That means that we need to find a new blogger to take over this blog when Beks finally pays off her debt. There is no need to have any blogging experience in the past, but it is essential that you are a competent writer, can write 3+ posts per week and you are willing to share the trials and tribulations that go along with paying off your debt. We are not looking for someone that has all the answers, but someone that is in the process of trying to get their finances in order and is willing to share their thought process whether that ends up being right or wrong.

There will be some compensation for this position although it won’t be a lot. If you think that you could do an excellent job taking over this blog, please feel free to contact us and we’ll give you more specific information, ask a few questions and request a couple of writing samples.

We will be accepting application until January 15th

Watch the video here.

It takes a little while to load on Hulu, but it’s worth it.

Have a good weekend!!

There is no reason to be shy. Whether this will be your first guest post or you’ve become known as an expert in your field, we welcome you to submit a guest post. We realise that everyone has to begin somewhere (yes, we were there once too) and gladly will help you reach a wider audience. While we don’t have an assigned word count for a guest post (take as little or as much space as needed to get your point across), most end up being in the 750 – 1000 word range.

1. We do prefer a unique post that has not been published anywhere else, but on rare occasion we’ll consider reposting something from your blog if you are particularly proud of it.

2. Submission of a post does not guarantee publication. We must feel that the topic will benefit our readers, and if we feel it does, we’ll likely publish it.

3. We reserve all rights to edit / alter the submitted post before publishing to make it read better and to fit with the writing of the blog.

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We look forward to hearing from you!

I’m not intentionally selling out my state, or better yet, my half of the state, but southern California isn’t known for its kindness. When people talk about ‘southern hospitality’, we understand they don’t mean us. Sure, there are some really kind folks here…

but we’ve got NOTHING on Texas.

My brother was shipped to Texas to fight the wildfires for three weeks. There were times they ran out of water and food in their rig. The folks in Texas? Purchased and cooked food, supplied water, and even asked if the guys wanted to sit in their air-conditioned cars for a while. The local farmers and some of the elderly women would sit, sometimes until 2 in the morning, at the base camp until every firefighter returned to make sure they arrived safely and had food to eat. By day two, the friendly folks noticed some of the firefighters smoked and chewed tobacco. That night, a large table was filled with cigarettes of all kinds and chewing tobacco – no small expense! At times, homeowners would drive out to the fire area to bring sandwiches to the firefighters on the line. They brought cold water, words of encouragement, and offered directions if any were needed.

My brother raved about the generosity from Texans. He couldn’t believe that people who had much, and people who had very little, offered all they had.

So thank you to the kind folks in Texas who taught the California kids a thing or two about generosity.

AHHHHHH HAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA….

Well, haven’t worked out a shower yet. Baby can’t figure out day from night. I’ve changed into my second ratty college t-shirt of the day since I had layers of baby spit up on the last one and it was starting to smell. But hey, it matches perfectly with my dirty pair of extra large sweatpants.

The utility company has 4 large service trucks drilling for something and they hit something else in the waterline, making water shoot from my toilet in the hallway.

I’m calling the cable company, ordering HBO, and calling it a day.

Baby boy decided to show up early.

In exchange, he granted me a very easy delivery and of course, he’s beautiful.

I’m typing from a borrowed computer at the hospital so that’s the best I have for now. Give me a day or two to catch up on some shut eye and I’ll be back to debt blogging.

Have a wonderful, wonderful 4th of July!!

He took his last final yesterday and we’re going out to dinner to celebrate. Sure, it’s not very ‘Dave Ramsey’ of me to head out to our local steakhouse when we still have debt but…

I’m laying off the ‘gazelle intensity’ tonight. Sorry Dave. ; )

March 3rd:

Sonogram pics could not be any clearer – it’s a boy. Since discovering this information, I find I am far less gentle with my food choices. When I thought it was a girl, I ate fruits and veggies. Baby boy now gets fruits and veggies… and spicy jalapeño burgers. It’s a boy. He can take it like a man.

March 4th:

I inform baby boy that waking hours are between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., NOT 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Baby spends the next 24 hours kicking incessantly proving his complete control of the situation.

March 7th:

My husband said I’m the least emotional pregnant person he’s ever met… after I tackled him to the floor, choked him until he couldn’t breathe, and demanded he say it.

