Sounds more fun than the good news and the bad news!

Good news! DH got a job! Although he is going to keep working at his commission job (although he has still yet make a commission!) he will start working at Home Depot part time. Does not pay much, but it does offer benefits. He did not get the store close to home, but hopefully after a while he can transfer. Gas is too high.
I must admit, he is NOT happy, but I am THRILLED!!

Bad news. Ugh. DD1 did not get the full ride scholarship she interviewed for. They brought in 30 kids and were giving away 5 scholarships. She was number 6. She is very upset and I don't blame her. She is an alternate, so that if anyone chooses not to accept, she will get it, but the lady said it sounded like all would be accepting. Cross your fingers one of them gets a better scholarship to a school they want to go to school to more. An alternate gives you a sense of hope that I don't want to count on.
So, we are busily filling out every scholarship application we can qualify for!!

Had chili in the crock pot for dinner. Not sure what to have tomorrow night.

Any advice?? Dealing with DD3, who is about to turn 13. She is a SSPENDER!! Give her $10 and she will immediately run to the store and buy $10 in candy!! She begs constantly for fast food. I have no problem saying no, but it is a CONSTANT thing! DD1 is cheap and frugal, DD2 has expensive tastes, but generally uses her own money by saving it and spending for what she wants. DD3 is a train wreck and I am afraid she is on a bad track. I try to be firm about putting some of her money in savings, and she has about $80 in her savings and does not ask to touch or spend it. Out of sight out of mind works with her. I feel bad that she is generally the one that is left at home with dad every day and does not have any friends that live around us. She is bored.
Sooo, besides trying to teach her to cook (so that she feels more enabled to feed herself, lessening the I want fast food pleas) any other suggestions? She is short on patience, she needs some kind of "baby step" program and some kind of mission or project for the rest of the summer.

Did pretty good this weekend. Stayed at home Saturday and Sunday and cooked dinner both nights! Lasagna and chicken kebobs and rice. Gave at church, but I put that in "regular bills" and not "spending".

7/17
QT gas 30.00
Dierbergs $54.60

7/18
Laundermat 4.75 (dog got sick on comforter!)

7/19 No spender!!

Today should be a no spender too!

So I eluded in my last entry about a financial mess, so here it is:

The DH went into business with the BIL a little over a year ago. In Nov BIL and SIL decided to divorce. Things still okay with the business, but BIL started to get a little squirrely. In May SIL and her 12 CATS moved in with us while she builds herself a new home to move into. That is all well. DD3 had to give up her room and the cats are very well behaved and live in the basement. But I digress....

In May BIL tells DH the company is out of money and he has no money to pay him or pay for our health insurance. DH was expecting a commission shortly, so he pulled the money from the savings. Commission comes in, we get half. Now what? BIL is the manager of the business. DH does his job and has never asked BIL for the books or accounts of spending. SIL thinks BIL is hiding money and trying to make the business look non profitable because of the divorce. DH still won't confront BIL about the books or a business buyout. So we just keep living off savings.

I can't begin to tell you how frustrated I am. I approach DH logically, I approach him yelling and screaming and still nothing. He will not go out and get a PT job (he works from home for about 4 hours a day)nor confront BIL and do SOMETHING about this. Do I threaten divorce? This puts our home and whole family in jeopardy. I am gone 10 hours a day and work another job most weekends. Savings are dwindling. DH buries his head in the sand.

And yes, perhaps irresponsibly, but we did take SIL's "rent" for May/June and took the kids on a short vacation. I needed it!!

We have a brand new Aldi (they tore down the old one and built the new one in the same place!!) that I went to check out when purchasing the items for the chili dinner. I know the cost of things has gone up, but HOLY COW! I am amazed! The hot dog buns used to be 39 cents. Then they went up to 59 cents. Today they were 89 cents a pack of 8. Geeze, I can get them on sale at the regular grocery store for 99cents, so big deal! The canned goods are still a bargain, but the salad dressing was no big steal either. The economy has even gotten Aldi. Where now??

1/14
Arbys - 11.59
Walmart - 7.18

Well, it was back to work in subzero degree temperatures. Ugh! The girls go back to school tomorrow. DD1 drives DD2 and I drive DD3, so we eliminate the bus stop.

