Princess Perky's Page

I don't know what to do with the giant numbers in my checking account! i generally only break 1,000 when I get a check from DH, then I pay the bills and it is back to around 200, but I have the Federal return in the account and I am actually having to deal with huge numbers! (ok not that big, 3,000).

And why is that money still there and not off to pay the CC, which I keep saying I get to do? beacuase I keep forgetting to call for a pay off amount and address! really what a lazy procrastinating idiot I am!!!

I am finally doing it! I am writing a menu! Ok well I have done this before, but not in a long time, and not very well. No guarantees this will be very well, but I am going to try this week.

My menu starts on Thursday cause that is when we go to the grocery store.

1. Veggie stir fry N rice (if we have chicken we will add but only if the chicken is on sale)

2. Sloppy bean joes (I found this recipie thought I would try it)

3. Black bean fiesta

4. Parsely cheesy rice N brocoli

5. Quesadillas (prolly cheese, or bean)

6. Salad

Now all I have to do is stick with it .

I want to see if it is possible to have my mortgage company automatically take out some extra each month, they already take out the payment each month. If I get it auto extra, it will be more likely to happen, rather than 'if maybe we might have extra' that sortof leaves the door open to not pay extra.

I have no willpower, I need external controls!

We decided to round up for DC to 1500 then any extra we do not use in DC we will leave in ING for a slow growing emergency fund.

For the first time in eons I get to think how big I want my EF to be! and I am not sure...

Well since that lady on Oprah could eat on 100 a day all out, I figure it is a fair estimate of what we need for DC (we will be packing some food)

And it is official DH wants to spend less time there this trip, no big we will be back.

So 100 * 4 days = 400 for eating out
Hotel 150 * 3 nights = 450
Groceries 200 (some home some there, need fast dinner when we get back!)

Wish I knew how to make it pretty and line up.

but total so far= 1050

I just need to estimate gas up and back, and any admissions fees, and souveniers. I think that is it.

I think Bros family will not be going, his kids have that school thing... I so love not having to worry about that . So my mother will prolly get the hotel and we will get the food, then we will give her a check for whatever of the hotel cost we didn't use on food (there are only three of them, I doubt they will use all 450 on food in the few days we are there)

Really only pregnant people clean at 1 am and I shouldn't be pregnant! I am nursing a 3 month old, I really shouldn't be...which leaves me crazy...hmm I might rather be pregnant.

I have no mold smell but pinky stuff in my tub, and spots on my windows. I am not sure what it is, but I don't like it.

I heard mold needs a 60 degree house to grow, I am wondering if my kids need 60 degrees or if I can turn the heat down again?

I think that is effecting my finances, I almost agreed to send DH to the store midweek (we go once a week to save on cost) Plus I am considering asking for a air purifier. Really I need to get healthy, and get my family healthy so I can stop trying to spend money!

On a plus note I actually made beans and did not ruin them! I am soo proud of myself, plus I made sweet potatoes for my little one to try. DH is happy he only gets sweet potatoes at thanksgiving or when my kids are babies! I really should work on that.

DH went shopping today,a nd he splurged, 'since we have all that money'!! Humph! I want to pay off the house and start saving for retirement, not buy more groceries!

total (two stores) 110
budget 75!

I am too young to be so scared of figuring out how to pay my bills online! I have them auto drafted, I can now look at my bank account online, but I am still scared of online billpay. I dunno what is wrong with me, I am acting like a non computer person!

On another note I am dealing with my ear infection the old fashioned way, peroxide, it is weird! but it worked when I was a teen (not that long ago) so I hope it will work now, not that we have no insurance, just that I hate the time and trouble to go see a dr!

We just got our semi anual 'check out all the credit we will give you, please use this card' letter from one one of our credit card companies.

37,000 is more than we make in a year! By a good bit! I can't imagine the trouble we could get into if we started using our credit. I thought the hole we dug after my daughter was born was hard, but 37,000! On one card!

I think if I added up all the different credit cards I would come up with enough credit to get the house!

(BTW there is zero on the card)

The cold I have had for a week is turning into an ear infection. The drilling pain thru my brain about drove my crazy last night. So I decided I do NOT want to wake up early today, DD had other plans...

DH got his 'end of year bonus' which comes at the begining of the year, and we decided to buy a new mattress with some then put the rest torwarnd the house. I am soooo happy, I really am looking forward to a bed I do not hate! My husband was going to suprise me with a bed for my birthdya, but I messed that up by asking for it early. Well that and asking him to build me a bench for my birthday.

