Today is my daughters 12th birthday. We got her the Wii Fit. It is pretty cool. I might even use it!

Yesterday was an expensive day. I filled up the gas tank, $39. Got it at Walmart, which was .05 cheaper than anywhere else. I then got the Wii Fit and another game for $117. I had planned this in the budget, so it was not budget wrecking.

Each year, the birthday person gets to decide what they want for dinner. DD wants crab legs!!! We live no where near the ocean! The seafood places around here are only open Thur, Fri and Sat. We found one that the owner happens to be at for the next couple of hours so he will sell us something! Small Town Living! Now I just need to figure out how to cook them!

Financially, I am looking pretty good come the end of the month. I am cutting it close, but will have the mortgage caught back up by month end. That means making 2 mortgage payments this month due to the extra payday. The ot I am getting this month is helping too. DH hasn't been working so I definatly will not get any help the next couple of weeks. Good thing I don't count on it!

Need to get some stuff posted on EBAY but I don't know what to post! There is lots of stuff that we don't use, but I don't think it would sell. I have already taken a bunch of stuff to goodwill. I went through my daughters dresser and got 4 big bags of clothes. Was going to take it to goodwill, but do you think I could see it by the bag on ebay or craigs list? Everything is in good condition because she hardly wears anything once it is bought! I can always try.

Back to work...UGHHH!!! This weekend was a good weekend money wise. I only spent $20 all weekend! We went to the dirt track races on Saturday night, but since it was rained out the weekend before, we didn't have to pay to get in! DH bought the tickets the week before so I bought dinner on the way. Of course his brother(leech) went too. He heard me talking about cooking on the grill Sunday and invited himself(after TELLING DH that after DH came to take him to do laundry)!!! Fortunately that never happened, the cookout anyway.

Well, planning the week ahead. It is going to be a tough one. Even after payday. We are out of a bunch of groceries and things, but I don't have room in the budget for anything! It is all going to bills this week! YIKES! It will work out, it always does.

eating out! I have slipped right back to where I was! I realize this is an issue but I can't stop myself. I am still transferring equal amounts to the savings account each time I eat out, but it isn't stopping me!

Friday is payday. I already have the power bill set up to be paid and will pay the mortgage. The power will is on time and the mortgage is 3 days past the grace period...but still sooner than I have ever made it before! Things are getting tight, while planning for the vacation. (another reason I need to quit eating out!) But we are on track to go. Can't wait!

Think I am going to take a break from the ebay challenge until after my surgery. I just haven't had the time or energy to post items.

Found out that Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl are filming a movie about 5 miles from my house! My husband is on a search for Katherine(he is just in awe of her! Run Katherine!) Pretty cool that our small little town is having a movie filmed here!

I got the dining area cleaned up, the living room cleaned up and the Kitchen cleaned up! YEA! I feel better about being here now! I did list the TV on Freecycle and have not heard anything. I will take it to good will as soon as my husband can load it in the car!(he damaged his hand today.)

Speaking of DH, he is driving me crazy! He did a search on mapquest for the hotel we are staying in at Jekyll Island and it didn't show that it was on the beach. However, I pulled up pictures of the hotel website and you can see the beach! But he kept calling me over to show me where the directions were taking him! I tried to tell him that those mapquests are not always accurate, but it was driving me crazy!!!

I listed some items on ebay today. Hopefully they will sell and add to my ebay fund.

I told my parents about the vacation.It went something like this"

Dad:"Why Jekyll Island, do you know someone there to stay with?"

Me: No...I have never been there.

Mom: Are you camping?

Me: No, I found a good deal on a hotel on the beach.

Mom: Oh.

Silence.

Mom: Well, you will have fun.

And that was the end of it!

Today was a NSD. helps when you don't leave the house.

After I wrote this, I realized that I am rambling...sorry. Just had alot to say!!!

I had a postage due notice left in my PO box last week. I thought it might hav been from the ebay stuff. I went to the PO today and it wasn't for me! YEA!

I also went to the grocery store today. I only "NEEDED" a couple of things, but I found more to buy. Walked out $190 poorer. But I don't feel too bad because I haven't done a big shopping trip in a long time.

I made another sale on half.com. Will mail that on Monday.

My boss got me a new laptop yesterday. The old one is on its last legs. So I have been spending the last couple of hours trying to transfer stuff over. Should make for a fun afternoon.

