We went to my kids fall festival today at school. $9 for three plates of spaghetti. $1 for two drinks and 14 pieces of candy from the hallway trick r treat. What really got me, other than me paying for all that, was the pumpkin auction. The different classes painted and decorated at least 20 pumpkins. There was a real auctioneer there getting the price up as high as he could. When the price was $5 to $20, I would bid, but they were getting rather pricey. $60 for a pumpkin painted black with white stripes to look like Darth Vader. A King Tut one went for $65. $105 for a pumpkin with a blonde wig that was meant to look like the principal. I do love my kids, but really. How on earth can you afford to pay that for a painted pumpkin? Yes, I wanted to buy the ones my children helped to do, but there's no way I can pay more than $20 for a piece of fruit I can only have for one season. I guess its a good thing I took pictures of all of them, so that I have the memories forever, and am only out ten bucks. Wish I could do more, but I think some of them were ridiculously high. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

When I don't post, I am irresponsible with money. I did make a good decision with about $100 though. I have purchased an electric heater for our living room to keep the gas heat off for as long as possible. $88 plus tax is $96.14. When I saw the ad in the paper, I was excited. I saved for a while for something in the house that was for all of us, and I think this was a good purchase.

I am currently finishing up a paper due for my Intro to Finance class. DIP financing is not as interesting as is sounds, but I am glad that some institutions are willing to help in these tough times.

My darling children are out of school for three weeks. Their fall break comes after my school semester is just beginning. Thank goodness for moms and best friend's moms!!!
My Smarty pig account is slowly but surely getting bigger. I added a goal to help my saving of daily money and when I roll change that I collect, I add it to those accounts.
Breakfast is over and cartoons are going. I am volunteering at the church for a rummage sale today. I really don't want to buy anything there, but I am taking $5 just in case I see something we need.

I paid $660 to have hot water. I am thankful. I am a little pissed about how ghetto the operators were to me. After I took my dishes to my grandmother's to do them, I told her that I almost felt sorry for making fun of my ex-sister-in-law for trading sexual favors to get her utilities turned back on. Almost.

Lights and gas paid. Water and phone are next. Maybe a credit card will get paid next month.

These next two weeks are going to be outrageous with things that need to be done. I have already started on the laundry from our trip, but other than that I have to schedule my son's eye surgery, we have a family meeting with the school counselor, a lot of bills are due, and work is hounding me to come in early this week. Tomorrow I have to sign up the boys for school and finish getting their school supplies together. What else needs to be on my plate right now. I am starting school in the fall too. I had a six month break and I am ready to go back, get into the grove, and graduate. Hopefully with my degrees I can talk my boss into that raise I've deserved for over a year. I could also talk him into some working while the kids are at school sort of thing. I did that for a while, but he wanted me to do physical work instead of paperwork. I really hated getting dressed in my fancy office clothes to dust and clean on my hands and knees. I had no problem doing the laundry of the company, but really, scrubbing the table legs in a dress didn't work for me and I told him. Since I am deaf on the phone, I wasn't the best message taker for lunch time either.
I am going to be looking for a new job. Wish me luck.

Well, my lease is up in October. I really want to leave this dump, but it's cheap and has a great school for my little n's. Without finding a full time job that pays at least min. wage, I can't afford to go anywhere. I say at least minimum because I could be a waitress and make a few bucks. That won't be enough.
Right now rent is cheap for the good area I'm in, but I think my family needs more. I know that we should be happy for what we have, but my 6-y-o told me that our house is too small to get away from his brother. Two bedrooms, living room, kitchen and bath. That is a really tiny place when you write it down. I guess I'm not counting everything. There's a small bathroom, smaller laundry room, and a hallway connecting the four major rooms. I found a place with three bedrooms, fenced in backyard, attached garage, with new windows and insulation. $560 to $875 is quite a jump. DH won't let us move because he is the only one really working. My job is a joke. I work one week and not for two. Since I get paid bi-weekly, it sort of doesn't pay at all. I have to drive 45 miles to get 6 or 7 hours in and then drive home at 1 in the morning, and for what? To get a paycheck for $100 twice a month? Yes. At least I have that. I have to remind myself to be thankful for what I have. Maybe I'll find a cute small house for the same amount of money in November. I'm sure that my landlord will be flexible with me. I am their best tennant.
I am happy we have a house and aren't living off our parents.

I went to the dollar store and spent $21. When did they raise prices from $1 to $5? I can't believe that. I did save an awful lot of money on my cell phone though, so I guess it evens out.

While starting my list for what to buy, don't I first need to write what I need to take first. I have a lot of the stuff that we are taking down with us, but I am worried about camping outside with two young ones and a high maintenance man. I don't need towels. I don't need swim suits or trunks. I don't need I don't need any toys to keep the kids occupied. I really only need food, and I don't want to buy that until I get there. I will take some, but milk and eggs and things don't need to travel since we aren't in the boonies.


I have already spent $85 on this trip. An air mattress and new swim shoes cost me. Sleeping shorts for the men and I still need to buy a small bottle of laundry soap. Grocery shopping is going to cost me the most, because we really don't have the money to eat at restaurants. I can't wait to start our FAMILY VACATION!!!