March 10th:

I thought by my having a baby, mom would finally stop asking me to have one – and she did.

Now she just asks when I’m planning to have another.

March 15th:

Thought about writing a press release:

Dear mothers (and you know which ones you are): You are not in a competition for the gold metal in the world’s most difficult pregnancy. I’m sorry your pregnancy/delivery/husband was awful. Mine, thus far, has been pretty awesome and I’d like to stay in my dream world that the rest will be the same. Don’t feel the need to share the same stories over… and over… and over again. I didn’t want to hear it the first time.

March 19th:

The week before every doctor’s appointment, I bump up my usual workout routine by walking a little further or exercising a little longer each day. Every time I see the nurse with her clipboard standing near the scale, I feel like I’m weighing in for The Biggest Loser… in reverse.

March 24th:

Concerned that, at nearly 6 months, I still don’t need maternity clothes. Is this baby even growing?

March 25th:

Suddenly need maternity clothes. Belly popped like a turkey timer.

My dad still insists he married my mom on April Fool’s Day just in case he should ever feel the need to call it off. He could say he was joking.

Now you know where my offbeat sense of humor originates.

Thanks for the inspiration.

*We don’t drink heavily but strongly believe that ONE drink is reason enough not to drive*

We wear our matching Irish shirts, go to the local Irish pub, and stay out late watching the fake Irish bands.

As I was washing my shirt last week, prepping for ‘the big day’, I realized…

I scheduled an out of town business trip for this entire week.

Where am I? Sitting in a hotel far from home, wishing I were there.

So, in my honor… be safe, have a bowl of Irish stew, don’t drink and drive, and remember… EVERYONE IS IRISH ON MARCH 17TH!

Why does grandma need photos when she sees me in person on Sundays? Because she said so.

Ready for the most amazing 16 week transformation?!?

Week 4

Week 16

Yeah. I can’t tell the difference either.

I love you grams!

November 10th:

There was an extra pink line on a pregnancy test this morning.

I woke up my husband who said, ‘I don’t think that’s a positive’ and goes back to sleep.

November 14th:

Tried again. Definitely positive.

Took a photo with my cell phone and texted it to my husband saying, ‘HA! I told you so!’

Not exactly the romantic moment I anticipated.

November 25th:

Today is the first day morning sickness hit… and when I say ‘hit’, I mean ‘knocked me off my feet, can’t even think of food anytime this century’. Leave it to my kid to announce itself on Thanksgiving.

My husband, who heard that lack of morning sickness could mean a miscarriage in the future, said, ‘I’m so glad you’re sick.’

I didn’t hit him… but that was only because I lying on the floor with a cold towel across my forehead and couldn’t reach.

December 7th:

At 2:00 a.m., I have an argument with the baby. I demand not to be sick between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.

The baby thinks that’s hilarious.

I wake up my husband. If I’m miserable, he’s going to be miserable.

December 20th:

Dropped off a pair of pants to be shortened at the alterations place. The cashier told me they would be ready next week. ‘But they won’t FIT next week!’ I whined. She looked at me confused. ‘Uh. Christmas weight.’ I muttered, apologized, and walked out.

December 24th:

Tell my husband’s family about the baby. There is a solid 3 minutes of shocked silence.

December 25th:

Tell my family about the baby. No one believes me.

I’m starting to see a theme here.

My mother asks how Chris reacted when he found out. I made up a story about how we both cried for joy and embraced. Heaven forbid she finds out it was via text in an ‘I told you so’ message.

January 6th:

Still in salary negotiations for the new position at work. I don’t want to come to the table with a ‘handicap’ so I don’t mention the whole ‘baby’ thing. At three months, I’m not showing at all. I’m crossing my fingers that my ab muscles will hold tight at least 3 more weeks…maybe 5.

Feb. 1st:

The promotion is in the bag so I can finally share the news!!

That was before November 10th.

What changed on November 10th?

We found out about my July 2011 hospital stay…

To have our first baby.

I’m so sorry not to have told you earlier. I wanted to wait until the promotion/raise was settled. The very last thing I wanted to have hanging over my head at the negotiating table was my impending short term disability. Then after the promotion, I didn’t want to say, ‘Hey, thanks for the promotion. Can we talk about temps now? Cause I’m preggo.’

