It’s time to take care of what you have! Let’s face it, times are tough and are about to get a lot tougher. Families in most homes across the country are rethinking their budgets. Every news program, talk show and magazine and news paper articles are featuring how your family can employ budget cuts. Budget cuts, like diets, focus on what you CAN’T have! I do agree cuts have to made in our family budget, but I am looking at enjoying what I have.
For example, I do have a gym membership that is prepaid every month and to get the rate I did, my husband and I had to sign up for a year. After I publish this blog entry, I will head off to the gym. It is already paid for and I will get every penny’s worth by working out as many days as I can and ignoring all those voices in my head saying I can’t make it today!
I took a pair of my husband’s shoes to the cobbler.  His shoes are going to be repaired, polished and shined …all for about $7.00. When I pick them up, I have a few pairs of my own heels that need some polish and shine and for the fraction of the cost of a new pair of shoes, my classic ones will be as good as new.
I am cleaning my own home and with regular cleaning and care of my appliances, furniture and home fixtures, they will all look great and last longer!
I take care of clothing, stains, rips or missing socks and buttons as soon as I see them. I also find time to iron instead of heading off to the dry cleaner. (Don’t feel sorry for me! Yes, ironing is tedious, but I use that time to watch a favorite tv show or listen to talk radio).
I cleaned out my makeup drawer and got rid of expired and stale makeup. I realized how much makeup I buy and compared it to the make up I actually use! Shame on me!
I found and put away lost hair curlers, bobby pins, headbands and hair ties! In the past, I would have just gone out and buy new ones.
I keep all my personal brushes CLEAN! I run our toothbrushes through the dishwasher once a week, I wash my makeup brushes with a special brush cleaner from MAC, (yes, it was pricey, but still a fraction of what it would cost me to replace my makeup brushes when they get dirty), I clean out our hair brushes and spray them with a light rubbing alcohol/water mixture on a regular basis. I throw in our personal shower puffs…lathers up like crazy and extends the life of a bottle of your favorite body soap…in the washer with bath towels.
I am going through my book shelves and pulling out those books I never read! New books!
I keep my car clean! My car, like most of yours, would cost too much for me to sell back to the dealer and buy a smaller one. I do like my car and I re-route and use gas wisely to save there. And I make sure it is always clean, no trash and a regular wash, buy 4 get one free! (our neighborhood water program bans car-washing at home for now) .
I am taking care of what my family already has or is locked into.  I know it takes time, but it is worth it. Besides, life isn’t easy! It is filled with highs and lows and right now, we are all at a low. It is time to take care of our families. No matter what candidate you are backing, it is clear you must start taking care of things at the grass roots level and start with your own family.
I save a LOT of money by taking care of our home and our things. I am busy too. I do not have an 8-5 job, but my hours and days I work vary. In other words, I do have to schedule some of this maintenance. But it is worth it. Yes, there are financial benefits, but there are other advantages; you demonstrate self respect for you, your family and your home.
Teach your children how to take care of their things. My daughter knows how much her lunch box and water bottle cost. She is not to lose it or throw it against the wall or on the floor. Taking care of toys and Legos means she has those toys for as long as she wants.
No one said it would be easy. We can learn a lot from people who went through a depression and those who were raised by depression babies! No one needs fast food, the latest car, CD, or jeans. Leftovers can be stored or frozen, not thrown down the drain.
Like Dave Ramsey says…”Live like no one else, so you can live like no one else!”