For the last year or so, Tim and I have tottered between being "financially challenged," and "doing okay." I have even taken on a part-time filing job with my mom to cushion the months that might be tougher. That said, we still eat out 3-4 times a week, managed a trip to Las Vegas (using frequent flier miles, of course) in March, and treat the kids pretty regularly. On the flip side, I have stopped getting my nails done, and work really hard to keep our grocery budget in check (without skimping on organic) using coupons and a stingy snack buying policy.
Some potentially expensive possibilities on the horizon: hiring someone to clean our house on a regular basis, joining a gym, and putting Mac in summer camp. Here is my reasoning for each:
No matter how hard we try, our house is a mess. Sometimes, it is even dirty. Even when we clean, it doesn't last very long. I am a relatively ineffective band-aid cleaner; that is, I can wander around the house straightening and wiping counters, but the house never looks any cleaner. Even though cleaning seems like it should be a universal skill, I am somehow bad at it. Tim is great at cleaning, but things have to get really bad before he uses this skill. The combined effect is not pretty. And considering my ongoing fear of child protective services paying us a visit based on something outlandish the kids might say at school, I feel like we need to step it up in the cleaning department. Plus, a clean house makes me feel so much calmer.
Of late, I have wanted to join a gym so that I can continue to run/work out despite the really crappy weather we have been having. But since my workout time is basically limited to the hour between when I can drag myself out of bed if I have to, and when the kids wake up and have to get ready for school, I am limited in how far I can drive. And how much I am willing to spend. Add to this that Tim feels that gyms are a waste of money, and I have been floundering. I really want to join the Y, b/c I feel like it is the civic minded thing to do, but it is more expensive than a "real" gym, and too far away to be of any use. I was feeling stuck for a solution, and had all but resolved to stay flabby for the summer.
Oli has been recommended for summer school, so that he can continue to receive PT three times a week, and I guess also to support his academic progress. There are two problems with this; he will be mad that he has to go and Mac doesn't, and Mac will be mad that Oli gets to go and she doesn't. No win situation. One of the parents at Mac's dance school recently recommended camp at the Y. I looked it up and it was not ideal (a combination of a weird age grouping and being sort of expensive). However, I was determined to balance out the summer experience for both kids.
All of these issues got resolved yesterday. The woman who cleans my mom's house came out to visit us and gave us a quote. She is going to come twice a month starting next week. Even Tim is on board. We are going to try it out for a month or two to see if it works in our budget. I don't like the idea of "outsourcing" something that is so fundamentally part of being a homeowner, but no amount of time juggling or half-hearted trying has resulted in a clean house. We might be spending money we don't have, but I am hoping the payoff is worth it.
I would like to think I am saving money with the solution to the other two problems, which is our local rec-center. I was able to find a 5-day a week, half-day, 5-week camp for Mac that overlaps almost perfectly with Oli's summer school. It is only 5 minutes away, and will take place in a local elementary school, just like Oli's summer school. Or should I say, Oli's summer "camp," which is what we are now calling it. This cost me $50.
For $5 extra, I was able to join the rec center, which has full gym equipment capability. They also have Yoga and other classes that I can join for a small fee. YAY! A close gym that is $5 for the year cannot be beat. And I am becoming an active member of our community in doing so. Community building )and frugal in one step. A dream come true.
I guess just like we try to live the work-family balance, we also have to live the need-want balance. I think that this week, I came out on top.
That sounds smug. I realize that it is only Friday afternoon, and I still have plenty of time to mess this up. Starting with the pedicures Mac and I are getting this afternoon. (Yes, I know what I said about saving money by not getting my nails done, but it has been over 3 months since I've gone, and Mac has been bugging me to go for weeks. It's her fault. Really.)
