Hey, everybody! Just thought I'd check in, see who's around.
My latest news is that I've recently been promoted at TJ's (AndreaW can tell you what a mixed bag o' tricks that can be!) and am still trying to figure out the whole life/work balance thing.
We're also thinking about maybe at some point trying to buy a house ...? Any Words Of Wisdom, homeowners?
6 comments:
Yay! Congratulations on the promotion. Are you a Manager now? Hurrah for soothing irate/ insane customers. (Ocean Salt! Ha!)
Advice from a possible-life-renter-if-we-don't-come-up-with-a-down-payment sometime: I think you need a down payment for a house. Also? Beware the McMansion. Our friends who bought a 1990-something vinyl sided cutie ended up with a whole hatful of problems due to faulty construction (mold? flooring problems? the need for a roof many decades too soon? yeah). I'd take a tiny brick ranch any day...
Nope, not a manager. My current title is Novitiate, which is kind of a probationary/preparatory supervisory job. Next comes Specialist, then Merchant, then Second/First Mate ("Second" being the probationary title) and C* (can't remember the probationary title for "Captain")/Captain. Only the First Mate and Captain are management.
Ah, the joys of an inexplicably kitschy company!
Novitiate? Totally sounds like you just converted to Catholicism or something.
Specialist? Do you specialize in peach salsa or gourmet frozen pizza?
Merchant? You should totally be wearing an apron and bartering over fresh produce and chickens outdoors.
And the management are all explicitly nautical? Are we on a ship now?
Ah, Trader Joe's, I love you. I don't understand you, but I love you!
Homeowner advice? I can't begin to think of it all! First, whatever you figure your utilities will cost? Double it. Second, be prepared for buying at least one new major appliance in the first year. NOW decide how much house you can afford. Then go ahead and buy the house you THOUGHT you could afford before you did this exercise because you are going to anyway. Everyone does and is blissfully happy dispensing advice that nobody takes because otherwise nobody would buy houses! Utilities and upkeep will cost more than you think, but it is WORTH it if you are careful with your money and love the place dearly.
Buy something with character, not the run-of-the-mill subdivision house. I hear Arts and Crafts bungalows were solidly made, even if they'd require some work to bring up to date. Probably also expensive. But I'm only in the wishful thinking stage (which will most likely last several more years).
Melanie and I bought a house a little under a year ago. I have found myself to be the recipient of a significant amount of "wisdom through experience" in the last 8-9 months.
I would love to help you if I can. I can tell you what we would have looked for if we could do it again. I can tell you that we really love our place and that it has been a blessing from God, much more than we would have hoped to get if we'd been able to control things on our own.
Let me know, I can try to zone in on some specifics...or you can cook that meal you promised the newlyweds and we can chat about it then. :)
Oh, and for those of you wondering, eventually, I will get around to posting photos...I know, I'm terrible...
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