March Madness Controlled/No Spend Thread

[muttleynfelix]

My car died on my lunch break. Can I please please catch a break? I had to push it out of the middle of a busy intersection in the rain.

[dakota4600]

Muttley- HUGS I hope it is something DH & DBIL can fix themselves. Glad you weren't hurt.

update on DB- He is home and not in too much pain. He has to have a home health care nurse come in and pack his wounds. But he wants to go back to work ASAP. I had to have the packing with mini-D because my incision opened. I can't imagine sitting on the packed area for 8 hours day. Plus (TMI alert) if he has a BM he has to repack the area and that is not something he can do himself or would want to do at the office. But he wants to save his STD for the bigger surgery next month with a longer recovery time.

[mizbear]

muttley- I'm sorry. The first thought that came to mind after "I'm so glad she's okay" was in honor of Honey's list of International Women's Day quotes.

The Morton Salt Girl
"When it rains, it pours."

It will get better- it has to. HUGS

[Honeylioness]

Muttley - Oh, what a pain in da backside. I will cross my fingers that it is something simple like a worn belt.

startsmart - Some vacation, it sounds as though you worked as much as you "rested" if not more.

reenee - Great work on the veil

3cats - Been thinking about you lately, hope you are doing well.

Sharing - Has anyone had any recent sightings of our Mama Bear?


Travel - Booked the tickets for me and the girls to head out to the Seattle area for 8 days in April. By going midweek we got the price down to $290 RT per person. Pretty good I think

[mizbear]

dakota- Glad brother is doing better- but I agree with you about the packing- I had to have it with a female surgery and it's no fun- plus a bit humiliating.

[dividend]

OK, this is the part where I hate having to be honest about when I spent money.
Friday was an AS (allowance spend). Some things were planned, like cigarettes, and a gift for my brothers GF. But some things weren't - like the key lime pie tart I bought for my Dad for being awesome, the Redbull, and the bar tab for birthday drinks. Oh well. It was a great evening. Saturday was a CS - weekly groceries, and picking up my bicycle from the shop. I did buy an iced mocha before grocery shopping. I had a gift card for it, but only after I'd ordered did they tell me their gift card readers were broken. So I'm fudging that one a little bit. Sunday was a CS - my brother plays soccer for the Missouri Comets, and I have season tickets, so I plan for drinks and snacks at the game. Yesterday would have been a NS, but I bought a $10 Groupon for 1/2 off my favorite dive bar. Today will be a CS - filled the gas tank this morning, going to my brother's to cook dinner, and shouldn't spend a dime the rest of the day.
So far I'm at 3 NS, 3 CS, and 2 AS. All of my budget categories are positive. I feel good about March so far. Well, at least the $$ part of it!

[pauletteg]

Of course the day after I said I was in my car's battery died four times in a week. Without that, and the annual school auction, I could claim a mere $146 in spending in one week.

[shanendoah]

Muttley: Glad you are ok. Sucks about the car, though
Paulette: Sucks about your car, too
Dakota: Glad DBro is doing ok.
Honey: Would love to get a chance to meet up with you and the girls while you're in Seattle, if you have the time.

Yesterday was a spend- we put Smokey to sleep. It was a very difficult decision, but it was the right one.
Today was a spend to buy myself comfort cookies (and the $5 prize for the monthly micro-fiction contest I run.)

[mizbear]

Paulette- HUGS

Warning- RANT ahead: As I said earlier- when it rains, it pours- DGM is in the hospital with heart problems. DB is barking orders at me, my uncles and aunt are ready to toss him in the street now- as they have witnessed his behavior first hand (he did so at the hospital, over the phone)- but are afraid to upset DGM at this point. I can't decide if I want to lay down and have good cry, have a temper tantrum (works for DB), go buy a bottle of Sweet Red and drink it, or eat the entire package of cookie dough ice cream in the freezer....

Tomorrow will definitely be a NS now as I will be getting as much of my stuff as I can from my grandmother's before all h3ll breaks loose.

[mizbear]

shan- I am sorry about smokey. I never got to have pets, but always have loved dogs and cats. Always loved relatives and friends pets. Can't imagine what it must hurt like.

Sorry if I seem wrapped up in my own world right now, my family acts like I am supposed to fix everything- I can't do it. And I'm not fixing the things they broke to begin with.

