Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

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SandiSAHM
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Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by SandiSAHM »

So my youngest (DS17) has been "thinking about" his "health." He's decided to eat a wider variety of foods regularly, and jump on the salad bandwagon with us, and hit the weights and available exercise machines with us instead of relying solely on biking to keep him in shape (he's a long/lean type who needs to work on his core to avoid back pain later). Oh, and he's decided to get a job. He fixes bikes for parts & an hourly fee, and does a few yards, but he wants to do something more mainstream and less 'side hustle.'

Who is this child, I wonder, and what has he done with my son?

DH and I had a talk this a.m. as I have been reading about the inflation rate and was already very aware of the $ of gas (of course, because DD has to do clinicals 3x per week this summer in the town we lived in when she was a kid - 45 miles from home. 270 miles a week. I have half a mind to get her to swap with her Dad those days, he works 8 miles away and drives a Prius). We haven't really "acknowledged" the impact of inflation on our day to day lives. We did today. And this has led to the idea of pretending we only have one income - his, because it's higher, and squirreling away mine, and going back to planned meals and forced consumption (not "screwdriver and plumber's helper" force - Christmas Story reference :lol: - just 'well, I'd rather have a sandwich for lunch but I'll have the leftover lasagna instead' "forced") of leftovers so that nothing ends up wasted. I realize it's total privilege to not have to knuckle down in the current economy but it's just that - privilege, and sometimes your privilege comes to an end. All it would take to really wake us up is loss of his job (which I doubt would happen but they reeeeally love outsourcing a lot of their technical work these days, and better to face the possibility than to be surprised by the occasion, should it arise). My working has crimped our frugality when it comes to food - we've decided to food plan more earnestly. Seems like every time I'm cooking the phone rings and it's some 90 minute crisis management thing that has to be handled right then, but I'll try. I'm going to try to do more in the evenings to prep for the next day; maybe I'll put a kid or both in charge of that on evenings when one or both of them are here.

Everything old (frugal practices in the household) is new again! Feels like a circle of life kind of thing.
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Jackielou
Posts: 13395
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by Jackielou »

SandiSAHM wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 8:56 pm So my youngest (DS17) has been "thinking about" his "health." He's decided to eat a wider variety of foods regularly, and jump on the salad bandwagon with us, and hit the weights and available exercise machines with us instead of relying solely on biking to keep him in shape (he's a long/lean type who needs to work on his core to avoid back pain later). Oh, and he's decided to get a job. He fixes bikes for parts & an hourly fee, and does a few yards, but he wants to do something more mainstream and less 'side hustle.'

Who is this child, I wonder, and what has he done with my son?

DH and I had a talk this a.m. as I have been reading about the inflation rate and was already very aware of the $ of gas (of course, because DD has to do clinicals 3x per week this summer in the town we lived in when she was a kid - 45 miles from home. 270 miles a week. I have half a mind to get her to swap with her Dad those days, he works 8 miles away and drives a Prius). We haven't really "acknowledged" the impact of inflation on our day to day lives. We did today. And this has led to the idea of pretending we only have one income - his, because it's higher, and squirreling away mine, and going back to planned meals and forced consumption (not "screwdriver and plumber's helper" force - Christmas Story reference :lol: - just 'well, I'd rather have a sandwich for lunch but I'll have the leftover lasagna instead' "forced") of leftovers so that nothing ends up wasted. I realize it's total privilege to not have to knuckle down in the current economy but it's just that - privilege, and sometimes your privilege comes to an end. All it would take to really wake us up is loss of his job (which I doubt would happen but they reeeeally love outsourcing a lot of their technical work these days, and better to face the possibility than to be surprised by the occasion, should it arise). My working has crimped our frugality when it comes to food - we've decided to food plan more earnestly. Seems like every time I'm cooking the phone rings and it's some 90 minute crisis management thing that has to be handled right then, but I'll try. I'm going to try to do more in the evenings to prep for the next day; maybe I'll put a kid or both in charge of that on evenings when one or both of them are here.

