The kids are beyond excited!!! Sesame Place, here we come!
Other than the last minute picking up around the house...I think we are good to go. Kids are packed (by G-man, so I might just double check their bags). G-man is packed, and I will be packed tonight. Since we are only going for a weekend, it really isn't a big deal.
We finally got an EZ Pass, which will help us get through tolls much faster. I have no idea why we never did it before. But it saves us the trouble now of having to have cash, and having to wait on line to pay. Just zip on through!
We are leaving around 1pm, so we should be ahead of the rush hour traffic. We aren't on a schedule, so if we do get stuck in traffic, it isn't a big deal (other than the annoyance). We will have some light snacks in the car, so no stopping for anything.
I tried to talk G-man into a picnic lunch at the park on Saturday. Basically, we would have to bring a cooler and ice packs, and stop at a grocery store in the morning. Yes, it would be an extra step, but lunch in the park is expensive. He talked me into just eating in the park, as it is going to be in the 70's that day...and if our ice packs are melting (since we will have them out of the freezer as of 1pm on Friday), things could be questionable. But really....he just doesn't want to deal with it.
We aren't buying souvenirs (we did last year), so we won't have that expense. Breakfast is included with the hotel, and dinner is going to be easy (pizza one night....not sure about the second night).
We are using the money from our overtime from January to March to fund this. We don't have a TON of money (as some money went to G-man's boat fund...which then mostly was used to pay his speeding ticket), so I am trying to be careful with our spending. For example...we went to an Italian place for dinner last year...and it was very overpriced, and not that good. Not this year!
We still have some rebate Visa cards from other things, so that is about $100 "extra" we have. I am shooting for not using them at all! But we have a back-up plan just in case.
The only expense that we have had that wasn't accounted for was rain ponchos. At the beginning of the week, there was a high chance of rain and G-man ran to Wal-mart and bought disposable ponchos. $28 for 4 of them. As of right now...we shouldn't need them, so they will be returned.
This will most likely be our only "vacation" this year. We may go to my mom and dad's in November, but that hasn't been decided (and trust me...that is NOT a vacation). I would love to take the kids somewhere for a longer vacation...but until our debt load is significantly lower...that isn't on the table.
I am looking forward to our weekend!
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
How do you define Progress?
***ETA: I wrote this post last night, and scheduled it to go live today. Almost no one actually GOT the point of the post. Everyone is still on the "should we buy tickets" bandwagon....which for the record, I never asked if I should or shouldn't.
In my GBU yesterday, I mentioned that we were "thinking" about getting concert tickets. Our last concert was almost 10 years...oops....8 years ago (the kids were ALMOST 2). Are they pricey? Yep. We were thinking about it; no decision made. We have had 2 big date nights in the past year....and this would be the next one (not counting the wedding we have in May).
Is it the BEST use of money? Depends on your definition of BEST. No, it isn't going to debt. But if you define BEST as "the ability for a couple to have a night out, see a show we both would enjoy, and have a night off from the stress of our life," then yes. We have also considered only having G-man go (as he wants to go more than I do, even though I do want to go). Then we would only have 1 ticket and parking. No sitter or anything.
Consuelo made a comment regarding our numbers and our "lack of progress" in the past few months.
I am not going to deny that numbers are ugly. I never have. We were making progress, and last year really wrenched that. No denying that. But to say "lack of progress" in the past few few months isn't accurate. I haven't updated our sidebar in the past few days because I know it is all about to change, and decided to wait until the big change to do the update. But the comment really upset me, so I looked a few things up....a few things that may not be as apparent to you all because I don't share EVERY detail.
Since January 1....
Once we take out the loan, I will update all the numbers. At that point, all of the debt will be at an interest rate of 3.375% or less. I know that not everyone will agree with the retirement loan for this purpose. It is taking money from our future. But in no more than 4 years, it will be paid off, and we will be just about debt free other than the mortgage (right now we are at 5 years to be debt free....but I think we may be able to shave at least some of that off).
I know this is a long post. So if you made it this far....good for you!!! But we HAVE made progress. It isn't gazelle intense....never has been. But it IS progress.
So to Consuelo....thank you for reading and spurring me to investigate this further. I am sorry you don't feel like we are making progress, but in the end, we only have to account to ourselves.
In my GBU yesterday, I mentioned that we were "thinking" about getting concert tickets. Our last concert was almost 10 years...oops....8 years ago (the kids were ALMOST 2). Are they pricey? Yep. We were thinking about it; no decision made. We have had 2 big date nights in the past year....and this would be the next one (not counting the wedding we have in May).
Is it the BEST use of money? Depends on your definition of BEST. No, it isn't going to debt. But if you define BEST as "the ability for a couple to have a night out, see a show we both would enjoy, and have a night off from the stress of our life," then yes. We have also considered only having G-man go (as he wants to go more than I do, even though I do want to go). Then we would only have 1 ticket and parking. No sitter or anything.
Consuelo made a comment regarding our numbers and our "lack of progress" in the past few months.
I am not going to deny that numbers are ugly. I never have. We were making progress, and last year really wrenched that. No denying that. But to say "lack of progress" in the past few few months isn't accurate. I haven't updated our sidebar in the past few days because I know it is all about to change, and decided to wait until the big change to do the update. But the comment really upset me, so I looked a few things up....a few things that may not be as apparent to you all because I don't share EVERY detail.
Since January 1....
- We have increased our EF by $324. Prior to my root canal, we had just under $1,300 in there. We withdrew some to float that money to get a discount. When our FSA reimburses us, it will go back to the EF, and we will have the $1300 again, and are working toward
- We have saved over $500 towards the kids' camp for the summer, which acts as day care for us while we work.
- We have saved $550 in overtime pay. Part of this is paying for G-man's speeding ticket and fishing license. The rest is going toward our weekend trip to Sesame Place for Autism Day (entrance to the park is free, other than a $25 parking fee which goes to charity. We have a gov't discount for the hotel).
- We have saved enough so far to pay for our water bill, which will come in May. And we are on track to have the money saved for our personal property taxes in July.
- We paid off our retirement loan (whose numbers were never added into any of the tallies, but at the start of the blog....we had about $7100 left), a few year early.
- We established a "cat fund" that currently has enough for all three cats' check-ups, and have been working on saving per month for food and litter.
- The student loan has decreased $456.
- The car has decreased $642.
