I am growing up. I can tell.
When hunger pains hit today, I didn't stop at the Mc'Ds, Long John's, or the Pizza Hut. I went straight home, heated up some of the last of Turkey day leftovers, a steak and potato from last night, and a big glass of water.

I am proud of myself, since I really wanted a steaming greasy burger with a pop.
I don't have those things here, since we are trying to cut down.

Way to go me. My reward was a great meal that was worth the 15 minute wait of driving home and heating it up for 3 mins.

What a mistake. It went down!!!
I didn't want to pay to see it go down!

I guess that will tell me the real hole I have to dig out of, instead of me being blind to the fact.

I believe that if I can curtail my spending for the next five years, my problems are going to be a lot smaller.
I do hope that my working on this problem gets easier sooner rather than later.

I don't think that I have had a no spend day in months.
I didn't leave the house today, didn't order anything on the computer, and didn't worry about what bills were about to cash their checks, since they already did.
Way to go for me. Hopefully Sunday will be just as good.

I have made a list of things that we have a surplus of at home, and we don't need to buy new ones at the store.
I am trying to save, I really am, but I have weaknesses.
So, I am trying to steer clear of wish lists, online window shopping, and the like.
I am trying to be more thankful for what I do have. That is the reason for the list.
I have a list on the fridge of things we need that we run out of in the kitchen.
I do put other household items that we may need:ear cleaners, t.p., soap, etc.

We have plenty of school supplies for all three of us in school.
I will never have to buy a pen or pencil again. There are too many food storage containers. I will not buy another box of sandwich bags until I have used all other items at home to hold things in.
Holidays always bring in candy.
True that most of the Halloween candy is gone, I don't want to buy any new since they will be getting some for Christmas.
This is really more than just about saving money, it is to show my family that we have so much and should be thankful. There are those out there without a home to live in, job to go to, and car to get there in.
We have warm beds, two vehicles, food in the fridge, and each other.

I got a credit report with my score.
I am devastated. I knew it was bad, but not that bad.
My student loans aren't helping either, since they are from this January, have high balances to credit, and the like.
I believe that when my payments hit it next month, it will look a little better, but not by much.
I tried an estimator, and it said that even if I had zero balances, it's my history that is screwing me.

I will have to face the music and just pay away like I should to see my score rise in the next year or two.
I will be ready to buy a house in 2015. Maybe I can have it cleared up by then.

I cleared my savings to pay off credit card debt.
I had it for so long too.
I saved it for almost two months. It was exactly two months, if you want to say it doesn't clear until tomorrow.
I will take this lesson, with all it hurt me, and learn from it.
Never again will I run up a bill and not pay it in full. I won't fall for the catalogues promises of cheap costs.
Right!
I won't buy if I don't have the cash.
I also can't let myself fall for a scam again. I am in some trouble over a $5,000 internet scam.
How foolish!
At least I've learned my lesson, and I am growing up.
And my mom said that it would never happen.

No more living above our means. I just ordered a part on the internet for my DS2BH's car. I can't believe things cost so much. So, as of right now, we are cutting back. Starting with Christmas, we are going to the roots of what we need. I am not going out for anything that we already have. There are school supplies in a small box table in the corner of the living room. We have meat and pantry items in the kitchen. There is nothing that we really need to have for the next three to six months. I am going to save like I have never saved before. I may spend about $8 on the Sunday paper, for the coupons. I am also thinking about having the boys make a piniata, so I will need the newspaper.
I have started a list on the side of the fridge that will have the items we NEED from the store. I have written down what we run out of, when we run out.
This way, there is no over spending at the store.

I can not imagine having a house payment, along with all the insurance a house has, along with other payments on our salaries now. I am trying to change that. I will be looking for another job soon. I want something that will make money quick. I don't want to start a career right now. I am still in school. I can start serious job hunting when I graduate.

I am trying to get us ready for the life ahead. Our children are growing up, and fast. I am looking forward to our lives together in the years to come. I don't want those years to be filled with worry about debt and money.