Everything old (frugal practices in the household) is new again! Feels like a circle of life kind of thing.
I am so glad that we have hung on to our frugal habits over the past years. You are right it is a full circle of life. Glad we passed on many of those same frugal habits to our sons as well.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2260
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by SandiSAHM »

Jackielou wrote: Sun May 15, 2022 10:05 pm I am so glad that we have hung on to our frugal habits over the past years. You are right it is a full circle of life. Glad we passed on many of those same frugal habits to our sons as well.
Our kids are frugal in some areas and occasionally weirdly spendy in others. So the rule is if they want to spend $x+25 instead of $x on something, they have to have done the research as to why the higher priced item is better. Longevity/durability, features. They don't recommend things anymore "this instead of...." without having done the research. They have more tolerance for youtube (I think it's youtube) reviewers, especially people who have a specialty and get asked to review something by the manufacturer - sometimes that works out great for the maker, and sometimes not so much :lol: "They said I could test it to failure and... it didn't take as long as it should have." :shock:

If they want to be weirdly spendy despite 'meh' reviews, they have to buy the thing themselves (or, before they had that much $, they had to make up the difference). I like that they're "thinking" consumers.

I have to admit, to myself mostly, that when I do something 'un' frugal, it's usually because I'm bored. Now that I know that, I kick my own hiney when I get the urge to do something stupid. Last time it was stop at the Cheesecake Factory on the way home from MIL's... My favorite salad isn't on the menu anymore :shock: - but I can make that salad at home, so shame on me for even suggesting it - it was simple boredom.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2260
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by SandiSAHM »

DS found a nearly full time job doing assembly, some welding, and some 3D CAD work for a mfg of pipeline equipment - in a fully air conditioned shop, so he won't sweat all summer. He'll be making a lot more than his sister (she doesn't know :lol: ) particularly since she starts 3x a week doing clinicals ~45 miles from home week after next with classes on the other 2 week days, she's cutting her hours back to just 1 day a week. The employer knows he's just there for the summer and is hoping he'll do well enough to bring him back either in the same dept or in engineering / design (like drafting, but by computer) over the next few summers. I didn't think they'd bring on a 17yo, but there you have it, he's like his Dad, he 'sees' how things work, go together, etc., in his head, and knows his stuff with 3D CAD and welding. He'll have to file taxes for 2022, too. And get his driver's license next week, he's only got a permit for now. So much to do...

My kids could not be more 'opposite' - it's not just a gender thing, it's totally what they can tolerate. Machinery bores her unless it's something like her bike, with which she has fun, but she leaves the maintenance to him and their Dad. Her line of work messes with him - she'll say something like, "today a lady came into the ER after a head-on collision, she broke her femur in two places, and - " and he's plugging his ears saying "wait 'til I'm out of the room!!" - he's squeamish, she wants a job in the ER or the trauma surgical thing (it has a name, but... I don't remember). BUT... she screams for him when she sees a spider, which he IDs and then either kills (brown recluse) or rehomes (he puts good ones outside).

DNA is wild.

Around 2-3 days a week this summer there'll be long stretches when the dog and I are home alone. Good thing I have work to keep me from falling back into the habit of cleaning for the sake of it rather than because it's "needed" - nothing needs dusting 3x per week!

We've also decided on some tile work (wall tile) in the master bath, something to carry on the theme in there, so DH's half day Fridays will be a little busy. I can prep, I can paint, I can plan, but I can't tile :? Not for want of trying, I'm just slow, and mortar is not my friend.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2260
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by SandiSAHM »

Wow, gas prices are a pain. Glad I don't commute. It should be illegal to tell people who have been successfully working from home for ~ 2 years that they have to spend $ to drive to work right now. WFH helps with $ and the environment. Corporations are so thoughtless it's mind-boggling.

Even the manufacturing places could figure something out if they wanted to help their workers. Busing or subsidized carpooling or something.

Not like their huge profits would suffer much.

I work for an LLC, nothing big. Borderline thought given to how some things are done but I try not to stick my nose in.

DD's place of work has a 19% off one transaction promotion for employee discount card holders tomorrow for Juneteenth. We have a list :lol: - it's going to be a stock up. Taking the Prius, it can hold a lot between the back seat and the the trunk.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2260
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2022 multipart challenge

Post by SandiSAHM »

The 19% off at DD's store turned out to be 10% PLUS 19%, so over 1/4 of that grocery bill knocked off. I feel a little less bad with canned coconut milk that didn't cost over $1, :lol:

We have an anniversary this week; the poor man has tolerated me for not quite a quarter of a century.

DS has to practice parallel parking to take his driver's test. Heaven help me, all those savings are about to *poof* - disappear. In OK you can have a permit and your folks not have to pay more for car insurance, but the minute you have an actual DL, bam, the premium goes UP. Seventeen y.o. boys are expensive :lol:
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