Aloha from Kauai! Long time, no updates..... My internet access here is 'poor' at best. I don't have my own service provider and am struggle to figure out a method for gaining a stronger signal through the 'guest' access provided by my landlords.
So, frustration abounds when I try to catch up on emails, post to the blog, pay bills, etc. Seems like evenings here are next to impossible. So far, my best times are when everyone else here is either sleeping or working.
It's been a week since I posted, so let's see... where to start?
First of all, my car is here and I now have Hawaii plates! YAY! The bad thing is, the garage who inspected my car wants to charge me for physically swapping out the plates. I am not going to pay him for something that will literally take him two minutes.
I'm here 'on a budget' and I don't intend to spend $$$ on things that aren't necessary. Somewhere, someone on this island will help me out with this.
Speaking of budgets, people ask me how I can afford to live in such a very expensive place. Well, I was brought up to spend less than I earn and I've always saved. One of the wisest things I think I ever did was pay extra on my mortgage. Tony and I did that from Day #1 and it enabled us to save what we would have paid the bank(s) in mtg interest. That's a lot of money over a lot of years and several mortgages..
So, just by always spending less than I earned, I have a small nest egg that 'should' get me through a few months here of not working. I rented my house in Ohio, so that rental income supplements my rent here in Kauai.
I am wise about where I spend my money. I consider the difference between 'wants' and 'needs'. I splurge on things that will really make me happy; not unnecessary clutter and stuff. I figure I foolishly collected 'stuff' for 30 years in Ohio. One day, I woke up and wondered why I had so much 'stuff'. I no longer need 'stuff'. I no longer want 'stuff'. I just want the things necessary to sustain me and the things that make me truly happy.
I furnished my place here with hand me downs, second-hand items, and inexpensive things from Walmart and K-mart. I've been having fun finding 'necessities' at garage sales and on Craigslist. (I still have a few more things on my garage sale 'wishlist' and I am confident I will find them....eventually)
I did splurge on a few things that make me happy. For instance, I am tickled with the bargain I got on my brand new dresser. I bought it from a very fine furniture store in Lihue called Two Frogs Hugging. Their pieces are beautiful and absurdly expensive. I've been haunting their discount outlet and their store when they have sales. The dresser appeared to be a great deal and I snapped it up in a second. Turns out that when they started to ring up the sale, they discovered they had mismarked the price tag, by several hundred dollars. We almost had a 'no deal' event, but we bartered based on their error and my disappointment and we came to an agreement. I am happy with the only new piece in my place; not only because I love how it goes so well with the rest of my furnishings, but also because I 'got a deal'. I had no idea how invigorating that is!
I also splurged on my plates, mugs, serving dishes. I enjoy using them every single day. They are 'different' and fun, and I'm so glad I got them (30% off sale at Macy's!)
My basic things are as basic as one can get. My trash cans are $1 baskets from yard sales. My 'silverware' is 3 /$1.50 at Walmart. My kitchen utensils are as inexpensive as one can purchase. I don't have a laundry basket.
My lanai (patio) furniture was a Craigslist purchase and the gentleman who sold it to me has become a good friend who has helped me in very many ways. He kindly and lovingly sanded and repainted it. So, when I see and use my bistro set for daily meals, it makes me happy and truly means something to me :)
I have turned into one of those crazy people who washes and reuses Ziplock bags!
I do not pay for internet access. I don't have a TV, nor do I plan to get one, so I don't have to pay for cable.
I go to bed when it gets dark and get up when it is light, so I don't unnecessarily have lights on. I rarely turn on the ceiling fans. I am home when it is cool in the mornings and evenings, and out and about in the afternoons when it is hot. (There is no need for a furnace or A/C here. How wonderful is that?)
I don't purchase books. I borrow them from the library.
I will downgrade my cell plan when my contract runs out in December.
My grocery purchases are based on what is on sale. I don't eat out very often, and when I do 1 restaurant meal = 3 meals for me. I eat lots of local fruits and veggies and (fattening) macadamia nuts. I do not eat a lot of meat.
As crazy as it seems, I even shipped myself a year's supply of shampoo, toothpaste, body wash, etc. Heck, the shipping only cost me $35 for the box and I will have way more than I need.
I shipped my Bose radio, favorite CDs', summer clothes, etc.
And, I don't waste ANYTHING. In reality, I am just 'back to my roots'. My parents taught me well to save and not to waste.
Speaking of shipping things to myself.... Don't believe everything the gov't tells you! The post offices in Macedonia and Streetsboro estimated my boxes would take about 2 weeks to arrive. The post office here, however, said it could take up to six weeks for them to show up. Yikes! I won't even remember what I shipped by then....
I've been here almost three weeks and, so far, only three boxes of 11 have arrived. One showed up today and I have yet to open it.
Every box that arrives is a surprise and it feels like Christmas in October. Can't wait to see what is in today's mystery box!
Speaking of surprises.... yesterday, when I went to the post office to check my mailbox I was touched to find a Willowtree "Angel of Freedom" sent to me by my dear friend, Cathy D. I was sooo touched by her thoughtfulness and the appropriateness of the gift.
And, my goodness, it is sooo cool to get mail here. It makes me feel like I really live here when I open the post office box and actually find mail!
Well, it's just about time for the kiddies to get home from school and the parents to get home from work, so I better publish this post before the internet connection drops anyway.
~~ Kauai Kathy ~~
"Don't Dream; Do!!"
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