The economy is bad. Especially in this household. I’ve been dodging the issue of finances because I’ve been in a baby haze for the last month as my newborn deprives me of much-needed sleep.
She’s so stinking cute though, I forgive her.
We’ve cut back on almost everything from cell phones to cable television to name-brand junk food.
On the chopping block this month: Our 2008 Hyundai Accent.
I called Hyundai Finance to see if there might be any programs we might qualify for since I lost my job and have been drawing unemployment for a few months. Nope. No help from Hyundai…..they want their money and they want it now.
Too bad I don’t have it to give them.
So, the car goes back to the dealership in a “Voluntary repossession” and I get a bad mark on my credit. Not too worried about it though….I filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy last year so my credit rating is already down the toilet for the next 10 years. I’m not embarrassed about it at all, and I will talk about it to anyone who asks me. You do what you have to do. The economy sucks, I lost my job and I just had a baby. You can’t bleed a turnip. The only thing that stinks about it is that I will still owe money on a car I no longer have.
I’m not the only one in this position, and with Christmas knocking on my door….I can’t help but think about how things are going to be different in a lot of ways for everyone this year.
I keep thinking of ways to economize and I’m trying and figure out how in the world I’m going to do Christmas shopping for THREE children this year when we have ZERO disposable income. I started looking back in the pages of history, and I think I may have found my answer….
I am a HUGE fan of the Foxfire books. If you haven’t heard of them, you should definitely look them up online. The Foxfire books detail the life and times of the people of Appalachia in the depression era and earlier. Those mountain folks MADE nearly everything they needed and lived off of the land. They didn’t know they were “poor” and they didn’t care …..they liked it that way. It was a simpler time…back before iPods and GPS and orange spray-tanned Hoochie Mamas on cable television. Hell, most of those mountain people didn’t have electricity or running water. But they had family and they had God. They also had knowledge handed down to them from generations long ago about things like how to plant the right crops, how to make medicine from plants and how to prepare and store meat and vegetables for the long winter months.
I can’t give my children brand new iPads or roller skates or any of the “must have” toys of the year. But I can give them some homemade things like knitted dolls, socks and cookies. I might even throw in a new toy or two, but it isn’t going to be top of the line. This might be an excellent time to teach them to appreciate things, and to learn that money isn’t everything. Money, in fact, is a destroyer. No matter how much you have, you still think you need more ….Money damages relationships and makes otherwise normal people act like spoiled brats. My father told me once that “Money is the root of all evil” I believe that…..I guess I would probably believe it less if I had more of it!
Anyway, wish me luck this Christmas season as I attempt to teach the children a valuable lesson. We are starting a new Christmas tradition this year, and each child will be receiving 4 things:
Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear
Something to read
I’m sure Santa will bring them a few small things for their stockings, but from dear old Mom/Stepmom and Dad/Stepdad …we are economizing and trying to focus on the true meaning of Christmas….not the over commercialized-Mom-I’ll-die-if-Santa-doesn’t-bring-me-an-XBOX way of doing things.
In fact, I don’t want to go down that road ever again. I love giving gifts for Christmas….but I’ve always hated running around spending insane amounts of money on things that will end up in the bottom of the closet come February.
Maybe these lean times will help all of us realize that we’ve been going down the wrong path for a long time. Maybe it will permanently change the way we think about Christmas, and help us to enjoy the holiday even more and be grateful for the things in life that we do have…..family, friends and a Savior who loves us enough to bless us with the gift of Eternal life if we only ask Him.
We have many, many blessings in our lives right now….we have a wonderful marriage, a beautiful baby, good health, a beautiful home, food on the table and a wonderful extended family.
We are just as happy and blessed in this day and age as the folks in the Foxfire books.
It’s beginning to look a lot like an 1800′s Christmas……
Now, I need to hurry up and get started knitting…..
Love it and love you too. Gonna be a a great Christmas.