Hubby's b-day

Some times I think I need to officially move the hubby's birthday to a different month.

Here we go again, hubby's b-day/Valentines day is upon us and it is right at the time that we have the least amount of funds. It happens every year, it's sad really, I can't remember the last time I got him something other than Reeses for his birthday. Not that we really do birthdays around here and thankfully he really does like Reeses but I was hoping I would be able to do a bit more this year. After all he gave me a big scare last year and I would like to celebrate that he has made it to another birthday. I just can't think what to do this year with the limited funds and he AIN'T gettin NO Reeses! When I say limited I mean I got $10 stashed away, I did have $30 but car inspection ate up most of it.

Am I complaining? Maybe a little bit but mostly I'm just trying to rack my brain into coming up with something cheap and brilliant. Do those two words ever go together? LOL! I'm thinking about what kind of man he is and the answer might be... no.

And I swear if he comes home saying he needs an oil change... well then, I will just have to trash the whole idea.

Suggestions are welcomed!

 

Spending less from less

I know it has been a long time since I have posted. It has been a slightly stressful year. I am once again trying to figure out how to save some money out of not much money. I think I go through this every year about this time when review the years finances and realize you are barely getting by with your bills paid. I do miss the days when spending an extra 60 - 100 a week on whatever without much thought to how it was effecting the bank book. Those days are gone. The trucking business is not what it used to be, the loads are cheap and getting harder to get with lots of over the road drivers turning to local work. 10 loads to 60 drivers is getting ridiculous but it is the career my hubby has and knows like the back of his hand. With just 7 yrs left before retirement it looks like we are just going to have to adjust more than we already have over the last few years. I just don't know how. I have watched our yearly income drop from 45 to 26 with help from family and yes even some from the government. I feel frustrated and overwhelmed at times. I used to know how to live on 800 a month, but that was no phone, computer, tv and not going anywhere except to dr appointments, those were horrible times and impossible now. So I have spent the evening looking for anything that will help me cut expenses. Blogs about not buying anything for a year has been my focus this year. I have to admit there are some things I have purchased this past year that I could have gone without. I'm looking right at the packages that come in the mail a few days ago.. a new foot for my sewing machine and some cotton cord for making my own piping and of course 2 yds of fabric. Are you making the same excuses I am... but those are for your crafts, your going to be making things with those. Yeah, I justify things like that BUT I totally shouldn't. I have fabric, I could make stuff that didn't require piping and then that would have eliminated the need for the piping foot. The point is some purchases could be avoided if I truly tried hard enough. I can't say that it will give us great savings BUT it could put an extra 20 in my pocket at the end of the month. Hey, who knows I might save enough to make an extra car payment! I wasn't having much luck with with the sites I was reading. I mean seriously... one guy saved 44 grand in one year by not spending a grand a week one god knows what! Or the girl who had a shopping addiction to buying clothes or shoes or eating out every night with her besties and saved nearly 10 grand. I never seem to find the posts that I can truly relate to. Like the fortune 500 lady that is going to forgo buying new clothes and cosmetics. Hahaha, as if I buy clothes and cosmetics!! I am making my resolution to not spend any "extra" money on things we truly don't need. The birds can find their own food and so can the deer. The dogs can do without doggiebones and the cats don't really need treats. Hubby doesn't need ice cream and I can do without... I want to say craft supplies but I know that wont do cause I already have an order waiting to be filled, shipped and paid for. I'm not sure what I can do without, I guess that extra yd of fabric that I really didn't need, just wanted.

Dizzy Randomness

Most of ya know already by Facebook, but just incase you don't know...

We ended up having to get us a newer car/van. It truly wasn't a popular desision in this house. We were both scared out of our minds, still am actually. This was hubby's second time going through a dealership, my first. Hubby's first was back in 77', so in a way he was a newbie at it too.

The loan asspect of it all has me frazzled more than anything ever has. I am sooooo not used to these super high numbers. Hundreds scare me, thousands freak me, tens of thousands...I am losing my mind!!! I just don't know how people do it without panicing. I know lots of folks that turn thier cars in for a newer one all the time and it doesn't seem to phase them all that much. I am a "What if" kinda girl but yet can't afford all those "what if's", which in turn throws me into an even bigger frenzy. It's a vicious cycle with no end.

I have been crunching numbers all morning and still don't feel any better. Cancel this and that, pay off this and that. If I use the money I have now to pay on this, will I be able to find this amount again in just a month. OMG!! I can't stop! I so wish I had some calm right now. Even the sweet birdie at the window ain't getting it.

Okay, hold on...let me try to refocus my thoughts. Back of the brain please, BACK OF THE BRAIN, I SAID!! Happy thoughts, happy thoughts. Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...Did yall watch that last night? I did. Hubby was asleep within the first 30 minutes! Musicals are just not his thing.

We had a good time at my brother J and SIL J's for Christmas. Just a food get together for some of the family. Thankfully there wasn't the added pressure of gift giving, but I did get to deliver the blankets that I did for them.

Hubby gave me a new hand mixer, fry daddy, blue jeans and a sweater. I got him a shirt, new longjohns and something from the sports store. AND then there is the van. I give. The brain won't stop thinking about that car and all the stress that comes with it.