- Medical has increased $50, but as long as Bossy has medical needs, this bill will always be in flux. Considering I had a $700 root canal, and the overall bill has only gone up $50, I am happy.
Once we take out the loan, I will update all the numbers. At that point, all of the debt will be at an interest rate of 3.375% or less. I know that not everyone will agree with the retirement loan for this purpose. It is taking money from our future. But in no more than 4 years, it will be paid off, and we will be just about debt free other than the mortgage (right now we are at 5 years to be debt free....but I think we may be able to shave at least some of that off).
I know this is a long post. So if you made it this far....good for you!!! But we HAVE made progress. It isn't gazelle intense....never has been. But it IS progress.
So to Consuelo....thank you for reading and spurring me to investigate this further. I am sorry you don't feel like we are making progress, but in the end, we only have to account to ourselves.
Friday, July 22, 2011
All sorts of firsts!
Greetings from my girl's weekend away!!! I know, I shouldn't be here, but just a quick note to say hi.
A few firsts for me....
1) first time I used the bathroom on a plane
2) first time I went to a casino!
3) first time I will be going to a traditional midwest church festival.
The casino....I know what you all are thinking. WHAT!!!!
We went to play Bingo. I knew ahead of time that we were doing this, and planned for the cost. It was $67. One of my friend's friends won $1199!! So she gave us each $40 toward our playing, so in the end it was only $27. But more on that adventure later.
Hope everyone is well!
A few firsts for me....
1) first time I used the bathroom on a plane
2) first time I went to a casino!
3) first time I will be going to a traditional midwest church festival.
The casino....I know what you all are thinking. WHAT!!!!
We went to play Bingo. I knew ahead of time that we were doing this, and planned for the cost. It was $67. One of my friend's friends won $1199!! So she gave us each $40 toward our playing, so in the end it was only $27. But more on that adventure later.
Hope everyone is well!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Are you saving money this summer?
This is a guest post by Andreas from moneysupermarket.com; who writes about all things finance including savings, loans and credit cards.
The economic climate during the last couple of years has caused people to be a bit more frugal during the months when we’re normally most likely to spend more money.
Many people get carried away with their spending during the summer months, but I see it as a great time to save money. The sun is shining during the summer months (depending on where you’re based) and you can use the hot weather to your advantage to save some money.
Whilst the sun is shining during the summer period you should hang your clothes outside instead of using the conventional dryer.
Hanging your clothes outside should help you to save money on electricity, and if you’re green minded you’ll be happy to know that you’re doing your bit for the environment too.
Go on a Holiday Closer to Home
I normally go abroad once a year but last year I decided to vacation at home in the UK and I did save a lot of money. Often referred to as a “staycation”, going on vacation locally is becoming much more popular as it’s a cheaper alternative to going abroad.
As long as you feel like you’ve traveled far enough away from home then you will still feel like you’ve had a holiday experience. Do some research and see what areas you could travel to where you have never been before and try something new.
Try Not to Use Air Conditioners
Using air conditioners during the summer can seriously inflate your electric bill; try to circulate the air around your home more effectively. You can use portable or ceiling fans and you can open all of your windows to try and generate a breeze. If you really feel like you need an air conditioner, make sure the one you choose has an energy star rating for being energy efficient.
Try to Avoid Using Your Car
Instead of jumping in your car and heading off to enjoy the summer weather somewhere, why not consider jumping on the train and taking your bicycle with you? You’ll save money on petrol and do your bit for the environment too.
Grow Your Own Fruit and Veg or Visit a Farmers Market
Take advantage of the hot weather and grow your own fruit and veg during the summer, you may be surprised by how green fingered you actually are. Foods like tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and even corn grow fantastically well so try them out.
One other thing you could do is pay a visit to any local farmers markets in your area; they can be a great resource for fresh produce at great prices so see what they have to offer.
I hope I’ve outlined some ways in which you can save money during the summer period, if you have anything that you think I’ve missed be sure to let me know in the comments section.
Mysti's Note: Thanks to Andreas for this post. The thing I love about this post is that despite the fact that Andreas lives "across the pond" from me, in the UK, the ideas are still the same!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
How do you save for it ALL?
Let's just put the saving while in debt debate aside for a minute. We all know there are things we WANT and if you save for them...then great, have at it. But what about things that you NEED, and you need to save for it ALL????
Home maintenance is pricey. I think the statistic is something like 5% of your home's value per year. For us, that would be about $9,500. I think that is a little on the high side yearly. But I would say that $3-4,000 isn't totally off the mark at times.
All of the things that need replacement aren't dead and broken....YET. They are all senior citizens, who aren't quite at round the clock care, but definitely in an assisted living situation. Legitimately, they all have lived out their lifespan. It isn't unreasonable to think that they need to be replaced.
The problem...trying to save for it all at once!!!
I sooooo wish I was more money savvy when we bought the house 10 years ago. There are so many things that I would have done differently as a whole. But one HUGE thing would have been starting a home maintenance fund. And then when things wore out, I would have a cushion. But no...we couldn't afford to save (how can you afford to NOT SAVE......ugh, lessons learned).
Things that need work around here (in no particular order):
It is completely overwhelming. Where do you even start to save??? What if you aren't able to do it one thing at a time, and multiple things go at the same time? What if a larger ticket item goes sooner than expected?? ARGH!!!
Back to the saving while in debt. Yes, we have an emergency fund, and the majority of things on the list aren't emergencies (kitchen appliances and furnace really are the only true emergency items). But I don't want to deplete the EF, and then struggle to rebuild, all the while with debt and other things looming.
Right now, the I call the plan the $115 plan. This is the amount that gets transferred from our checking account to ING savings per paycheck. It is the go-to money for larger savings goals. Camp was funded this way. The kids' birthday party (almost funded!) and Christmas will be funded this way. Once each of these accounts is funded, then the $115 will go towards saving for the extra stuff, until it is time to start saving again for Camp and Christmas.
Piggy back this with gift cards and such from other savings programs (My Points, Swagbucks), and we are cobbling it together. Not a great plan...but it is the only one I have at the moment. If we can make some MAJOR headway in the debt snowball, maybe I will slow that down a little to allow for more savings for the items.
And maybe in Fantasy World...we will get to take a vacation someday.
Home maintenance is pricey. I think the statistic is something like 5% of your home's value per year. For us, that would be about $9,500. I think that is a little on the high side yearly. But I would say that $3-4,000 isn't totally off the mark at times.
