Older relative, living alone, needs help but refuses....options?
woodnative
5 years ago
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Annie Deighnaugh
5 years agoOutsidePlaying
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Relatively continuous bloomers for Maryland?
Comments (25)I never got good repeat from either AWAKENING or NEW DAWN, and the fragrance was never more than moderate in strength. Most of time I couldn't smell a thing. The VIKING QUEEN I gave my MIL repeat bloomed the first year as a tiny own root band. Last year my MIL sprayed VQ once a month and the glossy, deep green foliage remained spotless. This year she hasn't sprayed at all and the gorgeous climbing rose is still clean as a whistle. The fragrance IS consistently stronger. My MIL lives in MD, USDA Zone 6a. As for which rose is more beautiful, judge for yourself. Here is an image posted by Zeffyrose on the "Your favorite climber for a pergola" thread back in June, 2010. VIKING QUEEN is on the left, and NEW DAWN is on the right....See MoreLiving on cash alone.
Comments (54)If you have done the same thing for 14 years you probably have a decent nest egg if that job pays 300,000 per year. I think there is a world of differen living on 30000 knowing you have 500000 in the bank and living on 30000 knowing there is no more money until the next check is earned. The former is like camping when you have a nice home to return to, it can be fun. The latter is like being one step away from being homeless and knowing there is no cushion As fot the realities, living paycheck to paycheck is that for people in many parts of North America. Depends how expensive where you live is. If you do not have to factor in or live where the following are cheap it is a lot easier, These costs vary a lot by area. a mortgage, property taxes, energy related utilities (whose rates do vary), car insurance as well as food costs. Living in a cheap area it is possible to live well on 40k. In a big city or near it I do not believe it is as easy. In the suburbs of NY it would be very difficult if you also had housing costs. You would live paycheck to paycheck simply because there would not be enough money no matter how disciplined you were Glad you decided to keep the credit cards. There is just no way to rent a car otherwise. If the LOC has a good rate I would keep it too nothing says you have to use it. If it has an annual fee cancel it. We have been paying our cards in full every month. I always have, never ever paid interest (to the extent the check got there a day late I always have the fees waived) that I can remember. DH was instructed from the day we got married 15 years ago not to even think of carrying a balance and he has been good. He self employed and the credit card has been a fabulous cash management tool plus the rebate or miles you get are great. In our case we have taken a family of 5 to Jamaica, gone to Hawaii and a Florida using his miles. Of course it is paid off in full. I do agree with the poster that said they tend to lose track of cash faster. I know I do that and will often spend it (we are not currently at a stage where we have to worry about every penny) without thinking. However, when I am down to only a little cash (because I have not gone to the bank not because our account is low) I tend to conserve it a little more because I do not have time to go to the bank and because I feel ridiculous charging 1.50 pack of gum. It was recently explained to me that for certiab credit cards merchants are charged a service fee in addition to a percentage One thing that I did when we were house poor many years ago, but I had lots of time. I would often buy things and then return them because I found somehting better or just did not love them. I called this bulemic shopping! It was unintentional but it was a great way of getting the thrill of shopping without actually having to pay. My monthly credit card statement often had more things in the return column than the buy. I do agree with the advice to stay out of stores in general. you do not sound like someone who bought 100 sneakers even when you can afford them so I think you will do just fine with payless. I personally think it will get more difficult a year from now. I think at first the thrill and novelty of sticking to a budget will be a sort of game. Beating your budget will be fun. Then the joy of living near family. However after a certain time, while some habits will become second nature (I rarely spend more than 20 on a non work item of clothing and it is not because I cannot afford it, I just think it is a waste) it will sometimes get tedious having to worry about the cost of items, never splurging. I think your 40s are a point when you want to be established and financially secure and occassionally treat yourself or your children to small luxuries. What that is differs from person to person. I know that as I have matured, I no longer get as crazy about wasting or saving 20 as I would have a few years ago. For example, when we got married I returned everything that I did not absolutely love. When we had kids I did the same thing with gift items they received, especially if it was an expensive useless item, I would exchane it for something practical. Same for birthday parties. Now I rarely can be bothered returning items that do not have receipts, whether from kids birthday parties (we recently had a party and whatever my kids do not want I will donate) or other events, I just cannot be bothered. Just an example, you will find differnet ways that you may want to become less thrifty...See MoreIncreased security for seniors living alone
Comments (24)Another Frugal Function for people living in (esp. seniors') apts. is that the first person to go to bed on one side of an interior wall taps on the wall before hitting the hay ... and the person on the other side of that wall taps back. Lets each know that the other is O.K. just before first person's bedtime. Then the person goes to the interior wall on the other side of the apt. and repeats the procedure (if s/he's the first one to settle). Then each of those two know that each is O.K just before bedtime. Caution: For the person living in an end unit, maybe a good idea to put a large sign on the (inside of the) outside wall, saying, "Tap here before bed and again in the morning if you like ... but don't expect an answer: the squirrels don't like to learn to tap on walls". (That's for folks who may be a bit "squirrelly", themselves). The last one to arise in the morning on each side of a senior's apt. taps again, and the first, who rose earlier, taps a reply: that way, each of those three knows that the other was O.K. some time after break of day. Cost? Zero. Peace of mind? Substantial ... not only to the people themselves, but to their loved ones who are concerned about them. When I was a missionary helping refugees get resettled ... we used to have a slogan (accompanied by some laughter) that said that part of a missionary's job ... ... was to learn how to make a nickel do a dollar's worth of work! Inflation having been what it's been over those 55 years or so since that truce that ended the active Korean War (still no official "peace" there) ... I guess that'd be about a quarter, by now. Enjoy your week, everyone. ole joyful...See MoreHelp needed in getting DMIL older home on the market for sale.
Comments (29)Jhug, there has been no cash so far, and we have been through just about everything; dang. Palimsest, I got out voted, so the carpets stay, but the corner of the 2 bedrooms are loose to show the floors. Good point about keeping the carpet for floor cover while painting. The floor that I could see looks pretty nice. Got the outside of the house washed, the little garden space remulched, and the 3 awnings washed down. Termite man has treated the house. DH and his sister are still working on the junk in the basement. The area will need deep cleaning once thats out. Main floor is nearly finished. Floors need cleaned. Stove needs deep cleaned under the burners, and in the oven. A couple of hinge repairs on cabinets. I have been through the cupboards with Pinesol. I don't know if it is going to help. Most of the drawers are almost new looking, so have always been covered. The uppers are painted inside, but someone glued down a thick paper liner! It was troweled in. It is curling at the edges so I thought I'd pull it out, thats when I found the glue or mastic. I'm going to buy some liner for the uppers to cover the mess up. MIL had sheet vinyl covering the paper. I didn't know gluing down paper liner was a thing. Its thick, like a heavy card stock....See MoreUser
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