So how will this change things for our debt? We decided to pay regular payments in December and January but after that, we’re pushing the pause button on our debt reduction and stashing cash.

After the baby is born, we are hoping to have enough left over to pay one big payment and kill our remaining debt.

How will the blog change? The most important part, I’ll still work to reduce spending, save money, and smile while doing it. I’ll have a counter that has the amount in our savings. Our debt will stay fairly stagnant but our savings will grow leaps and bounds.

I hope you’ll stay to read the journey. The next five or so months will be an interesting ride.

I am sooooooo very excited.

Best Wishes to All of You!!

I am so very blessed.

Wishing all of you a very happy thanksgiving!!

AND STAY AWAY FROM BLACK FRIDAY SALES!!

The very last thing you want to hear before taking a 10 hour flight is that your plane is having mechanical problems. Nasty turbulence didn’t help either. I spent 12 hours wishing I had a written will.

The long delay before takeoff made us miss our connecting flight from Chicago and they didn’t have any seats available for what seemed like decades. When seats finally did open up, they were in the very back of the plane and we couldn’t sit together.

I understand that planes have unexpected problems and not everything will go according to plan. What I don’t understand is how badly we were treated and how rude the employees of the airline were. Rather than treat us like we CAUSED the problem, I would have at least appreciated an apology when you add 12 hours to our travel time – but I guess that was too much to ask.

I’d hate to call out the airline *cough* *cough* AMERICAN AIRLINES *cough* *cough* but really, I honestly can’t believe how badly things went.

At least we finally made it home to a broken window and a tattered house… but that’s something I’ll have to post about tomorrow. I’ve got killer jet lag and I’m going to bed.

It was odd to be surrounded by such beauty and such peace and yet she was so unhappy. It felt weird to stand there as a tourist feeling sorry for a wealthy winery owner – especially since a profession in wine sounds like a dream come true. Add a Tuscan villa and I’d call that perfection.

It just goes to show, life in someone else’s shoes isn’t what it seems.

The swelling went down, the lumps disappeared, his cheerful personality returned, and I’m happy to say, he’s completely back to ‘normal’.

I’ve been sensitive about taking him running since his neck was so grossly disfigured and swollen. His collar didn’t fit for more than two weeks after the bites and for at least another week after that, he was too sensitive to wear it.

Several weeks ago, I started to take him out once or twice a week. I wasn’t sure he would be able to adequately communicate pain or discomfort and was concerned about causing damage. Last week I got home from work and he met me at the door dragging his leash behind him, the waste bag holder bouncing off the walls and thumping loudly against the furniture.

I guess when it comes to communication, Hutch is pretty clear.

Saturday morning, I woke up early and decided to let him jog as far as he wanted to jog – assuming he’d tucker out at 3 miles or so.

At mile 7.5, I was the one to call it quits. When I turned around for home, he glared at me defiantly and pulled at his leash to continue forward. Apparently, the little guy is trying to make up for lost time. I missed my running buddy and I’m sooo glad to have him back.

His companionship makes the vet bill a little less painful to pay.

You can see one of the scars on his left side, but other than that, he looks great!

We are thinking of renting mopeds today to tour the city but Im still not sure its the best idea. Im bad enough on four wheels – I dont need two less!

We are heading to Rome tomorrow so Im not sure when my next internet connection will be. If you dont hear from me, Ill be back to the states in a few days.

Sorry for the horrid punctuation. Im paying for this internet connection and for the life of me, I cant figure out this darn Italian keyboard!! I dont have time to find all the keys!!

We arrived in Siena this morning and what a beautiful city it is!! We had a pretty bad experience with the gypsys in Florence and are a bit scared to head to Rome in a few days. There were two groups of gypsys who were causing problems in the streets and another who tried to steal clothing while my husband was washing his in the laundry mat! He met a couple who had their passports and cash taken in Rome and warned us to be VERY CAREFUL. Ugh.

We are heading out to see the wine country tomorrow morning. Im not sure when my next connection will be but I hope to update in Rome.

Ciao!

