the aftermath

Well, I'm living in the aftermath of the garage sale.  It's great.  My garage is basically empty.  Especially after tonight.  I took my leftovers that didn't sell (only about 4 boxes worth) to my in-laws since they are having a garage sale tomorrow.  So whatever doesn't sell at theirs is going straight to goodwill.  The bad part is that I sold a few items in my garage sale in preparation for our move and now my house is a bit messy. 
I sold our two dressers.  This is a big problem because it held our socks.  I think we may have had an overabundance of socks for a married couple anyway.  It seems very apparent now.  I think our entire dresser consisted of sock and underwear.  This becomes a bigger problem when you are planning for Realtors and home buyers to be walking through your house. 
I can just imagine their conversations right now....my house is a mini disaster. 
I have got to get to work when it comes to cleaning the house.  Sigh....it never takes long to do I just lack the motivation to do it. 

Random thought for the day - I am so jealous of one of my friends who just bought a pop up camper and they have been vacationing all over south dakota she and her husband and their two kids.  Their pictures look perfect.  I really wish I could be doing that same exact thing.  I don't have kids but that's what I want.  They drive a jeep (which I also love), 2 kids, pop up camper, family vacation and they are truly a great couple.  You know the kind that you want to be around because they like each other and they are normal. 
I'm envious....I think that's a bad thing....I shouldn't be that way.  Please don't get me wrong.  I love them to death.  They are a great family...I just wish I was having the same experiences with my imaginary family (since we don't have kiddos yet)

amazingly successful garage sale

Our garage sale was amazingly successful.  Especially considering the small size of our town.  We sold...are you ready....
$890!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!!

I'm also completely exhausted.  I took the borrowed tables back to my mother in law since she is having a garage sale this weekend.  I'll also take my leftovers over to her sale..fingers crossed I make a little money there too!

Have a great day. 

screetch!!!!

I just have to screetch that I'm 7 hours into day one of my garage sale and I'm over $500 in sales!!!! 

WAHOO!!!

More details to follow.

Countdowns

I have numerous countdowns going right now.  I feel like one of my favorite sesame street characters....The Count...  ah ah ah

8 hours until my garage sale starts.

ah ah ah  (that's my count laugh)

36 hours until my garage sale is over ( I can't wait for this!)

ah ah ah

4 days until someone who has been pestering my family's life will be moving out of state...(yeah)

ah ah ah

5 days until my husband leaves for a week for his first week of work at his new job

ah ah ah

8 days until I start my new job

ah ah ah

28 days until my husband and I are taking a mini vacation for a family get together. 

ah ah ah

60 days I hope to have one credit card paid off

ah ah ah

100 days I hope to have a second credit card paid off

ah ah ah

160 days I hope to have the third credit card paid off

ah ah ah


We'll see how this goes but I did find out that if I work one extra shift a week at my new "as needed" job I will increase my income by $1500/month.
This is so huge for me.  I have been struggling and I am so excited and motivated to have a way out of this debt I can't stand it.  I only work 3 days a week now (12 hour days) so if I pick up an additional 12 hour day I would still have 3 days a week off.    Definitely do-able until my credit cards are paid off or nearly paid off. 

Well I better get to bed I hear the garage sale'rs come early. 

Hoping for lots of sales tomorrow!!  I will keep my blogger friends updated. 

June Goals

There's a trend among some financial bloggers about posting their monthly goals.  I figured this would likely be a good idea for me to help me focus and to feel accountable to someone even if it is the cyberworld. 

Here goes nothing...

June Financial Goals

Get all three credit cards that are behind up to date.

Work 3 extra shifts this month to earn extra money for debt reduction

Try to make $400 selling misc. stuff

June Personal Goals

Catch up on the book I'm reading.

Walk my dogs or do some form of exercise at least 4 times per week

Ride my horse at least 4 times.

So I think that's good for now.  I don't want to start with too many goals and set myself up for failure. 

I am starting a new job in less than 2 weeks so I want to be sure to allow myself transition time for that.  It will definitely take some getting used to and there will be a big learning curve.  My husband went in to his new job to fill out paperwork today and ended up working most of the day.  He is so excited.  My mother in law came over tonight and helped me get my garage sale items priced.  The big sale is in two days!! 

We haven't had any lookers on the house yet but I'm ok with that since I've been so busy with the garage sale. 

