Perfect.

She’s debt free other than her mortgage – and even then, she’s paying it aggressively. I’d love to tell you that her husband makes loads of money and that’s how she’s able to be a stay at home mom to four kids and remain debt free but…

He doesn’t.

My sister has found ways to live below her means and actively seeks new methods to spend less. She purchases clothing and toys for the kids at garage sales in nice neighborhoods then resells them when the kids outgrow them (sometimes, she actually MAKES money on this!), doesn’t waste money on cable TV or other ‘necessities’, drives an older yet reliable car, and she cooks fabulous inexpensive meals at home (my home cooked meals are inexpensive but they are far from fabulous).

She’s the annoyingly good at being frugal but not cheap.

Naturally, I spend this time around her basking in her infinite financial wisdom, asking questions, and learning from her example…

…and I am also the queen of England.

Sorry folks, sibling rivalry is alive and well.

So, I do the second best thing, I make my mom ask the questions and I pretend not to listen.

My advice, befriend someone frugal – even if it is your sister. I find that I don’t learn as much from the books or the internet as I do from those who may not have it all figured out, but they do a pretty darn good job.

It creaked. It groaned. It fell. I cried.

We have a couple options:

a. We can leave the fence broken, give away our dogs, and hope nothing larger than a hippo wants in or out of our yard.

b. We can do yet another band-aid fix – i.e. buy more chicken wire, bazooka bubble gum, and a load of hope and prayer.

c. We can construct what I consider a perfectly acceptable but perhaps not aesthetically pleasing Preskool bubbly plastic play gate in a rainbow of colors available at garage sales everywhere.

Or

d. We can build a real fence.

Now is not a good time for this to happen (when is?). My husband started his job on Tuesday and won’t receive a paycheck until next week. Fortunately, those of us who are paid bi-weekly receive three paychecks in one month two times per year. January just happens to be my three paycheck month.

Sniff. Goodbye extra car payment.

We decided to build a new fence with my third check. Over the last three years, we could have paid for a new fence several times over but never seemed to have enough to do anything more than band-aid fix after band-aid fix. My husband is constructing the fence and stringing it with power so we can add lighting in the future. Looking at the perfectly dug trenches in our back yard, it appears as though I am haunted by a 170 pound gopher who looks a lot like my husband.

It’s time to stretch ourselves. I’m tired of continuing to make bad temporary financial decisions.

When my husband and I married, I participated in his family gift exchange as well (turns out, his family of 10 was interested in saving money too). It was a great way to feel a part of the family.

Now that the economy has tanked, everyone wants to do a gift exchange rather than a mass gifting. Aunt May, Grandma Joy, and co-worker Suzie want to exchange gifts this holiday. While it’s easy to bow out of work related exchanges (‘My husband is unemployed’ is always a fabulous and acceptable reason), it’s difficult to get out of extended family exchanges. Family members say “it’s only $20 or $30!” but I can’t afford toothpaste much less a $20 Sham Wow. $20 or $30 multiplied by ten or so exchanges just isn’t happening this year.

I know what you’ll say, “Hey, it’s family. They’ll understand.”

Um. Hello?

It’s family. The very definition of people who are allowed to make fun of you and feel no guilt.

Wait. Maybe that’s just my family.

Whatever.

Since I don’t particularly want to say, “Yes, I bought you the Sham Wow but I can’t afford to buy deodorant until February”, I’m going to hold off on gifts entirely this season.

Whew. I said it. No gifts.

The big question…

How long can we hold on without my husband’s job?

Our initial numbers (without unemployment benefits) put us at 8 weeks. Our reductions to debt paired with our cash in savings and unemployment benefits put us at…

9 months.

Had this happened before we had taken control… had this happened before we made the decision to live below our means and reduce debt… we would have made it through a month, maybe two tops.

But now, we’re looking at 9 safe months. 9 months to find a job before things get hairy. Sure we won’t make progress other than minimums and we certainly won’t eat anything other than Ramen noodles but, we can hold on.

I have four words to say –

Thank. You. Dave. Ramsey.

First, we cut our dental and vision insurance. This is something that can easily be re-instated but the $25 a month can help me now.

Second, I cancelled all my appointments health related or otherwise. None of my appointments were an emergency and I requested that my doctor renew my prescriptions without the annual check-up since the last 6 years have been clear of any problems. These appointments and tests run in the neighborhood of $500.

Third, I called my cable company to cancel our cable, reduce our internet speed, and reduce our phone service. I explained our situation and was surprised when they offered reduced internet costs, reduced phone costs, and added free services and free channels for a 12 month period. I would tell you how much I’m paying – but I’m afraid they’ll figure out they made a huge mistake and ‘correct’ the discount… or fire the guy who gave it to me. I would have cut out the internet and phone entirely but my husband needs internet for school purposes and job searching late at night when he gets home (free internet at the library is closed) and I’m uncomfortable without a home phone for emergencies.

Fourth, I contacted my student loan company for a deferment.

Fifth, my husband and I contacted friends and family and let them know we’d be available for odd jobs. Since unemployment doesn’t start for nearly a month after a job loss, my husband has done everything from pulling weeds to insulating walls. I have been helping a company with paperwork at night after work. We use this money for groceries and for the important bills like electric and water. At no time should you feel you are ‘too good’ for any type of job.

Sixth, we cut off all our subscriptions and memberships. If you’re like us, you may not even remember you have some of them since they are automatically billed to your credit card and you may not look at each item on your online statement. Some examples: gym memberships, club memberships, magazine and newspaper subscriptions (some automatically renew unless you cancel). Savings – $50 a month.

Seventh, we’ve been using more public transportation. It takes twice as long to get somewhere, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s far from fun, but it saves $50-$75 a month.

It’s not a lot, but each item buys us a little more time.

Sure, if I had no debt and had no plans or acquiring new debt, my credit score wouldn’t matter…

Or would it?

I was reading Parade magazine this week and was reminded of a very important reason to keep up those scores – employment. Employers are using credit scores as another way to narrow down candidates. In this rough job market, that’s the last thing you want to worry about.

My current employer ran a credit check on me prior to offering employment. I had been unemployed for 2 months but had managed to pay my bills. Had my credit score fallen, I likely would have been passed over.

Congress is considering blocking this practice but right now, it’s very legal.

Do you think credit checks are a fair way to judge potential employees?

You can read the article at Parade.com/creditscore

Thursday’s post made me realize how silly it was that I didn’t know how, and in these boring months between payoffs, I find myself needing a distraction.