On our second to last night in Ireland, we stayed in a particularly awful hostel. It was filthy and the windowless bathroom lights didn’t work so you had to leave the door open. People saw a lot more of me than I’d like. At 4:45am someone set the fire alarm off. The fire department arrived 20 minutes later and one of the fire fighters asked us if we were taking a carriage ride in the morning. We were scheduled to take the ride but I was confused as to why a firefighter knew or cared. He shined his flashlight in my husbands face and said, “You better be there”. A few hours later, we couldn’t help but laugh as the same firefighter showed up driving a carriage to give us a ride around the tiny town – so tiny the firefighters are the horsemen, the butchers, and the bartenders. Gotta love them!

I can’t wait to celebrate my ‘other’ independence day next year!!

Why am I so excited? We hit some hurdles this pay period and completely used our grocery funds and had to dip into our emergency fund.

First we had the unexpected car repairs and, just a few days ago, my husband needed to purchase books for summer school. We didn’t expect his book fees to exceed $250… but they did!

I’m excited to have grocery money again! Woo Hoo!

Last summer, my husband and I planted a beautiful garden in our backyard. The vegetables flourished. We had such a large bumper crop that we had to give huge amounts away to friends, neighbors, co-workers, friends of friends, perfect strangers… you get it.

Despite our daily picking, there was the occasional ripe tomato that escaped our notice and wasn’t picked. They may have escaped our notice but they did not escape the notice of my tomato loving Boston Terrier.

For most of the summer, his face was covered in red tomato juice.

This year, we decided to intensify our debt diet in an effort to shave off a few months of debt payments. Sadly, that meant cutting out our yearly garden budget.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered a tomato plant sprouting from the middle of my yard a month ago. A few days later, while weeding a side planter, I discovered another. Over the next three weeks, more and more tomatoes sprouted with a high concentration of plants where… um… my dog does his business.

Oh. Dear. Lord.

We pick up our yard but sometimes, the dog buries his… uh… business, effectively planting his own… um… garden.

I went to rip out the offending plants, when my husband yelled, ‘LEAVE THEM!!’ Apparently, he wanted to keep the plants and hoped I wouldn’t consider the origin.

So yes, we have an odd definition of a free ‘garden’. No, I won’t be eating those tomatoes. And yes, I understand gardeners use steer manure, but those gardeners don’t have to look at the butt the manure came from.

If you are planning on visiting me this summer for a BBQ, avoid the salsa.

I blame you for my confidence. When I wasn’t sure if I could do something difficult, you were there to remind me I could.

I blame you for my happy childhood. My favorite memories are of sitting on the couch listening to you read to me.

I blame you for creating some of my best unforgettable experiences. You made sure I went to Ireland to visit my sister when we both know you wanted to go just as badly. It was my most memorable trip and I can never thank you enough for giving me that chance.

I blame you for a great education. You spent 11 years teaching me at home even though some of the family told you it was a bad idea. Thanks to your dedication, university was a cake walk – and I’m only partially socially awkward *wink*.

I blame you for my health. You never let soda or sugar in the house and abhorred white bread. Sure I sneak in a pint of Ben and Jerry’s now and then, but for the most part, I stick to what you showed me.

I blame you for my irresistibly good looks. OK, OK, I had to throw that in. You and grandma are gorgeous ladies with fabulous skin – and I like to think that I look a little like you both.

I am a very lucky girl.

I love you mom.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there!

Tonight was supposed to be my first night off but a close friend called in a panic and needed a volunteer at her fundraiser.

I just got home, I still need to grab a shower, and I have to iron my clothes for work tomorrow. I’m working on a time sensitive project at work which means I have to be there at or before 6am so for right now…

This is the best post I’ve got in me.

I hope you have a wonderful Friday!

We spent Thursday afternoon sitting here…

I’ve never been this close to a major league baseball game in my life.

Confession… I did pull $5 from our grocery fund to buy a beer.

They lost but we had a great time.

I don’t wash my hair very often. I wash my hair no more than twice per week… and sometimes, not even that much.

My naturally curly hair can’t handle it – that and I’d rather spend the extra hour it takes to dry my locks doing ‘productive’ things like sleeping.

