Jan. 15 - $30.00 Replace Tire
Week 2 total: $278.05
Week 1 total: $374.24

**2 no spend days**

Items bought new in 2007:
Nintendo DS accessories (2) (dh)
Underwear(dh)
Packing Tape
Bubble envelope
Shipping Labels

Items bought used in 2007:
Tire for Car

-------------------------------------

Well, I almost fainted at the sight but dh changed the tire. Okay, it turned out to be so easy too - LOL. I laugh that he talked me out of it (complicated) but then he decided to do it. IT was easy. & Big Monkey had SO MUCH fun helping him.

HE took it in today and the thing was shot - a big gash. I have NO IDEA when and where it happened - weird. I was feeling bad it just sat for days and figured that would ruin the tire. Guess it was already ruined so no matter. So dh picked up a used tire to replace it. $30 for a tire, they replaced it, and put the spare back, etc. Not bad!

I know I had a warning not to buy used tires but we always do (like I said my last car attracted flat tires like no problems - lots of nails for whatever reason). I hesitate at saying we never had a problem because I don't want to jinx myself at all - the last thing I need is that - but from what I understood these are not retread tires or messed with, they are simply used from the junkyard. & I have bought a lot of nice car stuff from the junkyard believe me. As usual - used has a negative conotation, but if you shop right it doesn't have to be really used. I like to aim for barely used, if used at all. Just titled "Used." & serves us just fine. We have a trusted mechanic who watches out for us and gives us the seal of approval for the cheapo place, so be it. I throw that out though so if people get the idea from me, to buy used tires, to be careful out there. If you end up with a bad tire it is extremely dangerous. But that is why a trusted mechanic is so beneficial to keeping car costs down - I've said it once and I'll say it 1000 times. I know people who won't buy a used car that is 2 years old because of "oh the repairs." but we have driven plenty of $1k cars that were great and needed little in repairs. Just have to know what you are doing - or know and trust someone who knows cars...

So anyway - I had my first item to add to my used category - trying to track what we buy used vs. new.

In other news I saw the reference to paycheckcity.com and I use it for work a lot. I did not remember, or know even, you could put in your exmptions and calculate your check. So I did. I almost fell over because my check showed a $450/month increase (for my $300/month raise). After playing with it I realized my paycheck was calculating my state withholding at 0 exemptions. 0!!!!!! When I take 16 for Fed. Anyway, I knew it was way over-withholding, but with tax rates so LOW I figure I Would leave it another year. Just a hedge against getting to used to lower taxes. BUT it is ridiculous. I Am losing $150/month with my new raise. So I finally decided I Want the money now. Shot a quick e-mail to my boss since we get paid tomorrow - see how much he can fix it.

I just found me $150/month. OR at least $100. I told him just to make sure it wasn't withholding more than Federal. I am not sure if he will get it perfect - obviously the software is not right on (though it was for fed - weird). So I Am just jumping with joy. Was trying to save $350 month going forward ($315 raise plus $35 I had been trying before raise) and when the car is paid off will be $550. & if I Can squeeze out another $100-$150/month on my state withholding I feel so FREE. I told dh I would just leave it for now as a "cushion." I was not even sure I Could really commit to the $300/month - seems there is always something. But I was going to try darn hard. But the added cushion just makes this next year look so EASY. I am so stoked.

So it is official, last year I was putting away little - maybe $300/month on a good month for the big bills. Today I am putting away $1350 every month for long-term (e-fund) and short-term savings (the 1-time big bills) and so that is 25% of my check I am no longer touching for day-today expenses.

That is insane.

What have we given up? Some eating out? Some toys? Not much! (& the raise helps too...)

I feel very well with the financial universe today!

PS - my boss said he will withhold whatever I want to I am taking the extra $100/month out - woohoo. I got a nice big fat cushion - I am so happy today.

$20 challenge:

Balance 1/6: $590

Ebay 1/15: 95

------------------
Balance 1/15: $685
------------------

Got my ebay money from 2 auctions. Our auction earned us $10.00 after fees - not bad!!!!! For an old video game.

MIL's auction earned $185. She was going to give us 1/2, we said 20%. She called me last night and insisted we take 1/2 and splurge on dh's birthday. I decided fancy dinner out and a movie would run about $75. So I Took $75 (before fees though - we'll eat them) and sent her $110. We had planned to maybe get a fancy $50 dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant regardless, but now that it is financed we figured we'd go to the movies. IT has been AGES.

She basically insisted we took 1/2 and so I think we took 40%. Not bad. She is coming up to babysit the kids saturday and so dh and I are having a BIG date night - hehe. That has been ages too...

I am not expecting to do so well every month - particularly with work being so CRAZY through the spring - just focusing all my energies on that now - trying anyway. January has been super profitable though - wow!!!!

Week 2 total: $278.05
Week 1 total: $374.24

**2 no spend days**

Items bought new in 2007:
Nintendo DS accessories (2) (dh)
Underwear(dh)
Packing Tape
Bubble envelope
Shipping Labels

Items bought used in 2007:
Nada

-------------------------------------

JAn. 14 - $11.46 Shipping Supplies
Jan. 13 - $21.29 Chocolate fix/Another dh toy (replace scammed one)
Jan. 12 - $93.00 Groceries & Gas
Jan. 11 - $59.00 Daycare & Toddler Class
Jan. 10 - $77.00 Health copay, drugs, fast food
Jan. 9 - $00.00
Jan. 8 - $16.30 Groceries
Week 1 total: $374.24

**2 no spend days**

Items bought new in 2007:
Nintendo DS accessories (2) (dh)
Underwear(dh)
Packing Tape
Packing envelope
Shipping Labels

Items bought used in 2007:
Nada

-------------------------------------

My auctions have 1 hour left - should probably go to the store on the way home today and pick up some packing materials.

Our item is up to $8 (expecting $10) & MIL's items is up to $165 (get 20%!!!!). When I get the money I will add it to the challenge and subtract out the ebay fees and postage fees when I pay them rather than figure it out now- hehe.

I also have a freecycler picking up some kitchen stuff today - woohoo.

We might fix the flat today too. Probably should, but hey times like these the 2nd car that is super convenient but not necessity - well it pays off. I told dh something about how it would not be a smart choice to drop his car since when we bought it he needed it and now that it is more luxury, it is paid off and we will NEED it more soon enough. HE looked at me like I was crazy - "of course we NEED my car." LOL. LEt's just say he hasn't had to live through very tight times like I have. we COULD easily live without the car as we are coming up on a 3rd or 4th day this week of only 1 car - and hardly a headache. Yeah sure it is a PITA and it is probably better not to have to leave work to take the kids to doctor appointments and stuff, smarter to keep it. But necessity it is not. HEll we could even live without 2 cars, but I won't even go there with dh - he would probably keel over - LOL. Granted they make life so much EASIER. & they way we buy cars it cost us so little, so no matter, the benefit FAR outweighs the cost.

Oh yeah, back to Ebay. I have been SUPER annoyed because I have been getting tons of tons of ebay e-mails. How many questions can people have about an item. It is SO frustrating to me when I meticulously list the details of an items and no one pays attention. "Does it comes with this?" & "What does it come with?" So I respond over and over - what the listing says - that is what is there!!!!!!

& then I have been super annoyed because every time I get a "qustion about an item" ebay sends me an alert to beware of the message. Huh? IT is a question about an item - what the hell ebay???????

& then today I Saw why because I got 2 spams in that form. WOW. I have sold 2 or 3 items and never had any questions or spam or ebay alerts. They are driving me batty - the spam is super annoying though.