Have a wonderful month fellow bloggers and I'll be posting more soon. 

garage sale profit already!!

My husbands brother in law came over today to pick up a few items from our garage that were his.  My husbands sister dove in immediately to our garage sale items and was in heaven.  It was hilarious.  They both left with a bunch of stuff.  Then the brother in law came back with his mom and his sister and they bought even more stuff. 
So far....$115 profit and we haven't even had the official garage sale yet. 
Wahoo!!

almost there

Well, we are almost there.....I start my new job in 2 weeks.  I am so excited. 
I start my new job and I'm keeping my old job and will work there as much as I can until I get some of our debt paid off. 
The really exciting news.....I think I should be able to get 3 of our 4 credit cards paid off by September.  I should be able to earlier than that but I'm being realistic and planning for something to come up between now and then....

The bummer news...I need to call the 3 credit cards and tell them...because I've been way late on my payments.   I know the want to hear from me and hear the plan so they know I haven't dropped off the face of the earth but it's so embarrassing.  I just need to suck it up and do it. 

I wish I was starting my new job earlier so I could get going on this debt  thing but they don't have an orientation starting until the 13th....ugh.

No bites on the house yet but we are having the big garage sale next weekend. Hopefully I will be surprised and we will make a small fortune that can go to our credit cards to make them happy until I start the new job. 

Let's just keep on with the changes

So my husband comes home from work today and says...."so what do you think of me starting a new job?"

Keeping in mind that our house has been on the market for 1 week (about 3 weeks earlier than planned)  and I start a new job in 2 weeks. 

We talked a little bit about it and decided he may as well start a new job.  This job will be in the same field he is working on a degree toward and it will provide more contacts and a potential in the future (plus it's closer to home!) than his current job.

So.....

why not have all the change in the same 2 weeks.  If we are going to mix up our lives may as well mix it all up!  

I should mention that we don't do this regularly.  My husbands 2 jobs have been for 10 years and 4 years and I've been a my prior employer for 11 years.  We have been in our home for 9 years so we are actually stable people...but you would never know it by looking at us the past 2 weeks.


A funny side note while preparaing for the garage sale today I had some lady walk into my garage thinking I was having my garage sale today.
Apparently in my town an open garage door and a house for sale sign = garage sale!

Hopefully this is an indication of a successful job in the future. 

On a mission

What does it mean when I'm on a mission......that no tornado sirens or warnings will deter me! 
ha

Well yesteday I was wrapping up my garage and I must say I'm nearly ready for my garage sale.  Ahead of schedule! Wahoo. 

As a close (storm-phobic) friend called and texted me to get inside because of nearby storms.  I tried to convince her that it wasn't even raining or windy at my house.  She just didn't believe me.  I wrapped up my cleaning and organizing and even had room to put my car in the garage with the set up tables in each side!

I just have the detached garage to clean and organize and then start pulling more items out of my house for the garage sale. 

I just need to be done with all this before my garage sale and before I start my new job! 

garage sale

Wow.  Now I know why I've never done a garage sale before.  WHEW I'm exhausted and the actual sale isn't until almost 2 weeks.  This week I've been super busy with getting the house ready for sale and the ceiling's painted and cleaning the garages.  I'm sorting through the items that will move with us and those that will not. 
I just feel like I've been hustling everyday this week.  Although I must admit I did sit back and relax last night by ordering chinese and eating ben and jerry's half baked ice cream while watching family guy.  It was the night in by myself and I just chilled. 

I'm thankful my in-laws have lots of tables I can borrow for my garage sale and they are so willing to help but sorting through all your belongings is best done by ones self.  Its kinda embarrassing how much crap I've accumulated over the past 9 years in our home. 

Well, my break is over so back to work I go.  Hope you all are enjoying your weekend. 

opened the door for opportunity

Opportunity knocked.....I answered. 

I accepted a new job.  I will still remain at my old job on an "as needed" basis.  I have been at my "old" job for almost 11 years.  So it is amazingly hard to decrease my hours but this job will be a professional advancement and huge challenge.  I am excited but so nervous. 

The plus side to the job change -   The professional opportunities, I will have the "as needed" job so I will be able to supplement my income considerably.

The negatives to the job change - I will be driving farther to work and the pay is $13/week less.....
Ok...I know what you are thinking. 
You are driving farther AND taking a paycut  are you mad????