I also have so much to do around here. I am feeling very overwhelmed. Don't even know where to start. I have to get rid of this tv...no one has contacted me about it so i guess it is going to goodwill monday. Trying to get it loaded in my car will probably prove to be a challenge. I have another tv that I have been trying to get loaded for about 5 months now!!! But this one is sitting in the middle of the floor and it is annoying!

My goal for the day is to get the laundry that is on the chair folded and get the dining room back in order. I will then get the kitchen cleaned up after dinner. I don't even want to look at the bedroom and my bathroom!

Got a letter from one of my credit cards. The one that I made so many extra payments to last month. They said that since I have been making the payments, that have removed the past due classification from my account. It is still over the limit, but at least it isn't considered past due any longer. That is a relief.

Well, done rambling. will try to keep it brief next time!

I always feel like when I do something financially that I should feel guilty about it where my parents are concerned. They aren't struggling by any means, but live like they are. And they have helped me out more times than I care to mention...never expecting it back. But I have finally grown up. I have a savings account. I have the beginnings of an emergency fund. It's about time!!

So I have booked this vacation to jekyll island for April. I am oh-so-excited! it is the first vacation that we have taken as a family. I am just thrilled that I can now do this for them! But i dread telling my parents about it. My dad will be like "how can you afford that?" my mom will just get all quiet...and be like "oh..do you really think that is smart?". Maybe it isn't, but I am more financially secure than I have ever been in my life. None of the other monthly expenses are going to be "put off" for us to go on this trip, or we won't be going.

Shouldn't I feel excited to share this kind of thing with my parents? i still feel like the kid who can't really talk to her parents.

I received a deposit of 38.19 from half.com today. transferred it to the vacation fund.

yup...they finally came and picked it up last night. $50 added to my ebay total(actually is it was craigslist, but they all go toward the total!) I put the $50 into the household maintenance account. I wanted to put it into the vacation fund, but until we get the washer straightened out, I thought it should go there. I can always move it later if this part we ordered fixes the washer.

My child support payment was $9 more than I estimated so I transferred that to the vacation fund. New total is various savings accounts...$743!!! I am in awe!

We got the order forms for the class rings for my son. Have to order then on Friday with a $65 deposit. I will take that money out of his savings account. I hate to do that(seems now that there is money in ssavings, I hate to take it out, even for its intended use!) I then have to make payments on it, but thanks to my new financial mindset, I am not stressing or calling my sisters to help! I've got it covered! What a feeling!

On another note, I can't seem to shake the eating out bug. I left my cream cheese at home this morning, so i stopped for breakfast. It was late when we got home from thhe soccer game the other night, so i stopped at subway. I have just got to get myself back into the proper mindset to not do that! Yesterday I was wanting Subway for lunch. I don't usually eat lunch but yesterday, I could almost taste it! But fortunately, I had left my wallet at home and had no easy access to money...it wasn't worth going to the local bank(that we rarely use but still have an account with) and going into the bank(since I dont have any checks) and cashing a check. So i went home and we had grilled cheese and tomato soup. More cans off the shelf! Any ideas? My willpower just sucks right now!

Another sale on half.com!! I am just in awe! I listed a bunch of books on Sunday and I can't believe how fast they are going. I know I am not making much, but slow money spends the same as fast money!

Looks like I am going to have to drive 2 hours for the soccer game tonight...left my wallet at home so hopefully my DH will bring me some cash. Trying to talk my sons best friend into going with me...at least it gives me someone to talk to! DH said that he would go but that was before the person buying the fridge wanted to come tonight instead of last night! UGHHH!! The only upside is that there is a Chik-Fil-A there! Seem to be addicted lately...good thing there isn't one near me!

Another half.com sale! Yea! This month has started off great! Still waiting on my money from the end of last month. It says it is pending....anyone know what I should expect? This is the first payment from them.

I don't think that I have anything listed on ebay, so I must get that done in the next couple of days. The ebay table is overflowing! There was a minor avalanche yesterday when the cat jumped from the top of the old refrigerator(that the person didn't come pick up UGGG!) to the ebay table....all is well though.

Picked up my laundry from my mom yesterday...all washed and folded. I know she doesn't mind, but I really want my washer back! Something about being 36 years old and having my mom wash my undies bothers me! We ordered a part last night and hopefully DH can fix it since we are not having any luck finding a used one and I hate to spend the money on a new one! I think that it is really shocking my mom that I haven't asked her for the money to buy one yet...That is the old me.

Might have to drive 2 hours for a soccer game tonight...will know later. I am hoping not. Had to drive an hour last night at the last minute! i couldn't feel my feet by the time it was over! I was the one with the ugliest knit blanket thrown over my head!(fortunatly I found it in the car!)

