-300.90
$172.10
Dull headache, very sore throat, ears hurt. Fever of 101.9 last night. Still plugging along. Our car is in the shop. Hope it is not expensive. I must get Halloween candy today and at least try to get the dresses for the Ball benefit done. I really have done so little except curl up in a ball. There is Trick or Treat at the studio, I also need candy for the house. So I am going to drag my but out after I clean up and then try to get some sewing done. Housekeeper comes today. I hope I don't run a fever tonight. I also just found out that the specialist wants to see me in Spokane on Friday morning. I will drive up to daughters house on Thursday and she will take me in on Friday. Another unplanned expense. Hope they do not change my medication.
Well as crappy as I feel it is hard to really do anything about the finances, they will not go away I will just hang in until I feel better. I was going to come up with this great plan of attack all involving me working hard, but I really think I will go back to bed for a while.......splat!
Kim
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Tuesday, hit with the flu
-300.09 personal
$172.10 studio
Daughter called from college with the flu, other daughter called from her house, she was home from her Dental office with the flu, I have the flu. My teacher at the studio had the flu so I had to crawl in there last night and teach, just would not let the kids get near me.
I am a sweaty head ache mess. You should have seen my hair this morning. It is so curly and wiry and about shoulder length. When I got up at 9:30 (yes that late) I scared the dog! She started barking at me and I went into the bathroom and my hair was in a kinky Afro about 10 inches around my head. So exhausted.
So glad that everyone in the storm area is okay, but the damage! I feel so sorry for those poor people in New York. Just the transportation alone. We seem to be pretty safe out here in the west but we do have horrible Forest fires. Although if you build in the middle of the woods you need to be prepared for a fire and chances are if one comes you will lose your home. If you build on the coast you need to be prepared to lose your home to floods and Hurricanes as they cannot be avoided. But we have had tornadoes here not bad ones as we are isolated be the mountains and they break up. We also have earth quakes and dams that could rupture. You just never know. But oh the devastation is so hard to see.
I have plenty of work in the shop but no energy to do it, Hubby just called and our car is leaking something and the engine light is on. So Mysti I am taking a page out of your book. I have only made $115.00 so far this week and I gave hubby $50.00 already for gas. But $65.00 is not getting close to the $1100.00 I need.
I am going to lay down that is how much I care right now. I have to screw up my face to swallow.
Kim
$172.10 studio
Daughter called from college with the flu, other daughter called from her house, she was home from her Dental office with the flu, I have the flu. My teacher at the studio had the flu so I had to crawl in there last night and teach, just would not let the kids get near me.
I am a sweaty head ache mess. You should have seen my hair this morning. It is so curly and wiry and about shoulder length. When I got up at 9:30 (yes that late) I scared the dog! She started barking at me and I went into the bathroom and my hair was in a kinky Afro about 10 inches around my head. So exhausted.
So glad that everyone in the storm area is okay, but the damage! I feel so sorry for those poor people in New York. Just the transportation alone. We seem to be pretty safe out here in the west but we do have horrible Forest fires. Although if you build in the middle of the woods you need to be prepared for a fire and chances are if one comes you will lose your home. If you build on the coast you need to be prepared to lose your home to floods and Hurricanes as they cannot be avoided. But we have had tornadoes here not bad ones as we are isolated be the mountains and they break up. We also have earth quakes and dams that could rupture. You just never know. But oh the devastation is so hard to see.
I have plenty of work in the shop but no energy to do it, Hubby just called and our car is leaking something and the engine light is on. So Mysti I am taking a page out of your book. I have only made $115.00 so far this week and I gave hubby $50.00 already for gas. But $65.00 is not getting close to the $1100.00 I need.
I am going to lay down that is how much I care right now. I have to screw up my face to swallow.
Kim
Monday, October 29, 2012
Monday, horrible weekend!
Personal checking -300.09
Studio checking $172.10
I received a phone call in August from a board of directors at a Children's Home in town. They wanted the Irish dancers to perform at a dance Marathon for them October 27th. It is a lot of work for me and for parents to get dancers ready with a one hour performance. I have had to find alter and order more costumes. Parents had to stay in town and leave soccer tournaments and Halloween parties and swim meets to get these kids ready. We have worked for 2 straight months on their numbers. I have not been easy on the younger ones as they had a lot to learn and perfect in very little time. I also kept two of my young dancers one 11 and one 8 as their mother had to be out of town. So I had to do hair and makeup in addition to all the other crap that goes with a major performance.
It took me 2.5 hours to cut the music and make a couple master CD,s. Anyway at 2:30 Saturday afternoon (two hours before we were to arrive at the venue) I get a phone call from this drip that I had been dealing with for 6 weeks. We are pulling the plug on the event because of lack of participation. No one is here..... No SH%% Sherlock, I told you two month's ago it was a dumb idea and you were spending way too much money on advertizing and you were very disorganized. I had even called members of the board to warn them and they were leery but this girl is one of those all talk no do people. I told her she had better be at the gates waiting as she was going to tell over 100 parents why the event was closing.
Hubby told me to calm down and at least call the out of town students as it had been snowing all day on the prairies. So we did and then I thought I had better call my 10 babies as they would really be upset to be all made up in costume and not be able to dance. Then we formed a phone tree and called all 100 #'s. Only 4 did not respond so I went up to the event and this drip meets me at the door and smiles and shakes my hand and say "You must be Kim" I said yes and you had better be looking for a job Monday morning. Was that too harsh? So disappointing all that work and effort and now I am behind on Christmas choreography.
I did not feel really good yesterday and I thought maybe it was just more mental strain, but last night I was running a high fever. So miserable. Judy you were right I have made myself sick. I am on a Tylenol high right now. Really achy flu, just miserable. But B just called me from campus and she is also sick with this same bug. So I know where I got it. Joints are really affected.
I just want to go to bed and stay there, but the shop phone has wrung all morning and customers are here every 10 minutes. Lord knows I need the work. Look at my checking account balance and I still need $500.00 to make the house payment and I will have to deduct the automatic insurance premiums if $250.00, so you can see that I must get at least $1100.00 to meet status quot. That is possible but leaves nothing for gas and groceries. So .how did this happen you ask? Well remember last June when I said I was going to quit working at the cleaning contract. We didn't stop but we did divert the money into college funds. This is fine, but I had some savings and money coming in from other things and I was just not paying attention. We really need that $1000.00 a month to keep our average bills paid every month. I said I was going to take it out of the studio. But I have not. I have been paying off debt. I just have to slow down. I realize this now. It took a couple of months for me to face reality. I don't like it but it is what it is.
Just got a call from my head Celtic teacher and she is very sick. So I think we will all get this. Hoorah!
Have a great and productive day. I am going to lie down......
Kim
Studio checking $172.10
I received a phone call in August from a board of directors at a Children's Home in town. They wanted the Irish dancers to perform at a dance Marathon for them October 27th. It is a lot of work for me and for parents to get dancers ready with a one hour performance. I have had to find alter and order more costumes. Parents had to stay in town and leave soccer tournaments and Halloween parties and swim meets to get these kids ready. We have worked for 2 straight months on their numbers. I have not been easy on the younger ones as they had a lot to learn and perfect in very little time. I also kept two of my young dancers one 11 and one 8 as their mother had to be out of town. So I had to do hair and makeup in addition to all the other crap that goes with a major performance.
It took me 2.5 hours to cut the music and make a couple master CD,s. Anyway at 2:30 Saturday afternoon (two hours before we were to arrive at the venue) I get a phone call from this drip that I had been dealing with for 6 weeks. We are pulling the plug on the event because of lack of participation. No one is here..... No SH%% Sherlock, I told you two month's ago it was a dumb idea and you were spending way too much money on advertizing and you were very disorganized. I had even called members of the board to warn them and they were leery but this girl is one of those all talk no do people. I told her she had better be at the gates waiting as she was going to tell over 100 parents why the event was closing.
Hubby told me to calm down and at least call the out of town students as it had been snowing all day on the prairies. So we did and then I thought I had better call my 10 babies as they would really be upset to be all made up in costume and not be able to dance. Then we formed a phone tree and called all 100 #'s. Only 4 did not respond so I went up to the event and this drip meets me at the door and smiles and shakes my hand and say "You must be Kim" I said yes and you had better be looking for a job Monday morning. Was that too harsh? So disappointing all that work and effort and now I am behind on Christmas choreography.
