The main reason
I want to write a blog is because I am always looking for women like me – women who
are single at this stage in life, living on a low income – either by choice or
circumstances, and making the most of it. Perhaps I am looking for validation - and,
just to know that not everyone who is an older adult has or should have a million dollars in the
bank. It is hard to find information about
vibrant, independent women living the good life on less and loving it. There are a few blogs that I follow regularly and
they have been hugely inspirational to me.
MY LIFE AT THE MOMENT
I work part time
– 24 hours a week as an administrative assistant with a nonprofit. I consider myself semi-retired as I spent over 30 years working full time in corporate America in Human Resources.
I planned for years to semi-retire in my 50s by making it a priority to own
my home and be debt free. I bought my first condo in 2000 and with the boom
in our housing market, was able to sell it for a large profit and buy my
current home outright with no mortgage.
It is an older home and is small.
Of course most everyone advised against paying cash for a house, but for
me, there is no better security than knowing my home is my own and can’t be
taken away from me. The stock market is unpredictable, at best. I have my savings in mutual funds and bond
funds invested very conservatively. I
also have no car payment because I have a small car that I plan to drive til
it falls apart. Living frugally is a
game to me and I actually enjoy it. The
biggest barrier to working part time under 65 years of age is health
insurance. I have a plan through the ACA
that has an affordable premium but a $6000 deductible so is really just a
catastrophic plan. I pay out of pocket
for acute care medical visits, dental, eye care and medications so this is a
large part of my budget. I am so very
fortunate to be healthy and one of my fears is an “event” that would create
large healthcare bills but I refuse to live in fear to a point where that fear actually compromises my health! I
am a regular walker/hiker, I mow my lawn and I eat healthy so I am doing what I
can to live and stay healthy.
I chose to take the leap and leave the corporate world when my granddaughter was born two years ago. I live very simply and frugally and am choosing to have less in order to spend more time being Nana.
I enjoy
the simple things – working in my yard and flower beds, reading, spending time
with my family and walking. I live in
the beautiful state of Tennessee so there are a lot of fantastic places near me
to hike and enjoy the outdoors which is where I feel closest to God. I love going to garage sales and finding “treasures”
to repurpose and redo and I will be posting some pics of some of my finds. I love
fresh, simple dishes that are easy to prepare and low cost. There is a farmer’s market in my neighborhood
all summer for fresh veggies and fruits.
I buy on sale, from consignment and the occasional splurge at TJ Maxx. I
find quality, high end clothing items at a wonderful consignment store near me
that I will be showing as well. Most of
the furniture in my home is from estate and yard sales through the years. I adore items that have a history and
character. Chippy, rusty – well loved.
Below is a pic
of one of my favorite finds EVER – this was in the attic at an estate sale I
went to. There wasn’t a price on it so I
asked if they would take $10.00 and they said yes – as long as I could bring it
out of the attic myself! My friend and I
carried it down and brought it home! I
haven’t changed a thing – I am in love with it’s chippy-ness and it makes me
feel happy filling it with vintage items I have collected through the years.
Are there
others out there living the good and simple life on a small budget? How do you do it? What are some of your favorite tips and
treasures?
I look forward to
connecting and sharing!!!
Lyn
 |
| $10.00!!!! What a find! Layers of paint showing through from previous lives make it even more special! |
Wonderful find an $10 was a steal.
ReplyDeleteI KNOW!! I was soooo excited and still love it! So fun to go treasure hunting!
ReplyDeleteI KNOW!! I was soooo excited and still love it! So fun to go treasure hunting!
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog today after reading a comment you left at CozyLittleHouse! Love it!
ReplyDeleteYay! Thanks, Lucy - glad you found me!
DeleteLoved hearing all about YOU! I'm not single.. have a husband, but we do live VERY frugally and are on a very tight budget too. Almost all of our furniture was either each of ours years ago (been married 13 years) or we've gotten at thrift stores or garage sales. I love white funiture and my goal is to get some of our darker things painted someday. He is not a "handyman" type person, (and neither am I really) so the painting and refurbishing of old things is not in either of our natures! Love your $10 find. I have an old dark brown cabinet that I've had for about 35 years that was my sisters.. and I want so much to paint it a distressed white.. it already has plenty of chips! Your house sounds sweet.. ours is small too... and we rented for a few years after losing our house on 5 acres when he got sick, my health deteriorated and the economy crashed... so this is our first "owned" house for 5 years. We also wanted that security of knowing it couldn't be taken away from us, like a rental could. We don't own it free and clear, but looked for 2 years in order to find a house that was livable and affordable for us and had two main things done to it... newer windows and a newer roof! The rest we can live with!
ReplyDeleteI'll comment more as I read your other blog posts! It IS hard owning a home on such a tight budget with no savings at all and no credit cards!
oh man - I am so sorry you guys went through such difficult times but am happy to hear that things are better and you found your sweet home. I love reading your blog posts and seeing how cozy, warm and inviting you have made it. I don't have a garage or shop - only a covered carport so I don't have a place to paint large pieces of furniture that need a lot of sanding, prepping, etc. I do enjoy painting small tables, chairs and picture frames.
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