Just got two free theatre tickets yesterday along with a free meal! It will be a big treat to get out and enjoy life a bit while on this austerity budget. Yessss!

Just got my credit report and my FICO score from Equifax. No blemishes on my credit and all the info appears accurate. I scored an 803 on my FICO and my credit was rated excellent. Oh for the day when all debts are paid and I pay cash. Then I won't be at the mercy of creditors! Until then my FICO and credit report must be watched so as to keep interest as low as possible!

I am as happy as a pig in slop!

Well, my wife is working with me on the debt reduction. Heck, she has even started clipping coupons! We have a plan to get rid of debt and it seems to be working. I have kept my personal purchases to almost nil.

I may have some extra work after the new year and that extra money will come in handy if everything pans out. I shall keep my fingers crossed. No major financial disasters are on the horizon. Everyone here knows that things come over the horizon so very quickly at times.

We have cut 75 to 100 dollars fronm the grocery bill. One of the things we are looking at is eliminating soda purchases. That could save us quite a bit of money, We will switch to water with a little lemon in it. We'll see how it works out.

So I hope to be in financial heaven by the end of 2007.

Well, I have got a grip on the bills. DW's CC bill should be paid off in 19 months. We are having someone in to fix our roof and we have the money for the repair. I keep socking away every penny that I can. I have many no-spend days now!

THe bills are being paid and everything is up to date. The autopilot is on and the hope is for clear financial weather! Can another disaster be on the way? Hopefully the fates will be kind!

The good new is that the water damage to my ceiling and insulation is covered. Without a hole in the roof though personal property is not covered. We determined that our gutters were installed incorrectly and we reached an out of court deal for 1400 with the gutter company. DW birthday and a wedding sent the budget out of kilter. DD birthday is coming up. Christmas is coming. Sigh!

I am really not spending much money on myself and most days are no spend days! The wife and I are still struggling with our seperate ideas about spending but we are still talking. I suppose as long as we are talking things have a chance at getting better.

Well, as many of you have seen on the news the northeast has recieved a great deal of rain. Guess who has water damage in the upstairs bedroom? Yes. That is right! It is me. Now I have to replace my bed, the carpeting, the ceiling, etc....etc...etc....

I have to file a claim on my homeowners. Either the people who did the roof or the gutters last year are to blame. Now the the only issue to be settled is one of blame. I can't get angry any more. You have to laugh when this stuff happens. What else can you do?

I have been fairly good and the wife and I have been shopping together. So far we have cut about 50 dollars out. It may not be much but it is a start!

The DW was very unhappy with my shopping excursion. I am not going to get into it. Suffice to say we will jointly go shopping! Arrrrggghhhhhhh!!!! It is at times like this the life of a hermit seems appealing. Well, then off we go together. Hopefully it works out. I am not in charge, per se, of the grocery shopping. Do I go to the mats on this one? No, I'll go with the DW and maybe we can work it out.

I guess the old saying is true:" If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans for tomorrow".

Well, as has been noted in this journal, I have been after my wife to try and reduce the food expenses. MY wife and I had a terrible argument and finally I was told to shop and cook if I thought I could do it better. I am, starting October 2nd, in charge of menus, food shopping, and cooking. I suppose I have to put up or shut up!

My first act as head honcho in this department will be to cut out all the darn cakes and chips! Big savings there.
I will also cut out the purchase of prepared foods as much as possible. My first goal is to get the spending down from 800+ to 600 a month for a family of four. Many here have said I can do better and I hope to do so. The budget includes toiletries and other sundry items. I intend to use the 200 dollar savings towards my wifes CC bill.

I would greatly appreciate any helpful hints or advice and I certainly will be using the tips already posted.

Wish me luck!

I sealed and patched the driveway. I need to do a little touchup though. Installed a new door bell for the front and back doors. This week I'll be sanding and painting the metal rails on the front steps.(Hopefully). For less than a hundred dollars I have completed some projects around the house. I saved quite a bit by doing the work myself.

Thank God it is friday! There were no large bills this week except the 52.50 to fill the gas tank! I keep repeating the little mantra in my head, "don't spend, don't spend"! There are so many goodies I want to buy but I can't! SIGH!

Free dinner and a show tomorrow. My friend and his GF recieved a certificate for four dinners and tickets to a local theatre. Not a bad week at all.

This is a no spend weekend. I will be staying home and taking a few tapes out of the library. I was bad on Friday I spent 5 dollars on the Mega Lottery. The prize was 250 million. I know I have a better chance of getting struck by lightning while being attacked by sharks but I just had to buy tickets. The weekend is my make amends time.

Wife took her mom and the DD to the mall. AARRRghhhhhhhh! I have the credit cards but I still cringe. No major bills have come in so far. Well back to the grindstone. No extra work this weekend.

Well the extra work paid off. I have put the bulk of it in the emergency fund. I sent the first payment in on my DW's credit card debt. I now have a six month emergency fund and all of my cards paid off. I hope my health holds out as I am getting very tired. I have set the payments for 24 months. I'll put extra on it when I get more extra work!