*Sigh*

I guess I better sign off now, before I drag yall through the ring around the rosie's going on up there in my mind.

Great Birthday Weekend and Day!

I really didn't expect a whole lot for my Birthday, I usually don't do anything special. Most of the time it is just another day, no cake, presents or party. Sometimes I do buy something small to mark the day, but those times are rare.

My mom started the birthday celebration when she sent me a birthday card along with my mother's day card. I guess she was making sure she didn't forget by sending it early.

Hubby started asking where I would like to eat if I was to get the chance. Of course my reply was Red Lobster or Olive Garden. That was two weeks ago, I had forgotten by now.

Saturday I was researching for cameras. I was trying to find something that would give me the Macro feature. I posted on Facebook wanting folks to tell me what was their favorite camera. Angelia at Living, Loving, Laughing... responded with such a super generous offer of a camera she had. I was blown away! It should be arriving later today, so that counts as a birthday gift!

Monday Jimmy at Jimmy's Opinion gave me this award:

I promise to do it tomorrow! Thanks again Jimmy, nice birthday present!

That is just the beginning of my birthday bash.

Monday night it rained pretty hard. Hubby kept telling me I needed to go to bed. I don't usually go to bed till after he gets up in the morning. I stayed up and did my blog post, read some blogs and messed around in google searching out some ancient ruins. At 2:30am I was making his lunch and again he woke up to tell me I needed to get to bed. I thought this was puzzling and asked why? Cause it's raining, I'm not going to work today and you need to get up early. How early? Well earlier than noon! Well if I go to bed now then I can be up by nine, is that early enough? It will do.

Soo..I griped myself out for getting the coffee and his lunch ready and promptly went to bed. I should have thought about the rain and realized rain and work don't mix in his line of work. I just wasn't thinking.

Chaquita wakes me up six minutes early and HE is still asleep! After he gets up he hands me the gift card he won for getting a "No violations D.O.T. inspection". His first ever in 30 years of truck driving (they are very hard to get)and he gave it to me for my birthday! One hundred smack-a-roos to spend at Wal-Mart. I was in my clothes and ready to go in 2 minutes!!

He, on the other hand was taking his sweet time. He had a strategy but I didn't know that at the time. I was antsy and eager to go! I was getting a little miffed at him. You don't just give me spending money and expect me to sit on it! Not when there are sooooo many things running through my mind that I have been needing. Like all that stuff I don't get cause it would be selfish to buy over the things that are needed for him and the house. Mainly being clothes for me.

Just after we finally left he revealed to me that he had taken a vacation day for my birthday, we requested it three weeks ago! The man still finds ways to surprise me.

He asked where I want to eat and guess what comes out of my mouth...IHOP! Yes folks I was in the mood for some pancakes! Lovely hubby that he is, didn't even mention my other two choices two weeks ago. Yeah I'm a money saver and a cheap date!

He took me to the Dollar Tree (Every thing's a Dollar), I love that place.
I bought:
Supplies for SIL's baby shower
Wicker basket
New pot holders
Cups for the grandkids for when they visit
New fake grapes that line my kitchen window sill.

On to Wal-Mart:
New sheets for my bed
New bra
Tennis shoes
Nice office boxes
With $23 left on the card for another day

Then he dropped me off at the Fantastic Sams for a haircut!
First time I have had it cut by someone other than me in over two years. LOVED IT!!

Then on the way home he went a different way, a way I had never been before. I saw all kinds of fabulous scenery and many photo opportunities, but didn't have my camera. I will be going to take those photos soon with my new camera!

He then stops at the Dollar General where I picked me up a pair of capri's and a shirt.

New hairdo, new shoes, bra, pants and shirt! New camera and a lovely award! What a Birthday!!!

Exhausted we both take a nap!!

Thank you all for the many many birthday wishes!!

What to call this post...BLAH

Ugh today, NO this week has been strange and out of whack.
I feel off balance, chaotic, irritated and aggravated. Things don't seem to be going smoothly. I am doing one thing and then jump to the next without finishing the first thing. My office is a mess and I got the blues over it. I have been trying so hard to come up with solutions, only to fail from the lack of know how and money. Goodness I hate the word money. It controls everything I do and can't do.

Where was I..oh yeah..

Yesterday I took my camera outside and was trying to figure out how to get the best quality pic out of it. There seems to be no hope for this cheap little camera. With the help of South Dakota Cowgirl, I got some great advice and leads on what to look for when I save up enough money. Crap there is that word again!

Back when I went to Seguin to help my parents (what..three weeks ago), my dad gave me a computer desk that he had rescued from the trash. He does things like that and if there isn't anything wrong with it, he will give to us kids or sell it. Anyway, there was nothing wrong with this desk, I marvel at peoples ability to throw away perfectly good items. Well..I tried the desk out for size for a week and we didn't get along to well, so I decided to put it on Craig's list. Why I even bother with it, I don't know! I had three people inquire about it, but don't have the means to come and get it. Seriously, they want me to deliver it! Again, I don't have the MONEY to use up my gas!