In other news my dh got scammed. He bought something through a storefront through Pricegrabber. We are both EXTREMELY careful when it comes to online puhases. So he checked the reviews on the store and they were something like 99% positive and he bought some electronic gadget - some kind of memory card. Anyway, they were pissing him off to no end because he also ordered something from asia that arrived FASTER so he e-mailed to ask where it was, and they just said it shipped. A week later, still not here. He is pissed because he sees it on sale at Fry's too by now. LAst night I told him just to go get it - he can return it if it arrives. So he did. & then he e-mails them again and they say they shipped it today (after saying last week it had shipped). So he goes back to the reviews and sees that the 1% of complaints were about slow shipping, but beyond that, the product is a fake. LOL. HE says he imagined most people just didn't notice. HE was looking for a particular brand for a particular reason and I guess they are trying to pass off something else. So it wasn't huge - $27 - we'll see if he gets his money back or if it even ever arrives - he will raise hell and report them and all that...

The thing is pretty sweet. A 1 GB memory card like the size of a - I don't even know it is so SMALL. Technology never ceases to amaze me... I don't like those super small things though - so easy to lose - LOL. IT's about as big as 3 grains of rice or something.

Dh's birthday is Friday. We didn't do gifts, but I figured I would not take the new card from his allowance. I'll be nice... His birthday gift. & maybe he will get the other one and it won't matter anyway...

Yesterday dh did a screening of his movie here. So I couldn't work very long yesterday - so going in today to work. I barely worked all week no matter. Then I have to stop by my neighbors to help her a little more with her quickbooks. I already charged her and was paid - will probably not make any more on the endeavor - mostly being nice and trying to help (why I didn't charge her much in the first place!). Just a busy day though.

Dh's movie is going really well though. I'll probably post more later, but it is potential he can receive a windfall on it this year. & if not, he is making his way up the ladder - all this unpaid work looks more and more like it will pay off with paid work soon enough. The timing is beautiful with where the kids are. In just 6 months Little monkey can start preschool and in 18 months his mom will be done working and can help watch the kids if he has work. Keeping my fingers crossed... I don't even think I mentioned they fired their paid editor (one of the only people PAID) and dh took over and everyone is very impressed. Including dh who has never edited an entire movie - it has been a good experience. HE is working another friend to edit his movie - I think once he proves his commitment and has a finished product to demo - he is in. BAsically he was loads above the "paid" editor - woohoo. I think editing would be his dream job - he's getting there. OF course if he makes money off this movie he might sink most of it into equipment, but that is okay. I Will still fight for a small piece for the e-fund, but he can re-invest most of it into equipment. Anyway, it is the kind of thing where there is a small chance this could be a BIG windfall, but it won't likely amount to much for the most part. But even if he makes $100 I Will be happy. HE was going to get 3% of sales proceeds and it looks like he might get closer to 10% with recent developments. Maybe more - selling it is on him and he is MOTIVATED. They originally wanted $1 mil. not counting on that at all. Now that's a windfall! LOL. But dh feels he could get a decent chunk too, and 10% ain't bad - so we'll see!!!

Well I tried. I tried to think big - hehe. MIL was not into cashing out the life insurance. IT's okay I guess. She swears it is not costing her a dime anymore (dividends outweigh premiums). I was reading that after 10-15 years they pay off, but I Am looking at 2001 statements when dh was 25 and it was NOT paying off. So if she says so, whatever. We told her not to keep it for us. & she said she wanted to keep it, so we didn't push it - she is the one that paid all that money in. I decided to think positive about it (because I still think it is a horrible investment and rather get rid of it) I Decided if something happened to dh it would cover child care probably for the rest of the kids preschool years. SO whatever, it is better than nothiing. If he lives to 90 though might as well be flushed down the toilet- LOL. But I rather him live to be 90 and so oh well, whatever. I tried.

I have 2 items on ebay. So far dh's game is up to $1 (hoping to sell for $10). & the GPS we are selling for MIL is up to $108. So far we decided we'll probably take 20% commission though she may insist on giving us 1/2. We'll see! I have 1 baby item to try to sell and so between all that I think we make $50 this month off ebay - woohoo. Auctions close Sunday - we'll see where we land... & I'll have some challenge money!

Jan. 12 - $27.00 or so - gas
Jan. 11 - $59.00 Daycare & Toddler Class
Jan. 10 - $77.00 Health copay, drugs, fast food
Jan. 9 - $00.00
Jan. 8 - $16.30 Groceries
Week 1 total: $374.24

**2 no spend days**

Items bought new in 2007:
Nintendo DS accessories (2) (dh)
Underwear(dh)

Items bought used in 2007:
Nada

-------------------------------------

Still driving dh's car - flat unattended to. HE decided to brave the kids today - so phew. Still not 100%, still hoping it goes away without further doctor visits though, of course. WOuld be nice!

My mom bought us Togo's for dinner last night, watched the kids, and paid some money towards Big Monkey's extra preschool day. She actually offered more and I refused. If I put it in savings I Would have added it to the challenge, but I didn't and probably won't. It's been such a spendy week, I won't even reach my original savings goal this month probably. But yay for moms!!!

Today looks like it will likely end up another fast food night I guess - we'll see... I'll be happy with mac n cheese from the box and we have enough food laying around but dh is a little more picky and having bigger withdrawals from lack of home cooking.

Oh yeah, so dh's car was pretty much out of gas and so I had to stop on the way to work today. All I can say is oh my goodness!!!!!!!!!! I don't spend a lot of time outside and don't have really wintery clothes, the weather is so mild for the most part. But I got out to pump gas and about froze my butt off. Thank goodness it was the small car and a quick fill up, though I guess I could have stopped at a few gallons and saved more for later - LOL. IT was COLD!!!! I just checked the weather and it said 37 degrees, but 28 degrees with wind chill. OMG! I am standing out there pumping gas with nothing but a light layer of clothing and a light sweater.

Thankfully it is nice and toasty inside!

Reminds me we got the gas bill - $100 for December. IT is usually our worst bill and more like $130 - I think it was a little lower than usual. BUT at this rate our next bill won't be any better. Brrrrrrrrrr...

We have been keeping the house at 68 and the last few days I felt a little chilly. I finally realized in front of the windows was a little extra chilly. My mom commented yesterday she felt cold which was wild because she is always hot and so I lowered the blinds in the family room to help insulate the windows a tad. We usually leave them up so the kids don't mess with them, so we'll see how that goes. But maybe it will help a bit. Anyway, now I See why - a little colder than usual outside too. We have double paned windows and all that - very energy efficient house, so when you feel cold in front of the window you know it is COLD out there - LOL.

I also got an e-mail about a freeze warning this weekend. I guess we really should have changed the flat yesterday - like we want to stand outside at all this weekend - brrrr. We are such whimps when it comes to the cold - us whimpy California folk!

Oh yeah - I took the baby to the toddler class yesterday and he LOVED it!!!! Same one big monkey used to go to and is basically discount gymboree - same thing but $8/week (used to be $7). Money well spent. I love to see him do so well with other kids. I just worry about him a little more because he is shy like me. HE is lucky he has a big brother and somewhat of a social outlet, I really wish I had more opportunity to learn socially younger, looking back. You know my mom was shy so I didn't get a chance to interact with other kids, so the cycle goes. I was really impressed how quickly he warmed up and felt comfortable there and how well he did with the other kids. IT was cute because we just wrapped up gymboree and maybe because the kids were a little younger at that point, but the parents REALLY hover and don't give the kids much room. I am more likely to sit back and let him explore, when he was ready, encouraging him because he was a lot more timid and clingy originally. Anyway, these parents yesterday were just sitting back letting the kids play, all about the same age, and it was so cute to see him interact with the other kids - he didn't get that so much with the hovery parents. SO overall I Was quite pleased and he had a blast until we had a leave and he SCREAMED all the way home - was not happy. That was the downside - LOL. But well worth it. Dh needs to get out of the house too so will be good for them.

Jan. 11 - $59.00 Daycare & Toddler Class
Jan. 10 - $77.00 Health copay, drugs, fast food
Jan. 9 - $00.00
Jan. 8 - $16.30 Groceries
Week 1 total: $374.24

**2 no spend days**

Items bought new in 2007:
Nintendo DS accessories (2) (dh)
Underwear(dh)

Items bought used in 2007:
Nada

-------------------------------------

For whatever reason I am in a good mood which is good because this has been a REALLY crappy week. The funny thing is I remember last year starting out REALLY crappy. Luckily it improved greatly, I remember it being a pretty good year overall, but it seems to be the same phenomenom.

