Love the Life you Live

Adjusting much better to cash! Almost done with Week #3 (Week #4 starts tomorrow). We're having a party (low-key due to extended family drama) on Saturday, but I'm doing a deli spread and sloppy joes with salads and chips, etc. We are also having my inlaws Fri-Mon, and my menu includes a vat of chilli, a bake-ahead brunch, and left-overs. They usually treat out one meal (which is nice given the size of our family and the limitations of their budget). With the funds allocated for next week I should have $35 to $40 left over. This weeks purchases included a gift for my girls' friend, 2 pairs new PJs for the girls to go the sleepover party, AND a really cute pair of Juicy Couture earrings on great clearance ($27) for my practical daughter who rarely likes anything. She lingered long over these earings, didn't ask if I would buy them for her, and did say "I really like these" twice. Good gift for her b-day or Christmas.

Life is busier than I had anticipated. My youngest son is seeing a speech therapist twice a week to maximize our annual visit limit thru December. My oldest son is seeing the Reading Specialist at the public school on Wednesday AMs and is staying after school for an extra 1/2 hour that day to work on reading de-coding with his teacher. I volunteered for 3rd Grade Room Parent (I should say "co" because most grades/classes have moved to two parents). My name was on the list, and I was asked to "co" room parent kindergarten as well. The coordinator pointed out that there is NO conflict between the morning AM parties and the full-day parties. Yay for me! NOT. I also offered up my services to secretarial functions for my 3rd Grader's Boy Scout Troop. I was pretty clear not to count me as a "co" anything - my DH does Scouts, I do dance. Our natural division of labor. BUT I can keep track of things/badges/etc. on a computer.

This is longer than anticipated. I'm off to start a major house clean and prepare to start to climb the mountain of laundry! Have a good day!

This is from an email that DH forwarded to me. The title of his email was "Are we secure?" He has spent some time this past weekend talking about whether or not the loss of the second income (which came from him working with my father) will in the long-run negatively impact us.

I told him I thought we were going to be fine. We ended up with an expected $375 from an unexpected sale of a dress, $407 coming shortly from the state refund tax, and some other odd small things.

These were the steps that were suggested to be "financially secure"


* Create a family budget: Do this together. Sit around the table, get everyone’s input. Shared ownership of the budget is essential. Craft a budget that starts with saving 10% of household income – even If it hurts. Why? Because it hurts more to be bankrupt.

** Build cooperation via dividends: A budget requires willing participation. So why not offer cash back bonuses? Craft an equation that shares “profit.” Maybe you’re $150 in the black this month – split the $50 equally and save the rest – use your imagination. Making ends meet is never easy, so why not make it a game it pays to play?

*** Never spend money you don’t have: Sounds obvious? You’d be surprised. Americans have been convinced that credit card “limits” represent money available to spend. Bzzzz, wrong! Credit card dollars are dollars that belong to someone else. It’s not money you have – it’s money you wish you had. Big difference.

**** Use credit, don’t let credit use you: Run expenses through credit only if you have the money to back it up, then pay it off immediately. This demonstrates your ability to pay back quickly. But don’t use the credit card when you have no other option. Think of credit cards as a convenience, not a loan. If you couldn’t write a check for the purchase – then don’t buy it.

1. Aside from charitable spending, spend money in this order:

- Savings

- Mortgage and utilities

- Food

- Transportation

- Bills

- Stuff you could live without

**** Use “The envelope method” for non-essentials: This means take money budgeted for things like clothes, recreation, eating out etc., turn it into cash, and place it in envelopes labeled accordingly. When the money is gone, you’re done. Simple as that.

** Plan for disaster: Anticipate hard times. Always save 10%, but when times are good save 20%.

** Keep your car twice as long as the payment: Have a four-year loan? Don’t replace the vehicle, but instead make the car-payment to yourself for another four years. Then you’ll have at least 75% down on the next car, plus you’ll avoid having to conjure a new payment out of thin air. In fact, your new car will now cost less per month than the old one and you can continue paying the balance into savings.

** Keep a balanced portfolio: “What?” you say. “Now you’re talking like I’m a rich guy!” No, no, no. It doesn’t matter if you’re worth $500,000, $5 million, or just starting out, the principle is the same. Place long-term savings in a balance of low-yield high-security and high-yield speculative investments. Here’s the rule of thumb: Only speculate with $$ you can afford to lose. Otherwise, wherever you chose to save, invest conservatively and make sure the account is Federally insured.

