I have been toying with working more "full time". The last time I applied for a job, I could'nt even get an interview. So the question "Should I work full time?" was answered. "Not now". Another opportunity opened up for a position at the company I am already at. One of the ladies was leaving because her husband took a new job out of state. So my friend mentioned to management that I might be interested in her full time position. The NEXT day his job deal fell apart and they are no longer moving! Holy cow! So now I have to try more than ever to be a better money steward! Obviously, I am not supposed to be looking for something right now. I may investigate going back to substitute teaching when DD3 goes back to school in July. Wonder how that will turn out????

By the way, the first step in managing the money better is to move most of the 12.24%CC to a 0% until May '08. And I am looking for more stuff to ebay!

I am also going to sell DD1's band "kit" to a friend for $100 and then I will use that money to get the girls a little back yard pool for some cheap summertime entertainment!

DH and I went to the Restore today. Long drive to the city! This place would be awesome if you are restoring an historical home, but for new construction projects, not so much. We also hit a couple of thrift stores, but were'nt impressed with anything. Oh, well, we had lunch together and spent time together (not very romantic, but nice!).

Other musings, I am ready to quit my job and find something else. I have not had a raise in over two years. I have been through the old bosses bankruptcy and have been polite to the new owners. I have taken on lots more job responsibility, been a good faithful employee. To work on time, pitched in when needed. Then I get called to have a pep talk with "new boss". Gee, she says, still no raises and I need to be a "team player". What the *&^%$! What have I been then?

....So continuing in the saga, DH and I have talked about me working more hours somewhere at the end of the summer. Maybe sub teaching again? Then one of the ladies from works calls and tells me they may ask me to take a back office job at the place I already work. It is great hours, not sure of the money, but I really think this ship is gonna sink and soon. It is a job with a lot of responsibility and little room for errors. Billing and such. But perfect hours and more hours - therefore more money....

What do you all think???

Wow! Here's an exciting post for you! When DH and I purchased our home 4 years ago, the front porch posts were rotten, splitting, disinigrating. My DH would keep saying "We need to replace those" and because they were kind of hidden by the bushes, we kept "thinking about it" and not "doing it"!
We got 2 bids and they ranged from $1200 to $3200. So DH went to the hardware store and bought 5 posts for $235. He could'nt find the "caps" we needed, so we reused the top ones from the old posts as they had been protected from the elements and had not rotted. It took us less than 4 hours. We did kind of mess up on the first 2 (nothing crucial, just cosmetic) but had it going for the next 3!
So this was our weekend family fun! You should have seen how DD2 and DD3 got into "demo - ing"! They loved smashing the rails with a hammer! Go girls!
Like my friend Contrary said - a little of our time and look at the money we saved!
We still have to replace the railings between the posts, but we are taking our time.
We may try to go to the Habitat for Humanity "Re-Store" tomorrow since DH is off tomorrow too. Will let you know if we go and if we find any deals!

I like to set goals for myself. It is amazing what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it. When I was ready to quit smoking, I finally set in my mind it was time and I did it. I set tons of goals for this year because I turned 40. Mostly this year I set health goals, gall bladder surgery, colonoscopy, etc, etc.
One of my most difficult goals (besides money!) is losing weight. (Like many of my buddies on this site!) So I finally started the change two weeks ago, but to set a trend I can stick with. I chose the low carb way, but I don't "deprive" myself either. It will be slow, but hopefully steady. We sure have been eating at home more! The weight loss has been slow, but the actual fat I'm losing is great! The pants are getting bigger! I don't have any weight goal in mind, just to lose until I feel comfortable and then maintain it.
As for gaining - that is my debt. We are still gaining debt. I guess that will have to be my next mind challenge. It is also the 40 year old gorilla on my back. It will definatley be my hardest!

I needed a red, white and blue centerpiece for my dining room table, to decorate for the next 4 months! So I went to the dollar store and picked up the pot, placemat, flowers and candles. The whole thing was about a whopping $5! God Bless America!



Oh, and here is my naughty kitty trying to eat the artifical flowers!!

Okay! I have pics of the garden. As I said before, we had a great seasoned garden at our old house, but well...we had to leave it there!
DH and I butted heads on this garden. Since he did most of the work while I was at work on weekends, he got his way. Hopefully we will yeid some kind of crop. We put in lots of different tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and watermelon. We would still like to add in some green beans.

Some posts and chicken wire, does a garden be! We added lots of rabbit poop and some Miracle Grow.


A little tomato plant!


Hope this garden produces!

