PRICEPLUS's Personal Finance Blog

I am getting better at stringing no spend days together. I guess practice makes perfect. Not even close in my case but hey I am trying!

Well, I am now officially back. The news though is not so wonderful. The wife and I are fighting over money again.

My DDs room needed to done over but my wife goes crazy with the spending. All new furniture as well as carpeting. THe furniture is from IKEA. The wife has alreay hired a painter.

I don't begrudge my daughter a thing but this is nuts while I am paying off the DWs debt that now exists. Wife says she has the money but I am doubtful. She is now also talking about taking her mom on a cruise as a birthday gift. Her mom is 85 so I don't begrudge her as she may not be here much longer.

The problem is all this happening at the same time. I fear my wife is again spending money behind my back. I slso had a test this week to see if I am diabetic. That is all I need.

Life is otherwise hunky dorey!

It is an interesting life I lead! Sheesh!

Well, I walked the boards. I sat on the beach one or two days. I cycled on the boards. It was sorta relaxing.

I am now back to the grind as it were. I am going to take life one day at a time and not get myself crazy.

The next payment on my wife's CC will take me past the half way mark in terms of repayment. (Doing the happy dance!)
10 more payments left. So May of next year will see me clear of this debt.

I apologize for not posting sooner. Things just get crazy sometimes between home and work obligations.

I am glad I went away on vacation. I soent money I did not want to spend but all work and no play is not conducive to good health.

The gas prices were 3.02 a gallon for the week. Bad as that was it is worse now!Oh well!

Thank you all for your words of encouragement and advice. I am back and will make a point of posting regularly!

Well I added some more money and I am now up to 200 dollars. I am not as far along as I would like to be but something is better than nothing!

There is a leak in the upstairs bathroom shower. Now I have to find it. So the upstairs bathroom save for the toilet and sink is out of commission.

I just finished fixing the upstairs toilet! The darn problems never end! Hopefully the issue is something I can resolve myself without spending too much money.

Well, I have paid off some unexpected bills and the work is drying up for a while. It seems I never get to spend as much time here as I would like.

The bills are coming down slowly but surely. I have not had to touch the emergency fund though. I am going to wait for a life and death emergency financial wise!

I like the old line from "I Remember Mama". "We do not have to go to the bank!" It has become a mantra for me. I hate to spend the money saved in the bank.

I am so tired of being in debt and it seems to take so long to get out! Sometimes it seems as if I will never get there. I dream of the day when there is no debt whatsoever.

The wife and I are getting along but we still haggle over money. I have not told my wife about the emergency fund that has been set aside. I love my wife but at times I just don't feel very close. It is a rather odd feeling to have as we go through our 18th year of marriage. Maybe it is just a middle age thing that will pass. I sure hope that is the case.

I am just bone tired at this point from the work and the scrimping. I am just plain old tired with everything. Sometimes I wonder what the point of it all will be?

I managed to put aside money for a weeks vacation at the Jersey Shore. Nothing fancy but I need to get away. I think I'll lose it if I don't just get away for a while.

Maybe there should be a feeling of guilt for taking a vacation while in debt. Well guilt is the last thing being felt right now. I am too damned tired to care!

I am too damn tired period!

Well, that is my update and I hope to find some time to spend reading the other blogs here! Hope you are all doing well!

Wow! I have not posted here in so long. Still scrimping. Still trying to save two nickels to rub together.

Most days are no spend days. I broke down today and treated myself to a Latte and a fudge brownie at Starbucks. Let's face it a little cheating is necessary so as to prevent a HUGE blowout of spending.

The Wife's credit card bill is now below 10 thousand. I can see the glimmer of daylight way off in the distance. Life seems so funny at times though. I often think back to life as a kid when the biggest decision was what flavor ice pop I wanted. Oh for those care free days.

So I am doing the best that I can with what I have got. I am trying to enjoy life as that is the most important thing.

