So, since quitting, I have made plans to have a garage sale at the end of this month to keep from going in the red too quickly.
Our wedding is in November, only three months away, and one month ahead of the holidays.
I made a promise to my son that if he received nothing but good remarks from school for the first semester, he would receive an X-Box for Christmas.
I know this seems extreme to some, but if he goes 90 school days without getting in trouble ONCE, then he deserves it!!!
I will be working extra at my security job I have had since 2006, so we aren't in dire straits.
The State Fair is here today and I will be working at my job I quit for one more week.
The people I am training to take over are in awe of the crap that I have been dealing with over the last almost full year and don't know how they will do it.
I said to ask the boss if they didn't know where something went, such as checks written with no reason, and they knew that he would lie or make up a reason before even asking.
That's why I am leaving.
I hope the kids school year does well, that our wedding goes off without a hitch (pun intended), and the year finishes as well as it started.
I bought four dollars in scratch off tickets and won $20. I think I'll be starting up with the challenge again. I find change constantly and never add it up. I will again be doing this.
Great to be back and doing so well!

Well, I guess this is my chance to prove to myself that I am responsible with money now. Since I only have around $1,500 to save and not blow on the holiday season, I think that I should be cautious to stay out of the mall, the stores, and especially the grocery. For some reason every year I always want to be the one to bring the best snacks or treats at a holiday party. This year I bought some pretzel rods and fancied them up with icing and chocolate. I promised myself and family that this was the only thing I was making. Then, I bought cookie mix and marshmellows to make some frosted flake wreaths. I am not very good about making promises to myself. I will keep this promise to my kids that I will have some money when the new year comes around. I already have bills that need to be paid too.
I WILL NOT OVERSPEND!
I WILL NOT OVERSPEND!
I WILL PRETEND THAT I AM AS BROKE AS I ALWAYS AM.
I WILL NOT BUY MYSELF MORE THAN TWO PRESENTS THIS YEAR. I WILL NOT!!!!!!!!!
(thanks for listening)

With all the problems the entire world is having with their money, I haven't posted in a while as I didn't even want to think about MY finances.
I am a grownup and will face it like a woman.
So, my credit stinks, my longest open card just closed on me and won't reopen it. I have been hanging on by string, but still making it. I also have gotten a new job. My training starts after Christmas. I am excited about that.
I worked Saturday night at my current job. I hadn't worked before then since Oct. 30th. Wow!
I am not worried a bit about Christmas as we know we are not getting much. Our drawing for the adult kids is going strong again for the third year in a row. I am not worried about school either. I am certain that I will pass with flying colors. My hope that I will do better next year doesn't seem so bleak. I could be way worse off.
On a better note, i am saving with SmartyPig and my Santa savings I just opened will be mighty full by next Christmas!
I am also taking part in a drug study that will pay $1115 after 8 months. I am happy with that too. It is for a weight loss drug. So, I want to win two ways. One to lighten my load and one to fatten my savings wallet.
The sun is shining...

I am shocked that after all this hard work that I had done over the last eight months has been to end in flames after less than two months of penny rolling.
My yard sale is two days away and I am worried that I won't have anything but a couple of cents and a couple of bucks for change. When I first got set up I had $60 for change. This week just needs to shape up.
Working less, which is weird, since I just got a $0.50 raise. My boss said that it would be on my check from yesterday, but it wasn't. When I asked him, he said that I should be happy I got it. Okay, but I still haven't gotten it yet! And it would have really helped to be on this check!
Signed oldest kid up for a runner's club after school two nights a week for 4 1/2 weeks. That should help him get some activity and separate the brothers that need some alone time. Got to get out there and find a job that will work with my schedule of school and my kid's school. Good Luck!

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.

Paying off cards to get the credit card companies to stop calling me 20 times a day hardly seems worth it. I am now $200 lighter and my life seems bleak. Rent is paid, but we still have no hot water. The cable company is going to shut us off and repo our box. I don't know how much longer I can take this. My children have started school and their supplies and textbook fees really strapped me. At least I don't have to pay the $50 a week for Kindergarten this year.

$658 for gas due
$117 for cable due
$132 for phone due
$156 for lights due
$50 for one credit card due
$40 for another credit card due
$101 for yet another credit card due
$60 for my major credit card due
$18 for my last credit card due

My head is above water for now, but it won't be soon. My kids keep me going. My job lets me hang on. My sanity is still in check. Without those things, you would never hear from me again.

What is the name of my blog? You must first help yourself, which I have been doing, by doing a minimum of 20 hours of job searching every week. That is time I could be working and earning money, but my job isn't the best about giving hours. It isn't their fault. I will continue to look, since I am to be starting school again this fall.

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.

Well, the children are home from school, as am I until the fall. Times are good. We are eating, Joe and I are working, and everything is right in the world.
We are struggling to make ends meet with bills, including rent, but we are still happy and healthy. So, I complain not.
I guess I am a little bummed out about canceling our bar-b-que to celebrate little league letting out. But, I have to work all this weekend.
I also am thankful for having the foresight to not spend any extra money on clothes this spring. Although my oldest can't fit the shorts I bought for Christmas, we are getting by. The cigarette man is getting more money from me, and I hate that, but I am stuck in his snare and am having a hard time letting go. I went for 4 and 1/2 days last time, giving in only because I could. The stress level was high, but I made it the other days without.
Sending my hope out to you, those who think that it can't get any worse. It will soon get better for you. Don't wait for something to happen to you. Do it for yourself.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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.