Yeah! Christmas is coming.
I love it. I want to sing right now.
I really can't wait to take down Halloween decorations and put up a tree. Buy the way, HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2008.
I can't believe another year has flown by. When you are little, the time passes slowly. I can't believe that Christmas is here and my children are so big.

I am going shopping with my mom to an outlet mall about 35 miles south of here. We are going to the Levi's store to find jeans for my little ones. They aren't so little anymore.

I also have to find a present for my man. I have no idea what he would want.

Tick Tock. Tick Tock.

I haven't been adding my found money to my challenge. I am sorry.
I found two nickles at the Walmart after spending $195.
I found 16 cents in the washer yesterday.
I found $4 in a pair of my jeans after washing them today.
I wish I was thinking about it more when I find it. I really just stick it into my piggy bank at the end of the night, and that is when it hits me that I should post it.
Oh well.
I'm already on my way to bed now.
I'll do it tomorrow.
Find more money, post them both.
Here are three finds that are behind the times.


I did have to pull $200 out of my savings account today for a radiator for the work mule's car. I feel sorry for my DS2BH. He is working so hard, taking care of the three of us. Our boys are growing, so they are eating more. Gas went down, but that doesn't matter when it still guzzles it down.
I know it sucks to work all week and have nothing to show for it.
He wants to go in with his dad on a gun, but it won't be here, he won't use it, and it will set us back $150.
I guess he will sacrifice his new truck for it. I told him that if I could buy a new washer and dryer, I would buy him a truck. I bought the parts instead.

I hate to play the your money my money game anyway.
I have worked hard to get him to stop that anyway.
It wouldn't be fair if I started it now.

Besides, after this week, there is no more surplus money. The last of my land sale money is gone. I have paid off on credit cards, bought Christmas presents for all, and paid back my Grandma.
That was a large load off my chest.
I still owe credit cards, we will still buy more presents, and I still owe Granny, but life isn't as bad as it was.


BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE, INSTEAD OF HOW MUCH YOU WANT THAT!!!


Treasure your relationships, not your possessions.
— Anthony J. D'Angelo

I so need to get a part time job.
I talked to a career person at my college today. She might have something that is right up my alley.
I only need to work about 20 hours a week. That should suffice for now. Obviously, when I finish school, I will get a good job where I work while my boys are in school. That gives me a year to get my stuff straight and work hard.
I do know that starting out right after school, I won't get a great job, but it doesn't take much to make me love a place. If I like what I am doing and the people I work with, it will be good to me.

I bought a washer and dryer set.
I went to a scratch and dent store, which was cool, and found a set for $325. Since I paid cash and was delivering it myself, I saved 10%. That took the bill down.

Overall, I am happy about my purchase. I did trash the old set, which made DS2BH mad a little. He wanted to fix them. I didn't want them sitting in my yard for months, covered in snow, wasting my space and making it look even more hillbilly than it does already.

I will be saving money on my water bill. I will definitely save on my electric bill, since the old dryer took a minimum of three runs through and this dryer only takes one turn. Sorta like it's supposed to.
They are energy savers, money savers, and my time savers.
I won out, even though I have to buy a work truck for my DS2BH. He really needs one too.
So, count $313 paid for my sanity and pleasure. Whatever pleasure I get from doing laundry is my own, and you can't take it from me now.

I went next door to my cousins last night. We had popcorn from my popcorn machine. We drank soda pop out of real glasses. That saved how much money?

At least $10 per person.
No one had to bring their own drink.
No one had to pitch in for paper cups.
No one had to buy a snack, since I had those things at home already.
Everyone had a great time, enjoying every loving cheap ass minute of it.

We went with the old standby game, Charades. It was my first time go round, but it was fun.
I also brought the paper strips for that game too, and the hat.

Good thing I showed up, huh?

I love my new Girl's Night that is so cheap and easy to enjoy.
Plus, when it is next door, it takes no gas at all.

I never figured that I would have to figure what I was worth. I was always in the red, so what I was worth was nada.
I have been looking at my interest earned on Smarty Pig, and loving the results.
(for details, see my balance page)
I am trying to figure out how much money I will have at the end of this month.
I am figuring that I will have saved $4,530.79, including interest.
I will not get the interest posted to my account for another three months, but that will be two months at the end of October.
I have been a little lax on my spending curb I set for myself.
I did freeze any unnecessary spending, buying only what we need to survive.
I believe that with every cent I save, that is one more that I will have when an emergancy comes our way. That is a when, not an if.

