done today. I have found that setting the timer on my phone and working in 15 minute increments really helps. My Sissie is so smart she is the one that is always telling me to set a timer. You know things don't take any where near as long as your mind tells you they are going to take. I now have 5 wedding dresses in the shop and more coming. Gots to love me work. Gots to pay for tires I don't want.
Thrifty Thursday:
1. saved all my change in my pig bank
2. saved my $1,$5,$10,$20 bill challenge
3. saved all my $5 dollar bills up $225.00
4. filled 2 of my 100 envelopes this week
5. cooked all meals at home from scratch except one
6. used a coupon for hubs birthday in December for a free entree when you buy one at taco time. Had a nice dinner for $8.00
7. Went to rite aid to buy hair touch up with a $5.00 off coupon plus earned $4.00 in bonus cash for later.
8. no real good sales this week, but did use my points that were about to expire from Albertsons for a $7.00 off meat coupon. The only things I purchased there were a bag of romaine with a coupon, a bag of small uncooked shrimp for $3.99 a pound (the only decent sale they had) I went to look at the meat and found several nice packages of pork chops, 50% off. I bought every one. These chops were less than a dollar a pound and then I took the $7.00 off the total. My entire bill was $16.84 The clerks could not believe it. Came home and re wrapped the meat with my seal a meal SCORE
9. turned all my recipients for the week into fetch rewards
10. Used coupons at Joanns for zippers
11. made brownies for dessert for missionaries meal as I paid for Effie burgers and did not want to spend more money on a dessert.
12. made myself a new set of napkins
13. Needed another blanket for the family room as we only have one in there after I packed up the Christmas blankets. Hubs and I often want to wrap in a blanket while we watch TV. SO I thought about going to Ross or TJ Maxx for one. But instead went to lil sis's as she has a ton of lap blankets. I don't know where she gets them and I knew she actually had a couple of mine from when mom was alive. She gave me a really nice heavy blanket that matches the family room, so I did not have to buy one.
14. Purchased some really cute cotton kitchen towels for Valentines day at 90% off a few years ago and gifted them to Lil sis. She was thrilled to get them.
When things go wrong and derail your financial plans what do you do to make yourself feel better? Do you throw your hands in the air and give up? Do you bemoan the universe? I am trying to make myself feel better by counting my blessings. It is kind of working...kinda
Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.
Kim
I eat chocolate to feel better. It works. I think they are called "pull offs," but tire stores sell sets of tires at a deep discount with varying amounts of treads. You might try that so you don't have to give up new tires. No, I doubt you will get more for a truck with new tires. Maybe you will. In this economy, it is hard to tell.
ReplyDeleteWell we bit the bullet and bought the tires. Really no choice.
DeleteWe things go awry I just stop and calm myself and remember how totally blessed I really am. Sure, I may miss out on something - but I have more than I need.
ReplyDeleteI know I have to tell myself the same thing.
DeleteWe have two budgets - monthly & yearly. I spend a lot of time managing the monthly, as it's largely items in our control (food, gas, utilities, dining out, etc). For the yearly, it's also of course in our control, but more irregular. The yearly budget allows for some flex, as if we spend less on one category, we can pull from another.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I did our taxes last night & the hubs did not have nearly enough withheld. I was... less than pleased. But, I remind myself that we have more than enough & it will be fine. It will take us a little longer to accomplish our goals, but it will all work out.
You are right. I will survive, I just want it to go my way. :)
DeleteUsually on the sell sites on Facebook there are people who are selling used tires. In my experience they are usually quite decent and cheap. Jean
ReplyDeleteI never thought of that but we went ahead and bought the tires.
DeleteI generally keep my sons supplied in older cars (and my daughter I help pay for nanny, but I digress.) Around here, we can get second hand tires relatively cheap at second hand tire businesses. I have bought a tire for $30 that has lasted for several years for my kids. They also travel a lot for work. I just had new tires put on my 2017 Toyota Yaris. It cost me, along with oil change, nearly $900. If I did not travel two hours a day for work (round trip) I would have bought second hand tires. I should have done it anyway. I last bought a set of new tires two years ago. I am kinda pissed off I spent that much on new tires when the second hand tire store has always had really good tires. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteWow that is quite the commute. My husband drove 2hours a day for years, for a job that did not pay enough to even be a job. I called it his hobby.
DeleteI should make it clear that the $900 was spent at the Toyota dealership on brand new tires and yes, I am fuming tires cost that much on a Yaris. I mean, it is the cheapest Toyota made. As you can tell, I don't take big budget hiccups very well. Also, one of my younger sons is at the dentist right now. It is gonna cost me mega $$$$. My whole yearly budget has gone off the charts. No, I do not handle it well, not at all. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteOh no dental work is the worst. One thing we finally did was tell our kids they were on their own. We pay for nothing. We got them through school and they all make way more money then we ever did, it is their turn to support us. Ha! Like that will ever happen. Hopefully the dentist will take a payment plan. Is their a dental school within driving distance? They will do work rather inexpensively.
DeleteMy mother helped me, and I continue the tradition. I will also add, my kids helped me take care of her for seven years, when she had alzheimers. My sons (daughter lived away in college and then was in the military for a time) were very good to my mom, gave up their social life numerous times, took their grandmother to the hospital when I was in trial, and she had at least six hospital trips a year. I do not know what I would have done without my sons. They deeply loved her because she took care of them a lot when I was working, divorced, and they were young. They took very good care of her in her old age. I do not regret that decision. I think that the pandemic has shown one thing, the elderly are not taken care of, as a general rule, in nursing homes because staff is stretched thin. So, yes, I help them, they helped me and my mom helped me with them. It is a circle of family and life. Cindy in the South
DeleteI got my summer tires for $120.00 on Kijiji - maybe FB marketplace or craigslist has used tires? Esp if you don't want to keep the vehicle too long, I am sure you can find a great alternative there.
ReplyDeleteI did not even look mostly because Hubs would have thrown a fit.
DeleteWe put a lot of big ticket items on CC because we get points. We have NO coupons or savings incentives or fancy phones. I do look for cash back when we buy tires. It’s never more than 50$ but it helps. I’d do as several others mentioned and check to see about used tires in better shape. You have nothing to lose but time.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
We did pt it on the CC but will pay it off before it is due. For the points.
Deletedon't buy expensive tires and yes we do ask when the tires are put on our used cars we buy, willing to pay more if they are newer. Walmart has been good and so has the used tire store around the corner from Daughter 4 and 3. Call junk yard, they sometimes have decent tires off junk cars.
ReplyDeleteWhat do I do when finances derail? Like Daughter 4 losing job over cancer and us supporting her? I remind myself that I leave it in GOD's hands, his will, his way and in his time.
I have to remind myself that we are okay and can handle this.
DeleteWow, prayers for you and your daughter. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteI was talking to Chef Owings because she said her daughter lost her job over cancer and they were supporting her. Sounds like a tough situation. Cindy in the South
DeleteReally good thrifty moves there.
ReplyDeleteWhat do I do???? Sigh and start over.
God bless.
Heavy sigh here my friend.
DeleteYes I will add check for good set of used tires. At our local tire type auto store may have used set or junk yard. Tires stores won’t sell them if they’re not safe and I don’t think you’ll recoup the money for new tires when you sell.
ReplyDeleteHubs would never agree to used tires. But that is a good idea.
Delete