Blogging Away Debt

Hope’s Anticipate Income and Spending – August 31-Sept 6

You can see last week’s anticipate spending and income here. This is week three of this type of reporting.

These are my anticipate income and spending numbers for this coming week:

Anticipated Spending - Week of 8/31

Description	Anticipated	Actual
Income *after taxes	$1235
Gymnastics	($100)
Rent	($650)
Reimburse Grandmama	($16)
Life Insurance *quarterly payment	($67)
Utilities - Gas, Water & Trash	($92)
Utilities - Electric	($170)
Gas	($40)
History Buff *loan replayment	$50
Cost of Girdle for football

Total	$150

I don’t think much of this needs explanation but maybe a few do:

The income is monies due this week from various client. I can’t predict when clients pay, but this is anticipated receipt days. This number is after taxes.
My life insurance is a quarterly payment. I switched from annual to quarterly last December due to budget constraints and fear of losing my job. I may return to annual payments this year, but have not decided.
The gymnastics payment is iffy right now. If Gymnast decides to pursue football, I will not have to pay for the month of September.
I loaned History Buff this money last week, he will be paying me back. There is lots of back story to this that is his story and not mine to share. Please do not presume anything, he is doing well and getting back on the right track. (And it looks like he will be moving home in a couple of months as he works to tie up lose ends in Virginia.)
My grandmother gave me $16 to purchase a chiffon scarf for her, she then had me return it. This is the refund for the money she originally gave me.
Gymnast will make a decision on football over the weekend. If he decides to continue, I must purchase him a Girdle…I have no idea what to expect cost wise but am going to look this evening at a larger sports store.

I have pulled all “business” line items out per a BAD reader suggestion.

In good news, I picked up another long term, part time client starting next week – woohoo!

Some Big Changes on the Horizon for Hope’s Family

by Hope

My grandmother made the comment that I have been keeping secrets this week. And while I don’t consider myself a secret keeper, I do value my privacy especially after the last couple of years of turmoil.

But there are a couple of big changes in the works around here that I thought I would take this time to share. Both could potentially have some serious implications, financial and otherwise.

So I’ll just dive right in…

Gymnastics Replaced by Football – Maybe?

Gymnast (yikes, does this mean I might have to change his blog name?) has been making noises about playing football since school started. I think it’s mostly the result of:

Seeing the team spirit around the school (he just started public school in January so this is the first time he’s been around this.)
The cut back in gym time from gymnastics and he has tons of extra energy.

I finally broke down and called the coach this week, and he agreed to evaluated Gymnast. That happened this past week.

Gymnast is working out with the football team all this week. He will have to make a decision about gymnastics and football at the end of the week.

football field

Thusfar, it has only cost me a pair of cleats ($67.) And from my conversation with the coach there is one more piece of equipment I will have to buy if he remains (a girdle.)

This is what I hoped for when I pulled him out of gymnastics. I wanted him to play a team sport, something through the school…but to be honest, football would not have been my choice. I’m excited and scared.

There will be financial implications, logistics implications and big life changes if he chooses football. I guess I may start seeing those next week depending on his choice. Yikes!

A Boyfriend or More?

I dove in the world of online dating last fall. I mostly thought I would have some fun, meet some people and maybe have some funny stories to write about for my personal blog. This has been a really lonely move for me, a hard move. Online dating was my remedy.

I quickly realized that I did not really like the whole online thing and within a month left the online sites. But there were several men that I stayed in touch with.

Fast forward nine months since our online meeting, and one of those men and I are now in a committed relationship. My first real committed relationship since my marriage ended 11+ years ago. He is moving to our town in two weeks. He wants to marry me.

My family has been informed about him and will meet him next month. (My ex has also been informed about him.) I do not know what the future holds, but again, a big change for us.

I’m not really ready to answer more questions, but if things get more serious, well, you know there is now another aspect to my life. But because like BAD readers, I know we are naturally curious here’s what I will tell you.

He has two grown children. He’s worked in construction and had planned this move, or at least a move to Georgia prior to meeting me. He’s moving here from Florida where he’s lived his whole life. He knows everything about me, the good, the bad, the highs and the lows. And I’ve never felt more understood and supported.

We’ve spent the bulk of the last 9 months writing several letters a week. Spent hours on the phone and video calls. I will meet him mom and some of his family when he moves up in a couple of weeks. And we are going to take it slow.

The kids know all about him and are comfortable with the thought of him and know our desires for a possible forever relationship. Gymnast is especially excited about a possible step-dad. But other than a special letter he wrote to them, talks on the phone and video chats, they have not met him in person.

Yikes, this was a bit hard to write. There’s no manual for single mom dating, or person in debt dating. I’m just kind of feeling my way. Any BAD readers been through this? Have any advice?