Nothing new to report. I just keep hitting it until I reach the goal. God willing that will be sometime next year.

Wishing you all the best!

PRICEPLUS
Paul

Well I have a new road bike courtesy of my brother. He bought it for me as a gift. This came out of nowhere since I had tried but failed many times to put money aside for just this item.

I am happy, happy, very happy!!!!

Sometimes things just come out of the blue!

I added 20 dollars more today. I am up to 140 dollars. Not fantatic and not as good as most here but it is more than I had before!

Well, the car is making funny noises! Sigh! Oh well.

I have strung 6 no spend days together.
My next payment takes DW card debt below 10 thou. Keep plugging away. My car Insurance was reduced and I paid till the end of the year. One less thing to worry about.

I am trying to cut more spending as extra work has dried up a bit. I just keep om keeping on!

I took a haircut for approximately 1500 so far in the market during the last two weeks. I am in it for the long run though. Nutual funds and ETF index funds.
Gotta hope everything works out.

The Emergency Fund is up to 10 thousand. Now I can sleep at night and not get crazy. If sonmething comes up I'll use it. I continue to add 100 dollars a month to it.

Gas is getting crazy. I don't drive now unless I absoluely haave to do so! 3.19 a gallon is insane! Well what can you do.

I am not spending anything on most days. I hearken back to when I was a kid and had great fun without anything but lint in my pockets.

Nothing terrible has happened yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Well some extra work came through and just at the right time. I have replenished a somewhat depleted Emergency Fund.

The bills are being paid on time and nothing outrageous seems to be on the horizon. Many here know from painful experience that just when things seem to be going gang busters life gives you a smack on the nose. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

The wife's credit card payments are coming along. My next payment will take me under the 10,000 mark. I can't wait to be out from under.

I really was good this week and I spent no money. I don't know about next week because the car needs some repairs.

The grass seed I put down came up in a couple of spots. At least I have more grass than I did when I started. It is raining here and so some of the projects I have are on hold. What can you do.

My DW is still clipping coupons God love her. We are saving between 40 and 50 a month according to my wife. WOOO!!! HOOO!!!

As for now things are on an even keel. I hope they stay that way!

This is Happy Mothers Day wish for all the mommies here. Without Mothers the world would cease to work. My hats off to my Mom, my wife who is a great Mom, and all you Moms out there who make life and all good things possible.

May you have a joyous and wonderous Mothers Day! You all deserve it!

Well I pulled all the deck furniture out. I spary painted the set where there was wear and I took out the cushions to air. Tomorrow I'll wash the set and put it up correctly. The set is getting old but I told the wife that until it falls apart I woud like to continue keeping it in use.

The set is the old style where you put the cushions on them. (This is opposed to the new stle where there is a mesh type arrangement.)

We have some old plastic chairs and I told the wife I will wash them and then try Armor All on them. I tried it on one chair and it makes the chair look nicer. I don't want to put out money for new chairs if these are just an aesthetic issue.

I have a few old Redwood pieces that are kind of beat up. We take them out when we have a larger group. I am going to sand and stain them. I did this 7 or 8 years ago. They came out looking good too. I still have the cushions and they are in good shape.

We sealed the deck last year so I will give it another two years until I re-do it again. The boards seem to be in good shape as are the verticals. The deck is 15 years old and made of cedar. I am hoping to get a Trek deck if I can save up the money. Until then it is upkeep which keeps the deck going.

I will be sealing my driveway and walk this year. I used filler and sealer last year. This year I am just sealing. I'll be doing it myself.

I went to Sears and got a new filter for my shop vac. I will be detailing the cars myself.

I have to paint the railing in front of the house this week too! Oh brother!
I hope it turns out okay.

The wife is busily compiling more items for the honey-do list. I just hope I can complete all the items without spending much money!

Well that is all for now.

20.97 for sinus meds and solution.
38.49 for office supplies.
10.00 co-pay at doctors office.