I did not feel really good yesterday and I thought maybe it was just more mental strain, but last night I was running a high fever. So miserable. Judy you were right I have made myself sick. I am on a Tylenol high right now. Really achy flu, just miserable. But B just called me from campus and she is also sick with this same bug. So I know where I got it. Joints are really affected.
I just want to go to bed and stay there, but the shop phone has wrung all morning and customers are here every 10 minutes. Lord knows I need the work. Look at my checking account balance and I still need $500.00 to make the house payment and I will have to deduct the automatic insurance premiums if $250.00, so you can see that I must get at least $1100.00 to meet status quot. That is possible but leaves nothing for gas and groceries. So .how did this happen you ask? Well remember last June when I said I was going to quit working at the cleaning contract. We didn't stop but we did divert the money into college funds. This is fine, but I had some savings and money coming in from other things and I was just not paying attention. We really need that $1000.00 a month to keep our average bills paid every month. I said I was going to take it out of the studio. But I have not. I have been paying off debt. I just have to slow down. I realize this now. It took a couple of months for me to face reality. I don't like it but it is what it is.
Just got a call from my head Celtic teacher and she is very sick. So I think we will all get this. Hoorah!
Have a great and productive day. I am going to lie down......
Kim
Friday, October 26, 2012
Friday, starting to see the light and it is not pretty..
Studio: $18.09
Personal: $200.91
Okay, the reason I am posting so late today is that I could not make myself go balance the checking account. Yes I was in avoidance mood.(mode) I mean anything was a better way to spend my time that at my desk figuring out the balance after Hubby's pay last night. See now bad I am? I mean I did laundry, alphabetized the spices, had my nails done, you know necessary things, that would naturally keep you from an important have too task.
What did I figure out you ask? That I am $200.00 short of the tithing check! Also next Thursday is the 1st of November for those of you who have been sleeping. I will need $500.00 saved for my house payment and $243.00 for insurance premiums that will go out by the 5th. So if I had not balanced I would have just written the tithing check, the money for the insurance would have come out on the 5th and by the time I paid the house payment I would have been close to $900.00 into the overdraft account. Which is why I cannot get ahead! So now that I know, what am I going to do?
Well, I have $3.00 in my wallet and I will have hopefully about $100.00 in the shop by this evening, but I need milk, dog food, cat food, laundry soap, gas for the car. Misc. groceries. So that will be spent. The fact of matter is I will not be putting any money back into my emergency fund until about mid November if then. I have to live on my new realistic budget.
I know, I will get there but Kim paying off debt in her head is so much faster and amazing. Where did I put my cape? I know if I were wearing a cape this would be easier.
I also really sprained my ankle last night in my first hour of teaching. Right when I rolled it I knew it wasn't going to be good. By 7:30 it was throbbing and my shoe was very tight. When I got home it had already started to turn purple. It is the top of my foot into the ankle. Not so much the ankle as the tarsus bones above my smaller toes. Boy does it hurt! It was hard to sleep last night. I am limping, but as least I don't have to teach for the next three days. I do have a big performance tomorrow but I can limp on stage and introduce the kids.
My prayers go out for all of you in the eye of the storm system on the coast. Good luck, hunker down, I am so sorry to see you go through this again.
Out My Window: Rainy, cold was going to work in the yard but foot is too sore:)
I have a ton of sewing to do and as I am officially $950.00 in the hole right now I had better get busy.
&^%$# budget. &^%$# facing reality..... going to look for my cape.....
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Personal: $200.91
Okay, the reason I am posting so late today is that I could not make myself go balance the checking account. Yes I was in avoidance mood.(mode) I mean anything was a better way to spend my time that at my desk figuring out the balance after Hubby's pay last night. See now bad I am? I mean I did laundry, alphabetized the spices, had my nails done, you know necessary things, that would naturally keep you from an important have too task.
What did I figure out you ask? That I am $200.00 short of the tithing check! Also next Thursday is the 1st of November for those of you who have been sleeping. I will need $500.00 saved for my house payment and $243.00 for insurance premiums that will go out by the 5th. So if I had not balanced I would have just written the tithing check, the money for the insurance would have come out on the 5th and by the time I paid the house payment I would have been close to $900.00 into the overdraft account. Which is why I cannot get ahead! So now that I know, what am I going to do?
Well, I have $3.00 in my wallet and I will have hopefully about $100.00 in the shop by this evening, but I need milk, dog food, cat food, laundry soap, gas for the car. Misc. groceries. So that will be spent. The fact of matter is I will not be putting any money back into my emergency fund until about mid November if then. I have to live on my new realistic budget.
I know, I will get there but Kim paying off debt in her head is so much faster and amazing. Where did I put my cape? I know if I were wearing a cape this would be easier.
I also really sprained my ankle last night in my first hour of teaching. Right when I rolled it I knew it wasn't going to be good. By 7:30 it was throbbing and my shoe was very tight. When I got home it had already started to turn purple. It is the top of my foot into the ankle. Not so much the ankle as the tarsus bones above my smaller toes. Boy does it hurt! It was hard to sleep last night. I am limping, but as least I don't have to teach for the next three days. I do have a big performance tomorrow but I can limp on stage and introduce the kids.
My prayers go out for all of you in the eye of the storm system on the coast. Good luck, hunker down, I am so sorry to see you go through this again.
Out My Window: Rainy, cold was going to work in the yard but foot is too sore:)
I have a ton of sewing to do and as I am officially $950.00 in the hole right now I had better get busy.
&^%$# budget. &^%$# facing reality..... going to look for my cape.....
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Thursday, taking advice!
Studio account: $18.09
Personal account: $-72.12
As you can see I updated the the studio account. Hey I did this for 2 days maybe in 3 weeks I will have a habit! Anyway I am going to take the advice of "Onefamily oneincome". She suggested as my income can fluctuated so much that I was running into a trap that had affected her when they were self employed. When you are trying to pay off debt and you have a good month you put a large sum of money toward debt and then the next month nothing or you are borrowing the money back to make ends meet. This is a very familiar scenario.
She suggested putting the extra funds in a slush account or a savings that is just to pay off debt and then when I have accrued enough and have a leeway of a few hundred dollars I would pay off the next debt. I realize we will pay a little more interest, but none of my debts has a high interest. The confusion, disappointment and feelings of deflation are taking their tole. Because getting out of debt and making progress is a very emotional journey for me. Money is emotional and when I go backwards it is tied to my emotions. So I pay a little more interest. Not as emotionally distressing as feeling like I am regressing. I am going to try this. Why should I put all my dirty linen out on this blog and not take the advice for which I am so desperately asking? So......
So yesterday I rec'd our cleaning check and it went into the college savings. Balance is $807.00. I put $1000.00 into the slush fund and should be adding about $600.00 more in the next week in late tuition. (yes can you believe that) Hubby gets paid today and I will pay the car payment and the tithing and then I will have $200.00 extra dollars to put back into the emergency fund. I also have $200.00 in cash here in the shop that I took in to put back in the emergency fund. I know I will get more money in before the weekend but I will need gas and grocery money at least $150.00. It is so easy for me to put everything in savings and then start writing checks because I feel so good about myself and then when I pull my head out I am $850.00 into debt to the overdraft protection account! Well not this time.
Does anyone think I am getting any better at this? Because I fell like I am floundering.
Out My Window: Rainy, cool, chickens are slowing down on laying eggs because they are getting older and the days are so much shorter. It has snowed in the woods everyday this week.
Well off to the shower and then to the machine. This is my longest day. I teach from 3-7:30, but I don't have to clean tonight, hooray!
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Personal account: $-72.12
As you can see I updated the the studio account. Hey I did this for 2 days maybe in 3 weeks I will have a habit! Anyway I am going to take the advice of "Onefamily oneincome". She suggested as my income can fluctuated so much that I was running into a trap that had affected her when they were self employed. When you are trying to pay off debt and you have a good month you put a large sum of money toward debt and then the next month nothing or you are borrowing the money back to make ends meet. This is a very familiar scenario.
She suggested putting the extra funds in a slush account or a savings that is just to pay off debt and then when I have accrued enough and have a leeway of a few hundred dollars I would pay off the next debt. I realize we will pay a little more interest, but none of my debts has a high interest. The confusion, disappointment and feelings of deflation are taking their tole. Because getting out of debt and making progress is a very emotional journey for me. Money is emotional and when I go backwards it is tied to my emotions. So I pay a little more interest. Not as emotionally distressing as feeling like I am regressing. I am going to try this. Why should I put all my dirty linen out on this blog and not take the advice for which I am so desperately asking? So......