I am so mad at the bank. When we cashed in the 401K they said there would be a hold on the check. I talked to the bank manager and she waived the hold and I saw the money in there. Now sometime yesterday or today, a hold was put in again, so half my payments are waiting to go out, accuring more interest!! GRRRRR!

Lots of spending today:
1/4
Target - $119.58
Holiday Gift Center - $2.66
Bath and Body works - $8.55

And one return to Macy's for $34.40. What a score. We did a buy one, get one on bras the day after Christmas. I bought two of the same and brought them home and wore one. I did'nt like it, its uncomfortable, so I went to return the other one and she said I would have to return both. Haha. So I told her I would go take it off in the dressing room and give it to her, but she said never mind and refunded me for both any way! Sorry if that is TMI for the dudes!

I am grinding my way towards Christmas! Hard not to be grinchy. Hoping we will have enough to finish Christmas shopping and still pay bills.

DH is finally cashing in some 401K so we can pay down some bills. Stay tuned for an interesting 2010! DH also just "found" Dave Ramsey. Someone else told him about Daves books. When he asked me if I had heard of him I had to sigh. I was just telling him about my neighbors going to FPU, but of course that had gone in one ear and out the other. I surprised him when I told him Dave was my friend on Facebook!

Anywho, I am only making two New Years resolutions this year, one is to post blogs everyday and one is to lose weight!

Well, you guys would be so proud!

To give anyone who doesn't know (and may care), a large part of our financial problem was that I was always in charge of finances and I am VERY bad at telling anyone in my family NO. I have been TRYING to hand over the bill paying to DH, even suggesting we pay them together, but it fell on deaf ears.

So last Monday I told DH that when he was paid the next day, I would NOT be paying the bills. I told him I would show him how, but I am stepping away from all finances pertaining to our joint account. I told him when my job starts again, I would give him half of each of my checks ($420 per week, so $210) and keep the other half, out of which I will pay for my gas, food for the family, the girls and my cell phone bill, and any other bills pertaining to the girls like doctor visits, clothes, school lunches, etc. I told him I would open a new account just for these at the credit union, so that when we go to buy a new car, we can get a good interest rate. He kicked and screamed about this saying that he would like to give HIMSELF $210 a week just to spend. Ugh! I told him he was in charge of the other account and if he wants to "give himself that" then go right ahead, as long as the bills are paid. I will do heavy driving for my job when I go back, so LOTS of gas will be used!!

Anyway, I also have to squeeze other payments out of this that he is not aware of, like for paying back my mom, my daughter and our new washer!

His first foray into the payment world was ugly. He FINALLY got the idea that we are in TROUBLE!! And that we need a PLAN for this. Now, can he do it????

I waited my 2-3 business days and called Citi today to see if they had lowered my interest rate. Guess what? The request for reevaluation of my account was NEVER TURNED IN BY THE REP! Figures - right? So now it is turned in and I have to wait what?? Yes! 2-3 business days and call back. UGH! And my payment is coming up, so they better get their act together quick!

As BA spoke of business karma, I received an email from Citi asking about my customer satisfaction on my last call. Well, I told them what I thought. I was told by the current rep on the phone today, that it will reflect back on that particular customer service rep, so GOOD! She was polite and nice, but just failed to do her job.

I have been thinking about this post for a week or so. We got hit by one of the big ones, they "did'nt receive" our payment on time. I paid it electronically, but some how it did'nt go in their system on time. We were jacked up to 29.99. DH hit the roof, screaming and yelling, and it was just ugly. I have called them twice (this being Chase). The first time the "customer service rep" and I use the term loosely, would'nt move me on to a supervisor. It is bad enough, they don't speak English, but they are also rude. The second time they did move me onto a supervisor but with a comment of "There is nothing they will do about it". She told me "Chase negotiates with NO ONE." Kinda made me feel like a terrorist, instead of a customer. Will try them again.

Then came the second hit, we owe a HUGE amount to Citi. We are paperless. They send a reminder once a month that your bill is coming up to pay, but no date or amount, just a reminder. My payment has always been the 4th. I ALWAYS make sure to pay this on time so that nothing happens. Guess what?? Yep, my payment was moved to the 3rd. BAM! 29.99%. Oh, and your payment due is now something like 847.00! Their customer service was kinder and she said it could be reversed after she talked to a supervisor to call back in 3/4 business days. We'll see. I have'nt told DH yet, because I am waiting for their response.