All of the things that need replacement aren't dead and broken....YET. They are all senior citizens, who aren't quite at round the clock care, but definitely in an assisted living situation. Legitimately, they all have lived out their lifespan. It isn't unreasonable to think that they need to be replaced.
The problem...trying to save for it all at once!!!
I sooooo wish I was more money savvy when we bought the house 10 years ago. There are so many things that I would have done differently as a whole. But one HUGE thing would have been starting a home maintenance fund. And then when things wore out, I would have a cushion. But no...we couldn't afford to save (how can you afford to NOT SAVE......ugh, lessons learned).
Things that need work around here (in no particular order):
- Pool liner (in process....the current liner was placed in 1993)
- Deck boards (also circa 1993)
- Stove/Oven (circa 1998)
- Refrigerator (circa 1998)
- Carpeting in Bossy's room (um, no idea on age, but I am guessing that you aren't supposed to see the floor boards underneath through the worn holes)
- Carpeting in Sassy's room (eh....it is really ok, but if we have an Adventure in Carpeting (starring 80's teen star Elisabeth Shue!), we might as well replace hers)
- Furnace (circa 1950's....still works but is highly inefficient)
- Windows (circa 1911...original to the house....again, works, but is inefficient)
- Living room couches (circa 1997)
- TV in our bedroom (circa 1994)
- Closet system (for the larger of the 2 closets we have...where 3 of us share it for all our clothes, and it just isn't working)
- Digital camera (circa 2004; we did get a newer one, and it doesn't work right and we hate it)
It is completely overwhelming. Where do you even start to save??? What if you aren't able to do it one thing at a time, and multiple things go at the same time? What if a larger ticket item goes sooner than expected?? ARGH!!!
Back to the saving while in debt. Yes, we have an emergency fund, and the majority of things on the list aren't emergencies (kitchen appliances and furnace really are the only true emergency items). But I don't want to deplete the EF, and then struggle to rebuild, all the while with debt and other things looming.
Right now, the I call the plan the $115 plan. This is the amount that gets transferred from our checking account to ING savings per paycheck. It is the go-to money for larger savings goals. Camp was funded this way. The kids' birthday party (almost funded!) and Christmas will be funded this way. Once each of these accounts is funded, then the $115 will go towards saving for the extra stuff, until it is time to start saving again for Camp and Christmas.
Piggy back this with gift cards and such from other savings programs (My Points, Swagbucks), and we are cobbling it together. Not a great plan...but it is the only one I have at the moment. If we can make some MAJOR headway in the debt snowball, maybe I will slow that down a little to allow for more savings for the items.
And maybe in Fantasy World...we will get to take a vacation someday.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Back from our trip....
Happy Easter, to those who celebrate this holiday. And Happy Passover, to those that celebrate THAT holiday!
We had a WONDERFUL trip to Sesame Place. I am 200% happy that we did it. The kids are old enough now that they will remember alot of it, and they had a blast. And we had a blast watching them.
Traffic was horrible on our way out of town. What should have been a 3-hour drive was almost 6 hours. We were all tired by the time we got to the hotel, but we let the kids blow off some steam in the heated indoor pool. Only one fight between G-man and I in the car....a record for us!
The weather held out for Sesame Place. It was cool, but no rain (as was predicted). Bossy had a major meltdown before we even entered the park, and we were concerned that was going to set the tone for the day. But luckily we came up with a game plan that worked and he came around. Basically, we did a few things, then saw a show (the park offered 3 different shows, plus a parade!). This worked great for us, and we all enjoyed ourselves. Bossy loved the roller coaster, and Sassy loved climbing on the netscape.
If we had not gone for this special event, there is no financial way we could have done this. Tickets to get into the part are $56 EACH. So our family would be $224 just to get into the park. No way we could do this. Instead, we paid $25 for parking ($20 of it went to the charity that sponsored the event), and we made an additional $5 donation. $30 well spent. AND....we got the third closest parking spot to the entrance. .....Kaching!
We spent $207 on the hotel, which was a bargain. Breakfast was included, and the hotel was packed with amenities. If we go to the event again, we will definitely stay here again.
Food....we all know that deal. It is ALWAYS more expensive. Next time we would probably leave the park to get lunch (or bring something with us). It was over $40 for lunch, and it wasn't even that good, or that much food. We went out to dinner Friday night, and again...it was very pricey for what we got. Lessons learned.
We spent about $100 over our budget...and that was on souvenirs. I bought my friend something as a thank you for taking care of our pets while we were gone, and then something for the kids....$51 total. Then I got this:
It is a picture using our handprints. When the kids were little, their nursery was done in lambs....so we did a family of sheep. It was sort of symbolic of our new start, having all 4 of us together. A little pricey ($42), but I am glad we did it. It will go in our family room, and we will be able to remember our great weekend.
Now that we are home...it is back to business as usual. We have decided to pay off the car in May, and will require even less money than we thought. Student loan #2 will be paid off this week! And then we have to tackle the credit cards....I would love to pay off CC1 (again.....*sigh*) before my student loans go up in 6 months. G-man is putting in for overtime, and all that will go to debt.
We have a plan....hopefully it will work!!!
We had a WONDERFUL trip to Sesame Place. I am 200% happy that we did it. The kids are old enough now that they will remember alot of it, and they had a blast. And we had a blast watching them.
Traffic was horrible on our way out of town. What should have been a 3-hour drive was almost 6 hours. We were all tired by the time we got to the hotel, but we let the kids blow off some steam in the heated indoor pool. Only one fight between G-man and I in the car....a record for us!
The weather held out for Sesame Place. It was cool, but no rain (as was predicted). Bossy had a major meltdown before we even entered the park, and we were concerned that was going to set the tone for the day. But luckily we came up with a game plan that worked and he came around. Basically, we did a few things, then saw a show (the park offered 3 different shows, plus a parade!). This worked great for us, and we all enjoyed ourselves. Bossy loved the roller coaster, and Sassy loved climbing on the netscape.
If we had not gone for this special event, there is no financial way we could have done this. Tickets to get into the part are $56 EACH. So our family would be $224 just to get into the park. No way we could do this. Instead, we paid $25 for parking ($20 of it went to the charity that sponsored the event), and we made an additional $5 donation. $30 well spent. AND....we got the third closest parking spot to the entrance. .....Kaching!