So yesterday I rec'd our cleaning check and it went into the college savings. Balance is $807.00. I put $1000.00 into the slush fund and should be adding about $600.00 more in the next week in late tuition. (yes can you believe that) Hubby gets paid today and I will pay the car payment and the tithing and then I will have $200.00 extra dollars to put back into the emergency fund. I also have $200.00 in cash here in the shop that I took in to put back in the emergency fund. I know I will get more money in before the weekend but I will need gas and grocery money at least $150.00. It is so easy for me to put everything in savings and then start writing checks because I feel so good about myself and then when I pull my head out I am $850.00 into debt to the overdraft protection account! Well not this time.
Does anyone think I am getting any better at this? Because I fell like I am floundering.
Out My Window: Rainy, cool, chickens are slowing down on laying eggs because they are getting older and the days are so much shorter. It has snowed in the woods everyday this week.
Well off to the shower and then to the machine. This is my longest day. I teach from 3-7:30, but I don't have to clean tonight, hooray!
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Wednesday, taking stock
Studio Checking: $82.09
Personal: -74.12
Still in shock here, but getting better. Thanks for talking me of the ledge. My sister told me to remember several years ago when I would write down the bills and not be able to pay all of them and then would still have to buy gas and groceries. It was years and years of this before I actually decided I would work for a living instead of giving my time away. Just getting to a point where I could pay my bills on time and still have some left over was a miracle.
I have paid out many many $100 and $200 expenses this month that I will not have next month. This led to at least $1000.00 of my difference in what I thought I would have. But I really need to go back to the days when I had no money, as I would take better care not to be so generous and frivolous.
Last night on the way home from cleaning Hubby wants to stop for plastic lunch sacks. He had forgotten that we needed them. He packs a lunch it is his responsibility to remember. He did not put them in the cart Monday night. So now he wants to stop. I said you have to have the cash and I am not going into the store. You should have done this yourself earlier. I refuse to gas his car and buy his lunch things unless it is at my convenience and I am at the store. No special trips because he refuses to take care of himself. (or me for that matter). So he checks his wallet and he still has the $70.00 I gave him when he was in Gettysburg. Giving that man money is like giving it to a vault. I did not go into the store as I was afraid I would see something I need.
I also left hubby a note that one of the bedroom windows was open and I could not get it shut. I had turned on the heat. It also rained very hard yesterday for the first time all summer. We have a drain pipe next to the house that has been disconnected. This happens when someone trips over it or hits is with a mower. (I wonder who?) If I disconnect it I stop and hook it back up, but whoever had done it in early JUNE had stepped and crushed the end so it could not be hooked back up. I have been nagging to have this fixed now for 4 months, but we have had no rain so it is not a crisis just an eyesore and an aggravation. I went out yesterday and saw a big pool of water next to the house this will eventually lead to flooding. So I left a another nasty note next to the home made stew in a crockpot( thanks Judy), about how I never asked hubby to do anything I could not do myself. If I could physically do it I would, but I can't. It is finally fixed.:)
I did get some major sewing done yesterday and have 2 dress fittings this morning, so I had better get busy. Like maybe I should get dressed!
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Personal: -74.12
Still in shock here, but getting better. Thanks for talking me of the ledge. My sister told me to remember several years ago when I would write down the bills and not be able to pay all of them and then would still have to buy gas and groceries. It was years and years of this before I actually decided I would work for a living instead of giving my time away. Just getting to a point where I could pay my bills on time and still have some left over was a miracle.
I have paid out many many $100 and $200 expenses this month that I will not have next month. This led to at least $1000.00 of my difference in what I thought I would have. But I really need to go back to the days when I had no money, as I would take better care not to be so generous and frivolous.
Last night on the way home from cleaning Hubby wants to stop for plastic lunch sacks. He had forgotten that we needed them. He packs a lunch it is his responsibility to remember. He did not put them in the cart Monday night. So now he wants to stop. I said you have to have the cash and I am not going into the store. You should have done this yourself earlier. I refuse to gas his car and buy his lunch things unless it is at my convenience and I am at the store. No special trips because he refuses to take care of himself. (or me for that matter). So he checks his wallet and he still has the $70.00 I gave him when he was in Gettysburg. Giving that man money is like giving it to a vault. I did not go into the store as I was afraid I would see something I need.
I also left hubby a note that one of the bedroom windows was open and I could not get it shut. I had turned on the heat. It also rained very hard yesterday for the first time all summer. We have a drain pipe next to the house that has been disconnected. This happens when someone trips over it or hits is with a mower. (I wonder who?) If I disconnect it I stop and hook it back up, but whoever had done it in early JUNE had stepped and crushed the end so it could not be hooked back up. I have been nagging to have this fixed now for 4 months, but we have had no rain so it is not a crisis just an eyesore and an aggravation. I went out yesterday and saw a big pool of water next to the house this will eventually lead to flooding. So I left a another nasty note next to the home made stew in a crockpot( thanks Judy), about how I never asked hubby to do anything I could not do myself. If I could physically do it I would, but I can't. It is finally fixed.:)
I did get some major sewing done yesterday and have 2 dress fittings this morning, so I had better get busy. Like maybe I should get dressed!
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Tuesday, scramblimg,scrambling
Just wanted you all to know that I am the most disorganized financial person you will ever meet. Yes I know I can design and sew 5 dresses in a day and teach and clean and, and, and.....
But I cannot keep a check book balanced. I intuitively think I have more money than I have. I overspend and assume the money is there. I really do not budget for basic living expenses. When I am busy and I am always busy, I shut down mentally on bills and just hope they get paid. They don't.
Now I have been dilly dallying since we got back from Gettysburg on the 9th of October on the accounts. I did not balance either checking account before I left. I did get home and pay the house payment so it is not late and then run like a raped ape until I cannot ignore it any more. I make plans to look at the budget then I don't get it done, put it off and I assume I have money. Well I don't. Not only that, I over pay bills so I can get something paid off and I transfer huge sums of money like $1250.00 (now that may not be huge to sum of you but it is to me) to a different account and then I don't write it down in the register and I am off by that amount when I get my statement. So I spend hours trying to prove that the bank took my money and it was me paying off a bill so I could feel good about myself. This was yesterday.
I got no sewing done. I emptied my emergency fund(there is $127.00 left) to get enough money into my checking to keep from overdrawing on the bills I had just mailed. Oh yes please stack up all the bills and mail them before you have balanced your accounts. You know it will be close, but intuitively you have the money. I just don't know what to do with myself. Sluggy come slap me! Someone help!
I have $82.09 in the studio checking.
I have -74.12 in personal checking( insurance checks won't clear until the 29th so I am not overdrawn)
No amount of scrimping and saving change and cooking in bulk is going to help me if I don't know how much money I have and just assume. This has been getting worse and worse since the sewer collapse. Like an alcoholic I am off the wagon and I am using that crisis as an excuse to let old habit creep up. What these old habits lead to is money down the drain!
Let's just assume right now that I have no money. I have Credit Card debt again, I have a broken down car in the driveway(daughters) and I did not make any progress on my CC debt plan this month. Shame on me! How did this happen?
I started using Credit cards again in the summer. I needed to get paint and supplies for the remodel after the sewer mess. Justified. I also had the fiasco with the downtown (studio) resurfacing and sewer problem. Justified. Hubby lost his car pooling partner just as gas was climbing. With out a partner his gas is over $450.00 a month. He used the Credit card as he was out on fire and was not coming home. Justified. But he kept using it. Did I know? Well not really but I should have. He has always come to me for gas cash or told me he wrote a check. But this was easier. I have almost $2000.00 worth of gas charges. No wonder I can't pay off the bills.
So if you are still with me. Please don't hate me. Help me form a plan. I thought maybe if I start by just posting my two account balances first thing on the blog, it would force me to pull my head out. I cannot write a post without my balances being posted. Just having knowledge of where I am will help a lot. I am always trying to play catch up. Scramble, catch up. Scramble, catch up.
I will be able to get most of the money back in the emergency fund before the end of the month. Just disgusted with myself. I called and had a long talk with my Sissie. She says I am trying to get out too fast. I can pay all my bills on time. I haven't gotten any late notices. I will be fine, but I feel like a failure because I know I am responsible and no one is going to save me but me, So why the sabotage?
Do you ever sabotage yourself? If so how? What did you do to try and stop the behavior?