Today was a very spendy day and tomorrow isn't looking better. $50 to go to the doc, some vertigo medication, and about $12 for Carls Jr. Dinner. & oh my gosh!!!!! I don't remember the last time I bought a soda at a fast food place, but I wanted fries and the meal was really cheap so I figured I'd just get the meal - cheaper than just getting the fries too. So they gave me this big huge monster soda. I put in the straw and it got swallowed up by the cup - LOL. Then I realized they had given me a super long straw for that one. I drank about 1/3 of the soda (too much) and tossed the rest. Dh's reaction when he saw it was pretty funny too. He is like what in the heck is THAT? It could feed a small village... But I got the jalapeno burger and it was REALLY good. Got my veggies...

When I got home I realized I had a flat tire though - going along with the whole crappy week thing. The worst is my last car was in a constant state of flat tire and I was just discussing flat tires with my co-worker, must have been Monday. & of course I open my big mouth - oh yeah my Saturn attracted flat tires and I haven't had any since getting rid of it - phew. Could I have jinxed myself any better??? I don't even know how long it has been flat. That is the worst. To make a very long story short I think I will call AAA Friday to come change the tire ("free") and have dh either get it plugged or get a new used tire at the cheapo place- depends how bad off it is - I have no idea. But it seemed to be sudden, so I am thinking maybe the tire is shot. A plug would maybe be $10, used tire maybe $50. Nothing huge either way, but still a PITA. I was going to change the tire myself but dh talked me out of it. I feel kind of silly calling AAA to my house but dh said he had done it before to change his tire - LOL. What the heck - might as well get my money's worth from AAA. I haven't used them in 5 years.

The other expensive thing this week is preschool. IT is already expensive but Big Monkey will probably go Thursday & Friday to cut dh some slack and she even had an opening for Little Monkey Friday. I don't know how necessary it is, but if dh could rest a little more would be great to do a trial run. Certainly when he turns 2 he can go in on a drop-in basis for emergencies and dh being sick and such. I think to some extent we will have to evaluate the cost-benefit for those times dh is sick for 1 day. But it would probably be good for him and for us, and nice to have more options. Ah, it is nice when they get older. Well we'll see how it goes. If he is miserable I Won't put him through that. HE is funny because he is shy but some places he just feels "at home" right away. So when we picked the big one up Monday he looked terrified and freaked out when the teacher, frankly the nicest lady I have ever met in my life, said "hi." He just started bawling. "Okay," I think, "not good!". So today we pick up big Monkey and he acts like he owns the place. So if he is in that kind of mood friday he will probably have a blast. IF not, I will save some money I guess and turn around and take him home. I guess my spending (& ability to work) friday will come down to the mood of a toddler. So be it!

Oh yeah but my mom who is having back problems insisted she will drive 2 hours to watch the kids tomorrow. She is crazy! So at least I get some free babysitting tomorrow (told her I'd send the older one off to make it easier on her) and a few hours in at work - phew. Though I am not holding my breath, as she may rethink this idea in the morning. But man, what would we do without family!!!

Feeling so stressed today.

Hubby has vertigo. What would we do without our moms, eh? She calls last night, talks to him, tells him to go to the doc ASAP - he has an inner ear infection. Since he's been sick I figure he is just sick. But he goes in today and he has vertigo - most likely brought on by virus. Cure is hopefully 2 days of lots of sleep. So wasn't inner ear but might as well be.

So I am home again. I made the mistake (or good choice) of checking my work e-mails and voice mails. Mind you I was at work until noon yesterday, so it had been less than 24 hours and it was like everything imploded. My office can not function without me (good and bad?) and client issues left and right. Plus my laptop was having technical difficulties and so I sat baby in front of the t.v. for over an hour and ignored him while I served him lunch - hoping being strapped down and fed would pacify him. Just to put out some of the fires. He is in his crib right now refusing to nap, but happy enough I guess.

Anyway, spent $50 on health copay today (twice this month already - oy vey!!!!). & probably around $15 in drugs because I went to get the drowsy dramamine so hubby can sleep but got the non-drowsy by mistake though we already have it out our ears - LOL. Going to try again later.

The good/bad is preschool can take Little Monkey Friday morning. Since this is not a regular preschool day may cost a lot of money and all for both kids, but if dh is not feeling well at least I can go to work in the morning. & probably work work work all weekend.

Oh well, dh is mandated to bed through tomorrow - and hopefully it helps/works.

Thinking fast food tonight. Between all the extra gas/driving, doctor visits, daycare, and my crappy cooking/tendency to get fast food, dh being sick is a pricey endeavor. But I really hope he is feeling better soon. I hear vertigo can be an ongoing issue. Hopefully the sleep and rest will kick it to the curb!

Jan. 9 - $00.00
Jan. 8 - $16.30 Groceries
Week 1 total: $374.24

**2 no spend days**

Items bought new in 2007:
Nintendo DS accessories (2) (dh)
Underwear(dh)

Items bought used in 2007:
Nada

-------------------------------------

Still sick sick sick here. Little Monkey was up all night, lord knows why, but after about 2 hours I did notice his little crib aquarium which soothes him to sleep, was all messed up, dying batteries. Dh didn't see the big deal, but this is the 2nd night this week and he seems just fine. Just his aquarium is not as soothing as usual. So at 3am I made dh change the batteries - LOL (I couldn't figure it out). After being up 2 hours he still screamed a good 15 minutes before he finally fell asleep - oy vey.

Just hoping batteries will solve that problem.

I know he has not been feeling 100% but the last 2 nights he woke up he was just full of beans and wanted to play. On the other hand he has been sleeping perfect for 3 months. At one point in time I was used to no sleep, but these days, not in the least. I can hardly imagine anything worse than my sleep being interrupted!!!! Lack of sleep is my kryptonite...

Big Monkey was dry heaving this morning. Everyone was asleep when I finally felt like I had gotten enough sleep and should really go to work. But not long after dh called to say he had woken up and was not feeling so hot.

I hadn't taken lunch to work because today was so hectic. But went to one client, and then dh called to say he threw up. So I moved my other appointment before noon and got it out of the way (I was not getting all dressed up again this week - LOL!). So went home and ate leftovers for lunch.

(Reminds me I found another dress for tax season that suddenly fits again - woohoo).

The kids seem okay but dh is miserable. Kids are napping but I am so exhausted I can not get any work done - just too many distractions. Did laundry, dishes, etc. OF course if the kids sleep until 5 I will feel bad, but I just can not start to get sucked into something just to be interrupted. Like all day Monday. I give up. Taking a big break today. I might just have to work Sunday... I would work after the kids go to sleep at 9 but I am so exhausted I will probably crash at 9 too.

I am still scared to go to the store and don't want to try a big fancy dinner. I think we will either find leftovers or I will make mac n cheese or something. I am not sure about dh - he can probably fend for himself I guess...

Day # 3 of me cooking- my poor family - hehe. I am thinking scalloped potatoes (box) and hot dogs or something...

Ooooh - I think we may have some canned salmon. I like to mix those with eggs and blended (crushed) saltine crackers. Make little salmon patties. Brown the meat and serve with apple cider vinegar - so yummy. Maybe canned peas to round it out. It's my mom's recipe, I have been playing with adding veggies and spices, but I think tonight I will do the lazy version. Dh hates fish so its a good night to indulge in something the rest of us enjoy. Beats mac n cheese I guess...

Since dh wasn't feeling well today I made my old last-minute stand-by: my great aunt's sloppy joes...

1 lb ground beef
1 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp miracle whip (or mayo)
1 Tbsp mustard

Brown meat, add other ingredients, stir and simmer to your liking. Serve on buns.

yum yum yum...

All I had to buy at the store was hamburger and buns for this. & then I got 1 can of garbonzo beans so I could make the falafel pitas again tomorrow night.