We spent $207 on the hotel, which was a bargain. Breakfast was included, and the hotel was packed with amenities. If we go to the event again, we will definitely stay here again.
Food....we all know that deal. It is ALWAYS more expensive. Next time we would probably leave the park to get lunch (or bring something with us). It was over $40 for lunch, and it wasn't even that good, or that much food. We went out to dinner Friday night, and again...it was very pricey for what we got. Lessons learned.
We spent about $100 over our budget...and that was on souvenirs. I bought my friend something as a thank you for taking care of our pets while we were gone, and then something for the kids....$51 total. Then I got this:
It is a picture using our handprints. When the kids were little, their nursery was done in lambs....so we did a family of sheep. It was sort of symbolic of our new start, having all 4 of us together. A little pricey ($42), but I am glad we did it. It will go in our family room, and we will be able to remember our great weekend.
Now that we are home...it is back to business as usual. We have decided to pay off the car in May, and will require even less money than we thought. Student loan #2 will be paid off this week! And then we have to tackle the credit cards....I would love to pay off CC1 (again.....*sigh*) before my student loans go up in 6 months. G-man is putting in for overtime, and all that will go to debt.
We have a plan....hopefully it will work!!!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
A few updates....
We always have so much going on....
The washing machine - G-man took things apart, cleaned it....for the moment it seems to be better. We also found out that the part that seems to be going is only $72 (vs. $125). Let's hope that it doesn't come to that! Luckily, we have a laundrymat around the corner, so if the washer does go out...we can at least get the clothes washed (and brought home to dry).
Camp - as of today....Camp for the kids is fully funded!!!! Since it in an ING acct, we can't withdraw the money for a week....but it is so nice knowing that we saved up for a planned expense, and we can now enroll them both for 7 weeks of fun. I am glad that I changed my savings strategy and put all my efforts into this one goal. Moving on to saving for the kids' birthday parties, then finishing our Christmas fund.....then back to Camp again! The cycle of the year....
Vacation - In an attempt at reclaiming some "family" time....we are taking a mini vacation this weekend. The kids are off for Good Friday, but we are taking them out of school a few hours early on Thursday. We will be going to Sesame Place!!! This Friday is "Autism Day" and admission to the park is FREE, with a $25 parking fee. But c'mon....$25 is nothing for a family of 4 to get into a theme park. We found a hotel for less than $100 a night (with breakfast included and an indoor pool!!). The kids are super excited!!! And we need a few days to just focus on our family. G-man had overtime in this week's paycheck, which will cover the cost of our weekend.
Refi Money - We are just about at the point where we are ready to pull the trigger and actually USE the money for debt now. I am a little torn....of the $2,000 we will use for debt (the remainder is replenishing our emergency fund), the original plan was $1,000 to CC1, and $1,000 to the car. BUT....G-man gets paid 3 times in May....if we take half of his extra check, and the full $2,000....the car is paid off!!!!! That will free up $350 a month to apply to other debt (CC1 has the highest interest rate).
If we stick to the original plan, the car will be paid off in July. (This is using half of his 3rd paycheck, plus $1000, plus regular payments....MAYBE we can swing a June payoff if we can throw a few snowflakes that way).
and last but not least....
Mysti/G-man - We are trying to work things out. It is slow going. Trust is a hard thing to earn back. But he has been much more engaged with me and the kids. He is back living at home, and we are both in individual counseling, as well as couples counseling. It has now been just over 2 months since this disaster started, and we are no where close to being "over it." But we are hopeful that learning to communicate with each other, learning to work through resentments and anger from our marriage, and rediscovering why we got married in the first place will all lead to a stronger marriage. Wish us luck!!!
The washing machine - G-man took things apart, cleaned it....for the moment it seems to be better. We also found out that the part that seems to be going is only $72 (vs. $125). Let's hope that it doesn't come to that! Luckily, we have a laundrymat around the corner, so if the washer does go out...we can at least get the clothes washed (and brought home to dry).
Camp - as of today....Camp for the kids is fully funded!!!! Since it in an ING acct, we can't withdraw the money for a week....but it is so nice knowing that we saved up for a planned expense, and we can now enroll them both for 7 weeks of fun. I am glad that I changed my savings strategy and put all my efforts into this one goal. Moving on to saving for the kids' birthday parties, then finishing our Christmas fund.....then back to Camp again! The cycle of the year....
Vacation - In an attempt at reclaiming some "family" time....we are taking a mini vacation this weekend. The kids are off for Good Friday, but we are taking them out of school a few hours early on Thursday. We will be going to Sesame Place!!! This Friday is "Autism Day" and admission to the park is FREE, with a $25 parking fee. But c'mon....$25 is nothing for a family of 4 to get into a theme park. We found a hotel for less than $100 a night (with breakfast included and an indoor pool!!). The kids are super excited!!! And we need a few days to just focus on our family. G-man had overtime in this week's paycheck, which will cover the cost of our weekend.
Refi Money - We are just about at the point where we are ready to pull the trigger and actually USE the money for debt now. I am a little torn....of the $2,000 we will use for debt (the remainder is replenishing our emergency fund), the original plan was $1,000 to CC1, and $1,000 to the car. BUT....G-man gets paid 3 times in May....if we take half of his extra check, and the full $2,000....the car is paid off!!!!! That will free up $350 a month to apply to other debt (CC1 has the highest interest rate).
If we stick to the original plan, the car will be paid off in July. (This is using half of his 3rd paycheck, plus $1000, plus regular payments....MAYBE we can swing a June payoff if we can throw a few snowflakes that way).
and last but not least....
Mysti/G-man - We are trying to work things out. It is slow going. Trust is a hard thing to earn back. But he has been much more engaged with me and the kids. He is back living at home, and we are both in individual counseling, as well as couples counseling. It has now been just over 2 months since this disaster started, and we are no where close to being "over it." But we are hopeful that learning to communicate with each other, learning to work through resentments and anger from our marriage, and rediscovering why we got married in the first place will all lead to a stronger marriage. Wish us luck!!!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Back from vacation....part 3......Dave Ramsey edition
First off...a quick note about our budget blunders....I am probably being harder on us than I should be. It isn't like we took extra day trips, went shopping, etc. Broken kid's thing, groceries for parents....what are ya gonna do?? Stuff happens. Dinner out and going on the day trip when we didn't save up enough for it....that one is on us.
