I have counted change and added up what I spent this week and weekend, going over it with S2BH.
Let's go with what is fresh in my mind and go back from there.
Yesterday, since we worked all day long, we got to eat for free and our boss paid for the food. Save $5.00
I did buy a Mt. Dew for $1.00
After work I used a B1G1 cap and got two more Mt. Dews for $1.48
Saturday I did buy my dinner at Kid Rock/Lynard Skynard and spent $5.00
Friday night, on my way to work, there was an accident on the interstate and the police made us turn around. I got gas at the next exit spending $25.54
Thursday, I didn't spend much money on anything, but I did buy a pop at school out of the machine for $1.25
Also, to save a thousand dollars or so, I spent $30.00 to test out of a class so I won't take it next quarter.
I hope I did alright.
Finding money on the ground is helping me fund my children's piggy banks. I am also about to spend money on fundraiser items from their school. I hope I can find two cheap things that we can use and I am not just throwing my money away for the school.
I will prepare for tomorrow by preparing today!

TODAY IS MONEY MONDAY!
I have already paid $15 to one credit card, $30 to another card, and tried to set up paying off my cable bill, but the lady was uncoopertive so I will call back later today and see who I get on the other line.
Also, I will be focusing on my budget on Mondays. I have called the bank and checked out what checks have cleared and what has not.
I wrote a check for my son's tuition that is due every week. Lunch $ has been sent in. Drinks have been bought for the week.
I hadn't planned for a lot of money this month, so when I get my check in three or four weeks that has all these hours on it, I will be really happy.
I am working 7 days this week, going to school for four of those and getting the little ones off to school and being there for them when they get home for five. I guess money is needed and I can survive.
If I don't post for more than two weeks, then it did kill me.

For the longest time I believed I deserved money. I didn't want to work for it, even though I am a hard worker. Still, I thought I was entitled to some money. Now that I am working more than one or two days a week, I want my money even more. I have spent an extra $25 in gas just to get to and from work. I also have been buying my dinner from a truck that they have on site. I would take my dinner, but there is no where to put it, fridge/cooler, and there is no guarantee that it would be there after I worked for 4 hours on the other side of the venue.
I have been bringing my lunch to school, saving me not money, but saving me from being hungry. I know better than to buy junk food from a vending machine.
Maybe when I get my degree from college I can get a job that I will have no problems having lunch there and maybe even my own fridge in my office with all the Mountian Dew I can drink!!!
One can only hope!

For the last two weeks I have done nothing but school. Today, Friday the 13th, I get to work tonight. And it is an early call so I should get an extra hour or so. This starts a few weeks of working that I have not had for a while. You don't know how depressing it is to pick up your bi-weekly check and see five hours on it. Last Monday's check was okay, for 28 hours, but that is for two weeks. This is my lucky day and many more work hours are to come. After finals, I can work all day, except for the weekends, where my children have little league baseball. That still leaves my Saturday nights open to work, and that is when most events are anyway.
DH has been asked to start working overtime soon, and I will be pushing towards it. Now, I know that I will be doing extra around the house to make him happy when he gets home, when I am tired from working, but he makes twice what I do and works twice as hard. I can make that sacrifice.

Finals are next week and I couldn't be more thrilled. I am doing great in my classes and I am looking forward to a week out of school.
I do wish I were working more often. Right now, I can barely pay the rent, with DH making $15.00 per hour.
That is sad. For 4 years, I made everything happen for $6.50-$8.00 per hour, and that includes all food and extras that were purchased in that time. I am a little resentful that DH has money in his pocket now, while that whole time and now I have nothing but change.
He does know that it is rough and I am not working as much now, but he doesn't think that he should have to give all his money to the family. I know you need gas money, I know you want to buy lunch with the guys at Dick's Bodacious Bar-B-Que, but that isn't fair to me or the children. I didn't have "spending money" forever. I still don't and that is why my credit cards look the way they do. I have put my foot down and refuse to borrow any money from my mother or grandmother. I think that he will have to exhaust his parents and family the way I have mine.
With him working so much and making twice what I did, why are things so hard? What is happening that I didn't see before?
I'll make it, I just don't want to stress anymore.