So much for not breaking a twenty!

How I feel about debt!

I have app. 14 payments until the debt is paid off. Thee wife has been good and has not incurred any new debt and has not opened up any new cards!

She has stopped going crazy with the debit card. I hope I am not missing something.

I am still hiding money from her. May with weddings and other events promises to be an expensive month for gifts. Sometimes I wish I bever recieved invitations.

Mu motto is now no credit card debt and I'll be in heaven, sometime in mid 2007!
Alright I know I am a bad poet!

Well, I may have the beginnings of a ventral hernia in my abdominal wall. I go for the sonargram next week. In the meantime I cannot lift anything heavy.

Well, there goes some of my extra work. I guess I should count myself lucky it could always be a lot worse. At least I have insurance and the means to get medical help.

The loss of extra work will crimp my style a bit. I'll have to look for something a little less strenuous for the time being. I hope I find some.

On the disaster scale I would have to say this is kinda low. Then again I have to wait and see what the doctor says.

Back to the grindstone!

I spent no money today. I did not even think about it until I got home and realized it. I guess there will be another 20 dollars in saving this week. I guess I could kep the same 20 in my pocket for the week after as well. There sure is a lot of guessing going on!

Only one bill today and that was for a deductible on my insurance. $19.41.

I seeded the lawn or at least the worst spot on it. I have closed it off with stakes and string. Maybe I'll get some grass. Did it myself to save money.

Setting up a new budget. It will make my life a little tougher but it will get me out of debt sooner!

My sister invited us all over for dinner. Free eats is okay with me. We reciprocate. Lunch was brought form home and the oatmeal for breakfast was filing. I spent no money today. Repeat. I spent no money today. My twenty for the week is still unbroken.

Whatever is left over for the week will go into the 20 dollar challenge fund!

I want to be out of debt but what happens when I am? Did you ever want something so bad and when you got it you sort of had a let down afterwards?

When and where do you draw the line between saving and miserliness? When do you spend to enjoy if at all?

Am I missing life now because of this saving thing? Maybe I'm doing the right/wrong thing with my money?

Where do I want to go and where do I want to be with my finances and how do I get there? I guess these are questions we all ask ourselves. Just musing!

I must be losing it. I snuck into my wifes purse the other night while she was sleeping and checked for any new credit cards. Thankfully there were none.

I check the mail as often as I can and throw out any card offers made to her. I also monitor the mail to see if any odd looking bills or cards come.

I know it sounds crazy but spending is every bit a sickness as alcoholism or gambling or drug addiction. I just need to know that I am not getting blind sided.

I made some extra money but I am thoroughly exhausted. I cannot lose my health for money no matter what. I have to ratchet it back a bit for a while.
I like the extra money but the time spent getting it is wearing me out.
My wife knows nothing of the extra monsy and I am not going to tell her about it. I can see daylight up ahead. I hope I reach it and am debt free.

I am paying the basic bills and am not spending on anything else. Hopefully things work out in the end. Back to the grindstone!

We had a 21 lb turkey which cost us 12 dollars. Well, we fed 11 people with the turkey at dinner. We sent care packages home with several of our guests.

I have enough turkey here for three to four more meals. We used the turkey carcass to make turkey soup. All in all I am very pleased with the value of this particular turkey. I know it is no biggy but I like the midset of frugality and good value this turkey has manifested.

My wife sent me to her pocket book for stamps and I found several credit cards in there. Most are store cards but here were 3 bank CC's. I have to check to make sure she is not going behind my back with the spending again. I feel really terrible about that but I think it is necessary.

Hopefully they have no serious amounts if any associated with them.

My DD takes viola in school. Today I had to get a new A string put on. It cost me a few dollars. The rental company would have replaced it free but there is the matter of tolls and gas traveling into the next county to get the free string.

I bought my DD a battery operated metronome. It is a new elctronic type and the first thing my DD says is that she wants the old one with the swinging arm. No thank you's just a complaint.
26 dollars for the device. Still have to go get the 9V battery.