The Answer:

Maybe.  This job I have been applying for since 2009 and I've never even had an interview.  It will advance my career.  Yes, it's bad in the short term but it will place me much farther ahead in the long run.  It also gives me the opportunity to have my current job on an "as needed" basis so my pay will increase about $10/hour and I can pick the hours and how many hours I want to have.  This will help our income considerably and offset the job change in the short term. 


On the financial saving side of life - - -

I went to Dillons (Kroger) and purchased $121 in groceries and some of the goodies I had coupons for and guess how much I paid....$53!!!  This is really good for a newbie coupon-er like me. 
I was thrilled. 


Well until later.

Happy Saving!!

Saying Goodbye

So, today is a sad day.  My dogs are moving to my parents house until we get the house sold.  This is heartbreaking for me.  My boys will be 2 hours away living the farm life.  They will be fine and they will have eachother but I won't have them!  I need the cuddling.  I have two very large dogs.  I have a giant schnauzer that's 8 years old.  I also have a half giant schnauzer/standard poodle mix that is 6 months old. 

Our boys are so fun.  They love to play fetch and frisbee and roll in the yard.  I just hope we are able to find a new house that has a big yard for them. 

I was up way too late last night trying to sort my garage in preparation for the garage sale.  My in-laws brought over several folding tables for me to start putting things on.  I have decided to go through, condense and place all the items I'm keeping in a room in our garage.  This will make it so I can just close the door and all the garage sale-ers can buy anything in the garage. 

Oh....stress.

The realtor already has my house online.  I can't believe how fast these guys move. 

Freaking out has officially started!!!

EEEEKKKKK

My freak out mode has already started. 

The realtor came by today for the first appointment.  We decided on friday that we would sell our house.  Today....there's a for sale sign in my front yard. 

I'm totally freaking out.

I have so much to do to get my house ready....well not really.  Just paint ceilings and clean garages out.  Otherwise it's fine but EEEEKKKK

I'm so excited.  If we get the price we are hoping we will end up with about $30,000 profit.

That would put us pretty close to paying off all our bills but the student loans.  We would be getting rid of the $600/month in gas or significantly cutting it down and so then that money could go toward student loans.

Also great news......

I have an interview for a job.  Just an as needed position in another hospital but it would make paying off debt so much easier and faster! 
But for now, I'm off to clean the garage!

The preparation begins...not Preparation H

The preparation begins.  I have T minus 19 days until we have a garage sale and I've done nothing. 
Yep, NOTHING!!! EEEKKK.

I've got to get on the ball! 

The realtor is coming out tomorrow so he will tell us who knows what about the realism of selling our home. 
I'm so anxious I've worked myself into a cold sore on my lip that feels similar in size to Mt. Rushmore. 
It's pretty annoying.
I don't know why I'm stressing so bad about this but I am.  I am so scared he will tell us there is some major problem that we will have to fix before we can put our house on the market. 
I've had to work 12 hour shifts everyday since we met the realtor and set up the appointment.  He wanted to come out asap which was probably so he could see the condition of our house....right?  Maybe I'm just paranoid. 

I am also worried we will have to send our dogs away while our house is for sale. I won't be very happy about the thought of sending the dogs to my parents.  They won't be happy either. 

I'm also not really thrilled about  the options I've come across so far for homes for rent.  It seems all the homes are pretty old and not so great.  I'm not totally surprised but I'm also having a hard time finding homes that allow pets the size of mine.  I have one dog that is a Giant Schnauzer and he's 116 pounds and my other dog is a half Giant Schnauzer and half Standard Poodle.  He's still a puppy but he'll probably end up around 70 pounds at least.  
Most of the homes and townhouses I've seen either allow dogs under 60 pounds, under 35 pounds or No dogs at all. 
Uh oh. 

Well going to throw the Frisbee for the puppy and hope a post work second wind comes up so I can get some cleaning done....if not I'll start bright and early in the morning. 

I'll post after the realtor visit!!

Huge Steps

Today my husband and I took two huge steps. 

We met with our bank.  Our bank manager is D. and She's amazing.  We went to discuss our thoughts of selling our home.  She brought in a mortgage officer and we all talked about our options, our future and what the bank looks for in customers.  It was really helpful.  Here's a little of our situation.
We commute to work and spend $600/month in gas.
We have always been on time with our mortgage payments. 
We have owned our home for 9 years. 

