Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Winter Preparations

With all the bothersome, worrisome noises about gas prices this year, I am trying to figure out what we can do to prepare. All around us we are being buffeted with bad news about energy prices. I am soo proud to announce that north carolina has finally made it to the top of a country-wide list. Our gasoline is now the most expensive in the contiguous US. Only in Hawaii and the District of Columbia is gasoline more expensive. That is so comforting, knowing that hubby has to travel 35 miles each way to work in a pathfinder.

(I am being very sarcastic)

I am still waiting for our natural gas provider to let us know that our monthly equal payment bill is going up. They keep announcing that natural gas has gone up 75% from last year. And our electricity is double what we paid last year.

Food is already beginning the climb in the grocery stores - especially the fresh foods. I haven't been to the farmers market recently because it is a drive and the last few times I have been the prices have not been any better than the grocery store. But maybe with the cost of gas to move produce across the country we may have better luck with the fall veggies, although I also have to remember we have had a huge rainfall deficite this summer and the farmers were hurt with that.

So what does this all mean; we as a family have been going backwards in the finance area even as I have picked up some work. Hubby is still determined that what I make will not go into figuring our monthly finances - which is fine because it isn't all that dependable. What we have to do is figure out how to save money for the forseeable future.

1. Prep house for winter.
Older home, wood windows that could use replacing (but there is a huge cost to that). I have a couple of door and window kits for the most troublesome areas. I am also thinking of making some heavy duty winter curtains for the bedrooms. A friend has found a cloth shop that has good deals on upholstrey-type material that would work. This would help to keep the warm air from escaping. I am also on the hunt for those vent covers that force the air into a room instead of straight up. Why they would put a vent under each and every window I do not understand.

2. Hubby is working with other people at work to try and get one of the regional transit carpool vans to use to commute to work. For about $65 a month he will be able to ride in a van, while parking his car just two miles away from our house. Also, with taking the van going out to lunch will not be so easy and he has said he will take his lunch to work more.

3. Live in one room. During the day we will probably close off the family room and use a ceramic heater. That way we can keep the heat low in the rest of the house.

4. Cut back on Christmas and Birthday shopping. I have already started purusing ebay and other discount stores for these upcoming events. We had planned to go in with my mother on a swing set for the girls, but recently a neighbor has offered us her 20-yr old set. Now normally, and you can call us lazy, the idea of digging out a swing set, taking apart rusted bolts, carting it down the street, sanding and painting would drive us quickly to the closests discount store to lay down money on a brand new one. But I believe that we will be taking her up on the offer. Hubby still hasn't been over to do the fine-detail inspection to make sure that it can be moved.

As I write this, I am also overwhelmed with a sense of thankfulness of what we do have. This winter will be tight and financially stressful, but we will make it through it. There are so many others who might not. This might be the winter that sends them into irreversabile financial struggles, if not homelessness. We have a home that we can afford, vehicles that are fairly gas efficient - all things considered, job(s), loving (and very warm blooded) children to snuggle with, and an ability to make filling and good-tasting foods to make us warm from the inside-out. That leaves me time to worry about christmas and birthday, to think about the needless extras we might not have this year.

Is there anyone else out there thnking about how they will be preparing their house and home this winter? Any ideas you would like to share.

Peace,

Amy

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A family of six living and learning. You might catch us outside in the mud or working on crafts. We always seem to be on the go, come on and join us.