I'm so glad it's Friday.

Wednesday and Thursday this week were NSDs. I bought my gas card today ($100 for the month) and bf's cheese sticks for his lunch ($5). I plan on hitting the grocery store after work, then getting Chinese for dinner. I have one more full day of no boyfriend tomorrow. He is scheduled to come home early, early Sunday morning.

I plan on cleaning the house while he's gone, getting some exercise, then trying to finish off my DVRed shows. It should be a pretty relaxing day. I'm looking forward to it. Actually, I've been looking forward to it all week. It's almost like a vacation day!

I am a big believer in little bit by little bit. I save change in a jar. I do swagbucks, but my goal is "just get over 10 points per day." I don't spend a lot of time or effort in these little things, but they add up. Same with exercise. I walk on my breaks at work. I try to walk at lunch. Just keep myself moving a little. I'm not going to get rich or skinny overnight, but I can always do a little!

Isn't it just too easy to outspend what you make? I personally struggle with the "I Wants" and could easily spend $1000 without trying too hard. Unlike Monkey Mama, I do have to use willpower.

Wait. That's not quite right. Most days are easy. I'm happy with where I'm at; I'm happy with what I have. But on bad days, I look at new clothes, new pans, a new laptop and want. I want a personal shopper, who tells me what looks good on me and what doesn't. I want Le Cruset and Calphalon pans. I want a Macbook Air. I resist because those things are expensive and I know I don't NEED them.

I read somewhere that it is easy to out eat what you exercise. In 10 minutes you could eat a McDs meal and undo over an hour of running. Same with money. Work all week to make money and it could be gone with one trip to the Apple store.

I think lately I have been having a bit of a pity party because all that is going on. But also, I seem to be hearing a lot about people who just spent money without thinking too much about it. I sometimes feel like I think too much about spending money. Two people who I thought were super-frugal just both raved about going to the Outlet Mall and spending oodles of money. They both seem like they can afford it--this isn't a tale of someone who is overdrawn and spending like crazy. These two people are "bring lunch from home" and "use coupon" people. Finding out that Outlet Mall shopping is a great way to spend the day to them was....surprising.

Not that I want to go to an Outlet Mall. For the most part, I dislike shopping. The idea of driving a few hours to go shopping all day pretty much makes me want to poke my eyes out. Lesson learned by me: people, even frugal seeming people, like to do things I don't like to do!!

Met with the lawyer on Friday about the serving of papers and he is going to see if he can fight it. He's sending out a letter today saying they can't come after me for the debt. We'll see if that works. I'm crossing my fingers. It's going to cost me a chunk of money, so I'm going to be tightening my belt even further. Even then, I'm going to be pulling money out of savings. I keep telling myself that this is exactly what savings is for.

Saturday I helped boyfriend do his taxes and finished my state taxes. I knew I was going to owe $8 to the state, so I wasn't in any hurry to file when I did my federal at the beginning of February. I figured as long as I was doing tax stuff, I would finish my own. Now to just mail it out. Other than writing that check, it was a NSD.

Sunday I had lunch with my friend--we both have birthdays in March, so we went to a free birthday dinner place and caught up. I haven't seen her in a while, so we had a lot to chat about. While I was out and about, I did some shopping. Food, personal, household.

Monday was a NSD and was CRAZY at work. I was very glad to go to spin class, which meant my work day was over.

Today I've gotten more groceries, went to lunch with my boyfriend (something that NEVER has happened before), and spent my birthday money from my friend. Boyfriend is going on a trip with some buddies, so I have almost a week home alone. I'm kinda looking forward to it, but I'm sure in a few days I'm going to be missing him.

Yep, the papers I was served was for the 2nd mortgage. I talked with a co-worker's husband who is a retired attorney and he basically agreed with my thinking. Which is basically that I can't do this without an attorney--there are too many variables involved. Probably I'm going to be out some money. I have to assume the worst, right?