Well, this is part one. Hopefully we can post some pics in part two.
Ground is turned, plants are purchased, posts buried. All we need is the chicken wire up so we can plant the veggies. Lots of hard work, hopefully, being the first year, it will produce!

In looking for cheap entertainment, bunko sure has paid off! Getting together with a bunch of friends once a month is good for the soul! And a $5 each time, very cost effective. With the one bunko group, each person takes one month of the year to "hostess". She provides snacks and drinks and her home and once done, your done for the year! The other group I am in has everyone hostessing one month of the year, but everyone takes turn bringing snacks.
The best part is of course WINNING! Many times I have just won my $5 back (making it a FREE evening!), but other times I have won upwards of $40! Great for my garage sale "pin" money!
Good times, dice rolling, chatting, eating - TRY IT!
(For guys, the alternative is poker night! TRY IT!)

It seems I go all day doing a great no spend job and then crash in the end!
Tonight I dropped off DD1 and 3 at their respective places and then went to home depot to buy plants. At least these will produce in the end! Besides a cute Daisy plant, some petunias and a couple of hanging baskets the rest are FOOD plants! Hopefully our lovely garden will not be eaten by bunnies!

Life has been crazy lately! Lots of working and lots of sickness!
Of course the stomach flu is racing thru the house, but we can't have it as a group, it has been taking down one at a time. DD1 and myself are just waiting for the other shoe to drop. It is a miracle with the toilet scrubbing, carpet, bed clean up I've been doing, that I was'nt the lucky winner. I will not rest easy for a few more days with this beast.
I guess it was probably a good thing I had to work on Mothers Day. It was sooo boring, it was all I could do to stay awake! Very relaxing, but I hated being inside and lonely on such a beautiful day!
Trying to go on a debt diet and a fat girl diet. Since I am completely undisciplined, we'll see how it goes. Give it a go and hope for the best!

Went to Costco yesterday to pick up some things with our AmEx rebate check. Especially two of their lovely bouquets at 14.99 each to give to the mothers on mothers day! Too bad the coupons did'nt come in the mail till today! Darn! But it looks like I only missed out on one.
Completed a Survey spot $5 suvey the other day and another one today! Woo hoo! Will almost get me a GALLON of gas. (heehehehe)

Yes, I did it. I napped. I SHOULD have been working on my pricebook, cleaning the house, catching up on the laundry and hanging it.... but I napped. SHHHH! Don't tell the kids! I should have been cleaning the cat box, fine tuning the budget and recycling my cans.... but I napped. SHHH! Don't tell the husband! I should have been making the beds, dusting the bunnies and cleaning out the closet.... but I napped. SHHH! Don't tell the dog - You might wake her, she's napping with me!

I bought lunch out today - undisciplined.
I spent $20 more than I should have at the grocery store- undisciplined.
I know how to save money, I know my debts and have faced them, how in the world do I get discipline to get serious about getting out of debt? What is going to light the fire of "ah-ha?"
Maybe I need to read more stories of success. Anyone know where I can find good sites for this?

Not too bad today. I did have to pick up DD2 some poster board. We also gave DD1 $100 for confirmation (don't ask, the others won't get it). Besides dinner out (on my mom) that's all for today!
My goals by the end of today are to catch up on my couponing and make a menu for the rest of the week!

So, we went on our lovely Florida trip. Would say 'a good time had by all', but we DID have a teenager along! The spending was okay, but by no means cheap! Got more debt!
Been crazy since we got home! Did all the laundry (had to use the dryer, been raining like Noah's coming!), DD1 went to her 8th grade dance that I decorated for and chaparoned, had garage sale #2 this morning (trying to get rid of leftovers from the last one!) and cleaned up the sale, the house and mowed the lawn. In the midst of all that, DD3 decided to have the stomach flu. Have cleaned the bathrooms and the CARPETS (don't ask...). Glad she did'nt have it in Florida and PRAY none of us get it either!!
Tomorrow DD1 has her confirmation. Have to drive to a church in the city for it. Hope it all goes smoothly.
Since I have completed the redecorating projects for now and got the loads of junk out of the basement, my plan is to spend some time organizing the house. Soon the kids will be home full time! Yikes!
Gas is outrageous and I have to drive A LOT coming up. The girls have some kind of ceremony or concert almost every night!!
I have only about $20 left in the checking account for this week. Goal is to try to get groceries and live off what we have the rest of this week. Hopefully we can stay off the fast food! Don't plan on having to use charge cards for anything. Now that the trip is over I can pretty much retire them for now.
Will try to post some Florida pics!