Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Sharing ways we save (a couple days late)

Who needs daytime tv?  My life seems to have more drama then a little bit.  My post is late due to some problems we had that started last week.  My financial efforts are weak because of the events of the week.  I didn't handle any of it very well.

The week started with an apartment flood



now these pictures were taken after we attempted to protect some of the furniture and get things up out of the floor...it wasn't perfectly organized because we were still moving in.  But there was a nice sized slab leak in our apartment that flooded us with a few inches of water.  I had complained when we moved in that we could hear water running in the wall but the landlord and maintenance guy ignored it. It has been a long week.  The landlord started in by sending professionals to deal with the issue....decided that was too expensive but it smelled so bad with the wet carpet that we started tearing it out ourselves because she said she would just lay tile.  We get the carpet tore out and low and behold.......

something is still leaking....if runs through my kids bedroom wall and across the floor.  Over a week later still no resolution.  The landlord actually told me that I need to figure out where the leak was coming from.  Hello...not a professional plumber here.  Thankfully a couple days before, i sat down and called Allstate and transferred my renter's insurance to Florida finally.  Boy am I glad I did....all the kids shoes, dress up clothes and all our wooden furniture got wet.

Now that I got that out of my system, here are some things we did to save money.

I joined our local YMCA for the month of March they were having a pay the day special.  Which means the joining fee you pay was based on the date of the day you joined.  I actually joined on the 10th.  So my joining fee was only 10.00 versus 50 or 99.  I get to exercise and my kids get to go to the kids club there.

They also had a member appreciation day on St. Patricks day, we participated and had

Green pancakes, free water, and there were some vendors so we got some free coupons and samples of lipstick!!!!  It was nice.  I also earned 10 Ybucks by participating in the Fast Forward Program that the YMCA offers, and I used that to pay for one month of Karate classes for my son. 

While at the Y event, we were told a local Chick Fil A would be having a family day on Saturday and Aunti L and I took our kids out to the event.

The kids got to roll around the parking lot in giant hamster balls.  We also painted, and ate a free chicken sandwich with a coupon I got from the YMCA event.

My son's school hosted a field trip to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and admission with the school was much cheaper then it would have been if we had paid on our own.  It was 10.00 for me 15.00 for him but that included the school bus ride, and we brown bagged our lunch.

My frugal fails....we ate out some with the flooding issues and having to take everything out of the rooms, our space is so crowded.  It was hard to even get in the kitchen at first...so I used that as an excuse to get take out...and I did not get up with my husband this week, and he didn't pack his lunch.  So a RIDICULOUS amount of money was spent on eating out.  One of those meals was free though, my nephew is a manager at Pizza Hut and he treated our family to a free dinner.

We are at this point searching for another place because black mold has been found in the one we are in, with the Lanlord at this point stating it isn't a big deal.  If she doesn't fix it, we are out of here.  I will box up the rest of my drama and save it for another day.  How was your week.  I would love to hear about it!!!!











6 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness! It sounds like you have had one heck of a week! I am glad that amidst all the yucky things that happened that you had some really nice things happen too. When I was a teenager we rented a place that had flooding issues also- it ruined all of our things and I remember we had to move out of the house. I understand how difficult it can be. I hope everything works out for you. Keep your chin up- things will get better (and don't beat yourself up about things like eating out at times like that- sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do!) :)
    http://blessedbeyondmeasurefrugalhappylife.blogspot.com/

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  2. Oh man what an ordeal. Moving is stressful enough but add a flood into the mix and it's crazy!

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  3. I'm so sorry for your misfortune. It was so great that your family was getting settled into your own place and this had to happen. I hope your weeks to come are much better.

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  4. What?!? Can you move back to where you were before moving to this apartment? Can you put a claim in with your insurance? Can your insurance speak (on your behalf) to your landlord about getting this fixed? Would you lose your deposit if you move? Do you have a lease?

    It sounds like you've all the made the best of a poor situation and hopefully this can all be resolved. I wouldn't worry about the eating out..I kinda think that's what the "emergency fund" is supposed to cover - things out of your control.

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  5. Discovering a flood in your apartment was definitely not a great way to start your week. But I’m glad that despite that problem, you still managed to put back everything in their rightful places. How was it, by the way? I hope the pros that your landlord called came soon after and fix it, once and for all.

    Lovella Cushman @ Perfection Plumbing

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  6. We had issues with water damage and slab leaks in this place a total of three times. The third time, when the Landlord was just like well go outside to the water and just turn it on and off as you need it, we were done between the mold that started to grow. We moved out of that place in August. I did not handle the way we left the right way though which landed me in a little legal trouble a few months later. My only recourse to get my money back from that apartment is civil court.

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