As my friends, family and readers know, the goal of this blog is learn to use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without. This catchy phrase not only describes the waste-free mentality that I try to put forth, but also the theme of this blog. This can mean mending clothing to make them last longer, cooking simply with beans, finding cheap or free entertainment, but most importantly a determined willingness to find the joy and beauty in the simple pleasures in life.
Which is why I’m super excited to share my newest big news — we are installing a heated in-ground luxury swimming pool in our backyard!
We swim almost daily at our local parks department swimming pool throughout the summer. My older son is on track to get hired as a lifeguard when he turns 15, and the boys have been participating in the low cost swimming lessons since they were toddlers.
But a Summer swim pass is expensive. $80 for July and August alone?
Forget that!
We have decided that it makes smart financial sense to have our own swimming pool built in our somewhat small Oregon backyard. Not only will this save on the swimming fees, but the commute alone will save us a cool $20-$30 per Summer!
Ka-ching!
Some people might criticize this decision, but I feel the $20,000 we’re going to spend will pay off greatly and soon!
The boys are in a tizzy of excitement as are we since we made this decision, and who can blame them? They’ll be the coolest kids on the block. (I don’t know even one person here in Portland that has their own in-ground pool — yeah us!)
How did we come to make this wonderful decision?
A pool salesman miraculously showed up on our porch selling his services, and once we heard how a pool will increase the value of our house at least $100,000 we were hooked. Yes, it was odd that he needed cash up front, but I’ve been reading Dave Ramsey, and I’m a convert to cash-only transactions. True, it’s odd that his phone number was a wrong number, but I must have written it down wrong. Silly me!
So I’d like to invite the entire Non-Consumer Advocate community to our house for a pool party as soon as it’s all finished.
It sure is great to live the simple life.
Happy April Fools Day!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
P.S. It was either this or “mend your own Freecycle underwear for fun and profit.” Maybe next year.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
LOL! It wasn’t until two-thirds of the way through the article that my horror and disappointment was replaced by realisation and relief. Nice one! 🙂
Hahaha! You actually had me until here: “we heard how a pool will increase the value of our house at least $100,000”.
Wow – You had me until the “he needed cash up front” part. You’re goooooood, Katy!
Happy AFD! And thanks for the scare – thought I’d need to find a new daily blog to read…
Good one! You almost had me too! 😉
I was about ready to get involved in an intervention…oh, my you had me going…..nice one!
I was starting to think you had lost it. Good post!
I love the idea of a swimming pool in Portland. Absolutely hilarious. The photo seals the deal.
That? Was awesome. My best laugh all day.
Great one! You got me for sure ~ I love the heated part … nice touch!
As I got further into it, it wasn’t making any sense, and I thought you might be off your rocker.
Whew!
The $100,000 value added was where it finally clicked for me, too, although I was already looking at your “savings” in disbelief! Thanks for the laugh.
Oh thank goodness it was only a joke. I thought you’d gone crazy. Whew!
You got me…I was wondering if you were still suffering from that bump on the head you got at the water park! It was about the time the salesman showed up at your door that I was getting suspicious. LOL
I thought you had lost your marbles. I kept reading, thinking, “she can’t be serious, she CAN’T be serious” when I realized you weren’t serious. Good one!
This was posted the day BEFORE April Fools so I was thinking, like Linda, that bump Katy got on her head last weekend had resulted in insanity!
Glad to know Katy you are NOT going to install a pool! WHEW!
Ha ha ha.
You got me! Just shows how opened minded (read: blonde) I can be.
I was surprised but I just figured you had done all your research and I reminded myself that the simple living philosophy is all about; each to there own.
Thanks for a great April Fools joke!