Our 1995 van dies. The mechanic says its toast.
An elderly couple upgrades their ride and trades in my dream car.
My local car salesman calls me because he knows its in my price range. The month is coming to a close and he has bills to pay.
The mechanic says it’s clean and mechanically sound with a great price.
The owner of the dealership says he’s hoping my husband’s company makes it because his car dealership is dependent on its employees. He’s also running for school board and wants our vote. He thanks us for buying the van …read more

Today we’re going to stimulate the economy.

Car dealers are hurting, nearly bankrupt. If George Bush were still president he’d tell us to be Good Americans and go buy a car. It will help the banking, credit industry and the car industry.

Our van, our only car, died last week. DEAD. There’s no fixing it. It has 238,000 miles on it and needs a new engine, a new air conditioning system and a new electrical system.

I’ve written that having one car is not an emergency. I’ve been riding my bike around town for months. It’s fun. It’s good exercise. All that sunshine …read more

Today is our 8th Wedding Anniversary.

We feel like wearing an “I survived the 7 Year Itch” t-shirt.

We’re in a better, happier, more comfortable, more stable, more loving, deeper, more affectionate, more real, place now than we ever have been. At least I feel that way.

The 7 year itch was like a journey into marriage war, but at least we finally worked some stuff out (where previously we’d been applying Band-Aids).

The overwhelming feeling on this anniversary is Phew. We made it. Thank God (literally) we’re on the up-side.

Honey, I’m so glad we struggled through and worked it out. I’m having …read more

Are you an average American? Have $10,000 in credit card debt and no money in your savings account? Is your New Year’s Resolution to get off the futile never-ending minimum payment treadmill. It may be time for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.
It’s a series of 13 classes in churches and community centers around the country. You meet in a group to watch these hilariously entertaining videos about money – can you believe math and finance is interesting and funny?
Then you interact with a group getting moral support. You know, sharing a goal with like-minded people can help you keep …read more

All I wanted for Christmas was my dream home. And I got it. We moved into our first home last Saturday and it’s 1,000 times better than I dreamed possible.
Picture this with a big, giant red bow . . .
Yes, that’s a ski lodge sized fireplace. Yes, the entire wall to the right is built in 1950s book shelves, drawers and cabinets. Yes, there are original parquet wood floors. Absolutely, there is lighted vaulted ceiling. See that lovely Christmas tree? It’s an 8.5 foot tree. The ceiling fan has a remote control. I’m totally serious.
To understand exactly how much I appreciate our …read more

Now is the time to start discussions about Christmas boundaries. No one cares about Christmas in July. If I remember this factoid correctly, most Americans just finished paying for last Christmas around March. That was only a few months ago.
Time for the family vacation. Then school clothes. Then, Holy Crap, Christmas! In fact, I’ve recently had two conversation with people who are already dreading the mass extended family gifting.
We use no credit cards. Period. Since our income doesn’t increase around Christmas we must be strategic about our giving.
I’m not taking a second job to pay for Christmas and though …read more

If you’re sane you’re in a near-panic over the flipping Christmas ornaments dotting the shelves of your local haunts.
Halloween has a few more days to arrive, but the Christmas push to buy more stuff is already making the national blood pressure rise.
Maybe my Boycott Christmas in June idea didn’t seem reasonable. But, now that it’s November, I’m thinking you might be considering a part-time job or scratching some extended relatives off the list.
Might I recommend a budgeting technique that will make sure you don’t end up doing the big recover from Christmas through March?
Write down the income you expect to get through January …read more

The other day in a matter of minutes myself and my two kids were overcome with congestion. We were fine, and then all three of us weren’t. There was something in the air that we just didn’t respond well to.
In the same way I’ve noticed there is something in the air breeding discontent. By discontent, I mean dissatisfaction with the present situation. Nearly everyone I know is, all the sudden, dissatisfied.
You just can’t stand your living situations, homes, clothes, cars, budgets, hair style, etc. And it feels like an emergency. Like you can’t take the present situation one more freaking second.
You want a …read more

I have a confession. Though Dave Ramsey fanatic and groupie I am, I have in my hands a credit card that I accepted. In In Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny Suze Orman recommended that I get one in my own name. I did.
Don’t tell my Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University Counselor.
 Truth be told, and I’ve been candid about this before, my husband and I got into some financial trouble a few years ago and cut up every credit card we had. We had vowed never, ever to get another credit card as long as …read more

I’m always a little surprised when someone tells me that they don’t make a budget. I suppose I always think Grown Ups make budgets. I guess not all of them do. I will say that I think it’s a wise thing to do if you ever want to get anywhere financially, anywhere besides where you are right now anyway.
A friend of mine is going through the upheaval of life that awaits all middle-class Americans. Hubby has been out of work for one month. Only one month and we’re talking about the wholesale of all furniture and other house-fillers like the …read more