I looked over his recent auctions (listed thanks to my 'encouragement' err, ok fine, nagging)

And he has quite a bit of money comming to him! Plus some old auctions he has to recieve payment/ship out, plus some recent winnings. (though due to the recent US players thing it is harder to jump the hoops to get the cash)

Unfortunatly he is prolly stewing due to needing that money for medical issues, he complains because every time we seem to get a bonus to get us ahead, something happens to crush those dreams..which is the true danger of counting chickens, when you don't get them...you might be annoyed.

Apparently quite a bit, as I have done not much, and my husband is only one person with only two hands..and sorry a guy (really if he was home all the time he would be faster and more in practice, but he isn't, he is a computer guy, not a homemaker)

Anyway the balance of the work is either not done, or done by the kids. cleaning, laundry, dishes, amazing what they can do. And more amazing to me, is what their peers are NOT doing.

Before you go feeling sorry for them, they have scads of time to do what they like as well, after they clean up from lunch or whatever. I have always held that a child must learn to take care of themselves, and the training for that is NOW.

My youngest has very few responsibilities, we take advantage of what he likes to do, and let him so long as he is tall enough, and can get to it. So he tends to take the paper recycling to the bin...after some bigger person opens the door . He also Loves to put things in the hamper, and put his own clothes in some drawer or other. I still do not know why I fold laundry nothing makes it to the dresser folded!

My middle girl is showing amazing aptitude for all tasks, from dishes to laundry to 'clean up' She however cannot manage to sweep or vacume yet.

My oldest gets those 'tough' chores, plus some of the higher up dishes (breakables wait on Daddy).

All in all if I had more no cook food availible I would have nothing to do except help UE with the potty and occassional diapers (he is doing great on that whole PTing thing).

Reading a blog post regarding frugalness (found thru digg) I noticed I apparently have been dressing wrong (or right depending on how you look at it)

Mend clothes and reuse, or wear layers.
At home, I wear longjohns/ thermal underwear with ripped jeans. Why not? The pants are still wearable and no one is going to see me except family and the dogs and cats. The #1 rule of frugality: use what you have for as long as possible.

You mean your not supposed to have holes in your jeans? since not a single pair is holeless I certainly hope holes are fashionable..or in any event that any one who cares has better things to do than complain about my jeans.

For more formal affairs I do have 'slacks' with no holes.

Having medical issues here so all goals are failing, and out the window....

I hope to be back on track soon....

But in the meantime it is nice to see that without trying last months habits are showing, I have been eating more fruits and vegetables than before January..

We did it, two stores, Aldis and BJs plenty of food including some for the 'loaves and Fishes' collection at church (do you know how heavy a bag full of cans is?)

All for 75.75...I know that exactly because of excell

No none food, so nothing new. other goals met.

Not only did I have goals this month, I remembered them! for the whole month!

I recorded all my new purchases(5 things, all recorded here except two new soap pumps)...and redid my checkbook....and opened a ING checking account, and put the money we had building up into ING, and set up a autopay for the car bill, and a plan to pay it off early.

All in all a pretty good month financially. I can even see specifically, and down to the penny what was good or bad! (excell rocks!)

Food was under by almost 40$, cargas was well under due to my husband working a closer site. (ends Monday .)

But due to buying a dryer, paying the HOA and paying the car insurance, the monthly spending was overby more than 1K.

the money was availible and all, so no problems.

I now have a plan for the 'yearlystuff' like the HOA, to 'build up' and wait to be spent. One reason we want an ING checking account transfers from ing to ing are instant. so the 'build up' would earn intrest while waiting to be used. With no minimum 5 day wait to get it.

On a non-finance note, I had 3 fruits or veggies all but 5 days (two on those days), and I did my isometric stuff all but 1 day. And...my husband claims he can tell the improvement .

February I plan on going to the non BJs stores in rotation..instead of sometimes going to all three in one week. Plus I want to record it all individually. As well as continue to record all new purchases.

In adition to last months goals I want to add on 5 minutes of cardio, I know pathetically small, but just like only 100 iso, small and daily will happen. Plus I plan on 4 tall glasses of water a day.