I did not feel like meandering the store with kids looking for ingredients for anything much bigger - hehe. So hopefully dh will feel well enough to go grocery shopping on wednesday. Or I might have no choice! I actually popped by my store on the way home since I didn't have to compile a big list first. The store was completely empty around 1pm, no kids. Wasn't so bad. The stores are so foreign to me you would think I did not live alone and shop for 5 years and then do all the shopping the first 3 years of our marriage - until I got pregnant and was too sick and miserable to do anything - dh took over and he owns it now! I just meander and ask ask ask because I have no idea where to find anything.

I might cook 3 days in a row too - LOL. Now that is just crazy.

I know I know, I run my checking to $0 all the time and I don't need a cushion. I get flack, but well, I don't need a cushion. ask me the last time I had an overdraft.

YEah sure someone gave me a bounced check a few months back and at the wrong time it could have screwed up my checking account. But I saw it right away and it was no biggie.

I don't need a cushion.

So today I log online and see $105 coming out of my checking. O.M.G. I quickly realize what happened - ever since I Sell on ebay my PayPal defaults to my checking account (since I entered that info and got verified). I caught it the couple of times I used it for purchases, but dh asked to use my account for whatever reason and I didn't think about it until $105 shows up in my checking account where I have no room this month.

so I See it and it is no biggie.

I don't need a cushion.

LOL.

But I am so annoyed how this has totally screwed up my budget this month - was to go to CARD. we don't pay cash for flipping anything. We lost $1 in cash rewards! I have plenty of money available and it is no biggie yet I am so ANNOYED. LOL. So now in my head I have a mental note - $100 of feb. expenses going out in jan. Will square it away. & then I transferred $400 from my savings into my checking to cover that and whatever else because I am paranoid now. Screwing up my system too.

Since my short-term savings is all on track I think I may just keep it there and keep a bit of cushion. I'll lose out on the whopping 0.5% it was getting, but I think it will be okay.

Will complicate my bookkeeping system.

YEah but if anyone can tell me how to switch the default payment back to my credit card, I Will kiss your feet. I Can not figure it out. I should probably ask dh so he can redeem himself - he probably could. I know I know - it is not his fault. Well, though he could have just used his own paypal - so maybe it is!

Jan. 8 - $16.30 Groceries
Week 1 total: $374.24

Items bought new in 2007:
Nintendo DS accessories (2) (dh)
Underwear(dh)

Items bought used in 2007:
Nada

-------------------------------------

Groceries: Dh was sick today so I ran home around noon and popped by the store since we were all out of milk (Seriously like 1/4 of our grocery budget is MILK and dairy (yogurt, cheese) - we are going to start mooing soon - though it is getting better as kids age and rely less on milk. I just look forward to in 6 months when baby switches to 2% so I can stop buying whole, 2% and fat-free since we all drink something different - it is ridiculous! Then it will be fat-free for us and 2% for the kids I guess - a little better).

I got food for 2 meals (dinners), splurged on some sourdough bread on sale, and about $6 for milk. All for $16 - I was pretty pleased overall...

I also had to run back to get Big Monkey by my work at 5 and I didn't get much done so it was a bad spend day. Likely no OT this week with 1/2 day off today and the gas today was a bit much. So it was a spendy day.

Dh never gets sick, but man, this last year has not been good. I do not know if I should be worried. Compared to normal his immune system is so compromised. Then again he never stays sick very long or gets very sick, so it seems to be working okay. ????? But it is crazy when I am the healthy one and he is always sick - it is bizarro over here.

I spent most the day off-line but had to check a freecycle message, which was with my e-mail so I had to see the comments to my blog, which brought me here - LOL. All sucked in!! & I was all ready for bed!

Tonight we put a pile of the kids' toys for donation. A lot of nice stuff actually. who knew...

Mostly baby stuff. The 18-monther has long outgrown!!!! teethers, baby toys, etc. We didn't do big on paring down the toddler toys. I Argued to get rid of some ABC things since they have so many alphabet toys that are really the same in the end (Say letters, sounds, etc.) but dh wanted to keep so oh well. We made a decent dent. we decided by summer there will be a lot to purge, that baby is starting to outgrow. Works out nice to go through every summer (birthdays) and winter (christmas). We purged more than they got for christmas, which is for one a small miracle. But is good!!!!

& I Feel good about it. Looking around, besides the 2 little push carts and the giant dinosaur, they really don't have *that* many toys. I am always big on not getting them too many toys and I have been a little worried since all my Big Monkey says anymore is "what does this toy do?" LOL. He said that about a stuffed animal and I Was thinking - oh lord!!!! I try so hard to get un-busy toys that are not electronic, but somehow all he has is a lot of busy electronic toys. I have been feeling a little down on my failure to keep material excess out of my house (& struggling how to keep it out when I don't buy more than 5% of it myself - thank you grandma and great-grandma).

But I am looking around and they don't have much. & I am rather pleased (they have a ton by some standards all the same). the baby's room just has baby toys which are mostly on their way out - leaves a couple of stuffed animals and that's about it. Big Monkey has a huge pile of milk carton blocks, some cars and toys that are too dangerous for baby, and a couple of his first toys - a garage and farm set. Oh yes & a basketball hoop, helicopter, and one of those floor mats that is a road one one side and a railroad on the other. That is his room as far as toys. For the most part he has a small toybox and his room looks pretty bare when the toys are away. IT is filled with furniture (2 beds & a desk too) but that is another story - hehe.

Most of the toys are downstairs and I Couldn't even dare to list but they all fit in a large bin - plus a few larger things. OF course the play doh and endless crayons and happy meal toys, and books and puzzles, fill the cupboards (I just told dh we have no need to EVER buy crayons this life - lord knows where they came from - I think grandma is big on crayons - LOL. something else I have never bought. sHould probably start donating those too...).

So I guess by some standards this may be a lot. But I Went to a playgroup recently and this woman lived in a 2-bedroom duplex and had toys EVERYWHERE. IT is just insane. Another friend the same with her tiny 2-bedroom house - the toys are just on overload. Can barely walk in the kids room - just filled with toys, and the living rooms filled with toys too. So today I am feeling a little better that my goals to limit toys have worked somewhat. Or is it just that we have so much more space it all looks smaller????? Hmmmmm... No - we have like 1/10 as many toys. This seems to be the middle class norm, which is extra amusing with all the "whoa is me I am so poor" talk. So as usual we are way ahead of all that nonsense, yet we truly do have too much excess and much to work on - what it comes down to. So what if we have it way more under control than most people we know? Doesn't mean we can't improve...

Well, not much to share on the recipe front this weekend. Dh ended up working late saturday on the movie so did last-minute hamburger helper. Big monkey had seen it at the store and wanted it, and dh humored him because it was on sale I guess. I Said - blech - that stuff is disgusting. But he made up "philly cheese steak" hamburger helper saturday and it wasn't bad.

I made my franks and beans today for lunch. Cut up about 6 hot dogs. (BEcause I like to have a couple left over mostly). cook the hot dogs in a skillet, add drained pork & beans, and ketchup, and wala. Serve it with buttered toast. THat is about usually how I cook - not the healthiest meals - but still beats fast food by a mile. dh is always there doling out the fruits and veggies which I would not have a clue how to approach the way I Was raised - hehe. HAd some salad and apple slices to round it out thanks to him.

HE made a pretty simple casserole for dinner - will post the recipe once I can scan it! Beef, tomato sauce, noodles, is about the jist. Cheese too. Well, you'll see!

