Hey, you can help me spend my money, vicariously!

It's just what I deserve for liking a 78 year old house in an old city.

I should add: 43 pages with only pictures of everything that's WRONG. None of the stuff in good shape. It's like an official downer doc!

We had a presentation at work on Friday from the 401K rep. She said something about having 8 months of expenses in savings, and basically everyone in the room started laughing.

Shit, I kept being told that my rent shouldn't be more than 30, 40% tops of my monthly paycheck, and everything I find is for the most part 60-70% of what I make a month. "Section 8 welcome". Um... if I don't qualify for S8, how could a S8 person afford such a place, beyond squashing ten other people into the one bedroom apartment?

Looked at a place today, smaller rooms but a garage (damp) that is shared with a neighbor (so I couldn't just jam shit in their and consider it secure) and pet deposits and montly fees. Not cheaper than where I'm living now. Went one exit up to a miraculous $800/month all utilities included, on a lake. Turns out it's the size of a one car garage.

Good thing about retired parents: Mum's coming down this week to look for apartments for me. Because at this rate and the distances I have to travel, it's two shitty places a day, and I can't look everyday.

sarameg, can I vicariously spend money on a hot tub?

So ridic. We tried to make plum jam once, since we had a surplus of lovely local plums. Forgetting that plums turn into prunes. Prune jam is nast.

Plum jam is amazing, though! You have to do it small batch, and try to keep it tart, but OMG, paired with cheese, and you are talking heaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaven.

I think the hot tub is out until I deal with everything existing. But until then, there is a brand-spanking new hugest YMCA in Md with $45/month membership fees only a 5 minute walk away! They probably have a theraputic tub there. (I read on the hood boards that when a watermain went out, most folks just took to showering there. Great thing to know!)

Hmph. I just (re)joined our Y yesterday, and it's $52/month. Unfair! Though, really, very reasonable on a per visit basis if I visit enough.

Awesome that yours is within walking distance.

most folks just took to showering there

Good backup! At my last job we had showers in the lounge, I miss that. Miss a lot of things about my last job. Except the cleverly evil director/former-colleague.

I was never so grateful for on-site showers than when I worked at a dairy barn. Lord, that was so a separate load of laundry.

You have to do it small batch, and try to keep it tart, but OMG, paired with cheese, and you are talking heaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaven.

Hmm. We'll have to give it another try. I don't have as many plums lying around these days, though, because we moved away from our awesome local orchard. We miss all their fruit. Can't seem to find one here. Maybe the Arizona terrain is different from the New Mexico? Or maybe it's the water rights.

Exciting to hear about the inspector's report, even if it is daunting. Better to have it all in front of you and know what you need to deal with. And it really does sound like it's stuff that you're going to be able to deal with. No major structural issues, which could have been the case. Find out about the plumbing and see where that takes you. The pics look awesome. It's a great house.

We don't have a Y. But I just discovered that the little golf community nearby has its hair salon and health center open to the public. I took down the number and hope to find out what it'll cost on Monday. If it's reasonable I am really excited about it because it's just about within walking distance, so I think I would really use it. And I don't know how much we'd have access to, but it's a resort community, so there's a pool and hot tub and sauna as well as the exercise equipment. Have to go over there and see what they have. I'm expecting it not to be much, but we don't need much.

My doctor wants me to start taking yoga, but when I checked into individual studios, it's kind of pricey. I figure I'll start with the Y, which offers yoga-esque classes, plus have the benefit of the equipment + other group classes. I'd like to take some quality yoga classes, but I think quantity is more important at this point.