Went to a friends house they have a very expensive kareokee (how in the heck to you spell that?) machine, fancy. Plays DVDs and all that, part of me wanted one, nifty toy and all. BUt as I was faling asleep last night it occured to me, My kids can't read that cfast! so it would only be for me (DH doesn't sing) Not worththe money. Instead I can stick with cds of songes we like and sing along with 'fake mics' no way Im amplifying my pathetic voice anyway. Plus the song words and sound were on DVD, I have a DVD player! bet it would work just fine.

Ick, its cold, the driveway is iced over and I am bored. Though the iced driveway is keeping me from going to spend money I guess. But we do need yogurt, hope it thaws before this evening.

Truthfully I am more on a quest to entertain my family after dinner, without the net, which is so impersonal. I love being able to do my thing while DH does his, but not while the kids are up. We did the Charades thing and the reverse pictionary (charades went over better) and last night we got all the little funky workout stuff and let the kids play (did a little ab work too). The kids thout it was ok, my waist today thinks it was to much work! but work is good, if I can keep this up a couple times a week, I should get my waistline back down that last 1/2 inch (or more!)

well I meant to make bread yesterday, mixed and kneaded it before dinner, then left it to rise, and forgot it. I am not sure if I should risk wasting the energy to cook it, I have a feeling it will not turn out to good.

Got milk, icky milk, but the kids like it. Also some cheese cheaper by the pound for pizza, some butter for popcorn, and I am not sure where the rest of the 54 went? oh peanuts and chocolate chips for trail mix. there has to be something else!

Also got my DD some tennis shoes and she walked the whole trip without walking out of them. and some more panties, she was always running out, she still has about 1 accident a day, which is 2 pairs, and she only had three, so more was a must.

I want a restaurant! I want a waiter to b ring me my drink! (waiter so I can flirt of course) I want a fancy cloth napkin, I want someone to clear the table for me! I want to enjoy a full meal without having to worry about the extra dishes that fancy food makes!

Ok done whining now, I think.

We skipped because we aren’t in need of milk. So we are going to wait until Thursday (DH’s day off) and go to BJ’s to get milk. After all the kids will drink it. We will still have to stop at the store for yogurt, but that should be it. Hopefully I can keep it to 30$ to make up for the amount spent at BJs last time.

I paid bills the other day, it was the easiest I had ever done it! Not only was there enough money in the bank to pay all of them, but even enough to pay extra on the CC!

Mostly there was money cause we have been using cash gifts from christmas for the groceries. Still have some left so we should be good for a bit.

And it was easy cause I took all the bills that I found and put them in my 'breifcase' which is really just a zipper three ring binder. Kind of like flyladys office in a bag, but not as big, and made of fake leather, but I already owned it. It was a gift back when I took my first teaching job. Somehow I get the feeling I would have been a better teacher if I had been a bit more organized back then. Oh well I was a pretty good teacher regardless, least the parents and kids thought so.

We had the greatest time last night playing a childs version of charades! It was awesome, we had the kids pick an animal and then act it out, my youngest is only 1 but she was the cutest little imitaor, making most of the sounds and even trying to waddle like a duck. My 'oldest' is 2.75. he had the hardest time not telling me what he was being, he wanted to say it then do it, which took the guesswork out of it, but was still the cutest thing, great fun.

This morning my kids decided I should play revers pictionary, they gave me an animal and I was supposed to draw it, I have no artistic talent whatsoever, that all went to my bro, but the kids thought it was fun, I am a big girl so the description of my horse being more like a 3 legged dinosaur didn't bother me, much. just kidding, they were right. it did look like a dinosaur. next time I think I will try making a dinosaur and see if it looks like a horse!

This has nothing to do with money except that it was free entertainment!, well we did have to buy the crayons and paper but honestly we are using up the stash of paper from my DHs highschool, and the crayons are frequent gifts for kids. So really free .

Company! I had company for a late Christmas celebration; they brought the greatest Christmas present, dinner! Though honestly the way I feel I was happier about not having to do the work than not having to spend the money. I do have to do the clean up but they brought paper plates and plastic wear too! Which is a lot easier on the clean up. And they let enough flatware and plates for a months worth of meals! Not that I plan on using them every day, but they will come in handy when I just can’t get the dishes done.

ICK! BJs milk is yucky! I can’t drink it without chocolate! And the chocolate is giving me a headache! That sucks cause it was only 2.70 something a gallon, compared to 4 something at the grocery store. The kids don’t seem to mind so I might just have to suffer with no milk for awhile . Terrible, I like milk!