Jan. 7 - $26.74 Checks & Deposit Slips
Jan. 6 - $30.11 Junk Food & Dh's toy
Jan. 5 - $95.88 Gas & Groceries & Underwear
Jan. 4 - $85.74 Gas & Lunch & Dh's Toy
Jan. 3 - $74.00 Celebratory Dinner + Health Copay
Jan. 2 - $61.77 Groceries
Jan. 1 - $00.00
---------------------------------------
Week 1 total: $374.24

Items bought new in 2007:
Nintendo DS accessories (2) (dh)
Underwear(dh)

Items bought used in 2007:
Nada

-------------------------------------

Just bought like a lifetime supply of checks and deposit slips. Wasn't the cheapest ever, but I Was pleased with the extra deposit slip option. I am down to using maybe as many checks as deposit slips every month (2-4/month each) so I just wanted a big pile of deposit slips - I never really go to the bank for the most part. Was whining to dh why check printers did not include MORE deposit slips because seems more and more people use bill pay. But then I remember more and more people use direct deposit. I don't have that option so oh well. I ordered a life supply of deposit slips instead. Wasn't terribly frugal, but VERY convenient.

I confirmed dh's purchase ysterday was an allowance item. I keep teasing him about it too - hehe. His balance is -$5 right now, mine is $82 (I bought a jacket last week for $18).

I am frustrated because he was going to save save save, so I put it in our high-interest savings. Oh well, this month is a wash - nothing to add since he took it all out, will move the $5 loss from his allowance to the EF - found $5! In the meantime he is giving me an accounting headache. I will just keep it in checking or something until it hits a limit, like $200, and maybe move over to ST savings. Not worth this high-interest savings back and forth, and keeping track.

I know I had a good start to the year and with an extra $700 or so this month didn't intend to push too much this month.

(Plus I earned around $150 OT!!!!)

But dh asked me to a sell a game of his on ebay - listing #3 for me! Will net around $10 I imagine. I was telling him there was a minimum to pull the money out of paypal and I think we needed more - just thinking ahead to what else we could sell. Then he reminded me we are s'posed to sell a relative's GPS system for them. They offered 50% of the cut, but we refused. He was telling me he might take 20%. Even that is too much if you ask me, but whatever. IT is around $400 so 20% would be pretty darn sweet!!!! So I Am posting them today - we'll see how much that adds to the challenge.

HAve a few kitchen items for freecycle - most notably our old toaster oven since I got the new black one for christmas to match the kitchen (As I was pulling ideas out of the air from pushy dh's family). A perfectly good toaster oven - to freecycle I guess.

Dh also bought some jock straps for his surgery that were too small. HE tried one on and the other never worn. I Want to freecycle it but it seems a little weird - LOL. Then I thought about it, since they were size small - maybe good for a kid in sports or something. I just feel weird about an adult male coming to my house to get jock straps. But there is no way I could throw them away either... I guess we'll see if anyone responds. Tempted to throw in the Goodwill pile, but since it is an opened package fear it would just go to the trash.

I have to relist 2 toys on craigslist. Going way down on price. If not will goodwill probably.

We still have boxes and boxes from storage to go through. I am thinking of making a goal to do 1 box a week. The funny thing is with all our junk in storage, our house looked pretty de-cluttered (to show the house). Yet we haven't unpacked the boxes and the clutter still abounds. Where does it come from???? Christmas didn't help.

Dh and I have been meaning to go through and do a goodwill pile of toys. & he has a pile of books to sell too. Will push to get this all done this month I guess.

I have been super lazy lately, so I thought, felt like I have not accomplished much. But then I Remembered we have been gone every weekend, tons of family over with the holidays, etc., etc., etc. IT has been so hectic. Even today I have a little bit of work to do - just so crazy at work, figured I Would squeeze in a couple of hours today. But otherwise the rest of the day is free - phew. & i am in de-clutter mode, so we'll see what we can accomplish!

$20 challenge:

Balance 1/1: $400

1/6: $190 Broker Fees saved 2007
------------------
Balance 1/6: $590
------------------

I was just thinking about how much we changed things these last few months and as I am tracking it I Decided to see how much we paid in broker fees last year. About $200, not even counting any loads. Our new fee is $10 a year (though we may avoid that if we add $1k before to our funds before they take the fee).

I figure that is money saved and I would add it to the challenge.

In fact - on a monthly basis I want to compare how my investments are performing to the broker's. Somehow I feel confident mine will win. But I will separate it from the $20 challenge since it could be a loss. If it is - that is okay, but I want to keep it separate for tracking - I'll net the 2 at the end of the year. I think it could be fun to track. So far $190 saved though!!

Ooooh - suprise surprise - my index funds have fared $130 better in just 3 stock trade days than the broker's picks. In fact - we would have lost money in 2006 if we stuck with him - ridiculous. I won't do an update until the end of the month though - how much saved each month with the low cost index funds. not hte kid of thing you can compare ona daily basis - need a bigger picture. I know it is not too scientific because he bought and sold, but not very often and always had commissions/loads, etc. But what I do know is my self-managed 401k has fared WAY better over the years so it will be interesting to see how much better we do, not just on our own, but with a little more care and overseeing.

Will be an experiment...

Um, well, we had this last night and this is one of the best meals I have ever had. It was SO good. I think the thing is I am not a big veggie fan and I have to get creative how I will eat it. The food processor and lots of spices are my friend.

So dh made this and I tossed in some big spinach leaves and fresh onions on a whim (not the usual food processing) and it just tasted so fresh and good. Picky big son LOVED it too, Little Monkey, not so much. I swear they are opposite - LOL.

Anyway, dh is making 2 boring meals coming up - I Asked him what his meal plan was. So if all this "weird" stuff scares you off, don't fret. I will try to post whatever we cook.

We got the newest Taste of Home "Light & Tasty" magazine last night and I picked out some mac n cheese and chicken strips to try next week. That is more my speed. My dh has been cooking meals at least 3 nights a week for about 5 years so he is getting to be pretty accomplished at cooking and picks some more difficult things. As for me I have not cooked much in those 5 years - hehe - but I Am trying to pick things once once twice a week to do myself - and cut him a break. I've been trying, not much suceeding. We'll see how it goes...

Oh yeah - on this recipe, dh bought the whole-wheat pitas - came with 4 or 6 or something. So we had enough to make again this week (or maybe he could have double batched it and frozen it too - not sure...). Nice it was easy to make 2 fresh dinners out of the ingredients in 1 week. Frankly the falafel was awesome as a stand-alone - pita not necessary. Was telling my mom because she is diabetic and would probably really enjoy - told here I don't think the bread part is necessary. Would be gret to eat with the spinach and onions alone.

Jan. 6 - $30.11 Junk Food & Dh purchase - memory card
Jan. 5 - $95.88 Gas & Groceries & Underwear
Jan. 4 - $85.74 Gas & Lunch & Dh's Toy
Jan. 3 - $74.00 Celebratory Dinner + Health Copay
Jan. 2 - $61.77 Groceries
Jan. 1 - $00.00

Items bought new in 2007:
Nintendo DS accessories (2) (dh)
Underwear(dh)

Items bought used in 2007:
Nada

-------------------------------------

Keeping track, keeping track, not sure how long I can keep this up - LOL. I really would like to compile 1 whole year - but who knows if this is just the over-zealous NEw YEar thing or if I am really that dedicated.

Yesterday was a big spend day. After dh bought his new game thing (I am not even sure what it is - ordered it online) he tells me yesterday he needs to spend money. He says it in that way when he needs to make a large purchase and I start getting exasperated with him. But he is just teasing, he needs underwear because they are all covered in holes - LOL. HE does his laindry so I hadn't really noticed. Frankly mine are getting holy too but I hate shopping and I Am lazy. IT could be a frugal thing, but truthfully it is more a LAZY thing. LOL.

But I am super proud of dh. Wal-MArt sucks, not so much the store itself as a whole, but the worst parking lot every imagines houses Wal-Mart - we both pretty much refuse to go. There is one way in, one way out, a HUGE parking lot and many box stores, and top it off, I have not figured out why, but people check their brains when they drive in there, it is an alternate universe or something. I just drive in there assuming no one is going to look, 1000% defensive driving. People drive around like imbeceles. My favorite is when they are coming out of a parking lane and they look right before they turn right, but they don't look left to make sure no one is coming. but frankly most nobody looks at all.