I have to get busy and sew, got everything done on my list yesterday but sewing!
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
But I cannot keep a check book balanced. I intuitively think I have more money than I have. I overspend and assume the money is there. I really do not budget for basic living expenses. When I am busy and I am always busy, I shut down mentally on bills and just hope they get paid. They don't.
Now I have been dilly dallying since we got back from Gettysburg on the 9th of October on the accounts. I did not balance either checking account before I left. I did get home and pay the house payment so it is not late and then run like a raped ape until I cannot ignore it any more. I make plans to look at the budget then I don't get it done, put it off and I assume I have money. Well I don't. Not only that, I over pay bills so I can get something paid off and I transfer huge sums of money like $1250.00 (now that may not be huge to sum of you but it is to me) to a different account and then I don't write it down in the register and I am off by that amount when I get my statement. So I spend hours trying to prove that the bank took my money and it was me paying off a bill so I could feel good about myself. This was yesterday.
I got no sewing done. I emptied my emergency fund(there is $127.00 left) to get enough money into my checking to keep from overdrawing on the bills I had just mailed. Oh yes please stack up all the bills and mail them before you have balanced your accounts. You know it will be close, but intuitively you have the money. I just don't know what to do with myself. Sluggy come slap me! Someone help!
I have $82.09 in the studio checking.
I have -74.12 in personal checking( insurance checks won't clear until the 29th so I am not overdrawn)
No amount of scrimping and saving change and cooking in bulk is going to help me if I don't know how much money I have and just assume. This has been getting worse and worse since the sewer collapse. Like an alcoholic I am off the wagon and I am using that crisis as an excuse to let old habit creep up. What these old habits lead to is money down the drain!
Let's just assume right now that I have no money. I have Credit Card debt again, I have a broken down car in the driveway(daughters) and I did not make any progress on my CC debt plan this month. Shame on me! How did this happen?
I started using Credit cards again in the summer. I needed to get paint and supplies for the remodel after the sewer mess. Justified. I also had the fiasco with the downtown (studio) resurfacing and sewer problem. Justified. Hubby lost his car pooling partner just as gas was climbing. With out a partner his gas is over $450.00 a month. He used the Credit card as he was out on fire and was not coming home. Justified. But he kept using it. Did I know? Well not really but I should have. He has always come to me for gas cash or told me he wrote a check. But this was easier. I have almost $2000.00 worth of gas charges. No wonder I can't pay off the bills.
So if you are still with me. Please don't hate me. Help me form a plan. I thought maybe if I start by just posting my two account balances first thing on the blog, it would force me to pull my head out. I cannot write a post without my balances being posted. Just having knowledge of where I am will help a lot. I am always trying to play catch up. Scramble, catch up. Scramble, catch up.
I will be able to get most of the money back in the emergency fund before the end of the month. Just disgusted with myself. I called and had a long talk with my Sissie. She says I am trying to get out too fast. I can pay all my bills on time. I haven't gotten any late notices. I will be fine, but I feel like a failure because I know I am responsible and no one is going to save me but me, So why the sabotage?
Do you ever sabotage yourself? If so how? What did you do to try and stop the behavior?
I have to get busy and sew, got everything done on my list yesterday but sewing!
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Monday, October 22, 2012
Monday, I have to stop!
Okay the girls were here all weekend and I have to stop spending money! I realize that they cannot make me spend money. But I do this when I am around them. B's car is in front of the house it looks like the engine mounts are letting go. Some one else had to take her back up to college and we will have to go get her so she can work next week. But we did not want her to buy that car and it is constantly broken and expensive to fix. She needs to sell it. I won't sell it as I won't be blamed and then expected to replace it! See I have been down this road with my another child and unless they make the decision and do it them selves you are responsible. I love being a mom!
So today I am going to pay bills Ugh! I am also getting a note out to parents as we have a performance this weekend. I need to make sure everyone is costumed. I also have a a great deal of sewing to do before I leave for the studio. Just nothing to do around here ever.
Really had a lot of laughs with the kids over the weekend. It was our middle daughters birthday so I made pumpkin pies again and we spent Saturday day shopping for wall art. Had a nice dinner yesterday the girls went to church with us. It has been so long since any of our children have attended with us and so many new families have moved in, I think people see us as this old married couple with out kids and here we come in with these two beautiful young women. Heads were turning. Now if we could just find the older of the two a husband. Younger one still in college. I am joking, I don't want my girls married young, or married for the sake of just being married. But it was a nice weekend. Now I have to buckle down and get somethng done besides spend money.
So goals for today:
Pay bills
Balance checkbooks
Performance letter to parents
Hem four formal dresses.
Teach
clean
collapse!
I can do this!
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
So today I am going to pay bills Ugh! I am also getting a note out to parents as we have a performance this weekend. I need to make sure everyone is costumed. I also have a a great deal of sewing to do before I leave for the studio. Just nothing to do around here ever.
Really had a lot of laughs with the kids over the weekend. It was our middle daughters birthday so I made pumpkin pies again and we spent Saturday day shopping for wall art. Had a nice dinner yesterday the girls went to church with us. It has been so long since any of our children have attended with us and so many new families have moved in, I think people see us as this old married couple with out kids and here we come in with these two beautiful young women. Heads were turning. Now if we could just find the older of the two a husband. Younger one still in college. I am joking, I don't want my girls married young, or married for the sake of just being married. But it was a nice weekend. Now I have to buckle down and get somethng done besides spend money.
So goals for today:
Pay bills
Balance checkbooks
Performance letter to parents
Hem four formal dresses.
Teach
clean
collapse!
I can do this!
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Friday, October 19, 2012
Friday, Happy Birthday Fall Beauty!
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| We have Pumpkins everywhere! I have stated to clean out garden and flower boxes, I am hoping to take these geraniums in for the winter. |
the wind storm did to the porch!
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| Chickens roaming garden. |
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| Look at those colors, this was taken early in the morning it was foggy and the sun was just coming out! |
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| The pond is so beautiful, but boy will I have to clean out leaves! |
In the mean time I will be busy sewing and earning money so I can pay bills and debts and just keep on trying to do what is best. But I feel like all I do is spend money.
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Thursday, so the grand total is....
I was up late last night trying to get airline tickets for my mother and little brother. This is my contribution to the family drama. I could not remember how to spell my little brothers name. We always called my Beastie. It was a loving nickname. I mean I knew his name but really we never called him by it and I need the one on his drivers license. So called mom she can't remember, (dementia). Then call Beastie and he actually has to look it up. Can you tell the apple does not fall far from the tree? So I continue to order the tickets and they are climbing in price every 3 minutes. Finally get to the end and I need Beasties date of birth and year. I know he was born in July as it was the day of the Moon landing. But the year? Was it the 21,20. I remember parties with the Moon landing theme. So I text and called and everyone had gone to bed. Now I must wait until morning and I lose my one week in advance window. Well I got up this morning and the tickets had gone down! So my bill for this fiasco is $970.00. Beast and mom will fly to Georgia to attend court and try and bring the boys home. I am sure they will not be able to get them immediately, but I have a younger sister that will join them by car and she may get the boys temporarily. Someone will get them and then we will see. They cannot nor will they ever be able to live with their mother again It is so sad.
Right now I have to figure out a way to pay for this, and I will. Why I never get ahead. I can take this out of the emergency fund, but I have until November 10th.to come up with the money. I think I have about $300.00 saved so I will need to gather the rest. There goes the new suit I wanted for church!
Family aren't you glad you have them?
I was able to sit down and figure out who owes back tuition at studio so late notices will go out today!
Always the same people. But over $1000.00 worth of tuition. I will also pay all the bills today, at least get them written out so I can mail them. I think Hubbies next check is the 26th. I just can't beleive it is the 18th! See what happens when you go on a trip. Throws the whole time table off.
I have been doing really well at not wasting money eating fast food, but what does it matter I just spent $970.00 that I was not planning on spending. So I will be cutting back in that department for a long time!
Out My Window: Beautiful Fall colors, I am going to take a picture soon. I tried to plant the back yard in such a way that it would color up and I think I did a good job.
Well I am off to the races to earn some money so my indigent relatives can take it from me. (actually) I am doing this for my nephews, they are young and cannot do for them selves.
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Right now I have to figure out a way to pay for this, and I will. Why I never get ahead. I can take this out of the emergency fund, but I have until November 10th.to come up with the money. I think I have about $300.00 saved so I will need to gather the rest. There goes the new suit I wanted for church!
