Well not really, but I did decide to splurge yesterday and we all went to the discovery place.

We have a membership so the only cost was food.

While we were there at the end of the day we watched them set up some tables. They do this everynight or at least everynight we are there, so I sent my husband to ask what was up. He discovered a members only event. Did I mention we were members? So we stayed, and got to eat free, candy cookies and icecream, watch them destroy peeps via liquid nitrogen, a vacum, and somehow blow one up..I missed the explination, but I was there for the fire .

Then we got a first look at the new exhibit. All kinds of cool info on sugar (it is in concrete!) and taste buds (loved JC's face when the grape jelly bean turned to strawberry as she stopped holding her nose!)

There was more but we had to leave, it was past the kids bedtime, we rarely do that at all, but oh it was a great day.

total cost....16$ for dinner for 5 of us, plus the gas to drive there, not to shabby for a very full day

On a side note today we went grocery shopping and we are under budget to close out the month, and the rest of the loot burning a hole in my pocket I will call the car company today...if they arn't there i will call Monday to get it to them. applied to principle, not prepayment!

K I might be the only one to find this funny, but dude writes an article on how to lose weight, and says the actual diet he follows is weight watchers.. but he didn't pay for it...he read their patent!

Lastly, for the curious out there…I followed the Weight Watchers diet. I did not pay for the diet, nor did I go to meetings. I found out all the information about the diet on-line. The first place to look is at their patent.

10 unconventional diet tips

course I don't recomend his tips....but I do recomend searching for a patent before you pay for the plan!

Pre kid (of course) We lived the easy life, we had checks for weeks waiting to be cashed. We frequently went as much as a month in between trips to the bank, and still spent plenty..though plenty less than most of our peers.

I remember one persons shock when my husband told him about the backlog of checks waiting to be deposited, he couldn't understand how anyone could survive without constant cash in. We couldn't understand why not....

I also worked with a few people who were in love with the 'extra check months' (paid weekly) I thought they were nice, but never really had an effect on my budget. (extra then went to pay off my husbands loans)

Now my shock is not that many live paycheck to paycheck (went thru that phase, when the money out is that close to the money in..hard to balance, but we have)

No I am shocked that we wasted all that interest! We could have paid off the loans faster, paid less interest each month, saved it in a high interest account...a CD or simply savings, anything. But no, we were too lazy to make an extra trip (or three) to the bank!

Now there is direct deposit, love that, no trip to the bank! But now that we are back on track, we have a 'cushion' for 'mini emergencies' and a roll over, to pay bills that come in before the check does (first check is first friday nowadays, first bill is mortgage on the first..) That cushion and roll over are not earning interest in ING nor are they reducing the car loan. This has to change!

Of course you know I am lazy, so change has to be easy, and painless, and no work for me. which is why we looked into ING checking, direct deposit, no delay in transfer from checking to saving..I so hope it all works out.

And I so hope that I can teach my kids painless lazy ways to save/reduce interest earlier than I learned them! I also hope I can pass on easy painless budgeting, and a sense of how to rearange when kids come.

Well since I put my budget on the computer with excell, and of course my checkbook, I also have my goals, and a couple 'counting chickens' pages.

and I am checking the bank account every day! sheeshe, this from a gal who used to balance the book once a month and fill in all the reciepts only because I had to write a check, (or three).

Now I am at the opposite end, I don't feel I finished online unless I take a peek to see if any bills that were pending came out, or if the latest paycheck posted. I soooo am rolling my eyes at myself!

So I followed a link just to see what my retirement saving should be, I know it isn't where it should be right now, but I was just curious how far off it was...

you ready for this?

According to the calculator I should be saving 139% of my yearly income (well of my husbands, since I don't make any)

err yeah, I read it again, not a typo of mine, they said 139%! Exactly how am I supposed to do that?

I also looked at the graph and it says I would make the exact same salary for the next 40 some years, at which point I will switch to withdrawing my retirement, which goes up every year....err somehow that seems backwards, wouldn't I make more as I work, and need less as I grow old? (to a point)

I am not sure what a real retirement calculations would be, but I can understand why so many don't even bother if we are supposed to save more than we make, we might as well give up and enjoy the loot while it is here!

This is not to say I don't want to save for retirement, just that calculators may do more harm than good!

