Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Stimulating the Economy Against My Will

I am wondering if other families find themselves in financial conundrums like we do. I feel like we are spending money like drunken sailors with no end in sight. It's not like we are shoppers or folks who eat out a lot either. I consider us rather frugal, but we have had some astronomical purchases lately.

We got our son a new camera for his birthday. He is really talented artistically and he wanted to try animation, using stop-motion techniques. We really felt that we should invest in his natural talents.

Steve and I have no camera. He wants to buy one.....a nice one.

I got a new computer. My old one was v...e....r....y slow and was having some serious memory issues. It was really getting bad. I use the computer A LOT for our homeschool non-profit group.

Our oldest daughter is embarking on some life changes that are causing necessary but costly expenditures:
1. Worldview Academy Leadership Camp - Okay, so it wasn't really necessary, but a very worthwhile week! She came back a changed person - Worldview Academy: expensive; Rewards: priceless
2. Driver's Ed - This only cost about $75 BUT now I am thinking that we need to add her to our car insurance! Ugh! I am thinking that we will ask her to foot the bill but haven't thought that through yet.
3. College Classes - She will be a Jr. this year and so is eligible to take a few college classes at the local community vollege. It counts towards college, but it still hurts the pocket.

We are getting goats. The goats themselves didn't cost much but the housing is adding up. I am hoping that not having to buy milk will more than make up for it over time!

Car repairs. The back latch on our Sienna just broke and cannot be opened.

My printer just died. The paper does not feed anymore. We will probably need to buy a new one.

I am probably forgetting some other things.....property taxes just came due, school expenses coming up.....

Oh, and did I mention we are going on a 2-week cross country vacation this fall?

Obama would be proud.

4 comments:

  1. Sometimes it seems as if all expenses come at one-oh, wait, it doesn't seem, it really does. I find that especially in the summer things tend to be that way, vacations and camps are certainly a big expense. Bruce went to TN and PA this summer, one was a missions trip and the other was an evagelical covenant leadership training camp, which was REALLY rough on the pockets, so I know the pain (although worth it).
    I'll have to introduce your son to a friend of ours, he is going into his Jr year at Hendriken and his also very talented with the camera. This yar he got a computer just to work on that and I believe he was taking a class a RISD this summer.

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  2. I feel every bit of your spending pain. It made me feel better.

    Thanks Brocks!

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  3. The same thing happened with our Sienna. It cost an arm and a leg to repair it. But how long can you live without opening the back? Terrible. Maybe you could replace the whole back door at a junk yard for less than the handle.

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  4. We're feeling it, too. Add in 3 kids hitting puberty, and I feel like we're bleeding out money for food, too. :)

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