But anyway, since dh had the luxury to go dueing the day he decided he would because he saw our granola bars on sale there for $4 a giant box (or $16 cents/granola bar). Um yeah, you can not beat that - that is my breakfast often times. So he went and checked out the food aisle and told me he would maybe brave Wal-MArt hell because they had some good prices.

He also handed me the $40 grocery bill and I am super impressed. Everything bought was on sale. EVERYTHING!!!! Stocked up on apple sauce (my other breakfast standby), hash browns, juice, meat, soda, some fruits and veggies.

As for me, I got gas. I noted how much I paid the other day when I had to unexpectedly fill up. Got 2.5 gallons at about $2.60 per gallon. Well it was great I Waited to fill up all the way. I made it to the gas station barely last night with my discount and paid $2.43/gallon - for 17 gallons. Woohoo. & the place where I filled up 2.5 gallons I went out of the way too because it is a "cheaper" one. My word. However, while we were there I Decided to get a car wash - $4. I don't do car washes that often - another lazy thing. But I keep having ot open the back and it is caked with dirt and I figured it was probably time... Total spent - $46.

Oh yeah today I am working and I had intense craving for chocolate. I tend to treat myself on saturdays since I have to work but am making OT - what's $2, eh. I hope to resist more in the future, but today was just one of those days - ran to the convenience store for chocolate cupcakes.

Here is to many tax season saturdays (and lots of overtime too - cheers!)

ETA: dh just spent $28 on a "micro secure digital card." I am not sure if this is allowance or not - probably. I think it is for his Nintendo DS. LOL. Spent 2 months allowance ALREADY!!!!! What a dork ("I am not going to buy anything all year because I want a PS3 that bad!!!" yeah that dh...) YEah right *whatever.*

Updating for 2007.

Mortgage - 1300
Homeowners Fees - 70
Property Tax - 350
Home Insurance - 150
Utilities - 400 (water, phones, cable, electric, sewer, garbage)
Car Payment - 215 (gone soon enough!)
Car repairs/maint.-50
Gas - 300
Auto Insurance 150
Groceries 500
Health Insurance 675
Life & Dis. Insur. 60
Dental Checkups 85 (no insurance)
Loans (Other) 0
Child Care 0
-------------------------
TOTAL $4,305
OR 81%..

Down from 84% in 2006.

Hey - improvement.

Leaves 6% SAVINGS
6% preschool
1.5% gardener
5.5% discretionary

I am both so frugal and so not frugal it is amazing. HAving 80% of my income spoken for by fixed things is not frugal. HAving 5% of my income to spend outside of the "necessities"/big bills is quite frugal I think.

But this is just based on my salary - there are a lot of extras which make it possible to save, one being my overtime pay. It just don't count all that stuff because it is not steady or certain. But makes our savings stance look much less bleak since for now anyway we save all the extra...

Forging ahead.

I Am super excited I found a relatively easy way to share recipes. My dh types them in a database once in a bule moon, but it has been ages... & I have no way to share new things.

But with my newfound skills learned from TeanaP, and the fancy scanning capabilities with my work's copier, I have figured out a pretty easy way to share.

We tend to eat rather well, a family of 4(I know 2 are small but they eat as much as us sometimes, if not MORE). I Say we spend $450/month on food for the most part. So I have been wanting to share more recipes.

So here goes. I warn you that this one is a little unusual, but this is what we ate last night. & frankly quite good!!!! we eat a lot of spicy food so I have to forewarn you is all. If you don't like spicy food, or can't eat it, then don't look at my recipe category - hehe.

& tonight my dh is all excited to try some falafel pitas, which he says were very cheap to make (based on what we hand on hand anyway), so if they turn out good I will post it too.

We cook so much we have all the spices on hand, and then some. That is the pricey part if you just are starting more home cooking. But don't fret too much, a little spice lasts a long while, so once you stock up you don't have to buy too often.

Oh yeah and my older son is a little pickier and sensitive to spiciness, but he loved the tomatoes in this recipe. (I don't think he has ever liked tomatoes at all before and he seemd quite surprised. I Don't think he liked the meat particularly - but just thinking to that and you can make this a meatless dish if you like...)

I was a little worried yesterday because I have been waiting to lose weight - or to see where I land anyway - before buying some nicer clothes/suits for upcoming tax season. Only time of year I really see clients and have to really dress up.

After my last pregnancy I gained 15 pounds easy, my hormones were just whacked out - this is part of the reason I stopped breastfeeding earlier - which I pointed out in the preparking for kids thread - you can plan all you want to breastfeed to save money but it doesn't always work out. I Was having bad bladder, hormone, and weight issues and it all went away the second I stopped breastfeeding. So my son was only breastfed 6 months, though I had planned a year and had made it a year with my first. Oh well. My sanity and my physical well being was more important at the time. I couldn't even work full-time to support my family I Was such a basket case. I went to PT for months and luckily have a very understanding boss. But once tax season rolled around I just quit breastfeeding - if I had known how immediately better I would have felt I would have quit sooner... I still have really weak pelvic muscles and baldder issues but it was so much worse with the hormones. It wasn't even wetting issues like people would imagine, my bladder was literally falling out of place - and it is not a comfortable thing. IT still is out of place to a big degree. The thing that amazes me is the doctors always brush it off as mild. I can't even imagine what a severe case would be like. I will most likely need surgery when I hit menopause, and the hormones whack out again, but I did see they had new laser surgery techniques to tighten the pelvic muscles, I am keeping my eye out. In the meantime I can not even imagine putting my body through another pregnancy which made dh's surgery a little easier to do - such a final thing. I am not sure I Could handle it with my weak muscles - they are about obliterated.

Anyway, so I go and and on and on - LOL - but last year I bought some bigger clothes. & they are too big right now, since I lost about 10 pounds, my regular clothes too small. So I need to buy, if nothing else, a nice suit top, I like to just wear those with skirts and dresses. Since my pant size varies so much it seems just on the time of day - hehe.

But I walked into work monday and was slammed with all these last minute things and I had to go out to a bunch of clients. I Was freaking out if I really had anything suitable to wear. So at the last minute yesterday morning, on a whim, I tried on an old size 10 suit jacket. Didn't even expect to fit it over my shoulders, and by golly, it fit!!!!

The great news is that I don't have to do as much shopping as I thought I needed to do - woohoo.

I was wearing this before I ever had kids - like 20 pounds ago. The funny thing is it looked all loose and saggy over my chest but I Could barely button it. Welcome to my body. But it looked very nice just left open so yay! IT's a little tight, but good enough.


The downside is I noticed it is dry clean only. I know I rarely wear it so maybe it has never been washed. I don't believe in dry cleaning. I usually wash all my dry cleaning clothes, which I try not to buy in the first place. But I am looking at this jacket trying to think if I ever really neevr washed it - it looks quite nice and clean. I don't know if I Should risk putting it in the wash.

Just hope nothing spills on it or anything I guess. Otherwise it should get through tax season just fine wihtout a wash - only need to wear it a handful of days. Phew.

Jan. 4 - $85.74 Gas & Food & Dh's Toy
Jan. 3 - $24.00 Celebratory Dinner
Jan. 2 - $61.77 Groceries
Jan. 1 - $00.00

I will update exact amount later.

YEsterday went all wrong - LOL.

IT was a complicated day. I was going to meet dh and the kids around 11am for toddler class. It is $8/week for basically gymboree for parks and rec. Little monkey was going to start. I used to meet them when Big Monkey went, to watch the little one. Now I was going to occupy Big Monkey (since luckily there is a park and a library there too) while Little Monkey attends the class. So I was ready to shell out $32 yesterday (for 4 weeks).

I was then going to take dh's car because I had to go downtown and he has the little compact car which is easier to park in tight spots - you can park anywhere in this thing.

Since time was so tight I figured I would grab fast food.

But dh calls me around 10am to say little Monkey has a fever. So we skipped class. I looked at my calendar and recalled that I have meetings 2 Thursdays every month so I am pondering if this is a good idea at all anyway. I am trying to get Big Monkey's days switched to T/Th at preschool, but so far no go. On the other hand all our meetings will be cancelled (at the last minute) through tax season - they always are - I don't even know why they bother planning them - LOL. So we'll see - haven't decided yet, though it is so "cheap" compared to anything else, even if we only went 1/2 the time, probably worth it.

