We've been saving, plus we will have a snowball come this month to purchase DH a new to him car. We've been without a second car for a year now, and it's been tough on all of us. I am so ready to not have to drop everything and run when he's ready to be picked up (he doesn't work regular hours). I will have less stress, more time with the kids, more time for myself... and less stress (oops, already said that).

So the tough part! What to get? Our max is $4500. I am sure we can get something - but I also don't want to spend an arm & a leg over the next year fixing things.

Also, anyone have any tips for buying used cars? We refuse to go with a dealer - don't want to pay docking fees and such. We've always bought new... Not sure what to do!

TIA!
JJ

Paid the remainder of the cards today... Dell is all we have left, and that will be paid in full, dead - next month.

Of course, there are school loans and my van... but I am not in a rush to pay those off. Our debt to income ratio and money to savings now is looking mighty fine.

We renewed our lease for 13 months, so by next Sept... we will be house shopping!!

Last year... I decided I needed to finally finish my degree. What was stopping me? $1015 I owed to the University. In the 3 years since I stopped going to school, I could not manage to pay that amount. When I realized I needed to get back in school quickly (to avoid credits expiring), I decided to take the money from my 401K as a loan.

I just checked my balance... I owe $27.66 which will be taken care of on my next paycheck! How exciting is that?

Since then I did graduate with my Bachelors... and I am now in my 3rd class of my MBA. Life is lookin' fine.

So...as we are paying down the last of debt, I really would like to start focusing on savings. My goal is to save $700 a month in various accounts (for various reasons, i.e. short, mid, and long term). I have updated my side bar to reflect this goal.

I would REALLY like to start adding a little bit at a time to our IRAs... Do you automate your deposits? Or do you just transfer the funds when you have them available?

I am only allowed so many direct deposits from my paycheck (and my husband even less)... with all of accounts and subaccounts... I have been making one transfer to the main account, and then transferring funds within. For example, I have 7 ING accounts, all for different goals. I usually put the money in the HOUSE (down payment for) account, and then disburse accordingly. Seems like a lot of work.

Is your savings on auto pilot? Any tips?

We are getting so close...

I rcvd a snowflake on the 27th... and it paid off AmGen (2400) and Kay (1100)!!! That's a saving of $380 a month know in our budget (not to mention the interest).

In June, we have our last three cards being paid off!

In July, we will be done with Dell!!

After Dell, it's Medical Bills from our credit reports! That will take Aug, Sept, and Oct!

We should be able to start socking away money in November for a down payment on a house.

Our lease is up in Sept, I don't really want to stay; I know we can find somewhere cheaper... but we don't really want to move in Sept, and then again next Summer. So we may just sign a 9 month lease, and get gazelle in our house buying journey.

I pulled our scores... they went from a median score of 483 and 488 (his and hers) to 548 and 516 in just 3 months.

Things are just looking good...

I may need to do something serious about this. Right now, our Snowball $$ is in my husband's second paycheck. That day takes FOREVER to arrive. There's only so much account checking, envelope stamping, and snowball salivating I can do. I am so excited to be able to pay off ANOTHER credit card this month!! Well, not just THIS month, but THIS Friday! We are getting there... and that's so very exciting.

My daughter turned 10 this past weekend, my mom had a lovely ladies luncheon for her, and we are taking her horseback riding on Saturday. Should be fun!

I started my new job, but still retain about 50% of the responsibilities from my old job. Just until September - but I tell you... they don't pay me enough! ha!

I start my Masters on April 30. And to be honest with you... I am looking forward to my company's tuition reimbursement program. $5200. Since my classes are only 6 weeks long, I can request a lump sum... I love lump sum money!

We are scheduled for a few snowflakes this year... so I am looking forwarding to paying off most of our debt by December. In January we will focus on the Van (and get it paid off 3+ years early) and then Student Loans.

I am praying we will be in a house by the end of next year! We've worked so hard!

In doing the new budget - I've rounded up a lot. I will be getting a reimbursement of $250 a month for childcare (I only pay $460). I will be budgeting the higher amount of course, and then use the $250 each month as a snowflake and pay off the next debt.

I am now working from home, so I have had to add a second phone line - this will also be reimbursed. So... by working from home, I am saving money on some internet (we can expense $150 a month for Blackberry, internet and phone line). I will also be saving money on not eating out or buying extra snacks for my work. It's quite nice working from home!

In regards to our credit monitoring... at FICO. It keeps saying there are no alerts and no changes... Not sure how that's possible. We've closed 5 credit cards... shouldn't those trigger something? Hmmm. Off to investigate that!

Have a great day! It's going to be a HOT one here!