So here it is....beside the traffic we sat in for hours, the hundreds of dollars over budget that we spent.....oh, and the talk with Mom and Dad (yet to come!)....the defining moment of our vacation.
G-man and I went out to dinner our last night at my Mom's (as previously mentioned). After dinner, we wandered around Barnes and Noble (which, can be a very dangerous place!!!!). We didn't buy anything (although it was way tempting....) and for the most part, he and I went our separate ways while we were in there.
He did check out the "self help" section, to find out why he is being an incredible selfish jacka$$. He looked at some martial arts books, and the cooking section. He did NOT look at the personal finance section. I know this because it was part of a later....ahem....."discussion."
Another fight. Just great.
We had a 6 hour drive to his mom's house (7 with traffic). And instead of reading his fishing magazine, he picked up The Total Money Makeover that I brought with us (and for the record, I didn't bring it for him....I wanted to re-read it, in my spare time.....HA, spare time....I slay myself....).
He read some on our way home also. Not sure if he was enjoying it, learning something, trying to score points with me....I don't care at this point. I am just glad that he took a step.
We did discuss some of what he read. Unfortunately, he hasn't gotten to the meat and potatoes of it yet, but we talked about what he did read. He was somewhat delusional and actually said "well, we are doing most of this already." Oh really.....do tell.
He talked about our HSA....which we don't have.....we have a FSA. He talked about budget.....um, did you miss the part about zero balance, and that also means accounting for future expenses?
He did find the life insurance section interesting.
And he told me we need to lay out all of our debt, and figure out what we are paying where.....and when we think it will be paid off. *sigh* Apparently he thinks I am just guessing at of this!!! Hello??!!! I did that a long long time ago!!!
But most of all....he finally got the idea that with some work....it is possible to be out of this mess in 3 years. And be able to save more for retirement, and put aside money for college for Sassy (I am not forgetting Bossy....but his money is already taken care of). Oh and yes.....maybe be able to live a normal life!!
Lots more discussion to come between he and I. And he has yet to really get the snowballing idea. Or the fact that he is going to have to sacrifice some. But at least this is a start.
So here it is....beside the traffic we sat in for hours, the hundreds of dollars over budget that we spent.....oh, and the talk with Mom and Dad (yet to come!)....the defining moment of our vacation.
G-man and I went out to dinner our last night at my Mom's (as previously mentioned). After dinner, we wandered around Barnes and Noble (which, can be a very dangerous place!!!!). We didn't buy anything (although it was way tempting....) and for the most part, he and I went our separate ways while we were in there.
He did check out the "self help" section, to find out why he is being an incredible selfish jacka$$. He looked at some martial arts books, and the cooking section. He did NOT look at the personal finance section. I know this because it was part of a later....ahem....."discussion."
Another fight. Just great.
We had a 6 hour drive to his mom's house (7 with traffic). And instead of reading his fishing magazine, he picked up The Total Money Makeover that I brought with us (and for the record, I didn't bring it for him....I wanted to re-read it, in my spare time.....HA, spare time....I slay myself....).
He read some on our way home also. Not sure if he was enjoying it, learning something, trying to score points with me....I don't care at this point. I am just glad that he took a step.
We did discuss some of what he read. Unfortunately, he hasn't gotten to the meat and potatoes of it yet, but we talked about what he did read. He was somewhat delusional and actually said "well, we are doing most of this already." Oh really.....do tell.
He talked about our HSA....which we don't have.....we have a FSA. He talked about budget.....um, did you miss the part about zero balance, and that also means accounting for future expenses?
He did find the life insurance section interesting.
And he told me we need to lay out all of our debt, and figure out what we are paying where.....and when we think it will be paid off. *sigh* Apparently he thinks I am just guessing at of this!!! Hello??!!! I did that a long long time ago!!!
But most of all....he finally got the idea that with some work....it is possible to be out of this mess in 3 years. And be able to save more for retirement, and put aside money for college for Sassy (I am not forgetting Bossy....but his money is already taken care of). Oh and yes.....maybe be able to live a normal life!!
Lots more discussion to come between he and I. And he has yet to really get the snowballing idea. Or the fact that he is going to have to sacrifice some. But at least this is a start.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Back from Vacation....part 2.....Budget Blunders
UGH. This actually started before we even left our street. Not a good way to start vacation.
The DVD Player Story:
I have already said that I am all about planning, and there should be no reason to be running around like a chicken with its head cut off. And the night before we left....I wasn't. G-man....that was a different story. He is in charge of "electronics" for our trips. This includes installation of DVD players, chargers, etc. I should have known that something was going to happen on this front. When he snapped at me that he couldn't find the car charger for Bossy's DVD player, the curse was placed. He did find it eventually (in a place that neither of us can figure out how it got there, but since he is in charge of this....it was all him....no one to blame but himself).
Back to the start of our trip.....Bossy said his movie wasn't on. G-man looked at it...the player wasn't working. 20 minutes later....still not working. No matter what...it wasn't going to work. Well, isn't that just ducky. It was 6:20 in the morning and we had traveled 3 miles. No way we could go 14 more hours without one. So we ran over to Kmart....they didn't open until 8am. Ran to Walmart....they didn't open until 7am.
Decided to head on down the road and stop at the first big box store that opened along the way. At 6:50 we tried Target....nope, they weren't open yet. Hit another Walmart at 6:58 and walked in as the doors were opening. Half hour later, we were ready to hit the road with a new DVD player and case.....to the tune of $121. Of course the cheapest one they had was out of stock. So I went for the cheapest I could get, at $99. Needed a way to mount it to the seat...hence the case. (our previous one didn't need a case because it was a seat mount style to start with).
I put it on a CC. I wasn't happy about it. But I knew I didn't have available cash at the moment. And I knew that 14 hrs in the car without one wasn't an option either. I am not sorry we did it though. He was happy as a clam, and with the headphones I got for both kids, it made for a very quiet trip.
G-man claims that he tried out the now broken player the night before and it was fine. I am doubtful he tried it out. I really think he was mad that he couldn't find the charger and just installed it without turning it on. If it didn't work the night before, then we could have gotten another one....using emergency fund or savings account money and not used a CC. I have to take his word that he tried it out...but I also know my husband.....he didn't try it out and wasn't going to admit it.
Groceries/Food:
This is a mixed bag story. Part of the budget blunders are from just buying food for the car and G-man buying too much perishable stuff. Like I said, we were able freeze some, so it wasn't a total wash. But trying to go from my mom's to mother-in-law, and then home....trying to pack food for the trip became more difficult as we went as our patience was wearing out, we were spending money we hadn't planned for, and G-man and I were at odds.
