Let’s Get Creative

My parents are moving to our city in order to see the grandkids and at least two of their daughters at least weekly instead of biannually. Unfortunately, they’re moving to a more expensive market. It’s been tough watching them scramble to find something nice on social security and my dad’s pension.

If they don’t find something to buy right away, they may rent for awhile, which actually seems, from what we’ve seen, more expensive than buying outright. I guess that shouldn’t surprise me. It’s just been awhile since I priced rentals.

Suddenly, watching them and trying to help, I’m back in my 20s, in my one-room apartments, sitting on the hardwood floor next to the phone, scrambling, because I know I can’t really afford the rent, and will have to move again soon.

Relying on magical thinking:

If I just look hard enough, there will be something I can afford. I just need to get more creative.

The reality? My housing history in brief, from best to worst:

No roommate; break-in while I was gone (I was in the “garden level,” naturally.)
Ramshackle, drafty house with mostly working toilet, goth co-worker and high school roomie.
Shared house with Ren Fest married couple.
Babysat a person-in-treatment’s cats while her friend cleaned out the house and threw half of my stuff away, too. (Hey, at least it was free.) The most prized cat ran away. I did try really hard to find him.

Shudder.

Ack. Where was I?

My parents! They’ll be fine, I have no doubt, and they will find something nice and within their means. But it’s extremely motivating for me to get our savings act in gear. High gear.

I promise I will be actually getting to a plan in next posts, very soon.