We paid off two more credit cards this morning. One for $538 and the other for $697 - What? It was only $571 when I pulled it up last week!! Yep - they charged me an annual fee. I called to close one of the cards today (same company, but I am keeping one open due to the length of time I have had it). Besides trying to sell me Term Life ins, they were pretty great. They noted my payment, I asked for the annual fee to be reversed - and they did it!

I am shocked! But pleased of course.

So, we all have been really sick for the past week. My poor two-year old is suffering from an Upper Respiratory Infection, and a newly discovered Ear Infection (his first one - ever!).
So, that's money out the window (it pays to be healthy, I tell you!). I think between cleaning out the Vicks aisle at Wal-Mart and all of our prescriptions, these sickies cost us $157. Yikes!

Much to my surprise, my DH went and picked up the paperwork for the new Day Care I mentioned in my last post. I think Nic is ready for a more formal school-like setting; I think it will help his speech tremendously. Yes, it will be more than I am currently paying, but still a decent price in the grand scheme of things. I called the director just now to see how much it will cost me come Monday. I have a $100 registration fee and then I get a $400 coupon ($40 off for ten weeks). So, that's $88 a week (just $8 more than I am paying now). Effective April 1, I will receive $256 a month in credit from my employer. So, after my coupon runs out, and once I get my credit from BofA, I will only be paying about $64 a week in care - That's a savings!! And the best thing, Nic will be in a great pre-school/day care.

Well, one other thing... I did spend $9 on a mini-backpack for him. I want him to realize the move is a Big Deal!

That's how much my auto ins. went up per month! Thankfully, I budget $76 (it's really only $75.25).

YAY!!

I was so afraid the rates would go up after the first renewal. We have such a great rate... I didn't want to pay more!

Oh, and in April - I get to pay the whole 6 months! No more month to month for us! Now, that's exciting!

So... I am pretty excited. I found out yesterday that because I am an alumni of the school I will be attending for my Masters degree (to become a teacher), and because I am starting class in April - they are waiving my book/resource fees for two years!! The program is only 20 months long... that is a huge savings!!

I cannot wait to begin classes!!

So... in true Spring Cleaning fashion we moved rooms around last night. We now have a dedicated office again. I was sick of having our office in our bedroom. It was packed to the gills with computers, paper, and stuff. Not anymore. =) Thanks hubby for moving everything!

Today, we had to get Isabel some clothes. All her jeans that I bought her at the beginning of the year were no longer working... they got holes in bad places, and just plain didn't fit anymore. So, the kids and I walked (DH had the Van today) to Savers, a discount, used clothes store - kind of like a Goodwill of sorts) (I've never shopped there before - but I am trying). I budgeted $70, and I spent $70.10. Wahoo! On all three kids! Not bad. And they were fine with it. I promised the kids lunch @ Wendy's which was right next door to Savers, but I only took $80 with me - so we had to get lunch for 4 for only $10. We did it!

The whole walk, shopping, and lunch took 2 hours. The walk to Savers is 20 minutes. When we started it was 88 degrees outside (thanks to my nifty stroller temp gauge) and when we were walking back it was 93 degrees. The weather is perfect and warm. The smells of the trees and plants and flowers was delicious. Not sure how many of you have ever smelled the desert in the Spring, early Summer. It's very fragrant.

I am not going to lie, when we first started out - we were a bunch of complainers. Well, all except for Nic - he was in the abovementioned nifty stroller. My shins were killing me. We all need to get healthy so badly. Well, at least that was our third walk since Monday. We just need to keep it up.

This evening, I will be planning our menu and going grocery shopping. I should have done it yesterday, but the Spring Cleaning bug bit me.

The $2K I spent in cash to fix my truck was stolen from me. He (a horrible shop owner) kept telling us we needed more money, that we have unexpected expenses, more fees, more parts. I did a search on the BBB last night, and he has 17 complaints in the last 24 months for doing this to 17 other people. My husband accidently reviewed the wrong business... and normally he is so thorough... He is so mad at himself. I don't blame him though.

I was finally able to get my truck this morning, but it does not have the new engine, he wouldn't give it to me. And he would not give me my money back. It was a huge, nasty fight. He put in Paid Invoice number on the copy of the estimate my husband first signed, "showing" we paid for the engine and rcved it. It's a blatant forgery. He has done this to so many people. I am so sad. We had to pay $100 to get it towed out of there... now I have a truck with the old engine in the bed, in peices sitting at my mother-in-laws. I guess our carpooling days AREN'T over.

That $2K was the most money we ever had saved. And now it's gone.

I am going to pay off the loan that holds the lein in March, and then I think we will sell the truck for its parts (it's a 98 F-150, not worth much). The body is in perfect shape, hopefully we will get something for it. And then we have to save to buy a used car.

On top of all that, I ran into a fence post, when trying to help put the truck back in its spot at my MILs. Hard. And it hurts! I think I am getting a black eye. =(

Not a good day for me.