The rest of this story involves my parents. My mom keeps Kosher in her home, which, when you grow up with it, isn't that hard to deal with. If you haven't grown up with it, it is cumbersome. But I digress...
Mom failed to buy food for our trip. Or should I say....enough food. Father's Day....my dad was out of sorts, and their brilliant idea to go out to dinner was not so brilliant. As I tried to explain to them.....no reservations on a "holiday" does not equal a pleasant dining experience.
So I went to the store to get some stuff to cook out on the grill. As I mentioned...Mom keeps Kosher....which is very expensive when buying meat. I got some chicken and steak...and spent over $60 just on meat that was for one dinner (and a small amount left over). Add in sides, and the additionally things mom asked me to pick up....I was at $130. Totally not budgeted for.
Then add in when G-man and I went out to dinner alone. My parents had said they wanted to treat us to a massage while we were there, but we passed on that idea and said that we would rather a dinner alone. They said fine. Well, silly us thought that when they offered to TREAT for the massage and we came up with an alternative...that it was still a TREAT. Nope, guess not. $80 for dinner. I had wanted to go some place cheaper, but G-man wanted more of a 'date' night (which turned into a disaster which again, would go into another blog!).
Day trips:
I already admitted that we didn't save up enough for our vacation day trips, but were going to do it anyway. Well, we planned for one day trip....and then Dad threw in another.
While at my parents' house, we took the kids to a Discovery Museum. Mom didn't go that day because SHE was out of sorts that time. Dad picked up the tickets, but due to the timing, we ended up having lunch there (never mind that I wanted to go after lunch at home.....). And Dad let me get lunch....$45.
While at my mother in law's...we planned on taking the kids to the aquarium...the one thing we did plan for. Tickets....$138. Mother in law picked up lunch. And then parking was $22. Oh, and it was an additional half tank of gas!! So our out of pocket expense for this adventure was about $185!!!!!!*sigh* If it was just this one expense that we didn't have saved up for, I would have been ok with it. But at this point, we were about $375 over and above any expense we had anticipated.
By the end of our vacation....we had charged about $500 worth of expenses over and above what we had cash for or had prepurchased. OUCH.
The DVD Player Story:
I have already said that I am all about planning, and there should be no reason to be running around like a chicken with its head cut off. And the night before we left....I wasn't. G-man....that was a different story. He is in charge of "electronics" for our trips. This includes installation of DVD players, chargers, etc. I should have known that something was going to happen on this front. When he snapped at me that he couldn't find the car charger for Bossy's DVD player, the curse was placed. He did find it eventually (in a place that neither of us can figure out how it got there, but since he is in charge of this....it was all him....no one to blame but himself).
Back to the start of our trip.....Bossy said his movie wasn't on. G-man looked at it...the player wasn't working. 20 minutes later....still not working. No matter what...it wasn't going to work. Well, isn't that just ducky. It was 6:20 in the morning and we had traveled 3 miles. No way we could go 14 more hours without one. So we ran over to Kmart....they didn't open until 8am. Ran to Walmart....they didn't open until 7am.
Decided to head on down the road and stop at the first big box store that opened along the way. At 6:50 we tried Target....nope, they weren't open yet. Hit another Walmart at 6:58 and walked in as the doors were opening. Half hour later, we were ready to hit the road with a new DVD player and case.....to the tune of $121. Of course the cheapest one they had was out of stock. So I went for the cheapest I could get, at $99. Needed a way to mount it to the seat...hence the case. (our previous one didn't need a case because it was a seat mount style to start with).
I put it on a CC. I wasn't happy about it. But I knew I didn't have available cash at the moment. And I knew that 14 hrs in the car without one wasn't an option either. I am not sorry we did it though. He was happy as a clam, and with the headphones I got for both kids, it made for a very quiet trip.
G-man claims that he tried out the now broken player the night before and it was fine. I am doubtful he tried it out. I really think he was mad that he couldn't find the charger and just installed it without turning it on. If it didn't work the night before, then we could have gotten another one....using emergency fund or savings account money and not used a CC. I have to take his word that he tried it out...but I also know my husband.....he didn't try it out and wasn't going to admit it.
Groceries/Food:
This is a mixed bag story. Part of the budget blunders are from just buying food for the car and G-man buying too much perishable stuff. Like I said, we were able freeze some, so it wasn't a total wash. But trying to go from my mom's to mother-in-law, and then home....trying to pack food for the trip became more difficult as we went as our patience was wearing out, we were spending money we hadn't planned for, and G-man and I were at odds.
The rest of this story involves my parents. My mom keeps Kosher in her home, which, when you grow up with it, isn't that hard to deal with. If you haven't grown up with it, it is cumbersome. But I digress...
Mom failed to buy food for our trip. Or should I say....enough food. Father's Day....my dad was out of sorts, and their brilliant idea to go out to dinner was not so brilliant. As I tried to explain to them.....no reservations on a "holiday" does not equal a pleasant dining experience.
So I went to the store to get some stuff to cook out on the grill. As I mentioned...Mom keeps Kosher....which is very expensive when buying meat. I got some chicken and steak...and spent over $60 just on meat that was for one dinner (and a small amount left over). Add in sides, and the additionally things mom asked me to pick up....I was at $130. Totally not budgeted for.
Then add in when G-man and I went out to dinner alone. My parents had said they wanted to treat us to a massage while we were there, but we passed on that idea and said that we would rather a dinner alone. They said fine. Well, silly us thought that when they offered to TREAT for the massage and we came up with an alternative...that it was still a TREAT. Nope, guess not. $80 for dinner. I had wanted to go some place cheaper, but G-man wanted more of a 'date' night (which turned into a disaster which again, would go into another blog!).
Day trips:
I already admitted that we didn't save up enough for our vacation day trips, but were going to do it anyway. Well, we planned for one day trip....and then Dad threw in another.
While at my parents' house, we took the kids to a Discovery Museum. Mom didn't go that day because SHE was out of sorts that time. Dad picked up the tickets, but due to the timing, we ended up having lunch there (never mind that I wanted to go after lunch at home.....). And Dad let me get lunch....$45.