I sold a total of $111 on ebay and half.com for February. It was $103. after all fees were deducted. YEA!! I made the challenge.

I have made my first two sales of March already! I sold a movie on half.com and a basket on ebay. So I am off to a good start!

Not much to report here. Yesterday, my DH asked me to stop and get him Cigarettes so I went ahead and filled up my car while I was there. I will not need gas again before Saturday so that left $18.65 in my gas allowance for the two weeks. I transferred that to my Emergency Fund. I was worried that I wasn't going to have enough in my gas allowance, but it all worked out.

My son has two soccer games Saturday...about 2 1/2 hours from home! It is a tournament of some sort. Fortunately the first game isn't until 1:00 so we don't have to leave too early! But I had to allow extra food allowance(since we will be gone all day) and gas allowance for the day.

Tomorrow is pay day and I have all of my utilities and payments set up in bill pay already. I am so excited! Everything will be paid on time!

I have two items endingon ebay today. Doubt they will sell..this is the second time I have listed them. Will probably donate them next week. Still have the TV listed. If it doesn't sell, it will be donated as well...sick of it in the middle of the floor! DH doesn't want to just "give it away" but we don't have room to store it!

I had budgeted $150 for the circus last night. I don't have an exact total yet, but we spent less than $100! We even ate at the arena(i was planning on eating on the way to save money, but due to time we weren't able to!) I am very pleased! will take the extra and apply to my daughters cheerleading.

my item on ebay sold for $49.99. I am only about $8 short of the $100 goal for the month. I will try to list some items this afternoon, but I have another big project on my agenda for the day. I do have a tv listed on craigs list, but no one has contacted me about it.

I am going to put the brackets up for the shelves today. Right now everything that was in those cabinets is piles on the counters. The kitchen is a disaster!!! So I want to get that straightened up. Can't live like that for long.

I received my tax refund this today. I made Jan and Feb mortgage payments already today. YEAH!!!

My DH also gave me some money. Since I don't depend on his money, everything he gives me can be put directly into savings most of the time. I split it between household maint, Christmas fund and vacation fund. He also paid for another load of firewood, so we should be set on firewood for the rest of the season and some of next! YEAH!!

I have almost $400 in my various savings accounts. That is the most I have ever had saved! It feels so good! I just keep looking at my balance. Can't stop! Plus, there is $250 sitting in the account that I have paid my sister that she hasn't taken out yet. So on paper, I look like I Have $250 more than I actually do!

We are going to the circus Sat night. they are calling for snow flurries where I live...should make for an interesting drive home as we won't be getting home until late. I have budgeted $150 for the circus. Think I might just take cash with me and when it is gone, it is gone. But I hate the idea of not having any access to any other cash in case of emergency. I could take the debit card, and leave it in the glove box...that way if I get the urge, I have to walk back out to the car. That might work.

I have been getting lots of questions about the item I have listed on ebay. It has 1 more day. Hopefully it will sell. That would put me close to the $100 challenge for the month.

I made my first sale ever on half.com...YEAH!! This brings my ebay total to 35.90(after fees, etc) for the month. Slowly but surely getting there!

I spent 6.00 today at the gas station, but other than that, it was a good day. Worked from home...makes it easier to not spend!

Dish Network came and hooked up the HDTV today. It is awesome! I also rearranged the furniture to accomodate the larger tv. Shouldn't have done that, but I did anyway. I am paying the price now!! Still have some more to adjust, but it looks better and I just couldn't move the sofa any further!

Went to my son's soccer game. They lost. But I always enjoy watching them!!

Well, So far I have already used $40 of my $125 Gas budget since Friday. YIKES! I might make since we don't have any away soccer games next week, but it will be close! I don't have to go to the game on Friday...it is just down the street from my sister's house, so I feel comfortable not attending the game. YEAH! I jumped right on that!(last time I missed a game, my son broke his ankle...it was the one and only game I have ever missed!!!)

I kind of want time to go fast so I can get on with the budget...but i don't want time to fly so that I miss life! Make Sense? I am excited about the budget and the fact that I am finally growing up!

I ate my bagel this morning...back to being good! Just have to be disciplined...I can do it!!

I spent $22 for gas today and $6 on snacks at the convenience store before cheerleading. Need to plan that better, but not sure what to do there. Any ideas??

I have several items on ebay ending tomorrow and don't even have any bids on them! Starting to get frustated! Do I just keep listing items over and over again? Or do I let them sit for a while and list them again later?