Our ideas

Sell the house  and rent closer to my work and my husbands university.
My husband will be done with college in 2-3 years

Our Bank's suggestions

Don't save that huge payoff from your home.  Pay off all your debt and try to graduate from college debt free.  Then start saving for the future home.  A small down payment but no debt will look better than a larger down payment but debt. 

So our plan  if  when we sell our home

Pay off all credit cards and both cars
start paying off student loans
rent a cheap house in town that we work and have school to save that $600 in gas each month - put that toward student loans

GOAL

3 years from now - be completely debt free including all student loans and have at least $10,000 saved for down payment on home


Immediate To Do List -

Contact Realtor about selling home - Done!
Start getting house ready to sell - without spending money
Get Current on bills including husband and self getting second jobs


I did research about what Dave Ramsey, etc advise regarding selling your home - they say it's ok as long as you want to sell your home to begin with.  Don't sell your home just to have an easy fix for your debt.  It will not change your future spending habits. 

We recognize this and do not feel this is a quick fix.  We would likely be moving when my husband graduates from college anyway for his job.  May as well end up in a better financial state. 

I really appreciate all the advice and support from everyone in the blogosphere. 

Options

The dear husband and I have been pondering our options.  One option includes selling our home.  We have been homeowners (well mortgage payers) since 2002 when we were married.  Our mortgage is $984 each month.  We have been debating on selling our home.  We would likely make a good profit on it IF it sells.  That could pay off all our debt.  We could then rent a place in the town that I work and he attends school.  This would in turn save on gas since we commute 40 miles round trip each. 

I still have difficulties with the thought of changing from a home owner (well mortgage payer) to a renter for 2-3 years until my husband gets done with school. 

Decisions Decisions Decisions.

I was thinking of going and speaking with my supportive banker on her thoughts of the idea as well as my mother and father in law.  All three of these people have completed the financial peace university.  My husband and I were planning on attending the classes next month.  I'm curious to see what Dave would say about this. 

Is this an easy and dumb way out of our debt?  We would also plan to save at least $20,000 for the down payment on a future home and use the rest to pay off our debt which we would probably have enough.

It's payday and I'm scared

Well Friday was payday....and I still haven't looked at my bank account.  Even though I know my paycheck had an extra $500 on it due to working a lot of extra overtime, I still don't want to look. 
I should look.  I know. 
I just really hate it.  I hate looking at our finances and feeling like I've worked so much lately and I've gotten nowhere or feeling like I spend my entire paycheck in less than one hour on the computer paying bills and then realizing that I have 12 days until my next paycheck...how will I get by.
Wondering what will come up in the next 12 days that will require money that I don't have because I don't have an emergency fund yet. 
Sigh.  Guess I'll try to coax myself to logging in to the bank account...Maybe I'll check my e-mail first.

Made $100 in groceries today!!!

Holy Macaroni!

I'm so excited.  I made $100 in groceries today. 
How do you ask???

My Dillons is running a promotion.  For each prescription you transfer to them and fill they will place $25 onto your Dillons card.  You can only use $25 at a time but for me and my grocery budget this is huge!  My prescriptions were formerly at Walgreens but I was considering transferring anyway because they don't have the $4 prescription plan and so I was spending $6 extra each month to pay my insurance co-pay. 
The promotion was just the nudge I needed to go ahead and transfer my prescription. 
WAHOO

The other exciting news is I sent the forms into my bank to delay one of our payments by a month.  The banker emailed me to let me know she received the form and I emailed her to thank her for all her support, kindness and help during our hard times.  I also told her we were starting the financial peace univ.  next month.  She sent the nicest response back.  She was amazingly kind and sent me the form her family created for their budgeting purposes.  She encouraged me to let her know if we have questions or need support. 
I am so lucky we have a wonderful bank to work with. 

I also started the spending diary online and hope it will help us to budget better and track our spending. 

We get paid on Friday and it can't come soon enough.  The good news is I will have a lot of overtime on this paycheck! YEAH!

minor triumphs

Minor moments of triumph

I've noticed when starting from scratch on trying to change a behavior and mindset the little moments need rewarded.  I am no different than a child learning how to potty train....I need sticker charts, M & M's or praise.  Preferably all three! 