** If you’re a two-income family, pretend you’re not: Most of us are two-income, and we believe it’s an absolute necessity. It is… but not always in the way we think. Two-incomes are absolutely necessary according to the values imposed on us by a culture designed to consume. Quick story: A young couple married two years ago and set up their household budget based on one income. It’s a stretch, but that’s the trajectory they moved forward with. Currently, they’re both working, but her income goes to savings. So, when she goes back to school, it won’t cripple them; when they start a family, she can stay home if she wants to. It’s about budget, not income.



Just thought I'd share!

I have resolved not to obsess about money. There was a brief window there when I wasn't sure about whether or not the present tenant would be continuing in the rental property. This is just when all of our monthly money moons are aligning and there is money left over each two-week pay period to deal with the extraneous stuff, etc.

Turns out that the tenant managed to pay $600 of the $725 that is due, with balance coming Tuesday. I did mention if she didn't pay, we would be giving her a 30-Day Notice.

That got me thinking about where and what I should do to trim the expenses. Anyhow, bringing me to my present post,

Dancing daughters have an intense seminar this weekend with a drilling expert from Ireland. DH went to pick the younger one up and was given a check for $375 resulting from the sale of the remaining school dress (wasn't hopeful, but not expecting anything). DH was with another father who said he had never seen one of those (the check) and had FOUR school dresses waiting to be sold.

Checked the balance of the rewards point at our PNC Point site (double the points for debit card transactions, four times the points with credit card transactions, and 25 points for each on line banking transaction). I just cashed out points (saving for a pricy christmas item for my oldest daughter). There was a 3000 point bonus credited for the first direct deposit to the new checking account. That brought me eligible for another $10 Target gift card.

So I am $375 and a $10 Target gift card ahead!

And I'm no longer obsessing about money. Enjoying the three-day weekend with the kids and DH. Enjoying DH who is around all of the time and not running to deal with my father's apartment problems. Sometimes the money isn't worth the aggravation.

Ok, it is payday. The direct deposit for DH's salary has gone into the new Virtual Wallet account at PNC Bank. The interest on the growth (savings) account is 1.1% and I was happy to see I made over $3 on the short time my $11K was in there.

I gave DH his new debit card and he said, "What is this? I think I'd prefer my cash." I've converted him! LOL. And he is getting his cash after work today.

Anyhow, I am heading out soon to the bank to make my withdrawal for the week. I anticipate it to be low spend, so I might just take out the $200 rather than the $250. Last weekend was quite spendy, but not this one.

This is where I refer to myself as cash geek. I have to take care of the following bills: $150 for M's Outdoor Ed, $176 for BTS Fees (milk and yearbook), $68.51 for sewer (2-month bill). I have envelopes and withdrawal slips ready for each transaction so I can pay cash. I'm really liking cash.

The tenant left a message yesterday which made me think she was paying an additional $150 toward her back rent. I was happy, but doubtful. I went back and listened to the message again, realizing she wanted to pay ONLY $150. Her logic was backward when I spoke to her. I had to say that she already owes me a lot of money and I had made it clear for this arrangement to continue she NEEDS to pay $725 every two weeks. I told her that I couldn't absorb the lack of these funds and while I was sad to do it, if she didn't pay $725 I would be serving her a 30-Day notice on Monday. Lo and behold, she'll have $600 cash today and $125 on Tuesday. She may stay yet another two weeks.

I think I'll rework the budget (yet again) for the scenario that we have no rent coming in with a realistic window of two months to get new tenants.

Ah, the joys of budgeting. On an end note, I am *really liking* cash!

My kindergartner just got home (bus gets here at 11:00) and he declared that he'd like a second breakfast and is going back to bed. Thank goodness his pleasantness factor isn't really contingent on his food/rest levels. He napped yesterday and was up late. I know this cycle will work itself out, I just wonder when.

I'm finding that a small effort in organization goes a long way. New rules instituted here at my house since the start of school:

* No phone or TV til the homework is done
* 15 min limit on phone calls
* Reading of 30 minutes a day or three books read to you
* Playdates on Fridays

I've also made sure that clothes are out the night before. I'm assembling the lunches with the exceptions of sandwiches the night before. I have a master clipboard where kids need to put the papers requiring my attention (not the smallest ones).

The weekly calendar is filling up with school volunteer activities, plus oldest DS's weekly appointment with the Special Ed teacher at the public school (he is in the Catholic school with limited resources), and now twice weekly speech therapy for my youngest son.

All in all, I'm striving for a simple plan that works for us. I spent $7.00 today ($5 in the gas tank, and $2 at the grocery store for tuna). $8 Remains - the leftovers from last week.

Pay day is Friday. We will make it.

