My new best friend...
Now until I am able to find myself a yob or until I start making money with this blog, wifey and I are having to cut back on some things in our lives. We recently had another garage sale which sadly, was not as successful as the first. Let’s face it, we had fewer big ticket items like the patio set, the couch and…oh…yeah…the car. But we did manage to sell off a few more items from wifey’s failed eBay business, so we were able to get some breathing space.
That and we were also turned onto another option that we had never considered before…food banks. I know that they sound like something that is only used by the desperate and the downtrodden, but in this economy, trust me – it’s not. The food banks are there to help people who are in trouble right now, and a lot of people are in trouble. Some of the food banks do have rules however so before you go all out you might want to ask someone who works there what those rules are. Like how many times a week can you visit and what are their hours? Some of them require a small monetary donation – one in my area asks for $5.00. Check these places out as an alternative to the corner store. You might get some items that are plesant surprises (sausage patties and yellow cake mix) and some items that might not be so pleasent (5lbs. of chopped onions and white bean and bacon soup). Most of all it can save you money that can go towards keeping the lights or the heat on.
Another thing we have done is we have now, after five years, bid our cable TV and Internet connection adieu. For one thing it was costing us over $120.00 a month, and since wifey’s business went down we really haven’t had a need for a high-speed connection like that. However, we don’t drink, we don’t smoke, we don’t go out and party, but our only vice would be all of the channels that we got on cable. Since we can’t really afford to go out we’ve become homebodies for the most part.
So why would we want to give up something that was keeping us sane? Because we got a better deal through our phone company (QWest) for DirecTV.
And we save $50.00 a month in the process!!!
The deal is if you switch over from cable to DirecTV through QWest, you are locked in at a discount rate for two years. Oh, and they also have DSL service too.
The DSL is something of a hassle right now though as it sometimes cuts out right in the middle of a huge download – and sometimes when I’m not even doing anything!!! QWest thinks that maybe we have a short in a wire so they are sending a technician out tomorrow to have a look. Hopefully all he will have to do is to install what is known as a “Home Run Filter” onto our DSL line to solve that problem. Because we really can’t afford to have them go into the walls to find whatever it is, so I am going to attract a simple solution – that doesn’t cost much, if anything.
But what really gets me are the extra channels we’re getting with DirecTV. BBC America, NFL Network, G4-TV and many others. Right now DirecTV is having a free preview of MLB Extra Innings through Easter Sunday. That means I’m able to watch any game in the country that I want for free right now. The part that sucks is that it’s only until the 12th which means that I miss President Obama throwing out the first pitch in The District, and I miss my beloved Dodgers open up against the Giants at home. However I do get to catch the Yankees opening up New Yankee Stadium because I do have the MLB Network.
Ok, silver lining.
I was able to check out NASCAR Hot Pass this past weekend when they were at Texas Motor Speedway. I found it kind of cool that I had it but in the end I thought that the radio chatter was really distracting, so I put it back on FOX so I could listen to DW.
Getting used to the new channel lineup is going to take some time. It used to be that MSNBC was 30, Spike was 57, A&E was 47 and ESPN was 24. Now we need a road map to see where we’re going.
But at least we still have a DVR included with our deal. So we can still tend to business and have Keith Olberman and Rachel Maddow to make us laugh, Law & Order: SVU to give us shivers, and plenty of romance, history and sports to help us stay sane in these troubling times.
Gotta go, the Dodgers are taking on the Padres…
I would bet my last penny that you would never find a politician standing in line at a food bank. I would bet that they won’t want to fill boxes with items such as juices, canned meats, beans and vegetarian soups and pork and beans (which can be tasy if you add meat and spices) and things like specghetti sauces and canned fruit. I bet they wouldn’t at all. Food banks provide necessities to people who suffer because of the economy for one reason or other. No politician I know of has ever helped to give out or accept such packages. If they show up, they have cameras they play to or it is to get some poor soul’s vote in uncoming elections.
I have seen the good in people, and I have seen the Armory here helping out in this crisis. What use to be degrading has becoming a way of life for many. It is now acceptable and no one judges you.
The cost of groceries and utility companies have increased their cost due to production, they say. I say it is because they can get away with it, just like most of the gas companies. From what I have seen in my area, the costs for groceries and utilities have jumped 25% or more just this past year. Cutting costs where I can and budgeting what I have coming in to what I have going out leaves little but I am managing in the economical raping of funds.
I have not seen or heard of any political body giving up what the American people have. We have cut down on phone plans, cable, and we have struggled to make ends meet. We have scraped pennies for gas money, and cut down on utilities, and we have bought basic items, given up movies, and outtings and eating out and a million other things. Not because we wanted to, but because we could no longer afford to do those things or get more than just basic items like toilet paper, and generic brands. What have politicians given up, I ask you? Have they suffered the consequences of their actions and broken promises to take care of the American People in exchange for their votes, and campaign funding? I think not. It is hogwash when we suffer and they still have their fancy cars, clothes and vacations. While we struggle to put food on tables, they still eat out, and continue their lifestyle like they always have.
I have cut back as much as I possibly can. I have given away thousands of dollars worth of clothes, toys, books and such. I have counted pennies for gas and I have I admit, joined in lines at food banks. But unlike my political brother, I did not sell my soul to the devil, I did not ask for a handout from anyone to sponsor my unemployment campaign and I did not let my brother in need down. I gave, and I am glad I did.
( Direct TV offers more than it use to. It is worth making the change. I cut down on my Direct TV plan but NOW that my husband is working for them out west, we will have the full package soon enough…HOW I have missed my shows! I like CNN but there is only so much news you can take in a day, and after awhile the statistics of the unemployment and the political griping gets depressing. Bring on TAPS, Top Chef and the movies I have missed….!)
It’s hard for me to take some of the politicians seriously when they are talking about how they know what’s best for us when they are turning down money that could help us while wearing a $3,000.00 suit.
I have noticed in my area that prices on some foods are going down. I don’t go to a name-brand store, but to an employee-owned outfit where the prices are lower than you could even find at Wal-Mart. Wifey and I have been able to save a lot of money by going there – we’ve managed to cut our grocery bills in half by buying in bulk and generic products whenever we can.
I hear ya. I have shopped at discount food stores, and sometimes get name brand products at a lot lower cost than places likeWal-mart and I don’t mind buying in bulk. It saves having to go for products I use most of every week, and can actually shop less, and with meat, buying in bulk or family packs is easier because we break them down into individual servings. I shop dollar stores, too for items like shampoo and conditioners because they usually have the same products but a few dollars less. The price of vegetables here has increased a lot and when I do catch vegies at a good price, what I don’t use right away, I can. I make my own bread and pizza crusts and sometimes freeze them. It is cheaper because I can make several of these items and not worry about the having to spend nearly $3- a loaf on bread. I buy cheeses in bulk and freeze them in freezer bags so I don’t have to use them right away, and can take them out when I need them. I do a lot of short cuts. Finding going back to basics has cut down on groceries a lot for me.
I know what you mean when you say it is hard to take the politicians seriously. Their expensive dress shoes and three piece suits could feed several families for months. Unfortunately, they aren’t about to give up anything, let alone get their hands dirty doing honest, backbreaking work. How sad that they can dictate to us that they know about the economy hardships but still do very little in the way of the job market and getting people back on their feet. When they won’t take money that could help their state or they fight stimulus plans that could help out the people, it is hard to take seriously anything they say. Actions speak louder than words and until the job market opens up, and some action is taken to improve the circumstances of us unemployed, all we can hope for is the best but come election time, lets hope they change their views because I for one, won’t stand around waiting for them to ask for my vote. It just won’t happen!