It's a Team's Life

Still Home

Still Home

Last week I had written that we were home getting some projects done around the house and taking care of doctor’s appointments for both humans and animal. This week, I am sorry to say that nothing has changed. We spent last week at home also. Why? Well, we had another home project to complete and more appointments for our dog, Rocky.

In this blog, I want to talk about how it seems that when we are home we spend way more money than when we are working. It seems interesting that we spend less on the road. Why is that? Some might say it’s because we are working. While I can agree with that to an extent. There are many ways in which we could spend so much more when we are away from home. The main areas are fuel and maintenance. Using a fuel card seems to help me forget that we are actually spending money on fuel. Maintenance so far has not been a major issue; however, we are nearing the half million mile mark which means things can happen when we least expect them. Fortunately, I am prepared by having set monies aside in the maintenance savings account. Eating out seems to be a big one for us. Despite the fact that we have a good size sleeper, we still want and need to get out, stretch our legs and socialize. That can cost money too. Yet, it still seems that I have far less receipts to go through when we are on the road. 

When we first start from home, we have a freezer and refrigerator filled with healthy foods. Over time, the healthy food is eaten and we tend to gravitate towards the many unhealthy choices that can be found in the truck stops. While Dave does prepare food both at home and in the truck, it is not as easy to find organic foods on the road. We do the best we can (or at least that’s what we tell ourselves).

When we are home, we are so busy running errands, visiting family and friends and working around the house that we do not take the time to prepare those healthy meals at home. That just sounds crazy, I know. It just seems to be the routine that we have. Routines seem hard to change. What are some routines that you have when home to cut back on spending so much money? Or do you find that you are just the opposite of us in that you spend more on the road instead of at home? I truly am interested in hearing your ideas on how to be financially balanced between both work life and home life. Until next week…

Here’s to millions of safe, profitable and BALANCED miles.

Kelly Plumb