DS woke up ready and happy for more school. The novelty of the new year has worn off with children #1-3, #4 maybe is still a bit thrilled. Anyhow, off they went, and I've got more time on my hands. I should add that our school offers kindergarten AM from 7:50 to 10:30, so bus arrives here at 11:00.

Yesterday in my spare time I managed to take a nap, contact the Illinois Dept of Revenue about the tax information they needed, make a batch of taco filling AND sloppy joes, do one load of laundry (wash/dry/fold/put away), do a minisort of the latest coupons, fill out paperwork for youngest child's speech eval today, and get through some more BTS paperwork. Fruitful!

I am finding that a bit of organization goes a long way. With a dinner that is quasi-prepared by the time the kids get in, I am better able to focus on them. Yesterday I was able to do 15 min a piece reading with the youngest ones. I was able to quiz second daughter on types of nouns, and I was able to help oldest daughter out with some Spanish stuff (cracks me up totally that my daughter with a totally Irish name - think names like Shiobhan Malloy or Mairead O'Malley - picked the Spanish name Juanita for her stint in Espanol). I also find that food choice is key at breakfast for the picky ones (fruit and/or yogurt and/or toast and peanutbutter is fine).

I am also finding that I have accepted without reluctance that there is *no* money to spend until Friday, except for my last $15 (of which $8 is really from last week - I have to figure what to do with it - maybe vacation fund or something). I am also discovering I'm a real homebody and I don't feel the need to "leave just to go out". My list of things to do around here looks like:
(1) Finish xSIL's wedding sampler (names/date)
(2) Finish son's First Communion sampler
(3) Start scrapbooking the most recent events first
(4) Work on bookcases in spare room
(5) Find plate hangers (which we bought ages ago) and have DH hang rooster plates in kitchen
(6) Tackle linen closet (my children do not share my love of flannel sheets and therefore I may donate all set of twin flannels!)

Etc, etc, etc. Day #2 of my time is starting now.

I am posing this question to myself, as my house is blissfully quiet after DH whisked all the kiddos off to school. Today was the official start day for the Kindergartener, though he did a "practice" day on Friday with a one-hour orientation.

DH forgot to put out a cereal bowl for the smallest one who usually sleeps late and doesn't make an appearance until about 8:30 or 9:00. He was cheerful, dressed himself, and was the biggest waver in the minivan.

I've increase the amount of volunteering I'm doing at the school starting next month.

I think I'm going back to bed for a bit.

P.S. I wanted to share the most free fun we've had in awhile. We had a dear friend over for dinner last night, and he is rather a science geek. He went online to heavens-above.com, and located the time that the ISS (Space Station) was going to be over our exact coordinates, also found when an Iridium flare was going to be. On short notice we all crammed into our minivan and drove over to a dark golf course and we knew exactly were to look and we saw the ISS pass, and then did catch the Iridium flare. My kids were still talking about it this AM.

Yesterday I paid $42 for dog grooming in cash.

Today I sent DH to the boys' soccer team pictures with cash in the envelope for the smallest order. (After all of these years, I have learned I don't need to get the hugest package. A simple team picture - though over-priced - will go well with the action shots we take ourselves at the games.

Today we are attending our parish's block party. I am paying for our tickets in cash. I have allotted singles for each child to spend.

I have $25 cash for two pizzas for tomorrow's dinner from Pizza Hut when we have a friend over.

I have a $1.00 Rebate Cash toward my purchase of Sunday's paper at Walgreens.

I used vendor coupons for free Bakery cookies from Jewel, and free Italian bread from Dominicks. I'm keeping grocery spending down to a minimum, and am pleased that I have a bigger grocery stash than I originally thought.

I let the school know that I will be able to pay for the fees (milk and year book and party) on 9/17 because we have an Outdoor Education fee of $150 for our second oldest daughter to go to three-day sleep away camp.

I am also pleased that a bill that I thought I had to pay isn't really due until next payday (the 17th rather than 3rd). I will put that money toward our reserve account.

I'm getting a hang of the new Virtual Wallet at PNC bank; the accounts are "Spend" "Reserve" and "Growth". DH's direct deposit hasn't gone into effect yet, so I'm transferring money into it. But the joy of cash spending, is there isn't much to account for. When it is gone, it is gone.

I am finding I am not as bad a planner as I originally thought. A plan really does help.

tired. Ugh, I managed to get through a major conflict taking the moral high road. An idiot will remain an idiot, I must remind myself. And people's true colors are shown when it comes to their lust for money. Greed can make people say some mean things.

That is it.

We survived the cash only living Week One. And we did it with about $8 to spare (from the $250). I did take care of some unexpected things. We had enough money to eat well, drive our cars without worrying about running out of gas, entertain ourselves and haave a bit of fun, and take care of some needed kid items (soccer cleats, flash drive, assignment notebooks and a dictionary, etc).

