I’m in a whiny mood because a friend of mine called me today, who I haven’t had the chance to talk to for a couple of months, and he asked me how I’ve been doing. What a huge mistake is what he must be thinking now. I snatched up the opportunity to whine and complain and vent and rant for over an hour. Maybe that’s why I’m having so much trouble getting enough sleep at night. I can’t stop worrying.
As I blogged about it a few months ago here, I’ve been having financial trouble. Now after pondering and calculating and studying what the fuck is going on, it has become clear to me that I will not be able to overcome this unless something extraordinary happens, for which I’m very hopeful.
In 2005, the year I bought this house, the gas price was a little over two dollars per gallon. Yeah, it’s only 3 years ago! Now? I paid $4.29 per gallon today. And do you know how much I have to drive? Ninety miles a day. Do you know how much mileage per gallon I get out of a Jeep Wrangler? 15 to 17 miles depending on the traffic.
In 2005, I remember shaking my head when they filled up my near empty 250 gallon oil tank and gave me a bill for about $560. Last month, they gave me a bill for $805.35 for 150 gallons of oil. I honestly started shaking and felt faint when I saw that bill. The next day, I told my co-worker about it.
Eight hundred and five fucking dollars and thirty five cents!!!! I do NOT have that money!
How much are you short?
Eight hundred and five fucking dollars. I think I can scrape thirty five cents off of somewhere.
As with the rising gas price, the price of food and other essential grocery jumped in ridiculous proportions to that in 2005. I’ll give you the example of the food items for my dogs because I’m in the habit of watching the prices of these very closely so that I can buy them when it’s dirt cheap. But it’s representative of how much the living expenses have skyrocketed.
- turkey drumsticks were $0.79/lb and now are $1.29/lb
- chicken leg quarters were $0.59/lb and now are $0.89/lb
- pork neck bones were $0.99/lb and now are $1.19/lb
- lamb bones were $0.99/lb and now are $1.69/lb
- veal bones were $0.99/lb and now are $1.29/lb
- ground beef with organs (made for pets) was $1.00/lb and now is $1.50/lb
So there you go. I’m struggling. And I’m tired. So very tired of thinking about the impending doom. But as you might have noticed above, I’m also hopeful. Hopeful for something extraordinary, which I’ll blog about in a slightly less whiny post some day. Hey, what can you do, you know? Gotta take it one day at a time.
7 Comments to “Whine Of Sorts”
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Paloo and I have been having a really horrible year+ financially because of a medical injury I had that took me out of work for over a year. Plus, with no insurance or unemployment benefits (I was a self-contractor).
We’ve been to the bottom, but we’ve managed to survive with love from each other and our two furry children. I only hope you can find strength in the good things. We’re still struggling, and it’s hard sometimes to look at the good things when you can’t afford to pay your bills, but you have to latch on to something. I’m here if you ever need to talk.
Thins sometimes it’s okay to whine. Many of us are going through financial problems and it’s hard to go it alone. When it comes to feeding the pets, you may be able to get some help. Some spca/humane societies are giving free food to people struggling in these financial times. I know that doesn’t help with the gas or mortgage, but every little bit…
(((yoon))) I feel ya on the gas prices. They’re awful. Are you at all close to NJ? If you are, get gas there, it’s much cheaper. I wish I could get gas in NJ.
I’m sorry yoon. I feel really lucky I don’t have to worry about all this yet, and now I feel bad spending all my parents’ money.
I think everyone can feel your pain in one way or another right now, Yoon. However, I admit that it is much easier in a two income household to meet those day to day expenses.
Let’s hope that there’s some “change we can believe in” right around the corner.
Oh Yoon, I’m sorry. I hope that things get better for you, and that these ridiculous gas prices drop.
I think I know a bit about how you feel, as I am also a single “mother.” Being able to keep our houses and yards isn’t just about our standard of living, it’s about keeping our pet family together. I don’t know what I would have done when my health situation became complicated if my father hadn’t offered to, and been able to, help. And I’m sure you worry even more because your pets have so many special needs. I know that if I could not take care of my guys their safe adoption agency would take them back – they made me sign papers promising to do so! Devastating to think about, but also reassuring as life is so unpredictable. I’m really sorry that you are feeling so much pressure now and hope with all of my heart that things become easier for you in the very near future.