But I’ve always felt lonely in my non-washing world. It’s a secretive place. No one particularly likes to hear on a Friday morning that I haven’t washed my hair since Thursday… of last week. I’d start immersing my hair in fragrant shampoo if people seemed at all put off but I have just the opposite reaction – people compliment my hair on a regular basis.

Apparently, there is a growing trend called the ‘No-poo movement’. Nope, didn’t make that up. Someone really thought ‘poo’ and ‘movement’ was a good combo. The movement is fueled by eco-conscious folks as a way to help the environment by reducing chemical usage and plastic waste but…

All I can think is, ‘woo hoo! Another way to save a buck.’ And I’m sure all you are thinking is, ‘Wow, her penny pinching ways have taken her off the deep end.’

But, give it some thought or give it a try. Let me know how it turns out!

Learn more about the ‘No Poo Movement’ at:
NPR
MSNBC
Glamour

He finally carved out Saturday to build a large portion on the fence. Since it’s not a task he can complete by himself, he called my brothers and his brothers to help.

No one was available.

He looked at me, his last hope (his very last and desperate hope since I’m afraid of sunshine, bees, saw blades, splinters, and manual labor)… and said, ‘Hon, do you think you could help me out this weekend? I need strong helpers but everyone is busy.’

I thought about pulling the ‘I’m recovering from pneumonia’ card but quickly decided I should make an attempt at being a decent human being.

We worked together for a few hours. I drew lines on the beams and things seemed to be going well until he started calling out construction terms when measuring.

‘142 – 3 strong!’ He yelled.

‘Hut hut hike?’ I asked confused. Were we playing football?

Things only went downhill from there. I tripped repeatedly, accidentally broke boards, misfired the nail gun, and inaccurately measured several times.

Fortunately, his brother freed up his afternoon and stopped by to help for a few hours. His brother knows construction terminology and they moved like a set of skilled craftsmen. I was demoted to weed puller and water girl for the afternoon.

Despite the botched morning, the fence is nearly done and it’s beautiful thanks to the hard work of my husband and his brother. It’s times like these that I am thankful for the talented men in my life. Without them, I’d be a mess. Well… more of a mess than I already am.

And in case you were doubting the stability or reliability of our old fence… photos are more valuable than words…

and the last photo – the saw blade start to our new fence.

I’m working a temporary night job. At this point, I’m not turning anything down.

Sleep can wait until my husband is gainfully employed.

I’ll be sure to post tomorrow.

They let us escape the office 3 hours early yesterday (another reason to be thankful) so I went on a 2 hour hike in preparation for the food fest today. I thought maybe I could squeak out another run today but… I ate a chorizo burrito, a dozen mini pickles, and a slice of cheesecake. There will be no running today.

Be thankful for your blessings and… try not to eat too much.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

San Diego mass transit won an award for the most on time performance… something I was resentful of as I ran down the platform this morning chasing – and missing my train.

I caught the next one – which promptly broke down two stops later.

I showed up a record 30 minutes late for work because the functioning train was stuck behind the broken one.

I spilt hot chocolate on my skirt from shivering on the side of the tracks.

Then, I tripped down the hallway at work and broke my shoe.

All before 9AM.

Clearly…

I should have stayed in bed today.

How was your Monday?

Just a note, if your comment does not immediately appear, it is likely labeled as a ‘spam’ comment. I review the comments labeled as spam every other day and approve them – unless they refer to Viagra, Nigerian Lottery Winnings, or Olestra.

I typically don’t dress up for this holiday (something about being over the age of 12 – the official last year a person can dress up without feeling silly), but my brother is throwing a Halloween party and I’m fairly certain he would kick me out of my own home if I didn’t at least smudge on some black eyeliner.

I don’t have the desire to spring for a $75 polyester outfit with less fabric than a string bikini so I’m wearing something I already own…

*Cue Rocky theme song*

My kickboxing gear from college.

This will serve dual purposes:

1.) A free costume.

2.) A deterrent for potential toilet paperists who are angry over the lousy Chiclet gum selection since we can’t afford the good candy this year.

Have a good and safe holiday.

I’ve been embracing this as my last chance to go running after work and have been pushing harder than usual. My poor dogs are tuckered out. I have a feeling they are ready to welcome winter as a reprieve from my shouts of ‘Run!’

Enjoy these last two days of ‘summer’.