DH commented this AM that he just realized how much money he spent weekly on Slim Jims and gum at the gas station and his $1.88 coffees at the work cafeteria. His car really only requires about $28.50 a week in gas and he had enough money left over to golf tomorrow morning (only $10.50 before 5:30 AM at the golf course behind our house). Yay for his observations!

I had two NSDs (yesterday and today). I didn't have to monitor the checking account balance online each and every day wondering if some forgotten check came through, because what was in the envelope was what we had. And I kept reminding myself when that was gone, it was gone. Nothing to borrow it from, etc. With the kids returning to school this week, I've had a bit more free time than usual to match up coupons to sale ads and feel that I'll be able to cap grocery spending tomorrow to a minimum.

Week 2 begins tomorrow.

I am quite happy that today is a NSD, meaning that I'm able to conserve the little bit of cash that I have remaining. Friday is replenish day, and I've already got my grocery list/menu plan for the upcoming week (plus I've accounted for our weekend $ -parish block party and having friends over for dinner on Sun).

My mom took me and the little guy for breakfast yesterday at Caribou Coffee. Not only did we get a free breakfast, but I found a dime too! (Who ever thought that I'd actually be tracking the money that I found on the ground - inspired my baselle). My mom also bought me a cross stitch pattern that I've liked for awhile - we found it at the resale store brand new for $2 (with the original $8 price on it). Nice thing about this is it is uses standard floss colors, as opposed to hand-dyed floss which can run up to $2.00 per color. I have to finish up two other projects (nearing completion) prior to starting this.

Back to school week is going well, though my oldest daughter tiredly explained this morning that she thinks she should go to bed earlier (stayed up too late last nite watching AGT). I went to the school Mass yesterday morning, ran out and about with my mom, came home mowed the lawn, returned to school for a 2:30 meeting with my 3rd grader's teacher, then it was soccer practice.

Today I'm leaving the house only for Curriculum Night.
Hope all have a good day!

I'm well into the first week of Cash Only. I have found it helpful to put all the numbers down on paper in a spreadsheet fashion. I'm finding my way through spending that isn't necessarily in one category. I did have to realize that I'm can't be too crazy if I spend the *hoped for* surplus. Example: my second oldest daughter needed a Bible for the next three years of her education. Cost: $20. The school recommended assignment notebooks were $3.50 x 3. The roller rink where the BTS party was didn't honor coupons, so I had to cough up an additional $4. These things I cannot worry about.

I am finding that overall, the picture isn't looking quite bad. All of our bills are paid (including the increased tuition and the goal of double the minimum payment to credit cards). I've accounted for groceries/gas/miscellaneous in the weekly spending amounts. We have a range of $280 to $360 left every two week for the extraneous things (classes for kids/minor car or home repair/gifts/etc) My goal is to use that money wisely and subsidize our savings.

The kids are all BTS with the exception of the youngest who starts kindergarten on Monday. I'm working on the list of thing to get done around the house for the several weeks. Quiet time to myself ... something I haven't had in almost 13 years, I'm hoping to make the most out of it!

I am not really liking it (said petulently) If you could see me now my bottom lip is slightly protuding in a pout. The ease of the plastic has been replaced my the stifling constraint of wondering if one has enough cash for purchases. Ehh ...

My money situation became slightly muddled in that my mother gave me $30 cash (to pay be back for a $22 comforter for my son's birthday gift and $7 toward a sham to match). I used $20 of that to purchase an $18 lamp for my daughters' bedroom re-do. Target had great bedding items on clearance and the girls are having their room repainted. They purchased really colorful (striped and polka-dots) comforters/shams for $20.38 pretax at Target. I did cover the $5 tax on their bedding. All in all that purchase of $64.25 got the two bedding sets (they gave me $40) and a really cool floor lamp. As far as I'm concerned the big ticket items for their reno are done. That didn't throw me, the following did.

I alluded to family hooplah and drama last week. It was over gossip and half-truths and for whatever reason, it isn't really getting to me. I am finding personal satisfaction in standing my ground and staying out of situations I didn't really create. ANYHOW, that said, DH has resigned from the second job of managing my father's apartment buildings. He has returned keys to all the apartments (via my brother) and I have directed the two calls we've had this past week from the tenants back to my father.