[spruby]

ladies - I'd whine about my week - but comparatively - I can't complain

honey - love the quotes and great deal on the tickets - that is a good price - hope it doesn't involve many stops/plane changes - just being nosy - do they girls pay for their own tickets or do you have to cover them? just wondering how the hosting thing works

start - hugs

shan - my deepest condolences on smokey - i know how difficult what you did was - and you did it because of how much you love him - hugs

mizbear - sometimes family sucks - sad but true - sorry about your DGM - take care of yourself first

everyone with car trouble - good luck, everyone sick - feel better

so far - only one complete off the wagon spend day - wasn't terrible - but still - otherwise everything is at a CS

[sapphire12]

mizbear -- take care of yourself.

shan -- condolences hugs to you.

muttley/paulette -- sorry about your respective cars.

dividend -- kudos for your accountability

[ses]

Shannen--My deepest sympathies. This is such an emotional jolt, just be glad you got to spend some extra snuggle time with Smokey at the end and you did the right thing for him even though it costs you.

[ses]

Dividend--I meant to ask you earlier but I forgot, have you finished your schooling or do you still have some left?

[moneysquirrel]

Update: 5 NS Days 3 CS Days

Ladies -- I got an email from Sharing. She is swamped with weather issues and other matters and while she misses us cannot join us at this time. She will rejoin us when she can but the time is sometime in the future as she has so much on her plate at this time.

Honey -- Love the list.

Shan -- Sorry to read about Smokey. I know that your decision was difficult but that you did what was best for him.

Muttley -- Sorry about the car but glad that you are okay.

[Honeylioness]

Shanendoah - I am so sorry to hear about Smokey. I am sure you know, and have been told, that you made the a compassionate decision for him considering the circumstances. However from personal experience I know these words don't help at the time. But over the next few weeks and months you will find comfort in knowing you did the most loving thing you could for him.

As to our trip - I can't remember if you are closer to SeaTac than downtown but I would like to try and arrange a meet up. Always like to put a face to the name! We will be arriving the evening of April 13th and leaving around midnight on the 20th. You can contact me either here on the site's message center or at quiltinglioness @ juno . com


mizbear - Sorry to hear about all the drama taking place. It is a sad occurrence when the serious illness, or death, of a family's matriarch/patriarch creates such chaos. My intuition in these type of situations is to mostly ignore the "children" and just get on with doing what needs to be done. However, when I finally get pushed too far I have found that saying what you want in a soft, cold and cutting tone then turning your back on the morons and going back to what you were doing is far more effective than any yelling or cursing. Just my two cents worth.


spruby - You're not being nosy. A lot of people ask about how the financial side works in hosting. My responsibility at it's most basic is to provide the kids with shelter, food, running water, heat, electricity.

Food is the most ambiguous for some people. Some families give the students money to spend each week in the school cafeteria - I don't. If I had kids in school and did that for them, then I would do it for the exchange students as well. I tend to repeat the ways I was brought up. There is always food in the house for lunches (PB, jelly, bread, lunch meat, tuna etc). If you choose to NOT take a lunch then the cost is on you to buy your own lunch.

If the host family goes to the movies, or out to dinner you are expected to invite the student(s). However it is your choice whether you pay for them or not. When the three of us went to see The King's Speech the girls paid for themselves. Occasionally when we go out to eat I will pick up the tab - especially if we are having Chinese because I don't want to cook! The organization asks that you let the kids know in advance about costs. For instance "We are planning to go to the aquarium next Saturday, the student admission is $16. Would you like to come with us or do you have other plans?" This way if the student's personal funds are low they have a way to bow out and save face.

Anything else is on the students and their parents. Fees for sports, clothing, gifts, school or YFU trips and airfare to travel with their host parent. We talked to both sets of parents a couple of months ago about this trip and got their "okay". Each are very pleased actually at the low price I was able to get. We actually used my Dad's credit card. When we get there the girls will pay him back in cash they got off the credit/debit cards their parent's supply them with prior to them coming.

Sorry if that is WAYYYYY more information than you were looking for!!!

[muttleynfelix]

Thank you all for the car sympathies. It just turned out to be something got wet. DH and DS picked me up after work and we went to MIL's house where BIL lives. When we get there, I realize DS is leaking out of his diaper and we didn't have a fresh one. I get DS home and take off his clothes and change his diaper. I then run out to the car to get the rest of my stuff and I come back in and DS has his diaper off. I go to grab his supper and he had climbed up on the recliner and was standing on the recliner (naked)!!! UGH!! Oh yeah and I have a cold. Fun.