My mom tried to force to take a cedar chest today. I don't want it. i am trying to get rid of things. i told her that I didn't think I could use it. She sent back what it was used for and where I could put it!!! I politely told her that I didn't want it but that I would be glad to put it on craigs list if she wanted! I don't know if I offended her since it was my grandmas chest, but I don't want it! So go me for sticking to my guns and not taking the chest!

I sold my first item of the month yesterday. I actually sold two items, making a profit of about $20. I also listed a bunch of movies on half.com. hopefully some of them will sell soon.

I received all of the boxes that I ordered from the the PO too. So shipping is a breeze now.

My mom has paid for my daughter to do cheerleading for almost 2 years now. She also pays for the violin lessons. Each of these is $95/month. I told my mom this morning that I will start paying for the cheerleading each month. I have worked it into my budget and I assured her that if I couldn't do it one month, I would let her know. She seemed a little relieved, but also disappointed. My parents are retired and their income has reduced due to the stock market. So they are stressed each month. However, I think my mom ENJOYS paying for things because she thinks it keeps her involved. Eventually I would like to pay for the violin lessons as well...but baby steps.

I ate out again today. I had a dr appt in Atlanta so I grabbed Chik-Fil-A on the way home. We dont have one of those here. Lately my willpower for eating out has been non-existent. I need to get back on that band wagon!

My appointment went well. I am going to have surgery to remove the endometriosis in April.

I have increased the amount of the automatic deposit into the kids savings accounts to $20 per pay period. Hopefully I wont miss it.

Finally got some items listed on ebay. I really need to spend more time on them, but end up hastily posting them. Maybe I can take a Saturday and get everyting posted. I don't think we have anything going on this weekend.

I made the final payment to one of my medical bills. And another one will be paid off on the 15th. YEAH!

Unfortunately, I think that I will start receiving bills for the CT's I have had done lately. The previous payments will be replaced with new ones! YUCK!

I transferred $40 into my savings account this morning. That is the amount of gas left over from last week's budget. I still think I will be able to two Mortgage payments in february, but not as early as I would have liked.

I made payments on all of my credit cards this month. Still need to get a couple down under the limit, but at least I made payments!

My brakes were more than I estimated. I had guessed $125 and they were $160! YIKES!

I went to the grocery store yesterday. Instead of going to Ingles, I went to the smaller IGA. My reasoning was that although IGA had slightly higher prices, their selection is no where near as great as Ingles.(and I wasn't feeling particularly frugal yesterday)! So I figured I wouldn't be tempted to purchase what we didn't need. I made it through every aisle in 20 minutes and only purchased what we needed. Spent $75. I feel sure that I would have spent at least double that at Ingles.

I didn't get anything posted on ebay yesterday. I am still really sore from the biopsy. Didn't do much of anything. Finally had to tell DH that i was in pain and I couldn't do like I usually do. No clean towels? Wash some! No tea made? Make some! He finally got the hint.

All in all, I think I am looking pretty good for february...as long as those unplanned things don't pop up too often!

I have figured my ebay sales for the month since I am unlikley to sell anything else this month. I failed to get anything listed over the weekend due to Cheerleading competitions and such. So after figuring the fees and all associated costs with the lisitngs, I made a profit of $164!!! YEA! I am hoping to continue this next month, but I am out of big price items to sell so it will have to be done with a bunch of little things, which take more time. I do have a bunch of things on the newly created "ebay table". Anytime I am cleaning and come across something I can list, it gets put on that table. So I am semi-organized in this effort.

I did purchase ink for my printer at home and ordered boxes from the USPS to totally prepare shipments at home instead of having to stand in the PO and wait for them to help me!

So far I have sold $153 on ebay this month. Someone wants to come get the gas logs that I have listed on Craigs list. That will be another $100. I was worried about sticking to the plan for the mortgage, but it looks as if I will be able to handle it with no problem!

I had another one of my baskets sell this morning on ebay. That brings my total for the month to $114. After I sell all of the baskets, it will be hard to meet the challenge, but I am willing to try. I am excited to get rid of stuff that I hadn't thought about listing. Even getting a little bit of money for them is better than none!

I also listed some VHS movies(disney) on half.com.. I was keeping them around thinking they would be nice when I have grandchildren...but it suddenly dawned on me that by the time I have grandkids, no one will have a VHS player any more! Hopefully someone still wants them!

Yesterday was a NSD! It helps when you don't leave the house!