The Cost of Living…
27 August , 2007The cost of living just keeps going up, but it still beats the alternative right? 😉
Yesterday, my rent was increased by 50% *gasp*. I moved back to my parents after my privatisation (divorce), because I realized I could either live on my own or study, and even after I found my feet again it was nice to not come home to an empty house. Initially they didn’t want to charge me anything, but I (the clever one) insisted. The reason being that I thought it would put us on a more equal footing. I have always related better to my parents in a grown-up situation that a child-parent one (probably because I am so full of shit but that’s besides the point).
Living with them is a lot cheaper than living on my own, for sure. But it’s not all moonshine and roses. There are a whole bunch of things that you have to give up on when you live like I do – one being any trace of privacy (which is pretty big to me). So far the pros have outweighed the cons of staying – but when it gets to that point where the difference is not significant then I might just reconsider this arrangement.
I am still trying to decide if this 50% price hike might just be the queue that I was waiting for? Not to say that I don’t love my family to pieces – because I do…and I really appreciate that they took me in when I needed it, even though it put their own safety at risk. But maybe…just maybe…it’s time to spread my wings again? Still thinking about it – but I’ll keep you posted. 😉
On a totally unrelated matter there is also the stupid Amway thing. My own father has in his old age gone off the deep end and “invested” in not-a-pyramid-scheme Amway. Shortly after that he also “invested” into not-a-timeshare Holiday Club. And as if the shame of this isn’t enough he has GIVEN UP a number of MY CONTACTS for harassment by the ring leader of this nonsense. To say I am somewhat miffed about this would be an understatement. It seems he is hell-bent and determined to alienate anyone he met over the last 53 years? First he buys a club and spends his weekends exclusive there for 3 years…then he puts the few people that still keep contact with him despite the neglect on a mailing list?! And now he moves on to mine? I think not…I need to put a stop to this.
Amway…you (and your annoying products) can kiss my ass! Release my dad – and stop harassing my friends. 😦
*Update: Talks were held. Both parties left in a huff…I think this might be the last Amway discussion in our house for a while.
Clicking on the image will take you to DeviantART where you can learn more about the art and the artist (Leap of Faith by ArtemisSun)
123 Blog Myself 
Well, there’s that old saying, “If you love something, set it free. If it returns to you, it’s yours forever, if it doesn’t, then it was never yours to begin with.” While that doesn’t really seem all that applicable, I can just say that sometimes leaving a place for a while will broaden your horizons a bit and perhaps help you find a sense of belonging.
All I can say, however, is that you should do whatever you believe will make you happy. Sometimes we prefer our “safety zone” just because it’s familiar, regardless of whether we’re happy or not. But at the same time, you have to be wary of what you’re getting into 😉
As for Amway and lol… your father’s holiday .. er.. schemes… I’ve always believed, don’t give it money unless it’s insurance or medical aid… Anything else is a waste of money.
I think you might be right about the comfort zone thingy Lycan…*sigh*…still thinking in case you were wondering. 😛
This is a really nice house. I always kind of thought I would buy it from my parents some day. Maybe I still will, who knows?
*Oh, and you know what other calls I hate – those “you have won blah-blah-blah…if you come and attend a teeny tiny presentation” ones. I am very suspicious of winning competitions I didn’t enter…feels like a booby prize to me? 😉
My favourites are still the, “I’m not going to sell you anything” calls which end up with, “We would like to offer you yadda-yadda for so-and-so much” – those calls drive me nuts.
Unfortunately I’m polite… I wait for them to finish their 5 minute sales-pitch and then I kindly say, “No thanks, have a great day” and let that be that. Also depends on their attitude with me – if they’re rude and interrupt me, it’s an instant hang-up.
I don’t have this politeness problem. I know they think it bugs me that the call is recorded – but really it doesn’t. 😉
50%? That is quite a steep rise in rent, even from family ;-). I cannot imagine living with my (old) family any more. I have changed so much that they wouldn’t really recognize me if they look closely. casual interaction with them works fine for me.
I think if you can afford it, try to live on your own. You get more independent this way. If you cannot, then you have to accept the situation for the time being.
How is life in SA? I haven’t seen any summer this summer that it sucks.
that picture’s spectacular…
and i so get where you’re coming from with the not-a-pyramid-scheme thing, i have an aunt who sells “gnld” and EVERY conversation turns into a lecture on what her product can do! drives me barmy…
as for living at home, the thought crosses my mind every now and then- but then i wouldn’t be able to spend all night on the couch on line in a t-shirt coz my dad would want the day bed to himself!
Hey Gobody! How are you? Wow…I’ve been thinking about you all week, wondering when you would pop in again to say something. 🙂
Life in SA is marvelous…getting ready for summer again. You remember how that went last year, right? Having no summer?! That’s bad planning Gobody…
Are you planning on lining up a double summer soon to make up for it? And when are you coming to see SA? 🙂
Thanks angel!
I also liked the picture instantly when I found it. 🙂
The one thing that I missed the most when I moved back here was having a bubble baths the way I used to have them. I tried it the first week sans the music…just with candles – but the bloody door was almost knocked down cause my dad couldn’t understand why the lights were off and this lead him to worry that I might be drowning?! Hehe…sometimes they go away for a week or so, then I do what I want wherever. *sigh* I miss that…
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You would not believe me if I told you that some pro-amway person left a comment here (with links?!) to tell me that amway is not evil. Gmf!
Not on this here blog you don’t…
So anyone who was interested in joining up – go google it yourself fools – you will not follow it from here if I can help it. And any other people who feel the desperate need to post pro-amway comments here (with links?!) be advised – I will mark you as spam!
The end.
Hi Sweetie, thinking about me for the whole week, wow, you just made my day. Summer plans, just like summer this year, sucks. I have been just going around here to a few new places under weather that is best described as “not cold”. If I could, I would take the first flight down to SA, but obligations (just like the weather) sucks.
Miss talking to you.
I miss talking to you too!
“not cold” just about says it all. 😛 When you get all your ducks in a row you really must come here for a visit. Not by any stretch of imagination do we just consider this “not cold”…it can get downright hot!
I live with my parents as well. Privacy is definitely at the bottom of the priority list in that case.
🙂
The whole concept of knocking before you open a door is something that I hope will catch on eventually…