Shanen - Big hugs.

mizbear - SOrry about your gma.

paullette - Sorry about your car issues. They suck.

[sapphire12]

moneyssquirrel -- thanks for the update on sharing!

Black Hills -- my airfare is booked.

honey -- good deal on the plane tickets. It's amazing that you can fly coast to coast for less money than you can fly to the middle of the country.

[shanendoah]

Thank you all. I'm dealing much better with the aftermath this time than I did last time, mostly because I knew it was coming. The decision in the moment wasn't any easier, but I didn't expect it to be. Still, losing 2 dogs in less than 18 months has done a number on us.

mizbear: Don't worry one little bit about getting caught up in your life. I hope GM is doing better soon, and personally, I'd let the aunts and uncles kick DBro out. Tell the nurses he's not allowed to visit her because he causes her undue stress. (Whoever has DPOA can do this. If no one person has DPOA, then all of her kids just need to be on the same page.)

Honey: I am in SeaTac, about 2 minutes from the airport. I am also more than happy to play free taxi service if your family is unable to pick you up/drop you off. However, with the new light rail. if you wanted to meet downtown, that's pretty easy peasy for me, too.
And I'll just mention, in case you and the girls might be interested, there will be a roller derby bout the evening of April 16 at Key Arena. Its flat track derby, and tons of fun. (As season ticket holders, we will be there.)

Black Hills: So my assistant will not be off that week, so we are now pondering driving over. It is also the week of DH's birthday, and I don't know if I should make him spend it with my online friends, but he's never been to the area, so we'll see.
If we come, its very likely at this point that we would bring the Junebug with us. Pretty much all of the hotels listed are pet friendly, and she's a good car dog.

[mizbear]

muttley- Sounds like someone is ready for potty training maybe?? That was always the sign in our house. HUGS

Thanks everyone for the well wishes. My DM and Aunt have DPoA for my grandmother. Uncles #1 &2 had a talk with DB last night and warned him that h was skating on really thin ice. THey also told him that if DGM goes into the nursing home he can not move in with my DM or move here. DM could move here temporarily, but this place is too small. Aunt thinks DGM should go to the nursing home to stay this time, for fear of losing her and my DM to health issues.

I am now at 1 CS/1S/7NS- and my spend was only $10. But because it was off budget, it was a spend... I did stay under budget with the schwan's guy yesterday though. Going out to eat with DM tonite, DB not invited. Aunt and uncles may meet us depending on schedules.
I have not and MOAN days yet in the traditional sense- but does housework count??

[muttleynfelix]

mizbear - He's 13 months, so pretty young for potty training. We do have a potty chair/seat and we've talked about attempting potty training early. I think we need to work on baby sign language so he can communicate with us first.

[dakota4600]

Muttley- I highly recommend signs with little ones. Mini-D didn't know a lot of them, but he could ask for more, tell us he was all done, he knew the signs for the things he ate a lot and of course for milk and water. He knew please and a few other words and phrases. So he could ask for more milk please. Or more cereal please. Or he wanted to go to sleep. Occasionally when he gets really upset he resorts to signs, but now pretty much tells us what he wants.

Shan- Sorry about Smokey.

Miz Bear- Hope your GMA gets better quickly and family figures out where the best place for her is.

I'm counting yesterday as a NS. I used my allowance money which doesn't count as a spend. I still wasn't feeling hungry yesterday so I just ordered an enchilada and a tostado. Girls night was GREAT. The only kid there was 4months old, so we could actually focus on talking to each other instead of kid wrangling. Funny thing was that I walked into the restaurant (I was first as usual) and notice this table all waving in my direction. It was my dad and some people he used to work with out celebrating Mardi Gras.

Honey- Thanks for the info on how that works financially. I was wondering.

[muttleynfelix]

UGH!! So today at lunch, I went to lunch with the guys at a place next to Kohls so that I could run over to Kohls and get the rest of DH's birthday present. So, I get to Kohls and the lines are crazy long! It was nuts. I had like 5 minutes and it took me 15 minutes to check out. I felt so bad. I also spent more money than I had planned ($36 - for 2 flannel shirts and 2 t-shirts, so a good deal).

Also, we randomly got a couple projects at work which I am thrilled about, but I had Thursday and Friday all planned out for my time off. Now I have to figure out how to get everything done before my parents get here on Saturday.