For the first time in a long time, I've felt like I wanted to shed a few frustration tears over this whole divorce/money thing. I didn't, because I'm at work. It's just so....stupid.

In other money news, I've spent $35 on groceries in the past few days and $7 on the cats. I got paid Monday, so put a little into savings, but most of it went towards the student loan and paying the yearly car insurance. I pulled out my spending cash money and that's all I've got for two weeks. It should be more than enough.

After work today I'm going for a run at the indoor track, then to a meditation class at the local yoga studio. I'm looking forward to the class, which goes for three weeks. Maybe it will help calm me down while I deal with the ex.

One final awesome note. My awesome boyfriend surprised me with a belated Valentine's Day present that was back-ordered and just came. You know those days where you totally fall back in love with someone? Yeah, it was one of those days. The present was great, but it was the spending time together that really did it. :-)

Back in 2008, my then-husband and I decided to divorce. In the divorce decree, he was supposed to pay the house payment until the house sold. He made the payment for a few years, but then stopped paying and the house was foreclosed upon. By the time he told me that payments had not been made, foreclosure proceedings had already started and he had to be out of the house in 20 days. It kinda didn't matter, because I didn't have the money to make the mortgage payments anyway.

So, the house was foreclosed. Yucky for my credit. But now the 2nd mortgage, which was not taken care of with the foreclosure process, has been sold to a company that is now suing me for the amount of the 2nd mortgage. At least, I'm pretty sure that's what the person trying to serve me papers is going to give me when she comes back.

I'm frustrated. I'm angry. I probably need to meet with an attorney to see if there is anything I can do to not be on the hook for the full amount. I would like the ex to be on the hook for 1/2. I don't know if that is possible.

I'm also irritated and mad because I feel like I scrimp and save and for what? To pay an attorney to make ex pay his fair share. When we divorced, I took the credit card with the higher amount owed because he was agreeing to pay the mortgage. I scrimped and saved to pay that off, while watching him run the other credit card up.

I know that part of this is my own fault; my own responsibility. I signed those papers. I'm just angry because I feel like I'm paying for the ex's mistakes. Heh. Or maybe my own mistakes, because I did pick him, right? ARG!

Update (very late)

Save $5000. Yes, still on track for this one. So far, the issues are staying away.

Run a 10K. I will sign up for that this month.

Ride a "T-Shirt" bike ride. I'm leaning towards the Colorburst tour in October in Lowell.

Try one new recipe per week. Yes! This month I've made South Indian Spiced Chickpeas, Honey Glazed Salmon, Chinese Pineapple Chicken with Black Bean Sauce (first fail), Chicken Tikka Masala, and Cinnamon-Pecan Streusel Coffee Cake.

12 No Spend Days--Yes, I had 15

20 Workout days. No. The flu kicked my tail and I only had 16.

New Running shoes in July

At least one 6 week summer class. They released the schedule on March 1st, so I'll be figuring out which class to take.

New Walking shoes in January--already done.

Read 50 books. I'm up to 7.

Up my annual donation by $300. Haven't increased this one yet.
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This week Wednesday and Friday, I had NSDs. On Thursday, I did the monthly Sams club shop, along with groceries for the weekend. I spent $23 on food and $15 on kitty litter (which goes under household for me). It's a little bit tight on the budget this week because I am getting my hair done tomorrow, which should cost between $50 and $75, depending on what I get done. I go about every six weeks; it is definitely one of my splurges. If I get highlights, it will be the higher number.

Things are pretty quiet around here. Boyfriend is gathering all his stuff to do his taxes, so I'm sure I will help him do that. Probably next weekend though. This weekend is hair and then dinner with the ex-in laws for my birthday.

I had a perfectly wonderful, awesome day off yesterday. It was a perfect mix of getting stuff done and chilling out on the couch. I rode my bike on the trainer, cleaned the kitchen and bathroom, and read my book while cuddling with my cats. It was a relaxing day all around.

