There are three months remaining in the Project Money competition. I like to compare the challenge to running a marathon…it’s been grueling; there have been some uphill battles; but I know the end is near and I know that I’ll make it across the finish line.
Just as in a marathon, you have to change your pace as you enter into the homestretch (okay not that I’ve ever run a marathon but I am a runner!!). Now is the time to change it up a little bit and prepare for the sprint to the finish line. So, I’ve been contemplating what my strategy will be for the next three months. There are some things that are realistic (like working more hours at my part-time job to bring in more income) and some that are not (stop eating or buying gas!!).
It’s come time for my grandmother to move into an assisted living facility. She’s made it to age 89 living on her own, which I tell you is a pretty amazing feat. She’s spent the last year or more living with severe osteoporosis that has made her body incredibly fragile, and she’s down to 90 some pounds. Sometimes her bones break just by getting up off the chair. Last week she woke up in extreme back pain. Though the doctor wouldn’t do x-rays, we all agree she most likely broke her back again.
“To all those Wisconsin workers who feel like they’ve been economically squeezed in the first decade of the 21st Century: It’s not your imagination. It’s reality.” That was the lead quote from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on September 21st.
I was at a family gathering yesterday in my hometown to celebrate my Dad, my niece and my nephew’s birthday (and of course I forgot my flip video!). They were all born in September and so this month I’m usually spending a whole bunch of money on birthday presents. I decided that I would be a little more cost conscious this year, because in years past I tended to spend a lot even if I didn’t have the money. The other great thing about this year is that I established a savings account for gifts/holidays. There isn’t a lot in there at the present moment but it will be enough to buy three birthday presents. It’s nice to be able to have money put aside for a specific thing and to not have to use my credit card (which I have not used once since Project Money started!!).
Two words that no one will ever forget, especially those who were tragically affected by the events on that day. As I sit here on this beautiful September morning – almost eerily similar to that day ten years ago, it feels important to reflect and appreciate and remember.
It’s one of those events in our lives that will always bring us together. It seems there’s one of those in every generation in American history. A day where we can set aside our differences and remember the things that will always unite us. First, we are all human and thus we will all experience pain and loss. That means we are also incredibly resilient and we find peace and solace amongst the people that surround us. We are also American and we live in a great country that affords opportunity to its people like no other country.
On days like today, I often find myself thinking about life and how I’m living mine. I believe each one of us struggles to find meaning and we live our lives in ways that we believe will bring us happiness. For many years, both before and after I lost my little sister, I always thought if I just had more money then I would be happy and life would be easier. I would venture to say that most of the individuals working in the World Trade Center that morning ten years ago had a similar philosophy. I think Americans overall believe that happiness equals money equals more material possessions. And certainly our economy is incredibly dependent upon Americans spending and consuming.
Early this week I got a call from a friend who was going out of town for Labor Day weekend. She left on Thursday, which is the day she is scheduled to pick up her Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) basket for the week. She asked if I would be interested in picking it up and in turn enjoying all the vegetables. I, of course was ecstatic because there’s nothing like fresh vegetables directly from the farm. I had just spent two days working on the Hunger Task Force Farm in Milwaukee harvesting vegetables. So, I have greater appreciation for fresh vegetables knowing the hard work that goes into harvesting. I will especially enjoy the tomatoes in the CSA basket after having spent most of the day on Monday picking tomatoes on the farm.
I finally made it to the grocery store so that I could begin living off $3/day in food. I decided to stretch my dollar at Aldi’s. I heard the food was cheaper and when you’re so limited in terms of a budget you have to sacrifice quality. At the beginning of my shopping adventure I was very picky about what I put in the cart and also well aware of the cost of each item. When I got through almost all the aisles and had only $7 worth of food, I thought this whole challenge thing is going to be a piece of cake.
Wednesday: I had intended to start the Food Stamp Challenge today. But, I realized when I got up this morning that I technically had no food because I had not gone to the grocery store. Part of the challenge is you cannot eat anything in your house that you had prior to the beginning of the challenge. I suppose I could have gone all day without food, which many families often times have to do, but I have to work both jobs today and I really need the energy. Besides, I was so tired when I woke up this morning, I couldn’t resist the coffee in my fridge. So, day one and already I failed.
I was out for drinks the other night with a good friend who is a leader on hunger issues in Wisconsin. As we were catching up, the topic came to money and obviously, I had to share my Project Money journey. We began to talk about the challenges of living on a tight budget and how especially difficult that is for someone who just doesn’t have enough to make ends meet.
If you’ve been paying attention at all to the news, it’s been impossible to ignore that something bad is happening with the economy. First, the media reported on the inability of Congress and the President to find agreement on raising the United States’ debt ceiling. Next, was news that they finally found a compromise but it was loaded with spending cuts and not enough tax increases to raise more revenue. And the latest is the downgrading of the U.S. credit rating by Standards and Poor and Moody’s from AAA to AA+, which is still the best credit rating in the world. News of this downgrade caused the stock market to plunge to levels we haven’t seen since 2008. Of course all of this leaves me wondering, how does this impact me, and my ability to win Project Money!
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