Ugh. I messed up somewhere. Pity party inside.

**Dexter** · 01-18-2007, 08:34 AM

I messed up something in our account. Big. To the tune of $500. I am so upset. dh is upset. I'm new to all this so I don't have savings yet. I have $25 in my emergency fund or whatever it's called. Payday is on the 31st. We have food. Gas in the car. I can't believe I did this.

I know we'll be ok I just can't get rid of the sick feeling in my stomach. I am trying so hard. What am I doing wrong? I hate the slaps in the face. Makes me want to say 'forget it!'

Anyone want to join me in a pity party?

**jamie79** · 01-18-2007, 08:41 AM

Go over everything to make sure. We have all made mistakes. Dont beat yourself up too badly about it;

**nuisance26** · 01-18-2007, 08:44 AM

~Don't beat yourself up! Everyone makes mistakes when they're learning! Was it a math error or spending-too-much error? Knowing where you went wrong can help you from repeating the mistake. ~:::hugs:::~

**Dexter** · 01-18-2007, 08:44 AM

We went over it so many times last night. The error is correct. My anxiety is just nuts. I keep telling myself breathe in breathe out. lol

**Mom23boys** · 01-18-2007, 08:45 AM

Oh no! I would go over it again too just to make sure there isn't something you missed. In the meantime, is there anything you can sell to make extra cash?

Hang in there. Things will get better.

**favesis37** · 01-18-2007, 08:46 AM

i am sorry this has happened. good luck

**Dexter** · 01-18-2007, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~Don't beat yourself up! Everyone makes mistakes when they're learning! Was it a math error or spending-too-much error? Knowing where you went wrong can help you from repeating the mistake. ~:::hugs:::~

It was a communication/over spending error between me and dh. I did a big grocery shop and paid several bills. Bah! I told dh last night I was never touching the check book again. It's so dumb dumb dumb!

We'll get through it. We'll be ok. I just can NOT NOT NOT believe I did this.

<------ that is funny and accurately describes my situation right now. LOL

**LastDragonfly** · 01-18-2007, 08:48 AM

Mistakes happen--to everyone. I agree with nuisance and you should find out if it was a math error or a budgeting error. Since you have food in the pantry and gas in the car and $25, you are ahead in my opinion. Think how bad it would be if you didn't have food, gas or the $25.

**FrugalMomof3** · 01-18-2007, 09:06 AM

Dexter I am sure everything will be just fine, take deep breathes and remember this too shall pass.

**justpeachy92** · 01-18-2007, 09:39 AM

When I first started out balancing the checkbook I was always making stupid math mistakes, how I got past this was I started to just round up. If I write a check out for $22.04 I subtract $23 from the account. Last year I set up with my bank to do their keep the change thing, so they round up my cents and put it into savings. So now I round up that $22.04 check to $25.00. With deposits I round down, like if the check is for $980.23. I only add in the $900 in my check register. My dh works in construction, so having a buffer like this in our account has help us quite a bit when the weather is cold and work is slow.

**MarshHen** · 01-18-2007, 09:42 AM

I'm so sorry this as happened to you, and I do know how you feel cause it's happened to me and DH before too. Communication is key, especially when two people have access to one account. If you don't mind my asking, do either of you, or both, have debit cards? Hubby and I both do, and that was our problem. Hubby would check the balance with his card and then draw out money or buy something without checking with me to see if there were any checks that hadn't cleared. He also had a problem keeping up with his receipts. It drove me crazy. After going through what you are going through now a few times, we worked out a system and we haven't had any more problems.

Our system is simple. He doesn't use his card unless he calls me first, and if he does use his card, he calls me right then to let me know how much he spent and I write it down, and then I know just in case he looses the receipt. He's getting better about putting the receipts in his wallet though. I also call the bank's account access line and balance our account every day. It's become part of my daily routine and it only takes a minute or two, but we have peace of mind.

**Darlene** · 01-18-2007, 09:47 AM

Get back on that horse. You shouldn't give up the checkbook, it's something you need to do. I'm sure 99% of us have made math errors or other errors where our checkbook is concerned. Mistakes are learning opportunities, learn & go on without one more word berating yourself. Not one more.

**Michelle** · 01-18-2007, 10:10 AM

Everyone makes mistakes, and at least you caught it before it got too bad. You have food and gas...things could be worse. Don't give up on the checkbookm, and I agree: you need to stop beating yourself up over this.

**PrairieRose** · 01-18-2007, 10:15 AM

It's happened to most of us. Just hang in there, get through this rough spot and do better from now on

**suzysaver** · 01-18-2007, 10:21 AM

Don't feel bad I did this about 2 weeks ago, I thought all the bills were paid and then I was at work and relized it was the 13th and I had forgotted about a $410 point payment....just slipped my mind. We were going to go do a big grocery shop that evening and I had to tell hubby "NO"...we had to wait two weeks for me to come up with that grocery money, we are going on friday night. It happens to all of us, I thought I was really doing good (LOL)..it all came back around and I found a lot of meals in that pantry and freezer, we did just fine.