Here it is, the 19th of February. And we're still going at it. This is probably the longest we've ever stuck to a budget. Usually we get frustrated when things don't work out and say "fuck it" and go back to exactly the way things were. I guess that's probably how this problem got so bad. But this time, it's real. This time there is no choice in the matter - it needs to be done.
So far this year we have paid off $4,431! In only a little over a month! Granted, a huge chunk of that is from our Federal tax return, but still. I've been seeing all these commercials pop up lately about "have more fun with your taxes." It kinda pisses me off, because that's what I *want* to do - go buy some new toys. Instead ours went directly to medical bills, paid off the gutters, paid off our Lowes credit card, and the rest went towards our Amazon credit card. Oh well. Live like no one else now so I can live like no one else later, right? And that doesn't even include the baby ememergency fund we were able to start. Just in case - because we all know our family has a lot of "just in cases." Just two weeks ago little guy ended up in the ER after getting his finger closed in the door. It was gross. There went $150 for sitting in the ER for six hours, some surgical glue, and a referral to a hand specialist. It's always something in our house.
The decluttering is going well too. I've been donating/selling stuff like a crazy person. What's strange is, no matter how much I get rid of, it never seems like we have more room. Something else always seems to take it's place. I don't get it. We aren't BUYING anything, so where is all this stuff coming from?!! But we certainly haven't missed the stuff we've gotten rid of. Even the kids don't even seem to notice that a lot of stuff is gone. I think the huge train table taking up space in our living room is next. No one has played with it for at least a month and I could easily get a good $50 out of it. I'm thinking save some of the track pieces and a few trains and call it a day. Fifty bucks is a good chunk of change and it would definitely free up some space!
The eating and loosing weight, is well, stagnant at best. But I guess you can't win them all. It's a journey and a process and all that crap people say. Mostly, I just suck. And I'm stressed and anxious and an emotional eater. So I eat. But I'm trying to work on that.