I do think the title of this post should be MONEY! It just keeps popping up. Evil little big word. GRRRR!!

I haven't posted a whole lot this week, because I really can't get my mind to focus. Same thing with getting caught up on my reading list. It just keeps getting longer and longer everyday and I have been unable to get my mind to get into the groove.

I'm thinking it is time to piss off the neighbors and slap on and crank up some get your heart pumping and body moving jams. Naw maybe next week...

That awful women's curse needs to go away first. I will be soooooooo glad when my body finally realizes we are tooo old for this junk. Bring on the full blown menopause!! I am so ready! I already have the hot flashes and night sweats, just waiting (not so patiently) for blessed day this will be over!

Well there ya have it folks that appears to be all I have, cause my brain just shut off..I got nothing...

Blah, blah, blah and oh another blah!

What I did for Ten Days

Random things that happened in the last ten days.

Monday..As you all know, I rushed my computer to the computer doctor after my screen went blue and Microsoft shut me down and dumped my physical memory. I did try rebooting, but the Internet wouldn't open any pages. The doctor said it was going to be 3 days, I felt lost leaving it there. My first thought was "What am I going to do with myself for 3 days!" I went home like a wounded puppy with my tail tucked.

Tuesday..With nothing to do, I called my bf and made plans with her. By noon we was going over crochet stitches and went shopping for yarn. I really shouldn't have spent the gas money but it was so worth getting to spend time with her. I started a crochet project as soon as I got home.

Wednesday..I called everyone in my speed dial to whine about my boredom. I'm sure everyone got plenty sick of me complaining. I eventually got off my butt and went outside. I first played with the dogs and before I knew it I was laying 12 inch cement blocks for a walkway. Hubby came home and before he got to the door, he said..
"Your computer should break down more often."
I shut the storm door and held it shut till he took it back!

Thursday..The computer doctor called and said my baby was ready. I rushed out the door on half a cup of coffee. I was so excited! I had to run to the bank first for several reasons and figured while I was there I would try to see if we could get a loan to help pay off a credit card.

I got home hooked it up and ten minutes into checking my emails, it started doing the exact same thing it was doing on Monday. I called them back and this boy told me somethings to do, this only made it worse. I couldn't even get it to open to my desktop.

Needless to say I was sad and pissed. I took it in to get fixed and all I could tell was that the only thing they did was add updates and give me a better virus protection. They didn't even try to FIX it.

Hubby came home right after me getting it back, so to keep him from blowing his stack, I didn't tell him. He came home early cause he was super sick, I didn't think he needed the extra stress.

A little later in the day I called to see about the loan and we was approved. What a relief and blessing. We can pay off that card and will still be saving ourselves 40 bucks a month and hundreds of interest in the long run!

Friday..First thing in the morning, I took my computer back. Now there wasn't any set time to pick it up, more of a wait and see kinda thing. Aggravating! I did tell hubby the situation before leaving. He was too sick to know what I was saying, lucky me. Stopped and got groceries and back to care for the sick fella laying on his "Death bed" (as he called it, when he crawled on it).

Saturday..I went to the hardware store (for wood) and the auto store (for spark plugs) and just for the heck of it went to the thrift store (just to browse around).
I came home and used hubbies skill saw and cut and laid the new steps. ALL BY MYSELF!

Sunday..Hubby feeling a little better. We fixed by bike together. New tires and a wash down and then attached a basket to the handle bars. Its fixed and ready to go, but I have yet to use it. Lazy. We sat around the rest of the day and watched the race.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday..I sat around crocheting and calling the computer doctor twice a day. I did manage to get in a lot of extra heavy duty house cleaning and extra chatting with the family everyday.

Now that brings up to date with Thursday..Computer doctor calls and says my baby is ready. They didn't charge me anything extra!
So far so good and very happy, happy, happy!!

Lost Coin

Hubby has a quarter that is tails on both sides. It is one of his favorite things to carry around and play tricks on his fellow drivers.

When he got home last night he sadly reported to me that he had lost it.

He realised it was missing this morning and thought maybe it got put in the coin jar. He dumped out all the coins in search for it, It wasn't there. When he got to work, he checked all through his truck hoping that it had fallen out of his pocket.

He remembered at a job site, he had to get his pocket knife out of his pocket and maybe that was where it was. He went back to that job site (without permission) and searched the ground for it. Nope, not there.

He is heartbroken and deeply saddened over the lose of this quarter.
I was silently amused by this strong reaction.
I try to tell him it is nothing to get so upset over, he can easily buy a new one. He tells me it is not the same, it is like if he was to lose his father's favorite Zippo lighter!
Okay, I get it. You poor baby, do you want a hug?

While getting his supper, I thought maybe I should check the quarter stash I have. I had two tube containers full of quarters, I spent the full one today on stamps. I get the last one that has about four dollars in it, go through them and was shaking my head with each one I look at.

Hubbies eyes ligh up, when he notices what I am doing. I slowly disappears with each coin. The very last one was his coin!

I thought for sure he was going to get on to me for getting into his change, but instead I get that really big hug!