Four Gal milk:$1.98 each
1 bag Doritos:$2.22
2 lbs. hamburger:$2.98

Not bad, or so I thought.
Did you know that in addition to showing how much you saved, Marsh shows you a percentage of how much of your bill you saved. I saved 34% on that bill. WOW!
I guess I should have been saving at other places all the time.

I am also doing my best to not support China and stopped buying at Walmart as much. Since I have no money, not shopping is easy. But, not going there for groceries is kinda hard. I am a hard-core Kroger girl, but for paper products, you couldn't beat the low, low prices.
Doing my part for the earth and my wallet.

We haven't rented, bought, or even thought about spending any extra money on our gaming systems.
That is good for me.

We tried to use a game system for a reward system for our DS7 who was having accidents. We have since had to come up with another reward, since we can't afford what we set out for him.

He understands about money being tight, and sees what else we have sacrificed for it. It would be hard to say we don't have the money if we were buying other things. It's hard owning up to a little kid, especially if they catch you in a lie.

How come we can't get my game but you can have new (fill in the blank)?
They used to harp about my cigarettes, but I have been slowing down, trying to quit. I made it 4 1/2 days before caving. I am now on little cigars and they have no nicotine in them, being made of mostly natural materials.
Saving money is hard now, but I guess it could be worse. I could be scraping together our change for gas money. I remember those days.
Doing better, but still could use some extra $. I work two nights this week, so that is good.

Starting a new job can be hard. I didn't know that starting a new business would be this hard. I knew it would be hard, and cost money, but not this much.

I have put all my faith into myself to do this and do it well. I just hope that all of my hard work pays off and that I am back in the black again soon.

I guess that you get out of it what you put into it. Since I am putting my all into it, I should have a healthy reward. I also plan on having this business build my credit up enough to buy a house in less than three years. I have one picked out, but if push comes to shove, I have one built on some remote piece of land down south.

Any ideas on what I could do to further my business? I will take all sorts of advice, even if it isn't the best.

I am going to sell my heart out at the Spring Fling tomorrow night, with the help of my best friend. Also, when my Mom gets back in the country, she can help me with networking a home party for her friends. She is so good at getting people with money to come to a party, drink some, and spend whatever they want.
I went to a Mary Kay party that she had for a customer she served in a bar. Why did she help her so much? She liked her shoes. I have to admit, they were awesome shoes, but really, that is where I get my salesmanship prowess from, her.

I think I am stressing to much over this, but I am because I have spent a lot of money on this deal. Money that I didn't really have to begin with. But, if this goes well, guess who will be paying debt down faster than Dave R. can say "snowball".

Anyone who owns their own business that can give me some pointers about getting over the beginning sticker shock of prices and how to maximize my minimal advertising?

This year's birthday parties were a huge success. The money was saved and the fun was had.
Money is a lot tighter now that my surplus of land money is gone. I hope I had fun while it lasted. Bills aren't piling up, so that is a plus.
I may be planning a move soon. That will be interesting.
I am learning to cook nightly and not depend on outside meals that are not planned.
Cheap is good.
I hope that my want of a lifestyle that isn't that great will continue to lessen more and more.
Trying this home business right now may not have been the best idea, but I am rolling with it. Mom will help when she is not so busy. Traveling the globe first class is getting rough on her.
Sorry it took so long to write, just living life!

I have found that it is a little cheaper to have my children's birthday parties at home. I do have the prep and clean up, but I don't have to pay a salary for me to do it. Last year worked out great, this year should be good too.
Right now, I am having a little problem with my tax check. I keep trying to spend it before I get it. The IRS says that 2/24 is the soonest I will receive it. Why do I think that gives me free reign to buy the children's pants at full price? I spent about $80 at Target Monday. I know that my oldest needs bigger pants, but I shouldn't be spending my money that isn't mine yet.
I will go to the Salvation Army today and find some steals for both kids. I am also donating a lot too.
I guess I am just a little on edge about all the people coming to the party. I know that it will be fun, the house will be clean and ready to go by then, and then next month, we will do it all over again.

Today my city's Children's Museum is free. The boys and I are going. I thought about taking them to Chuck E Cheese, but that isn't free!
Bills are paid and I feel good. I just hate that we are going into months of suffering for my buying habits.
We are STOPPING eating fast food. We can't afford it and we are suffering the weight consequences. I guess since I am working more, I will have to freeze meals to bake by themselves so that anyone can do it.
If I fail at this, I am breaking a promise to myself. That won't be cool. I can do this!
I have faith in DH too. He can eat out at lunch at work, but for dinner, or the weekend for the children, we are to stay home and fend for ourselves. They have plenty of places to request foods for that weeks grocery list.
There's where more money will be going. I spent $120 there on Saturday night, and we have gone through about 1/4 of the food. I'll have to par down the consumption and buy only what we really NEED!!!

