Message Boards

DH decided to do some painting on our upper front porch (railings, balusters, decking) we have traditionally used Sears weather beater paint but were out. We remember paying about $20 for a gallon of this. Turns out Sears no longer sells paints but they recommended Sherwin Williams as they said Sherwin Williams had supplied their paint anyway.

The replacement paint was $62 a gallon! Obviously we will never be able to use this paint again and will switch to Behr. Between the rising costs of oil/gasoline/coffee and other food products our fixed income will fast become simply inadequate.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: lady of shallot,

Sorry, LOS, I'm not being unsympathetic here, but you'll never convince me that BEHR is anything worth my time and effort to use. SW has coupons and sales all the time. I'd wait just a little while and see what comes up. (I know, the season is working against you, but....)

Emily, our decent paint around here is very high priced. It's always been more here than in your country though. Most decent paints are around $40.00. If I want to paint, I try to hit a sale.

Everything is higher. It's a sad fact of life! I did some painting this summer and couldn't believe how expensive paint was!

Martha

YES, that is the story here in Florida too, everything is going up and up!

Regular wall paint is about $40 a gallon unless you wait for a sale, then only get like $5 off sometimes.

AND waiting until the last minute or waiting until damage is done makes the job need more supplies.

Sorry you are realizing this, but it is a fact of life for all of us. We are all facing higher prices. And hiring out is very high cost for house painting.

Just do a manageable amount of work at a time, like one side or one area, then move on to another area when you have the resources. That is how we tackle large costly projects.

Some people have a yard sale to raise funds for a house project or appliance repair, like my neighbor did.

Fill out a card at Sherwin Williams for email alerts. They regularly (every 6 weeks or holidays) have sales on their paint lines. Often 30 percent off and less often 40 percent off.

If I have a project coming up, I buy the paint at 40 percent off and then have it tinted there later when I finally decide on colors.

quote:

Just do a manageable amount of work at a time, like one side or one area, then move on to another area when you have the resources. That is how we tackle large costly projects.

DH did get the discounts available. Still it cost him $49.

Mary Ruth, this is what we do do. The bigger point I am trying to make is that we live on a fixed income, which has not changed in over 12 years (except it is really less as medicare charges increase every year) I am assuming that your husband is still working and maybe even in such a way that he can determine his own price for services.

We are on a fixed income also, and sadly, we cannot afford a transatlantic cruise or to travel as much as we'd like. Or, to buy a new car.

But, we do take care of things in the house right away. It hurts for a minute, financially, but we also know that deferred maintenance will always cost more in the long run.

Sherwin Williams just had a 40% off sale that ended on 9/24.

I love Lowe's Valspar for interior painting. Have never used the exterior.
They offer rebates quite often.

I remember loving the old Sears Weatherbeater paint - used it years ago.

quote:

we cannot afford a transatlantic cruise or to travel as much as we'd like. Or, to buy a new car.

You know Aychihuahua this is interesting. I just did some comparisons and you could cross the ocean for 12 gallons of Sherwin Williams paint!

Naturally we do all the maintenance (except for furnace cleaning and elec/plumbing work) and in a timely manner. Luckily DH can do these chores here he is painting the balusters he also turned on a lathe a couple of years ago.

Sadly though, not even for the price of several around the world cruises, could we afford the biggies like a new heating system or new kitchen or bathrooms. But then our house is old and anyone interested in buying it would not expect those updates.

For twelve gallons of paint? Uh, what kind of ship are we talking about? The Nina, the Pinta, or the Santa Maria?

The Queen Mary 2 and balcony or outside space.

quote:

Originally posted by lady of shallot:
The Queen Mary 2 and balcony or outside space.

But, ya gotta double that for two people and add in airfare to NY, for starters.

ETA: According to Cunard's official website, the cheapest transatlantic crossing for 2013 on the QM2, at 7 days, was $1,119 per person for an inside cabin and $1495 for a balcony cabin, and those were "special offers," if you book by Nov 2012.

Then, how to get back home? Either we book another transatlantic cruise back to NY and then fly home to Austin. Or, we fly directly from Southampton to Austin. That adds another $2500 to $3000 min. for 2. Perhaps a good travel agent can get the price down for a complete package, but I can have the complete exterior of my home professionally painted about 3 times for that price. Just sayin.'

This message has been edited. Last edited by: aychihuahua,

quote:

add in airfare to NY, for starters.

Not for us! And the cheapest fare is actually $749 for a crossing in November. That is for one person.

I think the point I was trying to make was that there are bargains in everything.

Not that I feel the need to defend my choices but after a lifetime of never having a vacation, after retirement we did decide to take some trips that included transatlantic travel (DH will not fly) I actually dearly love to be in the middle of the ocean with nothing in sight except the sea and the sky. Also for a weeks vacation it is a pretty good deal. Of course the meals are extraordinary and served beautifully and graciously.

The accommodations are comfortable and cleaned twice a day. Entertainment is superb and constant (you can walk from one end of the ship to another and hear a pianist in one lounge, a string quartet elsewhere, the jangle of slot machines, dance lessons, and maybe a movie playing in the theatre.

On the QM 2 you can even watch a planetarium show. The lectures are wonderful, on our last cruise(s) there was a history person, a movie producer, a British detective. We have seen John Cleese and many wonderful comedians and stunning dance productions with extremely talented dancers.

This last time we even decided to just plain read a lot. All the Cunard ships have wonderful libraries. You meet wonderful, interesting people . . . like the British detective I got quite friendly with. People that can bring to a lunch table all their interesting travels and sometimes residencies in fascinating places.

I'd better stop as I am making myself so homesick for being aboard! Anyway if you have not done so I can not recommend taking a cruise enough! Just avoid any party ships!

In order to do these trips we have had to deprive ourselves of many choices others would make.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: lady of shallot,

Dear Friends,
IF you think things are high now, they are NOTHING compared to what they are going to be.
Hate to be the bearer of gloom and doom but get ready for a sky rocketing inflation rate.

Love, Lu, I agree with your honesty 100%. I always appreciate your candor. You are one of the most honest people I've witnessed in cyber world. We better get ready for we have seen nothing yet. This is mild in comparison to what is to come unless..............(you fill in the blanks!)

Love, Lu, paintlady,

My doctor remarked last month...'hold onto your seat... the ride of medical costs is about to get rough'! She said prices for medical are about to go very high! I said 'you are scaring me', she said 'I am not joking'.!!!

quote:

Love, Lu, I agree with your honesty 100%.

I also agree. Today our property taxes are due so in transferring money only once I added up the current bills I will also be paying in a day or two. Our water bill for the month is (for the first time) over $100!

Co-incidentally I also happen to be reading 3 books that all take place in the 1930's, one a novel, one a memoir, one a history. I think an awful lot of us are going to be experiencing those kind of times and we all know what ended that depression!