PRICEPLUS's Personal Finance Blog

Well the extra work has helped stabilize things. I will soon be reducing my wife's crdit card debt. She is now cooperating. I should be able to add a sizable amount to her monthly payment. I really have to stay on top of the situation.

Maybe there is some light at the end of the tunnel!

Well I found some extra work and the money has helped greatly. I have reached a point where I don't spend any money for days at a time. I keep after my wife's spending as much as I can. I will get there in the end.....

Well, I am still married and I have stopped the outflow of cash to a great extent. Like a capped oil well I have to get the darn amopunt back to a manageable level. Looks like I will be having no vacation this year. Maybe a few day trips. You have to start cutting out things somewhere.

I am living like a pauper and squirreling away every cent I can. I guess I am becoming obsessed with this stuff.
not mush of a choice though.

Well the wife could not keep up with the journal. I guess it is up to me to bail us out again. I hate walking around like a pauper! I guess I have to do what is necessary!

Okay, the wife and I just went over the budget. It seems that my wife needs 870 dollars per month to feed a family of four. Maybe I am out of touch. I don't know. It seems kind of hight ot me. We have decided to cut out chips, cakes, and cookies for a start. We also will be eliminating take out Chinese altogether.

I am dying here. There has got to be a way to feed four people for less than 870 a month. THe wife put in the budget a vacuous miscellaneous in the budget of 600 dollars. That is 1470 a month. After I went through all the fixed bills we had 1500 a month left over and the wife says that is not enough.

What is worse is that we have no mortgage or car payments. I can see why arguments over money can lead to divorce. I just want to tear my hair out at some point. Damn! I am frustrated.

Well, I am back with my nose to the grindstone. I am going to retire some day and I need a nest egg. I told the wife I refuse to be in debt. If I can't pay cash I am not buying it. We are still arguing over that. I told the wife I will not carry debt on my cards.

Told the wife I will divorce her from my finances, (Her finances totally separate from mine), if she does not get with the program. I am not going to commit financial suicide. Tough love has got to prevail here. I can see why money problems can lead to divorce! Whew! Folks get testy when it comes to money. I could not print, on this site, much of the arguments I had with the wife. THe good part is we are still communicating and that is something!

Wish me luck. I'll need it!

The wife and I sat down and had a long heart to heart. We are going to sit down again and devise a budget to get out from under again! I really think she has a serious problem with all this spending. I have read that some people are addicted to shopping. It would seem my wife is addicted to shopping. I am going to have to keep a closer eye on her spending and get those cards away from her!

In the mean time I have to be especially frugal. As disheartened as I am I've decided if this situation is going to getr fixed I have to do it!

Tonight I found out the wife ran up 10 thou in new credit card bills. It gets very hard to keep at this saving thing when stuff like this happens. You think you are free and you get dragged back in to the morass. What is the point? You struggle against it and you find yourself back where you started.

I am too tired to argue tonight. What would be the point. I am so disgusted. I have a lot of mixed feelings about what has happened. I guess the lack of honesty is what hurts the most. So it is back to the drawing board. Maybe this time around things will be sorted out but I am not hopeful as I have been down this road before. Going fronm a feeling of freedom back to this crap is extremely disheartening. What the hell is the point now of no spend days. I feel like a total jerk. Damn.

Well, I have paid most of the bills and I have money left over. WOOO!!!! HOOOOOO!!!!

I got a free theatre ticket and a free meal on Sunday. My sister had extra tickets for an event and I got a freebie!

I got through the weekend without spending a penny. YESSS!!!

Someone who owed me money came across with it and 100 went in the bank today! Yessss!
I spent nary a penny today and no bills came in the mail. The CC's are at zero again. What a difference a day makes!

Why is it that bills come out of nowhere at the most inoppurtune time. Arrrggggghhhh!

Well at least I did not spend money on myself!

My daughter is off for the Easter Holiday from school. Skiing lessons were requested and we said okay. There goes my discretionary spending money for a long while. We paid 175 for a 1 hour long private lesson and a 1 hour 45 minute group lesson. I guess it is cheaper than going away for vacation.

I broke down and went to Dunkin Donuts but I skipped the major food temptations that were really pricey.

My wife's car battery went and I also had to get an inspection for the car. There goes some of my emergency money.

Well, heres a hope that next week will be better. I hope I am not getting too obsessed with saving money.

