Drastic Measures #2: 10 Yrs. Later

It's been ten years since Tim and I sat down and reevaluated our life to avoid a divorce. Many things have happened since then. Tim and I are 31 and Cindy is 15. Many things have happened along our journey. Many things which showed us the joys of simplicity and days gone by.

We used Tim's overtime to open an emergency bank account. We use it for emergencies as well as things we don't daily need such as vacations. We started going to yard sales and buying items cheap and fixing them and reselling them. Just a small extra income. Now and then I help a friend clean homes on the side. It all helps and doesn't interfere with our lifestyle. The added benefit is that my endeavors to make a few dollars can be scheduled around my responsibilities at home.

As Tim received contractual raises we tried to live by the same standards we set with his lower wages. For the most part we maintained the lesser wage lifestyle at his higher wages. It just took self control. Self control I learned the hard way.

I learned to sew and have made some dresses for Cindy and myself. It's just as expensive by time I buy the pattern, material and thread but they have made some great mother and daughter projects. I've even thought about selling some at yard sales to make money but lacked confidence in my ability.

Cindy grew up to be a beautiful feminine young lady. Not exactly what she may have become had I held fast to my feminist views. She is waiting for the right man and following my advice of waiting for marriage to have any sexual relations. The right boy will wait. Don't get me wrong, that didn't come easy. Human nature is human nature.

She learned at an early age to help cook and clean. She never was spoiled with many of the things other girls had. She never seemed to mind though as she had what she needed.

I might add Cindy is no longer ashamed to have friends come over. Her friends seem to even enjoy my company. Something I found odd. Maybe they think I'm odd, who knows?

I still have my restrictions, rules and discipline. I'm still only allowed to wear dresses and haven't cut my hair in ten years. I enjoy that however. It's no longer hard to submit to the paddle and thank Tim for using it. It doesn't even bother me that Cindy knows when I am getting punished. She grew up knowing about it. There have been times we both got punished one right after the other.

Tim is still the meek and easy to get along with guy that started as my best friend and still is to this day. A hard working man who grabs all of the overtime he can get. A man who enjoys his time with us whenever possible. He never abuses his authority but has grown used to his position as the head of our household. He no longer hesitates to put me over his knee and warm my bottom. I no longer think about punching him when he does. He does that for my own good. For our good. I accept that.

The Camaro was traded for a regular Ford pickup truck. The Taurus was traded for a newer Taurus wagon. Both deals were almost an even swap so we didn't lose much money. The guy who traded the pickup paid for Tim's license plates and title change since the Camaro was worth more money. That helped.

High School naturally costs more but we manage. Tim's raises and other cost cutting endeavors have really helped. I'm just thankful Cindy likes school and is a good student.

One thing that really helped save money was family time. Sitting out on the back porch instead of going out to see movies. Spending time talking and enjoying each other's company instead of going to games, clubs, parties or eating out.

Another thing which we found cut costs was our phones. I only need a land line and Tim has an old flip phone without any type of social media. Just a plain phone. For us a phone is just for emergency use. Our old computer does good enough otherwise.

We still have our family meetings where we all take part. We all share ideas about how to cut costs or make a few dollars on the side without ruining the lifestyle we have. We all agree we would rather have less than allow needless vanity destroy our family and the bond that has developed between us. Of course we laugh and joke about day to day life and whatever strikes us as funny.

We're finding that the old ways work better for us. Our parents and grandparents lived far better lives than Tim and I did when we tried to live like everyone else. I guess the Bible is right when it says seek ye the old paths where in is the good way. Sometimes those old fashioned ways are good by comparison. When men were men and women were women. Given the choice I would never go back to how we lived before. I've been blessed.