My husband and I have been operating with just one vehicle for awhile. The computer brain in our car went haywire and is very expensive to fix. My husband has been taking our old pickup to work and back. Gas prices here have been close to or over $4 a gallon for some time. This truck is a gas hog. His commute has cost us close to $200 a week further impairing our financial health.
We didn’t realize how long things have been this way- we’ve been saving what little we could each week to get the car fixed but weeks stretched into months. I have found many things to keep me busy at home. Brent’s one day off has seen us madly running errands to get everything done.
I’ve received concerned calls from friends wondering where I have been. For me to have use of the truck we would have to make double trips (expensive) and I realized soon that wasn’t really an option. There weren’t too many things important enough to make it worth it. So I have become a home body. How much of one I didn’t realize until recently.
We came home on one of our errand days to find a notice from our church inviting us back. We were being considered “inactive”. I have made it several times a month but not every week. This kind of brought us up short.
But the clincher came yesterday when I tried to order something online and my card was denied. I received an automated message on my phone telling me that the card was frozen due to unusual activity. I was scared to death that someone had stolen my card number so I returned the call immediately. Turns out that they were concerned because I had not used it at all for several months and suddenly had 3 charges- Wal- Mart, Big Lots and a gas station! MY activity was suspicious!
That’s pathetic! I really am a recluse! Maybe in a few more months I can get my own reality show! I can see it now- “Weird Choices People Make in Hard Times”. Actually, they will have to do that one without me. Today’s check gave us enough money. The part has been ordered. In about 3 days we will be back to two vehicles. My lifestyle won’t change too much though- I get stuck with the gas hogging beast- there still won’t be very many places worth using it but we will be able to stop spending $200 a week for gas. I feel rich already! That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
We didn’t realize how long things have been this way- we’ve been saving what little we could each week to get the car fixed but weeks stretched into months. I have found many things to keep me busy at home. Brent’s one day off has seen us madly running errands to get everything done.
I’ve received concerned calls from friends wondering where I have been. For me to have use of the truck we would have to make double trips (expensive) and I realized soon that wasn’t really an option. There weren’t too many things important enough to make it worth it. So I have become a home body. How much of one I didn’t realize until recently.
We came home on one of our errand days to find a notice from our church inviting us back. We were being considered “inactive”. I have made it several times a month but not every week. This kind of brought us up short.
But the clincher came yesterday when I tried to order something online and my card was denied. I received an automated message on my phone telling me that the card was frozen due to unusual activity. I was scared to death that someone had stolen my card number so I returned the call immediately. Turns out that they were concerned because I had not used it at all for several months and suddenly had 3 charges- Wal- Mart, Big Lots and a gas station! MY activity was suspicious!
That’s pathetic! I really am a recluse! Maybe in a few more months I can get my own reality show! I can see it now- “Weird Choices People Make in Hard Times”. Actually, they will have to do that one without me. Today’s check gave us enough money. The part has been ordered. In about 3 days we will be back to two vehicles. My lifestyle won’t change too much though- I get stuck with the gas hogging beast- there still won’t be very many places worth using it but we will be able to stop spending $200 a week for gas. I feel rich already! That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
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