Well Life, funny how life goes some days. Ethan finished off another math book and was rewarded with some Art supplies. So he is a very happy boy, and I'm happy he finished the book without me nagging.
The only thing that has been on my mind lately is Money. Anyone else. I know we are doing better then last year, no more ending week after week in the hole. Now there are some weeks we have 3 dollars left. Party!
Last year as we were digging deeper and deeper into the hole, you look at your budget and you are asking yourself where does all the money go? Well a big chunk went to gas, and school supplies, There always seem to be something going on at school. So we cut school and I only leave the house once a week. Cutting my gas from 125 plus a week to 20 dollars. Sometimes that 20 can last two weeks. But on the flip side I'm HOME ALL THE TIME. Which has been OK, but since being home, a lot of de-clutting and you quickly realize how small your house really is.
But on the flip side of that we are no longer going into the hole every week. We are able to send extra money to Mortgage, we are able to buy books if the kids want something. Our van loan will be paid off soon turning all our focus to our Mortgage next year. But right now I'm focused on Christmas and getting a few things a week so it doesn't stress me out much. I am able to coupon and look for deals and have yet to pay full price for anything.
But my mind always seems to be on the budget. I use a system where we only have so much money for gas, and food and such and once it's gone it's gone. Any extra at the end of the week is split between savings (well lack of) and the van. It's been tough, we can't just pick up and run errands or go to the library. But yet the boys like being home so that has been a plus.
Next Spring a lot of my focus will be the garden so I can cut our food budget even more. I will hit Mortgage goals next year. My end goal is to pay it down to a point we can do one final re-fi and have payments we really can afford. Instead of having it take up nearly 3 paychecks.
We finally have some emergency money saved. I have a fear if hubby looses his job what will we do? Well we have two months. No real retirement. So I need to work on that next year also. His work retirement has climbed since I took over that after we got married. Well he wasn't adding anything. But it's not enough and at the rate it's going it won't be enough. But yet if we cut our Mortgage we won't need a big retirement, but I would like to be ok. So a lot on my mind with money.
As I'm able to now, I have been buying seeds, and my herb garden next year should be something. I have been out clearing the area where the new herb garden will be going and I should have well over 100 herbs. So stay tuned for that. If you buy seeds and herbs now, no one bids against you on Ebay. I have saved many of my seeds from last year and I can probably grow enough squash for my small town.
Since I have some down time, I have been working on the family tree. I have my family traced clear back to the King of England, but there is a new branch and they came over on the Mayflower. To read some of the stories has been amazing and printing as fast as I can in case I can never find this info again. Come spring we have a trip planned to go and see some family and learn more, we may stop mid-way where some family is buried and check out their graves and see all I can learn. But a fun project to into-mix the kids with.
This is the Fruit Punch Mint I bought off Ebay. It just bloomed. Could you see some Fruit Punch Simple Syrup to mix with the Chocolate Pops?
So life is slow and steady. Thanksgiving is coming and I'm doing a big meal here for us. Just us. Won't be going to my mother's house at a camp ground. I won't deal with her drunk. So utterly done. Kids are looking forward to it. So we shall see?
