Figuring Out How We Are Doing

 According to the Collins Gage Canadian Dictionary thrift is the economical management of cash; the habit of saving.

Harvey has been retired for 3 years now, and I figured it was time I took stock of how we are doing financially and whether we are practicing thriftiness.

Other then a few scares with bills seemingly getting out of hand this winter (we have taken steps to combat this and will be doing a few more things to keep our power bills lower), we seem to be doing quite well. Even with the cost of living creeping up our investments seem to be holding their own and even making a good amount of interest at times.

I am slowly but surely learning better stocking techniques and my trying to use absolutely everything up is finally saving us money. I am no longer throwing as much food away and so I am also saving on garbage bags (amazingly 1 box of 100 lasted almost an entire year). This also saves on groceries as every meal is planned and leftover use it ups are incorporated into the plan.

I do think we might have waited a bit too long thinking and talking about moving, instead of just doing so. Real estate prices are dropping here and there is a glut of houses for sale. The bottoming out of the oil boom has caused many to either move back to where they came from, or they are trying to get out of mortgages the loss of jobs is making impossible to maintain. So here we will sit for awhile yet, working on getting our home renovated and perhaps ready to sell somewhere down the road. It is wonderful that Harvey can do much of the work himself. This saves us cash and time. We also get to use slightly more expensive materials and the cost is still kept down in comparison to hiring someone to do the work.

Things are paid for by cash, we have everything we want and need. 

Amazingly, neither Harvey or I have felt in the least deprived during the past three years of learning to work with less money. We are stretching and growing in ways that sometimes shock us. No longer do either of us shop for fun, we have found new hobbies (well at least Harvey has I have always had perhaps too many hobbies) that not only keep us occupied, but enable us to have a treat (some very good wines and ports are being produced in our basement). I have found new places to get craft items and enjoy the hunt for a good buy.

All in all I think we are doing very well as we move into the 4th year of Harvey's retirement.

Everybody have a wonderful evening.

God bless.