Norma's Homemade Banana Bar

The Final Five Days - Day 2

Did you recently make a significant purchase? (Gasoline doesn't count)
Is there something you have that has reached its end-life?
Are you planning any major purchases or changes to your lifestyle?
What's your take on this 'New Normal' we hear about?


We are remodeling a room in our home. We ordered the windows in January and were told it would take eighteen weeks for them to be delivered, versus three weeks in the past. The cost for two windows is triple the cost of three windows five years ago. We ordered paint for the room. The price of paint for two gallons and two quarts is now $160.00. We picked up 2x4 lumber in February. $235 for #10 ten foot and #10 nine foot. Spray-in foam insulation was $829. We are doing the wiring ourselves, the painting ourselves, the floors ourselves. A local friend will do the framing, dry-wall, and help put in the windows. We also are inserting three special windows in an inside wall, two leaded glass and one antique stained glass. Those are in the hands of an artist friend in town.

This small room, only 12 ft x 15 ft, will cost us about the price of a decent used car. Good thing I have a frugal husband who saved money for this project.

We don't buy much online or retail. We haven't purchased new clothing, besides underwear and socks, for years. If anything breaks, then we replace it. But to buy just for the sake of acquiring, that has been off the table for years.

Thrift stores, resale stores, trading with friends, those are the new normal for us. We grown a garden every year for the wonderful produce it gives us. Oh, and we have started keeping the car full of gas at all times. You never know when that supply will suddenly be cut off.