Saturday, June 7, 2008

Venting

Ok, so this post is completely unrelated to paper crafting, but I needed to vent. All of you "mainlanders" who complain about your high gas prices need to stop!! :-) I live on Maui. Maui County has had the highest gas prices in the nation for a long, long time. We are regularly $0.50/gallon higher than even Oahu prices. This morning I noticed that gas in Lanai City is now $5.11/gallon!!!! Really, when is this going to stop?
We moved to Maui several years ago from Oklahoma (possibly the cheapest cost of living ever) and the adjustment to the extremely high cost of living has been very hard for us. Even now, with the housing market so terrible most places (it hasn't hit us quite as hard as everywhere else...yet) the median home price on Maui is well over $700,000. Now, our home wasn't quite that much but it was easily FIVE times the price of the house we had in Oklahoma. Groceries are expensive too. I do a little dance in the grocery store when I'm able to buy a gallon of milk for less than $7!!! And utilities are CRAZY as well!!! Our first water bill in our new home was $389. Our electric bill just increased from around $250/month to $350/month (and we don't even have air conditioning!!!!). And trust me, we are NOT living in a mansion. Yes, we live in a new home in a nice neighborhood, but it's just your average middle-class neighborhood - nothing fancy. Our house is NOT huge (actually on the small side by mainland standards....1800 sq. ft).
I often feel extremely jealous when I read other paper-crafters blogs and see that the majority of you are SAHMs. I only WISH we could afford for me to stay home full-time with my son. I do feel fortunate that I am able to work part-time (3 days/week), but I feel like I miss so much when I'm gone. Sometimes I think that if we moved back "home", we could afford for me to not work. But that would mean leaving Maui, which has become home to us. When I start feeling frustrated, discouraged, sad, mad, etc about the high financial burden of living in paradise, I sit down and open up my son's scrapbook. Yes, the cost of living is extremely high here. But we rarely pay for entertainment. We spend Saturdays doing something outdoors as a family EVERY weekend of the year - summer and winter. Last year we spent Christmas Day at the beach! I thought I would share some of the pictures that make me feel better about the situation. I may complain LOUDLY and OFTEN about the price of paradise, but I'll keep paying it for as long as we can. It's worth every penny to see my son growing up in such a beautiful place!!

Smelling the flowers (red ginger) in our yard...

At the beach a few weeks ago....


My son and I hiking through the rainforest about 10 minutes from our house...

Dean LOVES trees!

Dean trailblazing through the rainforest (his favorite Saturday morning activity)

Checking out a "baby pineapple"


OK, thanks for letting me vent!! I feel much better now! I gotta run...we're headed to the beach!

6 comments:

Nancy Riley said...

Jen, I feel your pain, girlfriend! I think the economy is taking it's toll on almost everyone (some harder than others!). My husband's job as a landscape designer has been greatly affected by the poor housing market. As a result, I am looking for employment after being a SAHM for 14 years! I think 2008 will be a year we'd all like to forget!

Anonymous said...

I'd be complaining with those prices, too!!

I would love to live in Hawaii, too(just for a couple years if we could get stationed there with the Army), but those prices make me think twice!!

Dana said...

Hugs to you! I know things must be extremely frustrating but know there is a reason you're there! Maybe it's there to let your son experience all that water! ;)

Anthonette said...

Wow, I knew Maui was super expensive since I've been there several times, but your prices are outrageous! For a long time, the Bay Area had the highest prices for gas. Last April, I was shocked that filling up our tank in Maui was cheaper than home. A few days ago, I was shocked to pay $4.26/gallon and that was at a Costco gas station. At stations around town the prices are at least $4.35. We own a Toyota Prius, but it is still unbelievable to see these prices. I had no idea gas in Maui was over $5. The Costco in Kahului doesn't have a gas station, does it?

I can't believe your utilities are so off the scale in price. Our water/trash/sewer is about $180 every 2 months. Two gallons of milk at Costco was $4.79 a few days ago. Electricity is about $180/month this time of year. Six months ago we installed new windows and a sliding door. We were losing so much energy with those 20 year old windows and door.

Dean is very lucky to grow up in my favorite paradise. He is also lucky to have a talented Mom that is documenting his life. I love all the pictures.

Anonymous said...

Oh my stars Jen. I would be venting too!
But this might make you feel better... I live in Alberta, a Canadian province that is among the largest oil producing on the continent, maybe in the world, and we're paying $4.89 a gallon. (Hmmm... somethings screwy...)

I'm in a similar boat too - with working, except I work full time. My employer doesn't offer part time positions right now. My boys are in care full time, and its hard. But in some respects, it makes me a better mom as I know my time with them is so precious.
Hang in there girl! (oh by the way - if you ever want to feel grateful for where you live, check out this post on my blog:
http://www.littleinklings.typepad.com/little_inklings/2008/04/look-what-we-wo.html

Sears Family said...

wow can't believe those high prices!!!

I live in the Phoenix, AZ area and the summer are soooo hot. And summer start in April and last till October. We can't do family stuff outside on the weekends or we would just burn up!