I can only begin to describe how this made me feel. HOPELESS is the first word that pops into my mind. Frustratingly hopeless, that my government gave my money to these banks and they do NOTHING but help the American people. And HELPLESS is another one. Yes, I entered into a contract with these people, but nowhere did I state that I was perfect. I always pay on time and try to pay over the minimum due. Ugh!

I cried when I found out, I cry myself to sleep, I wake up with a feeling of dread and a little despair. Where will the money come from. Where can I get a second job, HOW will I pay all this?? The cards are cut up, yet they will be with me for years. This is what happens when you try to live off of credit cards. I am already desperately teaching my children how to save for what they want and NEVER be a slave to credit.

No, I will not kill myself over this, only learn from my mistakes and try to pass on a little knowledge learned, but I can see where these feelings might push another right over. Your life insurance could pay off all of your families bills and they would never have to worry about it.

Will let you know what happens with Citi. And I will try Chase again! I will fight even if it is useless.

I think the day I finally get out of this, we will all sing "Glory Hallelujah"!!
Basically, the last year or so I have just been juggling, but when I came clean with DH I stopped robbing Peter to pay Paul (for the most part), so now we are really living in the doodoo! Still trying to work out with DH exactly what "our" plan is. Most of the time he is still yelling and accusing, so it is taking time. My job will be on a six week hiatus when my friend has her baby, so am trying to make plans for that time as well. DH wants me to take a new job and put in my two weeks notice after 4 weeks, but I can't do this for 2 reasons: 1)ethically speaking, it is wrong 2)it is nearly impossible to find a job still! We'll see what happens. I am still going to apply for subbing and try middle school in hopes of getting a better chance. So many out of work teachers are subbing right now, not sure what will happen.

I will start with the frugal things I managed to do this week. I took the kids to the free movies and we brought our own snacks. On the day I took all 8 kids, I bought a large popcorn, got the free small bags to go with it and used the free refill option, so popcorn for all was just 6.50. We swam at the subdivision pool and we ate lunch at the house.

On the spendy side, I have been getting DD2 ready to go to camp for two weeks and for a "service" trip. I have been getting most things at the dollar store, but even then, that adds up! I have my goodies ready for fathers day, gc's to take DH to dinner, something for my sisters birthday and something for DD3's best friends birthday. Did have to buy DD2 new shoes for camp. Compromised, bought $45 shoes and made her pay $10 for it. Still way to expensive!!

I blew it as well. Took the littles to McD's yesterday, to the water park today and bought them lunch there. Ouch. Turns out their mom reimbursed me, but I took DH out on a date, so that is gone. Shelling out $10 for friends sons birthday, $25 for a graduation party tomorrow and had to buy allergy medicine, yuck, expensive. Just feel like a wasted too much money and ONCE AGAIN, completely ignored my beautifully planned budget like a selfish teenager. Ugh.

The littles mom is going to start working from home more. She is uncomfortable in her pregnancy and they are letting her do this, which is a great option. But...this is tough, because she has rigid rules on how she wants the girls raised, and I have to admit, I do slack on a few for the sake of sanity!! This will be a tough few months. I am happy to say I get July 3rd off and the 9th and 10th off, so shorter weeks will help! Will be interesting to see if she can make her own rules stick when she is with them 24/7 when she is on maternity leave. The fall will be interesting as she has them scheduled for this and that and I will be running them here and there and everywhere dragging a newborn. Ugh.

I am in one of those boo hoo, poor me, hate my life kind of moods. Somebody smack me and tell me to grow up and be an adult! I am NOT going to list all my whining, just ask for some "suck it up" help!

On the plus side, my little babysitting charge has a waterproof cast, so swimming is not out for the summer!

Just found out one of the little girls I babysit for broke her leg over the weekend. No weight on it for 6 weeks. No swimming, no Six Flags, no park, no playplace. Ugh. My own kids have been in casts in the summer time and I am okay with that part. I am just concerned because mama is waiting to see if she will get the ax for her job and taking more time off to go to the specialist and etc. will not look good. She also came home early on Fri. because she did not feel good, so they had sent her home from work.
Will keep you posted.

On a better note, had a great weekend! Got taken to the winery for my belated "going away party" from my old job. Then we have had graduations and graduation parties! Fun! Tomorrow we are going to an awards ceremony for DD1's Girl Scout Gold Award. This award will help with scholarships! Yeah!