After receiving my 3.94 GPA, the school asked for their share.
I started school with the impression that I would be receiving a check from them when my student loans paid more than what it cost.
Boy was I wrong. I have had a balance ever since last quarter. I really don't know what to do about next quarter. If there isn't any money left over, or they want even more money from me, I will be strapped for cash even more than I am now.
I am doing great in school though. It is worth the cost, as I will have a great job that I love and this $10,000 a year joke will go away.
Maybe since DH is working more this summer things will be good. I am crossing my fingers.

I went to work last night at the Tim McGraw concert. I enjoyed finally getting a full nights work in. Today is another full days work also. May Day is always crazy and they need plenty of help!
I am going to the Indy 500 tomorrow! It will be the first time going inside on race day. I have been to the night before several times, hanging out outside and eating the wonderful food. I can remember so well when my dad went to the race and telling me that it was no place for a little girl. I am no longer little and think that I can handle it. The heat is the worst thing I can think that would make tomorrow hard.
I plan on spending no more than $30 total. That will include food, drinks, and anything that I deem is a useful memoribilia item for me to remember that wonderful day. I will try to post more often. My school is taking a lot out of me, studying and such.

I spent $617 for a new bed. Thank you Stimilus Package!
I also have purchased $300 worth of car parts for my vehicle.

Right now, I am trying to save money for three different reasons.
I continue to save for my Wii, and should have enough for lots of accessories by Christmas.
I want to visit my cousin in Flordia this summer; she aggreed to help me pay for my round-trip flight.
I have also started a Smarty Pig Account for a great party in November of 2011. I have put a date on having a wedding, if there is to be one. This savings will go to having a great time for whatever happens at that time.

School is going great. The boys are doing good in school, and will be starting a new school in July. All and all, with some money put away, Mommy isn't as stressed. That is good.
I think that I am changing my ways for the better, although not all of my bills are up to date. I am making some progress anyway.

I haven't posted for a day or two as I am busy finishing up school work. Finals are next week so all of my big projects are due this week.
I am looking forward to spring break now.
I don't have any money to speak of, as I got my paycheck on Monday, and it is down to $15 today, Wednesday.
I must put money away for a trip this summer, but I don't know where it will come from.
I also am taking a road trip Friday with family, and I have no money but gas money right now.
If I spend it all in gas, what will I eat? Will I have the money to buy necessities?
I hope that I can make my money stretch.

As my quarter draws to an end, final projects are becoming due. I have two papers due, which I am doing fine on, but my group project is not so hot.
I didn't want to be in a group anyway, but not working well with others is not a good trait.
I just didn't want to do all the work, while they get credit for it. I can do it all myself, and get all the credit.
But a group was required, so of course I am in the group with girls who don't want to work. I am doing the largest part of the project, taking some pressure off them, but they still want me to "help them" with the rest. They want me to give them all the ideas so they don't have to work, do any research, or think.
I want my project to have a good grade. They know it, but I have an A in the class and they are hovering the C/D area. If you get lower than a C, like a C-, you fail the course and need to repeat it.
They know that I will get them a passing grade.
I just want to complain to someone. My teacher says that it will be okay.
He knows what I did and what they did.
Two weeks till Spring Break!!!

I opened my $20 challenge account today. I was offered a chance to win a $50 gift card and when I sign up for direct depost, or use the online bill pay feature, I will receive a free $75 into my account.
That is awesome. I will not count the money in my challenge until I actually receive it. It shouldn't take that long though.
I also am starting a savings account for my children. They will keep any money gifts the receive, also, I can keep their college savings in there, rather than in my savings account, where I will be paying for my college with that.

