Fessing Up

**dwallyfam** · 12-11-2005, 10:16 AM

I have to say that since I have joined FV I have gotten a lot of help and useful information. Also, it has helped me realize a few things. It is time i fessed up to my situation and get things done.

I have been frugal by nature, or at least thought I have. I love a good bargain and always scout them out. Early on in our marriage DH and I had to scrimp and save everything. We did pretty good. So good that we let our frugal guard down and we now have some debt.

DH got a job byout almost two years ago. We saved the paychecks that he got. That is our EF. Though we have been dipping in to that lately to buy schtuff. He took a month off for vacation and then went to work for a friend. We put that money in the bank as well. Since it was construction, last October he got laid off. He could have worked for them this year, but the price of gas and how much he had to drive, the job wouldn't really pay. So he has been off for 14 months. He does little jobs on the side for pocket money. He has also been doing the SAHD stuff. Taking care of DD, cooking, cleaning. He was also a big help when my mom passed away earlier this year and my dad had hip surgery.

We can still manage bills on my salary, but it is the extras that we all get carried away with. Eating out, buying a trinket, not really paying attention to where the $$ is going.

I have to say by reading all of the posts here, that it has kicked my frugalness into working mode. I finally posted all of our debt on siggy line. Have been working on paying it off. Also been looking at what I did before to make us more frugal. So starting now and really kicking it into high gear by January so starts my journey with the rest of you.

Thanks all for helping me see my frugal roots and get them to showing again.

Kellie

**PrairieRose** · 12-11-2005, 11:32 AM

Well Kellie, most of us have been guilty of some of the same. I know I have...... . The thing is that as long as you now have a new awareness and commmitment you can change your ways of thinking and make some real changes. It took us years of me being frugal (on most things, till I wanted something....

) before we got seriously serious about getting out of debt. I find it's a journey, a long one with winding roads and crossroads but it's well worth it and even fun. Enjoy your journey.

**SHOPGIRL** · 12-12-2005, 12:03 AM

Kellie,

Good for you! I can totally relate to your situation. I too have really tightened up my spending and become much more aware of where my money is going.

Good luck! It's really amazing how much money can be saved when we're just more aware of where it is going. Plus, it can be a lot a fun along the way. Being frugal isn't always a sacrifice; sometimes, it's more like a game.

**SHOPGIRL** · 12-12-2005, 12:03 AM

Kellie,

Good for you! I can totally relate to your situation. I too have really tightened up my spending and become much more aware of where my money is going.

Good luck! It's really amazing how much money can be saved when we're just more aware of where it is going. Plus, it can be a lot a fun along the way. Being frugal isn't always a sacrifice; sometimes, it's more like a game.

**Darlene** · 12-12-2005, 07:01 AM

Good for you Kellie! Looking forward to hearing you tackle some of that debt and feel oh so good about it.

**jlxian** · 12-12-2005, 02:58 PM

Kellie,
I can relate to your situation as well. DH and I had an intensive frugality period in the early years of our marriage without which we would have never been able to buy our house. We had to buy some things for the house/farm, then came our kids, and we've never been able to get back on track. We hardly ever buy things we don't need (I was totally thrilled with a new pair of shoes a couple of weeks ago), and I've been fairly lucky at getting the kids (almost 13) to be open minded about second hand clothes. Like you its the little stuff --- a meal out here and there is our biggest downfall. And I'm sure I could do a better job with our grocery purchases.

We are at the point now where we can't manage to save anything at all and that worries me --- I keep thinking that if we could just pay off some of our debts we could get ahead, but something always comes up to put us behind again --- like needing a new kitchen stove, hot water heater, tires on the car, get the propane tank filled, etc.

Our intensive frugality period was not easy --- and sometimes I think it was the "doing without" during that time that makes us shy away from doing it again.

You are right, this is a good place to be reminded of what we need to do, and to be held accountable as well! Good luck to you with your own venture!

**dwallyfam** · 12-13-2005, 09:03 PM

Thanks for all your encouragement. I did do some stockpiling a couple of days ago. Today DH took the aluminum cans in and got $16 whole dollars for them (WAHOO). That money is already in the change jar ready to go into the christmas club for next year.

Kellie in KCMO

**jlxian** · 12-14-2005, 09:57 AM

Kellie, what was the price per pound on the aluminum cans --- do you remember? We have what seems like a million stashed in our barn and should get them "liquidated" one of these days.

BTW, I grew up in KCMO! Love it there.