It's Tax Day!

The day I was oh-so-dreading. BUT! Then I did my taxes. And somehow, someway I am getting a refund! I cannot explain this at all. I think I need to thank Obama for changing tax laws perhaps?

Mr Debt and Little Debt are in CA with the in laws. Luckily they are paying for EVERYTHING.

I am slowly (very slowly) catching up on some bills. The gas bill killed us this winter. Now that we aren't running the heat all the time that will be better.

And with the Debts gone in CA for a week, I haven't had to grocery shop. That saved $$ big time.

Don't get me wrong, I still have a stack of bills here to be paid. And they will be. Little at a time, here and there. Babysteps, right?

I know, I know

Its been a month.

Mr. Debt didn't get the job

I got in a car accident (luckily not my fault and no one was hurt)

We are so behind on our bills again. Or still? Mortgage is a month late, everything else is late.

Friday I will pay one month of mortgage and hopefully a bit on other bills as well

I did make the final payment on one credit card, so thats a good thing.

Sometime this week the adjuster will look at my car. I really hope they don't total it, but they might.

On to February

Please please please keep your fingers crossed for me. There may be a light at the end of the tunnel. Just a bit of hope.

Mr. Debt has an interview Wednesday for a different position at his job. It would mean a pay raise and different hours. The change in hours would suck right now, BUT when Little Debt starts first grade in September it would mean no more babysitter. That is $600/month!

And a pay raise! And a chance for advancement.

A friend of mine is going to start being a banquet server. I asked him if he could get me in as well, so he is going to try. That would most likely start next month. I would love to do that. Extra money!

I went to a "Gold Party" and sold gold that I don't wear. I got $220 for it! woohoo!

I have to believe that this won't last forever.

Can I have normal please?

GAH! I think January is more crazy than December. There are like 800 birthdays in my family in January, including Little Debt who turned 6 yesterday.

Money has been about the same. I need to pay bills today. I don't want to, but I have to. I also REALLY need to go grocery shopping.

I feel like I will never ever catch up. I hate that feeling. I am really counting on driving a taxi this summer once or twice a week. If that happens, I can SO catch up which would be beyond exciting. Caught up and paid down. That is my goal.

My friend/neighbor and I were talking that we want to go on vacation next summer- 2010. Us and the kids to the Bahamas or something. So I am shooting to pay off/down bills and save for a REAL vacation. Not a vacation that involves family.

Speaking of, my mother in law was just here for a week. Luckily she pays for a lot of stuff when she is here. She goes grocery shopping (she is a vegetarian and eats organic only if she can), takes us out to dinner, etc. I kind of feel bad that she does, but I certainly can't afford to buy her organic food for her.

By the recommendation of several people I got the book Total Money Makeover from the library. I haven't started it yet, but I will on Saturday when I am at work. Even if I don't do everything he says, it will still give me lots of ideas I hope.

Sorry for the weeks in between postings. Work has been picking up a little bit which is AWESOME. I really want to sell just one thing a month. January is almost over and I haven't sold anything yet :( but maybe I can sell two things in February.

Thinking positively!

Big sigh

I had planned on a different kind of post today. But then, the boss came to my desk.

No more Saturday over time. And the best part of it is!? We still have to work Saturdays!!!!!!!!!! Wheee!!!!!!!!!! He wants us to work 9-12 on the Friday of the week we are working Saturday. So still 6 days/week, but no over time.

That is over $260 a month I am losing. Seriously? I barely, BARELY make it now. *Sob*

So my choices are these:

Get a part time job. But when? Weekends, and I really never see Mr. Debt or Little Debt. I am toying with like a 10:30pm-2:30am job. Get home at 3am. Sleep till 8, get to work at 9. Take a nap in the evenings before work?

Or, if I can leave at 4pm the weeks I work Saturdays and get Little Debt right after school, I wouldn't pay child care that week. I would HATE to screw the sitter like that. But it's every man for himself at this point, right?

She would still have Little Debt for 15 minutes. Bus drops him off at 4, I could get there at 4:15.

I don't know if that is feasible though BECAUSE the other girl in the office already leaves at 4:45 everyday and the boss leaves at 4:15 2 days a week. So that would mean closing 15 minutes early twice a week. The boss man wouldn't go for that.

Happy New Year

This is the year. Gonna do it. Stick to my goals and my newly found frugal ways and pay down some of this damned debt.

With Christmas the mortgage got paid late. I thought I would then be able to turn around and pay it on time this month, but it isn't happening. Too many other things are due, late, not late and even a disconnection notice. Crap.

This is what I am owing as of today:

Credit card: $40
Credit line: $50
Insurance: $110
Water: $222
Verizon: $157
Credit card: $120 (late)
Kohls: $187 (very late)
AT&T: $84
Gas: $614 (late- and they estimated this month to be almost $400!)
Electric: $126
Cable: $322
Mortgage: $1560

Good god
This doesn't include food, the babysitter, gas for the cars.....

When will I ever catch up? Seriously considering a second job. Even though I would never see Little Debt or Mr Debt. I could only work on the weekends though because Mr Debt works nights. Hopefully this summer when Mr Debt is on days I can pick up a few cab driving shifts as well.

So, even though it probably won't work, I am going to add a paypal button on my blog. If you want to donate, awesome. I just want to catch up.

Sorry sorry

Yes, I know it has been 10 days since I updated my blog. I was a bit crazed with getting ready for Christmas and then I had house guests for 5 days. EEK!

I managed to finish Christmas shopping. I didn't pay a bill or two (the mortgage) so I could. I will pay the mortgage this Friday, 2 weeks late. *sigh*

I am anxious to get back to my desk to look at bills and balance my checkbook. Sadly I feel like I was bleeding money for the past week or so. Little here, little there. It adds up big time! And now we might have a guest tomorrow night. Although that will be Mr. Debts 21 year old brother so I don't think we will have to spend much. He is in NYC for the week and will take the train down to see us if he can manage the money.

I went to Walgreens last night to get Mr. Debt some medicine (he is sick and DYING) and my debit card wouldn't work. Come home and check my account- plenty of money. Then today the same thing at another store. Still plenty of money. I figured they floated my paychecks but I deposited them on Wednesday last week. I really hope there aren't any problems.

I really need to go grocery shopping as well. Of course until I can use my debit card again I can't. So lame.

Again, sorry for not posting. I will probably update again tomorrow after having a stroke after balancing my checkbook and paying bills.