Anyway,  I've been really proud of my husband and I despite our minor learning lessons such as a $3.95 activation fee and a coupon-less paper. 

The past week we have
1. Severely limited our spending and have budgeted gas properly not having to utilize our debit card once. 
2. Clipped a bunch o coupons and put them in a coupon organizer that I already had in the garage.
3. Developed a game plan complete with a date of a garage sale for a little extra cash for bills, etc
4. Signed up for a Financial Peace University Class that starts the first week of June
5. Made dinners from what I already had in the house with only minimal purchases at the grocery store but always used cash
6.  Talked to bank and will skip one months payment on a small loan and try to get caught up.
7. Took a mental inventory of items that can be placed on Amazon for sale and will start putting them online next week. 


We are really working hard together and I think we have talked more about money in the past 2 weeks than we have in a long time.  I know that's not good but we have not gotten angry with each other.  We have remained supportive and realized we need to make some serious changes together.

I'm really excited to use some of the coupons I've clipped and see if I can have some good savings too!  I've been putting off buying some essentials so it will be nice to restock!

Again I really really appreciate all my blogger friends and their constant support.  I am so motivated to keep up the commitment to our financial future because I see your stories of struggle and inspiration to keep working on it! 



Grand Plan....Foiled Again.

I seem to have all these grand plans for saving money and somehow by some minor detail they get foiled....

It's happened again.

I have a local grocer that by every $100 spent you accumulate $0.10 off in fuel purchases at their gas stations...
It's wonderful.  Especially since my husband and I both commute to work. 

They had a recent advertisement that showed a visa gift card that you could get 4X the points for and numerous other gift cards that you get double points for...
Well I had a great idea. I would purchase 2 of the visa gift cards and the better half and I would use those to fuel up as well as getting a lot off in our gas purchases.

I joyfully headed to the register and checked out...all smiles...



My joy comes to a screeching halt once I realize there is a $3.95 activation fee.....

@#(*#@)!$     #)%((@*)$#(    @)#($* #)(@$*


There goes all my savings....ugh....activation fees....ugh...

My grand plan of saving money....foiled again....In the morning when I get off work I'm headed to the grocery store to get a few necessities and the Sunday paper....hopefully this time it will have ads in it....There aren't any holidays tomorrow right???

Ways to find extra money

Well as most of you have been able to tell from this blog.....I'm desperate to find some extra money.

I have come up with a few ideas to help in this matter.

1.  I'm going to have a garage sale in June.  I have to wait until I'm done with school. 

This is hard for someone like me because....I have an extreme dislike for garage sales.  I always have.  I'm not sure where it stems from but I have never liked them.  I don't go to them. I don't have them and I don't like everything surrounding them.  But......like I said....I'm desperate.  Therefore, I will be having a garage sale.  There are lots of things I have and I don't need.  I'm setting a very modest goal of $200  in earnings.  I just keep thinking that it's a waste of time after you consider the hours you invest in those things...but.....I'm going to do it anyway.

2.  Selling books on Amazon

This will also be hard for me....I love books.  I have an unhealthy love for books on a bookshelf and just seeing the line of books.  I don't need these books.  I've already read them and I may or may not read them again.  They are just taking up space. 

3.  Selling DVD's on Amazon

This will not be as hard as the book thing for me because I'm not a big fan of movies but I plan to part with a lot of them.  I don't need them.  I don't watch them, they are taking up space and I probably won't watch them in the future as I like TV less and less all the time.  After all if I get the urge to watch something I can always stick it in my Netflix que and watch it in a day or so. 

4.  I just realized we have two Nintendo DS that we could sell.  My husband and I used them to lay in bed and play scrabble against eachother. (stupid spending huh!)  Anyway.  I'm going to be selling those on Amazon too!  I really forgot we had those so they will be good additions to the Amazon account. 

Other possibilities include selling our TV downstairs.  We have a second TV that we never watch.  It is just there.....The only problem is without the tv it really would render the downstairs useless with a really nice sectional staring at a blank wall....hmmmm




Work called me this morning since they knew I was in the hunt for extra hours and I'm working 11p-7a tonight....which translates to overtime with weekend and overnight pay differential.......big big bucks!! WAHOO!!!!!

Off I go to the shower this girls earning some big bucks while the rest of the world is snoozing or partying!!