You ever count your chickens before they hatch? That makes very little sense unless you have read aesops fable

'the milk maid' (that is one version of many)

So the other night I was plotting how fast we could pay off the car, and I was looking at wether or not we should drop the food bill to pay it off earlier, but well I am enjoying the luxury so much lately I am not sure I am interested in cutting back again for a few months off the car bill.

Course that is not including any future expenses that may come up (insurance rising, kids needs, minor emergencies, ect)

I also did some math, my husband says he wants to take his 15% of the leftover and store it in ING (really the man is wonderful-my 15% will go to church and family splurges) and watch it pile up, of course I know the average leftover based on 45 hours a week and of course I figured out what it would come to....silly, counting chickens.

Course there is no pail on my head to fall as I daydream, but is there a harm in it anyway? Does Aesop no best, should I keep my dreaming to myself and focus on well something more useful?

I know compared to the northern portion of the country it is snuggly warm, but we have thin blood!

I lived in cold frugal houses most of my life so I am used to it (though don't you worry I complained a plenty then!)

My poor husband on the other hand grew up with climate control being tops on the 'spend here first'category, when you were cold you turned the heat up...he hates temperatures below 70 indoor.

But cold weather brings up an irritation of mine...wear a coat people!!!! Yeah you rubbing your arms, stamping your feet, and muttering about the cold....this is what coats are made for!

And please tell me, what would you do if your car broke down and you plus your small child were stuck waiting for help? Do they have to suffer because you assumed you would get right into a car, then straight to the store?

My daughter gets carsick and is in general required to remove her coat as soon as she gets in the car, and yet I still require her to wear one, it is a lap cover when she first gets in, it is warm and snuggly from house to car to church. And should the unthinkable occure, she will be relativly warm.

Oh and as to whether it will help you stay healthy, no a coat is not a barrier to cold germs, it is however useful to keep you warm..leaving your body free to fight any germs, instead of ignoring them as your body desperatly tries to keep you from freezing to death!

So far, you cannot pay anyone if you do not have a phone number..which makes sense, if they are going to promise to pay someone they want to be able to get ahold of them in case I type the address wrong.

Also, no paper checks, means you might have trouble when autodraft requires a voided check. So far one company says a note explaining it is an online bank will get me past it, but I have to mail the form and wait a month to see.

I think if I used bill pay that wouldn't be a problem, but I don't.

My husband came home today and told me ING has a checking account, that pays interest, with no minimum to recieve it.

Way cool since we always have a 'cushion' and we often have to leave money for bills that havn't cleared yet. We could be earning interest on that!

Course two things I noticed already, there is an 'overdraft credit' instead of linking to a savings account.
And transfers between ING accounts are instant! I never had a chance to test that before, but it is way cool

One thing I forgot to try..follow a link for a bonus, and see if I could choose checking instead of saving, I might have screwed myself out of 25 (and someone else out of 10) by failing to do that .

Well we have it all worked out, found all the err money, OT was piling up thankfully, but not enough, too much lax on the grocery spending. So I made excell tell me how much I spent so far this month, and how much is left from the budgeted 500 (seeing as how it used to be 400, I feel soo much freedom, and I love it)

I also made a sperate category for 'misc' which would mainly be gifts, right now if we eat out we call it food and take it from the grocery budget..so you could buy gormet nuts or you could buy lunch out.

and we are going to up the auto saving, which will actually bring us up OVER 10%!!! first for our parenting lives. (pre kid we wer rolling in loot!)

Still no allowence, but since he does work so much OT we are going to use it for paying off the car and some 'fun'. I am thinking of being anal and making it a % system, IE leftover from one month is 15% his to waste and 15% mine, remaining 70% goes to the car, course I still am not figuring how to pay the principle of the car instead of a prepay...have to call them next month (when we know how much is leftover) and figure that out.

Anyway being anal gives each of us more fun when he works more, while still having to be a budgeted amount, instead of 'I think we have extra why not splurge' (which is why the leftover in the account isn't as nice as it could be right now!)

I found some of the err money, I was calculating a budget based on a bunch of overtime checks.

So I looked up the lowest check he had looking for one with no OT, put those numbers in, and now err is a bit less.

still there though....and the money had been piling up quite a bit, since he is working so much OT

Yeah who wouldn't want to have that problem!