I recieved 100 worth of stamps for 89 dollars today. I love it when sound advice from this site saves me money.
I really love this place as it keeps giving me info on how to save money. It all adds up over time and I amm just loving it!

I am saying NO! to credit card use! I am saying NO! to needless shopping! I have had a couple of no spending days in a row now and I am ecstatic.

I messed up the checking account. I forgot to write in two automatic payments and I have a transcription error.
DAMN IT! Balancing the check book is sometimes a journey to adventure. I have to make a point of being far more meticulous.

I had to go to an out of network doctor this week. There goes the budget this month! I will get back 80% but only of the usual and customary fee. I have not had to spend any money out of budget except for the medical expense.

Wait! That is not entirely accurate!

I have the relatives coming over for Easter so the food bill is over budget this week and probably for the month as a whole. Guess we'll have to make it back elsewhere.

I am still struggling with "needs" versus "wants". I guess I'll just have to keep hitting it.

St.Patrick's day and I have to celebrate. Spent some money on a few specialty items. ($32.00)

THe cabbage for today was very inexpensive at 7 cents a pound. My wife picked up the corned beef so I don't have a take on what she spent yet. I believe it was 2 dollars and change per pound I'll get the totals later.

I have been pretty good about not spending any money on most days. Things are looking up finance wise. I am so glad I'm not on the hook with the credit card companies any more. I'm going tp get my emergency fund built up as quickly as I can.

I have to fill up the car soon and I hope the rising gas prices don't damage my budget too badly. Well. I am going to keep at it and hope that it all works out.

I treated myself to coffee and two donuts. ($2.79 at Dunkin Donuts).

I have not spent any money this week aside from paying fixed expenses in the budget. I think I am going to treat myself to a coffee and donut tomorrow.

I did not spend a nickel today. THe snow was mush and mud so we went for a long walk. We had a great time and the best thing was that it was without spending money.

Well it is a sunny Saturday. Time to go out to a local park with the family. It does not cost a thing to enjoy the snow. Then it will be home for some hot chocolate and a killer game of Scrabble or Monopoly.

I think back to when I was a kid and how I had fun most of the day. I did not have two nickels to rub together as a youngster but life was wonderful. Maybe the best things in life really are free. You don't have to spend money to have a wonderful time!

Tomorrow will be a no spend day just like today!

Definitely a no spend day. I will not spend today!

An update....I still have not spent money today!

I love days when I just get junk mail. Got a bunch of catalogues today. It sure was fun looking through them and then putting them in the recycling bin. I have come to realize that wanting is oft times more pleasing a thing than having. Don't know why that is but that is the way it is for me.

I did go to a book store this evening. It was one of those old bookstores with piles of books all over the place. I bought a book and spent money I had not planned on spending. Books are my weakness. I know I should have gone to the library to see if they had the book but I gave in to my addiction to old books. I guess it could hav e been worse as my friend had to hurry home for dinner. I am dangerous around bookstores! I am sure I would have spent more money if I had the chance. I guess maybe I should spend more time at the library. $27 for the book was extravagant on my part.

I guess catalogues don't put the actual item in your hand like a store does. I have looked at books in catalogues and on-line but I am never tempted to buy as I am when in a book store. I need to stay out of bookstores until a need to enter one comes up.

Well, tomorrow is another day to save!

Well I ended up spending 17.20 on a FEDEX package that had to arrive somewhere ASAP. Tomorrow is another day and hopefully I can spend nary a penny. It always seems that some little expense comes up. Maybe the small expenses are what gather up to zap you in the end. Keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Well the twenty in my wallet went as well as thirteen dollars more as the wife and I went out to dinner. THe good news is that my ING account is now officially open. I also had to put out the money for 4 masonite doors for the upstairs rooms. So much for zeroing out my credit card. Well tomorrow is another day.

Spent no money this weekend. Used the library. Listened to music. Went for walks. Still have not broken the twenty in my wallet.

Well, this is my first journal entry. Today is a "no-spend" day. I just got off the phone with the credit card company. I got them to lower my rate from 7.9% to 6.9% for 6 months. I don't have a balance on the card and they need me more than I need them. This is the first time I stood up for myself with those folks. It felt very empowering to have them do something I wanted rather than the reverse.

I am going to stop watching the TV in the evening. I am just so tired of all the ads telling me what I need. I am not a "consumer"! I am a person. I think a walk will be fun. I then intend to put some music on and read a book(free from the library).

It is a great feeling to finally be in charge of my financial life!