Some thoughts from a troubled home improvement mind...

So we all see the news on the economy. I mean if you're reading this then you have eyes and can at least see the (-) next to the Dow every week. The two of us have been pretty lucky so far in that we have jobs that relate (in some way) to the health care/insurance industries. It’s not that we feel insulated from the doomsday upon us; it's just that I try to think of puppies and ice cream instead.

Also a lucky deal so far has been that 3 years ago we decided to buy our house in an awesome neighborhood here in Philadelphia. So far it means that while the national housing numbers are down, our neighborhood is selling fairly well and still for some eye popping numbers. It's crazy really.

But at the same time we're shelling out money every few weeks as our third floor suite is in its last stages. So I have to ask myself...

When do you just hold on for the ride and not rock the boat?

For example: I'm a guy. I have a beard. I drink beer. I want a framing nailer. But to get to that point it's the nailer ($200), the compressor ($250), hoses ($50?), and nails ($50)...and that's without the needed finish nailer for most projects around the house. So if you’re like my wife, right then you just rolled your eyes and said "Yeah...OK".

Why? Because when the contractor leaves in a couple of weeks (after his last payment of course) I'm going to have a room that has plumbing just hanging out along two walls (we've posted various pictures before). I have to build a soffit there to hide that stuff. On top of that the boss and I have decided that we are going to forgo any more contractors for the foreseeable future and go DIY. We weren't capable of putting in a brand new bathroom ourselves, so we hired out. Super. But hanging drywall? Cake. Make a standard door a French door? Pfft, easy. Create the 60" plasma TV built for the man room? Not - A - Problem. But I need a nailer. I actually justify it by thinking that in the end it will save us tons of time and money.

But am I just being delusional? I mean of course I want one, but is it a smart move financially?

When the markets are volatile, banks are crashing, and debt is the ruin of man…does it make sense to keep working on your house and shelling out money? Granted we went nuts with this current project, and the rest are going to be much more low key. I get that 100%. But still it’s like I have check writing fatigue that no amount of red bull can fix.

Is it just that I’m crazy at this point? I think the jury is still out on that one…

- Bryan