I feel as if my money can see me coming from a mile away. If I have money, it jumps out of my hand, or rather, my card slips from my grip, and it is gone. If I am expecting money my way, it takes more than expected, I didn't plan without it, and I am drowning.
My school work is also slipping, but I have it under control. As long as I keep answering to myself, I can do it. I have spent so much money for dining out, that it is too terible for me to even think about it. But, since I am recording it, it makes me look at it, and that my money could be working for me rather than against me.
I'll get there.

Spent the day at the doctors today with my youngest. Meds were free. Missed school again, but I'll get over it. As long as my son is taken care of, I'll get things done. I do have to work tonight and tomorrow. That will keep study time down.

I love my job. I was really late to school today. That's what I get for hanging out with the artists after the show. I hate that I was late, but its okay since I enjoyed my night at work.

I have three major projects due in less than three weeks.
I have seen my next quarter's schedule, and I don't like it.
I will be doing some major work from now on. The "you're new and we'll be easy on you" phase is now over and college is sinking in.

I don't think that today will turn out this way. I will chip in for parking at the Downtown Library where I am with my group working on a school project. So far so good though.
I think that I will save from not spending money on lunch though.
Plus, what is a buck on 5 dollar parking anyway. Not much at all.
Saved from Lunch in:$7.50

I will be meeting with my group at school tomorrow, and will be bringing a lunch. I will get here at 10 a.m. so I will be hungry in the middle. I also can't justify buying food from a machine that I could have gotten from the grocery at more than half price for more food. If they get hungry and want to go to a fast food joint, be my guest, but I will be here when you get back after eating something more enjoyable for a fraction of the price.

$1.00 goes to the $20 challenge for not being able to buy my milk at school today. It makes me mad when they don't work, but I cuss them since they take so much money. $1.25 for a pop is high.
I will not use them again.

How long ago did I take that money out of the bank? Not too long ago. This morning I handed over my last two bills for gas and cigarettes. That was it. I have no more money until Monday? How will I do it?
Was this such a good idea?
Now I know how much money I spend in a days time. I just didn't expect to be out of money so fast.
I must really crack down on doing my homework. I don't like homework. I try to get everything done in class. But I have a test today and I didn't study. Yes, I went to work last night and got home late, so I didn't study, but I didn't even bring my book home if I wanted to.
I just don't like to do school work at home. Now I have three big projects due soon, as the quarter draws to an end, and one of them is a group project. AHH!!
I am just glad that I have good grades so that if I lose a couple points, that won't be any big deal!
I paid $450 to a credit card, and they still hate me. Why is this so hard? I just want to see my account online, and they don't want to let me. They told me that the money is posted and I am below my credit limit, but I was transfered to five different people and spent 34 of my precious cell phone minutes trying to get on, but to no avail. No bother, I don't have internet at home right now anyway. They shut me off because my $100 payment didn't cover another $27 that I was still late on. Big deal. I gave you everything I had.

The weekend is coming soon, and I am happy!

I am enjoying my first day back to school after a horrible sickness. I even got a request to take my picture, since I dressed up for Professional Dress Day.
Wahoo.

But I am supposed to be working on my research paper, but I am so far ahead of myself, I just couldn't do it.
I saved money today by bringing my lunch and drink, so there is $4.95 to the $20 challenge.

I also have to clean the crib for my oldest son's birthday this Sunday, so I don't see spending any money tonight either. I made dinner ahead last night, so tonight is just warm ups. There is another $15.00 to the challenge. It just keeps adding up doesn't it?

Back to work!

This is my first quarter into college. I started back at the age of 25 knowing that all that I had learned in high school was semi-fresh. I am earning an A in all of my classes, and my mid term tests will be a breeze. I did want to be in school with my children, one is starting in first grade, the other kindergarden. I feel it will help disipline all of us to sit down and do our homework. I do wish I had more time to work to make some money, but really, by schedule is more hectic at night when I need to be working, not during the day. I can't blame school.
Of course, since these are the beginning courses, they are bound to be easy. I don't want to get a false sense of security. I know I am doing well now, but what happenes when I have to take accounting and other advances classes?
I will do great, that's what!!