Well the new furnace is now installed, and I’ve submitted all of the rebate forms for processing. I’ll have to wait until next year when we file our taxes to get the federal tax credit, but everything else should be coming by check over the next month or two. It feels good to have such an efficient system in place, and we’re both glad we made the decision to upgrade.
I wanted to share a post that Far Beyond The Stars author Everett Bogue wrote this morning about avoiding lifestyle inflation. Everett has been very successful at increasing his income over the last several months, but he’s aware of how quickly an increased income can be eaten up if we allow our lifestyles to inflate with our income. My husband and I have been fortunate to have a successful business ourselves, and our income has increased quite a bit over the last several years. By avoiding lifestyle inflation, we’re able to pay a substantial amount of additional principal on our mortgage each month (with the goal of owning our little farm and house outright within the next five years), and we’re also able to save a good portion of our income for retirement, emergencies, etc. The only reason we were able to afford to upgrade our furnace to a high efficiency model is because we’ve kept our expenses at about the same level over the years as our income has increased. That means we have more money available when there’s something we really want to do.
For some other good reading, check out this week’s Festival of Frugality (my article about reducing our dependence on cars was included). And another great little bonus that I discovered this morning is a free (!) e-cookbook from Jules at Stone Soup, a minimalist home cooking site. The recipes all have five ingredients and take ten minutes or less to make, and there are great photographs of the food. There are lots of vegan and vegetarian recipes included, so it’s got something for everyone. It’s free, and it’s an e-book, so it won’t take up any room on your kitchen shelves. What’s not to love?!
