Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

Yaaaa, We Sold Our House… We Hope

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Since the house sold, we don't need these for-sale signs anymore
Copyright Andy Beecroft and licensed for reuse under this <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">Creative Commons License.</a>

If you have been reading this blog for any length of time you may have read one of the posts about the years we spent fixing our credit, the months we spent slaving away fixing up our house and getting it ready for the market and then finally listing it for sale. It’s only been on the market for 2 months but all that work paid off. I am very happy to report that we have accepted an offer on our house and will close in time for Harrison to start Kindergarten in our new school district.

That was a big concern of ours. Harrison isn’t as sociable as his younger brother and we really didn’t want to have to start him in one school district and then pull him out and have him finish in another school. I know at that age it’s not a big deal but as parents, we didn’t want it. We wanted Harrison to start on even footing with the rest of the kids.

In this current housing marketing, we couldn’t be happier with how quickly our house sold. We live in a semi-detached house on a busy road. It’s a great starter home but still, being right on a major road, we had our work cut out for us which is why we put so much effort into getting it to look as good as it possibly can. Based on the feedback we received from the people who walked through the house, it definitely paid off.

When we got the news the house was sold

What was even more special is when we got the news. We were on vacation with my wife’s family when our Realtor called. We were down in North Carolina at the Outer Banks. It was great, throughout the week people came and went but most of the immediate family was there. Her Mom, her sister, her sisters children, her cousins, her aunts and uncles, it was great. Some husbands would find that to be a nightmare but I love her family and get along quite well with them. My own parents didn’t get along with their in-laws and I always hated it. When I met my wife I told her pretty early on I wouldn’t get serious with anyone if I couldn’t get along with their family. Luckily for both of us, we both get along with each others family splendidly.

So, what does that have to do with us selling our house? Well, we are buying my Mother-In-Laws house and what is even more special is most of the houses in the area are the relatives we were on vacation with. Stephanie comes from a good farming family. They aren’t all farmers but some of them bought pieces of the farm property and built houses so they all live on beautiful pieces of property surrounded by loved ones and country landscape. We got to immediately celebrate the news with the person we were buying the house from and our new neighbors all at once. It was great and everyone was so excited.

I can’t wait to move on to this next chapter of our lives. Let’s just hope everything goes smoothly with settlement.

Have you ever sold a house? What was your experience with it?

Little Girl Can’t Let Go as Father Prepares for Deployment

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Wow, what a powerful and incredibly sweet picture.  The solder next to the little girl is a local.  He lives and raises his family in my part of the country.  When the local paper ran this picture, I just about cried.  It’s so sweet and powerful.  Having a little 4 year old girl in formation is against Army regulations but not a single man there was strong enough or heartless enough to tell that little girl she couldn’t stand by her fathers side as he prepared to deploy overseas.  You can read the full article in my local paper here

Salute.

Doesn’t a story like this just warm your heart? Do you know of any other examples like this?

Tips for Raising a Family on a Budget

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Families need a budget to keep in check the flood of expenses
Image on Pixabay

Smart spending is a practical approach to handling the family’s finances. It is also a great practice to pass on to your children.  Some things you can do to raise a family on a budget really boils down to a lot of practicality and common sense. For me, it is all about knowing what the important things are- the things you need, the things you want, and the things you can live without.

Make sure you can afford your home

First, it would be good idea to look at where you are living or where you want to live. Live in a house you can afford.  Ok, it might not be the house of your dreams just yet but you will be able to reroute the money to other items that are more important at the moment. You can also check out different online platforms such as HousingAnywhere Barcelona, or elsewhere, to find affordable living spaces. This can make it easier to find a variety of choices to suit your needs and budgets so that you can find a comfortable place to live without financial strain. I live in a small townhouse with reasonable rent and it is not the house I want to stay in forever but it is more than enough for my two kids.  They feel safe, happy, and comfortable here and that is great.

Limit waste

Make sure to limit wastage of any kind. I really try to live by this. Switch off lights when not needed and limit the use of electricals when you can.  I live in a tropical country so it is often important to have an air conditioner at home.  The use is timed though, very strictly. And during cooler months like now, we use the ac to cool the room rather then use a ventilator.  This really cuts down the electricity bill.

Do you need that car?

If you own two cars, consider having just one.  If you are going to purchase a car, do this on a cash basis so you don’t have installment payments with interest to look after in the coming months. You may have to buy a second hand car but this will be good enough to get you to where you need to go. I do without a car at all. I use public transportation and I find that this is saving me money even if it is harder.  I plan to get a car but only when I can afford its maintenance and gas prices.

Budget!

Start every year with a budget. I’ve blogged about this ad nauseum but I really think budgeting is essential. Be sure to include occasions like birthdays and Christmas, where you are sure to spend a bit of money.  But when these occasions come, stay within your budgeted amount. Remember, it isn’t the cost but the thought that counts.  You should also set priorities with your budget, such as funding a college or a custodial account for your kids, and saving for your own retirement.  This is an important lesson your kids will learn as well.

Live on cash

Live on cash.  I really advocate this.  We do not need to focus too much on credit here, unlike in other countries, so this is really easy to do.  But, if you must use your credit cards, pay them all off every month.  If you only have your house to pay off, you will have a much easier time.

Limit expenses

Finally, forgo repeated extra expenses like outings and meals outside. Include these in your budget but remember that you don’t always have to spend to have a good time.  A home-cooked meal and a rented DVD, a treasured story book from the library, other good books and toys from garage sales, an afternoon picnic in the park are all things and activities that cost very little money but make for wonderful teaching moments and warm memories with the kids.  Plus, think of all the money you can save for a college fund!  My kids enjoy watching Barney on YouTube in my room as the movie of the night.  They also enjoy simple sheets of stickers and pieces of candy as great prizes.  Raising kids to like simple things helps make a budget work as well.

