Hmm - maybe you should get yourself a sugar momma, i.e. return of the Lexus lady!
All kidding aside, I feel your pain. I had to make major adjustments when the ex and I separated back in 2009. We were very well off as a team, but she was the major bread winner in the family making 60% of the family income and me contributing the other 40%. I don't make a bad salary on my own, but living here in the DC metropolitan area does not come cheap. Fortunately I'm an excellent money manager and have been able to stretch the heck out of every dollar I earn.
However, the financial picture is the lone remaining bitterness I hold in all of the separation and divorce. In fact, my ex just landed a new $200K a year job and the only source of happiness I could find in congratulating her is that I know it improves the lives of our two daughters since their mother can afford to provide them some very nice things and opportunities in life.
She drives a relatively new BMW and I drive our 10 year-old former "family" car that is approaching 120K miles on it. I am hoping that next year I am in a position to finally upgrade to something newer.
Kat has a good idea on the photo selling - that would be cool if a hobby you enjoy could bring in some extra cash. What about selling stuff you have around the house that you no longer need? Might bring in a few bucks as well.
Thanks for the input everyone. I'm certainly not in the poor house, if fact I've got about 40 grand still to burn but if I buy a car that will diminish quickly. I go through about 10 thou above what I bring in each year. Some people have said I'm stupid to keep putting money into my kids university/college funds or to have paid for gymnastics...but, damn it, they're my kids and they are number one...that's just the way it is! Sure, my ex makes 30 thou a year more than me but she chooses to work at highly stressful jobs with more "status" than I do. She pays for that choice. So, I'm just looking reality in the face and freaking a little! Sure I can cut back my tithes at church, stop the university/college funds (they stop in a few months anyway), knock off the $120 a month I pay for life insurance (If I croak I've still got my work insurance and my RRSp's which will total more than the insurance they'd get), make them pay for their own cell phones now that they're both working, and really watch what I spend each month. I might have to look at a basement apt somewhere that would cost me $300 less per month. Presently I pay $1290 for an apartment a few blocks from Voldy's 'cuz it's convenient for the girls. But it can be done and I have to start looking at it as a challenge rather than a threat. The Lord doesn't give us more that we can handle (Mother Teresa once said "but I wish he wouldn't trust me so much!" I'm just in a pissy mood lately...and not looking at the bright side as much as I should be...since that lousy cold my body aches and my energy is down. When I'm not feeling physically the best my attitude suffers but I shall overcome...I always have! Btw, if you have any sites Kat I'd be interested but honestly I can't imagine anyone paying for what I produce. They're fun and interesting photos but...And BA, my 10 yr old car has 140, 000 miles on it so I'm beating you lol.
Ok, I will let you check them out and see what might work for you. Here goes: Shutterstock, istockphoto, fotolia, Shutterfly, BigStockPhoto, 123RF, Dreamstime, Corbis, canstockphoto and depositphotos.
You never know. I love so many of your photos. There have got to be other people out there that will love them too. Yes, even my special cardinals.
Hope that helps. kat
Me-53(and learning!) S24, S21, D18, D17 Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming. Dory
Thanks Kat. Photography keeps me sane, when I'm out with my camera I think of nothing else other than what's going to make a shot special. It's so amazing to be able to take, for e.g., a strewn away bottle cap and turn it into something interesting and eyecatching! The world is a huge present waiting to be unwrapped each and every day when I've got my camera Well, tonight is Bible Study and I'm so looking forward to sitting in my little church with my friends and reading God's word. One of the anxieties that hit me when I thought about the possibility of not having a car was I wouldn't be able to go to my church anymore...it's way too far by public transit (they won't even give me a route online 'cuz the site says it's too far!). I so love this little church and the people I've met there. No way I want to give up my life there. Any SDA church in my area is pretty much all one ethnic group or another...there's no diverse church like I go to now. Anyway, I've finished editing my photos for today (I'm off on a D-day...use it or lose it by year end) and maybe I'll head down to my car and watch the speedometer light flicker on and off some more...f'ing piece of sh!t lol.
Good suggestions. The church I went to before the SDA one had a financial series by Dave Ramsey but I never went. OK folks, I've gone through my belongings for things to sell...here goes. 1) 5 bookmarks from the Book Outlet 2) Daniel Boone DVD set Season 1 3) replica Military Police car 4) 1936 copy of Mein Kamph in German 5) Autographed copy of Economics in Perspective by John Kenneth Galbraith 6) Everyday Cantonese (book and tapes) from the Chinese University of Hong Kong 6) Pat Boone: In a Metal Mood...No More Mr. Nice Guy CD 7) a 1957 Baseball card of featuring Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra. 8)a copy of Lose Those Love Handles by Mackie Shilstone and finally 9) "MY Grade 7 Portfolio" of my daughters school work (she'll never miss it!) 10) Seventh Gay Adventist DVD and 11)1990 team autographed Toronto Argonaut practice jersey 12)the dead fly I just found on my window sill. That about covers it!
OK, I won't need to sell anything...I just got a message on Match from a lady in Laredo, Texas...she's looking for someone who's willing to move there." I want a man of God who can be the head of our home, the priest, the one who can make decisions." That is so me. I'm gonna get me some closet space in Laredo! Hey, and she's also a "legal immigrant" Hee haw!
Nope but it's a fantastic documentary on the struggles gay Adventists have within themselves and with the church the belonged to or still do. It's not about right or wrong, it's about how people feel. Really worth watching whether you're Adventist or not...or gay or not. Here's a link: http://buy.sgamovie.com/