The benefit to this resignation is that we (my kids and I) have had him all weekend with no phone calls, no stress, no working around showings or fixings of leaky toilets. We had a relaxed and generally happier DH/father. We played Wii, we went to the park and played tennis for two hours yesterday, we went to Mass in one car and then travelled as a family to Target and Home Depot for last minute school items that we didn't pick up. I had to break my $50 because I was $3 short at Home Depot. The flash drive wasn't on sale for $9.99 as the day prior, rather it was $12.99 - using all of the money I brought with me. I now have $46 left of my $50. I will also have to spend about $8 for the skate party today for the kids, but I did find coupons for free admission for birthday child (my oldest son is 8 today), and get one free for my two girls.

Friday is the day that I return to the bank to replenish my cash stash. I am so proactive that I have my withdrawal slip ready and waiting!

All in all, the Living on Cash is going well. I am not happy that I needed to break into my $50 bill, but under normal weeks I won't have to buy soccer cleats, flash drives, plus shaving items for my daughters who are heading into teen-age hood. And not to mention the handy dandy scrublet bearing Loreal 360 on the Go (though it rang up as $6.99 but the shelf price was $4.99) and I had 2-$1.00 off coupons.

In my next post, I'll share the random thoughts of Cash King on this experiment.

from Day Two. Living with cash only is inconvient. Living with cash only requires discipline. Living with cash only requires informed choices.

There is no such thing as a splurge on your first week of cash only. Coupons will quickly become your best friend.

Despite my small frustrations regarding living on the cash in my envelope, I did survive and I didn't give in to the temptation to reach for my debit card.

Ok, so I decided to dive into the cash only pool.

I went to the bank to withdraw my $250. Ten - $20s and One - $50. I'd like to not spend the $50 - I'm using a bit of psychology here with myself.

I told DH that this went into enforcement today. He laughed and said, "I've been disarmed" - referring to his penchant for $1.88 debits for coffee and $1.89 Slim Jims at the gas station when he does his gas fill-ups. I have $40 for him - gas money for the week (through Sat, 8-28) and his "goodies". I did offer to purchase him a canister of Slim Jims at Aldi's - or whatever their version is, I know I've seen them there.

While at the bank, I withdrew our monthly tuition payment of $420 - drove it over to the business office and paid.

I put gas into my car - $35 worth. I had to go into the station to pay first. I had to get a receipt.

Soccer-playing Son #2 needed cleats for his soccer game tomorrow. New ones (not the best brand) were on sale for $16 at Target and they were sold out. We went to the used sports place and found almost-perfect Nike brand for $10.81.

The change from transactions is going into the "fun fund" jar. It presently has $3.00 in it (change from my purse) and today I found a nickle at the park.

Rather than run through the drive-thru for $1 frostys, we came home and opened a $1.35 2L of Pepsi from our stasth which I was saving for entertaining, but it *is* 90+ degrees in the sun and we were at the park and my boys are a grimy mess, so it is time to enjoy a cold Pepsi!

Stay tuned.

starting today. I'll be taking out $250 cash from the bank (ten $20s put into the evelopes for: gas, groceries, entertainment/misc AND one $50 that I will spend only as last resort). We will need gas and groceries (I will obviously need to do a better comprehensive inventory and meal plan while shopping). I've accounted for entertainment (the kids' BTS skating party) and a decent miscellaneous category.

I guess you'll be seeing daily posts from me pertaining to the spending log. Wish me luck!

I'm just wondering here who does the cash envelope system?

I'm lacking the discipline to adhere to the budget categories while using the debit card. I find that I "borrow" from other places, which sort of defeats the purpose.

I saw a segment on Suze where a blogger did this for three months and saved an average of something like $700 monthly, though she returned to her old ways of debit and credit after that period.

It just got me thinking, and wondering if anyone here has employed this method.

Anyone here tried it?

I have a church-compiled cookbook for the 1940s from a small Iowa farming town.

While looking through it last night, I came across the following annonymous quote:

"Just about the time you think you can make ends meet, somebody moves the ends."

Glad to report that while I've managed to put together a list of expenses and estimates for those lilne items anticipated for the rest of the year, including Christmas, I'm happy to report that if I am realistic about our spending (allowing more per week so I'm not stressing), we will be OK. This includes Christmas and the holiday season. I don't believe I will achieve my goal of becoming a full mortgage payment ahead per month (more than). I usually pay it two weeks prior to the due date.

Yesterday was fraught with anxiety here at my house. No sense going into the details of the dumbness of the situation, but I have come to realize that I am driving the boat of my life, navigating the waters. It is quite easy to get into that place where all I am doing is bouncing off of rocks. I will say that this involves my husband and my father (whom I struggle to have a normal relationship with). The dynamics are muddied with loyalty, blood is thicker than water, money is power, etc.