I checked out some hotel rates and it seems 150 is a reasonable guestemate my husbands wants to see about shortening the trip. I think that is doable, no reason we have to do it all in one trip. I figure the kids will want to go back.

But starting guess is 150 * 4 nights = $600

Then there is food, I am not sure how to go about researching the cost of food, eating out or grocery shopping?

Or metro costs? Gas to get there and back?

I did get up, but I got sidetracked by a wonderful Valentine poem on the fridge. Then my son wanted me.

I did some toning exercises on the floor while talking to him, but he wanted milk and sleep so I gave up after not quite 10 minutes.

I guess I will try again tomorrow.

(Arn't I talkative today! thats what happens when I get up early to workout!)

We remembered to use the phone more on weekends (when it is free no matter how long I talk) and I got all the valentines out, oh wait two more. but I have thank yous to go with them.

This is working out ot help my oldests writing as well, I guess this challenge is for education as well as family!

We made round sugar cookies for our niece who just won a basketball tournoment. I was going to decorate them like basket balls, but then I though she might like to help, she seemed really excited over some baking supplies she recieved for Christmas so I think she will enjoy it. I jsut have to make icing and color it here then take all the supplies to her house possibly on Thursday. The only non frugal part is the Gas to drive there....they live across town.

Well we talked it over with all participants (we are going with my mothers family, and maybe my brothers family) and so far it seems there will be 5 days/4 nights in DC

1. We (my family, not the rest)will drive up at night, and arrive for breakfast, prolly look at small stuff I just have to find out what, I would like a park. Then check in and family nap, another small thing, with minimal walking, dinner and a normal bedtime for the kids.

2, 3, and maybe 4. National mall and Zoo.

5. DH sleeping in all morning, check out and then leave for home after lunch.

I am guessing the middle 3 days are what will coincide with the rest of the group, we all are comming from different parts of the country, and my family is the only one that drives that way.

Since the attractions are free I just have to budget for souveniers (not much we are anti stuff) meals, and rooms. (If the group gets a suite we will pay a third, if not we will just have our room to pay for)

I think my mom is planning on paying a large portion of the meals, but I do not want her to cover all the meals, I think I will have to work out a way to not fight over who pays in DC but also not let her pay it all. And also not leave my bro feeling like mom is paying more for his family than mine (weather or not it is true, I don't know, but appearences matter in family relations!)

I also need to find out what a hotel would cost, and what the average meal is, and what groceries run (we will pack a lot of snacks, and buy snacks, rather than eat out all 6 meals my direct family eats!)

I forgot to put this up, no wait I was sick, so here it is late.

Two stores at 30, and 85 (ouch!) = 115
budget = 75

So that leaves us 40 over for last week. and the 9 left over from the week before doesn't cover it. Not cool.

I could put in a bunch of 'buts' .... 'but we got detergent with a rebate', 'but we stocked up on X on sale', 'but we skipped so many other things I wanted!'

But I wont, those 'buts' always lead me to spending more in the long run.

I find in my life that trying to improve one area always affects another. Now I know that healthier is cheaper, less sick time. But in the short term it is more expensive. I decided to try to work out more, but it is too cold for me outside!

I know, I know, move you'll warm up. but umm, I don't wanna! or more precisly (and more excuse worthy) my kids don't want to. Wind irritates my Daughter tremendously, and quite frankly I don't blame her.

It is all well and good to prod yourself and three kids out the door for their benifit, to see the happy faces watching construction, or playing at the slides, but to hear them whine about the cold? I'll pass.

So should I go alone before or after they are awake? Err yuck! I tryed it for a time, after the kids were all abed, but I discovered cold in the middle of the day is WORSE at night. I knew that, but now I Really know it! Plus my 3 month old hardly ever goes to sleep at the same time, so I never know just how late I am stuck staying up.

This week my goal is to get up early, and work out before anyone else is up. I awoke today at 5am, all prepped, I actually dragged myself out of bed, then I thought about the cold outside and almost jumped right back in! But I persevered, and popped in a workout tape!

So why is this more money? Well the little things like electricity is one thing, lights were on (I do not want to work out in the dark!) and of course, some to run the TV/VCR, plus....food.

Yep food. I can't diet. (that is a dirty word, the truth is I don't like to diet, had my fill in highschool) My excuse, is my nursing 3 month old, I have to eat to feed him. So a banana for pre-workout, a bowl of cheereos for breakfast, and I am off to a start of a full day of food. So a better body is just one more reason why our grocery budget is not shrinking like it should.

I found several math games for DD that are awesome!

http://www.goodschools.com/test.htm

wonder if I can even pass this test! I will have to keep it around for when my kids are around 8th grade to see how my teaching skills measure up!

