A Series of Steps

Since I'm looking at life as a series of steps, or at least my upcoming trials and tribulations as a series of steps, I'm now heading into step three of the personal transformation.
I know you all may not be interested in reading this, but it helps me to write it down. Read if you like, comment if you want..or don't. 

Step one being: Inform Dementor it's over. CHECK
Step two: Obtain job to support self: CHECK (sort of)
The job will probably not pay for everything as it is now. So..here is step three..a series of steps actually..but the goal is "REDUCE THE BILLS"

I thought step three was going to be to pay off the Zoom Zoom, but it's not. Step three is as follows.

Step Three: REDUCE THE BILLS: Do everything I can to reduce current spending. From Car insurances, to house insurances to electric and cancelling the DirectTV.
These are the only bills that I have any control over. So..current plan is:
1. Reduce the current electric as much as possible. (this is the biggy)
 One end of the house, where there are two bedrooms and a bath will be closed off completely. I'll only open them when I'm going to have company. I cannot afford anything above 200$ on the electric and I'd really like to get it closer to 100$. This is going to be difficult in the summer with our weather being such that we live in hell. (our average summer bill is about 250 or better)
All electronics are going on a power strip that I can shut off every night (while sleeping) and every day while I'm at work.
All the light bulbs to be changed out to the newer 'power reduction' lights. (most are already)
All windows will be sealed with plastic and covered with blankets or quilts (some already are)
(I'll be leaving the bottoms 'roll up ready' so that I can use natural heat/cool air and fans as much as possible)
And finally,
Keep my bedroom/bathroom area closed during the day ..it stays cooler in there if it is.
(This is where crones such as myself pray for the time when we start getting cold..I won't run the air conditioner as much thus saving myself some electric! )
2. Search for cheaper car and house insurance:
Currently..I have a pretty good rate, but I might as well make sure it's the lowest!
3. Cut off/out all unnecessary expenditures:  This I cannot accomplish till May. I've already gotten rid of my cell phone..but come May, when my DirectTV contract is up, (it's in my name) I will be cancelling that. (and if Dementor is still here ..he's gonna be hot!) The only other extra expenditure is my 'internet service' which I am desperately going to try and keep. If after a few months I find I cannot afford it, I'll shut it down.
4. Make sure Dementor fixes Little Red back to working order: (Little Red is my red Mazda and right now, it's needs repair and I'm not sure if Dementor intends on repairing it) If I cannot afford the gas in the Zoom Zoom (it's what I call the little blue Mazda), using the Little Red will reduce my gas consumption. It takes regular gas, where as the Zoom Zoom takes premium. The gas milage is a wee bit better then on the Zoom Zoom. (At least, I'll be able to see over the next few weeks, how much it will cost me to go to and from work in the Zoom Zoom .. *I may be able to carpool a bit too.

I think that's it. Step three..a series of things, all leading to "BILL REDUCTION". All of which, will cost me little to no money, only time.  This is a good thing. I'm hoping it will save me money, the more I save, the better off I will be in preparations for what is to come.

Then..will come...

Step 4: Pay off the ZOOM ZOOM:  I don't owe much on it..less the $1000 ..which is great. When I was working before, I paid it down to over half. Now..I'll finish it up. Of course, Dementor bitched about that ..yes yes he did. Hard. But..oh well. He'll get over it. Or not. I'm figuring this step and step 3 will run together. The more I save, the faster I can pay off Zoom Zoom.  :) 

Now, onto Dementor's attitude. He's going to make this difficult, I can tell. There are things that need to be discussed and he just does NOT want to discuss it. If I bring it up, he immediately cops an attitude. Gets nasty and refuses to discuss it.
(blink blink)
You know, in life, you can make things hard or you can make them easy. This is a done deal, the decision has been made, so why make it a miserable experience? I don't understand this. There is no need for it. We have to deal with things, ignoring them is not going to make them go away and being bitchy about it is not going to make them easier.
I swear, I hate men.

He knows I'm waiting on a call about this job. He has yet to ask me anything about it. Matter of fact, he has yet to actually 'talk' to me since I said I was done, it was over.
He's trying to make amends it seems though. He's coming home every night and 'reading the news to me via computer'. (HUH!?) Like I really want you to read to me! You've never done this before..why start now. Like 1 of 5 said "Too little..Too late!" I'm ready to deal with the things we HAVE to deal with..he's ready to start making a marriage. Nahhh I think not.

Anyway..back to "he has yet to ask me about the job'. He hasn't asked me about anything. Nothing. So the new mantra I repeat to myself everyday is.
If you don't care enough to ask, you don't care enough.

Repeat  (as long and as hard as necessary)

****UPDATE: 4PM Jan 26, 2012
All the bulbs that I can get to..or let's say all the bulbs that we use on a pretty regular basis except for 'his' lamps that he will be taken, have been changed to the new 'twisty' energy saver bulbs. I only had one large package, so I used them all in the basic areas of the house. I'll get more as I go along, but for now, 98% of the bulbs are changed. Now..onto the power strips!

The Crone of Repeats

Sage