I learned a few things:

1. Bikini tops, though amusing to community pool staff, are not conducive to learning how to swim.
2. It takes an aquaphobic person 17 minutes to be coerced into a 3 ½ foot lap pool.
3. My husband is a very patient man.
4. Swimming, biking, and running on the same day with untrained muscles will cause pain that rivals injuries sustained in a roll over car accident.

As I walk with a limp today, I can’t help but compare this pain to the pain I felt when starting my journey toward a debt free future. It’s painful now and it will continue to be painful in the future. It will never be easy. If it were easy, everyone would be debt free and physically fit.

Pain is a sign of growing, learning, and taking responsibility for the future.

What is my worst financial pain? Not being able to travel. I don’t miss my credit card balance, but I miss the yearly trips that came with it.

What is your worst financial pain? What do you miss the most?

I left to housesit for a co-worker and came home to …

My husband explained that he had discovered mold under the floor and in the walls and decided to replace everything to be safe.

So why… why… why… did I assume that when we intended to insulate the separation closet wall in a 50 year old house, that we would simply be able to insulate the closet wall?

This is our spare bedroom as of today…

A few days ago, my husband asked if he could insulate all four walls. We both agreed that as long as we had one wall down, we should take down the remaining three walls, fix the electrical, and fix the phone line. Total tab so far? $142. I am so very thankful to be married to a talented construction man.

When making decisions like these, it’s hard not to want to put it off until later or take the easy way out. What we constantly have to consider is: Is this going to cost more later if avoided?

My nearly $200 electric bill tells me… I should have done this two years ago.

The good news? Energy improvements, including insulation, are tax deductable. Yes!

Want more info? Go to: energystar.gov/taxcredits

We paid off our credit card last week.

We’re still working on my husband’s truck loan and the student loan but we promised ourselves little rewards for each payoff. It’s a good way to stay motivated when finishing a long stretch before starting yet another long stretch.

Surprisingly, my husband suggested a night out (surprising because I expected him to suggest something more along the lines of a macho flat screen TV or a beefy new grill). We purchased tickets to see Spamalot at the Civic Theater downtown. The tickets were $17 each (we sit in the nosebleed seats) and with dinner, we’ll likely spend a total of $100.

We get a one night break and it’s off to frugality again.

I’m fortunate to be married to a hardworking construction genius who can do the work himself (plus, my husband looks irresistible in safety goggles). We only have to pay for the materials which should run about $100.

Why are we insulating? Our house was built in the 1950’s and no insulation was used on any interior or exterior walls. Our heating and cooling bills are much higher than they need to be. The initial expense of the upgrade will be quickly paid for in lower electric bills plus, it’s better for the environment. And… our new roommates are newlyweds – that’s reason enough in itself.

It always seems like when we have an opportunity to get ahead, the necessities of life burn through the cash. Between tuition costs, new dog vet bills, and the two weddings, we have had to pony up more than $3,000 in the last two months.

These expenses would have buried us in the past, but careful planning and frugal spending have kept our heads above water.

But…

All I have been hearing about for the last week on every news station in San Diego is the Cash for Clunkers program and about angry car dealers who have decided to cut off the program early. Dealers have found themselves swimming in paperwork and unable to get timely reimbursement for the Clunkers (most dealers in this area have been reimbursed for less than 25% according to the reports). The Clunkers program was expected to last until November but quickly ran out of money in the first few days. More money was added to the pot, but it was used faster than expected as well.

And of course…

The local news stations have tied this topic to the heated healthcare reform debate. The ‘failure’ of this program has caused people to worry about governmental competence when it comes to their health.

What do you think?

Then, he casually mentioned that the guests were old high school buddies and this was really important to him.

On the inside, our home is nice. On the outside… well, let’s just say we usually wait until the sun has set and our guests have had a glass or two (preferably three) of Chardonnay. We can’t afford landscaping so our yard is a grouping of well mowed weeds and raked dirt piles.

Before we went on this recovery from debt diet, we had planned to landscape our backyard and remodel our 50 year old kitchen. Take out another loan – it would have been so easy. But now, we’re living within our means and paying off debt. It will likely be another 5 years before we can pay cash.

It’s hard to deal with the pressures of keeping up with our peers. It’s hard to not feel a little embarrassed at our less than presentable yard (though to be fair, his friends had nothing but nice things to say).

Sometimes it’s hard not to feel frustrated but…

It’s not hard to feel relief from the lifting debt. Seeing we’re only about a year away from being debt free is like breathing again.

Our computer was devoured by viruses and is so old it practically runs on original UNIX. When it starts up, it sounds like an 18-wheeler!

My husband and I both received an extra paycheck this month and are contemplating purchasing a desktop computer. My employer generously offered to pay for 25% of the total cost.

I’m struggling with this purchase because it’s several hundred dollars – several hundred dollars that could take a chunk out of our debt. BUT, do I say no to a very generous offer? An offer I may never get again? Do I try to survive without a computer?

We decided to purchase a mid-line computer but the real question is…

what would you have done? Is a computer a ‘want’ or a ‘need’?

We don’t see each other often. Perhaps that’s why our marriage is so great. We don’t have time to fight – heck we’re just so darn excited to see one another we don’t really… um… talk much.

He took a rare three nights off last week and we went running and cycling together every day. We made dinner. We walked the dogs. We watched movies. We remembered what it was like to be married.

I couldn’t help but think about how wonderful it was to have him around – to see him relax, even for just a night or two. He must have been thinking the same thing. He said, ‘I want to work less and live my life more.’ He has decided to work 6 days per week and 2 nights per week – and yes, that’s a cut-back (he was working 6 days and 6 nights).

I can’t agree with him more. As he toils to pay our debt, I can’t help but wonder if our self-inflicted punishment of hard labor is worse than the crime of spending. I wonder if one day, we’ll look back and regret the time we missed when our life was just us. We can cover our bills plus some without the extra work so we’ve decided to slow down.

So… we will pay things off more slowly BUT I have my husband back – and I’ve missed him dearly.

A 7 pm bachelorette dinner time that coincided with a 7 pm baseball game start and the 7 pm Saturday night party crowd shot parking rates and traffic to a premium. Unable to find an overnight parking place, I parked in an hourly rate spot (a spot that makes more per hour than I do). All throughout dinner, I checked my watch thinking, ‘Tick tock goes the meter – and my $50 allowance.’

I ordered the cheapest item on the menu, a $9 greek wrap, and had 2 – $2 beers. I dropped in $20 to cover my meal.

$30 left in my wallet.