I built the emergency fund for my peace of mind. Now when something comes up my budget won't be screwed up.

I know everyone says pay off all your debt first but I get sick if no money is saved.

Payments of 712.00 for 24 months + whatever extra I can get my hands on. That wil pay off DW's CC debt.

I am going to treat myself when everything is paid off. I'll save for it though!

I still have my checkbook balanced and there have been no late payments. I spent 115 for my mothers birthday. I did not spend a cent on myself. My sister bought me a 5 dollars worth of lottery tickets. With the way my luck runs I wish she had just given me the darn 5 dollars.

I really am sick of not being able to buy what I want. Damn credit card debt. It is just so frustrating to watch money I could be earning interest on going to the CC company! I shall, however, keep pushing forward. I should be where I need to be in about 22 months if all goes according to plan. I hope I get there!

Well there was the expense of school supplies. Who knew that a graphing calculator would be so much. My wife went shopping and the school supplies and some clothes came to 175.00 dollars. My daughter needs new glasses and that will cost me. I don't know how much yet.

I just bought driveway sealer and will be doing the job myself. I used the less expensive sealer last time and it did not hold up. The cost for the sealer, crack filler, spreader, and de-greaser came to about 70 dollars. Some fella did our driveway a couple of years ago for 125.00. I was not home when the DW made the deal. What a rip off though. The stuff put down was so thin! Geez!

My sister dropped off a ton of left overs from a party she had. We froze a goodly amount and left some out for the week. I think we have 4 or 5 days worth of dinners. Leftovers are found money as far as I am concerned! I am not proud.

I really have spent no money on myself since the last entry. I am trying to have as many no-spend days as possible. One of my other sisters gave me a bunch of free rental coupons for Blockbuster. I am hoping to supplement our viewing choices which come from the library.

Well I keep keeping on!

I thought I had problems until I watched the Katrina victims in New Orleans and along the Gulf coast. I see now that what I have are really concerns. Losing everything and possibly loved ones is a problem.

I have a new perspective about my situation. In any case I now physically possess my DW's credit cards. I shall, with a little help from her, pay them off. I am physically exhausted as well as mentally by efforts to remedy my situation. The total damage was far more than I had first suspected. I told DW to spend only cash for things from now on. If we need to charge something, God forbid, it will be on my card.

We are discussing things a bit more after the initial arguments, Whew! The arguments got pretty intense! I filled up the car before the price changed. We are cutting down on any unnecessary trips.

Hopefully, my wife will learn to curtail spending when she physically must pay with actual money. We shall be sending a donation for the Katrina victims to the Salvation Army. (1-800-SAL-ARMY).

I may have concerns but I truly don't have problems. I have a new perspective!

Well I keep saving and I keep paying down debt. I'd really like to go and buy a few things I want but I realize I don't need. Everyone but me is down with a cold. I went out and bought Progresso Chicken soup on sale for 1.25 a can.( You had to buy four). Wife and daughter love the soup.

I did go for a coffee and bagel today and bought for my two friends. The bill came to 11 and change. I felt a little better spending a bit. Hell, it felt wonderful to treat myself! That was all the money I spent today. My cards are at 0 and remain so. My wife's cards are being worked on. We have cut the grocery bill by about 75 dollars. I think we can cut more but the wife and I need to sit down and talk about how.

We are going to look for a new Insurance company for our cars and home owners insurance. I believe we can save a couple of hundred dollars if we pursue it. I am really beat mentally by the debt cycle. I just want to be out from under!

What an interesting week. I went to a book signing in Manhattan. Free eats and drinks! No, I did not buy the book. Met some interesting people. I split the tolls, gas and parking with two others so everything came out to just about 20 dollars.

I made 100 dollars from my hobby. I had never thought to make money this way until it was brought up here. The money will go into savings as will the coins from the sort and save bank,,,35.50.

Filling up the gas tank was 43.75. Ouch! LIfe Insurance 90.00. I bought a California rolls and two bottles of seltzer for 6.03. (Large bottles). That has been it for spending. I really have curtailed the day to day spending. Oh! I bought 1/2 gallons of milk for 1.29 a piece. A pretty good price for around here!

Still wrestling with my wife's debts. Headway coming soon I hope. Well, hope springs eternal!

I only spent 1.50 for a cup of coffee today. Went to mom's house and had dinner. I ran some errands after work and got rewarded with good home cooking! No bills came in the mail today. Thank God! Don't now how much longer the extra work will hold out. Well I'll keep doing it until I can't physically or the work is not there. I freed up a few more dollars to pay down my wife's CC bills. I'm just gonna keep hitting it!

Took a walk with the family yesterday. We ate at home and played a board game in the evening. Best of all I spent no money. I have also switched to drinking water instead of soda. Water is better for me and I'll save money. Use it up! Wear it out! Make Due! Do without! I shall become debt free.

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!