While at my mother in law's...we planned on taking the kids to the aquarium...the one thing we did plan for. Tickets....$138. Mother in law picked up lunch. And then parking was $22. Oh, and it was an additional half tank of gas!! So our out of pocket expense for this adventure was about $185!!!!!!*sigh* If it was just this one expense that we didn't have saved up for, I would have been ok with it. But at this point, we were about $375 over and above any expense we had anticipated.
By the end of our vacation....we had charged about $500 worth of expenses over and above what we had cash for or had prepurchased. OUCH.
Back from Vacation....part 1....lessons learned
G-man and I learn something new each time we go on vacation....and remember....for us, vacation is going to visit our parents.
1) Vacation....yeah right! We spend more time running around than relaxing.
2) The money we spend to go visit them....we could actually have a VACATION, vs what we get.
3) Now that my parents moved 400 miles further away, we can't do a combo visit anymore. It is too tiring.
We drove just under 2,000 miles in a week. Estimated time in the car: 39 hrs. And that is just for the travel time to and from, and a few hrs for "day trip" stuff....not the running around we did for our parents!! Out of the 9 days we were gone, we spent almost 1/5 of it just in the car. Not cool. Never mind the gas and tolls, and the wear and tear on our bodies.
A huge shout out to our children, who really were awesome travelers. Yeah, they bickered a bit. But they are almost 8. That is what kids do. For the most part, they rested, watched movies or played Leapster, or read. Thanks kids....this could have been way worse.....so thanks for behaving!
In the future, we decided we will probably do 2 trips, for about a week each. That way we actually get to visit and relax some. We only got 3.5 days per parent, and we were back in the car for a long drive. I need a vacation from our vacation now. I think by splitting it up, it will work better. A little more in gas, but at least we can chill out a little.
Packing food. Worked GREAT for the first leg of the trip. We stopped at a rest stop and ate our sandwiches. The kids loved the picnic. We spent very little on the road for food. HOWEVER....it was costly buying the food before hand. Mostly because G-man bought the perishable stuff, and dropped almost $40 on that alone!!! We were able to freeze the extra lunch meat he bought, but alot of the fruit and such got pitched. I am curious to crunch the numbers to compare what we would have spent buying food on the road, vs packing stuff.
And notice...I said it worked for the first leg of the trip. Driving from my parents to my mother-in-law, and then driving home....we bought as we went. We had some little snack stuff in the car, and the kids' water bottles....so I guess that helped. But for actual meals....we stopped and got something. (as a side note....my body is so overloaded from salt and grease, I haven't felt good for days).
Cats. I have mentioned that in the past we have boarded our cats....which was $$$. By doing our trip a little earlier in the season, we were able to leave them home, and found a neighbor who was willing to feed them. And water our plants. Came home to happy cats (albeit, hungry for cuddles!) and plants that grew a ton while we were gone. We are paying the neighbor $80 for this...vs the $1000 we have spent in the past. Worked like a charm!!!!
Will be back later to expand on our vacation.....including G-man's first adventure into Dave Ramsey world, the unexpected expenses (about $500!) and how things went with my talk with Mom and Dad.
1) Vacation....yeah right! We spend more time running around than relaxing.
2) The money we spend to go visit them....we could actually have a VACATION, vs what we get.
3) Now that my parents moved 400 miles further away, we can't do a combo visit anymore. It is too tiring.
We drove just under 2,000 miles in a week. Estimated time in the car: 39 hrs. And that is just for the travel time to and from, and a few hrs for "day trip" stuff....not the running around we did for our parents!! Out of the 9 days we were gone, we spent almost 1/5 of it just in the car. Not cool. Never mind the gas and tolls, and the wear and tear on our bodies.
A huge shout out to our children, who really were awesome travelers. Yeah, they bickered a bit. But they are almost 8. That is what kids do. For the most part, they rested, watched movies or played Leapster, or read. Thanks kids....this could have been way worse.....so thanks for behaving!
In the future, we decided we will probably do 2 trips, for about a week each. That way we actually get to visit and relax some. We only got 3.5 days per parent, and we were back in the car for a long drive. I need a vacation from our vacation now. I think by splitting it up, it will work better. A little more in gas, but at least we can chill out a little.
Packing food. Worked GREAT for the first leg of the trip. We stopped at a rest stop and ate our sandwiches. The kids loved the picnic. We spent very little on the road for food. HOWEVER....it was costly buying the food before hand. Mostly because G-man bought the perishable stuff, and dropped almost $40 on that alone!!! We were able to freeze the extra lunch meat he bought, but alot of the fruit and such got pitched. I am curious to crunch the numbers to compare what we would have spent buying food on the road, vs packing stuff.
And notice...I said it worked for the first leg of the trip. Driving from my parents to my mother-in-law, and then driving home....we bought as we went. We had some little snack stuff in the car, and the kids' water bottles....so I guess that helped. But for actual meals....we stopped and got something. (as a side note....my body is so overloaded from salt and grease, I haven't felt good for days).
Cats. I have mentioned that in the past we have boarded our cats....which was $$$. By doing our trip a little earlier in the season, we were able to leave them home, and found a neighbor who was willing to feed them. And water our plants. Came home to happy cats (albeit, hungry for cuddles!) and plants that grew a ton while we were gone. We are paying the neighbor $80 for this...vs the $1000 we have spent in the past. Worked like a charm!!!!
Will be back later to expand on our vacation.....including G-man's first adventure into Dave Ramsey world, the unexpected expenses (about $500!) and how things went with my talk with Mom and Dad.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Greetings from Vacation
Just a quick check in to let you all know I will be home this weekend. A few updates, which I will elaborate on later:
Me and G-man - thank you all for your support. Things remain tense between us. But as a positive, he started reading The Total Mney Makeover.
Vacation Expenses - good grief! This has turned into a mini disaster. Includes Bossy's DVD player dying and my car is going into the shop today. In addition to the already planned stuff!! Oh, and groceries....that is another story.
Talk with my folks - went better than expected.
Enjoy the rest of your week, and I will update when I get home.
Me and G-man - thank you all for your support. Things remain tense between us. But as a positive, he started reading The Total Mney Makeover.
Vacation Expenses - good grief! This has turned into a mini disaster. Includes Bossy's DVD player dying and my car is going into the shop today. In addition to the already planned stuff!! Oh, and groceries....that is another story.
Talk with my folks - went better than expected.