We went to a club where I used $6 from my ash tray to have a Corona with the girls. As I sat nursing my beer with ‘Bridesmaid’ bedazzled across the chest of my pink tank top, guy came up to me and asked me to dance, he mentioned it was his 21st birthday… which had me thinking, ‘What is the official definition of a Cougar? And dear Lord… I’m not one right?!?’

A few more hours passed and I realized that I could not afford $35 for the hotel. Parking costs had chewed threw my money. When I pulled out of the garage, the kind and generous parking man gave me a discount from $54 to $30. Maybe he saw the shock register on my face – or maybe it was because I had my car loaded with bridesmaids in the same pink tank tops giving him Colgate smiles while winking flirtatiously.

I survived the weekend on $56.

And… it wasn’t so bad.

My husband did an odd job fixing a sink and earned a crisp one hundred dollar bill. We decided to split the cash and use it this weekend. A ‘fair’ split would have been closer to 80 for him and 20 for me but he smiled and said, ‘Have fun’ while handing me a fifty (And that ladies…. is one of the millions of reasons why I love my man).

So, I’ve got to survive this weekend on $50…
$35 of which goes to a shared hotel with the bride to be.

It’s like going to the Cheesecake Factory and limiting yourself to 25 calories.

Should be interesting.

First off, I’d like to thank you for cashing my husband’s tuition check within 12 hours of receiving it. Who knew that was even possible? Though to be honest, I’m not quite sure why we pay two months in advance and are later reimbursed. It kinda sounds like a man I heard about… what’s his name? Ponzi?

Second, I recently received your request for an additional $150 per semester – as if the two thousand I just paid you was completely insufficient for a whopping six units… and let’s not discuss your $200 parking pass shall we? I was amused at the complete ambiguity as for the reasons why the additional funds were needed from all 30,000 or so students but I was NOT amused when I actually had to pay it. But hey, thanks for allowing me to defer this unexpected payment for three weeks. I guess that’s supposed to help me be happy about paying more and getting less? I have approximately $26 in my checking account. Clearly, I cannot spend $150 when I only have $26. Who do you think I am? The state of California?

Also, I want to thank you for delaying the receipt of my husband’s tuition funds for two months. Perhaps you are trying to help the business students perfect the art of living off ramen noodles and tuna and hone their negotiating skills with creditors?

When we called to check the status on the cash flow, you said the check was ‘in the mail’. 3 weeks have passed. Are the checks being personally delivered by a three legged dog on a skateboard? In short, in response to your request for additional funds…

The check is in the mail.

Sincerely,

The broke wife of a California college student

Well, I didn’t want to take an empty can of sunblock back to the store so I wrote an e-mail to Target. It was friendly and praising of their other products but asked for them to consider dropping or changing this particular product.

I didn’t expect to hear anything…

But I did.

Target wrote me an incredibly friendly e-mail and promised to look into my complaint. Two short days later, I received a full refund and yet another friendly letter in the mail.

I have always been a HUGE Target fan. They donate to local charities, have impressive customer service, and they save my budget every month. Add this surprisingly friendly response and…

Target, you have my lifetime stamp of approval.

A special thanks to Fern who let me know that, yes, it’s OK to complain sometimes.

Here are some things that really stuck out to me this week:

PICKS:
Lose It! by FitNow, Inc.
Unfortunately this iTunes application is limited for use on iPhones or iTouch iPods but the good news is… its’ FREE. This application/program is great at helping you monitor portions and nutritional content of nearly everything you eat. It has a huge reference library of restaurant nutritional information and of everyday items from the grocery store. Users simply enter their height/weight information, the types of nutritional content they want to monitor, and their weight loss goals. While I don’t need to lose weight, this program is valuable to me since I want to monitor my fat, protein, and fiber intake for my marathon training. Diabetics can also benefit since this program monitors carbohydrates and sugars. I am now more aware of what I’m eating and how I can make small changes to my eating habits to make a healthier me.

PANS:
Sun Block by Target
I’m a HUGE fan of Target brand products. I like them just as much, if not more, than the name brands. Plus, the cost savings helps stretch my miniscule budget. Unfortunately, I was less than impressed with their sun block. We took this sun block with us on our beach camping vacation and quickly discovered it was a waste of money. Our first clue should have been its label ‘water resistant’ and not ‘waterproof’ like the other sun block products. It washed off at the slightest sweat and did not hold up at all to a quick dip in the ocean. If you plan on not swimming or sweating, it’s great. I don’t know about you, but when I wear sun block… I’m in the sun. And, the sun is hot. In heat, I sweat… er… ‘glow’. I’m fairly certain that’s normal. Sorry Target, head back to the drawing board.

What are your picks and pans this week?

Camping allowed us the opportunity to cook our own food. We met up with friends before leaving and shopped for food together. We purchased only what we needed and divided the tab by 6. Each meal? Around $2-$3. We didn’t count this as an added expense since we used the money from our grocery budget – and actually spent less than we would have had we cooked for just the two of us at home. We brought a few bottle of wine and jugs of water from home. We did go out to dinner one night – to Carl’s Jr. – and we counted that in the $38 total spent.

Showers were 25 cents for 2 ½ minutes. I was more than willing to pay for warm water but my frugal husband showered in the cold shower by the beach for free. I’m not going to lie, it looked a little odd when he washed off his Irish Spring soap while surfers waited to rinse their boards.

When we booked the campsite 6 months ago, my husband cut some hefty branches off our trees. He stacked them along a shady side of our house for the last few months and we used them to fuel our campfire each night. People asked us why we were storing firewood when we don’t have a fireplace and we got more than one weird expression when we told them it was for our camping trip… in six months. But we saved a fortune by using a little elbow grease and cutting our own firewood. We didn’t have to buy any!

When it came to camping supplies, we didn’t have much. We own a tent and a portable grill but that’s about it. My brothers fiancé’s family is an experienced group of campers. Rather than purchase new items, we borrowed their shade tents, pots, pans, cups, games, and portable tables. One rule about borrowing – make sure you return the items cleaner than when you first received them and if you borrow something that requires any sort of fuel, fill it up before returning it. Also, return the item within a day or two after you come home.

The campsite was over an hour from our home. I wasn’t prepared for an added gas expense and was surprised when I realized… I didn’t have to be! We brought our bikes and traveled solely by ‘pedal power’ after we arrived. The truck stayed parked at the campsite and my car stayed home the entire week. With both of our cars parked, we saved money on gas!

So what did we spend the $38 on?

