The two key fobs to our car died a long time ago and we have just used the key ever since. Last week I decided to do something about that. The battery type is listed right on the back of the fob (CR2032).
I searched online and saw one forum saying that Dollar Tree had 3 for a $1. Naturally, I tried there first, but our local dollar tree doesn’t carry button cell batteries. I did find a set of two at Wally World for $4, a price that beat Walgreen’s 1 for $5.
With the replacement battery procured, I had to figure out how to open the fob. There was a very small indentation at the 5 o’clock position that a flat head screwdriver could fit into.
With the fob opened up, it was a simple matter to replace the old battery and close up the fob again.
Prices for new fobs for our car range from $12 (Amazon) all the way to $100 (stealership).
There are so many things we can be thankful for in our lives. All too often the greed inside pushes us to look at what we don’t have instead of being grateful for what we do have.
We are hosting Thanksgiving for the first time. It is a lot of work to clean up the house and plan several days worth of food, lodging, and entertainment, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. The flurry of emails and phone calls from various parents, siblings, and extended family as we try to coordinate who is bringing what is a constant reminder of how many lives we are a part of.
Last night we went to the mall to stretch our legs and get some exercise. We were walking along a narrow aisle in Kohls when Frugal Boy belted out a “HII”. I had to look around a bit to see who his target was when I spotted her, an elderly lady in a wheelchair. I hadn’t noticed her before Frugal Boy’s enthusiastic greeting. People tend to blend in and get tuned out, but not for a two year old. Her face lit up with a huge smile with one simple word. As far as I could tell, she was there by herself; alone amid a sea of people.
Generational homes use to be quite common with three or more generations all living under the same roof. Then sometime around the Industrial Revolution that changed as younger generations left home to go where the jobs were, oftentimes in the city. The end result is that we often rely upon nursing homes to care for our elderly family members because we do not have the proximity or time to look after them. One of the best movies that looks at how family structure has shifted is The Gods Must Be Crazy. The intro is particularly entertaining as it mocks the complicated lives of ‘civilized’ people.
Anyway, while I fully expect Frugal Boy to leave the nest and pursue his own path and honestly I would be disappointed if he didn’t, I do expect to keep in touch with him. For now, I needn’t worry about having an empty nest. I just enjoy cuddling with him and reading books.
Family is the most important thing in life. Without family, what are we?
There are so many things we can be thankful for in our lives. All too often the greed inside pushes us to look at what we don’t have instead of being grateful for what we do have.
Independence
I appreciate being able to cast a vote and influence governmental decisions. While an individual vote doesn’t go very far in a federal or even state election, it does carry more weight on the local level. I have argued before that local elections are far more important than the more publicized federal races. It is nice to be able to talk to the mayor and get a bonafide response, not just some canned template letter from a spokesperson.
I enjoy religious choice. There are many different belief systems or lack thereof in the world. Many people live in countries with state sponsored religions or even worse they live in societies that would ostracize or even kill those that would change their religious preference.
The ability to freely travel through not just the different states of America, but also different countries with little impedance is a wonderful opportunity. A passport is only $100 give or take. In 28 years I have visited 40(ish) states and four foreign countries. Just imagine explaining that to someone living in 1915! We regularly drive hundreds of miles to sight see and visit with family.
Finally I am thankful for the chance to pursue my own interests. This is mostly possible thanks to our financial security. I can spend a night doing wood working, watching a tv show, or playing a board game with my wife.
Thanksgiving is only three days away and I only have one more post to do about being thankful. It is good to reflect on how much we have in our lives when we are constantly being bombarded by advertisements telling us how much we don’t have. A major part of living frugally is to avoid envy. I personally knew a pair of small business owners that each made a quarter of a million dollars a year in their mid 20s. Neither were happy with that though, because they were chasing after the people making half a million. Sometimes less is more.
There are so many things we can be thankful for in our lives. All too often the greed inside pushes us to look at what we don’t have instead of being grateful for what we do have.