Family aren't you glad you have them?
I was able to sit down and figure out who owes back tuition at studio so late notices will go out today!
Always the same people. But over $1000.00 worth of tuition. I will also pay all the bills today, at least get them written out so I can mail them. I think Hubbies next check is the 26th. I just can't beleive it is the 18th! See what happens when you go on a trip. Throws the whole time table off.
I have been doing really well at not wasting money eating fast food, but what does it matter I just spent $970.00 that I was not planning on spending. So I will be cutting back in that department for a long time!
Out My Window: Beautiful Fall colors, I am going to take a picture soon. I tried to plant the back yard in such a way that it would color up and I think I did a good job.
Well I am off to the races to earn some money so my indigent relatives can take it from me. (actually) I am doing this for my nephews, they are young and cannot do for them selves.
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Wednesday, getting out of dept.
There are so many approaches to getting out of debt. It is my # one goal in life and unfortunately I have spent the majority of my adult life trying to achieve this goal. I have read every book I could get my hands on about getting out of debt and have been blogging about it for about two years. I sometimes feel like the biggest failure, but I also know that I am making true progress.
When one sets up a debt repayment system one starts to eliminate unnecessary expenditures. People talk about cable, cell phone plans, gym memberships, internet service, utilities, food. But we never had any frills in our budget ever. I could not cut cable, I have never belonged to a gym. Our internet connection is the only one available in this remote area. The only place I could cut back was on groceries, but even there you had to eat. Getting out of debt does have something to do with cutting back, but in reality it is about not spending and not incurring new debt. It is also about figuring out a way to make more money.
WHAT?
That's right if you add a new or newer car you will not get out of debt. If you take a vacation that you have not saved for you will not get out of debt. If you buy things on credit with out the money to pay for them at the end of the month you will not get out of debt. If you are deeply in debt and cannot meet the minimum expenses you will fall further in debt unless you can make more money.
Cars eventually get paid off, house loans eventually get paid off . Credit cards that are not used eventually get paid off. Every month you should make progress unless you are going backwards and spending money you do not have.
Disasters happen. Murphy visits. This is why it is so important to have at least a $1000.00 emergency fund. Our family should have at least a $5000.00 but that is far in the future. Big disasters cannot be covered with $1000.00, but as you are figuring out how to climb out from under the large rock that just fell on you, you should still be paying your regular bills. This is what I have continued to do since July and you know what? I am still making progress on my debt.
Even though I have had to incur new debt my house loan has gone down over $3500.00. My truck loan is down $1712.00, My car loan has gone down $1200.00. I paid off a studio loan of $4700.00. I reality I am further ahead even with my new debt than I was and I am going to continue on this path.
My secret has been consistent debt payment and working very hard to always make sure I have money ahead for what ever is coming up in the near future. I have no control over the universe or the weather or the age of my house But I know I will want things and want to do things and I will have birthdays and Christmas and vacations. I work hard and make sure those things are covered. Set goals for one or two things at a time and work hard (pray harder) and you will be surprised what you can do with getting rid of your debt or at least making progress.
What things have you done recently to help on your journey to becoming debt free?
Have a Great and Productive day!
Kim
When one sets up a debt repayment system one starts to eliminate unnecessary expenditures. People talk about cable, cell phone plans, gym memberships, internet service, utilities, food. But we never had any frills in our budget ever. I could not cut cable, I have never belonged to a gym. Our internet connection is the only one available in this remote area. The only place I could cut back was on groceries, but even there you had to eat. Getting out of debt does have something to do with cutting back, but in reality it is about not spending and not incurring new debt. It is also about figuring out a way to make more money.
WHAT?
That's right if you add a new or newer car you will not get out of debt. If you take a vacation that you have not saved for you will not get out of debt. If you buy things on credit with out the money to pay for them at the end of the month you will not get out of debt. If you are deeply in debt and cannot meet the minimum expenses you will fall further in debt unless you can make more money.
Cars eventually get paid off, house loans eventually get paid off . Credit cards that are not used eventually get paid off. Every month you should make progress unless you are going backwards and spending money you do not have.
Disasters happen. Murphy visits. This is why it is so important to have at least a $1000.00 emergency fund. Our family should have at least a $5000.00 but that is far in the future. Big disasters cannot be covered with $1000.00, but as you are figuring out how to climb out from under the large rock that just fell on you, you should still be paying your regular bills. This is what I have continued to do since July and you know what? I am still making progress on my debt.
Even though I have had to incur new debt my house loan has gone down over $3500.00. My truck loan is down $1712.00, My car loan has gone down $1200.00. I paid off a studio loan of $4700.00. I reality I am further ahead even with my new debt than I was and I am going to continue on this path.
My secret has been consistent debt payment and working very hard to always make sure I have money ahead for what ever is coming up in the near future. I have no control over the universe or the weather or the age of my house But I know I will want things and want to do things and I will have birthdays and Christmas and vacations. I work hard and make sure those things are covered. Set goals for one or two things at a time and work hard (pray harder) and you will be surprised what you can do with getting rid of your debt or at least making progress.
What things have you done recently to help on your journey to becoming debt free?
Have a Great and Productive day!
Kim
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Tuesday, So busy!
The shop was so busy yesterday I barely had time to breath! So I did not get as much done as I wanted. But I will hit the shop hard today. I am on my last load of laundry so that is an accomplishment. I still need to look at the books and I will do that right after I finish this blog. Then I need to sew, sew, sew.
My brother is having family drama and I know I will be pulled into help. I would normally refuse but this involves his two young sons from his first marriage. I cannot allow them to live in a bad situation. It angers me that the mother always gets the children even when she is unfit. But I think this time he will be able to get custody as she has gone over the line. I just wonder how much it is going to cost! I usually try to stay out of this, but my mothers health is so bad and she cannot handle the stress either emotionally or financially.
I will keep you posted as the situation develops. These young people have needed to be in a stable environment for years.
It was nice to come home from teaching last night and have dinner made and the kitchen cleaned up. Hubby just has so many meals done up in the freezer. So glad I did a power cooking Saturday as hard as it was. We have been cleaning that bank full time again to make up for the days that we were gone to Gettysburg. It is about killing me! We have three more nights. Funny how quickly I got used to not cleaning 6 nights a week. It is such a drag. I realize now how important it is for my metal state to not have to do this every night. It is not hard. But it is one more thing always hanging over me. But it sure was nice when we were in Gettysburg to tell my boss to call the other person who splits the contract with us. I texted him and said, "We are not the only ones responsible any more. We are on vacation contact the other party and have them take care of the problem." That felt so good as before I would have had a sub and ultimately would be blamed for anything that went wrong. Every time we left town there was a complaint. Well now I am not responsible. Nice! If the parking lot is left dirty, it is the other party. If it is too dusty other party. We clean three days, so 4 nights of the week we are not there. That means we share responsibility and I will not be badgered or harried any more for a stupid cleaning contract.
Getting mean in my old age!
Out My Window: Really windy today and that is good as it will clean the rest of the smoke out of the air!
Have a great and productive day!
My brother is having family drama and I know I will be pulled into help. I would normally refuse but this involves his two young sons from his first marriage. I cannot allow them to live in a bad situation. It angers me that the mother always gets the children even when she is unfit. But I think this time he will be able to get custody as she has gone over the line. I just wonder how much it is going to cost! I usually try to stay out of this, but my mothers health is so bad and she cannot handle the stress either emotionally or financially.
I will keep you posted as the situation develops. These young people have needed to be in a stable environment for years.
It was nice to come home from teaching last night and have dinner made and the kitchen cleaned up. Hubby just has so many meals done up in the freezer. So glad I did a power cooking Saturday as hard as it was. We have been cleaning that bank full time again to make up for the days that we were gone to Gettysburg. It is about killing me! We have three more nights. Funny how quickly I got used to not cleaning 6 nights a week. It is such a drag. I realize now how important it is for my metal state to not have to do this every night. It is not hard. But it is one more thing always hanging over me. But it sure was nice when we were in Gettysburg to tell my boss to call the other person who splits the contract with us. I texted him and said, "We are not the only ones responsible any more. We are on vacation contact the other party and have them take care of the problem." That felt so good as before I would have had a sub and ultimately would be blamed for anything that went wrong. Every time we left town there was a complaint. Well now I am not responsible. Nice! If the parking lot is left dirty, it is the other party. If it is too dusty other party. We clean three days, so 4 nights of the week we are not there. That means we share responsibility and I will not be badgered or harried any more for a stupid cleaning contract.
