This morning, my live in baby daddy said that he is glad I am working since every little bit helps. He is correct in that aspect, but his reasoning is stupid. Right after that, he said so that we can have more stuff. We don't need more stuff. We have enough stuff. We need less stuff and more debt paid off. Right now I have a few necessities:Rent is number one, daycare is number two, phone and lights is number three, along with all other utilities, and four is making sure that my two children and the two of us have everything we need to survive. We don't need toys or to eat breakfast out every weekend. Right now it is on Sundays, as our splurge day. We need to stop that mentality. I have learned it somewhat already. The crap we had I got rid of. It was cluttering our house, minds, and spirits. We would fight more often, since money was a big part of the buying crap. Also, I don't think that the key to happiness is having stuff, or money for that matter. I just want our family to be happy. Yes, I buy my kids toys. Yes, I buy junk food at the grocery store. Yes, I even buy more cigarettes and liquor than I should, but that is not what I base our lives on.
Maybe when I start to show him that stuff leads to more arguements and loss of money, he will appreciate what I am trying to do for our family.

My sons birthday went off without a hitch.
Everyone had a great time. The party was such a great success, we have decided to have my youngest son's birthday there as well. That is in one month. Friends and family was the way to go.
Also, I see the next party to be cheaper this time too. I will be going to the party store to scope out some sale prices this week.
Maybe I will find clearence stuff that will work.


I hit 6,000 visits on my page today. Thanks for checking out my pages, and thanks for all the help.

This Sunday is my oldest sons sixth birthday. Saturday is my best friends birthday. Next is my cousins daughter's birthday.
Where is the money going?
My mom is paying for most of the party here. Decorations, prizes, and gift bags are among the cheapest things. She even helped me clean the house.
Well, I am about to go to lunch/dinner with my best friend and her family. At least I know that my money will be well spent. I am having all you can eat shrimp. I will make it worth my money.

Tonight, I am about to spend some time with my best friend and her family. She invited us to stay for dinner, so I offered to bring the garlic bread. So for $3.59, I will have a fun filled evening with friends.
I love spending time with her new baby girl, and seeing my two little ones with her. They are all so cute together.
I want to take a lot of pictures tonight.

Well, we finally did it. The laundry is on its way to never being on the floor again. We also cleaned the kid's room well enough to vacuum the floor in there. I got rid of a ton of trash, as well as some donatable toys. Most of them will go to my best friend, but I know some other children that are in need.
I have been doing a great job of weeding out my closet by getting rid of clothes that I never wear and do not fit anymore.
I did go out today and spend a little money. I mentioned that I ran out of soap, so I bought two. I wanted to get a new hamper for the hallway, but decided that I just need to keep the one I have out there empty. Same goes for clothes. I didn't buy a drawer setup, as I have no place to put it, and I want to rid myself of extras, not find another place that I won't end up putting them.
Purge and you will see the floor!-Me
I saved at least $10.00 while we were gone though. My boys did not want to eat out. Good for them. I was starving! But we came home, put our items away, and I warmed up food in the microwave.
Thanks for keeping Mommy in check boys!

Yesterday was a no spend day. If I wasn't out of milk, today would be too.
Since the laundry is getting caught up, the dishes get their turn. My youngest likes to dry.
I will let the oldest vacuum his room as well as the hallway.
I am making preping for his birthday part of his responsibilities. He must make sure that everything in his room is ready for guests. I will take care of the kitchen, bath, and my room. The living room has been everyone's responsibility. I yell at Daddy for tossing dirty socks on the floor. I am guilty for leaving my shoes everywhere, but we have too many and I need to lessen them.
How much would you suggest that I give myself for the $20 challenge? I used no gas, didn't buy cigs, and did not buy dinner out. We made pizza.
Whatever makes them want to eat, like letting them help make it, works for me.
I am also saving gas heat money, as I was close to disconnect not so long ago.

Since we have an extra day off from school, me and the boys plan on doing all laundry tomorrow. We have a birthday party here next Sunday. That leaves us one week to prepare our tiny home for 25 people. I think if I have all the laundry done, the dishes and basic pick up will be less daunting. There won't be any dirty socks to move around. My two closest cousions said that they will come over to help me, so that also takes a little more stress off me.
This will be the second party I have had here at home. My house was a disaster area, when I was a spend-a-holic. I bought stuff just to buy and my house was packed with junk. I had cleaned it up and threw a Super Bowl party for my best friend, her husband, and their new baby. I didn't have to worry about her picking up and eating something dangerous as my floor was clear and empty.
Yeah me!
Now the children are cleaning their room in preporation for next Sunday, and they are being such good helpers for Mommy.
The dishes are not piled in the sink, there are no towels on the bathroom floor, and I am more peaceful.
They have already learned that "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
I guess this will move me to using all of my laundry soaps up and I will be able to get more. For some reason, I have grown to love to buy things that I know I will use. I think it is because I made a rule about buying things that I do not need.
If it is not needed for living, I can not buy it.
So now I buy three things of laundry soap, new sponges for dish washing, and bathroom cleaners instead of crap.
I know that I will need it, so it is not just blowing money.

Leaving a little comment on another debtors blog, I began to rant at will. I did not post that long thing, but wanted to get out my words anyway.

