Cutting the fat

I know, that last post was about cutting spending, and all that jazz.  We've decided to keep the Internet.  It's going to the the only way we watch TV, communicate with others, and of course blog! LOL

But seriously.  I google "How to save money" and I get "Trim your credit card bill",  "Pay down your debt".  OK, lets be realistic.  1. I'm way too poor to have a credit card.  That is just so hysterically funny to me, that people out there actually think that everyone in the world has a credit card.  Well, they don't.  Some of us have screwed up our credit so bad, that the pens we apply with laugh in our face.  That's right- the pens laugh.   And of course 2, which I have already mentioned bad credit.  I think even if I HAD good enough credit that I wouldn't really get a credit card.  Why?  They are SO inviting.  The whole "I don't have enough money for that, but I REALLY REALLY want it, lets put it on credit" thing...just too temping you know?   Seriously, I can see myself doing it-and I don't like that.   I guess the next thing to do is stop taking showers?  Stop washing my clothes?  Our electric bill is on a levelized program-so it stays the same every month; but around February it "adjusts" and we either owe or get a credit.  I think we've gotten a credit the past few years, which is nice.  Although this year our bill went up.  However, I think that's because of a rate increase. 

I'm going to cut about $40 out of our Verizon bill.  (OMgosh... every time I type the word bill, I want to type Bill, because in my mind the word bill is Bill. sheesh)  That mixed into the $90 a month we are cutting by not renewing our cell phones, is a good amount of money.
 98.42                                 43.43
-54.99                               +90.00
----------                            ----------
$43.43                              $133.43

Ok, so that's not a bad load of money to save right off the bat.  Now, just to wittle down everything else.  Oh yeah, I cancelled my WoW account, so add an other $14.99 to the saving's and that's $148.42!  Woot! 

That's enough mind blowing math for one day (simple math-not my forte').  I have to work in the morning, so I'm going to run away, read my scriptures, do my prayers and try to sleep.


Guten nacht; meine damen und herren.

Wow, it cost HOW much?

So, it's time to buckle down and actually do what I was setting out to do MONTHS ago. 

trim down the bills

so, here I am...looking through pages upon pages of how to cut this, and trim that, and this can be moved here, and that can be watched there.  It's exhausting!  It really is!

I had to actually TALK to someone at Brighthouse to find out prices.  Actually, I should be more specific and say that I had to "chat" with someone at Brighthouse.  I would NEVER call them for anything.  We've had them before, and the service we got from them, well, the call center really wasn't ever a problem, but we have moved on to Verizon.  We like them.  They talk to us, they actually SHOW UP when we call them.  They fix it the first time (insert shocking look here)  (and no people I am not paid by anyone to tell you this, so keep your pants on).  So, I was looking at prices, and yeah, we're gonna stay with Verizon. 

I hate to put that out there so bluntly, using names and all, but I guess I could disquise it, but eh-I'm a consumer, I am entitled to my opinion, and there it is people....there it is. 

Bill and I discussed buying a little beater car so I can drive to work.  Right now I'm driving the van, and well, at $75 a fill-up, that's pretty spendy.  He has the truck, but the truck is BARELY driven.  Like, I think if he filled up the truck (ha ha ha ha, he would never but I think he should) it would probably last him AT LEAST 6 weeks.  School is back in session, and he takes 1 girl to school, and 1 home from school.  So, maybe something like, a geo metro death trap, that gets 500 miles to the gallon (or squirl as Bill says LOL); just something I can drive back and forth to work.  Then we can use the minivan for going to Church, and to the Zoo. (If we ever go again)

Speaking of school.  HOLY CRAP THIS IS EXPENSIVE!!!!  I save everything.  My husband, and parents can attest to this.  If it were not for some VERY carefully interjected "cleaning" I would probably keep every thing.  (it's a sickness people...it's an evil evil sickness)  Anyway, because we have 4 kids in school I save everything that may be used again.  Binders, dividers, crayons, colored pencils, rulers, calculators, scissors. Do you know how many pairs of scissors I have?  HOLY PIZZA ROLLS!  (figured you guys were getting sick of holy crap. lol) Anywho; today I finally yelled at the kids for not getting me the list I wanted, by the second day of school (yesterday).  I got a kid telling me "my teacher wants me to have my stuff by tomorrow".  Well, maybe you should've given me your list.  I'm pretty sure, we have most of the stuff they need, but I don't really wanna hear "I don't want that binder, I want a new binder."  Eh, new is over rated.

