Just starting again out of nowhere...I'm trying to go on to facebook daily and fill out some surveys, print coupons, fill out freebies. I am going to try to keep track of those savings here, as a way to motivate myself and as a way to show myself and my my family what can be done with a little computer work and planning! Here's today's work so far:

1. Put the upcoming weeks matchups on a word document to print out (goal is to match up tomorrow with coupons).
2 .Free sample from ob tampons
3. Free year of baseball digest (for Justin, hopefully Christmas gift).

I am off to do more, hopefully, but since I'm not feeling well, wanted to get this down!

A whole year without a post, here I go again!

So, a whole year without a post...gonna try this again. For several reasons, some different than when I originally started out on this journey. After 17 years together with my husband, countless hours in counseling with several different counselors, going through a car repo, bankruptcy, foreclosure, IRS audit, and several other financial disasters, I have realized what should have been obvious and probably is to everyone around me: We aren't handling our money very well. And my husband has no real desire to change. He may say that he does, but he doesn't "walk the walk". He doesn't want to try a new approach, consult someone, go to a course, like Dave Ramsey, etc...so, after a long counseling session last week, in which we once again argued over money and I was made to feel like I have to justify all my spending, and where once again, it is very obvious that Jim sees things in the family, especially money as "jim" and "the family". After this long counseling session I was hit with the obvious revelation that things aren't going to change. Not now, not tomorrow, not next year. It will always be this way with money issues.

So, in order to deal with this, I have decided that I will need to make enough money so I can support myself and the kids without Jim's income if needed. So I can spend money without having to explain it, argue about it, or constantly argue and nitpick at it.

I also have become more interested in couponing, facebook blogs and savings, bartering, and other ways to save money. This blog will be a way I can document how I am doing during my journey, both good and bad. I hope it helps me on the rough days when I can look back and see how far I've come. And I hope it helps me pinpoint some of the areas that need more help.

I am going to go through all our bills,medical, utilities, and others and get them organized. I have a big job ahead of me dealing with all the medical bills, but it needs done.

However, to get started, I'm going to just list what I did to save money for the day.

Here's todays:

Justin's football cleats: Scored a free pair at registration, very lucky they had his size. Cost savings approximately: $40.00
In mail: I signed up for Tide Stain Release samples, which turned out to be full sized packages. Two came today, along with $2.00 coupons, for a savings of approximately $8.00.
Signed up for free head and shoulders samples: $3.00
CVC Pastor Jeff brought over a share of Spiral Path farm, very exciting,we used to get that, looking forward to trying out some ideas and hoping the family doesn't waste the food. Savings: $40.00
Received my refund check from Aspen Dental, who had a deposit for some dental work they were supposed to do, but now I'm changing. Check was $213.00

Total: 40+8+3+40+213=294.00

Yeah! Not a bad start to my return!