[InsertCoolName]

morning. I realized today that it's the 10th and I have not spent any money other than for bill paying. It does help that I no longer feel like doing anything and mostly stay home. My husband on the other hand....I think he spent $20 at walmart the other night. I told him that it wasn't a need. And he gave me a funny look. I said....it could have waited, you did not need it right this minute. And all he said was Oh, I know. So I am not sure if it's a good thing that he knows the difference between the needs/wants or if it's a bad thing that he does know but just doesn't care. I've got to watch him a bit longer to decide which one it is.

Not really been busy just really not able to sit up for long periods of time without pain. I do have a laptop but I'm not getting a long with the keys lol. Well laying down and typing is just not something I have had to do. So sorry I haven't checked in more. But I don't think it's gonna get any better til after this baby gets here. Oh well, nothing I can do about it.

Everyone who is having a hard time, remember this too shall pass. We are never given more than we can handle.

[singlemomky]

Shan - So sorry to hear about Smokey.
Dakota - Glad you had a GREAT girls' night.
Muttley - what a relief it must be to know it wasn't something major w/the car.

Spent yesterday at home w/a headache. I normally do not get headaches so I'm a wuss about them. I have the deepest empathy for people who suffer w/them on a regular basis. Back at work today - and my desk is loaded down! Hopefully that means the day will pass quickly.

[sheilaincali]

I have been MIA and sick the last few days. Woke up sick on Monday and tried to take the day off but I had to get ready for a sales and use tax audit scheduled for Tuesday am. So of course I had to come in again on Tuesday. Finally took a sick day yesterday. Am back to work today. Feeling about 85% which really isn't half bad. No idea where we are for NS days. Haven't done much but there have been a few trips to cvs for cold medicine, Kleenex, cough drops, etc. Otherwise we have stayed home and behaved.

Shanen: So very sorry about Smokey.

mizbear: feel free to vent all you need to. The stress in your daily life impacts your spending and your ability to control it. Trips to the hospital to visit DGM result in increased expenses, meals out, etc. We take a "whole-istic" approach to finance here- and in our "whole" life effects our budgets.

[shanendoah]

Update: 3 of 12 NSD
1/3 of the way through the month, 1/4 of the way through my NSDs. I need to pick up the pace. I think it will be easier from here on out, but we'll see.

Tonight, DH has his last final of the quarter. He's been struggling a bit (which is actually good for him), but he's also been talking with the teacher and making progress. Its kind of nice that he won't get an official grade for the class (which would likely be a low C), and that instead, the teacher will write a review that says while he struggled with the material, he worked really hard, really did learn, was an overall good student.

On Friday, we're going to try and return the giant box of dog biscuits and the large dog flea treatment we got from CostCo. We still have some biscuits, and they're not a Junebug favorite. And she needs medium dog flea treatment. Since neither was inexpensive (flea treatment runs around $70, even at CostCo), we'll see if they'll take them back. They are completely unopened, and I am perfectly good with store credit. '
If they don't take them back, we'll hold on to them a few weeks and see if we decide to get another dog, and what size. If we decide we really aren't getting a second dog, we'll donate them to a shelter.

This weekend looks like it should be pretty busy. I'm supposed to go to a girls' night on Friday; we've got a friend hosting a Rock Band party on Saturday, Sunday we go on daylight savings, and I have my writing critique group.

momof5: You do what you need to to take care of yourself and that baby. We will still be here when you're sitting up again.

singlemomky/sheila: Get better! That goes for everyone else whose sick, too.

Muttley: The realy question is, did you get a picture of naked boy on couch? That sounded so cute to me, though I'm certain its probably more on the frustrating side for you. Glad your work picked up a couple of projects. At least its for a positive reason that you have to replan your schedule.

[muttleynfelix]

shanen - No picture, I freaked out when I saw him standing on the recliner. I was just so thankful he did it when I was in the house because I had just stepped outside for a moment and come back in and had let him have the run of the childproofed area. I guess I need to put him in his exersaucer or pull out the pack-n-play when I leave the room now. Good luck returning your frea treatment and biscuits.

[dianartemis]

shanen: I'm so sorry. <<<hugs>>>
mizbear: Don't you wish there was a remote control with a button labelled "manners"?

[startsmart]

home again. exhausted.

I'll be working a ton for the next few weeks and trying to get my work/life balance back. Sigh.