I found that while I sort of did a mini-vent with my previous post, IRL I acted quite differently. I did listen to DH vent, I had to say that my relatives are nuts, does this really surprise you, let's us move on.

The monetary ramificiations of this are DH will most likely not be working the second job for my father for some time. He has returned all keys to all buildings - rather I will be returning these to my brother's mailbox later today.

DH automatically jumped to the "I will have to find a second job because you really count on that money" branch in this tree of life.

I was able to remind him that the money that he makes goes directly to the car portion of our savings account. Granted it won't grow as fast, but it will grow.

The positive money things that have happened lately are (which will help us weather the loss of income), I haven't used any of the "car" money for things - and these are things that I might have felt justified borrowing funds, but I didn't have to:

(1) Same disowning father paid for the dance dresses for my daughters.
(2) Our school gave us an additional $2,000 tuition grant
(3) The hospital bill that I owe on was reduced to $250 (of which I'm making $25 monthly payments)
(4) My grandma just sent a $500 check as a gift
(5) The pediatrician gave us free samples for several month's for my daughter's asthma meds
(6) The tenant appears to be paying 1/2 the rent every two weeks in a timely fashion - she probably realizes if she doesn't she is out

The non-monetary benefits of this are DH will be around a lot more. I will forward all issues pertaining to apartment building management to my father's telephone number. This too shall pass.

I'm thinking that today I will be passing on my trip to use coupons on items that I *really* don't need and had better think in terms of an *as-needed* basis.

I really want to teach my children that while life throws you curves, you can manage without the drama, hence the post title of "Drama-fee Mama" - which is my goal for the day.

Family drama has me feeling a bit blah. I hate being sucked into things when I've made a concscious effort to stay out of other people's dysfunctional relationships and then my silence becomes the accusable offense of "breech of loyalty and trust."

Monetary relevance? None. I did though resort to emotional eating: a lone Kit Kat on the top shelf of the fridge. Not good for my diet, I know.

Leave me alone.

1.10% on balances under $24,999.

I opened an account online yesterday and hope to transfer the entirety of our EF fund ($11K) to it by week's end. We don't make much interest, but more is better than less.

The concept of the "virtual wallet" is a three part system: (1) your checking account and debit card ("Spend") to take care of your daily expenses and track your budget category balances, (2) your checking account 2 is the "Reserve" account which is for short-term savings goals and acts as an overdraft account, and (3) the savings account is the "Growth" account for long-term stability.

There are random opportunities for savings - "Punch the Pig" where you can transfer $1 from spending to savings every time you designate (every day, every time the pig appears randomly, every time you pay a bill online). I like the concept that it all very visual. I'm not a high-tech person, but if I was I could view this from my mobile phone, etc.

A goal for this is to start getting a better hand on the piddly little debit card usages which really add up and make it annoying. The spending plan needs a shake-up, and maybe this is it.

Any users of it? If so, I'm wondering what your has your experience with it been?

We were happy with our checking at National City, which was purchased by PNC Bank. Haven't noticed any real difference in service (we like all of our tellers who know us by name) and one of the branches in our area has Sunday hours.

I'm thinking about joining up - the features look interesting like monitoring your spending categories and random savings ("punch the pig"). There is also a deal of additional $75 for direct deposit and ten debit card purchases, plus $25 more if you use five online billpays.

What do you think?

Meaning the last weekend before the last week of summer vacation.

Our spending looks something like this:

Fri: $10 for admission to pool for BTS 7th Grade & Family aka Meet and Greet of the New Families

Sat: $32 dinner at Steak N Shake after dance competition in Milwaukee (kids eat free, used $1 off coupons x3 for DH and my meals and bogo on the shakes) Food $26.59 (not bad for seven) and $5 tip

Sun: $60 cash to Chicago White Sox game - my brother has seasons tickets and DH and the boys went. I sent them with two small well-stocked coolers (nachos and chips, soda, peanuts, cookies, candy bars) for the tail-gaiting portion and I bought all the boys/DH White Sox shirts and caps (at Marshalls on discount and we had two brand new caps from a few years back when my daughters danced and we walked the bases) Don't know how much of that will come home - I'm banking on nothing remaining.

$15 to see Eclipse for the girls + bffs and myself.

I have to laugh how fast we blew through the money - we usually swim for free at the Y on Fridays and watch DVDs from the library for our entertainment. On Saturdays we usually go to the kids' soccer games, etc. I think if we entertained ourselves like this all the time, we wouldn't enjoy it as much when we do these things!

Hope everyone enjoys their day!

I posted several days ago about doing comparisons and feeling inadequate. OK, so my disorganization cost me $42 in money, two trips to Kohl's (45 min) in time, and some frustration (looking for shoes that were never to be found).