So, it's back to school time, it's cut the budget down time, and it's figure out what Santa's gonna bring the kids time. 

I'm starting to lose track of why I came here.  So many interuptions.  Kid stuff, dinner stuff (who knew we had to feed these children?), I'm also getting a cold.  :-(  A lovely sinus thing that Shelby decided to share with me.

So, I'm off to peel, cut, and chop my way to dinner.  It's salad night.  Veggies for everyone!  Oh yea, and loads of fruit too!

The a/c went out last night. LORD GIVE ME STRENGTH. Cause the kids are already on my nerves. Also say a prayer for Bill who is home with them all day tomarrow.

Cleaning up my craft area/sewing table/yarn. Makes me realize how much stuff i got! Holy cow! I want an afghan hook too! Maybe later when i go to walmart...

Happy Sad Day

This is a happy sad day for our family.  Today my second oldest turned 13.  I now officially have 2 teenagers in the house.  YIKES! 

This morning, my grandpa's wife passed away.  She suffered from Alzeimers for quite a while.  Grandpa took care of her.  During the end of her life, her daughter helped, and for the past week my mom has been taking care of her so grandpa could get some rest.  My Aunt Cindy went over there for a bit one day too.  (I say a bit, but it was an all day thing)

It's really hard being in Florida while all of this is going on in Michigan.  I hate being away from my family, but here I am, and I guess we're here to stay for a while.

So, happy sad day in the Pattee home today.  Bitter-sweet.

Rest in Peace Clara.

Had a friend of the family come over and fix the tarp on our roof. Paid him $20. The roof leaks worse. Dude, really? Just like when he "fixed" the van a/c.

Christmas Presents

Sooooo, as a family who has limited income, I'm considering my present list right now. 

Problem I have is the whole actually seeing something through to being finished.  I have a blanket that all I need to put on is the border and it's done.  But I procrastinate so much, it doesn't happen.  My girls started this blanket 2 years ago for their cousin who wasn't born yet.  By the time I finish the stupid thing, the kids gonna get it as a graduation present.  So, that is an example of how WELL I do home made gifts. 

Every year it starts out the same.  "I wanna make X person Y for Christmas, and then I wanna make Q person I for Christmas" and person X and Q never find out that I'm thinking of them, because the present sits half done for years....and then it is frogged.

I need to find some ambition here people!  Or borrow some.  Just for a few months, just so I can get my projects together, and maybe clear out my space in the bedroom so my husband shake his head every time he walks by. 

Thinking about everything life has to offer can be overwhelming. But thinking about what the here after has to offer is even more overwhelming.

Nursing School

So, it's only one of the most important decisions I have to make for me and my family.  I'm currently an "applicant" at the local Community College.  Problem is, they are suppose to give you an answer in 6-8 weeks, and that was oh, 9 weeks ago.  I'm so....confused.  I wanted to explore other options.  There are 2 other girls at work who have decided they wanted to go to nursing school also.  However, we are all not on the same page.  I'm an applicant for the nursing program, an other girl is taking pre-req's for her pre-req's, and the other one (I just found out about today) says she doesn't like school, but she's over the CNA stuff, and ready to move up. 

I'm so confused.  I feel like giving up sometimes, but then I realize that I have 1-2 other people who want to do this with me.  If I get into the community college, do I accept?  Do I wait?  Do I go to a different school?  My plans all along were to go to the comminuty college, but recently I've learned about other nursing schools.  I never really even thought about them, but they have recently come into my view. 

Most schools I look at you have to do their LPN program to get to their RN program.  I've only found 2 schools that offer straight to RN, and that's the Community College, and Everest University.  However, the latter of the two schools is over $56k!   EEK!

So, then we have Galen, Fortis, and the local Technical school.  The local technical school is the cheapest.  They start in January, and is around $5k.  The others are $27k and $20K.

I just want to cry when I think about it all.  I mean really sit down and ball my eyes out because it's such a hard decision to make.  What am I suppose to do?  Really?  Seriously?  I have a family to support, I have wants and dreams to achieve.  So, I have to work full time while I go to school full time.  There seems to be NO SUCH THING as a part time LPN course.  Sure, they have part time RN classes, but no part time LPN courses. 

Also, the added "no pressure" of 2 other people wanting to go with me.  At the same time.  Not in a different class.  What if I get in, and they don't?  What if they get in and I don't?  What then?  Do we say, nah, don't worry about it, I'll get the next class?  Or do I sit and feel stupid/terrible for either a.) moving on or b.)being left behind.  Yeah, no pressure.