I still feel broke. I don't think this bail out is going to bail me out at all. What do you think, George?

I spent $20 on help for cleaning my house. That is sad. I can't believe that I am so lazy that I needed help. My two young un's are trying to help, but that doesn't mean that they are not leaving clutter about too.

I think that I will bust butt tomorrow when I am by myself, but I have to do laundry and I can't since my washer is broken. I used my cousin's today, but that was only two loads. That's hardly any clothes or lessening my piles.

I have to get a washer and dryer. My dryer takes a minimum of three times to dry one load. That is even with an extra spin on them.

I will take S2BH to Lowe's for his work and check the scratch and dent section while we are there.

I don't need a new dryer, I just want one. My washer was broken down. I couldn't stand not having my own washer. I was bumming my cousin's next door, since she did mine. I still didn't want to wait until she wasn't washing. I wanted to be able to do it when ever I wanted to.
I asked for my washer to be fixed. I threatened to buy a new one. He knows of my thing about having a matching washer/dryer. I was going to buy one when I bought my freezer in the scratch and dent, but he didn't want to spend the money then either.
I am glad he fixed the one I have.
It did save me about $400. I know I would have gone all out and bought $500 matching ones and it would have killed him.
I keep telling myself to leave my money in savings, but the other voice says,spend, spend, spend!
I hate it, but I have very little self control. I often act before thinking. I know this. I need him to tell me not to spend and fix the old one I've got.
Thanks so much, honey!

I tried to not spend any money today.
I took a banana and crackers for a snack at school. I ate them between classes and was satisfied, until I got home. After picking the kids up at the babysitters, and she said that they already ate lunch, I was hungry. I tried to come home and eat a bowl of cereal. I just couldn't do it.
I drove to Subway. I don't like their $5 foot longs, I want what I want.
I spent $6 for my sandwich and cookies.
I walked outside, found a quarter on the ground, and decided that I had to come here, to find the money on the ground.

$112.15
+$0.25
-------
$112.40 Balance for $20 Challenge

Last night was awesome, very fun. I can't do anything like that for a long while. Today, I had my very first hangover.
What an experience. The kids were good, that that was nice, but everything else sucked.

I still would have done it. I am glad we had a great time.

We got to the bar and I put money into the dart board machine. It told me that I had 16 credits. I only paid for four. That means someone had left $3 in there before we started. Thanks for the free games! There was no one around any of the dart boards when we got there or after. The pool tables were packed though. The price for that went up to a buck each game.

All in all, we had a great time and made it home before 12 am. I still went to my cousin's house after the boys were asleep. DS2BH had to work this morning, so they all went to bed and I went next door. That is where I got super slammed and had such a wonderful feeling this morning.

I will post how much money I am saving on liquor for the month. I may even wait longer, maybe only drinking at a holiday party or two.

I was dreading the thought of my bill, but I just couldn't take it anymore. I turned the heat on this morning.
I am wearing some fleece pants and two shirts with a sweatshirt. I was cold still.
I turned it up to 72* and quickly turned it down to 68*. I will leave it there until tonight. It will get colder.

I had fun last night, but am paying for it now. I feel a lot less fun when my belly is turning.

Tonight is date night. I started to realize that we are still young, both below the age of 30, and that we are turning into an "old couple". I've been watching the marathon of "Married with Children" on TV, thinking to myself that we are them. They don't want to be with each other. I can't let us turn into Al and Peggy. So, we are going out!!
I have pulled money out of my debit card, so that I don't carry it with us, and plan to spend no more than $40 all night. I did take an extra $20 for a cab, just in case. But DS2BH has to work in the morning, so that means he won't be drinking as much as I.

I am also going on a "double date" with my cousin and a guy from DS2BH's work.
She is so excited. She has already tried out a couple of outfits and painted her nails and toes. I am excited too. I was supposed to take him out for his birthday, but he was so tired, he used the babysitter as a sleeping time with no interruptions.