Truth be told I would spend my last nickle on my DD. She is frugal with money. She really does not ask for much.

We are having relatives over for the Easter Holiday. I talked the DW into having less snack type stuff before dinner. I figure we'll save money and not ruin peoples appetites. We got a 21 lb Turkey for twelve dollars using a points promo at the local grocery.

I am going to veg out and not think about things financial this weekend. I am just going to sit back and enjpy the holiday. My DD will be playing th piano Sunday for the family. I guess the greatest wealth in the world is family and my daughter makes me feel very wealthy indeed.

Happy Holidays to everyone and God Bless!

Well, the bills continue to be paid. I took the bicycle out for a ride today and boy am I out of shape. I have to figure out a way to carry things on the bike to use for errands.

I still have my twenty in my pocket for the week. I have started to drink more water as a way to cut down on milk and juice consumption.

The wife and I are not arguing the last day or two. Maybe we are making headway. I will keep my fingers crossed. The darn allergy season has me feeling pretty bad though. I hate allergies. Oh well!

Still onthe lookout for extra work. Hopefully something else pans out.

This has not turned out the way I hoped it would but I am now up to 120.

Well, I made a couple of extra bucks and I have not told the wife about it. It makes more sense to save and not let her know about it. I tried the open path and it sure backfired.

We have tried the counseling but it usually degenerates into screaming matches. Enough is enough. I don't care to live in a hovel when I get older so it is up to me to save. I will divorce my finances from my wifes finances if that is necessary. I thought about it before but it is fast becoming a viable option. I intend to consult a lawyer to see how one goes about doing that.

I have the emergency fund up to 5000 again. I have 14 payments to go on my wifes CC debt. I threw some extra money at it last payment.

I printed out info on Debit cards and explained to my wife the dangers of using overdraft protection at 21%. I hope she keeps better control of her checking account. In any case she does not have a credit card and the overdraft is limited to 5000. Crazy stuff this!

Now the wife wants to redo the upstairs and finish the basement. Money grows on trees right? I tried to expalin to the wife that I don't want to incur any more debt as I pay off her last spending spree. I could see where the discussion was going in 30 seconds. I have no money to give until the CC is paid off.

Oddly enough she is still clipping coupons for the grocery store. Talk about about irony. I got my bicycle fixed to use for short trips around town and save wear and tear on the car. It is also good for my health barring getting hit by a car!

I'd like to thank all the folks who have been so kind and free with good advice.
Now it is back to the grindstone and make it happen!

I am totally burned. Some extra work came up but so did some unexpected bills. I don't spend any money on most days.

The bills are being paid and sometime by April/May of next year I'll be out of debt completely, God willing.

The wife ran up a 794 dollar overdraft on her debit card. Sometimes I can understand why some things can make a fella cry. I had to explain to my wife that 21.9% was an obscene amount of interest for her overdrafts. I don't understand this sickness of spending. Truly, I don't. I can really see why it is the number one cause of marital break ups.

In any case I keep plugging away at it. I hate the debt. I hate the constant scrimping and doing without while the wife is oblivious. Why clip coupons if you are running up overdraft bills. My wife even insisted I get her a new credit card. Maybe I will be leaving home in the near future. I am just so tired of this nonsense.

Gosh, I am so tired of this.

Well now I have 60 dollars. I thought I would be doing better but something is better than nothing.

I am still hitting those no-money days. I keep the twenty in my pocket and try not to spend it. It appears to be working. I am steadily paying down the bills and I am still keeping up with them.

My DW is still using coupons and she was pleased at punch that she got a large bag of chips for only a quarter. I have to say that she has been good up to this point with the money issues.

My health is still preventing me from working as much as I would like. That sort of puts me in a tighter spot than I wanted to be. What can you do? Things happen.

Less is more! That is my new credo. Hell, it has to be!