Well the thing is, I don't actually have the money, but excell says I should. I used to do the budget with old fashioned paper and pen.

And now I am trying to learn excell again. I have a brain like a sieve, so it isn't as easy as you might think! but thanks to Boe, I got my basic register set up, and I thought I aught to have a budget on their too, only..there is too much money according to excell math! so where is it going, what am I forgeting?

Here are the categories I have (and no I can't find the old one on paper .)

house (meaning mortgage)
car (payment)
phone
net
food
car gas
yearly/12 (insurance+HOA)
Gas
Electric
Water
Sewer
autosavings (ING)
church

So pinecone works, do others? Not prizes, I mean cash..

I searched for MLM information, and found a cute website about WFH jobs, including paid surveys...personally the payout (even at guaranteed 5 per of pinecone) is not worth the time for a steady job, but well...it is a way to get paid for goofing off online

their list

I thought I would try one and see if it is real, and cancel if it isn't. worst it can do is waste some time, and obviously I am in the mood to waste time today!

(so far greenfield only offers entrys to sweepstakes, I'll give it a week, but not gonna stay for an entry)

So lots of MLMs are focused on say selling X, Y or Z because of course you like X Y or Z and you know your friends do to.

Now there is one focused on buying a website and then buying whatever parts of the alphabet you normally buy. (except the vowels..no flour availible)

You buy a website, liscense and all that, then you buy stuff from yourself and convince others to buy stuff, from themselves, by paying 200 to get their own website....what about matenence fees? you have to renew the site right? No mention of them yet.

Now in all honesty I can understand the concept, makes sense if you are in the habit of buying a lot of stuff (and you can convice a few friends to buy your way), but if you know what we spend you are not comming up with much bought, energy drinks and nike shoes are not on my list...and as for groceries, well pop might be on my husbands wish list, but it isn't going to suddenly get on the list just because it is on 'reduced price'. (that we paid 200 to get it reduced too....)

Not that a couple thousand a month doesn't sound oh so nice, just that....well I can't see it happening. Still gonna do more research, because...they are nice people, I would like it to work, but....not to much hope.

So lasr night I hugged my husband, then as we parted to get work done, UE, my youngest at 1, who still prefers not to talk, reaches out hus arms for me says "nuh" and then points to himself, he repeats this twice.

I giggled as I gave him his turn at a hug. See for him "nuh" used to mean nurse, he has since weaned and usually only says "nuh" when the world is ending and life is terrible, but last night. Life was good, he just wanted a hug and a snuggle, so he asked for it. Even pointed to himself to say it was his turn.

So cute (well to a mom anyway) and a nice reminder that even though he deosn't talk much, he can communicate.

So while reading the Laura Ignalls Wilder books I am looking at her kitchen, and comparing it to mine.

Lauras kitchen (as of book 2)
1. spider (seems to be a frying pan on legs..)
2. dutch oven
3. something to cook coffee in

My kitchen:
1. frying pan (no legs needed nowadays .)
2. dutch oven, actually 2 of them, one large one small, oh and a huge roaster
3. four pots (one medium, one large, two huge)
4. two stones (one round, one rectangular)
5. four frequently used muffin pans, two mini, two large
6. one 13*9 cake pan, one 9"square
7. three mini bread pans, one large

and that doesn't include the stuff I have 'lost' since I don't seem to use and figure if I don't touch in a year I can get rid of.

I seem to be richer every time I pick up a book....

Laura also packed her entire belongings in a covered wagon for a trip (or two) I am not sure I could currently pack up my kitchen in one wagon!

Seems to me, that Americans are spoiled, we want chocolate every day, instead of being thankful we can get fruit and veggies anyday. We want someone else to do most if not all of the cooking instead of being greatful we can always find flour, cornmeal or even premade bread pretty cheap.

We complain about our 'small' houses with only one or two bedrooms, instead of being greatful we don't cook eat sleep play all in one room..not to mention the indoor plumbing!

We kavetch about paying premium prices for 50billion channels of nothing to watch, instead of being greatful we can all see and hear professional music, acting, reading, and speaches. (Laura certainly never heard the president on the prarie..no matter how much we complain when his address interupts out favorite show)

Really, the next person who tells me I am rich for being able to stay home, I aught to respond how rich I am just to live in a house with electricity and whole house heat (ever roast your front at a campfire while your back froze?)