The realistic game plan

The new game plan...well it's the more realistic game plan.

Not to work on getting out of debt....yet
Get current on all bills
No more overdrafts!


At this point I am not working on paying down my debt...I'm working on paying my current bills and getting by 3 more weeks when my husband will be done with school and able to work more.

I am excited to be working a few extra hours this week and 12 extra hours next week.  My husband also picked up a few extra hours that were available. YEAH!!

I called my bank and we are skipping one payment on a small loan since we have never been late we qualify to do so.  The banker is extremely nice and supportive she told me that she went through the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University also and she really learned a lot from it.  She encouraged me to call her if we need anything or if I just need to cry.  She has known my husband since he was in junior high school! 
I appreciate her support and kindness so much. I have known  a few bankers that were so mean.  It's nice not to have that. 

I did some research and there are some FPU classes coming up starting June 2nd....so I signed up. 
I at least feel like I'm doing something about the mess I'm in. 

Still no word on the hunt for a second job.  I have called and tried to see if I can get some old friends to put in good words for me.  Fingers crossed it works.

looking ahead

I'm trying to remain somewhat positive and looking ahead knowing things will get better.  It is so hard sometimes.  Especially this week.  My husband and I get paid next Friday (every other week) so it seems we are always struggling on week 2.  Only during the winter though...my husband is a full time student so he isn't able to work as much during the school year so it tends to get pretty tight for us.  This year has been worse than last.  Ugh.
Despite my attempts to really tighten the budget the past month it still seems like things aren't getting better.
My internet was shut off yesterday.  Ugh....this cannot happen. My husband needs it for school and so do I.  I am going part time to finish my bachelors and take advantage of the financial aid to help pay for his school too.  It's crazy.  I can't believe it's gotten this bad.  Well I called and had it turned back on.  I made a payment that will send our account overdrawn but I felt like I didn't have a choice.  We simply must have internet for school and we live in the country so it's not really feasible for us to go to a library,coffeeshop and use their wifi since we live so far away.  I did call and work had an opening from 3-7pm today so I'm working that and I picked up an extra 12 hours next week too. 
I just keep trying to tell myself that in 3 weeks when finals are over we both can work more and get caught up.  In the meantime I have a call into my bank....I'm going to ask if I can pay my mortgage on Friday of next week instead of Monday since I will not have any money in the account to cover it.....sob......
This is so hard for me.  I've been crying for the past 2 or 3 days about it. 
I hate this so much.  I hate hate hate this.

Busy and ideas

I've been busy today taking a recertification class for work.  It is pretty boring but necessary and at least it will allow me to have four more hours than usual on my paycheck!  Bonus!

I have recovered nicely from my breakdown yesterday and I feel at little better.  I'm so thankful to have a very supportive and understanding husband.  I am also truly touched by the outpouring of support from the blogging community.  It really helped.  I feel like with the support of my husband and this blog I really can make my financial goals happen this time.

Anyway...I have an idea to help me out.  I saw on someone's list that they had the normal prices and sale prices in a little table on their blog.  I decided this would help me out a lot.  I have a hard time determining if something is really a good deal when it goes on sale.  In today's mail I got a few grocery store ads so I am going to search through them, create a spreadsheet and try to become a more educated grocery shopper. 
I am really wanting to hit my grocery budget and focus on it.  I feel like I do a lot of spending and wasting and I need to plan ahead more and better utilize my food purchases. 

Have a wonderful day my fellow bloggers and thanks again for all your support.  ((HUGS))

I've lost my mind

I think I've lost my mind.  I spoke with a cousin last night that I am very close to.  We laughed and joked about my desperate and failed attempts to use a coupon and be a savy shopper.  I also jokingly told her that I have an addictive personality.  Well maybe obsessive is a better word.  I was so bummed about yesterday's Sunday paper not having any coupons.  I just kept thinking about the fact that I purchased a Sunday paper last week for my mother in law and left it at her house.  I was certain that her paper was still in the recycled paper box in her garage.....the obsession was on.   I debated in my mind between waiting for next Sunday's paper or going to reclaim my coupons!  I laughed with my cousin about how ridiculous it was that I was even debating of going to my mother in laws to reclaim an old paper.
So what did I do???

