by Beks
One of our roommates is moving out on September 1st. We set aside money to cover the loss of rent for the month so we’re still on schedule. I was looking forward to having a quiet month with some alone time with my husband but it looks like I’ll be serenaded by the sounds of hammers and saws. We are using this time to tear down an interior wall between our bedroom and the guest bedroom to add insulation and soundproofing before the new roommate moves in at the end of September. If I want alone time with my man, I’ll have to throw on a hard hat, a ratty t-shirt, and an old pair of jeans. You can count me in whenever sledge hammers are involved.
I’m fortunate to be married to a hardworking construction genius who can do the work himself (plus, my husband looks irresistible in safety goggles). We only have to pay for the materials which should run about $100.
Why are we insulating? Our house was built in the 1950’s and no insulation was used on any interior or exterior walls. Our heating and cooling bills are much higher than they need to be. The initial expense of the upgrade will be quickly paid for in lower electric bills plus, it’s better for the environment. And… our new roommates are newlyweds – that’s reason enough in itself.
It always seems like when we have an opportunity to get ahead, the necessities of life burn through the cash. Between tuition costs, new dog vet bills, and the two weddings, we have had to pony up more than $3,000 in the last two months.
These expenses would have buried us in the past, but careful planning and frugal spending have kept our heads above water.
Beks is a full-time government employee who enjoys blogging late into the night after her four kids have gone to sleep. She’s been married to Chris, her college sweetheart, for 15 years. In 2017, after 3 long years working the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps, they paid off more than $70K and became debt free. When she’s not working or blogging, she’s exploring the great outdoors.
That’s great!! I feel amazing when something pops up that I would have had to go into debt for in the past…and NOW I can pay cash!!
Yes, it always seems that unexpected expenses eat through my cash. It’s so important to be prepared for them though. Insulation is a great investment!
You ARE lucky your husband can do this work himself!! Not only do you save money, you don’t have to make a bet on a contractor who may or may not do a good job, show up, etc.
And I hear you on the insulation. I used to live in an apartment that was the first floor of a 90 year-old house… The only “insulation” it had was a double wall for the exterior with nothing but air between. And I live in Boston. The winters were COLD. When I moved to my condo with modern insulation, my heating bills dropped by two thirds even though I gained more space.
I rented a house two years ago with three roommates. It was super cheap, but it was a very, very old house. Was there any insulation? Probably not. Our landlord replaced a big window before we moved in, mainly because its one of the few things he could do without tearing the house apart to insulate it. It’s a necisity, and as you said, your new roommates are newlyweds.
It might seem like you are spending a lot, but only $100 to insulate a wall? That is unheard of! You are extremely lucky that you didn’t have to pay a contractor to do the work.
I’m glad I’ve found your website. Just started mine about the same subject. Hope I can learn from you! 🙂
I know what you mean about living in an old house. It seems like all of our money goes to house repairs as well.
Good luck!
Janie
Glad you’ll be able to do the upgrades for cheap! Good luck with the new roommates!