I didn't spend a cent. I didn't leave the house. I didn't even take a shower (ewwww!). Boyfriend was on a run and will get home tonight. So I had the TV remote all to myself and watched a few DVRed shows. It was just....nice.

Today I went to the grocery store on my way to work and bought bread for boyfriend's lunches, a free two liter of Pepsi Max, and a free container of Oscar Meyer pulled pork. I figure I can find something to use it with. I got the coupons mailed to me--probably a facebook thing or something. They were nice freebies in the mail. I spent a total of $2.50 at the grocery store.

On my way home, I'm going to pick up a free Papa Johns pizza. I somehow managed to acquire enough Papa points for a free pizza. I didn't even know I had them until I logged on to order my free "coin toss" Super Bowl pizza. So I'm using them tonight. I love freebies!

It was my birthday yesterday, so I took Monday off of work. I rather like how a birthday turns into a birthweekend!!

I managed to have NSDs for the last few days of February, but on March 1st, it was time to go to the grocery store! I spent $47 on groceries, $6 on kitty litter, $5 on flowers (it WAS my birthday, after all), and $5 on playing stick and puck.

Yesterday, I gave myself permission to go a little crazy if I wanted---and I had a No Spend Day! How did that happen?!? I rode my bike on the trainer in the morning, boyfriend went to play stick and puck with his friends for about an hour while I stayed home and did a bit of cleaning. When he came back, we went to get our skates sharpened and for dinner with Dad. After dinner, we were so tired that we just came home! I was thinking we were going to go to the mall afterwards (the restaurant is right across the street), but all of us were so tired that we just left. I'm getting OLD!

I've decided on a complicated formula for my extra money I bring in for the month. My ultimate problem is that I don't really have a pressing goal right now. So I have no big incentive to save any extra money that I get. My only debt is the one I have with the ex that I can't pay off early. My car is paid for and is running strong (knock wood). I'm not saving for a house because I live with my boyfriend, who owns the house. No plans for a big vacation. No big expenditures planned for the future.

I save 15% of my gross into a 401k, my work contributes 8% (whether I contribute or not). My goal is to save $5500/year into an emergency fund/car replacement fund/slush fund.

Boyfriend and I have an agreement that I pay him a set amount to him for "rent" and then I buy groceries. He pays the house bills and buys the Sams club stuff (unless it is obviously something only I will use, like girl products). It works for us.

All this to say that when I get extra money, depending on what it is, I will allocate it accordingly. Can deposits will go into the grocery budget. When (if) the ex pays his amount of the loan to me, that amount goes into savings. Amazon gift cards will either go into gifts or grocery, depending on how they are spent. "Fun" gift cards (Bath and Body Works, Victoria Secret) will go into the gifts category (might be a gift for myself!!). Straight up extra money (survey money) will go into savings. Restaurant gift cards will go into Entertainment. Found money (usually change) goes into the change jar to get turned in twice a year and put into savings.

Very complicated, I know. I tend to think of the extra money as "gift" money, so I wanted to make sure to have some fun with it and since I'm on track with most of my savings and I don't have a big incentive to save for something right now--I'll do it this way. Now, if there was a plan for Hawaii in my future, I will definitely re-think my plan!!!!

Just the numbers, ma'am.

Item Budget Spent Balance

Savings/Debt $300.00 $460.00 -$160.00
Rent $550.00 $550.00 $0.00
Cell Phone $68.00 $66.66 $1.34
Krista $50.00 $50.00 $0.00
Student Loan $366.04 $366.04 $0.00

Gas (car) $100.00 $100.00 $0.00
Household $50.00 $44.00 $6.00
Grocery $250.00 $251.00 -$1.00
Entert/Resta $75.00 $108.00 -$33.00
Car Maintenance $50.00 $0.00 $50.00
Clothes $30.00 $6.00 $24.00
Personal Care $40.00 $63.95 -$23.95
Gifts $30.00 $60.00 -$30.00

Extra Income $406.17


Totals $2,365.21 $2,125.65 $239.56


Coin Jar $169.50