$18 on a game of golf at a beautiful municipal course.
$10 at Carl’s Jr. (I ordered a kids meal and he had a sandwich).
$10 on a t-shirt from an outlet store.

Sure, camping isn’t my vacation of choice, but I had a great time and spent far less money than I have ever spent on a weeklong vacation by the beach.

Our previous vacation trips were fun but the nasty ‘debt hangover’ when we came home always sucked (excuse my language, but I’m being dreadfully honest).

When we arrived home from beach camping, I flipped on my computer and closed my eyes after typing my password for online banking.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Why is it when you are broke and running the risk of overdrafts, the bank websites turn to sludge? It’s as if they get a sick satisfaction in making your pain last longer.

The screen finally popped up and… I screamed.

We only spent $38 for the week (I’ll update you later on how we shamelessly saved money in ridiculous ways).

I’m fairly certain we spend more than that when we aren’t on vacation.

Cheers to my first ‘debt hangover’ free vacation!

OK, truth be told? I’m probably wrapped in sun protecting blankets under the pop up tent whining about how the sun is too bright, the showers are too cold, and the sand is too hot.

But I WILL have a margarita.

My husband I are in love with Sam the Cooking Guy (previously on Cox Cable channel 4, but now he has his own show on Discovery Health called ‘Just Cook This with Sam the Cooking Guy’)

Frankly, if I can make this meal (I’m what some call ‘culinary challenged’)… YOU can make it.

Oh, and watch Sam the Cooking Guy. He gives great tips on how to cook fast, easy, and inexpensive meals. So while I’m out, here’s a cheap dinner to enjoy.

Thai Curried Chicken

Ingredients
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
One 14 ounce can light coconut milk
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons Asian chili paste (I used Asian chili sauce and it worked just as well)
Zest of one lime plus the juice (no zester? no worry – just use the juice)
Cilantro, chopped fine for garnish
Cooked rice for serving

Trim chicken of any extra fat. In a large bowl, combine coconut milk, cumin, curry, chili paste, lime zest and juice, mix well.

Reserve about 1/3 of the sauce for after, but add the chicken to the rest. Mix well, cover and marinate—anywhere from 15 minutes to overnight.

Heat bbq or grill pan and cook chicken on both side until cooked though—those cool grill marks are perfect here. While the chicken cooks, simmer the extra sauce in a small pot to thicken.

Slice into strips, serve on top of rice with a little extra sauce and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Serves 6.

Visit his website for more info:
http://health.discovery.com/fansites/sam-zien/sam-zien.html

When my brothers (John & Mike) and I were 13 and 15, one of my dad’s oh so responsible employees showed us how to build a potato gun – because everyone knows the combination of pipe, potatoes, a bottle of WD-40, and a flame tool are landmark in safety and you should share them with teenagers.

We spent our afternoons launching the potatoes into targets… *cough* the pool deck… *cough* the new trees… *cough* the house siding… (sorry ‘bout those dents dad)

On a particularly hot day, John filled the chamber up with a combination of Rave hairspray and WD-40. The fumes filled the air as he quickly spun the cap on and pulled out the matches. He touched the flame to the side and a loud BOOM exploded into our ears. Mike and I looked down to see John on his back, his shoes smoldering, and the lawn burst into flames.

He hadn’t spun the cap on tightly and instead of launching the potato, the force rocketed the cap and the flame onto John’s shoed feet.

Responsibly… Mike and I laughed hysterically at John.

We laughed so hard, we overlooked the fact that the lawn was still on fire. About 60 seconds of laughing at John’s smoldering blackened shoes went by before we suddenly became aware that the fire was growing. If mom saw the fire, she’d never let us shoot another potato again (though I’m not sure she ever truly ‘approved’ it in the first place).

Mike ran for the hose while John stomped out what he could.

Fortunately they got the fire out (hence the reason they are such good firefighters… they started young) but there was still a huge problem…

There was a black spot of charred lawn directly in front of the screen door that mom surely wouldn’t miss. We couldn’t think of a believable story for the burn spot and we certainly weren’t going to tell the truth sooooo…

We dug out the lawn, tossed it across the fence, threw on some fresh dirt, then went inside and told mom the dogs had dug a patch of the lawn.

As for John’s shoes? ‘Pssshhh. Mom, that’s a fashion statement. Don’t you know style?!?!’

My best summer vacation memories were never about where we stayed or what kind of expensive things my parents bought, they were always about the fun times with my family.

Sure, we aren’t going somewhere nice this year, but we’re going together – and that’s the best part.

These are the times when I hate the fact that I’m finally living below my means – even though it’s good for me.

But, that didn’t stop us from booking a great place just steps from the Pacific Ocean. The gentle sea breeze and the sounds of the ocean will caress us as we drift off to sleep.

How did we fit this into our budget?

Hello beach camping.

Sure I’ll have sand in my ears and hair for a week straight but… I’ll be soaking up the sunshine, grilling 97 cent chicken while spending $90 for the weeklong campsite.

As San Diegans/Californians, we are fortunate to have beach camping sites within a few hours of home. With very careful planning (6 months in advance through ReserveAmerica.com), a great California vacation can be very inexpensive. Didn’t reserve 6 months in advance? A lot of these campsites have last minute cancelations. Sometimes you can get an unclaimed campsite for the same day.

I know California isn’t the only place with good, inexpensive campsites.

Name your state and share the best cheap vacation spot. America is a BEAUTIFUL place. Let me know what your neighborhood has to offer. I want to know where to go next year!

Looking for a good California beach site? You can’t go wrong with Carlsbad State Beach, San Clemente State Beach, and Doheny State Beach. All three will put you steps from the ocean and run about $35 a night. You can put multiple tents on each site and can split the cost like we did. You can (and need to) book the sites 6 months in advance. Sign on to the Reserve America website at 7:55 am on the 1st day of the month. Example: We booked a site for a week in July on February 1st a 7:55 am. Happy camping!

I am very disappointed.

This event led to the following changes:

1. More involvement by both of us. Often in relationships, one person manages the finances. When things don’t go well and money is too tight, this person feels the stress, the pressure, and the responsibility for the mess. We have both decided to dedicate and hour each week to review each transaction. Now we have more checks and balances on each others spending – otherwise, we’ll have another bad month.

2. We are refocusing our goals and setting rewards. Our next payoff is still a ways away and we’re getting frustrated and bored. We decided to give ourselves something to look forward to after our next payoff. It’s nothing huge, maybe a dinner out or a trip to the theater, but rewards between payoffs has become something we need to stay motivated.