So I had to drive the van - blech - which was really out of gas because I figured I wasn't going to drive it all around. So I stopped for a BK meal $2.16 - order 2 99 cent items & brought my own soda (as usual). Then had to get gas, but since it wasn't the cheapest just got 2.5 gallons.

So that is how I sepnt my money yesterday. I think I got just enough gas I don't have to get more until I get home tonight - I have 10 cent off/gallon at the gas station over here so this is where I want to fill up!

SHoot - dh also spent $77 I have to add above - will later. He said he was going to save his allowance dilligently for a PS3. & 3 days into our new allowance he blows almost 2 months (at $50/month). LOL. I am not quite sure he has the discipline he thinks he does - hehe. But we'll see!!!! HE has been telling me he will buy nothing all year but his beloved PS3, but he had to buy something for his Nintendo DS - $77!!!! FUnny thing is I thought he told me it was $60 or something - tax and shipping I guess...

Anyway, little monkey seems to be feeling pretty good today - he was just a little sick - phew.

The funny thing is I picture Ima Saver driving this car down the road as it comes down in price.

http://www.teslamotors.com/

I just saw this guy last night (on the smart public television I watch. Shhhh - you don't have to mention all the trashy reality t.v. I so adore - hehe). Anyway, the guy who started or owned this company, not quite sure, was very interesting. He is actually working with NASA on some space programs, BUT he also has designed this electric sports car. IT is COOL! Both a fancy sports car and an environmentally-friendly car??? Sounds too good to be true.

Well the price is a nice $90k or so. But he was talking about on t.v. about some cheaper models coming out in the $30k-$50k range.

I think I will go start saving my pennies. Maybe in 20 years. Even $30k is way too much car for me - hehe. But when I am old and rich I am going to get me one of these...

Anyway, beyond the car, a fascinating guy. I will have to look up his name.

Okay okay, I know I am still fretting about health insurance, but I had to share this wonderful link:

http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/public-affairs/hsa/faq.shtml

It lays out HSAs rather well.

I am just pondering and maybe they aren't SO bad. My insurance has a new plan that is $3k deductible for family. BEtween that and the federal limits we could not put aside more than about $2800/year BUT it would lower our premiums $5,000/year. The thing is the "out-of-pocket" is way more than the deductible ($7k?). So um yeah I want to put away $5k/year. But I Can't in the HSA.

Plus the premiums would no longer be tax deductible - I didn't even know that! But we only get to deduct $2k-$4k a year (the 7.5% AGI limit), and with this we would get the $2800/deduction (but not for state at all!!!!).

Are you confused yet?

Plus you can invest in c.d.s and stocks, yeah, sure great. But what if you need the money? IF we have enough in cash maybe a 3 month c.d. would do.

The pluses - if we don't need it we could use it for dental bills and retirement...

I just believe in Murphy's Law a little too much. After paying huge premiums for years, I can just see us lower our plan and get slammed by something unforeseen. IT scares me still. But I have to question the logic of continuing to pay almost $10k/year in medical insurance when we can cut it in 1/2 and put the difference away for a rainy day.

Oh well, I have a year to ponder...

I jsut posted a post with good news, but so long wanted to add this separate (just FYI).


Interesting and scary since California is scaring away high-income tax payers with some pretty hefty taxes. I have to say there is not much you can do to avoid tax at the individual level - most tax avoidance schemes happen at the corporate level (in response to some comments in the article). Though admittledly those making billions may have some tricks up their sleeves. But we have many clients in the $200k-$1 million income range who don't get much in the way of deductions, outside what you and I do. (The exception being big retirement benefits - but more at a corporate level all the same. Only business owners are making this much):

http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/102197.html

I was just thinking the other day why was "multiple pregnancy" unforeseen for tax purposes, but not a regular pregnancy. Do you know how many people conceive by accident??? LOL. They read my mind:
http://www.webcpa.com/article.cfm?articleid=23018

Gender Pay Gap, Once Narrowing, Is Stuck in Place
One big group of women has stopped making progress in narrowing the gender
pay gap: those with a four-year college degree. The gap between their pay
and the pay of male college graduates has actually widened slightly since
the mid-’90s.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/24/business/24gap.html

I always wonder if these studies truly consider the time taken off to raise children. In my office the women are happy to work part-time and have flexibility, are all busy with children. None of the men are asking for flex time, work part-time, running kids to school and doctor and such. If I get paid a little less because I demand more time with my kids, so be it. I am just not sure how fair these studies really are. Or maybe just lucky not to have come up against this in my industry (to date). I know at the peon level we the men and women were all paid the same. At the level I am at now the men are interested in management and the women are not, of course that reflects in our pay. There are no single or childless women in my office though. But my boss bends over backward for me to put my family 1st and you can't put a price on that. I'd work for less for this kind of job any day. Low stress and lots of flexibity, but paid well too.

I got my raise!!!!!! $4k!!!!

(Can you believe this is one of my smallest raises ever? The industry is crazy...).

Anyway, yeah a measly $4k raise and a promotion to more management. I have gotten $6k raises without promotion, but whatever. I was VERY pleased and doing a dance of joy until I sat down to really think about this.

That is the good for sure.

The bad, if I had not lowered my health insurance plan, my raise would have been completely eaten up by health insurance. For now we pay less monthly but are open to more out-of-pocket costs. We'll see how it pans out.

As I started to realize this and think ahead my next year's raise will probably be eaten up by increases in premiuns (& maybe this year's eaten up by out-of-pocket expenses) then I Wasn't to thrilled.

though the bright side is definitely that I have enough raises to cover these - geez louise.

Anyway, planning ahead I decided to get my boss's insurance rates. I am looking at them right now, $730/month for a family of 4, boss would pay $250, $480 out of my pocket, for a plan with a high deductible, but not high enough to be a eligible for a HSA. I think my current insurance is around that for a HSA-qualified plan. *sigh* Just the writing on the wall that we will likely switch to high-deductible next year, or soon, and so I am feeling down about it. I can not believe still my boss's plan does not offer much benefit - I guess his rates have raised accordingly over the last years.

So anyway, I am super stoked that I am looking to set aside $300/month EASY and $500/month when the car is paid off (soon) and that is super duper awesome, brings me to about 10% savings rate. & I told dh I would not be bugging him to get a paying job this year - 1 more year to work on his movie ventures and strike it big (with no pay). This is all very well and good, and great and awesome, but the whole health insurance thing still stresses me out. *sigh* All this cash will be needed perhaps if we switch to high-deductible plan later. Well, at least we'll have it. I did not feel comfrotable switching with so little cash right now. So overall is a step up. & dh is pleased!

Anyway, if I ever come across bitter, just had to say I am not. LOL. I am not bitter at all. It is so funny how we come across over the computer sometimes. When I am PMSy yes I can be a pain, but most of the time I Am pretty happy, if you didn't notice. Just a side note. I Cirnge that I would come across bitter I guess because I am no NOT a bitter person.

Oh yeah - so though I am going to save my entire raise going forward and pretend like it is not there (too bad no direct deposit - would make it so much easier but I Am discilplined enough - it's okay). But we decided to eat out tonight to celebrate. Nice to splurge once in a while. The funny thing it has been SO LONG since we ate out really we weren't really sure what to do. Decided to order in greek.

