Upside: got a very much part-time job at husband's work and start this weekend! Part-enough time where I can still count as a sahm but also bring in a little bit to help redo the house enough to sell. The planned renovations (and the eventual giant dumpster we'll need to rent) weren't in the budget, but now this is a good way to pay for them!
Downside: had to reapply for the boys' medicaid to cover their health insurance, and took the caseworker's suggestion of applying for the bridge card again as we easily qualify. Our county is somewhat famous within the state for the terribly inefficient branch of the DHS (I could go on for hours on end about how they've managed to lose paperwork despite timestamps on their end saying they got it, having to submit the same folder of proofs six times before they got it for one application, claiming ignorance on the digital proofs that I can see and thus know they can see, etc... and that's just my personal experience. My BFF has a full month's worth of stories she could tell. This didn't happen with neighboring counties that my parents and grandparents have used.), so there was plenty of stressing out at the very thought. When we move I want to get out of our county due to the DHS. However! I had all the proofs ready in a folder, scanned 'em in and put them in a digital folder, and applied within twenty minutes. Then our caseworker called and emailed and man, he is GOOD. Super on top of everything. I told him so and genuinely mean it-- there's so many people who don't care how long it takes to get your stuff processed (and thus how long you may have to deal with little food or doctor bills or holding off on it because you can't afford it, because the caseworker will lose it, "lose" it, or not process the next step in their system), and he's so on the ball and rushes everything through that it shows he DOES care. Good job and thank you, man. Seriously, within 48 hours of submitting the applications he'd been in contact and everything is good. AWESOME.
It's frustrating because when I worked at Sub Shop, we finally made enough to no longer qualify for the bridge card. That felt like a huge step. My parents didn't get one until I was about 17 (despite qualifying for forever and struggling a ton to get food in particular), and it was an enormous weight off their shoulders and as kids we could feel it. I never knock anyone for needing EBT, because honestly? So many people just need it for a little while to get ahead to the point where they don't need it, or have literally no other way to get food. And that's exactly what it's there for. I gladly pay taxes in the hopes that it's helping someone else out the same way my parents needed help. Unfortunately, looks like it's time for us to take a deep breath and use it again so WE can get ahead and get off it.
Jet.com doesn't yet take EBT, so looks like for the time being I'll have to hold off on ordering groceries online (even though I loved the service and saved so much money!). Meijer and Walmart locally started delivering groceries, so either I'll have to try that or carve out a couple hours to go every week again.
On the upside again, I'm really happy with the ability to pack Eric lunches that are balanced and delicious, because we already have the stuff! No more $5-10/workday (which adds up fast when he works 5-6 days a week) on snacks and lunch with the same boring options. I get a super proud feeling when I can send him with a neat little bento box and either a water or a pop. :)
Today after knocking out the regular morning routine (boys dressed, breakfast, dishes and laundry etc) I worked a ton of shampoo into my hair. Trying to get the pinkish dye out because frankly it's not working for me. Brunette with glasses (which have shipped from Zenni!) sounds way cuter.
The goal is to get another dresser drawer of paperwork emptied out and filed away, begin teaching Negi to use a mouse and keyboard so we can give ABCMouse a try, and purge enough stuff to fill up the trash bins for pickup tomorrow. What's your pre-weekend prep look like?