Posted by When I was younger, I always noticed the unkept houses in our neighborhood. Why was the lawn not being cared for and how come the paint was peeling? Didn’t the owner care about how their home looked? These days, I understand that it comes down to choices. It’s easy for a home to fall into disrepair when you have other priorities. When money gets tight, general maintenance becomes less important than paying monthly bills. 2022 has been the worst financial year that I can remember, but I still managed to put a fresh coat of stain on the deck and made a minor repair to the driveway. Every year something on the house needs to be fixed. Inside, it has only required cleaning this year. Anything beyond that will just have to wait. Credit card debt has been skyrocketing this year. When asked why, the most common response was “an unexpected expense”.
What I fear the most is an unexpected medical bill, a car repair bill, or a major appliance replacement. Worrying about such things can affect your health. Eating cheaper food can affect your health. Not leaving your home for weeks at a time can affect your health. The only way to coup is to find joy in a simpler lifestyle. A cup of coffee in the morning. Completing a small task around the house each day. Fixing or cleaning something that has been long neglected. Mending an old pair of shoes or piece of clothing. Cooking a favorite dish. Simple things that will take your mind off of the fact that life is passing you by and your best days are probably behind you. I look out windows that need to be replaced, upon a yard that I rent from the city, onto a world that I can no longer afford.