My mom yelled at me saying that I shouldn't be living off my refund, as that is never a guarantteed thing. I told her I knew. She doesn't know that I opened a CD with half of it.

She is also making me feel like her boyfriends daughter. When she lived one state away, they always talked about what a loser she was, how good I was to be working and rasing two kids.

Now the daughter not only lives in this state, but in the other half of the double house I live in. What fun.
She has let her gas and light bills go outrageous. She had no gas heat for 6 months. Her father paid the bill. Her lights were shut off; her dad paid the bill. She got fired from her job; her dad paid her phone bill.

I got a disconect bill from the gas co. for $90.41. I was shocked. You are really gonna turn my heat off in the middle of winter, with my two kids inside. My mom went online, and paid my bill.
She made me feel like the slut next door.
I told her that, and she said there is no comparison.
I still feel bad though. I am going to college full time, working way less hours than I should, and she is a bartender at a resturant. She shouldn't have to pay for me anymore.
Not that I don't appreciate the help.

When I moved in this house, she paid the deposit. I had a months rent, but not double that. Mom said that I was her only child and that when I need her, she was there and not to pay her back.

Then when the slut moved in next door, my mom paid her deposit.
What the hell?!

Thanks for letting me vent.
Sorry I almost hijacked someones blog.

I have been stocked up on laundry soap for quite some time. I bought tons of it when it was on sale. I am now wearing down on soap, bleach, spot treatment, and color safe bleach. I want to go buy more, but I am now telling myself use what you have first. I don't even know if there is anywhere having a sale on my brand.

I also found two quarters in the washer today. Yeah! I love to find money!
I wonder where my son gets his money though. I have found change washing the boys clothes. Joe empties his pockets every morning into his clean jeans. I don't get much change there. But I am trying to get him to use the change basket. He knows its there, since he has dug for quarters when he is running low.
I try to hide bills from myself there. I put them under the coin rollers and can't see it.
Happy three day weekend to you all who can enjoy it.

I have two three mid term tests today. I am feeling the love.
I gave Joe his heart shaped box of candy and he loved it.
I sent my children off with their class valentines. It's gonna be a good day.
I don't plan on spending any money today. We are having pasta tonight, so I do need to buy a loaf of garlic bread. We need milk too.
So I guess I plan on going to the grocery. I won't buy anything that's not on the list though. That is my new rule. If it is junk and we don't need it, it has to be on the list to get it. Ha.

Oh well. I can afford $10 to make dinner romantic for my three men.

I love my children but they are driving me crazy. My oldest is getting in trouble at school, and I don't know how to deal. I was the same way in school, and if I could not figure out how to be good, how can I tell him to be the way I wasn't?
I am lost. His father is a little help, but I am mostly the one going to the school and talking with teachers and the director. They don't call him a principal there.
I was on a first name basis with my principal in school, and I already expressed my feelings that I did not want him to go through that.
I will figure something out. I have to. If he goes to first grade and continues this behavior, they will just kick him out.
On a plus for the day, it was free pancake day at IHOP and I partook. I made a donation to the Childrens Miracle Fund and tipped the server for my meal. It was great.

I just spent $6.00 for chickens at the show, and I took a lunchable for my youngest son. He was the only one to go with me, even though I got in for free, saving $13.00. I will ad that to my $20 money. After he ate the food I brought, he wanted more. I had him walk around for an hour and he said again he was hungry. Not bringing food for myself was a mistake. We bought the chicken and fries for six bucks, and shared them.

It pays to have connections. I wanted to take my boyfriend to the show, since he is really into cars, but he did not want to walk around for hours, or go out in the cold. It was an indoor show though.
Oh well. We had fun.

My oldest child will be 6 years old in two weeks. We are having the cheapest party in the world. I am also only inviting family members. I would like to have children from school come, as my son is making lots of friends, but my house is too small, and if it is cold outside, I fear the 25 people already coming will have a hard time being comfortable. But they are all family, and want to squeeze in. Am I bad for not inviting my friends with kids? I do have my best friend and her family coming: husband, daughter, and brothers. But that is my best friend, and she must be there. I can't wait for her daughters first birthday. It will be huge.

I don't want to be a cheap skate around my kids birthdays. I never want to, but this year is a little different. The tax refund is going to necessities, and paying off debt. The bigger they get, the bigger the parties they will want. They can wait until they are bigger to plan to their wants. I may have them figure out ways to raise the money to pay for it too.

We had a fight this morning. It was about money. My BD has been working and making all of the money for the last five months. Good for him. Finally. He is upset that all of his money goes to bills. I was making half what he is, paying all the bills and still found money to take care of the two childrens wants and needs.

His problem is that his past is catching up to him. He can no longer run from it. My past caught up with me after one year and now I am swimming in debt. I have some major situations that I have not devulged to this site. He is mad that I will not pay for his mistake. I am sorry, but I work two days a week, making almost half per hour as him and go to school full time. I go to and take care of all school and daycare things. He only sees the money half. I put my all into the family, not just making the paycheck.

Why must money be such a big issue?
I hate it.

My oldest son found a dime in the grocery store parking lot. He said can I keep it. Yes! Put it in your pocket. I was proud that he did ask though. He knew it wasn't his, and did not just keep it.
When I get my first paycheck in two weeks, it will be for one day. That's only five hours. Oh well, it's something.