It's been quite a while since Ive blogged over here..since well before we moved.

We've settled from Alaska to North Carolina, found a decent apartment and jobs.

Brandus is not liking his teaching job this year. Im not liking the fact that this comes out in yelling fits at me over stupid stuff.

Im REALLY not liking that they "lost" his license application at district office, and have been paying him as a first year teacher with his BS for the past two months.

Im subbing in second grade at the moment, which is fun most days, and exhausting all days.

The child is in daycare, which is spendy, but he loves it, they love him, and we think it's really good for him.

But, I do have a problem. Seeing as murder is a crime, is there ANYTHING I can do to deal with the man in my life whom I love very very much that is REFUSING to deal with the current financial issues we find ourselves in? He wont sit down and talk to me about where we are, doesnt want to look at numbers, and if I bring it up, there's a yelling fit on his end.

He's being an ostrich.

And yeah, we're getting paid a FRACTION of what we got paid in Alaska. Im not working an entirely steady job. He's getting shafted $500 a paycheck. i GET all that. But its the 8th of the month, and we're already down to $67, and he WILL NOT help me.

What the heck do I do? Im really starting to get cranky about it.

So, out of curiosity, I took a look at how much I owed last year on the credit cards vs how much we still owe.

And I got depressed when I saw the numbers.

Last year: We owed 15,000
This year: We owe 10,000

And I thought, that's it? 5000 is all we've managed to pay off? What the heck did we move to Alaska FOR?

But, then I started really thinking about it.

Yeah, 5000 doesnt sound like much, especially with how much money we're currently making - but we had a baby. We moved. We traveled this summer.

AND.

We managed to put almost $3000 in savings for our next moving adventure.

So, while we didnt get out of debt, which I was really hoping for, we did make a dent. And we've got a good emergency fund.

And a baby.

So, hey, not too bad. Not bad at all.

Last year, with me being pregnant, we were heading in to Anchorage about once a month.

Our flight there cost $1300 for the both of us, then hotel, food, fun...it added up.

And I knew that. I knew it cost alot.

But it really didnt hit me until last month, when we both got full pay, and didnt have to go in to town at all.

I had $200 left at the end of the month. And that's after paying all of our bills, paying off $400 in credit card debt, and putting a full $600 in our EF.

Wow! Think how much I can actually do the rest of this year if we can keep from going into town!

I would love for us to be able to cut down on our spending. What I cant figure out is how the heck to do it!

We live in a fishing village in Alaska.

Let me repeat that.

We live in a FISHING VILLAGE. in ALASKA.

We already buy in bulk whenever we go to Anchorage. We plan it out carefully, too. We HAVE to. Because we've come up short at the Sam's checkout counter more than once.

We dont drive, the village has no cars, so we dont have to worry about gas. We both HAVE cars, they just arent here. And we have the insurance on them down to the minimum - we wont sell them, because we're planning on leaving here the end of this year, and we're going to need them.

We don't use cash in the village, except to pay our babysitter. The school cashes a check for us. We get direct deposit. So, we cant collect spare change.

We share wireless internet with our neighbor - we dont even pay her for it, we just take our her trash with ours.

We dont have to pay electricity or water or sewer - its all included. Our housing is supplied by the district, so we cant move anywhere cheaper.

The only thing that stops me from putting all the "extra" money towards our debt is concern that we might have to make an Anchorage trip unexpectedly.

If we go in for health reasons, then we get 90% of the plane ticket back. But still, that takes a while. Plus, then there is the hotel and food and picking up anything we've run out of..

Honestly, Im stumped. I have no idea how to cut our budget down any further.

Whoa, its been quite a while since I logged in and posted! I've been reading on and off, but I've been pretty much insanely busy.

Little Lord Voldemort was born April 23 in Anchorage, AK (and I had plenty of money put away for the whole time we were there).

He's a cutie, that's for sure.


Here's the Dark Lordling hanging out with his Daddy in a hotel.

His birth story was rather insane, involving a very fast labor and no time for Brandus to get from the village to Anchorage to be there. And two weeks later, he was on his first plane!

We've traveled all summer, which we've been able to afford because my dad flew me and the little guy on skymiles to Georgia and back. And then we flew Brandus on a buddy pass, thanks to my aunt, who is a flight attendant on Delta.

But, we went to Georgia, where we stayed with my folks for three weeks, then to Colorado, with Brandus' folks for three weeks, then to San Francicso, just for a vacation, and now we're back in Alaska!

its been an insanely busy summer, and all with a baby in tow. yikes!

Moneywise, we did pretty well. We got our May, June and July paychecks at the end of May in three deposits over 2 days, so Ive been a little stressed about budgeting.

Most of it I immediately put into our ING account, and only transferred a couple thousand over at the beginning of each month.

