It's just paper and numbers
By savypat
@savypat (20216)
United States
July 7, 2011 11:52am CST
Money, if you forget that this is just paper and numbers, you are in trouble. Our money buys less and less, it seem that this happens weekly aroung here, In the USA.
I have been in squeeze mode, trying to save as much as I can because I know there are many big expenses all around us just waiting to happen. Well yesterday one did, the compresser on the air conditioning unit went out, of course this happens just when the heat sets in. I searched for a way around this unit but nothing I found would cost less. Now my hard won savings is down about 1/3rd so I'll have to try even harder to save. I just remind myself that people have lost their homes, have no food or way to cloth their children, in other words they are much worse off then we are, and this helps me put my expenses into perspective. So really things are looking up I had the money to pay and we will have a reliable cooling and heating unit for another 10 years. Hope your blessings are as great as ours.
1 person likes this
16 responses
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
11 Jul 11
We were truly blessed in terms of heating and cooling for our house just after we bought it in 2008. What happened was I entered a contest to win a heating and air conditioning unit from a local HVAC company and we won a unit, completely installed and it didn't cost us a penny. The house had an older furnace in it and no central air when we bought the house. It really did make me happy to have that happen.
In addition to that, though we've had trials in our life recently because of Tom's diagnosis, we are making it through one day at a time and we were lucky that his company changed insurance companies last year and that has meant that we don't have nearly as many out of pocket expenses as we would have had otherwise.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
8 Jul 11
Yes it's just paper and numbers but you had the foresight to save some of those papers and numbers in case of emergency. And because of that you still have your home, enough to eat, you can be cool this summer and care for your livestock. Replenish your savings as much as you can so you'll be ready the next time! Many people did not save and are in dire straits now.
I just had to dip into my savings and it feels awful. But I'm so glad it was there!
1 person likes this
@inertia4 (27978)
• United States
8 Jul 11
I know exactly how you feel savypat. I wonder since money has less value these days, would the stores start accepting monopoly money? LOL. I could not resist. But that how I feel about the worth of money today, it might as well be monopoly money.
1 person likes this
@sanjay91422 (2725)
• India
8 Jul 11
I also try to save money but I am not that much successful in saving the money. I have seen that the person who try to save the money ends up spending the most of it.
1 person likes this
@AgentGulaman (3546)
• Philippines
8 Jul 11
Right on target!
Money is just a construct of man. It is just a product of human thought and therefore not the essence of real life. Also, what would you do with your money? Money is made to be spent anyway. That's the problem with some very stingy individuals. They become very unpractical in sepending their money. Good thing that you are not one of them!
Money is just a construct of man. It is just a product of human thought and therefore not the essence of real life. Also, what would you do with your money? Money is made to be spent anyway. That's the problem with some very stingy individuals. They become very unpractical in sepending their money. Good thing that you are not one of them!
@GardenGerty (169564)
• United States
7 Jul 11
This year we are not able to get the savings ahead that we need, but we have been able to earn enough in advance to cover the two we dealt with this year, but last year we did have the savings for the emergency expenses. At this time we have enough income to meet our outgo and just a bit more. I need to get busy with the squeeze mode myself. I am glad that you are still on the positive side. I can get more money if I try hard, depending on what I choose to do.
1 person likes this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
7 Jul 11
Take the value out of the money, it has no difference from any printed papers we find around our house. The same goes with the value of our money here. The inflation has made our currency valueless. The cost of vegetables and fruits have doubled or sometimes triple. The money that I have in my bank savings do look good with a big figure but in actual fact it is not even enough to supplement the high cost of my daily expenditure. I am forced to tighten my belt to make ends meet.
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@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
7 Jul 11
Too many of us are squeezing our pennies til they bleed. Prices keep going up, job instability, lack of raises (not even cost of living increase) ect. One can only think to themselves things could be worse or you know someone who has it worse.
Be thankful Pat you have the money saved, many don't so when something like that happens they are out of luck.
1 person likes this
@yoyo1198 (3641)
• United States
7 Jul 11
Hi, pat....I am so not prepared for a major expenditure. Hopefully, writing about it will not bring one on. My car is setting out front right now in need of a repair and I don't have the wherewithal to have it fixed. I've never been on a fixed income before as I was always able to work and get extra time or another job. Now that is not an option. My everyday bills use up my paycheck and I buy groceries last of all and some months that's not very many groceries. I do keep flour, sugar and milk so I can always make hoe cake and have water with it. 
Otherwise, I'm blessed to wake up each day and able to walk. Still have two arms, two legs and all the fingers and toes I was born with. I can hear and see, smell and taste so I count myself blessed indeed.
Otherwise, I'm blessed to wake up each day and able to walk. Still have two arms, two legs and all the fingers and toes I was born with. I can hear and see, smell and taste so I count myself blessed indeed.1 person likes this
@jaimz19 (236)
• Philippines
7 Jul 11
you can try what i do...when things get tight, i always try to keep in mind, "it's just money!".. of course, money is important but there's a lot more things that's more valuable and to be thankful for. maybe it would be better to count our blessings rather to count what's missing..good luck!
1 person likes this
@frontvisions101 (16043)
• Philippines
8 Jul 11
Money are just papers and numbers, indeed. Although these papers and numbers can even buy a house and lot.
I've been a bit of an affluent lately but been trying to save up. The electric bill went down a bit but it's still high.
I've been a bit of an affluent lately but been trying to save up. The electric bill went down a bit but it's still high.1 person likes this
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
7 Jul 11
oh yes Pat I could identify with you there, I saw our country sink from second richest (after Japan) during the 60's to what we are now, I think nobody knows what a squeeze is better than the Filipinos. It was 2 pesos to a dollar back then, then four, now it's about 43pesos to a dollar
, If I had blessings it was having good parents that provided for our good education and gave us good property ( the house), We are not rich but I do not think we are poor either based on our standards LOL, so I always strive not to slide down and try up if possible and teach my children the same.
I pray you get your cooling that would last a long time, I can't imagine no air conditioning here, the only thing, we do not need heating here if it some consolation for us.
, If I had blessings it was having good parents that provided for our good education and gave us good property ( the house), We are not rich but I do not think we are poor either based on our standards LOL, so I always strive not to slide down and try up if possible and teach my children the same.
I pray you get your cooling that would last a long time, I can't imagine no air conditioning here, the only thing, we do not need heating here if it some consolation for us.1 person likes this
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
7 Jul 11
That's a great attitude! especially since it wasn't in your mind how to rush out and get other tax payers to pay for it!
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@petersum (4522)
• United States
7 Jul 11
Actually it isn't paper, it's a cloth. But that's being picky! Paper money is the real stuff, and if everyone used it, we wouldn't be in this mess! It's the plastic and the unseen money that is causing the problems at household level.
Banks can print as much money as they like - however corrupt or illegal that may be. Let the government and bankers worry over that!
We ordinary folks just want the paper stuff that we can see, feel, spend and most of all, trust!
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