Getting mean in my old age!
Out My Window: Really windy today and that is good as it will clean the rest of the smoke out of the air!
Have a great and productive day!
Monday, October 15, 2012
Monday, off to the race called life....
I have many lose ends to tie up on costumes and performances for the studio. I also need to sit down today and figure out who owes what and balance both personal and studio checking. Then I will pay the rest of the months bills except for the two that are due at the end of the month. I also need to clean up the desk and catch up on laundry, do a quick run through of the house all while running the sewing shop, teaching dance and cleaning the bank. It is going to be a long day maybe I will just go back to bed?
Why is it so hard for me to pay attention to my bank balances? Why do I let my desk become the rat trap from hell before I do anything about it? I would so love to be one of those organized people who file things immediately and make their bed the minute they get up. Iron the clothes the minute they are out of the dryer, but alas I am 54 and still have not developed these skills. Just no discipline, blah!
Hubby and I are driving up to Daughter #2's for her B-day on Friday. She will be 25. We will take her out to dinner and she wants some kitchen gadgets. We are also going to try out her dentist. Our old dentist here says we each need a crown on an old existing filling. Even though neither of us is experiencing any symptoms. I have lost faith and think because Hubby and I have good teeth they need to find something expensive. Now I may be wrong but I just have lost confidence. So we will go to daughters. She can tell us if we really need these things and we will get a 20 % discount. A filling which is what I want would be about $40.00 a crown our portion would be $400.00. So two Crowns $800.00 We don't have that much left in our medical savings. Also Baby elephant needs her wisdom teeth removed. So I see upcoming dentist bills. At daughters office we will could potential save $200.00 well worth the trip. But I hate puting out hard earned money for dentists who I believe over charge.
Well I am going to look at the numbers so I can update my totals, still feel like I am making no progress but I am......
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Why is it so hard for me to pay attention to my bank balances? Why do I let my desk become the rat trap from hell before I do anything about it? I would so love to be one of those organized people who file things immediately and make their bed the minute they get up. Iron the clothes the minute they are out of the dryer, but alas I am 54 and still have not developed these skills. Just no discipline, blah!
Hubby and I are driving up to Daughter #2's for her B-day on Friday. She will be 25. We will take her out to dinner and she wants some kitchen gadgets. We are also going to try out her dentist. Our old dentist here says we each need a crown on an old existing filling. Even though neither of us is experiencing any symptoms. I have lost faith and think because Hubby and I have good teeth they need to find something expensive. Now I may be wrong but I just have lost confidence. So we will go to daughters. She can tell us if we really need these things and we will get a 20 % discount. A filling which is what I want would be about $40.00 a crown our portion would be $400.00. So two Crowns $800.00 We don't have that much left in our medical savings. Also Baby elephant needs her wisdom teeth removed. So I see upcoming dentist bills. At daughters office we will could potential save $200.00 well worth the trip. But I hate puting out hard earned money for dentists who I believe over charge.
Well I am going to look at the numbers so I can update my totals, still feel like I am making no progress but I am......
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Sunday, people are honest!
I really slept late yesterday and it was so nice. Daughter was home and she was getting ready for work and was shocked to see that I was still in bed. She asked if I was alive. It just felt so nice and warm, like I was in a cocoon. But I had decided to check out the quality of the ham burger I had bought on sale so I made myself get UP!
I made a huge pot of home made spaghetti sauce enough for 10 meals. The meat was great very little fat. So went back to the store and bought enough to make 12 dozen Swedish meatballs and two meat loafs. Then when I went to freeze them I found 12 frozen bananas and all these 1/2 bags of nuts, coconut, chocolate chips,butterscotch chips, raisins, from last time I baked. I also found apples pie filling that needed to be used. So after the meat was cooling I baked an apple pie, three loaves of banana bread, and 2 pumpkin pies. I did up a double batch of crusts and froze 5 extras for pumpkin pies later, as we have 35 pumpkins left on our back porch. I also made about 4 dozen cowboy cookies to use up the left over bake goods. But I swear all I did was dishes. I was cooking from noon until 7 last night. But the freezer is full. We have plenty of burger, meatballs, meatloaf, fish, and chicken. I am also making a big bone in Ham today, so we will have plenty of left overs for soups and sandwiches and omelets. I also bought a huge package of thick sliced bacon and split it into 7 packages. We are set for meat for a at least 3 months.
Boy was I tired. Daughter came home from work and asked me to help her put together some gifts for her sorority. I was a little too tired to be going out both physically and mentally but I get to spend so little fun time together just the two of us and I wanted to get some sweet potatoes. We went to the dollar store, Joanns, and Wal mart. I paid for my purchase at Wal-mart and we went home.
Now I had done a very stupid thing earlier in the day. I pulled out my gas and money envelope with a little over $400.00 in it to go get gas and pick up more meat. I always just take what I need and never the whole envelope. But I was in a hurry and I had things in the oven. Well I forgot I had this money in my purse and when we got home NO PURSE! Daughter called Wal-mart and we immediately turned around to go back. I was just too tired to think and be out. I was so angry with myself for putting that money in. If It had just been my purse I would have cancelled the two CC cards and gotten a new license. Now I was out about $300.00 Hard earned by the way!
Before we got off the phone Wal-mart had said they had a purse turned in from a cart in the lot, but they would give us no description. I could not believe I would leave my purse in the cart. It was dark out and the purse is a dark green avocado leather, but it is huge. When we got there it was my purse and all the money and cards were in it! Can you believe that? I am so grateful that people are honest. You can only imagine my relief when they handed me the purse.
There is an angel out there and I just wish I could thank them. I learned a lesson however. Don't go shopping when you are exhausted.
I need to go up and practice my music for today!
Have a restful and peaceful Sabbath.
Kim
I made a huge pot of home made spaghetti sauce enough for 10 meals. The meat was great very little fat. So went back to the store and bought enough to make 12 dozen Swedish meatballs and two meat loafs. Then when I went to freeze them I found 12 frozen bananas and all these 1/2 bags of nuts, coconut, chocolate chips,butterscotch chips, raisins, from last time I baked. I also found apples pie filling that needed to be used. So after the meat was cooling I baked an apple pie, three loaves of banana bread, and 2 pumpkin pies. I did up a double batch of crusts and froze 5 extras for pumpkin pies later, as we have 35 pumpkins left on our back porch. I also made about 4 dozen cowboy cookies to use up the left over bake goods. But I swear all I did was dishes. I was cooking from noon until 7 last night. But the freezer is full. We have plenty of burger, meatballs, meatloaf, fish, and chicken. I am also making a big bone in Ham today, so we will have plenty of left overs for soups and sandwiches and omelets. I also bought a huge package of thick sliced bacon and split it into 7 packages. We are set for meat for a at least 3 months.
Boy was I tired. Daughter came home from work and asked me to help her put together some gifts for her sorority. I was a little too tired to be going out both physically and mentally but I get to spend so little fun time together just the two of us and I wanted to get some sweet potatoes. We went to the dollar store, Joanns, and Wal mart. I paid for my purchase at Wal-mart and we went home.
Now I had done a very stupid thing earlier in the day. I pulled out my gas and money envelope with a little over $400.00 in it to go get gas and pick up more meat. I always just take what I need and never the whole envelope. But I was in a hurry and I had things in the oven. Well I forgot I had this money in my purse and when we got home NO PURSE! Daughter called Wal-mart and we immediately turned around to go back. I was just too tired to think and be out. I was so angry with myself for putting that money in. If It had just been my purse I would have cancelled the two CC cards and gotten a new license. Now I was out about $300.00 Hard earned by the way!
Before we got off the phone Wal-mart had said they had a purse turned in from a cart in the lot, but they would give us no description. I could not believe I would leave my purse in the cart. It was dark out and the purse is a dark green avocado leather, but it is huge. When we got there it was my purse and all the money and cards were in it! Can you believe that? I am so grateful that people are honest. You can only imagine my relief when they handed me the purse.
There is an angel out there and I just wish I could thank them. I learned a lesson however. Don't go shopping when you are exhausted.
I need to go up and practice my music for today!
Have a restful and peaceful Sabbath.
Kim
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Saturday, bulk cooking!