The other thing today is that I changed my investment portfolio. I am feeling very bearish on the market and moved more over to bonds. BEfore I had cash and stocks and I Was fine, but I noticed recently that my portfolio did semi-decent in the 2000-2003 years because my bond fund was making some really big returns. I Decided I made some nice stock gains these last few months, but with this bearish feeling it was good to move some back over to bonds. My old 401k had a new PIMCO bond fund that was actually pretty decent, easiest way to move to bonds and avoid fees (401k has no fees no matter how little I put in each fund). So I exchanged my stock market index, which is the worst performing, but cheapest (13% of funds in my control) over to the bond. Dh has about 35% of our money in a total stock market index now, so was a good move, and the rest in other stock mutual funds, so it works out well I think. IT was hard to see how bonds were helping us in the short-term but I See the bigger picture now... So we're at 15% cash, Around 15% bonds overall (in all mutual funds) and 70% stock. Good enough for me. I am a safe person, but I See the value in the stock for the long-term, I have already ridden 1 bad wave and came out ahead. But at the same time I like to have a little cash just in case - at least it is not under my mattress.

I really still have no idea how bonds work and probably why I shy away. But my conclusion is they do good when the market is otherwise bad. This may be a bad assumption, but cash rates were low and market was way down, and bonds were pulling 10% in the early 2000s. For now I put some in, and a loger-term goal for me is to really understand the bond market better. One of these days. I should look for a "bond market for dummies" book...

Anyway, I have to rework my budget now!!!! WIll get cracking tonight... See where this puts us. In the green at least for this year - phew!

I want to track all my spend days out of curiosity. I think I will update daily, but in the grand scheme of things just keep a running total how much I spend each week. I am trying to decide how much to include of dh's purchases. & groceries and gas. I think I will list groceries and gas, since you have to go out and buy these things, and we could cut back, but none of the fixed bills I pay, and utilities and such. I was going to say maybe include only things I go out to buy, but I forget how much I buy online - ebay and all - hehe. I guess I will have to include dh's spending too. If I included just me about all I would ever buy is gas once a week but he does do a lot of household shopping.

Well here goes so far...

Jan. 4 - $32.00 Toddler Class for 1 month
Jan. 3 - $24.00 Celebratory Dinner
Jan. 2 - $61.77 Groceries
Jan. 1 - $00.00

I did skim the bill and it was all groceries.

& well I just might have to get gas today... But I am curious how many no-spend days we come up with for 2007 as a whole.

Yeah, the IRS has a withholding calculator and I Recommend it to people all the time. It is a lot easier than figuring out a W-4 schedule.

BUT I had been thinking I should probably get 14 exemptions and I was thinking of pushing 16 on my W-4 this year. I always get a big state refund ($1500 or so) and I figure easier just to claim more fed exemptions, pay the balance with my state refund on April 15th. Plus I know all the tax laws and can monitor it to make sure I don't hit the penalty for underwithholding, which I wouldn't at 2 measly exemptions at 15%. Means I may be underwithheld $1k, but there is no penalty for being under $1k or less due at April 15. & state refund will no doubt be more than what I owe.

Anyway, I went to IRS Calculator to see where I was at and it said 12. My own calcs as I already said were 14. I thought maybe I Should just leave it 14. But I did my tax return (a draft anyway) and did some planning for 2007 and still came up with 14. The IRS I have concluded is CONSERVATIVE. They want your money. So just know that - LOL.

They say 12, I claim 16 - take that. 14 would be pretty break-even, a small refund. So 16 just kind of keeps me under penalty and I rather earn interest all year...

My boss always gives me the eye when we are talking about exemptions in seminar - it cracks me up. 4 personal exemptions, $20k easy in state taxes and mortgage, health insurance galore (some of it deductible) and the child tax credit for 2 kids, plus only 1-income, makes a lot of exemptions. No one around here is claiming so many exemptions because they either have a 2nd income or they rely on big refund checks. I Swear I haven't hardly owed a penny on April 15th in years. But it is funny, 16 is the highest yet, he is probably wondering about me. This is the most I every have pushed it. But I will keep an eye on it. If I get a raise I may move it to 15, or lower it later in the year as I monitor it.

I calculate I may be able to squeeze another $40-$50/month with this increase AND our state disability rate actually just went down. Will save me $11/month. & wala, I have my new health insurance premiums covered with or without a raise.

Still praying for a big raise to make my savings goals easier this year. Waiting waiting waiting, couple of more weeks. But is nice to know I am in budget regardless.

ETA: I forgot to mention I get a decent bonus in May where way too much is withheld which is also why I feel comfortable under-withholding a tad. It makes up for that measly bonus I get once 40% is taken out - blah. LOL. I usually keep 90% of my checks and have a right to 90% of that one so it just annoys me to no ends, this is how I battle it... I swear I will probably get a small federal refund for 2007 if I count that.

It was a good weekend after all. Went to San Jose after all, for the kids mostly. They had so much fun. Their 'cousin' had a birthday and he has a TON of cousins from the other side of the family so the kids all had a pile of other kids to play with - had a blast. All that and our gas is way under budget this month still - crazy - with FOUR trips to San Jose!?!. Ah, it all ends this week as Big Monkey returns to preschool. & more gas...

Anyway, we left the party around 8 or 9 and went to MIL's to put the kids down. I don't know if you have noticed but MIL is interesting. She drives me nuts but spoils us too, there is only so much bad you can say I guess. She has treated us extraordinarily well these last weeks with Christmas and babysitting, etc., etc. BUT at the same time I just could not believe her going on and on and on about how many toys this baby cousin has and how SPOILED kids are these days. I just had to hold my tongue. HELLO????? & who bought 99% of the toys my kids own? Grandma! & she was just going on and on and on... On the other hand the kids received a gift that I had not heard about or seen except Big Monkey told me all about it. When I mentioned it she said she was going to keep it because little Monkey could not play with it. ??? LOL. I said well, um, Big Monkney wants his toy and I want to see it so I can write a THANK YOU!!!!!!!! Plus he has many toys that he can only play with away from Little Monkey. I was imagining all these small parts and in fact they were quite large - she said Little Monkey was throwing them so he just could not be near them. (??? LOL still). So we finally confiscated and brought them home. I find it amusing she wanted to keep the BEST gift by far he received - something we had asked for - a cool magnet building set (big pieces for little kids - so as not a choking hazard). I have piles and piles and PILES of toys if she wants to keep some at her house - I think I Will bring her a pile our next visit.

Anyway, I could go on and on, but changing gears, I helped my neighbor set up her Jan. 1 balances in Quickbooks Saturday and it went rather well. But we came across a time-consuming obstacle so I left her to deal with it until we got back in town. Went over tonight and she is officially up and running for 2007! I was going to send her an invoice later but she was eager to pay me today - woohoo. So I received $400. I am going to put $200 to the e-fund, and with interest will push it to $6k even by 1/31. Woohoo!!!!

The other $200 just putting in short-term savings, mostly with income taxes in mind - should cover the 4/15 bill.

This month is a little bad in that I put way too much money aside last month - LOL - like $200. I don't know what I was thinking, I am like $200 short to pay all the bills this month because of this. I am starting to think I should institute a rule that I can only hoarde cash every other month. I mean it is great and all, if it is gone I won't spend it, to some extent. BUT at the same time I am sitting here wondering how much to push to next month and hoping for a raise to cover the difference. The stress isn't worth it - hehe. Actually, it is okay, but I am putting everything I want to save to ST savings instead, not the e-fund, this month. Except all of the $400 because it is such a windfall, some of it must go to e-fund. & next month I will once again hoarde too much in the e-fund, and so the cycle will go. Plus MIL have dh about $60 as a reimbursement for something and he didn't tell me until AFTER I made a deposit Saturday - GAH! I was so annoyed, not expecting $400 today and not wanting to go to the bank just to deposit $60 cash, I decided to start our cash emergency fund. Not planning to keep much, so it is a good start. & I was impressed dh does keep a $20 in his wallet for emergencies. I did the same and stashed $20 in the house. It's a start, and I don't envision saving much beyond that. If we decide we need more than maybe $100 down the road, I wouldn't say anyway. That is the kind of thing you tell NO ONE. Home invasions are a big thing around here which is probably why I am hesitant to even save much in the first place. But having $60 stashed is a good start - beats nothing!

& that is how it's been - I better get some sleep! The fun of staying at Grandma's - Little Monkey was wide awake since about 3am. I am EXHAUSTED!