Vacation's All I ever Wanted

We are back from vacation. I hoped to blog during vacation but we were visiting family and it was hard to get on the computer. I was online about three times in two weeks. That time was spent checking our bank account. It was a nice time. I was ready to come home midway though. At some point you realize that you are turning into your parents. Mine were real home bodies, my dad especially. I just wanted to come home. We also were low on funds which makes vacation especially stressful.
Toward the end of vacation we were paid again and I was so excited I went back to my old spending habits - just spending without really thinking about it.
Now, back home we are struggling again! I wish I could start over with no debt and at ground zero to build it all up again. I know I would be so much smarter. Perspective.
Well, I am still trying to figure out how to make extra money since I sold everything that I was wanting to get rid of this summer. Now that the school year is starting I should have some opportunities with workshops or such but maybe not. I am going back to my old job and there might not be as many opportunities for extra income there. I am trying to think outside the box with my extra income here but I am at a loss. I wish Ramit could climb into my head and straighten me out.

So Woe is Me being a drama queen!

We got home yesterday and husband looks in bank account. He freaks out that we are not going to have enough money for our trip. We start having panic attacks and worrying.
We then sit down, go through (each of us holding a calculator to make sure we are correct) every payment and bill. Turns out we are fine. We had to change an auto bill pay for our return but other than that we are fine.
We are so used to freaking out about money. It seems like we are not used to being calm about money.
I am in a big rush now, trip starts on Saturday and I still have to clean, pack and get car cleaned.
Rush Rush Rush!

More Financial Woes

Woe is me. We are in it again. I will talk more about it tomorrow. I Zumba'd my a** off and I can barely keep my eyes open.
Sigh

Passing on GOOD $EN$E

I took daughter to the bank yesterday. They have a new saving program for children where they get pretend bucks for every deposit. After a certain amount of bucks they get to cash in for prizes. They get a new piggy bank and newsletters come in the mail for them. They also get a balance booklet.
I am really excited because I want to teach daughter how to balance a checkbook and how to be responsible with finances. She is three and I think it is important for her to know the value of money.
She was thrilled. The lady asked me how she could help me and daughter (who is the most brilliant child in the world, if I have not mentioned this before) steps in front of me and says "Hi, I would like to open a Kirby Kangaroo account please." The whole bank goes "aaaaaawwwwww." It was precious.
I am going to have to go soon tonight I went to sister's house and she just got the new zumba. OH BOY, did I shake it and I may have even broken it. I am exhausted!

Almost There

Vacation is a week away. This week my friends have all invited me somewhere. I am going to breakfast on Wednesday, pedicure on Thursday and I still need to ready the car and start packing.
All of these outings are great but cost money. Thankfully we have a few extra bucks from the garage sale or I would feel really guilty about going. I hope that we don't go crazy on spending this vacation. I hope that the autopay system is helpful and not hurtful.

In the hopes of finding something outside of selling all my stuff I found a website that I am trying to join to write prayers. I thought my first prayers were great and I hope that they enjoy them. I enjoy writing. I never thought of doing it for money. I think that is one of the great things that the book I Will Teach You To Be Rich is doing for me. I feel like it is pushing me to do more than I thought possible, to expand myself in ways I never thought I could. If I get the assignment, great, if not, I enjoyed the writing and will keep looking for places to do it.
Nice huh?

Money Frustrations - As USUAL

When you suck at money and don't make a ton of it - it really blows!
I know I am trying to dig us out of a financial hole that we dug ourselves in and it is only going to happen one day at a time, but it is so frustrating! I have been on a no interest program for teachers for the past year paying only towards my principle loan that I took out for my Masters program. I am behind by one payment and I was not able to keep my status and therefore am going to be cut off the program. Grrrr....I know it is my fault for being behind but whine whine whine. I will stop now.
I am running out of ideas on how to earn more money. I am not yet at $100 for July and I hope that I will get there. Maybe tomorrow I will wake up with brilliance and ideas!
I am off to bed to dream of millions!

Garage Sale-ing

Was waffling yesterday about whether or not we would have enough stuff to make a decent garage sale. Pulled out more stuff from who knows where to sell and actually had a good deal of it. I checked for tips from garagesalequeen.com and got started pricing, labeling and sorting things. Our computer ran out of ink last night at about ten so husband and I were handmaking signs and consequently high on permanent marker.
Got up bright and early this a.m. and placed my signs about the neighborhood. I sold for a couple of hours then it was off to ballet to take daughter to her class. Husband manned the garage sale while we went. Daughter was so cute, she asked if I was outside "sale-ing."
We got a few people. We got a few drive-by's. Great thing was that the people who did stop all purchased something. I guess I priced things better than last year because last year I had so little sales it was sad.
So I made $44.75 today and then immediately took the left over stuff to Goodwill so it would not sit in the garage for another year.
Well, I am exhausted now and off to bed with a good book.

I am now reading I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak. He is such a great writer. I love the way he expresses things.