So this whole thread I responded to wasn't the greatest response, but had information, but a request was made for ‘honest’ answers, guess I am not considered honest.

Kind of annoying, but at the same time, what can you believe on the internet? Bet people don’t believe I am a 6ft tall redhead with hair down to my knees either…..or a size 8.

I do it too, when my young friend comes and tells me about her new ‘friend’ online who is writing poetry 'just for her', we google it to see where it originally came from. When she tells us how he cried over this or that, we suggest how easy it is to lie online. (I know, lets make me a size zero!)

But still it bothers me, every time someone online suggests that I am not really a redhead, or I do not really do what I do, live like I live whatever, I get annoyed, hurt by the anonymous. I start to think what is the point in being honest if no one believes me anyway?

Pretty silly eh..Maybe I should do some growing up!

I guess I'll stick with honesty though, I am not to interested in making up stories or anything. Can't see much point in it, my own life has joys, and trials enough, no need for make believe.

(Oh and I suppose to tell the truth those size 8s are getting rather snug...)

My husband specifically asked for the 'extended scene edition' for Christmas, I think it was the most anticipated gift he waited for.

And while I am trying to get more sleep, we are up for the last two nights watching the first movie, yep you heard me, two nights way late, watching one movie. It is on TWO disks! Night one the fellowship forms, night two it breaks (and Gandolf is lost sniff sniff .)

And yeah it took self control not to pop in both disks in one night, or keep going to movie two.

But I am left feeling...the usual, they screwed up my book!

Anyway, we can't find the second two books, the return of the king and the two towers. Course we also couldn't find the ending to the hobbit (we were reading it to our son, he loved it, but the last few pages of the well worn book were missing, so we borrowed it form the library, only to discover the missing pages contained one line "only a small hobbit after all, and for that I am greatful as he passed the tabbacco") anyway. ...

So my husband goes online to find out more about getting a second copy..yeah real frugal of us, but it takes months for us to read, more than one renewal. Well the hobbit is selling on ebay for 8,000 dollars! good grief! Of course that is the origional eddition (which we do not have, ours is revised to fix 'inconsistancies' by JRR Tolkien.) But boy do I wish we had it!

I have been procrastinating a simple money transfer because I felt I had to go balance my checkbook do a projected budget brainstorm needs for the loot, and some other miscelaneous 'stuff'. Which of course with company, christmas, busted chin, and all I never managed to do anything...well I just did the transfer, not exactly what I wanted, I just did it based on the information in my head, a safe estimated transfer, sure I am not maximizing interest and all, but I certainly wasn't maximizing by doing nothing either. Now when I have time I can go get more and transfer if the numbers agree, but at least in the meantime something is getting interest.

so anyway, just do it! very good advice.

I come to my blog to che ck comments, they are disabled (not a complaint, I am sure it is for a good cause)

So maybe that is a hint I aught to be working not goofing off?

I managed to find a way to explain perpindicular and parrallel to my son and I want to write it up for the websit, but I keep delaying, I also figured out how to word multiplication with fingers that works and I want to type that up, but instead the other day I wrote up a little thing on reading addiction.

I seem to have a procrastination problem.....

I got this in my email today and I thought it was cute. I took the lable off because well, so I wouldn't offend anyone..well except maybe NYC officials....

A person walks into a bank in New York City and asks for the loan
officer.

The person says their going to Europe on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000.

The bank officer says the bank will need some kind of security for the loan,so the blonde hands over the keys to a new Mercedes Benz SL 500. The car is
parked on the street in front of the bank. She has the title, and everything
checks out.

The bank agrees to accept the car collateral for the loan. The bank's
president and its officers all enjoy a good laugh at the person for using a
$110,000 Benz as collateral against a $5,000 loan.

An employee of the bank then proceeds to drive the Benz into the bank's underground garage and parks it there.

Two weeks later, the person returns. They repay the $5,000 and the interest, which comes to $15.41.

The loan officer says, "We are very happy to have had your business,and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled.
While you were away, we checked you out and found that you are a multimillionaire. What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow
$5,000?"

The person replies, "Where else in New York City can I park my car for two
weeks for only $15.41 and expect it to be there when I return?