Now, raising a family on a budget isn’t easy. It is often very hard to resist buying that thing you have been eyeing but not really needing or giving in to the times and getting a computer game or something similar for the kids.  But resisting has made a tight budget work for a small family.  We are better than ok. When you see how well your kids are learning about the value of resources and how happy they will be with what you are providing, you will feel satisfaction unlike anything else ever.  I hope to increase my earnings to have a bigger budget, of course, but I am so grateful that I can provide what I am providing now.  It’s something to feel proud about, in my opinion.

How do you save money to raise your family?

Christmas a la Manila

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Christmas is my personal favorite time of the year.  And there is nothing like a Filipino Christmas.  Let me try to illustrate what the season is like here in the Philippines.

Christmas in Manilla, Phillipenes

Trivia to ‘Set the Scene’:

  • The Philippines has the longest Christmas celebration in the world.  As soon as September hits (known here as the start of the ‘ber months’), you can already smell the season of giving.
  • Philippine fiestas are legendary. This no-holds barred party is a reason for the poor man to celebrate, eat, drink, and be merry, all wrapped up together with song and religion.
  • Filipinos LOVE TO EAT. Ask anyone who has visited the country and they will tell you that a staple in any Filipinos welcome package is a large meal. Many large meals.
  • Filipinos LOVE TO SING!  Think Charice, Lea Salonga, Jamie Rivera, Monique Wilson, Billy Crawford, among some of the artists who have gone on to world fame.  You will find a sing-along machine (karaoke) around every corner. Seriously.
  • Filipinos have always been family-centered- a big factor in the strong yet gentle, kind, giving, and hospitable nature the Filipino is known for. Case in point, Manny Pacquiao.

These are all facts you need to know to understand what a Filipino Christmas is like.

Fun, Fiesta, and Family

Philippine history is peppered with influence from Spain and the United States. After 300 years of Spanish colonization, Christianity was firmly rooted in Philippine soil mixing with an already strong belief in a higher being.  The 50 or so years of American rule in the 19th-20th century left lasting imprints that are clear in our language, style of dress, educational system, and some traditional symbols.

Christmas Ambiance

You will definitely see a mix of the Western and the traditional in the Philippines.  You will see Christmas trees, of varying heights and color. Yes, color. I don’t know about the US but in Manila we have pink trees, blue trees, white trees, silver tress, and the typical green tree.  This will decorated with lights and ornaments as is the Western tradition and is topped alternatively with a lit star or an angel.

In addition to the Christmas tree, we have beautiful lit lanterns known as ‘parols’.  These are typically made of capiz shell, white or of varying color, with lights inside.  A parol of some size and design is usually found hanging outside the house.  This lantern symbolizes the star the three kings followed to the barn where the baby Jesus was born.  So, in addition to the Christmas tree and the lantern, you will often see a nativity, or statues of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus, as home decor as well during Christmas.

You can find instructions on making one of these yourself on our Making a Parol post

Christmas Spending

You will start seeing bazaar after bazzar spring up in village club houses and church halls starting in October and these bazaars will showcase any kind of gift under the sun from the native item to food to clothes, etc.  All at slashed prices making it impossible for anyone to stick to a reasonable budget.  No where else will you see a financally struggling populace spend with abandon as some Filipinos do during Christmas.

There is a reason for this spending though.  In the Philippines we also have the adopted Santa Claus. So parents save months in advance to be both Santa and mom and dad. Frenzied shopping with a purpose is perhaps an apt way to describe the buying of the season.  There really is nothing like seeing the joy on your child’s face upon waking up to find Santa visited and was generous. I know this for a fact.

Eating and Making Merry for the Season

Christmas in the Philippines will showcase some of the country’s best native food.  There is the roast pig (lechon),  sweet meat loaf (embotido), smoked ham, fruit salad, quezo de bola (a round, aged cheese) and delicacies like puto bumbong. This purple colored dessert is made of sweet rice cooked in a hollow bamboo tube.  Once cooked they are removed from the bamboo tube and served with spread butter, sugar, and coconut.  This dessert, and most of the dishes I mentioned, are only served during Christmas making them eagerly anticipated and all the more special.

Of course, food always goes with song in the Philippines and starting the end of November calendars are filled with party after party, all of which have some form of singing to live bands, sing alongs, and Christmas caroling.

The Religion of Christmas

And again there is the religious aspect.  Starting December 16 there is a 9 day novena which most people attend. A novena is a Roman Catholic period of prayer lasting 9 days.  So a person attends 9 consecutive masses, praying for a special intention at the same time.  The novelty of this novena is that the masses are said in the wee hours of the morning, from 4 am to 6 am.  You will see flocks of people, young adults, working folks, etc all attending mass in the early morning.  This mass is capped off by an early morning breakfast of hot chocolate, coffee, and Philippine native delicacies.  A main mass is celebrated on Christmas day to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. Have I mentioned how Christianity is firmly rooted in the Philippines?

Family is Everything

All the decoration, masses, gift buying, eating, drinking, and signing are geared towards one thing- being with the family at this special time of the year.  Yes, the birth of Jesus is the reason for the season but it is also the one and only time that family is expected to set aside all things, all worries, all animosity just to be together.  No other occasion or holiday matches Christmas in that objective.  So if you are visiting the Philippines during the season, you will not miss a celebration that has some relation to family.

Perhaps Christmas in the Philippines is no different from Christmas anywhere else.  I guess you have to be here from the beginning to the end of the season to understand and feel the full flavor of what I’ve tried to do justice to with words and pictures.  Come and visit next year and really see what it’s like.  I assure you, you will have a great time!

In the meantime, Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays to you all from Manila!

What are the Christmas traditions for your country?

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