3. Reconsidering our numbers. We went back to make sure our numbers were working for our ever changing budget. We’ve been underspending on gas and overspending on miscellaneous necessities (car repairs, house repairs, etc.). We decided to adjust our numbers and perhaps pay a little less on our credit card so we can stop panicking when things aren’t balancing. Leaving the numbers the same would be great, but it’s obviously not working and it’s causing frustration.

4. We have decided to spread our focus. It’s easy to let finances consume our thoughts and lives. Rather than let this stress grow, we decided to let ourselves enjoy other things in life. Running, swimming, yoga, gardening groups, and organizing the garage help to keep our mind free of the finance clutter in our brains.

When there are long distances between payoffs, it’s important to work at what is frustrating you. You can’t solve everything, and it will be painful, but taking steps to at least reduce stress will help to prevent burnout. I’d rather take things a bit more slowly than give up entirely.

What have you done to motivate yourself and prevent burnout?

The poor guy has never had to look for a job before – his reputation as a hard worker has always earned him employment without even an application. Writing a resume is difficult.

I’m trying to help him but I realize that what I want to write, ‘Good looking, hard working, smart, sweet man’ probably won’t land him the position… and it might be hard to fill a 8 ½” x 11” sheet of paper with 7 words. Sure I could add more like, ‘beautiful olive skin that tans in the sunshine, huggable arms, and a perfect husband’ but somehow, I don’t think that’s the ‘more’ his resume needs.

Unfortunately we’re under a time crunch (the resume is due tomorrow) but for those seeking employment and need resume help, DON’T PAY SOMEONE TO WRITE YOUR RESUME FOR YOU! If you attend college, seek the advice of a job counselor. For those not in college, check the offerings of your local community. Nearly every city in San Diego County offers job and resume assistance free of charge. Not only can these organizations help you with your resume, they often have a good idea of where jobs in your field may be opening.

As we started working through the details, I couldn’t help but wonder… maybe rednecks have it right. Here is how we have prepared so far and the current expenses:

I threw together an online invitation for our friends (free):

It’s time to round up yer cousin and yer sister from their mobile home… we’re havin’ our first annual REDNECK PARTY!!

So, hop in your 1987 Toyota Tercel and git over here!

We borrowed some used hubcaps from the local tire store to play games with and use for decorations (free).
We are wearing our own clothes (circa 1980 – also free).
We borrowed a wheel barrow from our neighbor for wheelbarrow races (free).
We pulled an old rope from the garage for the lasso competition (free).
We are borrowing new toilet seats from my husband’s plumbing company to play redneck horseshoes (free).
We rented country CD classics like Gretchen Wilson, Confederate Railroad, Kris Kristopherson, and Merle Haggard from the library (free).

So far, our expenses are zero! Perhaps we should rename the party ‘Working toward our debt free goal and having fun at the same time’. I’ll be sure to toss some pictures up here next Monday after the party.

Any ideas on cheap gatherings? How about additional games for our redneck party?

For the sake of the plants, I keep my distance.

He started early in the season and used a mix of seeds and small plants rather than buying large overpriced ones. He carefully chose the healthiest plants and worked hard to care for them. He used a thick mulch as a weed barrier and water saver (Sunset Magazine reccommends using gray water for gardening but I’m still on the fence about it).

Not wanting to be left out of the joy of growing greenery, I planted one single flower.

Here is my flower now…

I killed it with too much water.

Here is my husband’s garden….

Perfectly controlled and growing beautifully.

Is it worth it? Yes. He loves that garden and enjoys spending summer evenings puttering around the big green leaves. But are we going to harvest the value of the plants in their fruit? I’m not sure. I guess we’ll see in a few months. I’m going to keep a tab on our expenses (including the higher water costs) and see if we break even.

For the experts out there… is it worth it?

We argued about who should pay for groceries, who should pay for dinner, and who should pay for everything in between. I hated asking him for his half of the rent each month. He was my husband – not my roommate. It finally came to the breaking point when he couldn’t afford rent and we had to clean out our savings and use our credit card to get by. We opened a joint checking account the very next month.

We learned to work beside each other and the arguing stopped.

We made our mistakes – financing nice cars, charging vacations to credit cards, and remodeling our bathroom on credit – but now that we’re working to become debt free, we are partners in the fight. I wish someone had told me early on that working together as a couple was a necessity for a good marriage and good financial health. As I listen to my co-worker talk about his wife ‘owing’ him money for tires on her car, I couldn’t help but think… ‘No wonder he’s on his third marriage.’

So how do we do it? We each get a $3 daily allowance in cash each week. I don’t care what he spends his on, and in return, he doesn’t care what I spend mine on. We usually spend the money on work clothes or a bi-weekly dinner out together. This week, we split the cost of a silly $15 video game we both would enjoy and a $25 set of solar lit pavers for our garden. (And yes I know, $3 may be more or less than you spend, but it works for us)

My husband and I rarely argue about money now that we’ve enacted the $3 daily allowance rule, but we still fight about very serious issues… like the direction of the toilet tissue.

Do you keep your money separate? Or do you have a joint account? And how much do you allow each other to ‘blow’ each day?

What happened to the good ol’ days of Nintendo and Sega glassy eyed kids? Now they are dancing, singing, and playing instruments. It’s as if the Wii transformed our family into a modern day Brady Bunch band. Ugh.

I rented the Sonic vs. Mario Summer Olympics game from the library. I’m pretty sure I would have expelled less energy actually competing IN the Olympics. Real swimming isn’t nearly as difficult as Wii swimming. Trust me… I can’t use my arms today.

And with the invention of Rock Band, I can’t just sing Aerosmith, I have to sing Aerosmith AND play a guitar. My voice has joined my arms in the ‘not usable’ category.

I think these games were secretly invented by parents who would like to temporarily disable their children. You can’t talk back after losing your voice to Paramore – or maybe that’s just me.

I wish I could say my nieces and nephews suffered from the same painful muscle strain I have today but… I had so much fun playing that I didn’t exactly let them play. When they started crying about the unfairness of it all, I could only say, ‘Back off shorty! Aunti Beks has to finish the last rift of Salt N Pepa so she can win a new tour bus for the band.’

The best things in life are free.

We went over budget by $90 this weekend.

I wish I could say it was on something important like an investment, a donation to the cancer society, or giving to help a military family but…

The $90 was spent on 5 flats of chicken thighs, 3 bags of charcoal, 4 fruit pies, green salad… and a round of golf.

My husband threw two hefty BBQ’s this weekend and went golfing with his brothers.