JC fell in the kitchen, not running, not holding anything dangerous (a toy bucket) just walking from the kitchen to the living room after breakfast (UE was still eating, GMC was still sleeping)

She fussed, I remind her she is hurting my ears, she shushes and comes for a kiss. I see blood everywhere, you know how face injuries can bleed and spread. I finally found the injury on the way to get a towel to wipe up some blood. A few gentle dabs later and I found it. Right under her chin, gaping wide, I swear I saw bumpy fat tissue, man was it gross!

I tried calling my husband but his phone was dead (man am I glad we each have a cell phone, but he is on his way to get the car charger replaced sinc eit failed to charge the phone while he ran errends yesterday.) I then worked on getting the kids dressed and myself so we could go get it taken care of all the while praying my husband plugged his phone in.

A short while later I decided to try an old work buddy, I asked him to hunt around for a number of anyone who currently works with my husband or the phone in the 'basement' lab they work in.

Then after we are pretty much all up, GMC and I are dressed, I decide I have to call in my neighbor, He is willing to take us, and heads right over.

Soon as we get in his car, my huaband calls me. It seems that old game of telephone where you pass the message has a lesson in it, husband had no idea what was wrong with JC only that he had to head home immediatly, poor guy. I explained it is just in need of stitching or somehting and he decides to meet us at the urgent care center since the wonderful neighbor is already there.

Well, that center closed..so we switch to husbands car, then drive to the next closest. That one wont do a 3 year old....so we dive to another urgent care center. Finally they allowed her in and got the prcess rolling.

Fortunatly she only had to get 'steri stripped'. 6 strips. her chin looks so funny all brown form the gluey stuff and a white 'goatee' of tape. She was sooo good, I am so proud of her.

Unfortunatly it started bleeding shortly after my husband headed back to work as we wer eating lunch, I made her sit and watch a movie, and have avoided real chewing since!

After the movie she finally decided it hurt, guess the initial numbing shock wore off, or else the swelling started up, I gave her some Ibuproffen and it seemed to reduce the whinyness, plus she took a nap.

And after all that, no I havn't met any of my goals! (well except buying, we already had the medicine) Though the day is not gone, I might manage something.

new stuff..I redeemed points for a GC to give as a gift..it will be new, but it was free..wonder if that counts
iso doing now....
veggies/fruit actually three!

Ok so I did the smart ones, but there is more I want to do, I just get bogged down writing it all...so I have two seperate lists, one is specific (and smart) the other is BHAG..... I actually posted these out of order I had the BHAGS in mind when I picked my Smart ones...

1. Be healthier in general..walking, eating, organicish, hormone free..more whole wheat.....ect...

2. Save more....larger EF...more planning for retirement...more something for the kids rather than just sit and ignore the cash...

3. See more family, send more cards....call more often...get the kids used to talking on the phone more...

4. Volunteer more, somewhere, somehow....

5. Embroider more, bake more, read more non online

6. Declutter more and make my house grow.

7. Write more

8. help husband more

9. complain less, do more.

10. love more

I asked my daughter for her BHAG...she wants to write stories..

My son wants to be a firefighter..

I am stealing it from

Tina

Simple
Measureable
Agreed Upon
Realistic
Timed


In light of simple I revised a few goals, especially the car one, I made up my mind how to do it, course I don't know who would agree on it, Husband is a pretty general guy (pay more, eat healthier, is specific enough for him)

Since apparently I (and everyone else) want(s) to 'Lose weight, save money, enjoy time with family and friends'

I figured I would get one or two smart ones in each area....

Financial:

1. Record all 'new' purchases for the month of January..might go longer but I will decide that at the end of the month...(and decide how to reduce or leave alone the purchases)

2. Pay at least one hundred extra on the car each month for at least Jan-Mar. (reevaluate then if up or down...)

Health
3. Eat at least 3 fruits or veggies with the kids..(they get 4-5, I only tend to eat 2....)