I called my mother in law today and she was home....so I went over there.  I picked her brain about tips for being more frugal and then I lost it.....I did far more damage than planned.....I started crying.  I have no idea what happened.  I told her that it's hard for me to budget and I hate it.  I told her I wanted to try Dave Ramsey's plan and I asked her advice about it.  She and my father in law have been through the Financial Peace University.  I felt like such an idiot....there I was sitting in front of my mother in law....crying about money.   My husband and I never talk about money with anyone other than each other and we don't do really well with that!  So this was dreadful.  She was of course really nice....surprised....and I think didn't know how to react.  She asked if our mortgage was being paid on time and how bad things were....which in all reality they aren't THAT bad.....I just feel like they are. 

I did manage to leave with my coupons from my old paper but in the end it felt a little ridiculous.  I went there for my coupons....ended up making a crying idiot of myself...probably scaring my mother in law since this is quite out of character for me (as far as they know) ....and left.

I've lost my  mind.

my first attempt at coupons

Last night I attempted my first shopping trip with coupons.  I went to my local Kroger store (Dillons) and I had numerous digital coupons loaded onto my shopper card.  I was quite excited to use my coupon for Tide laundry detergent.  I was shopping looking at the detergent, checking out my options.  I have always used liquid detergent and decided to be shoppy and checked out the powder....what have I been missing!!!  It was much much cheaper it was 120 loads for $17.96 versus 96 loads for $17.96.  So I purchased the powder detergent only to discover when I got home my coupon was only for liquid detergent.
My first attempt to use coupons foiled by liquid versus powder.
Oh well.  I will be happy I did get $2 by using my shopper card and by switching to powder I'm getting much more loads for my dollar. 
I did manage to stick to my grocery list last night and didn't get a few things until I could check for coupons today. 
It's Sunday...so it will be my first day of getting the Sunday paper and clipping coupons.  WAHOO

I'm quite proud of myself because I did stick to my list and for me that is really hard.  We had "food day" at work today since it was Easter.  Food day is normally an expensive endeavor for food I'm not particularly fond of so I try to avoid partaking.  I did volunteer to bring a dessert and while I was at Dillons they had cake mix for $1 and frosting for $1.50  so my contribution to food day was only $2.50!!!! Wahoo!!

I'm making slow progress but it's progress!!

On a second note.....I guess I won't spend my money to get the Sunday paper because it says there are not coupons on a holiday Sunday paper....Argh....attempts at couponing spoiled again!

Hustling for another job

I've been applying for several second jobs and I haven't had any luck so far.  I've gotten desperate.  I'm educated and in a field that is supposedly in high demand....I'm not sure why I'm not having any luck finding a second job.  Ugh. It's so frusterating because I'm feeling trapped.  We desperately need more money being brought in especially if I want to widdle away at our debt. 
So, I've been hitting up co-workers and professional friends about a second job.  If they know anything to keep me in mind.  I was trying to keep my desperation somewhat quiet but I've resorted to asking them for phone numbers, references and help.  I do have one possible lead.  I'm not going to call it promising yet.  It would definately not be in my ideal job environment but I'm desperate and it pays well.  That's what happens when its hard to find employees....the pay gets better.  Well, I'll take it!  I can't take anything yet because I just called the director and left a message on his voicemail.  I'm hoping it will work out because we are getting further behind financially.
  DH (dear husband)  is in college full time and isn't working much....especially with upcoming finals. 
I don't want him to be too stressed over our finances because I would really like him to focus on school but secretly inside I'm freaking out!!!!
I just have these little day dreams of a second job bringing in that extra money and finally getting caught up and making progress on our debt! 

Fingers crossed all my blogging friends that something will come of my second job search soon! 

A poem to Debt

A poem to Debt

It is because of you I have regret

I have sworn I needed a bedroom set

I justified an overstuffed closet

All in the name of debt

You have made me crazy

Made me walk through Target feeling hazy

You almost had me convinced

That I in fact was lazy

Well not anymore

I'm here to settle the score

My creditors will think I'm a bore

Because paying my bills

Will no longer be a chore!

I will be high as a kite

Because I will win this fight

Each credit card will have

It's own little burial site!

I can see it now

Me hanging out with the cash cow

Finally feeling free

And out of money misery

Celebrating with my better half

Sharing a moment and having a laugh

So here's to you debt

May I have no more regret

Any may you lay to rest

In some other persons nest!