Have I even thought about how much gas would cost to drive south this weekend. We are taking a non-gas guzzler, so that is a plus. But I have been to worried about having fun and budgeting that and forgot about gas. Food is good, clothes are owned, and we are ready to go. I hope that we only have to fill up twice. Once on the way there, and once on the way back.

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!!!

Three weeks ago, while my Other Half was at work, someone came out of the office and told him to take one of their old desks to the dumpster. It was nice, really nice. After asking the boss permission to take it home, since trash is still the property of the company, he called home and I cleared a spot out in the living room for the new item. 6 feet of space in here is amazing, so it took me a while to do.


Later that day, after waiting 4 hours, my man came home upset. He said that someone else gave the desk away so some bystander. He asked permission and was mad that it was given away to someone who didn't need it. He overheard him mention about taking it to a furniture store and selling it to them. I told him that it was okay and that we have a desk that is working just fine. I bought a small corner desk to fit with our other furniture. Since then we have gotten rid of our other couch and a hutch cabinet. We have more room.

Today, I have gotten a call that a much nicer desk out of a much higher ranking office was given to him and promised to be saved for him and him alone. Now, I am about to make more room in here, remove everything from this desk and give it to my boys in their room for homework.

Good things come to those who wait. Don't complain while you wait, or you won't receive.

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.

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 am going to start paying myself for doing chores around the house. I think I will do them more, and if I pretend really hard, I will work as hard as if I was working for someone else. I can give 110% to an employee, but myself is another story.
I will start doing this tomorrow. $1.00 per item. Yes, I am petty and will get $1.00 for sorting, $1.00 for washing, $1.00 for drying, $1.00 for folding and hanging, and $1.00 for putting it away.
That will make things around here a lot different. Where will I get this money to pay myself? I obviously can't take money out of my pocket and put it into my piggy bank. I will keep track of it like an employer would and pay myself at the end of the week. This is a great system. I just have to go to work everyday, keeping track of time and cash.
I will have to track that sort of stuff when I begin selling products at the summer street fairs. I think this year will be the easiest of all to control my self, spending, and happiness.

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.

In less than two months, my oldest son will be seven. I have decided that home is a great place for the party. Since we are gaining tons of Wii stuff and the like, I believe that video games will be his theme. I can't wait to have fun. It will be cheap too. Then one month later, another b-day party for a six-year-old. Wonder what he will want as his theme.

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?

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?