Go for a walk. Let the sun kiss your face.

Make sure you give summer a proper goodbye.

I expected his benefits to expire but I did not expect the high cost to maintain his health insurance through COBRA. We’re looking at $250 a month for an active healthy guy who hasn’t been to the hospital for a medical reason since birth.

This expense isn’t an option for us. It’s either healthcare or our mortgage payment and since healthcare won’t keep us sheltered at night… it lost.

In light of this, I have restricted him from doing anything dangerous. He is officially banned from riding a dirt bike, surfing near sharks, standing on ladders, and clipping his toe nails. I have also encased him in bubble wrap and tied large sofa cushions to his stomach.

I think it will work.

He’s been dealing with a constant barrage of advice from his divorced co-workers – all telling him he’s making a mistake getting married. Not because he’s marrying the wrong girl, but because they think marriage in general is a mistake.

To my brother,

I remember how nervous I was on my wedding day. I wasn’t sure if my marriage would work. I was scared to fail at something so big.

Five years later, I can tell you this…

It’s worth it.

The laughter, the fun, the tears, the fights…

It’s all worth it.

Chris sent me a text today that said, ‘After almost 5 years of marriage, I love you more today than I did when we first started this adventure.’ I picked a great guy and I’ve been fortunate to have an amazing five years. I am so so very blessed with marriage.

You picked a great girl. You’re in for a great adventure.

Happy Wedding Day.

As I’ve said earlier, my husband and I are involved in litigation. Someone has been suing us over an incident that didn’t involve us and didn’t occur on our property. After two YEARS of legal paperwork including nightmare depositions asking insanely personal questions, our attorney finally believes what we’ve been saying all along – we don’t own the property.

We had to hire two experts to support our claim. Sure it seems simple but this is California – aka lawsuit country – and frivolous lawsuits are common. Even my parents have been sued before!

Obviously I can’t elaborate since the case is still pending but it’s a big deal to finally have someone – ANYONE – certify what we’ve been saying.

The trial is still set for Christmas but I’m hoping the new facts will cause the judge to throw the whole lawsuit out.

Ugh. Maybe I can finally cross out the ‘lawsuit’ line item in our budget.

Sure I could stay home and skip the expense, but it means a lot to me to be a part of the events leading up to her marriage to my brother.

I promise to be good.

Have a good weekend.

Do me a favor…

take Labor Day off.

Have a glass of wine. Go for a run. Ride your bike. Use a kitchen appliance you haven’t used since you received it as a wedding gift 5 years ago. Spend time with the ones you love.

Don’t worry about that checking/savings account today… the banks aren’t open to bounce those checks until tomorrow anyway.

I’m off to the beach (free) to spend time with the man I love (free). Have a good day – I know I will.

My husband’s scholarship money came in!

We will be reimbursed for his tuition, text books, and a little extra later this week. Hello extra credit card payment! OK, so sure, doing a dance followed by a cartwheel across my office wasn’t appropriate, but it felt good.

I’ll update you on the new numbers as soon as the check clears.

We will be staying home this year celebrating with friends while watching the fireworks from our backyard.

Please be safe and please, above all else, don’t drink and drive!

I. The 30th day of May, 1868,is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but Posts and comrades will, in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

We are organized, Comrades, as our regulations tell us, for the purpose among other things, “of preserving and strengthening those kind and fraternal feelings which have bound together the soldiers sailors and Marines, who united to suppress the late rebellion.” What can aid more to assure this result than by cherishing tenderly the memory of our heroic dead? We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security, is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.

If other eyes grow dull and other hinds slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain in us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains, and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledge to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon the Nation’s gratitude—the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.
II. It is the purpose of the Commander in Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to call attention to this Order, and lend its friendly aid in bringing it to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

III. Department commanders will use every effort to make this Order effective.

—General Orders No. 11, Grand Army of the Republic Headquarters.

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.

Not only does this prevent your credit from being misused, it also gives you a clear picture of where you stand financially.

If you’d like to join me, next on the list:

Trans Union

I’ll remind you again in four months! Happy Credit Score!

Update: I forgot to say where to go for the free reports. Please visit http://www.ftc.gov/freereports for the only TRUE free credit reports. Thanks L!