13 days

That is all that's left of august, less than 2 weeks. The question I am asking myself is, can I make it without getting into the savings account? I had to get into the Christmas Cash, to cover the doctors visit, meds, and massage. But that didn't come from the savings and that is a big plus!

This month I tried something new. I got all my grocery and non grocery money in cash. I put the checkbook and debit card in the office and left it there. The only money I could use was the cash I had on hand and it was scary. Before when I used the envelope system I would always keep a backup like my checkbook or debit card handy in case I went over with the cash I had on hand.

Not this month! I am down to 3 dollars and about the same in change and its scary! Am I going to have enough money to keep us in milk for the next 12 days? That is the only thing I have to purchase so I think we are good. None the less I don't like how this feels.

On the plus side I am accountable for all my purchased. I will remember how this day felt (12 days left and 6 dollars to my name) when I want to go out to lunch or bye a non essential item (like the tea kettle I bought)

Pleasantly Surprised

The other day I was playing around with the resident 2 yr old and ended up pulling the muscle in my shoulder. The backside, the one that somehow is connected to your lungs. I say this because every time I try to take a deep breath it hurts like crazy. I tried for a week to make it better myself with the heating pad, topical rubs, hot soaks in the tub but nothing worked. I had to face the fact that I was going to need medical intervention.

This scared me because hubby and I don’t have insurance. We have the kids on a program called Healthy Families. Which is a low cost health insurance program subsided by the state. Great program but I went off topic so let me get back to my story…

I went in with the assumption that I was going to get less than average treatment due to lack of insurance and to my surprise I was treated the same if not better than if I had the best coverage money could buy.

This doctor at our local medical center went above and beyond to help me out. She gave me samples of patches to put on my shoulder. She even called to see where the cheapest place to get prescriptions filled was.

In a world where what you see from your fellow human being is narcissistic the majority of the time it was so nice to be pleasantly surprised by the complete opposite.

School Started

I snapped this picture with the cell phone camera and wasn't to surprised to see the under excitement of going back to school...

Yesterday was the first day of school and even I am not excited about going back to the daily grind so early. To make matters even better we are coming into a heatwave and its going to be over 100 for the rest of the week into next.

When we where kids school didn't start until September 1st. August was the best part of summer! The lake had finally got warm, the water in the tire swing was finally evaporated, the peach tree had giant peaches free for the taking. It almost sounds like a Country Time Lemonade commercial.

Redneck Yard Man

Have I mentioned I have a 2 year old???

Well this said 2 yr. old is adamantly protesting the whole concept of potty training. I have been working on it but in all honesty she is more determined to not be potty trained than I am getting her trained. Well that was until last week when I bought another pack of diapers. I am tired of forking out 30.00 bucks or more a month on diapers. I could incorporate that money and put it to a much better use. Back to the subject...

Yesterday morning I put on her undies and I tell her. You're a big kid now. Big kids pee pee and poo poo in the toilet so since your a big kid too you need to use the toilet. Will you please put your poo poo & pee pee in the toilet? This beautiful girl puts her chubby little hand on my cheeks looks me dead in the eye and says.....

NO!

To Many Days left in this month.

Doing the money tracker sure is an eyeopener!

There are 24 days left in this month and I have $83.00 left. that is less than $3.50 a day that can be spent. When you look at it that way it seams totally nuts and cant be done. I know it can be done but I am cutting it pretty close. I have a well stocked pantry and the freezers are full. I do have my WIC and $20.00 in Farmers Market vouchers via WIC.

I should be use to living this way. I have been doing it for more than a year now but is still scary. There is no room for error. There is no time for laziness. I have no option but to cook dinner every night. No meals out because we did that last week.

I need to break that cycle. (Having to much month and not enough money) It is enviable that come the first of the month I will use my Meal Out money right away. If I could discipline myself to hold off till the 15th of the month I am sure it would feel more like a treat.

Just Floating

Have you ever gotten to the point in your life where you are so tired of keeping your head about the financial waters that you finally reach out for help?

What I am talking about is the special programs that are set up to help the needy. I never use to use them. I thought we can do it without help. But times are getting harder than ever and first I found myself signing up for WIC. Next I signed us up for a reduced power bill program, now the newest is the free breakfast / lunch program at school. The girls will be able to have breakfast and lunch at school for free because we make less than the reduced price program.

I use to think I was to proud to sign up for these programs, and in all actually I probably was. But I have come to a place in my life where I accept the things I can not change. I accept the fact that by using these programs I can save money and in turn I will be able to pay more money to the debt .

