Hey all.
I'm still hanging in there...took the kids to Great Escape last Sunday. Saved $32.00 by buying the tickets online. My dad gave me $40.00 and the kids father gave them each $40. for spending money, and I let them "go nuts" with it because we never have any money to spend. They both actually did VERY well. I tucked away $20.00 of that money from my stepfather for the gas tank. My son and I figured out this morning on the way to the bus stop (at their Dad's house) that we are about 3 gallons short on gas. Might be time to use that $10.00 gift gas card from LAST xmas....

Also, I'll be keeping my kids with me during every weeknight and weekday morning because I was not satisified with the lack of care they were receiving at their Nana's (who was a sub for their father since he works 3rd shift) THis means more gas and mileage for me, and more groceries, even if only in the way of breakfast foods. I'm sure that baking more would take the edge off of breakfast, give them something other than cereal and toast to look fwd to, with the occasional pancake or french toast.

I'm rambling.
Point is, I'm hanging in there.
If you see someone out of gas alongside I-91 in SOuthern Vermont this week, it's probably me..*L*

MarieVermont

I work for a non profit. Huge salaries are just never gonna be part of the game aroune here. THe way I figure it...I've been making it so far....any little extra will just be fantastic.

We are expanding to meet the needs of desperate, soon to be very cold people....I work in Weatherization. I have become supervisor to two part time people. My first exp. with supervision, aside from being a parent.

I never ever gave ANY thought to the fact that there might be financial compensation involved for my added responsibility.....Whooohoo, imagine my surprise when the director mentioned THAT!!!!!

MarieVermont

Sometime earlier in the summer I promised my kids a trip to The Great Escape (Now a Sixx Flags, in lake George New York)
That day is Saturday.
I'm dreading it.
I'm dreading the money I'll have to spend despite coupons...
I'm eating lunch in the parking lot (where it costs $10.00 to park...*sniffle* )

I also made a convenience purchase this weekend which I'm partly kicking myself for, and partly patting myself on the back for. I had just come home from my boyfriends' house which is 80 minutes and 1/4 of a tank of gas away, I did not watn to then drive across the river to New Hampshire to wal-mart to buy paint, a roller cover, an edge brush and a tray liner. So I stopped at Sherwin Williams. The paint I purchased was $39.99 a gallon. My entire purchase was $60.00. The paint went on beautifully...it's the nicest paint I've EVER used in my LIFETIME...and I will buy it again..but next time, I'll budget for it! *L* It looked SO good on the walls, I actually squealed out loud when I stepped back to look at it.

That extra check in October?
Here's the plan.

buy brake parts, self labor
pay off medical bill and water bill (firewood is paid in full! woohoo!)
put away some money for xmas...
buy myself a bday gift. refurbished ipod at overstock for $150.00 I've been waiting over 3years to do this....may change my mind before then, we'll see.
the rest will go in savings.

Toodles!
Marie

MarieVermont

Last week I spent an afternoon every other day on the phone with the Centralized Servicing Center in St. Louis MO, for USDA Rural Development, my mortgage holder....trying to find out the NEW payment amount, since I'd faxed in my new tax bill, lowering my property taxes from $2962.00 to $1495.00 (Homestead Declaration Credit)

I ended up paying the old amount $683.64, and wondered what would happen to the difference once they finally made the adjustment. In one year and 8 months I have NEVER been late on a mort. payment, and I don't intend to start now, so rather than wait for the updated amt, i just paid it.

Anywho, last night, I arrived home, sweltering hot, foggy from the chiropractor...and in NO way ready to cook dinner. I opened the mail, sat down on my nice comfy couch in my nice cool living room, and proceeded to open 3 envelopes from RD. One was a confirmatio nof my phone payment. Cool. One was a redone escrow statement....and the last one was a check for $191.36. This is the amt my mortgage has gone DOWN!!! I was so excited, I started to cry...and immediately called my mom to share the good news, my stepfather was cheering in the background for me, (He tells ppl I'm fantastic, and I've done more than he ever thought possible on very little..both literally and figuratively...*L*) THEN....I hustled the kids in the car and took them to Friendly's. Yeah, I know. I don't care. We go so often with little to nothing "extra or fun" I thought for sure I could spare $30.00 out of 191.36.

Last night I tried to go to bed after an hour or more of knitting and listening to a book on cd...(The 5 hour baby sweater, and The Tenth Circle by Jodie Piccoult) but all i could think about was my big budget notebook, so I got up and spent some time with that instead.

If I get AGGRESSIVE....I could potentially have $700. saved by the end of November? POTENTIALLY< this bears some more fine tuning...but I gave my boss a check today for the rest of the firewood....my water bill will be paid in full by the middle of October, as well as that pesky medical bill, and then I can move forward with my normal budget again without all of that extra crap that stresses me so!!!

I'm so relieved....but I did pass this message along to the little ones this morning. This does NOT mean that we are no longer living frugally....we still will be...just so you know. *L* There just will be a little less worry.

Having said all of that, this beign a horrendous year for fleas, both of my dogs need meds for that, i have to buy paint, and my pride took over last night when I told my ex i would be back to buying my own groceries, and I've budgeted 100 every two weeks....which should MORE than hold us.

MarieVermont

Well....
This has been an unusual week money wise....
Here's what has happened.

#1. My net pay is considerably less than normal because I have started to pay back my employer for my oil prebuy...to the tune of $1k. That's only for 200 gallons folks. I pay $.40 per gallon price protection, so if the price goes below the $4.42/gal that i paid initially, I'll get that lower price, and it will NEVER go higher than 4.42.

#2. My car battery died. Back in March I got slammed in a parking lot. (Ins. company concluded that it was MY fault...but whatever...she had no damage, I had $1k worth. MY deductible is $500.00. The following Monday, my brakes went. There went my bodywork money. I still have the insurance check....it's useless to me now. Anyway...my battery was split right down the front...leaking acid everywhere. I'm lucky I think....but I did have to buy a new battery, and I bought the CHEAPEST one at $43.00.

#3. I'm getting serious about systematically fixing up the interior of my home, because I intend to sell it in 3 years time. We're talking paint mostly, but damn...paint is expensive! So when I went into Wal-Mart to buy the battery, I also bought a can of paint for $11.83...knowing that it would be some time before I returned to Wal-Mart.

So here it is, 7 days from payday. I have $91.03 left in my checkbook, (my bank says I have $70.00 something, gotta look into that) will need at LEAST $30.00 more in gas before next Friday morning....and have not paid my electric bill, which just came yesterday. It could be much worse....but damn...*L* It could be better.

SO, Liss, if you're reading, or anyone else for that matter...In October, I have a 3rd paycheck....all of my bills are covered in the first and last check of October....and I've already budgeted my usual $100.00 for gas, from the 3rd one. What is the BEST way for me to use this money???

I have a medical bill, balance of $122.00
I have no money set aside for xmas.
I am going to need rear brakes, but parts only, my bf and i will do the labor ourselves.
Thought about paying the rest of the cars ins. for the year...
Also thought about putting it in savings...to go towards my $1000.00 emergency fund...(I do not trust myself to put it in savings connected to my checkbook, it's TOO easy to use) I was considering giving it to my grandmother to put in her safe, or my parents etc...

I'd better get to work, and start earning that paycheck.*L*
Happy Friday.

MarieVermont