When it rains, it pours

[Anglewannabe]

Oh boy !

Yesterday, I posted about car trouble. Well…today it is another saga.

My patio screen door to my balcony has been off the hinges for over a year. I am not one to really care about these things especially since I rarely go on my balcony. Well, a few days ago, I thought I was seeing things when it looked like a mouse ran behind my couch. Well, today I know there is a mouse coming in and out of my house because there is a space in the patio door where it is off the hinges/rollers.

I tried to put it back on but just could not do it. I suspect even if someone did get it back on, after opening it once or twice it will fall back off.

So I emailed a handy man I used in the past. He is a good worker and I trust him as much as I would trust anyone in the business. Hopefully he is still in business and he will come and let me know if there is anything permanent he can do.

But…then I started shopping on-line and the cheapest patio doors I could find were almost $500 and that does not include installation.

I have become so obsessed with all the things that need fixing in my life it is crazy.

This has made me realize the importance of a rainy day fund. The problem is, I am barely making enough to cover the basics.

All I can think is thank God when I did have a good job, I had to wisdom to not take on too big of a mortgage and apart from that live debt free. I think I am going to have to start nickel and diming it (ie making a sandwich for lunch instead of buying one). I realize this will probably only save me a few bucks a week, but I think it is time to watch the little expenses and hopefully that will translate into big savings

Angie

 

[EasterJoy]

Put the door back up, and stuff the gaps with 000 steel wool. That ought to keep the mouse at bay (if that is how it is getting in and not just how it escapes when it sees you). They hate having that stuff in their mouths, so they tend not to chew through it. BTW, while it is possible that there is only one mouse, that is not the way to bet. Set traps, and keep setting them until you stop catching them.

Just because you can’t manhandle something yourself with no coaching doesn’t mean you can’t manage it. If you want to be responsible with your money, learn how to do stuff like this. You can do it!

If you use a search engine to look for something like “how to fix a sliding screen door off the sliders,” you’ll get something like this:

fixingscreens.com/sliding_door_screen.html

It is a good idea to put the question in several ways and get advice from several sources about how to do the job. You can also ask for the advice at a hardware store. (It helps to see a few videos, so you’ll have some idea what the clerk is talking about.) If you watch a YouTube, be sure to read the comments. You can learn a lot there, just as you can learn a lot about a recipe posted online by reading the comments of those who have tried it.

Save your money for jobs that really call for a professional. That might be your door, in the end, but do the research and convince yourself, first. This is not always true, but it may be more economical for you to fix it.

 

[tawny]

Praying for your intentions.

 

[Luvz2travel]

I don’t know if you like cats or not but I recommend getting one. I’ve had them 40 years and with all the trouble I’ve had mice has never been on. I have fostered and have had as many as 3 at a time. When I moved into my house the neighbors warned me about the rodents…I just laughed. I’ve never seen one anywhere I also have two feral cats who live in my shed and I feed occassionally. I’ve tried to trap them but they disappear for weeks at a time only to reappear just when I think they are gone forever. You can also borrow used cat litter and sprinkle it around your house that is said to deter mice and other roadents. Except rabbits…nothing seems to bother them. I feel your pain though I’m trying to sell a money pit house that has run me into debt with repairs and maintainence. My best advice is to get an emergincy fund and save it for only when you have no other chose. I still have ongoing repairs but I’m out of money myself so they will just have to remain broken. Steel wool is suppose keep mice out also you can buy granduals they like to eat which are poisonous but then you have the dead bodies to deal with. Yuck. I’d recommend cats.