Enjoy the rest of your week, and I will update when I get home.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Pre-vacation prep
Oh my gosh! It is ONLY 38 days until our vacation! *note of sarcasm*
I am a planner....a list person.....a schedule gal.....my husband loves me anyway. He is a fly by the seat of his pants guy. I have no idea how we have been married 12 yrs.....
Anyway, I believe in starting early in thinking about what we need to pack, buy, etc. Now, it has taken me many years to get to the point that I realize that, with the exception of Bossy Boy's feeding pump and supplies, ANYTHING else we can get at Grandma's house if we forget it. But if you start early, and think about it when you aren't stressed, hopefully you won't forget anything.
One item to remember for vacation, that can really add up to major $$, if you forget it, is medication. In our house, this is 2 prescription medication for Bossy, plus his epi-pen (due to food allergies), plus 2 medications for myself.. Additionally, we travel with Benedryl, Motrin, and Tylenol. Let's pretend that I forgot all of them....to replace all of it would run us about $150. That is alot of moola...especially when we have it all. So, taking a moment to put it on the master checklist for vacation can save headache later.
We travel by car. It is roughly 14 hrs to get to Grammy and Grandpa's house. Gotta eat. Now, in the past we would spend a fortune on food (usually fast food that was overpriced, and not very good.). Not this year. We are packing sandwiches, fruit, granola bars....Easy to eat, healthy, and budget friendly.
Our pets....in the past, we have boarded them. We didn't really know anyone who could take care of them. I tried a pet sitter....and the cost was the same as boarding them. Plus, our vacation was in August, so unless I wanted to run the window a/c all the time....leaving them home wasn't a good option. Now, I have a neighbor who will look in on the bebes. She will turn the a/c on if needed in the morning, and shut it off. And obviously feed the kitties! Two years ago, we took a 12 day trip (13 if you count by the boarding days) and it ran us almost $1000!!!! Now, for about $75 for 10 days, my bebes will be fed, watered, and cool in their own home.
There will be more to come on this subject, but for now, I am updating our master packing list to include the groceries we will need. Also noting to myself that I need to write out the instructions for taking care of the cats, and a reminder on the calendar to get more cat food.
See....no stress. Less money. It is all good! Anyone have other pre-vacation tips they would like to share?
I am a planner....a list person.....a schedule gal.....my husband loves me anyway. He is a fly by the seat of his pants guy. I have no idea how we have been married 12 yrs.....
Anyway, I believe in starting early in thinking about what we need to pack, buy, etc. Now, it has taken me many years to get to the point that I realize that, with the exception of Bossy Boy's feeding pump and supplies, ANYTHING else we can get at Grandma's house if we forget it. But if you start early, and think about it when you aren't stressed, hopefully you won't forget anything.
One item to remember for vacation, that can really add up to major $$, if you forget it, is medication. In our house, this is 2 prescription medication for Bossy, plus his epi-pen (due to food allergies), plus 2 medications for myself.. Additionally, we travel with Benedryl, Motrin, and Tylenol. Let's pretend that I forgot all of them....to replace all of it would run us about $150. That is alot of moola...especially when we have it all. So, taking a moment to put it on the master checklist for vacation can save headache later.
We travel by car. It is roughly 14 hrs to get to Grammy and Grandpa's house. Gotta eat. Now, in the past we would spend a fortune on food (usually fast food that was overpriced, and not very good.). Not this year. We are packing sandwiches, fruit, granola bars....Easy to eat, healthy, and budget friendly.
Our pets....in the past, we have boarded them. We didn't really know anyone who could take care of them. I tried a pet sitter....and the cost was the same as boarding them. Plus, our vacation was in August, so unless I wanted to run the window a/c all the time....leaving them home wasn't a good option. Now, I have a neighbor who will look in on the bebes. She will turn the a/c on if needed in the morning, and shut it off. And obviously feed the kitties! Two years ago, we took a 12 day trip (13 if you count by the boarding days) and it ran us almost $1000!!!! Now, for about $75 for 10 days, my bebes will be fed, watered, and cool in their own home.
There will be more to come on this subject, but for now, I am updating our master packing list to include the groceries we will need. Also noting to myself that I need to write out the instructions for taking care of the cats, and a reminder on the calendar to get more cat food.
See....no stress. Less money. It is all good! Anyone have other pre-vacation tips they would like to share?
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Saved $500....bummer
Wait Mysti....you saved $500 dollars! That is awesome...why aren't you excited??? Why dear bloggy friends...I am so glad you asked!
G-man has a business trip in a few weeks. At 4:30pm yesterday, this trip was "changed" to a different class and location. His new exotic local....Vegas Baby!!! And of course my little mind wheels started a-turning.
Called my travel agent friend to find out about flights. Was thinking about which grandparent would get the HONOR of staying with my beautiful children. He would be in class all day, which would give me all day to myself. Sit by the pool, window shop. The hotel would be on the company dime, as would his flight and food. So it would just be my stuff we would have to pay for.
The class is 3 days, plus 2 days travel. This is gonna be great!!!
Until....
It all changed by 5:00pm. He was back to the first class. Nowhere interesting. There went my vacation.
Yeah, we really didn't have the money for me to go anyway, but a mini vacay with my husband....sans children...that was too good to pass up. The divorce rate is 50% for an average couple....it goes up to like 80% when you add in the stressors of having a special needs child. Couple this with the crazy schedule we work, no family near by, financial stress.....sometimes you have to take care of your marriage.
Oh well. Maybe another time.
G-man has a business trip in a few weeks. At 4:30pm yesterday, this trip was "changed" to a different class and location. His new exotic local....Vegas Baby!!! And of course my little mind wheels started a-turning.
Called my travel agent friend to find out about flights. Was thinking about which grandparent would get the HONOR of staying with my beautiful children. He would be in class all day, which would give me all day to myself. Sit by the pool, window shop. The hotel would be on the company dime, as would his flight and food. So it would just be my stuff we would have to pay for.
The class is 3 days, plus 2 days travel. This is gonna be great!!!
Until....
It all changed by 5:00pm. He was back to the first class. Nowhere interesting. There went my vacation.
Yeah, we really didn't have the money for me to go anyway, but a mini vacay with my husband....sans children...that was too good to pass up. The divorce rate is 50% for an average couple....it goes up to like 80% when you add in the stressors of having a special needs child. Couple this with the crazy schedule we work, no family near by, financial stress.....sometimes you have to take care of your marriage.
Oh well. Maybe another time.
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