Blogging Away Debt

Hope’s Anticipated Spending and Income Aug 17-23

I have seen the comments about being more transparent and including more numbers, so I thought I would try this.

I keep a forecasting spreadsheet, as you would have it, that goes out through the end of the year. It is my primary planning tool as things come up and let’s me quickly see my overage or shortfalls in regards to my income.

It includes all my regular bills, and any anticipated extras on it. It also includes regular income and dates I expect to receive it (which we all know can vary.)

This is the snapshot of my income and payouts in the next week:

Vollyeball Games	17-Aug-18	-10
Adobe	17-Aug-18	-20
Auto – Gas/Main	17-Aug-18	-35
CS	21-Aug-18	150
Upwork	23-Aug-18	231
NH	23-Aug-18	500

Some details:

Princess has 2 games per week during the season. They each charge a $5 entry fee.
CS and Upwork are income from work regular work.
NH is a one time project for a new client. The project will be complete during this week, but there’s really no predicting when new clients will pay. Hopefully it will turn into regular work.
With Gymnast only training 1x week now, my weekly gas costs have dropped from $100+ per week to approx. $35. I try to fill up when I’m in the city where he trains as their gas is typically $0.20+ less than where we live.
I do not include groceries right now because we are still on food stamps. But we do grocery shop almost weekly. But we are very strict on meal planning and list making for those as well. I am trying to stretch everything.

Is this helpful? Is there something else I should include?

Family Pictures from a Quick Trip to Virginia

by Hope

As I mentioned, we traveled up to Virginia this past weekend to pick Sea Cadet up from his summer job at the summer camp. And we got to spend a day with History Buff.

We stayed with my uncle and ate at his house with the exception of a meal out to Chic Fil A (less than $30.) It was a pretty inexpensive trip, a quick trip. We drove up Friday and drove back Sunday.

BUT…my wonderful friend and barter buddy did take some new family photos for me! No cost! Yeah!

Hope's Family Pic, 2018

Well, there was one cost…we all got matching shirts for the picture. I found them on the Walmart clearance rack for $11 each. And I think everyone but maybe Princess will wear it again. I know all the boys will.

This picture is an example of how far I’ve come. In the past, I’ve made sure all the shoes matched, the jeans were the right shade and often times had silly props for our pictures. While I did want a coordinated picture, I think I did a pretty good job of getting this priceless momento (and lots of others including individual shots) for the $55 shirt cost.

I will print a few on my home printer, frame them with Dollar General frames and love them forever. It was SO good to all be together even if it was just one day. (We hadn’t all been together since History Buff moved out in December, 2016.)

I feel like this should be one of those commercials as I write it…$35 fast food family meal, $55 for 5 matching shirts, family photos…PRICELESS! This sentimental mom is so grateful for this quick trip and the smiles and camaraderie I saw between my kids.