A Day In The Life Sunday: No Nice and Easy For Me

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My husband and I are absurd savers of money.

Truth be told, I get nausea when I spend chunks of cash. Even though we are virtually debt free, we've ramped up our quest to keep our money close to home in response to his job loss.

Some things have to go. So, we are:

  • Very regrettably parting ways with the cleaning lady;
  • Bundling our internet, phone, television services;
  • Switching from boutique to bulk as I say goodbye to Alice and hello to Sam;
  • Eating at home more and out less; and
  • Reevaluating home and auto insurance rates.

Some things have to stay - family vacations, hair salon color and designer frames.

We are not into deprivation so are scaling back intentionally and not without some thought. I know that this will carry us much beyond our current situation.

How do I know this?

By my own irritation at myself when I look back over the years and realize just how much money I've blown. I spent it because I had it and now, I want it back. Hmph.

If you've cut costs in your household, what made the biggest difference for you? And what was your non-negotiable? You had a non-negotiable, didn't you? I do.

There is simply no Nice and Easy for me.

A Glimpse At The Way It Could Be

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I have to say, going to work each day with a husband at home makes me realize just how all-consuming I've permitted my job to be and what a hamster-wheel of an existence we've had.

Cue the dramatic music. I know, what HR professional has a 40-hour-a-week job and what dual-income family has a stress-free existence? None that I know of . . . but still.

When we were both working, it was just the way things were. There was not a lot of flexibility to when the day started and ended or how things occurred during the day. Midday doctor appointments, after-school activities and and unscheduled illnesses or school closings put a wrench in "the schedule."

Now, that all stands in stark contrast to the glimpse I had of another way that it could be.

My husband, who by the way claims to be rather stress-free at the moment, is able to let the kid sleep in another hour - which is golden to a growing tween - and she can stay for after school activities without much ado. There is more dad/daughter time for ice skating, sliding, four wheeling and leisurely before school breakfasts and we are able to share chaperoning duties for evening activities.

As a family unit, there is something to be said about trading what ever it is we need to trade for us to be able to be home - and together - more.

If you had a glimpse of the way "it" could be for you and your family and then took the leap  - what was the "it" for you and what trade off's did you make, if any?

Photo credit iStockphoto