Of course, that's MY checks. Not my husbands. He makes a little less than I do, but I can tell you right now that he has nothing or very close to nothing still in his account. Whereas I have $1000 left in the ING account.

He also owes the credit card $600, as he said he would use a specific reimbursement check to put towards one of the cards - and then he spent it.

*sigh*

He will be setting up a direct deposit to "our account" this year. Oh yes, he will.

Yesterday was the most glorious of days. PAYDAY! and not only was it payday, it was payday with BACKPAY for the past four months. So, I got an extra $600, and Brandus got an extra $400.

I was very excited. We discussed sending it straight to savings for the Tadpole. We discussed using it for credit cards and paying off the Old Navy card, as Brandus bought clothes while he was in Anchorage.

So, last night, he mentions that he is going to put some money from his account towards THE BANE OF MY EXISTANCE, the Chase credit card. "Ok," says I, thinking it would be a couple of hundred dollars, which would go nicely with my already sent but not yet credited $300 for the month.

He can't do it online, because the internet is being obnoxious, so he grabs the phone and ducks into the bedroom.

When he comes out?

HE HAS PAID OFF THE WHOLE THING. $1,433.84.

PAID.

THE CHASE CARD IS NO MORE.

*dies of happy*

Now..I just need to figure out what Im going to do with that $300 I just sent in electronically...

Or rather, the good and the bad.

The good is that Brandus made it into Anchorage tonight and will be depositing our $1800 health insurance reimbursement checks.

The bad is that this wasnt a planned trip.

Last night, we noticed that our male cat, Riddick, was having some urinary trouble. If you have cats, you'll know that this can be very serious, even life threatening.

So, we talked about it, and even though the trip would be expensive, we werent just going to stand by and let Riddick suffer.

So, Brandus packed up the checks, the checkbook, and the cat, and headed off to the plane.

Expensive? Yes. But..he's our boy. Out here, we would have no choices really, unless we wanted to borrow someone's shotgun if it didnt clear up. And Im not that brave.

Plus, Brandus strained/sprained/tore something in his chest (again!), and this gave me an excuse to bully him into getting it checked out properly.

So, if Brandus makes it to his own doctor, we'll get a chunk of the plane ticket cost back.

Here's hoping.

So, with pet related expenses, it does look like a good part of the reimbursement will go towards the cats and the ferret. And that's ok.

We were planning on using some of the money to buy a new cage for Juice, the ferret, and finally getting a kitty tower, because we had to leave the old one in Colorado. So, we'll just add these expenses in with those.

And hopefully, Riddick will come through all this fine, and only needing some medication.

Brandus went to the AC store (as opposed to the Native Store) today, and for my birthday, got me several of the things Ive been really craving lately.

The grapes alone cost $8! For one small bunch of grapes! But! He also got me chocolate milk, REAL chocolate milk, which I have NO IDEA how he managed to find, some fresh carrots, a 12 pack of dr pepper and a few other odds and ends..for the low price of $100 or so. Eek!

But, the chocolate milk ALONE made me extremely giddy, so its not a bad thing today. And we still have $100 left in our grocery budget.

Plus! The past couple of days, 2 people have used ING referrals from me, so Im adding the $10 each to my challange money. Im happy!

1. Pay off Chase credit card - currently $2754.30 with a whopping interest rate of 27.24%. Yikes!

2. Track budget with PearBudget, a free spreadsheet budget program. it breaks it down into a day by day, month by month thing, and i like it.

3. Move Roth IRA from current bank to USAA where I can actually access it and put money into it.

4. $20 Challange - I have no set amount to aspire to, i just want to play! Change and any dollar bills that can be set aside, as well as figuring out how to sidetrack Brandus when he goes to the store to pick up this and that, mainly because he is bored.


I would like to have 5 goals, but I cant think of another one that is all that important to me. Except for the "Save for this summer" goal, but I want a specific amount before I write that down as an actual goal.

I know I just did this two weeks ago, but Im doing it again, because we've actually made a little bit of a dent, and Im excited!

Old Navy -
was: $510
now: $445
lim: $600

Chase -
was: $2886
now: $2857
lim: $3000

REI -
was: $5073
now: $4873
lim: $5000

Discover -
was: $6698
now: $6644
lim: $6700

TOTAL -
was: $15,167
now: $14,819


The Old Navy would be down another $75 or so, only i really needed maternity jeans!

I hope to have that one completely paid off by January. We should be getting some cash and checks for Christmas, and I want anything we get to go towards getting RID of that bill completely.

Of course, then we found out that we get paid on the 22 of this month, instead of the 31, which made me really excited and got me picturing this one bill gone...

And THEN i remembered that it meant our paychecks have to last a month and a half instead of just the normal month! Ack!

And teachers dont really get Christmas bonuses, so no hope for that. Oh, well.

How very odd.

