I should be happy (I need to vent)

[patticakes]

After putting off paying bills yesterday I sat down this morning and just did it.

To fess up, I don't have a written budget, I put all the bills in the back of the ledger I use for tracking then when he gets paid (1st & 15th) I pull it out & get online bill pay and start entering down what is due and what is owing. That way hubby can pick it up and see where we are at with card balances, rental expenses, utilities etc.

This rotation has two attorney bills that blew me out of the water. I know its temporary but OHG what a chunk of money that just floated away. Any amount that is more than my mortgage going out just turns my stomach into a knot.

How would I even budget for that? Or the Dear hubby who took in the initative in a group he is in to front the $$$ for a member to return for an event, collect the money, give it to me Wednesday for his CC then ask for it back when he needs to take care of a business expense -- the goal the entire time trying not to touch savings.

Oh well, I raped & pilaged our savings today. (please don't take offense to the phrase) Glad it was there to stay current on the bills.

On an up note, I made sure my check when to paying off my Nordstrom Visa and now that is tucked away with the other cards with no balances.

What is left now are the two cards with mountainous amount of debt. (The voice inside my head says, evily, if that attorney bill wasn't there I could have made a NICE dent on one of those cards) But life is what it is and I must move forward and not dwell in the past.

Thank you for letting me vent...

Oh yeah, hubby also bought a more economical car so I can park the big SUV, take his car. We can't get rid of the SUV because of the dogs, 2nd job & towing --- but it is the only car with a payment. The rational thought proccess has to be there somewhere, right? (I really thought the car would have been paid off this year, oh yeah the $$$ went to the attorney or I would be over half way there)

A constant stream of character builder situations that should be making me a better person.

patti
...off to give more money away to insure & register the economical car....

[Wendy99]

I understand where your coming from, it's hard touching the savings ... keep your chin up .. we've been going through a similiar situation & I know others here have too

[EmilyD]

So sorry to hear about you having to dip into savings .. especially to pay the blood sucking lawyers .... they are second only to doctor bills as bankruptcy causes IMHO.

[Luv2BeFrugal]

Sorry you had to dip into savings... But congrats on gettin' the Nordy's card paid off!!

[ladykemma2]

do you know about Dave Ramsey and Mary Hunt?

you can listen to Dave on his website for free. in the upper right hand corner is a button called "listen now", and click on the radio archives.

i highly recommend their books and read all of the posts to get started. You NEED a written spending plan to get control of every dollar that comes into the house. it took me 6 months to pay off the attorney from my divorce and to dig out of that hole.

would you consider posting your expenses and bills? prepare to take criticism but it is meant well.

[Greebo]

I feel your pain - I used to live like that too. Income comes in, pull out the bills due, and pay them in order due.

The lesson I learned the hard way is if I don't have a budget on paper on purpose, I don't have a plan.

We have found that having a budget for the month, every month, helps us know where our money is going. When an unusual but expected expense (such as attorneys fees, and yes, I have had several multithousand dollar bills from ours) is coming up, it helps us plan for it, and figure out how we'll pay and where that money will come from.

I think a similar strategy would work for you.

[patticakes]

Thank you for all the kind words.

I am not ready to list out all of our monthly expenses for everyone to see, that is like getting naked in front of a mirror -- and I am not ready for that either!

I am willing to have it written to hang on the door of our computer hutch, that way we both see it and will have a clear picture of how hard we need ot get to work (we are both self-employed)

So I will work on this today and report back later.

patti

[Cricketlegs]

You don't have to write it down for us but you absolutely MUST do it for YOU and your dh.

Every month write down what bills are expected and will come in as well as the unexpected and when they do come in add the amount you owe. As you pay them add what you paid and write down any balances you may have.

Then get a highlighter and mark through everyone that is PAID as it is paid.

At the end of the month all the entries should have a highlighted line through it.
Makes it 100% impossible to "miss" or "forget" paying a bill.

Also, write down each pay check amount and add up what you paid on all bills.

Then subtract. That amount left should be accounted for or you have a bleeder. Find the bleeders because excess cash SHOULD go on debt or in EF and is not blow money.

You should have allowance for blow money.

Good luck!

[Cricketlegs]

Me again.

I have a monthly rough budget where I write it all down and estmate what I will be paying. Then when I get the bill I add the actual amount of the bill. Then when I pay it I add exactly what I did pay. If there is a balance I then add the new balance. I do this in my permanant green columner pad.

I also I 4 mini budgets a month. I work out ahead of time what bills get paid off what check.This I do in my spiral.

Example-If I said I will pay $200 on my electric bill on the commission check and I get the bill and it is only $116(this happened just this month!) I make up another mini for that check.

This way I know not only what I need to pay but when I need to pay it and am ready to edit my budget at anytime.

I find trying to do just ONE page for the whole month is to restrictive.

Everything ends up on one page in the columner pad and when everything has a highlighted mark I close down the month.