7:45 this AM I get a call from one of the mothers of a fellow soccer team child on the team the DH is assistant coaching. She wanted to know what time the game is tomorrow. I'm not really sure exactly because we're not going to be there. I said, "Wait one minute, I can find the schedule." There is was, right under the pile of bills to be paid.

I tell her the time and place and team color. She said to me, "I don't know how you do it ... keeping tack of all that kind of stuff. I can barely manage and I only have three ..."

Makes me want to fall on the floor laughing. That is in this instance the moons aligned and I was able to have the information at hand. I *am* doing better keeping track of things, and I've managed yet another bag of trash, another bag of donations, and antoher bag of kids clothes to give to our friends.

I'm thinking that gracious living might start with a peaceful attitude and a light heart.

Goals for the day:
(1) Go through the DVD's - purge 30% and better organize the remaining ones. Why is it when I want to watch a Harry Potter movie all we can find are the outgrown Doras?
(2) Around the block in the Sketcher shape-ups (Inspired by whitestripe's comment on the fallen off the wagon post)

And my girls got their new Irish dance dresses yesterday. Beautiful ... beautiful ... beautiful ... and both declare that they are so much more comfortable than the old small/tight ones they've been wearing. Off to Milwaukee for a competition tomorrow. At least it isn't in the ice arena!

My oldest daughter has asthma and saw the doctor today for her annual visit. I asked about a generic equivalent for her Flovent, and the doctor gave us six months of samples. $130.50 a month x 6 is a lot of money saved. She also gave us two albuteral inhalers which run us $40 each.

We were notified that we received an additional $2,000 grant for tuition, bringing the tuition we will pay from $6,202 to $4,200. Do-able.

My father offered to pay for my daughters' Irish dance dresses. He apparently paid for my brother's new furnace and a/c and hot water heater to a tune of $3,500. I offered to pay him back ($2,356 on the low end or $2,856 on the high end) once I resell the old dress (3) and get the remaining $406 of our state tax refund. He told me to put that money in the bank for future reference. I guess I haven't really paid much attention to the equitable nature that he (my father) possesses.

It *is* nice not to wonder about all of the money that seems to leave my checkbook at an alarmingly past speed.

I was feeling rather unorganized and haphazzard yesterday (see my previous post).

I did replace the missing shoes for my second daughter. I had a $50 gift card I was "saving". We ended up getting her school shoes for $17.99 (down from $34) and Nike gym shoes $29.99 (down from $40). With tax it came to $49.30 and I have $.70 remaining on my gift card. I asked for cash back since was under a $1, the cashier said it wasn't possible.

DH and I went out to dinner last night, using a $20 mystery shopper gift card. We ate at a local Irish pub and the food was good and it was a fun date night which cost us $12 OOP ($7 food balance and $5 tip). My oldest daughter was swimming with friends, so we had my mother come over to watch the kids.

AGT was on ('that' show that I shouldn't let my kids watch) - results were being announced. We got in at about 8:30 and found dear 'ole mom piled on the sectional with the kids, passing around a bag of rice cakes discussing if an acapella group was going to advance to the next round or a solo-ist was going.
So my mother decided to join in the family fun while she was here ...

Not much today, gunning for a NSD-er

over at the Small Notebook blog by Rachel someone. I'm enthralled at the blog - I'm amazed that her life seems so gracious and simple and quiet and unchaotic and ... I am jealous.

Yesterday was so hot that we stayed in and watched TV for most of it -- I didn't buy my son soccer cleats for his practice and of course he was the only kid without them (though it didn't seem to bother him a bit and he is the best player out there). I sent him with a pink water bottle that the little girls on the team laughed at. Didn't bother him a bit. I did manage to get the third grader to the soccer field in time for his practice (which is good since DH is asst coach). I didn't grocery shop -- so my kids had cereal for dinner -- in front of the TV watching AGT's Youtube version. My mother said to me "I can't believe you let your kids watch that" (she apparently turned it on during a 'disturbed' illusionist's trick which left me amazed. Then I stayed up until 12:30 (way past my bedtime) reliving my days of youth while wathcing "Purple Rain" on MTV. I slept in and my kids had to have yogurt and graham crackers for breakfast. My grandmother (who left) said to my mother "She'll find her groove when the kids go back to school." Apparently my family isn't appreciating my lack of a scheduled existence anymore.

So in my dreamed-for life, I have cupboards chock-full of healthy snacks that my kids like, a homecooked delicious meal on the table when we come home happily from our various activities, my children go to sleep in their beds instead of falling asleep strewn all over the floor in the family room or my bed, I don't have overdue library books on the floor of my dirty minivan, I look good in all my clothes - even the casual ones (presently I'm in DH's old T-shirt and my own favorite work out shorts that sadly have a small hole in them).