I need to clean out my freezer. I have food and fruit in there from a year ago. I think I need to bake some banana bread and a few pies and some cookies. We also had a hamburger sale so I am going to do up a big batch of spaghetti sauce, some Swedish meat balls and and some meatloaves. I was forced to turn the heat on yesterday, so this will keep the kitchen warm.
Daughter #3 is down working and we are going out this evening to find token gifts for her Sorority. I have Joanns coupons and a gift certificate.
So my day is planned, I wonder how much I will get done? Hee Hee!
By the way I just love the blog" House Full of Searls" She has so many great tips on saving money.
I wish I could be as savvy as she is. But alas I am stuck with me.
Have a great and fun Saturday!
Kim
Daughter #3 is down working and we are going out this evening to find token gifts for her Sorority. I have Joanns coupons and a gift certificate.
So my day is planned, I wonder how much I will get done? Hee Hee!
By the way I just love the blog" House Full of Searls" She has so many great tips on saving money.
I wish I could be as savvy as she is. But alas I am stuck with me.
Have a great and fun Saturday!
Kim
Friday, October 12, 2012
Friday, blessed with work.
I was able to make a huge deposit yesterday and pay the house payment and a couple of bills. I have yet to see who still owes tuition, but if they have not paid they have a late charge and I have a feeling it is quite a few. Too busy in the shop to stop and figure it out but will try to do it tonight.
I was trying to decide which debt to pay off next and I want to be able to pay one of the smaller debts by Christmas. One is the studio Credit card which stands at $4,700.00. This is costumes that need to be replaced, advertising, and road work, parking improvement leveled by the city. I also owe about $5000.00 to our personal card I just paid off last June. $3000.00 of that will be paid when I am reimbursed for medical and plane tickets. But the rest is sewer , bathroom supplies and left over bills. So in looking at my budget I can pay one off by Christmas. Well the studio account is at 0% until January 1st. the other card is 6.5% so it is a no brainer. The 0% goes to 12.99 and I don't like that rate. I will try to make a $2500.00 payment to the business card this month and next. Then I will attack the personal.
If I could keep these cards at a 0 balance I would just use the personal card, but it is so hard with disasters right and left. Still have my $1000.00 emergency fund and I will plug along and keep trying to get out of debt. I feel like things are going well, but I am just so behind in my goals. Then I took a good look at my banking yesterday and decided to change my mind. Here is why.
I paid a $1400.00 house payment, $500.00 was cash I had saved.
I put $500.00 in studio savings
I put a $270.00 check in college savings account.
I paid the truck payment of $500.00 (studio collateral )
I paid the the sewer loan $250.00
I will still have $2500.00 to put toward debt
I have $160.00 in cash for gas and groceries this next week.
I am not saving for any trip right now so I can put all extra money toward debt.
I am doing just fine.
Out My Window: We have a hen that is nesting. Every time I went out to gather eggs a hen wold be on the box. You don't want to disturb them so I just waited. One day, two days, then the young man that cared for the house said that he could not get her off either. So we finally forced her out and had 18 eggs. Three were cracked, but I felt sorry for her. We have no rooster as it is against city ordinance, but I banded her and we will use her next spring as a brooder for new chicks. So I now have 2.5 dozen huge eggs, I will be baking this weekend.
How are you doing on your financial goals? Have you had any set backs? Are you able to put them behind you and muster on? How do you convince yourself to do that?
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
I was trying to decide which debt to pay off next and I want to be able to pay one of the smaller debts by Christmas. One is the studio Credit card which stands at $4,700.00. This is costumes that need to be replaced, advertising, and road work, parking improvement leveled by the city. I also owe about $5000.00 to our personal card I just paid off last June. $3000.00 of that will be paid when I am reimbursed for medical and plane tickets. But the rest is sewer , bathroom supplies and left over bills. So in looking at my budget I can pay one off by Christmas. Well the studio account is at 0% until January 1st. the other card is 6.5% so it is a no brainer. The 0% goes to 12.99 and I don't like that rate. I will try to make a $2500.00 payment to the business card this month and next. Then I will attack the personal.
If I could keep these cards at a 0 balance I would just use the personal card, but it is so hard with disasters right and left. Still have my $1000.00 emergency fund and I will plug along and keep trying to get out of debt. I feel like things are going well, but I am just so behind in my goals. Then I took a good look at my banking yesterday and decided to change my mind. Here is why.
I paid a $1400.00 house payment, $500.00 was cash I had saved.
I put $500.00 in studio savings
I put a $270.00 check in college savings account.
I paid the truck payment of $500.00 (studio collateral )
I paid the the sewer loan $250.00
I will still have $2500.00 to put toward debt
I have $160.00 in cash for gas and groceries this next week.
I am not saving for any trip right now so I can put all extra money toward debt.
I am doing just fine.
Out My Window: We have a hen that is nesting. Every time I went out to gather eggs a hen wold be on the box. You don't want to disturb them so I just waited. One day, two days, then the young man that cared for the house said that he could not get her off either. So we finally forced her out and had 18 eggs. Three were cracked, but I felt sorry for her. We have no rooster as it is against city ordinance, but I banded her and we will use her next spring as a brooder for new chicks. So I now have 2.5 dozen huge eggs, I will be baking this weekend.
How are you doing on your financial goals? Have you had any set backs? Are you able to put them behind you and muster on? How do you convince yourself to do that?
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Thursday, back and trying to catch up!
Thank you all so much for your kind condolences on the loss of my neighbor. It was hard to leave knowing what these friends left behind would be going through, but our first visitor back was the neighbor with our ice chest. He said he was so surprised that this was such a good idea. He only was able to drink one soda and all the rest of it was gone in a couple days. The food disappeared instantly. He was not aware that there would be so many people coming over in the first 48 hours. He was so appreciative for our food and drinks. Word traveled and he was inundated with more goodies, but ours were able to get them through the first onslaught of family and shocked friends. Hubby spent about an hour with him and I had to go teach. They had wanted to do a display of fall colors at their house for after the funereal guests. As our lovely neighbor had been so ill her garden had suffered so they came and raided ours. We laughed as they had a huge pumpkin and squash, cornstalk display, all from our yard. Don't worry I still have over 40 pumpkins of all varieties.
We had a lovely trip. Hubbies dad has dementia and it gets worse daily. It was hard to see him struggle and we had to watch him like a hawk. He wanders and got lost several times. I would have loved to have seen Sluggy and Judy but with dad that was not possible. My sister and I have decided to do a girls trip to see them maybe next Spring. So get ready.
We stayed in Gettysburg and at my sisters house in Gaithersburg. She is a wonderful hostess. Dinner was hot ready and delicious whenever we entered for an evenings rest. She would always have us call when we were an hour away. It was like staying at a luxury bed and breakfast. In fact I have told her to open one, or at least her home on one of the those sights that takes in travelers. Anyway we spent a day in Antietam, Gettysburg, Amish country (that was awful), We spent a day in the city at the WWII and other war monuments and also a day at the National Cathedral. Mom and Dad are in their mid 80's and were very tired by the time we drove to Amish country. It was too far and we spent most of the day driving at 15 miles an hour. We are used to doing 55-75 in our neck of the woods and it was a frustrating long day. But all in all a positive trip and I am so glad we took it with hubbies folks. It will be an enduring memory for them and us.
I am back to the grindstone. I have a tendency to compartmentalize things. I beleive I learned to do this when I was directing 10 major productions a school year. I often had one show rehearsing and one in progress and one just closing at all times so I learned to only worry about what I could get done today. If I started worrying about the 120 costumes I needed for a show 3 shows out I would go crazy. I still have to think far in advance on dates and such and bookings but I do not think of a show until it is in production. Well I have a performance for 2 different fund raisers in less than a month so I need to get on the ball. Also Christmas will be here before you know it. I want all performance #'s finished in the next two weeks and Christmas blocked by the first week in November. The heat is on. This trip was my focus and now my focus is else where. I feel so much pressure and that is probably why I get so much done.
The shop is very busy and I am grateful for the work. I am trying to catch up on e-mail and and then I need to do the books and pay the bills. Must sew quite a bit today and get some phone calls made about performances. Need to order more costumes tomorrow, I see that I have had a couple of large boxes delivered to my garage, so I had better go check them out.
I will fill you in on some funnies from the trip in the next few weeks. In the mean time I will not spend money and concentrate on debt payoff. What a novel idea!
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
We had a lovely trip. Hubbies dad has dementia and it gets worse daily. It was hard to see him struggle and we had to watch him like a hawk. He wanders and got lost several times. I would have loved to have seen Sluggy and Judy but with dad that was not possible. My sister and I have decided to do a girls trip to see them maybe next Spring. So get ready.