So, I hope that my night of pool, darts, and a live band will satisfy my urge to go out for a while. I don't see going out again before the holidays. That doesn't include the parties for Halloween either. I guess I don't have to wait that long huh?

Wish me luck on my very first mystery shop. I hope it goes well and that I make $15.00.
I still have to fork over $10.50 and wait for my money and reimbursment.
I am a little nervous and worried that someone will think I am being stupid when I ask the questions I am supposed to ask.
I will try my best to act normal.
They said that they want to know what I look like and what kind of clothes I am wearing during the shop.
Is that a little weird?
Here's to money earned. I do believe I will add that money to my challenge total when I receive it.

I called and cancelled my fitness thing in time and they said they could give me a full refund.
Whew!!!
I also have been doing my extra payments on two credit cards.
Today I called and asked for some help on one, she gave me a deal.
"If you pay $29.00 today, I can put a credit for an over-the-limit-fee of $29.00."
"So it would count as a $58.00 payment?"
"Yes, but I have to add the $7.95 pay-over-the-phone fee."

Well, some help is better than none I guess.

I also mailed off an extra $10 to my other credit card.
By January, I should be all caught up.
I need to pay off:$312.49 on one and $502.83 on another by January 09.
I am also saving up for rent, school fees, and the like. I hope I can do it. If I would quit spending like a fool, I probably could.
I believe I will count that $29.00 she credited me to my $20 Challenge balance. That will raise it up a bit.

$83.15 Previous Challenge total
+$29.00 Add this money I "found"
-------
$112.15 New total for Challenge since June 08

My first day of school was awesome.
I did hurt myself though. I was trying to get into my car in a parking lot where spots are small and cars are big. I ripped my earring out of my ear and lost it.
It was actually quite painful.
But besides that, I have two classes on campus and one online. My professors are both fun and talkative, which I am too.
I feel that I will have a ton of fun this quarter.
I have been stupid with my money.
I spent $158 to a stupid fitness thing online. I didn't have to spend that much to get the info that I could have gotten for free. Hell, that could have paid for a year at a gym.
Boy I feel dumb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder if I should pay myself to walk and do my exercises.
I have walked 1.5 miles four days this week. Thursday I didn't because my neighbor had her grandchildren that morning.
How much would be enough for a mile?
and should I have to pay extra for when I don't walk? I wonder how long it will take for the snow to get to me and I not want to go.
So far, So good.
Next week is a real test though.
School starts at 9:30. I have been getting back from our walks at about 9:10.
Does that give me time for a shower? NO.
But, I can't start any earlier because I don't go until the boys get on the school bus.
I am going to buy a chest freezer tonight. I have waited over a year and that was my first goal on Smarty Pig.
I found one for $168 and it will suit my needs fine.
I believe with a $10 mail in rebate card, it's a good deal.

Ten things that helped me to...

Rack up Credit Card Debt.

10. I spent way too much money on clothing on my children when they were small. I should have been doing what I do now. Buying second hand and perusing clearance isles.

9. I cared about what other people thought about me. I spent money on things I didn't need. I didn't try to impress, but I didn't want people looking down on me.

8. I had a love affair with the dollar store. I went when I was upset, sad, bored, or didn't want to go home because it was nasty and full of clutter. Why was it full of clutter and hard to clean with two toddlers there? Due to my love affair with the dollar store.

7. I lost my job. That means that gas, groceries, cigarettes, and everything else that wasn't a bill went on my card. I opened up card after card, knowing that I didn't have the money to pay it back.

6. My live in partner and baby daddy didn't have a job either. There's more gas and expenses that I couldn't keep up with.

5. The ease of ordering things online. I could click and get. That is very tempting to do when you are sad about your situation.

4. Therapy shopping. That is the base of 4 or 5 of these. When I couldn't afford it anymore, what did I do? I spent time with my kids. They made me more happy then for some reason. Not that they didn't make me happy before, but they would upset me more often in the past. I think we were all going through some stress, with bills, clutter, and school issues to deal with, it's surprising they didn't take up smoking.