I know we will not be on these programs forever. I hope and pray that the economy will pick up and we will be able to make the ends meet again. But until then I thank God I live in a country that has programs available for my family so that we can keep our heads above water, even if it is with help from a life jacket.

Every Penny Spent

In my last post I said I was going to track my spending for the month of August so here it is:

Aug. 1
Round Table Pizza - $31.51
Daily Total - $ 31.51
Aug. 2
Willows Vet Clinic - $ 23.00
(Remo’s rabies and vaccinations)
Glenn Co. (dog licence) - $25.00
Willows bakery (coffee and 4 doughnut holes) - $1.50
Mr. Lee's Produce $ 2.50
Barns and Noble $ 20.15
Food Maxx $ 44.42
Wonder Bread Store $20.00
Daily Total - $126.57
Aug. 3
Cinemarx - $ 11.75
JC Penney's - $26.45
Rice Bowl - $ 44.61
Save Mart - $ 11.29
Daily Total - $94.10
Aug. 4
Wal Mart - $65.38
Daily Total - $65.38
Aug. 5
$0.00
Daily Total - $0.00
Aug. 6
Save Mor Foods - $41.33
Dutch Brothers - $5.25
Daily Total - $46.58
Aug. 7
Wal Mart - $5.98
Daily Total - $2557.98
Aug. 8
No Spend Day
Aug. 9
No Spend Day
Aug. 10
WINCO - $31.86
Daily Total - $31.86

Aug. 11
Bargen Babies $ 8.00
City Gates $20.00
Wal Mart $20.00
Daily Total - $48.00

Aug. 12
Zero spend day
Aug. 13
Wal Mart - $11.87
Mc Donalds - $ 4.92
Winco - $ 12.71
Hostest Bread Store - $ 11.96
Daily Total - $ 41.46
Aug. 14
Zero spend day

Aug. 15
Immidat care - $ 65.00
Wal Mart - $ 57.37
Big Lots - $ 16.94
Daily Total - $ 139.31

Aug. 16
Linnins and things - $ 7.71
Massage- $60.00
Daily Toatl - $67.71
Aug. 17
zero spend day
Aug. 18
WINCO - $12.00
Aug. 19
Zero spend day
Aug. 20
Zero spend day
Aug. 21
Zero spend day
Aug. 22
Wal Mart- $4.00
Daily Total - $4.00
Aug. 23
Zero spend day
Aug. 24
Zero spend day
Aug. 25
Immidate care $85.00
Daily Total - $85.00
Aug. 26
zero spend
Aug. 27
wal mart - $4.00
Aug. 28
zero spend
Aug. 29
zero spend
Total Amount spent : $798.47

Plugging the holes in the budget!

From time to time I get way to comfortable with my budget and find myself going over, and having to pull money from the savings just to cover silly things like groceries. This should not happen. What is the purpose of setting a budget if you are not going to stick to it?!?

I ask myself this question all the time and all the only answer I ever get from myself is a bunch of lame excuses. Bottom line, it all comes down to telling myself NO. So I am gong to keep a money tracker log this month.

It’s a pretty simple concept really, just take out your little pocket notebook and write down everything you purchase. This was a HUGE eye opener when I did it the first time and it keep me on the straight and narrow for about a year.

Now that I find myself slipping back into my old habits its time to nip it in the bud so I don’t undo what I have accomplished.

So for the month of August I will keep a log of every purchase made. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

Random Rant...

I don’t get it…

What is the big appeal of Texting? Is it so wonderful that you are able to type a message on a little tinny key pad that you have to hit the 7 three times to get a letter R ?!?!

I find it hard to believe that a person would rather do this than dial a number state your business say goodbye and hang up. I ask this question to everyone I see texting and I get the same answer. A round about himming and hawing and not one person gives me a definitive answer.

“Its easier than talking…” or
“You don’t have to answer questions right away,”
“You can get messages without disturbing anyone.”

That last one is a bigger load of horse poo than the first two.

I state my case.

Yesterday in the mall got hit on the back of my heels with a stroller because the girl driving it was texting and walking at the same time… That text message she sent disturbed me.

The text message the guy in Wal -Mart was sending while he didn’t pay for his bill affected me.

The fact that I cant get anyone in my house to take out the trash, do the dishes, make there beds, FUNCTION at all affects me!!!!

Ok I feel better, have a nice day.

Zucchini, I love it!

Funny thing about zucchini, in the summer when it's coming out my ears and I try and find 101 way to make it interesting I get tired of it but in a few short months I will miss it when its in the market at 98 cents a pound!