I bought an exercise machine. I spent $200 on it and my supped up pedometer. I have set a goal to use it 4 out of 7 days a week. How many times do you think I used it? Twice. Once when I built it to make sure it worked, and IT DID, and once to show my cousin how cool it was. She wanted one. I told her to use mine. Maybe then it would have been worth it.

She laughed.

I didn't.

I will use it tonight after folding laundry. I promise. I will even put my results on my weight loss page.
That will insure that I do it. I can't log on here until I do.
What motivation!

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?

My computer has a virus. I bought a new one. It was $399 but total for all I walked out of the store with was $569+$69.
He forgot to add my service plan on there so I had to pay again.
I paid off my son's tuition so me and the secretary who writes the receipts is happy.
I also will have to get gas in my vehicle, so that will be a major purchase too.
I have paid enough on my credit card and I am happy to have gotten extra money on there. I am also looking forward to my credit clearing up in 10 years. THANKS FIRST PREMIER BANK! [sarcasm intended] I was yelling it.
Check out the amount of interest on my monies at smarty pig.com. I am very happy!

Well, this is good news and bad news.
The good news is that with some of my money, I paid two months rent, paid back my grandma a lot of money I owed her, and am on the way to getting my drivers license back.
The bad news is that when I called my credit cards to pay them, most likely a settlement offer, they said, too late! Charged off 8 days ago. Should have called then.

To me that is good news. No, I don't want my credit in the toilet, but it already is now. So, since the bank that is helping me with a payment plan, is willing to let me reopen my card and use it, I can still build my credit up again, not starting completely from scratch.
Also, my plan is for $30 a month for 6 months. I have paid 2 months worth, plus an extra $160.25 on top of that. I am already back under my credit limit, so I am just going further and further towards that magic number of $0.00!!!

Talk about debt snowball. Those payments I was going to make on those cards are just automatically going to the ones I am not so bad on.
I have paid my utilities, which I have not paid all of in several months, maybe even a year. I was only paying the necessary ones to survive. I can't live without electricity. I can without cable. I can't live without gas, but I can without a phone. Suprisingly, my water was never shut off and my bill was over $400.00!
It's paid now, and I am saving money and directing money to the proper places now.

I have saved and scrimped for rent this month. I only bought gas, paid for daycare for the week, and only bought lunch one time, spending $6.52 total.
I think that we can make it. As long as my DH check is as large as it should be, we will be okay.
My Grandma told me to come and get her credit card to buy my Grandpa his Father's Day gift. I would be happy to go and get him something that he wants.
He never asks for anything anyway.
He deserves it!
He asked for a weed eater, gas powered with a metal blade and a strap to keep some of the weight off his arms.
That will be nice.
She will be happy that I won't ask her for help with rent, even though I will ask her to write the check.
Thanks to that woman, and my Mother a time or two, I have never been late with my rent in over 4 years.
Thanks!

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.

When the money is taken right out of your account every month, you really can save. I am earning interest on the cash that was in my checking account earning nothing. I am truly working hard on spending only on needed things.
A rebutal to a previous comment on a post of mine: We needed a new bed! The Wii is just another piece of plastic from China but a bed was an absolute necessity due to back problems of my DH who works hard as a construction worker. If he hurts when he works, that hurts us. We can't afford to have him off work either.
The Wii was also a birthday present for me from my dear Momma, so there will be no extra controlers, games that are $50 a pop, or any other extravagance coming from me into this house.
The water bill is bad, my phone is shut off, and Rent is due in 10 days. I have no plans to even rent a game in the next 6 months.

Debt
Credit Card 1:$309.11 Premier
Credit Card 2:$383.56 Premier
Credit Card 3:$716.28 Orchard
Credit Card 4:$361.47 Macys
Credit Card 5:$227.89 Fingerhut
Credit Card 6:$451.12 Credit One
Credit Card 7:$541.49 Key/Citi
Total Debt owed:$2990.92 Credit Cards Only

I am coming up with a plan that I can actually live with to pay off these suckers once and for all.
I will start with the low ones first.
#1 will be Fingerhut. That will be the last thing I order over the phone!
#2 will be 1st Premier 1 card.
#3 is the Macys card and an end to store cards. That was a huge mistake.
#4 will be my 1st Premier card 2. There are two cards from the same company. How stupid is that?
#5 is probably going to be the Orchard account, as it is the furthest behind.
#'s 5 &6 will be Key with Credit One. They have different amounts but mean more to me to be paid off together and get it done and over with finally.
I am looking forward to typing my final payment to them in ONE YEAR OR LESS.
Don't make a liar out of me, me.

I can not seem to keep my payments up on my credit cards. I want to scrap the whole thing and wait 10 years from the time they last thought of me. Really, what's a girl to do? I haven't been working as much since I am going to school, and all of DH's money goes to current bills that are necessities.

Advice anyone?

I haven't been posting for a week or less, and my money is slipping away. Ever so slowly, I am not accountable for my money actions, so, I don't think about it.
I don't have to tally up anything on My Balances Page, so there's nothing to worry about right?
I wish I had maybe been writing it down, saving more receipts or something. But no, I didn't want to stick to budget or stop spending.
I will slap my wrist and get back into it.
I hope that I do not have to go the library to post next week. I let my bill go and they canceled by cable, and my cable modem. That'll teach me to slack off, won't it?

I have put my $20 challenge money into my account. I have $15 saved now. If this keeps up, I will have so much money this summer. I can't even begin to think about how much debt I can delete with the cash gained.
I also want to call and see what the penalty will be for withdrawing money early out of my CD. I sort of can't wait till August.

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.