Discouraged

I have been feeling a little discouraged lately.  Maybe it is the pregnancy hormones raging in me.  Last night I just started bawling for no reason.  When my husband asked me what was wrong I couldn't tell him.

The state of the economy is really starting to worry me now.  I really wasn't worried for a long time but now things are really starting to effect us.  I have noticed every time I go to the grocery stores, prices have jumped again.  For example, Country Crock has jumped over $1 in price, that is an increase of 50%.  Most thing are 20-30 cents and when they were only a dollar to start with that is a huge percent.  Ray got a piddly raise this year, but I am still grateful for it since not many people got a raise.  The goverment claims that they give the military raises to match inflation or the growth of the economy or something to that fact.  But my grocery budget has been going over every month and I even increased it like I do every year.  I have been using coupons a lot more but the overages are adding up.  I really have been trying to save more this year and that has been a struggle. (I use the coupons when the item is on sale or is less than the brand I normally buy is.)

Now we found out they want to mess with the military retirement.  Before if you did 20 years you got 50% of your base pay every month for the rest of your life.  Ray has 12 years.  We had the plans that he would work about another 20 years after that and so that money would go straight to a retirement plan and we would live off his other income.  But if the plan goes through he would only get 2.5% for each year he has right now which would be shy of 30%.  Then he wouldn't receive that money for another 10+ years after he retired.  So now our retirement plans are pretty much messed up.  Why don't they cut the politicians retirement?  Most of them make millions anyway in other businesses.  There is no way they deserve 100% retirement for the lousy 2-6 years of service they give our country.

Ray and I made the decision that I would stay home and raise the children.  That we would sacrifice that second income and do as the Lord has asked us to.  I feel that the Lord has really blessed us.  We have been able to do a lot for what we make.  But now I am feeling the pressure.  We have been in the house for 7 years and things are starting to wear out.  Our carpet is hideous.  Our paint is nasty.  We have a rotted piece of wood on the back door jam that we need to replace.  I still want to get a fence so my kids can play out in our back yard without stray dogs and kids wandering in.  I'd like to take my children on vacations every year.  But something has to give.  So the fence may have to wait another year so we can fix the back door.  The carpet will take another cleaning and hopefully will last a few more years so we can finish painting the house.  Savings may suffer so I can pay for groceries to feed my kids.

Now just a side note about the groceries.  I do not shop at more expensive grocery stores and I usually buy store brand items.  Our grocery budget it actually probably at least 1/3 less than the average family of 5.  I make homemade meals most often and with less expensive ingredients.

I know the Lord will bless us, I just need to have faith and not listen to the news so much.