My sister in law tells me to chunk it up and freeze it for soups, I have also grated it and froze it in zip bags to use for breads and cakes. A friend of mine said she drys hers and adds it to everything.

I came up with a new recipe and its lovely. I call it:

Zucchini Fritters

Grate about 3 cups zucchini (I used a large one )
Garlic salt & Pepper to taste
2 eggs
1 cup self-rising flour
Grease for frying (I used bacon grease, not healthy but so yummy)

Get your skillet ready, I use my electric skillet (it already had grease in it from frying bacon)

In a mixing bowl place your squash and season to your liking. Crack in your eggs and mix well. I use my hand but I guess a spoon would work well also. Add your flour and mix making sure there are no lumps.

Drop spoonfuls of batter mixture in the hot grease. I make mine about 2 -3 inches in diameter. Cook them like you would pancakes.

Put onto paper toweling to absorb any extra grease.

I served them with ranch dressing at dinner time and the leftovers where great at breakfast just by themselves.

Try this recipe & let me know if ya liked em.

Oh my gosh we have a lot of peaches!!!

I have canned 23 quart jars & 13 pints of jam and we still have fruit on the tree and another tree that is still green! If I get all this fruit put up it will be a miracle. I am just glad that the entire family loves peaches!

That may change by this time next year, but it sure will be nice to have fruit with good flavor this winter.

I think I will do a Google search and see what else can be done with peaches.

The ant and the grasshopper

We all know the story if not here ya go.

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant walked by, grunting as he carried a plump kernel of corn.
"Where are you off to with that heavy thing?" asked the Grasshopper.
Without stopping, the Ant replied, "To our ant hill. This is the third kernel I've delivered today."
"Why not come and sing with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of working so hard?" "I am helping to store food for the winter," said the Ant, "and think you should do the same."
"Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "we have plenty of food right now."
But the Ant went on its way and continued its work.The weather soon turned cold. All the food lying in the field was covered with a thick white blanket of snow that even the grasshopper could not dig through. Soon the Grasshopper found itself dying of hunger.
He staggered to the ants' hill and saw them handing out corn from the stores they had collected in the summer.
Then the Grasshopper knew:
It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.



I relate to this story because it seams these days I am the ant...

I made apricot jam and canned a few jars for pies from the two trees we have.( I did loose almost half the crop to birds.) Then I gathered some wild figs and made another batch of jam. Now I am getting ready to can the peaches that are coming on. When the tomatoes come into full production I plan on canning as many jars as I can because we use a lot of tomatoes.

Most of my summer has been spent working in the garden, building animal pens, or checking the wild trees, and berry bushes for fruit. I keep telling myself the more I do now (food wise) the less I will have to worry come winter.

"It is best to prepare for the days of necessity..."

The debt cycle and how we are trying to get out.

Where to begin...It all started years ago when we where under the false illusion that by having things you where successful. We found ourselves living in a credit card world and we where doing OK, but like most people these days we where living paycheck to paycheck, making the minimum payments and everyone wanted to give us credit so we must be doing fine. Why else would we keep getting offers for more credit right??? Well when the bottom fell out we fell hard.
2006 was a crazy year for us. In January we had a baby, a wonderful surprise but with a huge insurance deductible, it left us feeling the financial pinch. Then in September, I had a life saving bypass surgery witch was another expense that pulled from the finances.
In late November the construction job my husband was working on finished early and left us with no job. A huge hit right before the holidays. He did find work, but it was at half the income we had been making.

We tried to keep up with the bills, but with only enough money to pay the mortgage, power and food we quickly used up any savings we had, and found ourselves falling further and further behind. The late fees began piling up and we found ourselves drowning in a sea of debt. We couldn't pull ourselves out of the huge hole we found ourselves in and so we decided we had to do something and we didn't know what to do so we went with a Debit Settlement Company. To sum it up they are the middle man between us and the debit collectors. Slowly, (2 years now) we have been paying off our debt, we have paid off 6 of the 13 creditors we owe.

Ever since we hit our financial rock bottom so to speak I have been rubbing every pinny trying to make it a nickle just to get this debit paid off. Now comes the rising costs in food and fuel, it never ends!

The Newbee Is In The House

Oh my gosh I can't believe I have jumped into the big ol' world of Blogging!

For years now I have done a terrible job of creating a web page, ya know those things we spent hours on back in the 90's. But now it's time to jump into the 21'st century and start blogging!

My intentions in creating this blog are to share the day to day experences of a Stay at home mommy living in rureal Northern California, rasing 3 girls and helping my husband with our business.