3. I thought if we had it all, we would be happy. How wrong I was!

2. Interest rates on maxed out cards are outrageous. I was buying $300 worth of stuff and paying $500 for it. DUH

1. I blame myself, but also the way I was raised, people I hung around, and way I looked at myself. I had to take a class in college that told us that our self esteem has a lot more to do with our lives than just your teen years. If you constantly tell yourself that you will not be able to do something, guess what, you can't do it. I told myself that things would make me happy. I told myself that people liked me because of what I had or how much money I had. I didn't want to instill that into my children, so I changed.

Well, I haven't found any money on our daily walks, but I can tell it is helping me with my energy for the day.

I bought Christmas yesterday. I walked into Target to buy some $1 nail polish remover and spent nearly $300.00
I did buy some furniture that I will give myself, along with 75% off clearance clothing for my boys and my BFF's daughter.

I feel good about the money I spent, even if it was a little much.
I just don't have to buy much when the season comes around.

Halloween costumes are next on my list.

Okay, now when my younger cousin came over today to get out of her house, I expected her to keep me company while I did my house chores. I certainly did not expect her to do my dishes for me. I used that time to do laundry and picking up my living room. I told her that I would give her some gas money, as she did not have any gas. I also told her that I would buy her daughter's soccer team some Capri Sun drinks for their game this weekend.
When I tried to give her $10, she refused it. I did end up giving her two bucks and she was happy. She said that if I was going to pay her for doing my dishes, she would come over every week. I asked her if she vacuumed too. She said yes.
Would it be so bad if she made some much needed income? She doesn't have a job.
I need my house clean and I go to school full time and have a part time job.
I don't see who gets hurt here. I may get the house clean and not need to pay her anymore, and she will have to find money elsewhere, but for the time being, this is a win-win for everyone involved.
Right?

I bragged about selling my textbooks online at Amazon. I made a good hunk of change.
$365
I have not received my funds that were due on 9/11/08.
I understand about waiting to clear. I remember the pending transactions of $1.00 from amazon but there was never a clearing from them. The transaction was a debit of $1.00. I figured that it was to verify my account. No problem.
Instead of me seeing money in my account, I receive an email that states my account info is not accurate due to a mis-key. Not likely. I double ch3ck all of my letters, numbers, and passwords. I cannot log into my amazon account to figure out what is wrong. It keeps saying that my password is wrong. I know it is right.
I request a new password sent to my email. It says wait for one. One never comes. I called the company who sent the email, they stated they are the company who accepts payments for amazon. I read her the email word for word to let her know this is the number it said to call. She gives me another number anyway.
I call it. She has no idea what I am talking about and keeps telling me that she is not the company I want. I tell her that the company I want gave me her number.
She transferred me to an Amazon.com Customer Service Representative.
This person can help me as little as possible, and is from the original company!!!
She cannot log into my account because it is on hold and under review. Why would it be under review? She doesn't know why they do it.
She will forward my issue to an account specialist. They will email me.
No. I am talking to a real person about this. Transfer me or give me another number to call. I will not wait another three days to figure out what you are doing with my money.

Due to the nature of their jobs, the account specialists do not have phones.

Are you fricking kidding me???

No.

Why is this happening to me?
I just want my money that I get for selling my books. You made your money off of me, since you get a commission off of sales, but no charges until a sale is final and paid for. It sounded perfect. One could say it was too good to be true. And you know what they say about something that sounds too good to be true don't you?

I don't want to take any online classes and they are making me. I figure that I am paying the school to teach me, not for me to teach me. I also have to pay an extra $90 for my online class, which means I am losing twice. I am trying to keep an open mind, but as my meeting with financial aid didn't go as well as I had planned, and that is where I found out about the online class, it is getting harder and harder to do.

Does anyone have any suggestions for dealing with college personnel in getting what you want out of them?

On my thrifty Tuesday, I have gone over my financial aid with school, checked on sale prices at the grocery store, and I plan on clipping coupons later tonight. Woo Hoo. This thing is really coming together for us. It's a good thing too, since I am back to having enough for the bills and that is it. I will have to break the news to the boys that there is no more out to eat or what are you buying us to eat. Casseroles all around!!!!!