Cleaning and Finances

So yesterday I updated my spreadsheet of household expenses. Yes I keep a monthly income and expenses record, which I consider my personal profit and loss statement. I don't keep every nickle and dime accounted for but the monthly bills and grocery costs are kept track of. The misc withdrawals have a category of their own which includes the nickel and dime stuff (occasional fast food run, milk run, stuff like that).   While I was extremely happy that my youngest helped us out by finding a lower cell phone plan with our existing cell phone company, and I was able to lower our cable Internet bill, and our auto insurance premium went down a little..I got a notice that our mortgage payment is going up by over $100/month.  There goes any decrease in the monthly outlay! 

I was not surprised that the mortgage payment was going up as I knew they were using 2011's taxes for the monthly escrow amount and it was higher in 2012 and so now they need to increase the payment and make up for the loss they didn't collect last year.  Mortgage companies do that all the time and being in the business, again I was not surprised.  But it does feel like one step forward and two steps back these days.

As much as I appreciate my hubby saying he'll pitch in and do most of the cleaning, I think the spirit of it has petered out!  Let's face it, cleaning is a thankless job. The dust is back by the next day and grimy floor (with the help of 5 dogs) is back within a day or two as well. After exercising, I spent this morning cleaning and vacuuming in the living room and scrubbing the kitchen floor. And after looking at the expenses as they sit now, just when I thought I could justify getting a cleaning person, poof, it is gone! I still want to save for the new metal roof and know that we will need a new water heater at some point (and a bathroom remodel in a few years), it is hard for me to 'waste' money on housecleaning.  When I work on the weekends I don't have time to clean and when I don't work on a weekend I don't want to spend it cleaning, :-)

I think what I may do is talk to hub about getting someone to clean once a month, a good thorough cleaning,  Then the rest of the time we both can clean at least lightly.  That may work.  Then when I do have a free weekend I can have it to relax, refuel, unwind and just enjoy LIFE for once!

Okay, off to walk the dogs, then shower, then no more cleaning for today. I am baking a crumb apple pie as I've been having a hankering for that! So it will be a fun afternoon! Can't wait for the smell of apple pie to waft throughout the house.  Later!