Well today we spent a ton of money. We had to get the car inspected, and needed a few thing at BJs. We managed to avoid most of the impulse buys, though I did get some cashews, and we spent over 100, but a lot of that was milk, butter, pepperoni, and graham crackers. No diapers, for the first time in forever! My DD was wearing underwear at the store and she has been doing great, we still need a pull-up for bedtime, but I figure my DS only gave it up when we ran out so she will prolly too. We did get to spend cash cause my mother left us with some. And apparently the check for selling our laptop is in the mail, which is good news. And we will be getting one in the next month or two for selling my sons computer, we sold it to family so it will take some time, but they needed it.

Well de-cluttering occurred in my bedroom today, including sorting out some of the toys I have to sell. I grouped them according to discount and stuff, so that when I am ready to have my spring sale I have the toys ready and in one place, room looks better but the bed really needs made and I really need to vacuum. Amazing what a difference little things can make. I did a huge amount of stuff moved several big things around, and what it needs to be clean is two little things. (Which I can’t do cause it is naptime, I am watching my adorable son fall asleep.) Anyway I was just impressed with myself, and I think the organization will help me sell the stuff.

We did it! We made it to the store for only 35 something! Way under the 50 budgeted. course we can mostly thank my mother for buying a few extra things that we wouldn't normally before she left. and laving us with some salmon and steak in the freezer. but hey little victories.

I also got the electric bill for december and it was 50 something, which is under the 60$ that I was aiming for, I find the monthly bills harder to get down, cause you can't see as quickly the payoff. with the grocery store it is easy, I am there every week so I get a good idea of how my budget is doing, with the electric and stuff I don't find out if I am doing good for a whole month after I try a new habit.

Ugh we ruined a chicken the other night, and I so wanted to pitch it and move on, but I did the frugal thing and am making soup. I just want to say, I really hate that! I so hate having to rescue things and fix them. I would much rather do it right the first time, but baring that, I want the financial freedom to toss my screw ups!

I woke up to a cold house, the NC warm January is over, it is COLD! I knew it wouldn't last forever, but now when I have trouble getting laundry done is a bad time.

I also woke up to condensation on the inside of all my windows, I am a bit worried that the moisture will mean mold or something. bad for the windows. But I am afraid to mention it to DH, there has been a rash of bad news latly, he doesn't need more.

Today I have to figure out a way to get more done, time to see how helpful a 2.75 year old can be .

Ok so saving money while sick is more about spending as little extra as possible!

I am trying to figure out how to make food without to much work, thankfully today we have leftover pb no J from packing to the docs yesterday. dinner might be hard as my DH wont be home till laterish today and wont be able to cook much. Not to mention the poor dude is a bit overworked already.

I read about turning the hot water off to save money, I don't think I can go that far, but when I am healthy I think I will turn it down possible without checking with my DH, he shouldn't notice, so long as the showers arn't longer than 30 minutes. he doesn't take as hot a shower as I do so the lower temperature wont bother him as much. I hope.

Well my DD had yet another checkup, the good news is that 20% is still only 18$ for the copay.

The bad news is we went to walmart afterwards. My DS bought himself a bedspread for his new twin bed, and fitted sheet so he now has two sets of sheets. very cool black with grey dragons. We managed to buy some birthday presents, legos on sale. I did manage to keep DH from buying himself any. And we had a gift card for christmas plus my christmas money, so we escaped with no cc bill or check card

Well we found out what our maternity care is, gotta know this stuff. Apparently normal pregnancy care is covered 100% but tests are 80% so as long as nothing goes wrong the next kid is going to be pretty cheap.

My Mom and her crew is gone, so I have a very messy house, and I think my elctric bill jumped about 50$ They left lights on, we used all the computers, they left the door open, and of course there was more cooking.

but the food they bought for us should cancel out. and they took the laptop, and my sons computer. the laptop they will buy and mail us a check, the computer is theirs now, may or may not mail a check, but they already left us money for Christmas so we don't need any. wait we do need it, but wouldn't feel right asking for it.

Unfortunaly I am not in the mood to save right now. I want to lay on the couch, play with my kids, be distracted, and rest, This is not good for the budget, but I need rest.

Mom bought the groceries, so that means we have extra money for next week.

And I am reminded of one of the most annoying things from my childhood. Mom doesn't like free eating of teenagers, like teens can't eat everyone out of house and home. Teens need the food! She used to keep me from food all the time. Drove me nuts! we would go out somewhere and have breakfast before we left (ok I would) then there would be no stops for food till dinner.

