Hi from SW Florida...

**TiaW** · 04-23-2008, 01:48 AM

Okay, I'll use the questionairre as an ice breaker...

How did you hear about frugal village? Searching on google

What interests you here? Need to get back to my frugal roots, find new and creative ways to save money

What will you contribute? Any tips I might have or might gain

Do you know any other members here? Nope

How many kids? 4 Ages? Joel, 16, Nate, 12, J.D., 11 and Sarah, 9

Tell us about yourself. Well, my name is Tia, I am a solo mom of the 4 kids above. This is different from being a single mom because I am in fact married but I am parenting alone. My husband, Ryan, is 38 and has a rare, terminal disease. Because of this for the past 2 years he has lived in long term care. He is a hospice patient which means that he has been given 6 months or less but he has been a hospice patient since Oct '07 and he has an incredible will to live so that's in God's hands, not mine. I worked from the time he started getting very ill until he became a hospice patient, at which point caring for 4 kids and traveling 1.5 hrs each way a couple times a week and working became too much for me to handle. Fortunately, we receive his retirement income now and a portion of it will last for my lifetime so I'm using this window of opportunity to go back to college and get my degree so that I can actually support myself, (sahm for years), when the majority of the money stops coming, and so I can provide a better life for myself and my kids. And I'm going to get my degree while caring for the 4 kids and traveling 2x's per week to visit Ryan and make sure he's getting the best possible care. Unfortunately, when I stopped working in October the fixed income I have was just enough to make ends meet at our current level. Now gas and food have skyrocketed and I really need to change some things or we're not going to make it. Yes, we have savings, but I don't like touching that. I am going to touch a very small amount to start container gardening; we don't have "dirt" in our yards down here, just sand, so container vegetable gardening is about the only way to go. Um, what else? I have a good sense of humor, I try not to be cynical, and I'm fiercely independent.

Do you own any pets? Yup, 2 cats, 2 dogs. Used to own 2 fish and 2 turtles as well, but it was getting to feel a bit too much like Noah's ark around here so we shared those animals with others.

Occupation? Full time caregiver/mom/taxi driver/cook/accountant/life guard/student starting in May

Married or single? Married to my best friend

Interests and hobbies? Love to read, love a good movie, any genre, spending time with friends and, hopefully, gardening!

I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone and learning from anyone here willing to teach me the ropes. Thanks! ~Tia