Financial Security
Which bill should I pay? This seems to be a common problem for protagonists in today’s film and tv world. As the protagonist faces a mountain of past due bills and threatening collection letters they usually either do one of two things. They either hatch a hair brained plan to miraculously make all of their financial woes disappear (Zack and Miri Make a Porno) or they bury their face into their hands and start bawling (Malcolm in the Middle).
Thankfully, Shae and I have never been in either position.
Gainful Employment
Shae works in the corporate world for a Fortune 50 company. The best way to describe her compensation would be along the lines of “She makes more by 10 o’clock than I make for the entire day”. I run my own software business and while its biggest perk is being able to take large irregular chunks of time off, it still brings home enough money to cover all of our living expenses. Without jobs, it would be impossible for us to be financially secure right now. The money that we have saved up until now would eventually run out because it hasn’t reached a critical mass to be self sustaining (true financial independence). Having jobs is not enough to keep one financially secure. According to a survey from Sun Trust, one third of households earning more than $75,000 a year were living paycheck to paycheck. That income level is nearly 50% higher than the median household income for the United States, and there are still people having to stress about bills.
Savings Minded Spouse
I consider myself to be very lucky to be married to a woman like Shae. The old saying goes, “it takes two to tango”. Well, it takes two to squirrel money away for rainy days. I visit various personal finance blogs and online forums, and one of the common laments is that a spouse is a constant spender. There is a reason why money is always a top contender for marital feuds. As part of our engagement period we each took a ‘test’ that asked a series of lifestyle questions (children, money, sex, etc.) to make sure that we were aware of one another’s viewpoints. These types of topics should be discussed with any potential life partner because they are the most common reasons for divorce. I remember the genuine shock of an ex-girlfriend when I dispelled the belief that $100k+ salaries were the norm for new college graduates. She went on to marry a doctor, so I’d call that a happy ending for everyone involved.
Paying Off Debts
With good jobs and a like minded spouse, we have been able to pay off all of our debts and achieve financial security. Two years out of college and we had our student loans paid off. Two and half years after buying a house and we had our mortgage paid off. Eliminating creditors that can send bills or collection letters is a great way to remove stress from one’s life. I see peers that are putting themselves into dangerous financial positions
Negative equity on mortgages
Buying Debtmobiles because they can afford the monthly payments
Buying houses that rival their established parents homes
Prioritizing fun over necessary spending (YOLO)
Trying to pay off 5 or 6 figure student loan debt with jobs that do not warrant that load
We are both very thankful that we can sleep easy at night without having to worry about the car being towed away. It is wonderful to not have fights about money. I am thankful that we share similar financial goals and the tv and film scenarios are comical instead of reminders of a present living situation.
There are so many things we can be thankful for in our lives. All too often the greed inside pushes us to look at what we don’t have instead of being grateful for what we do have.
Physical Security
My what a dangerous world we live in. At least that is what you may think if you listen to the news. The latest boogeyman is ISIS, an Islamic group trying to establish a Sharia state by an means necessary. They are brutes and have committed terrible atrocities, but you know what? For all of their war mongering, they have failed to impact our safety in the slightest.
People all across the world, not just Americans, have been enjoying a trend of increasing safety over the past several decades. We are so connected globally that we know when 10 people die in another country in a shooting. It feels like we are unsafe because we can see pictures or even video of the attack while it is occurring. Past generations have never had to deal with this level of information overload. Yet, despite all of this, if you sit down and analyze the numbers, the world is becoming a gentler, nicer place to live. Slate.com has a great article about this topic aptly titled, “The World is Not Falling Apart“.
I am thankful that we live in a great neighborhood where Frugal Boy can go outside and play while neighbors keep a watchful eye on the pack of wandering children. I am thankful that Shae and I have never been assaulted, stolen from, or had property vandalized. I am thankful that I need not worry about my wife’s safety when she is out by herself. I am thankful that it has never been necessary for my country to call upon me to go to war. I am thankful that I have not lost any family or friends to an act of violence.
The world really is a safe place, you just have to turn off the news.
The two key fobs to our car died a long time ago and we have just used the key ever since. Last week I decided to do something about that. The battery type is listed right on the back of the fob (CR2032).
