Hey y'all.
So we stuck the budget very well for the first month. However, December is already messed up, and we've gotten a ton of overdraft fees due to sheer stupidity really. I KNEW there wasn't any room in the budget for extra shopping out of this check. We'd done too much extra shopping last paycheck, which had to be compensated for this time, which meant we had to stop the extras... well it's Christmas time, AND I've gotten really into pampering myself, - like long bubble baths, sugar scrubs, home manicures, moisturizers, makeup, you name it... but I didn't have a lot of those things since I hadn't really pampered - or taken care of myself at all - in... years? So, I had a trip or two to CVS for stuff. I also got groceries for Corina who called complaining they had no food in their house and were out of money. When I saw what they did have, I lectured her on how to cook what's on hand. She had plenty - just didn't know it. Been there, done that. Also, we got the Christmas tree and some ornaments and stuff. It's gorgeous. I'll get pics soon. And to be fair, I *did* have a small Christmas budget for the tree and stuff, so no guilt there.
Anyway, we have this paypal debit card that we can use that access our checking account, but it doesn't come out of the account til the next business day. Well, there were a couple days we had to use it, and then over the weekend, I took the girls to the mall before going to my hometown's parade- honest to God, I was JUST going to see the new stuff at Lane Bryant and just have some fun trying on stuff... and I was sucked in by the sales. I got a lot of gifts for people - not on the lists - basically just extras for people we'd already bought stuff for. I know, bad Patty. :( The girls and I had a great time bonding and shopping and they had some money and got their friends gifts, and then we went to the parade and then to my sister's cafe where her whole family was as well as our brother and his wife, so that was extra nice. I was in a good mood (and looked nice from the makeup and pampering so that helped a lot LOL). My sister even went on and on about how she loved my new glasses and how they suit me. Cool. :)
Well, so today rolls around and it's Monday. I knew I had to get Rhiannon at school at 3:15 after Gospel Choir practice. I usually wake up early due to the dogs and whatnot, but today Christopher was home and oblivious to the world around him. He just wanted me to be able to sleep. I woke up at 3pm. Rushed to get ready, went to get Rhiannon, took her home. Got an idea where to get the money to cover the stuff that would be coming out of the bank today AND still make the house payment, so I was running all over to places, getting stuff done and I got to the bank THREE MINUTES LATE. Honest to God. it was 5:03pm and they were getting their purses and getting the heck out of there ALREADY. So, I had the money in my hand to cover everything that I knew would go through tonight at the bank... but couldn't deposit it.
I just checked the online banking site. Some were paid and got overdraft fees, some they just outright returned. Get this... $174 in overdraft fees. I want to puke. 3 MINUTES!! If I had not been STUPID and if my husband hadn't stopped even giving a damn about the money and knew wtf was going on, maybe one of us would have had the forethought to deposit the money I ALREADY HAD ON ME before 5pm and then go get more money from the advance place later...
So yeah chalk another one up to incompetence as an adult, my husband not keeping his end of the deal - like I figured he wouldn't - and me wanting to make myself pretty and take care of myself obviously being a bad idea because look where it got us.
So, now it's back to being beyond broke at Christmas time. At least we'll both have another paycheck before Christmas, but it's going to take some finagling with what's left of the budget to get things all paid this month like they should be, and I let the Explorer payment go again too! That $174 is almost a month's car payment! I'd planned on depositing the money I got in advance to cover the stuff coming in tonight then put the rest on the Explorer. ... Well, I guess what I really need to do is pay at least 2 weeks on it and then deposit something to bring down the bank negative balance. Still have those 3 things outstanding that the bank returned to paypal. Sigh. At least the house payment will get made on time (well 1 day late, but it's no biggie) and I paid on the layaway so the presents are safe for 2 more weeks.
Maybe I need to look back to my blog posts from Christmas 2009, and 2010 and see just how far we have come. I made a mistake. Christopher dropped the ball. It's not the end of the world. I am still looking forward to a good Christmas, and the new year should be a very good one financially. I'm considering it a lesson learned, and will just go from there.
If there's anyone else out there who's having trouble sticking to their budget and make stupid mistakes like this, y'all are why I bear my soul to the blog world. I want people like me out there to know you're not alone. It might not do a damn bit of good to help your situation, but I hope it makes you feel a little better at least. Just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get back to making it right again. Holler at me if you like as well. I love getting email!
I'll try to be back soon with parade pics, tree pics, and maybe show some shopping hauls I did (I bought the stuff, might as well talk about it right?) LOL! Keep your chins up y'all!
Love you!
