October is Going Great Already!

Insert sarcasm here.

So hubs was told that it could be 2-3 weeks till they need him at his PT job. Can we say FREAKING OUT??!!!! It doesn't help that last week they had him leave early one day, and this week he has worked a whopping 12 hours at PT job. This doesn't make for a good month.

I had to dip into ef to remove for my son's preschool tuition. It's due tomorrow, paydays are Thursdays..... it's already killing me. My thoughts are running rapid. I can't concentrate. I hope I can get some rest tonight.

How did I get here? If you can spare, please say a quick prayer that this is only a 2-3 week break.

It's Been A Whole Month

Well, since my last post it has officially been 1 month.

Why? Well, I have been disappointed in myself, and I am tough on myself, I beat myself up, and make myself feel incredibly guilty.

The month started up fine, I was proud about how much I spent on vacation, to turn around and wash my Mothers Day gift in the washing machine. My purse, with my iPod. I was crushed. So I did what any idiot would do, after a week of trying to revive it using different tips from Dr. Google, I bought a new one.

a) I KNOW that was stupid. Trying to dig out of hole, and not getting anywhere by buying expensive toys. I get that. However - my kids love my iPod, my husband does as well, it keeps me sane, and I need all the help I can get.

b) this time, I am going to insure the sucker, along with my camera and all it's parts. I enjoy photography, and it is an expensive hobby, but I hope one day, it will pay in some way.

So, it has been very hard on me since July, my husband working all night, all day, getting home around 4, eating, going to bed till 10. I knew this would be hard but it becomes trying. So you think I would be excited to hear that he will be getting a little over a week off from his part time job...... just the opposite, all I am thinking about is money......and how losing 8 days will effect us.

We aren't sure how much he will be working after that, whether it will be 12 hours or 24....we have no clue. Hopefully he will find out more this week.

I also offered to help a fellow graduate plan our 10 year high school reunion. I begrudgingly fronted $200 for deposits, as did she. I will get back $130 of that as $70 is for hub and I to attend.

She has asked me to be in charge of collecting the money, as I am at home and that scares me a little. I figure I will use one of the kids savings account to dump the checks. Any other ideas?

Good News:

a) efund - is at $1000
b) my smallest card - the children's place card - PAID OFF!

Here's to October!

Darn This Efund!

Well the good news is I did NOT dip into my efund to have to pay for shore groceries and shore spending cash, the entire week I was there, I spent under $100....so I came home with plenty of cash, and added that to efund.

So after the deposit I make tomorrow my efund will be at $900. Again, I didn't make goal of today, but I am not far off. I never, ever thought even with the extra income, that this would take this long. I am disappointed, however, we have not added to our debt at all, so I should be proud of that.

I put up some of the kids old Halloween costumes on eBay, and now thanks to Hector, I am going to check out Half.com!

I need to really make a firm budget and stick to it. I tend to be incredibly weak when hubs suggests getting take out, or ice cream. Proud though as I have lessened my trips to Walmart spending $100 on silly things, I stick to my lists and get the heck out of there.

Welcome new readers, any suggestions I am open to constructive criticism!

Goal #2.... Unattained....

While goal #1 has been attained, and sustained...my goal of having my baby emergency fund to $1000 today, sadly, isn't going to happen.

I am keeping positive by reminding myself that we haven't used the credit cards. However, I am still a little bummed. Saving $1000 is harder than I thought. I realized that my budget of $600 a month (gas, groceries, entertainment for a family of 4) that I had just was not reasonable (hence debt...) so I made some tweaks and changes, and therefore wasn't as able to save as aggressively.

However, I was able to pay some to the cards as well (minimum payments count!). The next two weeks are going to be tough as well. I am leaving to go the beach with my family, taking the children, and hubby is staying home to work. Don't feel too bad for him, he doesn't want to go anyway!

However, each person coming is responsible for groceries. I may very well be dipping into my EF money for those, and that BITES! I really can't complain about it, my parents paid my share of the house, since they felt bad that hubby isn't coming, and he is working two jobs that right there saved me $375 that I did not have.

So I am resetting my goal of $1000 savings to August 30th. I can't wait to start combating my debt...... down debt down....good boy!

My first goal.... ATTAINED!

WOO HOO! I am so proud that my first goal was attained, the date of my last charge was 7/15... just as I promised myself. My next goal date is rapidly approaching, hubby gets paid tomorrow, and all of that check is going into the efund. I am thrilled at that thought. This whole process has me giddy and I sure hope that lasts quite sometime. Now I am off to remove my credit card #'s from online shopping sites so that I use my debit card instead!

Lady in Waiting

Why on earth does this feel like it will take forever to start!! I want to get started right away! Hubby and I have decided that we aren't going to sell any possesions at this time, we have to have 2 cars, and since we aren't sure if we are done in the child department we are reluctant to sell any baby things that we would then have to repurchase.... seems silly to us.

Goal #1 discontinue all use of CC's by July 15th.

This is because of the kids birthday party, which is the 15th.

Goal #2 $1000 emergency fund by August 2nd.

Welcome to July....

The month where I will establish an emergency fund, and tighten the tourniquet to stop the bleeding... since I started this blog I admitted we would not be able to stop using the credit cards right away, however I am pleased to say that in a week, gas and groceries, we only used a little over $100. It feels good.

So Happy 4th, so far so good my husband started his part time job on Monday, and it's going OK. Unfortunately, today being his day off, he got the stomach bug I had earlier in the week, luckily he doesn't need to be at work will 7 am tomorrow, so he has time to recoup.

I am thrilled to already have a reader! Thank You so much for your kinds words, and I hope you keep visiting me!!!!