Fortunately, we both worked extra hours last week so we didn’t fall behind – in fact, we still came out ahead. Sometimes, inviting friends over to enjoy smoked chicken and homemade pies is worth it – especially when your BBQ is interrupted by an unexpected 20 minute fireworks show.

We sang Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Joni while playing Rock Band late into the night.

I’ve been wonderfully budget conscious for months; I hope you can forgive this exception.

How was your holiday? Any budget hiccups?

I hate our couches and I think they are ugly.

This week, my husband did what good husbands do – he attempted to solve my dilemma of ‘seating space’. He came home with a behemoth of a recliner and said, ‘Look honey! More seats!! Can you believe someone was going to throw this away?!’

I bit my tongue before a ‘Yes’ slipped out. Instead, I said ‘Wow hon, it’s… wow.’

‘And they have TWO! I’m picking the other one up tomorrow. How awesome is that?! Seats!!’

He happily jumped in the chair and reclined, a big grin spreading across his face.

How could I be mad or ungrateful? He solved my ‘seating dilemma’. Sure I have an ugly blue giant in my living room (err… soon to be two), but I’ve learned to take his efforts for what they are. That ugly chair is a monument to the fact that my husband listens to me and he’s doing his best to make my life easier… without spending a dime.

I’m going to stop whining about the sofas for a while. Who cares about sofas when I have a man like that?

But then again…

This is the same guy whose ‘sound judgment’ created the likes of Junior and Jingle All the Way.

And now, he wants to prolong it for several years through a special statewide ballot?

When I make less, I have to spend less. I can’t demand more money. Why can my state live financially irresponsible in a way that I can’t?

I didn’t give my approval on May 19th. I have to figure out how to survive on my new tiny salary; can’t I demand the same for my taxes?

Is this just a California thing or are you spending a couple extra Benjamin Franklin’s a month on taxes?

This is when I made Mistake #1 – Recommending this before actually trying it.

And followed it with Mistake #2 – Not understanding the actual size of ‘1 cubic yard’ of mulch.

$6.00 at your local garden supply will purchase a bag, maybe two at most, of mulch. I didn’t think it was unreasonable to assume $6.00 would stretch to three, maybe four, bags at the greenery.

My husband asked, ‘Two yards will fit in my truck right?’

We made Mistake #3 when not stopping to ponder the question mark at the end of her response, ‘Uhhhhh. I guess?’

Mistake #4 was not asking ‘Why are you starting up a tractor?’

Two tractor loads later, I was shocked at the distance $6 stretched.

Um.

I hate to disagree with a professional financial advisor but…

He’s dead wrong (and is obviously invested in Starbucks).

At least when it comes to me anyway.

I don’t buy big items. I bought my dining room set for $75 off Craigslist five years ago. My couches are ten years old. My bed is a hand me down from my sister. How do I spend my money?

According to my online banking… I spend it in tidy $20 increments over… and over… and over again. My money doesn’t flood out, it trickles. The article recommended taking 24 hours to consider every purchase over $100. Good advice, but the last purchase I made over $100 was months ago. It’s not the $100 purchases that are killing me!

I feel like the article should have simply said, ‘Watch where the bulk of your money is going and try to find ways to save from there.’

My goal this month is to watch my ‘trickle’ problem. I’ve gotten to the point that I have to seriously consider every item I purchase AND if I wait long enough, will it go on sale? will the newspaper run a coupon?… or will I forget I even wanted it in the first place?

Is your problem a trickle? Or a flood?

For the first few years, we didn’t need the money to clear our bills and we certainly enjoyed using it on dinners out and hotel stays. When I lost my job last year, the rent from our two roommates was vital in keeping our heads above water. Sure, it’s awkward to be nearly 30 and referring to ‘my roommates’, but it’s significantly less awkward than saying, ‘My debt collector’, ‘My bankruptcy attorney’, or ‘My foreclosure officer’.

If times are tough, maybe roommates should be a consideration.

Fortunately we haven’t had a bad experience yet, but this is a very serious decision and should be heavily thought out. We’ve stuck by some clear, yet simple, guidelines:

1.) Write a lease agreement – even if (and especially if) it’s a friend and you only expect them to stay a month or two.
2.) Have very clear rules – i.e. don’t go into my bedroom, don’t eat my food, don’t leave messes in common areas.

Some recommendations for roommates:

Firefighters: Their 24 hour shifts give you some much needed space – plus they are good to have around when you accidentally set something on fire.

Guys with girlfriends: I saw our roommate’s rent check more than I saw him.

Brothers/Sisters: You survived growing up with them, what are a few more years? Plus, it’s easier to yell at family about dirty dishes in the sink.

Some people you should never consider:

Perfect Strangers: I’d rather my family not appear on Dateline talking about how the new roommate seemed so nice… until he killed me.

College Girls: I lived through that once and it was enough. More drama than Jerry Springer.

College Boys: Not a lot of drama but I was over keg stands and frat parties eight years ago.

People with animals and/or children: Who needs pee on the floor and chewed shoes – oh, and animals are destructive too.

Do any of you have roommates? How is it working out?

So here’s an open note to my mother – and I’ll try my best not to sound like a Boyz to Men song.

Mom,

Thank you for teaching me that children don’t need money to be happy. You made sure I knew love from my family was worth far more than the cash so frequently doled out to my friends from their uninvolved parents. I had the happiest childhood (and heck, adulthood) a kid could ask for and it was never because you showered me with the finest things in life – you knew you couldn’t buy joy. You showed me love, compassion, kindness, and at times… the back of your hand when I deserved it.

Thank you for teaching me responsibility. You didn’t teach me how to get into a financial mess, but you taught me how to own up to my mistakes and pay for them no matter how much it hurts. And speaking of taking responsibility… um… yes, I was the one who left the candle burning and set the counter on fire 11 years ago. Sorry about that.

Thank you for your faith in me. When we went on that college campus tour and I saw the $26,000 a year price tag, I told you it was a nice dream but it would never happen. You looked at me like I was insane and spent the next few hours with the financial aid department. They told me I had to keep a nearly perfect GPA and you told me you knew I could do it… and I did… but only because you believed in me more than I believed in myself.

I wish every kid could have a mother like you. The world would be a great place.

I love you mom

I bought one of those ‘earth friendly’ metal water bottles – though I question the ‘friendliness’ of metal. Sure I’ll be using less plastic but how biodegradable is metal anyway?!?

Regardless, I was concerned about the financial impact of purchasing and carting plastic water bottles to work on a daily basis so I thought I’d give the world of reusable’s a try.