Why oh why do I always say I will do something good with my money and then always blow it.
I can't say that I always blow it, but I do burn it up quickly.
Fast food:$38 and change at White Castle, $6 for McDonald's for one just a minute ago. $7 and change for McDonald's last night for two.
Gas spent going to these places:$.50 for the White Castle, at least. $.25 for both McDonald's.
Well, that is way to much to be throwing away.
That's only two days and three different stops.
Granted, the kid's nuggets were for quickness, but the laziness for dinner last night was all mine.
I have shamelessly posted my wares for sale on this site, as I have lost resources at my job. My schooling is doing good, but I have put a lot in my lap and now I have to put it away in proper order. My classes are getting harder now and winter is taking it's toll on us by being couped up all day and night. My children need to run. I should take them to a gym somewhere.

I am very proud of myself for not buying alcohol for two weeks straight. My cousin who lives next door wants to drink at night. I already feel guilty for not spending any time with my DS2BH, so to do that, either here or there isn't being with him. I am not going to Girlz Nite this Tuesday either. I am staying here and putting the kids to bed early.

I shall get my effects in order, since it is coming up on tax time and all. I do it as soon as I get it. My refund comes faster and it is done and out of the way.
My credit card should be arriving soon, which is cool, but my interest rate is going up. That is not cool.
To that I bid ado.

I love clearance!!

I bought a ton of stuff for next year. I have added up on my receipt and found out that I only spent $32.75(not including tax) on about $100 worth of stuff. The little line that states you saved this much said that I saved $61.07(not including tax).
That is a lot to me. That is why I wait till now to buy those items. I found 6 rolls of 90 square feet of wrapping paper for $.70 each.
I did have to spend $13 on a new paper holder, but the one I had was too short anyway. I was upset when I got home and the paper I had didn't fit. The new one is almost as tall as me and I think it will be perfect.

I will also have to sort out the gift bags I got so they aren't folded in the cold and heat in my shed. Soon, I will be getting summer stuff out and will have a better idea on how much holiday stuff I really have.

Well, the old man's work is hosting a Christmas party at the local bowling alley. How fun!
I have heard that there will be free drinks and door prizes. There is a 32" flat screen we have our eye on.

I am also hosting some of his favorite friends from work here at home. The original plan was to go to the bar afterwards, but I think we will have more fun here at my house.

I think there will be about six guests. That is an estimate. We will play Wii and have a few drinks here. I will watch who drinks beer and such at the party and stop by and pick something up for them here. I don't want to buy a case of beer and no one drink it. I think I am doing something smart. What do you think?

Girl's Nite was wonderful. It was just me and my two cousins. We talked and listened to Christmas music. Not a dime spent!
We also planned some Christmas Carolling.
I can't wait. I have a research paper to write. Wanted to let you know that I am doing good with saving. I haven't blown any budgets for Christmas yet, except for maybe food. I can make up for the splurge at the grocery by not buying any Mt. Dew next time.

I heard a great saying on a website. I guess I read it really. It said that life is not about having everything you want, but wanting what you have.

I have been thinking about this for a while, way before Thanksgiving. What am I glad that I have in my life?

Family is number one.
A home and vehicles are another.
A job that I can relate my skills that I have now to.
And the urge to go and get everything out of life that I can is another.

What I am trying to write is that you have plenty now, even if you think you have nothing, you have so much more.

I have been thinking about our savings too. I am trying to figure what is going to keep saving.
What am I willing to give up to get what I want? I want savings. I don't want to spend good money on crap anymore. So, I am giving up crap. That is hard to do during the holiays. I can't help but get the cute crap that sits on the shelves. I will do my best and regretfully post anything I buy.

I went online and bought some things at a good deal.
I found an exercise machine for $29.99, a really awesome vacuum for 79.99, a back massager for 19.99, and all the shipping was free.
Way to go for me.

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.

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

If you haven't seen, my October grocery budget has been spent. ALL OF IT!
$365 has been spent in the first three weeks.
I was trying to cut down, since I will be spending more during the holidays, but that didn't seem to make a difference. I hope that I have more self control next month, since that is what I was bracing myself for.
I did buy a ton of freezer food though. I won't have to buy dinners for another two weeks at least.

I will have a list the next time I go to the store, and I will stick to it.
I had a list last time, and still spent 45% of my budget on my last trip.
I hate Wal-Mart!

I finally caved in and paid for my credit reports and score.
It was only $14.95 and I will use it.
Equifax TransUnion Experian
Total Balance $6,889 $7,404 $7,908

These are the total balances for my three reports that it says I owe to my 6, 8, and 6 different accounts.
I believe that I will wait out this financial drought for at least five years before I try any serious credit moves from now on.
I didn't know my debt was this high.
I knew that some of my accounts were charged off, but this is outrageous.

I will enter the average of these numbers into my NetWorthIQ page on my sidebar.

I have been spending money again. I went to the store and shopped for things that I didn't need.
I thought I had stopped this foolish behavior. I had frozen my spending except for essentials for the home. I had to buy toilet paper and toothpaste. Shampoo and conditioner seemed to be used faster and faster.
Why now, am I blowing without remorse?
I do feel remorse. I DO! But I can't let my little relapse defer me from my goals!
I think when I laid down $313 for a washer and dryer, I could afford a couple more bucks.
That way of thinking has got to go. I have to get to work on my credit card debt.

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 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 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.

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?

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