Ok so we are a mite bit late but we went and checked, got a quote nearly double our current payment! I think we will stick with our current company!

In continuing with the goal of more family for my buck, I used old envelopes for the valentines. Worked out well I had some mismatched envelopes for cards that were nice and big. plus some from the many many bills that are auto drafted, I get the statement and the envelope that I never use. I had been recycling them, but I could use em.

Ok so I was stuck in alliteration mode, We pick a letter a day to help DD work on 'what starts with p' or whatever, and well it stuck, sorry. I don't actually make anytihng so it isn't perfect. I also don't buy much unusual stuff, oh well, I am not all that great at this stuff.

Though I was thinking that a name makes a huge difference in how I feel about something, not neccessarily the name but the connotation (or is it denotation?) how I feel about the word. Like a hot shower, it is either a hold out I wont give up, or a splurge. 'Splurge' is fun, a 'hold out' is well, not so fun.

We had pancakes for dinner which the kids love and DH tolerates, but the trouble is...no lunch for DH. He always packs leftovers for lunch but he couldn't today, poor guy. I can't remember the last time he bought lunch....but I bet he can recall the last time he had to pack ramen noodles (again)

i need to make something to put in the freezer, that can be a lunch for him when we do the goofy dinners.

Well oddly enough I am here to report NOT spending money, we need, err umm cough, want a few things from Aldis and Food Lion, but, well, by not going for a week we are prolly going to spend less in the long run! So baring unforseen complications we will be keeping the 9$ spare for next week or something.

My kids found directions for puckered moccasins in one of my old books, so I said I would make them some, I figured it couldn't be that hard, well my machine keeps stopping! not cool, and the material my mom sent me, which I very much appriciate, frays so I have to hem it for the one part, which is a bit of a pain to say the least.

I hand sewed one of them since I couldn't get my machine going, It was really quick, but my finger hurts! I can't imagine having to do this to keep my kids feet warm and dry! (not to mention leather is a bit harder to sew than cloth)

The machine is back working, for now.

If I get them finished right I might make a pair for a couple nephews for Christmas.

Budget 75$
Actual 66$

But that was only one store, so I will have to see what happens tonight. We still need vegetables.

We also had to get the car inspected and Gas, another 66$ oddly enough.

I made them again last night, still a mess, but also good. I rolled them the other way to make the rolls thicker and have less, it worked better. I had frozen the leftover icing and found out it thaws VERY quickly! but was very good.

Last night I also tried to make 'Wookie' cookies, which is a brown sugar and cinnamon chocolate chip cookie. but I found out I had no eggs, after I already creamed the butter of course, I decided to just mix anyway, then I remembered I had no chocolate chips!!!!

I had to use a bit of milk to make it mix, but we cooked them and it tastes like...err well odd, but good. Though I will not be repeating the test, until the next time I go to make cookies and discover I am out of eggs!

Edit to add: They taste better after sitting in the fridge overnight!

Since the CC will be paid off, as soon as the check clears and I figure out how to pay it with no bill. DH and I have to figure out what to do with the surplus, there is sooo much we want to do, but

A. The 'surplus' is not an exact amount.
B. It will never be enough to do everything we want!

So while it is su[pposed to be a good thing to have 'extra money' it is turnning out ot be almost as much stress as the CC bill was!!

AND I am finding it hard to do some 'ugh' things to save money (line dry, cloth diapers) when I do not have a CC bill looming over my head! I almost think the best use (after Washington trip) would be to convince myself I HAVE to pay off the mortgage, but that is 100,000! THat would take FOREVER! So it is a 'out there goal' meaning really hard for me to commit too. (the car is 0% interest, making it not really a big deal to pay or not...)

OK so my birthday isn't for a couple months (March) but I know what I want. My mother always asks ever year what I want, usually I pick something for the kitchen, this year I picked a bench for my kitchen. I want a bench running the length of one side butting up against the wall, then later a table, and even later a set of cabinets above.

I know it is a bit weird but I really want it. DH is going to build it and Mom will donate her loot normally spent for it.

For the rest of the time we are in this house I will see it and smile at my awesome birthday! I think that beats flowers or a niknak any day!

Or February, depending on how you look at it.

I balanced the checkbook, found my 3$ error, and came up with no money left, but that is normal.

We also filed our taxes! And we are getting money back, enough to pay off the CC bill..and some left over .

We have no money comming out of the check for federal taxes, for normal hours, but they tax bonuses and overtime like crazy, then since we are dirt poor they give it all back .

Now I get to starty planning our trip to Washington DC! (DS has been begging to go!)