Another Nice Surprise

Let me assure you guys, first and foremost, that I will be back on the ball as soon as I can.  I got a new medication from the doctor today so PRAY that the headaches and illness will stop.  Normal “morning sickness” (all day) is quite tolerable next to this.  I’ve never been in so much agony before.  No, it’s not worse than have a pitocin-induced labor without pain relief (I’ve done that twice) but my LONGEST labor was 5 hours and 14 minutes.  The shortest was less than 3 hours.  I’ve been going through this for over a week and probably closer to two.  I do believe I’d take the labor over this.

So back to my nice surprise.  I couldn’t remember what my so-called “global maternity co-pay” was for my doctor/insurance, but I found out today.  It’s $450.  She told me like I was gonna just pay it!  LOL.  Actually, she said “Would you like to take care of that today or can we set up a payment plan?”  Um, let’s just go with that payment plan, shall we?  They USED to want it paid off by the third trimester, so I’m used it having it shoved down my throat from the beginning.  I understand where they’re coming from, so I’m not complaining.  It just really surprised me when she gave me a choice of the 1st of the 15th for a due date (I chose the 15th) and then told me my first payment wasn’t due until 12/15 and it would be $90 a month.  Wow!  That puts me through April 15th, but I’d like to pay it when we get the tax return back.  I figured I’d have one due this month.  It wasn’t a huge reprieve, but it sure is nice to know.  I’ve not been “worried” about it, but I knew I’d have another sizable bill coming.  My hospital copay is $200/night and I’ve always had a two night stay, so I need to plan ahead for that as well.  I’m not worried about it working out, but I do want to avoid that last minute scramble this time around.

I’m getting LOTS of great deals on baby stuff though.  I just got a bunch of yellow and white onesies from a store b/c they were returned and the cashier took them back even though they weren’t in the store’s computer system anymore.  The store couldn’t do anything with them, so they gave them to my “retail connection” and now they’re mine!  Yay!

And on another note, I usually host Thanksgiving.  Last year I couldn’t because our fridge gave out so MIL offered to do it.  We ended up getting the fridge fixed, but neither she nor I wanted to change venues at the last minute so we made that plan ahead of time.  This year I hope I’ll feel better in time to do it.  I should be okay with the sides, so worst case I might have DH throw the bird in the oven.  I’ll be 9 weeks on Sunday, which means I’ll be closing in on 12 weeks by turkey day.  Usually the sickness goes away by 10-12 weeks, so everyone cross your fingers for me, LOL.  I LOVE Thanksgiving!  I LOVE doing the dinner.  And I bought something for it today since it was on sale.  I saved a whopping $2, but hey, it adds up!

We’re in that mortgage rush right now, trying to cover it.  I think it’ll be done with DH’s paychecks, so that’s a nice change for once.  Once that clears, I’ll surpass 20k in snowflakes this year.  That is UNbelievable.  I think I can be happy with that!  (I “force” a $400 flake per payment trying to catch up the past due amount).

I’ll scrounge up a new Christmas goal for November, although we are obviously down to the wire.  DH knows a guy that puts bikes together, so we’re considering used bikes for the kids.  If we do that, we’ll wrap a box with a note to look out back so they won’t be the big gift from Jolly ol’ S and we won’t have the wrapping issue.  The three getting the bikes will have to open them all at once.  Our whole family takes turns opening gifts which makes it last for HOURS, but I don’t think they’ll mind doing it together so they see the bikes together.  (Taking turns is a great idea, by the way.  Even our 2 year old understood it last year, and when you put that much time and money into preparing it’s nice to have it appreciated and last a while!)

Okay, that’s all my energy for now.  I’ll try to make myself a regular around here.  =c)

Current Stats:

• $67,577 – current debt
• $24,557 – 2009 debt paid off
• $19,715 – 2009 snowball

October Christmas Update

I didn’t get everything finished I wanted to finish, but considering the loop we were tossed this month I think I did okay.  =c)  We still have a couple of the major gifts up in the air.  DH said the older three need bikes, and that makes a great Santa gift since they don’t wrap easily.  If that’s the case, then I need to rearrange what goes where in my list but it doesn’t affect overall buying/spending.