We just got back from an Anchorage trip, complete with plane tickets, hotel, car rental, food, and dr's visit.

And I still have $1000 left in my checking account.

After my $250 deposit to my ING account, the $200 regular savings deposit, the car payment, an extra $115 to the Old Navy card (Whee!), the bills...

IM VERY CONFUSED.

Im starting to wonder if I forgot something. Like, some major bill or another.

We are still waiting for a couple of things to come in COD. Like my new jacket from the Army/Navy store.

But, still. Im going to end up going home after work and searching through every bill to make sure I paid it.

Gah.

HA! All credit cards are once again under their limits!

And I managed to sneak an extra $15 to the Old Navy card, and an extra $50 to the REI visa.

I would have sent it all to Old Navy, only I panicked about the REI, thinking that the minimum payment wouldnt bring me enough under the limit.

I figured out how that one managed to get overlimit though. Brandus "accidently" used it instead of his own check card at the native store.

Twice.

On the same day.

*sigh*

oh well, he is leaps and bounds better than he used to be, so Im not going to do more than tease him about it.

But! Hey! Back under limits for all cards, and actually watching the numbers DROP! WHEEE!


I also managed to locate another $1.68 in change, bringing the piggy up to $13.55. As soon as I get to Anchorage on Monday, Ill deposit that, and hopefully send it towards the Old Navy card too!

*dances* with the half.com money and the money from my clothes selling AND the fact that i am currently working at a higher rate of pay:

Last months car payment AND the late fee AND a little extra were paid!

I never thought id be so happy about this. its ridiculous.

of course, until i moved in with brandus (he is a MAJOR impulse spender) - i HAD no debt and lots of savings. Sadly, its now the other way around. Most of that is student loans and him not working due to school, so its not really his fault, but at the same time..some of it is. some of it is COMPLETELY my fault as well - "sure we can go on vacation and put it on the credit card!"

But, my paycheck for last month was $600 more than the month before, which helped ALOT. we're still having to be tight, but at least we arent overdue on most bills now. i hope...

The money from half.com just showed up in my bank account, so thats $50 closer to the car bill.

And then! Yesterday, out of the blue, my mom sent me a check for clothes of mine she had taken to consignment - $100

Plus a pinecone survey check - $5

THE CAR PAYMENT IS MADE!

*dances*

we got lucky this month, i know, because i worked out a deal with Atmos, but i still have to pay the Xcel bill.

Plus, pry the credit card out of the husband's hands..which i did a month ago, but then he ran out of cash and located the card in my drawer. but, really, here's what i cant figure..

I drive to denver (an hour and some trip) once a week.

Brandus works 2 blocks from our apartment.

And yeah, he drives a larger car that takes more gas than mine..but how is he spending $160 a month in gas...when i only spend $80?

Brandus, who will admit he is awful with money, has a credit card.

It has his name on it.

It is an account in my name. We got it for gas, originally, and we have had MANY conversations over the use of the word "emergency."

"Honey, you asked me to get milk!"

No, you said, do you need anything? and i said, we're out of milk. Do you have money?

And he has improved in leaps and bounds. Last month even, he didnt use it at all!

But now, he's creeping back up there. And not on groceries. On STUPID STUFF. we've discussed the fact we still need another $100 or so to make ends meet this month. He knows. He DOES.

So, when i get the alert online that the card has been used, why is it always for fast food, AND FOR STUPID "TRIALS" THAT HE NEVER REMEMBERS TO CANCEL?

Columbia House Video has charged us twice! TWICE! At $25 a pop! And I cant call and cancel, because the account for the trial isnt in my name. And its not just this once!

Its making me CRAZY. He has his own damn credit card, and he KNOWS he is supposed to use it for crap like this. SO I WONT ACCIDENTLY KILL HIM IN HIS SLEEP.

Just got emails from half.com.

Lost S1 has sold for $30.17
Joan of Arcadia S1 has sold for $24.99

Still need to list some of the "loose" (ie, not box set) dvds..like, Robin Hood and The Secret Garden. They're only going for about $7 each, but hey, every little bit counts. Plus, if we really get desperate, we can sell the GameCube. We bought it used, and we play it, but the money would come in handy..

Everything sold is going towards the remaining half (plus late part) of the car payment, which adds up, with late fees, to $260ish.

EEK.

But!

$260-55.16 leaves only $204.84.

i WILL make this whole payment this month. *glowers in concentration*

Havent had a chance to do more than glance over my art supplies, so that still needs to be done.

In fabulous news, my boss has agreed to compensate my time, starting two weeks ago, to the base pay Manager's pay.

Am I the manager? No.

Im the manager's assistant. and ive been doing my job AND the manager's job since the manager left.

Im hoping for a raise to at least $12.00 a hour, even if its just for this month. Right now, i make $10.70, which isnt bad, but that extra hundred or so would be such a huge help with bill paying.

