Sorry, I’m late. *sigh* C’est la vie!

I’ve always been a spend thrift. I think it comes from having an accountant for a father. When I quit my very well-paid job to stay home, I alternated cloth diapers and disposable. I nursed and made my own baby-food.

Now, that my kids are a little older, we’re paying for private pre-K for my daughter and speech therapy lessons for my son. I stopped getting my hair colored when my daughter was born. I never shop for myself- as far as clothes. A book or two, I will splunge on. Most of my kid’s clothes came as hand-me-downs ( courtesy of a hub’s big portuguese family lol) and we don’t travel. I think the last big trip we went on was Disneyland back in 08.

My cell phone is over two years old and is a %$#@ to text on, but I REFUSE to pay $30 more for the internet. What a rip off!

What’s funny is, I’ve always been this way. I detest bills and interest rates- if I can’t pay cash, then it can wait. LOL Am I as bad as your hubs or worse? I used to embarass the heck out of my hubs when we were first married by adding everything we put into the grocery cart on a calculator. If I went over budget- stuff came out. Poor guy, he’s gotten used to it now LOL only took 10yrs!!

Personally – I like going back to more simplicity. It’s freeing, in a way. Keeping up with the Jone’ses has become FAR easier!

We all sit, waiting for our next book contract – and truth, publishing is a SLOW business. But, it helps us hone our craft.

Another thing the girls and I have been doing a lot is going to the library, and reading books from my old stacks of YA from the box in the garage. Right now, we’re reading LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS. Loving every minute of it, all over again!

thanks for stopping by!

~Ash

I love this comment. You’ve captured so much here. Hard times are often remembered as the best times. When we pull together what otherwise might fly apart.

Our families are, after all, what really matters in this life. Everything else is just gravy.

My parents — married 49 years this November — always had a saying: “Sometimes life is thick, and sometimes it’s thin.” During the lean years, they used to joke about searching the mail every day for The Check — and they still sign anniversary, birthday & valentine cards “Looking forward to our THICK!”

I think they’ve always had it. With a love that’s lasted so long, and is stronger now then ever before. They certainly have given us a strong example of what to strive for.

So, yes, the little things — pot lucking, neighborhood parties, sharing play dates & even chatting over the globe on sites like this one. Thanks for stopping by.

~Ashley

A decrease in income certainly forced us to face choices about what we really needed, and what was just fluff. We’ve managed to survive those challenges while maintaining our sanity (more or less). The vehicles will never look forward to a ten-year anniversary again, and we won’t be taking that cruise in the Caribbean, at least not this year. However, that said, we’re still able to tithe to our church, give over and above that to other worthy causes, and still smile more often than not at the end of the day.

Needs are funny things. When you’re pushed hard against the wall, you get a certain clarity about what you truly need, and what isn’t actually necessary. So many of our needs are intangible, priceless things — a good evening with friends, potluck dinners at home, a special date night, a walk through a local art museum. They’re best with people you love, friends you cherish.

Hard times give us this push against the wall. I’m not sure that it’s not a real blessing, if you’re prepared to act on it.

I think having babies at home is a great way of looking at what we want/need. We have a bit more freedom now, and again — I’m away from the computer more, and thus, my writing time needs to be much more regimented.

THAT’S another reason in favor of the iPad. Oh, no.

*snicker*

I’m going to figure out how to budget for one, and hopefully get the 2nd generation, when they add a camera.

I live in my head and my imagination. I’m definitely going to organize a “Re-Gift bonanza” party, though. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for stopping by!

Ash

We were brought up in a throw away culture (here comes the anthropologist in me!) It’ll be interesting to see what our kids take away from this.

At the bottom of it all, is the writing dream The goals of treating every word I write as a business. I’ve gotten out of that mind set and am ready to get back to it.

Do I need it? Have to have it? Just like seeing the next title on the shelf… hmmm speaking of… back to edits!

Thanks for dropping by today!

Ash

We don’t have a landline. We had one, but like you said, no one ever called us on it, so we got rid of it. Thing is now… my Ash is calling all her friends, and her friends are calling her on my cell. I pay for a decent package though so my minutes haven’t gone over.

As for a new cell, I get one every two years, but its paid for by the cell company because I always sign another 2 year contract.

We just finished up our last car payment last month, and we’re hoping to make it another couple years before we have to buy a new one. But one of mine is almost at 100K and the other is 130K… hopefully they’ll last!

I do a lot of “window” shopping online. I save things to wish lists. I was telling Carrie yesterday I ask for Starbucks cards for presents That way my lattes are paid for most of the time, lol.

Having the new baby has stopped us from eating out so much. We get carryout about once every week or two though, which we could cut down on, but neither hubby nor I want to cook on Friday nights…. We did cut back a lot by me making him lunches.

We also used to buy movies a lot. Now we rent them.

Great way to get me thinking! Thanks!

I feel much the same about expenses. Hubby won’t budge on cable, & I keep rethinking landline phone, b/c we never use it. But then, our electric goes out all the time, when we need our landline . . .and there’s faxes . . . (just got a copier that faxes. First copier in 10 years!)

Our cars were 15 years old and 20 years old, until the 15 y.o. car quit on me, so we got a new-used car about a year ago. But I sure miss not having monthly payments!

I think writing actually helps me with this. I spend way more time writing than seeing things I need / want, as I would if I were actually out in the world, interacting with real people. LOL

The downside of the computer is the internet. It is just a huge shopping market. Ads everywhere, and you can buy anything, anytime.

Interesting thoughts! So many people are rethinking basic concepts, such as what they really ‘need.’ It’s a good development, even if it had to be spurred by hard times.