by Hope
I’m afraid these posts are going to get a bit boring during this month of no extra spending. But to keep me accountable, I’m going to keep publishing them. This upcoming week will be our first with no after school practices, no games and only one day of gymnastics. It’s going to be our new normal for a while.
I’m excited.
Anticipated Spending
| Description | Anticipated | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Income *after taxes | $1,464 | |
| Gas | ($35) | |
| Gymnastics | ($100) | |
| Total | $1,329 | |
I’ll be honest, I’m looking forward to the downtime. And I’ve decided not to plan anything for this first week during our after school hours and just follow the kids lead. They may need the time to decompress after such a busy couple of months. But rest assured, at the first sign of boredom, this mama has got a list of fun stuff we can do at home for free!
Is it bad that I’m excited to just have some chill time? Looking forward to lazing around, just a little bit!
Family Celebration
In regards to the family celebration, I appreciate everyone’s suggestions on my post last week. We are going to celebrate on either Monday or Tuesday this coming week (waiting on Sea Cadet’s work schedule to decide.) It’s fall break for the public schools so Princess is home those two days.
I’m working on a personalized gift for each of them. This will be the something they get to keep. Our family experience (fostering and adopting) affected each of them in a different way. They each had a unique perspective and different things they had to overcome as we blended our family. I want to highlight and celebrate that for each of them.
Are you coming to a break in your schedule like we are, in between sports seasons? Or are you still full steam ahead? Do you have a unique family celebration you do? What does that look like?
Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.
Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.
Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.
Some traditions get pricey. DH has always insisted we go out to dinner for every/any family member’s new job, first job, first “real” job, promotion, raise, etc. Recently our son got a promotion after less than two months in his first full time job. We’ll be combining a dinner as it looks like I’ll be changing jobs, too.