OUCH!

"Ouch" wasn't the only thing I shouted 3.5 weeks ago when I missed a stair and fell with my entire body weight onto the side of my foot. I navigated my home stairs several times a day and yet this time it resulted in a major injury, my broken foot. The pain was excruciating and entirely unexpected.

Today I opened the mailbox to find a bill from the fine folks who deliver heating oil to the tank that sits below my driveway. They come approximately every 8-9 months to fill 'er up. Our home heating system is powered by oil and today when I opened the bill I again said a loud, "OUCH!" One might argue that it should not have been unexpected given the rise in gasoline prices, but it was still a massive shock to the system. Imagine if you had to buy 220 gallons at $4.75/gallon! This was almost twice what I paid the last time the tank was filled.

I have zero control over the price of gas or oil but I certainly have some control over how much I can and will use. Brett and I have already started talking about strategies for this fall and winter. So far we have brainstormed not turning on the heat in the morning, dropping the temp a degree or two when it is on, and of course as my mother used to tell me, "wear a sweater".

There will be many more "ouch" moments this year as long as prices keep rising and sticker shock occurs. I plan to use this time to control what I can in the midst of the many things I cannot. Just as my broken foot has yielded some creative solutions for manuevering around(I can hop like no one's business), creativity will go a long way to empower you and your finances within this economy. Time to put on your thinking cap!