For some strange reason I wanted to look at a house recently. Now you may have read the past few posts and noticed we are not supposed to get crazy, we have a small debt, and no emergency fund.

So why on earth would I look at a house? Just to get the bug out of my system. While some husbands might have ranted and railed at my apparent stupidity, my husband just let me schedule the viewing drove me there, and listened to me babble about how more room would be sooo nice.

I was 100% certain that if a new house could work, it would, all I had to do was see the inside and either love it and start brainstorming how to get it, or hate it, and move on.

I didn't exactly hate it, but I didn't feel it was worth the effort of moving, and really the way it was set up it wouldn't feel like much more space.

Besides the backyard bordered on two houses with above ground pools, and no fences. Not that my kids are idiots, but one is a very proficient climbing one year old. There is only so much one could ask of her. While I will leave her with her big sister watching for a minute here, I wouldn't trust her around a pool.

Anyway, my point is I have a wonderful patient husband who trusted me not to go crazy. and I didn't, only a little daydreamy.

On the other hand, he wants to buy a new router. For $25 it will be 'so much faster' Actually he gave exact numbers and some letters and more details, but I mostly let all that zoom over my head. After all I have no objection to how my internet works now, why pay to make it faster.

But in the end my real fear was that saying sure go for it on one reasonable router would lead to more and more and more computer things. Or worse game systems.

I aught to know better, my husband is no more stupid than I am. So I told him to get the router.

We are still paying the debt really quickly, we are still turning the air off on Labor day, and we will still be just fine. Not too crazy.

Pretty Percents:

46% Need
28% Debt payment (extra car)
13% Wants
11% Savings

Looks kinda cool due to the extra weeks income! (BTW the remaining 3% is sitting in the bank as cushion still)

Lessons learned this month:

1. Yes I can put back things when I am over budget, even if the money is in the account should I feel like using it, just not enough things ...working on it.

2. Forgetting a phone and failing to call for a grocery list may result in spending less money (I cook he shops...under budget on food by 80$)

3. Lowering the heat may not result in low enough gas bills, that hot shower may have to be shortened...next winter.

4. Yes we can stay out of stores if I plan well....and are willing to suffer through lima beans and spinach for almost a week!


Next month:
Plan even better on groceries, and stay under budget for 'misc.'.

Expected 'Misc'....umm....none....so why do we always spend so much!

Though I do foresee some trouble with food as it is my sons birthday and Easter.

We are going on a date!

A real date. With no kids!, just a man and me, (my man of course).

Soon, only 7 more days, we even have a babysitter!

I am so afraid something will happen between now and then, but so looking forward to the possibility of time alone with no kid.

The cost will be exorbitant.....and trust me I know it is a luxury, one I fully inted to take advatage of, cause it wont be happening again anytime soon!

So thanks to all who gave me money for my birthday! it is going to a good cause .

Well we arn't broke yet...

The good:
-Sent tax return plus bonus almost ALL to the car...I can't wait to see next months bill with the new lower total!
-Food under budget even with eating out twice and extra convenience for illness!

The bad
-Gas for the car and gas for house was over budget partly due to a trip tp GA. being gone for a day cost a good bit of gas, but didn't save on heat much...

The Ugly
-miscelaneous! UGH, between the postal runs (mostly for husband ebaying stuff) and the medical stuff, and the suprises for my bros kids, plus ours, plus the treat my husband felt they needed while I was sick...UGH!

Actually the end of the month we have more money in than we sent out (so more goes off to the car next week)

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Non financial if I discount the week of absolute sick and reduce goals for the week after, I did amazingly good. (1 miss, 4 half days on workouts, all yep on food)

For March, in addition to all old goals:

Financial = Get up earlier than kids.....not sure if it will help, but I tried for this last week, up early means more stuff is done, and half my todo list saves me money. (bake not buy food to share/serve, check on bills not ignore, ect.)

Excersise = add abdominal and legs work for 5 minutes a day.

Diet = Limit treats to two servings a day (that would be my servings! though I do aim for less than double recomended, but seriously who can eat only a half cup of ice cream?)

Well after over a week of not caring, I am starting to try and pick up where I left off.

Mainly the financial goals are on track, It is easy to go back and write what was bought new, and easy to record the grocery and misc and gas spening after the fact, I am caught up on that.

The work out and eating was managed today as well, but nothing is going to make up for the time off. (and now I lost my excuse for the jeans being snug...actually truthfully the size 8s stopeed fitting last month, but I'll get them back!)

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.

new, iso, veggie/fruit

19: nothin, yep, yep
20: nothin, yep, err no
21: food only, yep, and yep

nothin, yep and yep

I decided to give up on doing todays goals, today, seems I never get around to it, so yesterdays goals on today

newnothin
isoyep
veggiesyep

so proud of my nothin and two yeps

newnothin
isoyep
fruit/veggie err nope only two pathetic, but I eat one per meal, so if I miss one, I have major trouble fixing it....

new bought nothing spent at all
isoyesterday yes, today, working now.
veggiesbarely made it yesterday, had a snack of craisins (with chocolate) at bedtime so I wouldn't fail, today I had one with breakfast, one with lunch and fully expect to have one with dinner so I'll tentativly say yes.

I am finding the iso easier, and thinking of what I can add next month, thing is I am a 'do it now' 'add it all on, kindof person, 100 iso excersizes is easy, so why not do more? but well if I do more on my 'must' list then on days when I am tired, busy, ect, there is more I feel I have to do, and then I feel I can't succeed so I wont even do my 100!

Like the guy with the rocks, he was insulted at being asked to guard a pass and drop a measly 10 lb rock on all passerbys. he boasted he could lift 50, or 100 or whatever easy, in the course of the boasting/showing off he threw out his back and the enemy wandered in with not even the 10lb rock on his head..so I am trying not to bite off more than I can easily do. Or maybe I am just lazy

New: nothing but lots of groceries.
iso both days done
veggiesyesterday done, today prolly have to get dinner to get 3.

Day 9, I had company...nothing went right.

Day 10, I was recovering from 9, but managed to meet all goals.(new stuff compiled in 11)

Day 11:
new:New batteries for the smoke detectors, no more chirping! Also new wallet by Husband, his has major hole problems...only the cheap one he bought has too small compartments, just a smidgeon to small for a card...I hate cheapp stuff.

isodone just now

veggie4! finally did it

newnothing, no shopping either day
iso yesterday done, today, working on.
veggieyesterday yes, today..eh prolly? maybe? It is early yet.

kinda missed day 5, I think I met some of them, least I know I didn't buy anything

new bought a new dryer...ours was busted, after 3 days the towels wern't dry, and we found a nice sale....coulda waited and hunted...but I have company comming! sorry.

isodone early
veggiesdone

new:nothing but lots of food!
iso:done early
veggie: managed 3

new stuff..nothing no shopping

iso=done (was actually done early today!)

veggie =2...eh didn't realize how hard that would be....odd since not like I eat unhealthy, just that lately..not to fruit or veggie...potato, grilled cheese..oh and chocolate, but only brocolii and tangerine for fruit/veg...

Went to the store for the last of the after Christmas sales...found:

1. Dolls for JC...half price 5$
2. Present for DH 70%off 7$

Plus some chocolate food doesn't count though . and we returned some things....

Not to bothered by the purchases, I know that the goal of the origional no buyers was nothing new, but I like giving presents that are relativly new....not to ecological of me I suppose....I did refuse the new sheets..I already have two sets..

health wise, I ate...one veggie so far...havn't had dinner yet...does that excuse count?

also since I am here to record success (or not) of isometric...I just did it...