Patty
So we stuck the budget very well for the first month. However, December is already messed up, and we've gotten a ton of overdraft fees due to sheer stupidity really. I KNEW there wasn't any room in the budget for extra shopping out of this check. We'd done too much extra shopping last paycheck, which had to be compensated for this time, which meant we had to stop the extras... well it's Christmas time, AND I've gotten really into pampering myself, - like long bubble baths, sugar scrubs, home manicures, moisturizers, makeup, you name it... but I didn't have a lot of those things since I hadn't really pampered - or taken care of myself at all - in... years? So, I had a trip or two to CVS for stuff. I also got groceries for Corina who called complaining they had no food in their house and were out of money. When I saw what they did have, I lectured her on how to cook what's on hand. She had plenty - just didn't know it. Been there, done that. Also, we got the Christmas tree and some ornaments and stuff. It's gorgeous. I'll get pics soon. And to be fair, I *did* have a small Christmas budget for the tree and stuff, so no guilt there.
Anyway, we have this paypal debit card that we can use that access our checking account, but it doesn't come out of the account til the next business day. Well, there were a couple days we had to use it, and then over the weekend, I took the girls to the mall before going to my hometown's parade- honest to God, I was JUST going to see the new stuff at Lane Bryant and just have some fun trying on stuff... and I was sucked in by the sales. I got a lot of gifts for people - not on the lists - basically just extras for people we'd already bought stuff for. I know, bad Patty. :( The girls and I had a great time bonding and shopping and they had some money and got their friends gifts, and then we went to the parade and then to my sister's cafe where her whole family was as well as our brother and his wife, so that was extra nice. I was in a good mood (and looked nice from the makeup and pampering so that helped a lot LOL). My sister even went on and on about how she loved my new glasses and how they suit me. Cool. :)
Well, so today rolls around and it's Monday. I knew I had to get Rhiannon at school at 3:15 after Gospel Choir practice. I usually wake up early due to the dogs and whatnot, but today Christopher was home and oblivious to the world around him. He just wanted me to be able to sleep. I woke up at 3pm. Rushed to get ready, went to get Rhiannon, took her home. Got an idea where to get the money to cover the stuff that would be coming out of the bank today AND still make the house payment, so I was running all over to places, getting stuff done and I got to the bank THREE MINUTES LATE. Honest to God. it was 5:03pm and they were getting their purses and getting the heck out of there ALREADY. So, I had the money in my hand to cover everything that I knew would go through tonight at the bank... but couldn't deposit it.
I just checked the online banking site. Some were paid and got overdraft fees, some they just outright returned. Get this... $174 in overdraft fees. I want to puke. 3 MINUTES!! If I had not been STUPID and if my husband hadn't stopped even giving a damn about the money and knew wtf was going on, maybe one of us would have had the forethought to deposit the money I ALREADY HAD ON ME before 5pm and then go get more money from the advance place later...
So yeah chalk another one up to incompetence as an adult, my husband not keeping his end of the deal - like I figured he wouldn't - and me wanting to make myself pretty and take care of myself obviously being a bad idea because look where it got us.
So, now it's back to being beyond broke at Christmas time. At least we'll both have another paycheck before Christmas, but it's going to take some finagling with what's left of the budget to get things all paid this month like they should be, and I let the Explorer payment go again too! That $174 is almost a month's car payment! I'd planned on depositing the money I got in advance to cover the stuff coming in tonight then put the rest on the Explorer. ... Well, I guess what I really need to do is pay at least 2 weeks on it and then deposit something to bring down the bank negative balance. Still have those 3 things outstanding that the bank returned to paypal. Sigh. At least the house payment will get made on time (well 1 day late, but it's no biggie) and I paid on the layaway so the presents are safe for 2 more weeks.
Maybe I need to look back to my blog posts from Christmas 2009, and 2010 and see just how far we have come. I made a mistake. Christopher dropped the ball. It's not the end of the world. I am still looking forward to a good Christmas, and the new year should be a very good one financially. I'm considering it a lesson learned, and will just go from there.
If there's anyone else out there who's having trouble sticking to their budget and make stupid mistakes like this, y'all are why I bear my soul to the blog world. I want people like me out there to know you're not alone. It might not do a damn bit of good to help your situation, but I hope it makes you feel a little better at least. Just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get back to making it right again. Holler at me if you like as well. I love getting email!
I'll try to be back soon with parade pics, tree pics, and maybe show some shopping hauls I did (I bought the stuff, might as well talk about it right?) LOL! Keep your chins up y'all!
Love you!
Patty