Lunchtime Math
It's lunchtime in the office of the Bookish Girl and we're ready for some math.
Rob and I live in a 3-family house, of which we own exactly 1 floor and 1/3 of the shared areas. What this equals is about 8,000 lbs of headache. Not because our neighbors are horrible, they are awesome. Not because we weren't self aware and careful about our purchase, because we were. Because we were fooled and led astray by an evil developer with a small bank account and an even smaller brain, we recently discovered that our "new" roof ("new" when we bought it, almost 2 years ago) needs to be replaced. "New" roofs don't have $10K worth of repairs in them. No, "new" roofs that have 10K worth of repairs need to be REPLACED. Jerk.
This leads to our next math problem. My next project. Project? Me? Knit? Yes, I do, every day, every weekend, every minute that I can. You'd think I'd talk about it a bit more, eh? Yah, you'd think.
So, Kay waxes phil about the beauty and loveliness of denim. Kay taints us with announcements of said denim on sale. And then Knit and Tonic (a Knitting Wendy!) drapes herself across her blog with an even larger carrot - a Finished Sweater, Raspy (Rowan from Denim People.) This is totally my kind of sweater. The yarn at Elann is totally my kind of price. It's a beautiful coupling. That is, until you consider the roof. And my budget. And my debt. And my teeny paycheck. And the vacation I just took.
Math!
I think that this project will take 13 balls of the Den-M-ite Yarn (13*100 yards = 1300 yards.) This may be cutting it close as the Rowan denim (the pattern yarn) has 101 yards in it (13*101 yards = 1313 yards.) If I am 13 yards short I will cry.
Each ball costs $3.25, $3.25 * 13 = $42.25. Not too bad, considering the cost of the Rowan Denim. Shipping! This/These bag(s) of yarn will find its way to my door for a mere $7.25.
Total cost = $49.50
If I save $15 of my allowance (yes, we have a weekly allowance, it's the only way to control our spending) I think I can save enough in: $50/$15 = 3.333333 weeks. August 19th to be exact. Which is nice. Between now and then I can finish up and start one project in my pile. And I can get you all updated on my knitting adventures.
They're crazy I tell you and almost all involve some math!
Rob and I live in a 3-family house, of which we own exactly 1 floor and 1/3 of the shared areas. What this equals is about 8,000 lbs of headache. Not because our neighbors are horrible, they are awesome. Not because we weren't self aware and careful about our purchase, because we were. Because we were fooled and led astray by an evil developer with a small bank account and an even smaller brain, we recently discovered that our "new" roof ("new" when we bought it, almost 2 years ago) needs to be replaced. "New" roofs don't have $10K worth of repairs in them. No, "new" roofs that have 10K worth of repairs need to be REPLACED. Jerk.
This leads to our next math problem. My next project. Project? Me? Knit? Yes, I do, every day, every weekend, every minute that I can. You'd think I'd talk about it a bit more, eh? Yah, you'd think.
So, Kay waxes phil about the beauty and loveliness of denim. Kay taints us with announcements of said denim on sale. And then Knit and Tonic (a Knitting Wendy!) drapes herself across her blog with an even larger carrot - a Finished Sweater, Raspy (Rowan from Denim People.) This is totally my kind of sweater. The yarn at Elann is totally my kind of price. It's a beautiful coupling. That is, until you consider the roof. And my budget. And my debt. And my teeny paycheck. And the vacation I just took.
Math!
I think that this project will take 13 balls of the Den-M-ite Yarn (13*100 yards = 1300 yards.) This may be cutting it close as the Rowan denim (the pattern yarn) has 101 yards in it (13*101 yards = 1313 yards.) If I am 13 yards short I will cry.
Each ball costs $3.25, $3.25 * 13 = $42.25. Not too bad, considering the cost of the Rowan Denim. Shipping! This/These bag(s) of yarn will find its way to my door for a mere $7.25.
Total cost = $49.50
If I save $15 of my allowance (yes, we have a weekly allowance, it's the only way to control our spending) I think I can save enough in: $50/$15 = 3.333333 weeks. August 19th to be exact. Which is nice. Between now and then I can finish up and start one project in my pile. And I can get you all updated on my knitting adventures.
They're crazy I tell you and almost all involve some math!
posted by Bookish Wendy at 8/03/2005
16 Comments:
Dude. I feel your pain. They're talking about financial planners and second mortgages for owners to pay for the next assessments in our building. I'm not kidding.
I wish we could sell but we can't afford to buy anything.
The whole market sucks. Money sucks.
I like that allowance idea.
Home repairs bite, shitty developers bite, having to negotiate expensive decisions with virtual strangers bites too.
But through it all, we knit.
Oh Wendy, good luck. First of all math is hard, and then when you're done figuring, when you get a bad result that's even worse. I understand. More than you know... but that all won't be public blog fodder for at least another month! :)
It is really good that you have some $$ planning in place already. I think you'll be fine.
Well as I don't do the math thing very well, I'll take your word on it!
:)
The allowance idea is great. There was a point where I entered all our purchases into a program on my Palm Pilot that sorted them by category. Boy were we surprised to see how much we spent on random stuff and fast food. And we couldn't figure out why we had such trouble paying our bills... The 3 weeks will go by in no time :)
If you order it today on a credit card you will have saved up enough by the time your statement comes to pay for it guilt free, but also you will have ensured that this deal won't dry up before you get back to it!
Just a thought from you friend,
Johanna
Jofrog is Knitfrog
Hey, 3 weeks is no time. Make sure you get an extra skein so you don't run out of yarn!
Sorry you have to go through financing a new roof, that sucks!
I am assuming that mathematically speaking you only own 1/3 of the roof? These things happen... which is why saving for rainy days makes sense. At least you had a fun night out and the lightning didn't strike YOU. Stay safe. And for every yarn bargain that gets away there are 10 or 20 more.
I know it seems like loadsa dosh but Denim is THE COOLEST. You are supposed to machine wash and dry--and treat it rough. LUV IT. The perfect stuff 4 little boys.
I made a sweater for my 5 yr olf outta it and just finished a baby blanket for a mom/baby in Savannah (too hot for wool) that I striped with the different shades and I'm planning a jumper dress for my 2 yr old, and maybe a Raspy too (love Knit n Tonics Raspy).
Plus, denim is a small gauge. You will not finish raspy in a wekend. Its a good knitting value!
Ok I'm enabling. But its a good choice for yarn buying on a budget. Cannot wait to see it all!
Dude - you'll work it out. But, probably? You want an extra skein. Do *not* permit the possibility of a banff repeat, 'kay? Love ya!
What a COOL book! I'm feeling you on the denim yarn now, I want it all! And elann is such genius so being so cheap.
Great sweater. I totally feel your pain with the roof -- we just had a new one done last summer and then had to have it re-done. Sucked! I think you have a good plan with the budget :-)
Does Elann Denim shrink the same as Rowan Denim? (I know they don't all shrink in the same proportions--you might want the extra skein just to swatch and make sure!)
I'm on awe that you can keep to your budget...especially when it comes to the fiber goods. It's kinda funny how the math of budgeting seems difficult, but when we have to tweak a pattern it seems a bit easier.
By the by, the edge of the scarf IS beaded, the extra length of yarn was an unwanted by product of my long tail cast on...
Allowances suck. When I'm Queen of the World, yarn will be free.
That is stinky about your roof.. I am sorry... The allowance thing is a good idea! I can usually control spending fairly easy.. but do you think if I gave Scott an allowance he would go for that?! Think not. Have a great weekend :)
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