Christmas Lighter Evicted

[Mr. P]

Does anyone know who this person is or seen their show?

https://patch.com/connecticut/woodbury-middlebury/famous-christmas-house-items-be-auctioned-report

[Santas Helper]

Looks more like a display and not a show.

I wonder if the Mad Grab sale is what financially set him in a rut. 

[LOR Staff]

That house looks familiar.  He may have been around here or on Planet Christmas some time in the past.

[k6ccc]

Reading the article, it looks like his eviction had nothing to do with the fact that he ran a light show, but rather that he could not pay his mortgage and was foreclosed.  Granted that the light show may have contributed to his lack of funds.  However he was not evicted because of the show.

 

[Mr. P]

So what is the lesson learned here? For all of you lighters out there, don't spend all your money on Christmas lights and pay the bills first.  😀

[Lubbockredneck]

I'd say the man was dedicated to his love and passion more than his desire to take care of his responsibilities...I've done the same thing in the past, but not on the same level.

[dibblejr]

On 4/12/2019 at 4:57 PM, Mr. P said:

So what is the lesson learned here? For all of you lighters out there, don't spend all your money on Christmas lights and pay the bills first.  😀

Just think of the light show that could be done on his car though

JR

[Mega Arch]

The “gofundme” part destroys it for me. “Gimme” is a national problem. Puking. Go pay your own way. 

[Dcroc]

90% of Americans live check to check.   Only takes one glitch to set most people back, or even totally derail some.   We live with a constant stream of advertising, and media, telling us that our lives are less than good if we don't fill our homes with stuff.  At the end of the day,  we are all responsible for our own actions.   However,  I hesitate to judge those fallen on financial hard times.  I fully understand that it could be me, very easily, if life's pieces were to fall the wrong way.   I have seen injury, and illness, put people out of work through no doing of their own.  People tell me that I make a decent living because I work hard,  have good work ethics, and am good at what I do.  Truth is,  those 3 things only add up to half of the reason.  The other half is pure luck....which could turn at any time.

[dibblejr]

10 hours ago, Dcroc said:

90% of Americans live check to check.   Only takes one glitch to set most people back, or even totally derail some.   We live with a constant stream of advertising, and media, telling us that our lives are less than good if we don't fill our homes with stuff.  At the end of the day,  we are all responsible for our own actions.   However,  I hesitate to judge those fallen on financial hard times.  I fully understand that it could be me, very easily, if life's pieces were to fall the wrong way.   I have seen injury, and illness, put people out of work through no doing of their own.  People tell me that I make a decent living because I work hard,  have good work ethics, and am good at what I do.  Truth is,  those 3 things only add up to half of the reason.  The other half is pure luck....which could turn at any time.

Nicely said, and those with those three qualities understand what pulling at the ok bootstraps to get themselves back in their feet is all about.

JR

[Orville]

On 4/15/2019 at 9:33 AM, Dcroc said:

90% of Americans live check to check.   Only takes one glitch to set most people back, or even totally derail some.   We live with a constant stream of advertising, and media, telling us that our lives are less than good if we don't fill our homes with stuff.  At the end of the day,  we are all responsible for our own actions.   However,  I hesitate to judge those fallen on financial hard times.  I fully understand that it could be me, very easily, if life's pieces were to fall the wrong way.   I have seen injury, and illness, put people out of work through no doing of their own.  People tell me that I make a decent living because I work hard,  have good work ethics, and am good at what I do.  Truth is,  those 3 things only add up to half of the reason.  The other half is pure luck....which could turn at any time.

And those of us on fixed incomes like SSDI or SSI/SS really just can't afford a lot of things either, for almost 6 years there was no power in my home, my wife and I, along with our cats survived, but it was difficult.  Her brother passed away 2 years after we moved in and when that income was lost from him, just wan't enough money coming in with the lot rent{also includes water, trash, and lawn maintenance fees} and along with the mortgage payment to pay the power bill.   Wife finally got SSI a year ago, and therefore we were able to get the power restored and keep it on. 

It also helps I've done away with every incandescent bulb in our home and converted them to LED bulbs.    The Christmas Blow Molds still have incandescent bulbs in them, but I'm trying to find decent C7 bulbs that are bright enough and dimmable to use in them, as well as standard LED bulbs for those that use that type.  we also don't use the stove or dishwasher, mianly use the microwave for just about everything we eat now.

So I don't buy anything unless I can try and save back a few dollars here and there to get something for my display, or new holiday lights for the house.  If it weren't for my wife's retro check, I never would have gotten into RGB lighting at all.  Had to purchase used items, prefer to buy new, but sometimes you just have to get what you can afford to pay all the other main bills that need taking care of.

Before we spend any extras for anything, all the bills are paid in full first, then if we have anything left, which usually isn't more than $5-$10 if we're lucky, sometimes after paying the debts, we may have less than a $1 in the bank.   SS just doesn't pay what I'd call a fair monthly amount, if I broke down what I get I get paid, it's far less than minimum wage in my state, which is $8.50/hour {most jobs I held I made between $10-$20+/hour}, if I break my SSDI payment down it comes out to less than $5/hour.  My wife's is even less than that for what she gets, her would be less than $2/hour.  So her and I are making way, way less than we did when I was able to work and she worked.  This is why so many folks complain about what SS pays monthly.  Because that's all they have to live on and it's almost impossible to get things that may come up, prescription medications, doctors, hospital {E.R. visit}.  Just glad I do have health insurance that covers much of this and my costs are small, but sometimes still hard to get the meds. 

And every job I ever had I took pride in my work, had a good work ethic and was always good at what I did, even if I disliked a job or position I may have been placed in, I always did and gave my best to it.  How I wish I could still work a 40 hour a week job, can't even hold a part-time position with my medical and vision issues now.  It sucks, but not much I can do about it, and no, surgery can't fix quite a few of the medical issues I'm now burdened with.   

And I sure will not set up a gofundme page to get folks to help pay my home off, buy decorations or other stuff I may need or want.  I do it on my own or not all when or if I can.  I've had friends and family suggest or tell me go set up a gofundme site, nope, that IS NOT going to happen.  Did try renting a room for a short time, but that was a disaster, won't be ever doing that again either!

So I'll struggle with what I have and do what I can as I can, even though some things I'm not supposed to do, but if I don't do it, it's not getting done.  Like putting up my holiday displays or repairing things around the house.  And that's a big challenge for me and takes me far longer than an able bodied person, but eventually I get it done.  Finished work may not look the best, but as long as it works correctly, that's all that matters.