We stayed in Gettysburg and at my sisters house in Gaithersburg. She is a wonderful hostess. Dinner was hot ready and delicious whenever we entered for an evenings rest. She would always have us call when we were an hour away. It was like staying at a luxury bed and breakfast. In fact I have told her to open one, or at least her home on one of the those sights that takes in travelers. Anyway we spent a day in Antietam, Gettysburg, Amish country (that was awful), We spent a day in the city at the WWII and other war monuments and also a day at the National Cathedral. Mom and Dad are in their mid 80's and were very tired by the time we drove to Amish country. It was too far and we spent most of the day driving at 15 miles an hour. We are used to doing 55-75 in our neck of the woods and it was a frustrating long day. But all in all a positive trip and I am so glad we took it with hubbies folks. It will be an enduring memory for them and us.
I am back to the grindstone. I have a tendency to compartmentalize things. I beleive I learned to do this when I was directing 10 major productions a school year. I often had one show rehearsing and one in progress and one just closing at all times so I learned to only worry about what I could get done today. If I started worrying about the 120 costumes I needed for a show 3 shows out I would go crazy. I still have to think far in advance on dates and such and bookings but I do not think of a show until it is in production. Well I have a performance for 2 different fund raisers in less than a month so I need to get on the ball. Also Christmas will be here before you know it. I want all performance #'s finished in the next two weeks and Christmas blocked by the first week in November. The heat is on. This trip was my focus and now my focus is else where. I feel so much pressure and that is probably why I get so much done.
The shop is very busy and I am grateful for the work. I am trying to catch up on e-mail and and then I need to do the books and pay the bills. Must sew quite a bit today and get some phone calls made about performances. Need to order more costumes tomorrow, I see that I have had a couple of large boxes delivered to my garage, so I had better go check them out.
I will fill you in on some funnies from the trip in the next few weeks. In the mean time I will not spend money and concentrate on debt payoff. What a novel idea!
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Tuesday, Sadness
I am leaving on this trip with such horrible sadness. My wonderful next door neighbor, passed away yesterday afternoon. She was my age and we both loved gardening and cooking. She has a great husband, daughter grand kids. She was diagnosed with a virulent type of ovarian cancer. By the time she had it checked it was stage 4. I did not realize how quickly the time would go. Yesterday I was leaving for the studio about 2:40. I saw her in her white car she was driving by the house and she waved and smiled at me and I thought oh she is feeling better. She normally would be teaching right now, but she is able to drive that is such a good thing. But it wasn't her, she was passing at that time. She was very intent in her last hour that her daughter not forget to get the grand kids off the bus. The bus drops the boys off at 2:50. So in my heart I really beleive I did see her, she was smiling at me and she was going to be there to see her grand sons off that bus one more time. I am just heart broken. We won't even be here to help her poor husband through this horrible time.
Hubby went to the store and filled the large cooler with ice and different kinds of soda. He bought cold chicken, sub sandwiches and a relish tray and took over to the house to help with the influx of family that they will get. I will take over a cake today. But we will just have to be here for him when we get back and I am sure most of the family will be gone. Just so sad.
On a better note, we are packed and I have a few last minute errands to do before we leave.
Print off boarding passes and all info from net. (sluggy's number, Judy's?)
Pick up prescriptions and a cake for neighbors.
Make a deposit for the studio and cash checks.
Make out a to do list for the young man staying at the house.
Call Hubby's folks and make sure they are ready.
Clean up the house a little
Put suitcases by the back door.
I was able to put $350.00 into the house account before I left so I am very happy about that. This will make coming home so much less stressful. I was also able to take in enough tuition last night to do payroll without going to my studio savings account. I feel so blessed. I have met my goals and then some.
Well I am off to the races!
Have a great and productive day!
kim
Hubby went to the store and filled the large cooler with ice and different kinds of soda. He bought cold chicken, sub sandwiches and a relish tray and took over to the house to help with the influx of family that they will get. I will take over a cake today. But we will just have to be here for him when we get back and I am sure most of the family will be gone. Just so sad.
On a better note, we are packed and I have a few last minute errands to do before we leave.
I was able to put $350.00 into the house account before I left so I am very happy about that. This will make coming home so much less stressful. I was also able to take in enough tuition last night to do payroll without going to my studio savings account. I feel so blessed. I have met my goals and then some.
Well I am off to the races!
Have a great and productive day!
kim
Monday, October 1, 2012
Monday, Getting ready to go
I have my bags packed and am waiting on laundry to finish packing. Will spend a few hours in the shop finishing things but I have made my goals and I am happy with those. I did spend about $88.00 at the grocery store on dog,cat and chicken food and a few incidentals. I have $500.00 put in an envelope for travel. I also have $150.00 in the house envelope, but I have several pick ups today and hopefully that will top $250.00 before tomorrow.
I had a comment about taxes. Yes, I do have an accountant and I do keep track of all the money that comes into the shop. I do pay taxes on this income. I am a firm believer in clean water, police, fire, roads all the things that taxes pay for. Realize that the sewing shop is a part time job and I am able to deduct 1/4 of all my housing expenses and taxes, because the shop takes up 1/4 of our square footage. It is a great tax break. I also account for every penny that comes into the studio. Many people have asked me to take cash at the studio and I won't because cash cannot be traced, checks can. I receive the majority of my income in the shop in the form of checks. I am not running a business where I hide my assets. I am a terrible liar. If questioned I would immediately melt down tell my life story and incriminate myself. So honesty is the best policy.
I am getting very excited to go. I will see my Sissie in 2 days! Yippee!
Daughter #2 was home for the weekend and she wanted me to go down and change the studio windows into Halloween decor. I did not want to, but she coerced me. I am so glad. They are so cute and clever. She will be 25 in 18 days and boy has she grown up. I mean I could not have gotten her to help with those windows 2 years ago when we were running the studio together. She was a great teacher, choreographer, director, but anything that required physical shlogg work, she would not do. She would tell me she was going to help and then not show up, or show up dressed to the nines and refuse to get dirty or lift anything for fear she would mess up her do. Or my favorite, "I can only stay an hour". It takes a good 6 hours total time to switch out the windows. Hubby and the two of us spent 2hours Saturday night. It was fun and it took a total of 6 hours. Her father thinks she really misses the creative part of the studio. I am sure she does and I love her help!
Well I have lists to make and cross off and some sewing to finish up so I had better get busy!
Out My Window: Did a bunch of weeding this weekend. Piles of crap to pick up in the back, but at least it will be easier to get to when I get home. Hubby also cleaned out the chicken coop.
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
I had a comment about taxes. Yes, I do have an accountant and I do keep track of all the money that comes into the shop. I do pay taxes on this income. I am a firm believer in clean water, police, fire, roads all the things that taxes pay for. Realize that the sewing shop is a part time job and I am able to deduct 1/4 of all my housing expenses and taxes, because the shop takes up 1/4 of our square footage. It is a great tax break. I also account for every penny that comes into the studio. Many people have asked me to take cash at the studio and I won't because cash cannot be traced, checks can. I receive the majority of my income in the shop in the form of checks. I am not running a business where I hide my assets. I am a terrible liar. If questioned I would immediately melt down tell my life story and incriminate myself. So honesty is the best policy.
I am getting very excited to go. I will see my Sissie in 2 days! Yippee!
Daughter #2 was home for the weekend and she wanted me to go down and change the studio windows into Halloween decor. I did not want to, but she coerced me. I am so glad. They are so cute and clever. She will be 25 in 18 days and boy has she grown up. I mean I could not have gotten her to help with those windows 2 years ago when we were running the studio together. She was a great teacher, choreographer, director, but anything that required physical shlogg work, she would not do. She would tell me she was going to help and then not show up, or show up dressed to the nines and refuse to get dirty or lift anything for fear she would mess up her do. Or my favorite, "I can only stay an hour". It takes a good 6 hours total time to switch out the windows. Hubby and the two of us spent 2hours Saturday night. It was fun and it took a total of 6 hours. Her father thinks she really misses the creative part of the studio. I am sure she does and I love her help!
Well I have lists to make and cross off and some sewing to finish up so I had better get busy!
Out My Window: Did a bunch of weeding this weekend. Piles of crap to pick up in the back, but at least it will be easier to get to when I get home. Hubby also cleaned out the chicken coop.
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
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