4. Incorporate 100 counts of isometric excersises into some part of my day...bedtime if it hasn't happened yet..

family

Well honestly I don't want to see mine more, I want to see mine less! sortof.
Actually I do need to work on not insulting my family, I see most of them plenty, I just need to be nicer about it....

seriously, I do not feel safe with a kid on a bike (a baby I mean)

I know plenty do, plenty of people do lots of things I am not comortable with....

point is, I want a flinstones like car, one that has bike gear tech, but is more of a real frame with less need for balance, one that has pedals for all over a certain hight to help 'push' and one that has room for at least 2 kids. (or one baby one toddler)

Oh and it has to be small enough to ride on a sidewalk, I am not trusting a flinstone car against the modern SUV!

Got all that? rich investor make me one I will buy it, promise..ok assuming I can afford it, keep the total cost under 500$...guess that is prolly the hard part.

I don't need to travel that fast..I just want to be able to a bit faster than a 3 year old walking, and with a bit less energy exerted. And be able to cary my baby feeling safe...preferably with giving my older kids a chance to practice skills they need to soon bike alongside instead of in.

Maybe a trike for grownups...trike sounds less difficult to balance with a baby on it...considering my baby sits on his big sisters all the time....

OK edit to say I think I found it, I just am having trouble with the price..

flinstone car

That is rediculous, how on earth can a large company not have an email address to contact them?

It has to be somewhere, I want to send an email, I do not want to call on the phone I just want to compose it get it out and hope they think it over, I don't want 'I understant, sympathise whatever' I just want to fill them in...online, no cost, simple short, editable for content and politeness....but no, they only have a phone number and a snail mail address, that is a royal PIA!

Well I am a bit late but I havn't been online.....

My brother was here, we hardly ever see him, and his family, it was wonderful.

They have a 3 year old 1 year old and twin 15 year olds. plus the two of them and the 5 of us, makes for one BIG party!

We took them out to a 'Dave and Busters' which is a game and dinner place..pretty interesting and managed to amuse bothe the middle age (4, 3, and 3yo) as well as the 15 year olds, plus the big kids of adults...

Sum total for one full night out...priceless.....this is why we spend less most all year long.....to treat.....

Though if they lived closer...we couldn't keep up!

Unfortunatly I have a complaintOgram to send to dave and busters....no greeting for 5 minutes...no waitress for over 10....food very prompt..followed by 45 minute wait for desert! Not to mention lousy bathrooms.....

I am...very much so, today we got to see our oldest GMC sing in the childrens 'choir' and he actually sang, it was wonderful.

Then they talked about the Christmas story being passed on and my kids were filling in many of the words and knew alot about hte story, I believe in part because we talk about it every night of Advent as we read the advent book.

And tonight we get to go to a candelit service...ok so it starts at 7pm, which is when we are normally snuggled in listening to the bedtime story, but...we are going in PJs for the younger two, hopefully they will fall asleep on the way home, and Christmas day, they can sleep in if they want...yeah right

Tonight we give the kids a book each, I think we might take the books to the service..give them something to do for any err boring parts!

Then tommorow they each get a stocking, then a break for pancakes...yes I complained about stopping for breakfast as a kid, but...well it is neccessary to get real food in!

And then two presents, it was going to be one, but we fell into some interesting things, so two it is. One for each is a game and I can't wait to play....christmas morning, in PJs, snuggled with my three kids, playing a game..what could be better? I Can't wait!

Warning this is a bit religious appologies to all who do not believe, no offense is intended, I merely want to rant.

Begin rant:

One of my first years with my husband my mother in law told me that Christmas was 'just for the kids'.

Sorry, I didn't feel that way then, and I don't feel that way now. Christmas is about the birth of Christ....God's gift to ALL people, He sent His son for all, the Grandpas, and Grandmas, the Aunts, and Uncles, the Mommas, and the Daddys, the Pastors and the Clerks, the bank tellers, the postal workers, the young the old, the in between, the rich, the poor, the struggling, the famous, the 'average', and yes even the terrorists. If you don't see yourself in that list you are trying to hard not to be, stop it.

Christmas is about God's gift to the world, and He didn't reserve his love for just the little children, I wont reserve my celebration of Jesus for just them either.

Yeah I know Christians borrowed the season from pagans, (and fertility worship isn't about kids either!) But borrow it we did, and we changed it, adapted it, combined it, an made it about Jesus. So now that we have it, lets keep it for ALL people, and celebrate the gift of eternal life...with gifts of our own, good food, and a bit of worship for good measure.

end rant