We've been pricing things for Alaska. ACK.

The principal told us to wait until we got to Anchoridge before buying any of our major needs - but, if we do that, then we miss the good sales, and will spend more in the long run.

But we dont get the signing bonus until we get there..and we dont have any extra money to get outfitted at the moment.

Gah. Decisions, decisions.

In less then four weeks, brandus will be finished with his classes!

This means, in four weeks, he will again be EMPLOYED!! Oh happy day.

Im not teaching this year, due to severe burnout at the end of last year, and then came the joy of budget cuts. So, ive been answering phones and various admin type jobs, which has been fine.

But, at the end of last year, we talked about the fact he had practicum and student teaching this year, as well as finishing up his Master's classes, and we decided there was no way he could work AND do school full time+

And, we decided that we could live on my income and student loans, if we cut back some.

We did cut back, but not enough, and i wasnt tracking the credit cards well enough, so when we hit the credit limit on the discover card, it was a very bad shock.

we cut back further, and did ok. but then brandus needed supplies for school, and new clothes for teaching, and with one thing and another, we've run out of student loan money for the semester.

But! Four weeks! Four weeks and he is FINISHED! and he can become employed, and i can stop having panic attacks every month.

I keep reminding myself, we just need to get to August. Because we get our signing bonuses for Alaska ($3500 each) to outfit ourselves for the experience. Plus, our paychecks will be HEFTY. And we can start by paying off the credit cards! and brandus's car! and student loans! and SAVING.

At some point, i AM going to post the Alaska budget, but at the moment, it still needs alot of tweaking.

So far, the only thing we have a ballpark on is the cost of housing. We have a two bedroom, fully furnished apartment with utilities paid, including high speed wireless internet.

For $500 a month.

I get so frustrated with my husband.

Im in charge of the finances, because he cant be trusted with a checkbook, which he will freely admit to. We did a trial joint account when we first moved in together, and things ended badly.

I try to keep him involved, we go over how much we have, what our bills are, etc, but i SWEAR he has no concept.

I have drained my personal savings account, my personal checking account, my savings bonds, all in an effort to get us ahead.

His parents send "us" some money, and he buys dinner and toys.

We still need an extra $200 to get through this month, but hey! we have a replica of the Harry Potter sorting hat!

*facedesk*

Didnt make it to the bank today to drop in my piggy bank money. it was after five by the time i got off of work, so i stopped by walmart to pick up some bread and milk, and then headed off to do laundry.

$5 for two loads, washing, about $1.50 for drying. I usually dont dry, but we had so much to wash that it would have been very difficult to drag that much wet stuff back up to the apartment.

Listed some of the dvd sets on half.com. Lost s1 is up for a little over $30, and Joan of Arcadia is up to $29. plus some random books. all of which would be a very helpful addition at this point.

bought some batteries for the digital camera today as well. over the weekend, im going to start trying to clean out my art room and some of my art supplies. i cant drag them all up to Alaska anyway, and the rubber stamps can bring in some good money.

still have to do the menu plan for the next two weeks, and go grocery shopping.

Still have to call comcast. we dont have cable, but we do have internet, which brandus needs for class. we just need to get back on the promo price, and it will be a little easier.

we arent doing too bad, actually, i just panicked some today when i went to pay the xcel and atmos bills. usually, i wouldnt worry, but the student loan money for this semester is gone, and we still have two more months before his summer check comes through.

This month is tighttighttight.

I got paid $1140.00 on Friday, and its gone already. We had some extra in the account, but only a couple of hundred. So, assume $1300 to start.

through experience, ive learned to go ahead and deal with groceries and gas, or else we end up with insane charges on the credit card. then rent, then car payment, then everything else.

Discover was head hunting, so i paid the minimum for this month and last month on Friday, because we couldnt scrape enough together last month. Wave goodbye to $253.

So, I spent $204 at Walmart on Monday - the extra four was for sun burn stuff, i got a really bad one on Saturday. But $80 of that is for my gas (Brandus pays for his own), and $120 for groceries this month. Last month we had a little left over on the gift card, which i forgot to take into account.

Then rent is due today, which is $650.

Half of car payment went out, at $190. we owe another $190, as well as $85, which is late fee plus what we couldnt pay last month.

Tmobile was a nice surprise at $17.00, so that's been taken care of.

Comcast, Atmos, and Xcel, and the car insurance are still outstanding bills, and im not sure how we're going to come up with the money to pay them.

Current Planning:

Brandus is tutoring, plus his parents sent some money, so that will help. We have about $50 left in the savings account, and i just pushed the last $25 out of my personal savings account.

Will post on current schemes in a little while, once Ive gone through books and movies to see what can be sold, either through half.com or ebay.

Wish me luck.