I carefully filled the bottle, took a sip……

And I have one thing to say.

I have standards and this… is way below them.

And… my standards aren’t that high to begin with. My city uses reclaimed sewer water that tastes like a cross between Dial soap and dirty socks and I can somehow drink that – but this? My bottle makes water taste like a welders refuse pile.

And trust me… I KNOW what metal tastes like. Twenty-four months of my life were spent with railroad tracks of braces glued to my teeth.

Needless to say, I won’t be re-using the metal bottle again. Maybe I’ll throw it in with the aluminum cans for recycling?

But, I wasn’t going to be deterred! My new job stocks bright red mugs with ‘Company X’ blazed across the front and stores them in the kitchen for community use. Sure there was a risk that I’d come down with communicable diseases from improperly washed dishware but at least my water would be drinkable.

…Unfortunately, as I was washing the mug, I noticed the tiny print on the bottom that read, ‘The colors used to tint this mug contain lead. Do not use if pregnant or nursing.’

Great. Like I need that to worry about. I’m not pregnant but now I’ll always worry about having a child with a mild deformation because ‘mommy wanted to save a buck’.

Thankfully, a co-worker noticed me struggling to bleach a mug and gave me a brand new Nalgene bottle.

Good thing he wasn’t there to witness my interesting way of drinking to avoid touching any colored areas on the mug.

Always looking to save. ; )

One of my hobbies is to watch real estate in the area. Rarely do I see a home that is under 1,000 sq. feet. The average around here is probably around 1,600 sq. ft. The newer the home, the higher the square feet, it seems.

It looks like it will be difficult to find the smaller home we desire so we may be looking into building our next home. I’ve checked out places like Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. Their homes are tiny, but they are too small for our family of three. Then I had an idea – why not search cabins! Cabins are traditionally for recreation, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t live in one year round.

Then I found it. I think this is almost the perfect size and layout for us.

Betony Cabin (720 sq ft)

There are two layouts on the page, and I am leaning towards the one with the bath tub (Floor Plan A). I love that the layout is one floor and has a huge porch. One of our dreams has been to have a large porch with a hanging porch swing. I can see my husband and I relaxing on our swing on the porch while my son is playing in front of us catching as many insects as he can for close observation. In the distance, I see a few deer feeding along the tree line and I can hear a woodpecker foraging for food.

*happy sigh*

That does it. When I’m feeling down about our financial situation I need to recreate that scene in my head. It is something to keep shooting for.

I am officially down to one pair of jeans now. And that pair needs to be retired soon since they are getting very shabby (I’m having a flashback of being in school and having my stonewashed jeans rip down the inside seam because they were too frayed – I’d rather not repeat that very embarassing moment!).

In general, I don’t like shopping for clothes because I don’t like to try things on in the store. I also don’t like spending money on clothes. I remember one year when I found jeans on sale at Walmart for $5 a pair. I tried one pair on, they fit okay, and I bought three of the same exact kind and that was that. I haven’t seen a deal like that in a long time.

That means that I will be going shopping for jeans this weekend. I’m going to do something a little different, though. I’ve been thinking about the value in finding deals on well-made clothing. Over five years ago, I purchased a pair of jeans from JC Penney for less than $20 on sale. Those jeans fit well and they lasted a long time. I was very sad when I had to say goodbye to them. I was so sad that I went back to JC Penney to see if they still carried that brand/style. They didn’t, and no longer had any sales, so I went back to Walmart for buying jeans.

While the Walmart jeans I usually buy are okay, they don’t last very long. They fray quickly and develop holes. Did I mention how awesome that one pair I bought from JC Penney was?

I think you know where I am going here. I am going to stop by JC Penney first and see if they have any sales on good pairs of jeans. Even if the initial cost is more than a pair of Walmart jeans, they can be a better value if they last longer. I am going to take the cost and the quality into consideration.

It’s hard to do, because (I’ll admit it…) I’m pretty cheap. But I think I need to transition into a more frugal mindset with buying quality items for less. Not just cheap items for less.

Just a note…we do have second-hand stores in our area, but I have not been able to find jeans in my size in good condition. Hopefully that will change soon!

One thing that is heavily used in our household is ketchup. I personally don’t use it a lot (maybe only on fries), but my husband puts it on everything fried or fake-fried in the oven – steak, chicken, pork, fish, french fries. My son takes after his father. With two ketchup-loving people in our house, we go through a lot of it.

When you look at ketchup on a per bottle basis, it can get a little expensive. Since we go through so much, we decided to buy a large Heinz container of ketchup as well as a $2.00 pump to go with it. Instead of buying bottle after bottle of ketchup, we would buy large containers of ketchup (any brand) to refill the Heinz container.

During our last trip to Walmart, my husband grabbed a can of Hunt’s ketchup. He was excited at how much ketchup you could get for a low cost. As he placed it in our cart, I took a look and gave him a smile that showed my approval. When the both of us are on board with saving money – it’s a very happy feeling.

Tonight, my husband fried some chicken wings we bought on special and some french fries. Our Heinz ketchup container was empty, so my husband grabbed the new can of Hunts and opened it. He noted that it was a bit runny, and we both at first shrugged it off since we haven’t had Hunt’s brand in a while. I grabbed a spoon to dish out some ketchup for my son. As my spoon swirled around the can, I started getting that feeling in my stomach that something was terribly wrong.

“Look!” I told my husband.

“What?”

“Look at the can!”

“What?”

“Look!”

My husband smiled as he finally realized that in bigger wording in the middle of the can it stated, “Tomato Sauce.”

Now we have 6 lbs, 9 ounces of tomato sauce. I’ve already placed it in containers and put it in the fridge. It’s not a complete waste because we do use tomato sauce to make our own pizza sauce. Although…I’m not sure we could get through the whole can before it goes bad. I have a feeling we’ll be searching the net for other things we can make with the sauce before it goes bad.

Lesson learned – if you think you are getting a great deal by purchasing a can of ketchup, make sure it is a can of ketchup!

BEST OF SHOW – this award goes to the article that made me think and I love that! How Frugal Are You?

BEST PICTORIAL OF FRUGALITY IN ACTION – what a difference a coat of paint makes! Saving Money With Paint

BEST ANALYSIS TO FIND THE BEST DEAL – what a thorough article researching tire prices! Which place sells cheapest tires?

BEST CONNECTION BETWEEN FRUGALITY & EXERCISE – get more bang for your buck with exercising! The Most Cost Effective Ways to Stay in Shape

BEST USE OF A POOH BANK – Winnie the Pooh isn’t just entertaining, he can help you save money! Pooh Bank as Fun Money.