All of this stems from the lost shoes ... my second oldest daughter needed an exchange in size on her BTS shoes. I took care of this three weeks ago and the shoes are gone. I've searched high and low and every where inbetween. All I can conclude is that the shoes went out with the recycleables (that trip yielded us seven pairs of school shoes and gym shoes and lots of boxes to be taken out to the garage) which are obviously long-gone.

I now need to rebuy my daughter shoes since last years are trashed and too small. I am sad that I need to use some of my saved $50 JCP gift card. The only good thing about this is that it is reduced-tax spending week.

*sigh*

referring to myself, of course.

Last year while doing our state income taxes, I neglected to include the statement from our kids' school showing that we paid over $2,500 in tuition and they held up around $300 of our return.

This year I was very careful to include all documentation for this deduction. However, I neglected to include our parcel number for our real estate property tax deducation.

We received $436 of our return; they are kindly holding $406 until I provide them with the proper documentation.

Don't I ever learn? At least the money will be coming, but it would be nice to have had it all at the same time.

Dare I hold out hope for getting it 100% right for next year? I'm not so sure ...

diaper coupons? I am coming across more and more of these. I know lots of moms here are cloth-diapering moms, but if you use disposibles (or disposable - not sure of spelling), I've got some coupons.

If you're interested send me your email. I'll delete it after contacting you.

My grandma (90 years old) is heading home today after a three week visit. This is what we've done: took G-ma to a potluck dinner at Church, went to Cantigny in Winfield, IL and walked around the gardens and took the mansion tour, we went out to eat several times, walked around our local downtown, been to the library, went to the mall, worked a-gazillion jigsaw puzzles, watch the movies "What About Bob" and "The Secret Life of Bees". My grandma also got to see the dance studio where the girls dance and saw my soccer star son at practice. My mom and stepdad took my g-ma to Iowa to visit a cousin/neice, etc. I think she had a good time, and the thing that I'm realizing is that quality family time doesn't necessarily equate to spending a lot of money. We did lots of reminiscing and talking about the past, looking at old pictures, etc.

DH took the girls plus two friends each to a preview of the Jonas Brothers concert on Thursday evening. Both girls brought their best friends and their sisters, so DH had the range of girls: going into 3rd grade up to high school. We spent $4.51 at Hobby Lobby and the girls decorated the minivan's windows with "isms" like I *heart* Joe, Nick, Kevin; Burning Up for the Jonas Brothers, Honk if you love JB. The tickets and the parking were free. My children spent $22 on snacks at the venue ($8 for dippin dots, and $5 for a pretzel, and some waters). Afterwards, DH took the girls to Wendy's and spent $25 on items from the $1 menu. And as they were at Wendy's at 12:30, Alyson Stoner (she played Sarah Baker in the Cheaper by the Dozen movies and is a voice in Disney's cartoon "Phineas and Ferb") and the Camp Rock 2 dancers were at the Speedway next door. Apparently, Alsyon was very nice to our group of girls, had pictures taken, autographed T-shirts, and said that daughter #2 was so sweet and polite. The oldest girl in the group (the HS) posted pictures on Facebook and this has been the hit of the summer in their social circle. DH laughed when he asked the highschool if she had a good time, with a sigh she said it was *amazing* - she was able to touch all 3 brothers. So funny to hear these stories!

I've noticed that I since I'm attempting to mature and break some bad habits (gossip), I'm not really that emotionally vested in my brother's drama (parting ways with the GF). She called to talk about something other than the break-up and then when the conversation headed for that, rather than say anything to her about what I really think, I stuck to the "Life is too short to be in a place that you don't want to be." Didn't speak to her motives or what my brother might have done or not done. I don't think his relationship with her will leave us with any lifelong friendships (unlike the XSIL who we're still close with after six years). She said she'd like to get together (part of her 'say the right thing' package) in the future. I don't really see that happening ...


On the money front, things are stable. The tenant paid the $725 for 1/2 months rent and in two weeks she will pay the additional $275 to pay $1,000. All of the bills are paid for August. I must not get overzealous and think I'll pay all of the bills for September in August - I must fight that unrealistic straight-jacket thinking. I've already spent $45 on BTS for four kids and don't have much more to get. I have to pay $100 at the end of the month for license plate stickers and we have a weekend away in September which I'll need $130 for hotel and plan what we're doing (Dutch Village in Holland and visit to Lake Michigan) and plan accordingly.

Hope you all have a great weekend.