I hated that.

Well my mother should be here tomorrow night, she is bringing her exchange student with her, so I will get a taste of feeding a teenager. But the good news is she will be buying my groceries, prolly. So next week I can have chicken!!

Forgot to mention why it will be bad, she is my Mom! no really she isn't that bad, but who wants to tell their mom the house is at 65 cause I can't aford it any warmer? Not to mention she wants her exchange kid to get his own room, an 18 year old who prolly can manage to behave even with restless sleep while I bunk up my two toddlers, one of whome wakes up every time she is uncovered, which will wake up the other guaranteed. So not looking forward to my tired kids.

I mentioned to my husband that we might want to consider selling my sons computer, he is after all only two and he doesn't use it very often, and he is still terrible wiht a mouse, there is no reason he can't play on my computer. I didn't get to great of a reaction unless we sell it to my mom or someone who needs a computer. But I also mentioned selling his laptop, and he can have mine. He actually sonded like it was an option! Only he isn't going to take mine he will share. which is cool it has win 2000 and hat makes you log in anyway, or it sure makes me log in, so he can log in as him and I can log in as me. So now all I have to do is figureout how to sell it, and to who. (or whom? English is not my strong suit)

Well today I made tortilla chips, bread, cheese crakers (very good) soda crakers (cross between saltine and wheat thin). I wanted to make brownies for my husband but I ran out of energy. hopefully I will find time friday or saturday.

I also made pizza for dinner, and next time we need to make more pizza! I am still hungry, course I always am so it isn't really a marker of anything.

Well I found an old Excell budget I set up and updated it. So far we have 20$ left at te end of the month - if we spend nothing extra like presents or Dr visits. And that doesn't yet include yearly things like Car Insurance and stuff.

The grocery store was 50.47 so we aren't going to make that under 70 if next week is as bad, but 10 of it was for butter which should keep me in butter for three or even four weeks. and another 8 was for cheese, whish is a little over an average weeks worth, but I have to try and get the kids to cut back a bit. And 12 was for milk, again we are going to try and get the kids to cut back a bit. THere was also some poptarts for dh, a month or two supply. Hopefully next week we can keep it in the 20 we have left. I will be making more bread on Thursday so we wont need that but we will need flour.

I am thinking of making the grocery list now:

Milk x2
flour
eggs

There thats almost 15 right there. Doesn't leave much room though. Guess I wont be getting that chicken after all.

Last night I made hockey chili, which my DD and DH love, butI burnt the bottom of the pot! so instead of lunch for me I had a burnt mess. Hate misteaks, I hate it even more when they cost me money!

I looked at a calendar to see just how often I spend money, which is pretty easy since I go to the grocery store once a week, and spend money occasionally on Thursdays, usually for DR apointments and occasionally for walmart or BJs. Totaled up it can't be anymore than 8 times and is quite often less. The less I go to the store the less I spend, which is why we are not going to Walmart anytime soon to buy a test.

K I am in a better mood today, after all my kids hardly ever get sick so aside form regular checkups things should be good, oh and I think I am in a good mood cause I managed to get my daughter to poop in the potty! That will not only save money but come on I hate diapers!

I also found that my kids and husband like 'ship chips' which is alot cheaper than buying. The bad news is we have about 70$ to buy groceries for the next two weeks, so it is back to seeing how we can shrink that bill.

Oh and I was very proud of myself managing to get my shower done in only 20 minutes, with washing hair and a sugar scrub. Money rant would prolly make fun of me for hurring to save my few cents but he isn't looking at my credit card bill and ...

I am so frustrated, I am doing a billion little things, and I managed every big thing I could, and I am still going nowhere. I balenced the checkbook and we are still going the wrong way. Mainly due to every thing we manage to take out is replaced by something new. like a medical bill or the fixed bills going up! Really I am considering canceling the garbage to I can get that 60 some out of the month! Not like a family with two kids goes thru that much garbage each day, only a tall kitchen can every day!

Did I mention I miss chicken nuggets? I miss the convenience of popping them in the microwave and knowing they will be done in 2 minutes, even when I quit using honey on them I still love them. I know it isn't hardly real chicken, but it is good! I am craving chicken nuggets, and we are going to the store monday, hope the craving passes by then.

Now I have done all I am currently willig to do on the electric bill, What next? there is water, gas though I lumped that in with the electric, gas heat and all. so water, and umm thats all that is changable. ouch. I have a set rate for the phone, set rate for garbage, mortgage, car, and insurance. There must be more bills, either that or I am going to have to take a hard look at my long showers.