BEST IMMEDIATE FRUGAL ACTIONS TO TAKE TO GET THROUGH A ROUGH PERIOD – sometimes you go into despiration mode due to a financial situation. Here’s some great tips to get through it! End of Your Rope? Tie a Knot and Hang on Tight

BEST FRUGAL WAY TO KEEP THE KIDS OCCUPIED THIS SUMMER – summer vacation is right around the corner and what’s better than a few free (or low cost) movies for the kids! Free Summer Movies for Kids

BEST FRUGAL VS. CHEAP COMPARISON – this article comes complete with a chart! Frugal vs. cheap

BEST MYTH DEBUNKER – very good argument against the common belief that a baby costs a lot of money! Six Common Myths: Adding A Baby To A Household Costs A Lot Of Money

BEST ARGUMENT FOR BUYING SOME STORE BRANDS – buying store brands can save money, and here the authors detail some that work for them! Saving Money By Buying Store Brands – 7 Products That Work For Us

BEST WORDS OF CAUTION REGARDING FRUGALITY – if you confuse being cheap with being frugal, it can cost you more money in the long run! When Being Frugal Can End Up Costing You A Fortune

BEST ARTICLES ON HOW TO SAVE ON ELECTRICITY – there was a tie here, good tips from two articles! I lowered my electric bill even though it’s late spring! & Frugal Friday #9: 10 Ways to Save on Your Summer Electric Bill

And here are the rest of the participants, in the order of when they were received:

Best Find Ever!

Surprise Money Day

10 Reasons Why Everyone Should Keep Chickens

Frugality: Garage Sale

Tips for buying second-hand stuff

Quick & Easy Ways to Lose Money

Such a Deal When You Love Your Job

How to Use Yahoo Answer to Save Time, Money & Reduce Stress

Free Cell Phone & $100 Free Money With Sony Ericsson W810i Phone!

How To Get Free Membership At Costco

Business travel on the cheap

Frugal homeschooling

Frugal Living Tips

The Perfect Hobby: One That?s Cheap, Makes Money Or Becomes A Business

My Attempts at Frugal Mattress Shopping

Question: Would You Eat a Squirrel?

Throwing Away Money

Yard Sale Tips What to buy there

how to save money on airfare

Donate to Charity and Save on a Fancy Dinner

Thank you to everyone that participated! Next week, the Festival of Frugality heads on over to My Two Dollars.

For more reading, also make sure you check out this week’s Carnival of Personal Finance over at Money Smart Life

1.) Use old things and turn them into landscaping centerpieces. Sometimes some great landscaping treasures are right under your nose covered in dust. Old bricks found in a crawl space or obtained from old buildings can be used as borders for a flower garden or can be used for a walkway if you have enough of them. Old wheelbarrows, wood barrels cut in half and metal washtubs can be filled with dirt and flowers planted in them. Note: Make sure they have adequate drainage so they do not flood when it rains. That may involve drilling holes in the bottom.

2.) Skip the annuals and buy the perennial or bulbed flowers. We have tulips, crocuses, daffodils and irises in our yard (all bulbs) and they come up year after year. It is an investment for the initial planting, but after you spend once you have years of color.

3.) Look for programs for free or low cost trees and/or mulch. In some communities, the utility company, conservation districts or city municipalities may have discount tree sales and/or free mulch. Keep your eyes out or even call around to ask if a company has a program available.

4.) Buy at the end of the season for next year. Would you love to have a wood border around your plantings? Wait until the end of the season and snatch it up when it goes on clearance. Don’t forget to check smaller stores like Ace Hardware for deals.

5.) Look to nature. Natural stones can line a walkway or provide a border around some flowers. A piece of driftwood can serve as a centerpiece in a display of flowers. Look to nature for some free landscaping items. Note: some beaches/parks will not allow the removal of items so if you are unsure please ask.

6.) Ask neighbors. I have fruit trees in my yard, and often come across some fruit that is inedible. If someone asked, I wouldn’t mind giving them the inedible fruit so they can utilize the seeds to plant in their own yard.

Writing this makes me want to go do some work in our yard. But we still have snow!

There is only one room in our house that we took great care to decorate and that is my son’s room (although I am currently working on our bathroom and when it is finished I’ll detail what I did). He absolutely loved Bob the Builder and everything construction related so here’s what I did to give him a room that he loved, but was easy on our wallet.

Bedding – Bought a Bob the Builder bedding set from Walmart for $27 on clearance. I did look on eBay and I couldn’t find it cheaper when you factored in the shipping costs. With some purchases you need to be in the right place at the right time for the best deal.

Curtains – Used the flat sheet from the bedding for a Bob the Builder curtain. I also went on eBay and found a flat sheet for sale ($4.55) and a valance ($7.54). Total Cost: $12.09 (NOTE: Bob the Builder was “in” at the time I did my son’s room and now you can find things at a great deal. You can also make your own curtains by buying material and sewing them. Unfortunately, I do not know how to sew).

Wall Decorations – I scoured the local thrift shops for shelves. I bought two smaller matching ones ($1.00) and one larger one ($1.50). It took some patience to carefully scrape off some paint splatters that were on the smaller ones but they were in good condition overall. Total Cost: $2.50

Shelf Decorations – Bought a large firetruck from a garage sale to put on the large shelf ($1.00) and used a few of my son’s cheaper plastic construction trucks and road signs to place on the smaller ones (not more than $4.00). Total Cost: ~$5.00

Wall Border – Instead of buying expensive border, I used some printable sticker paper to print out construction trucks to cut out and stick on the wall for a border. I also used some stickers to decorate the light switch plate and his bed. Total cost: Probably around $2.00.

Laundry Hamper – and bought a garbage pail ($4.94) the one with the rounded top and the push flap for his laundry hamper. I bought bright construction orange spray paint for $3.47 and spraypainted the top orange and then painted stripes on the bottom. It ended up looking like a construction barrel that you see on the side of the road. Total Cost: $8.41

Miscellaneous Item to Tie the Look Together – Bought some orange cones to place on top of his dresser. Total Cost: $2.96

Total Cost To Decorate My Son’s Construction Room: $59.96

I’m glad we didn’t spend too much on our son’s room because a few years after we decorated it, we switched rooms with our son. So yes, mom and dad are sleeping in the room with the construction truck border and Bob the Builder curtains. Probably this summer we will get around to removing the stickers and getting new curtains (if funds are available).