Of what I have left, 22 items are stocking stuffers.  I feel pretty good overall considering that, since they are all $5 or less (usually way less).  And 4 of the gifts need to be baked, so that puts another nice dent in things.  And I think 4 are calendars I make up of the kids which are especially beloved by elderly family members.  I have them printed for less than $20 each and they enjoy them all year long.  It’s fun mixing in pics of the kids from all ages and seeing at a glance on one page how much they’ve grown and changed.  I like to get candid shots on there, too, like my DS9 at the age of 6 with mud all over his face.  Priceless moments that would undoubtedly stay closed up in a photo album without those calendars.

I couldn’t begin to update the side money lately.  I haven’t kept track in any way.  =c(  I know it’s been coming in but I’ve had this horrible headache and don’t even remember half of the last few days.  I’ve never been so miserable in my life!  I’m not one to wish time away, but I could certainly do without this headache.  “Luckily” it’s our two week scramble for the mortgage payment so I only need to focus on THAT – everything else urgent “or else” has been taken care of.  We used our $50 Verizon rebate to pay the cell phone bill (part of it) – that felt good.  I guess I’ll have to be happy with the little things for now – and grateful I’m so easily entertained, LOL.

I did finally get my  hands on a very special family recipe but I need a meat grinder and I don’t own one.  But it’s just for potatoes, so I’m hoping a handheld potato masher with those little holes in it (is that a ricer?) will work.  I’m dying to make the recipe and it’s nothing but potatoes, flour, butter, and cottage cheese or cabbage.   I can afford that!  (It’s an OLD family recipe that my grandfather stubbornly refused to hand down – he’d turn his back to the video camera when my grandmother tried to catch it on video and do all sorts of stuff she couldn’t see, LOL.  At the time I laughed with him, but now that he’s gone I’ve longed for this for so long).   I’ll try the potato masher thingy and if that doesn’t work I found cheap plastic meat grinders on Amazon for $25 or so.  If I was trying to grind up a water buffalo, maybe not.  But even a cheap one should be able to handle cooked potato!

I’m crawling back into my cave.  Christmas numbers are updated; debt numbers probably aren’t.  But I may not have paid anything in the last couple of weeks – I’m not sure when I last checked.  BTW, migraine sufferers, you have my utmost respect and sympathy.  And if you’re out there and healthy, appreciate it.  Things could be way worse!  *cough, cough … cry*

The Christmas Numbers:

• 40.000% – number of gifts on hand (purchased or made)
• 25.103% – amount of my total budget I’ve spent
• $207 – amount under budget I am just for the items I’ve purchased

Current Stats:

• $67,577 – current debt
• $24,557 – 2009 debt paid off
• $19,715 – 2009 snowball

Hang in there

I’m still alive.  Suffering a bad sinus headache and nothing seems to help.  Not much I can take since I’m PREGNANT – yup, the secret it out – so I’m suffering through this right now.  It’s awful.  Will return ASAP.  I have projects STILL that I have to finish to pay a bill.  I’ll get almost $500 between the two of them, so it’s not something I can let slide but I’ve never spent so little time on the computer.  =c(  It hurts to look at the screen.  I felt better yesterday – thank goodness – but went downhill quickly today.

BTW, I don’t think I had to pay for the tubal ligation.  I had it while I was in the hospital having baby #5 and only had to pay my regular overnight maternity copays.  It was 26 months ago so I’m assuming insurance covered it.  The hospital or doctor should have billed me by now, LOL.  So I won’t be demanding a refund.  =c)  I figured I’d throw that in there since we’re all about the money here and it seems I wasn’t shorted of much.

Back to hiding for me.  I need to find a way to finish these projects – for once I AM worried.  =c(

Current Stats:

• $67,577 – current debt
• $24,557 – 2009 debt paid off
• $19,715 – 2009 snowball

Miserable!

This is horrible.  I know, I know. Same complaint all week!  Or has it been longer?  But now I HAVE to get these projects done to cover those bills and I just can’t even stand to stare at the computer.  And the computer is insanely slow for some reason – I’m falling asleep waiting for pages to load.  I’m not exaggerating, either.  I’ve put my head down twice and have lost five minutes both times.

I’m waiting for a cake person to call me back so I can go deliver to her.   DH is off on a side job now, so with any luck he’ll have a more productive day than I’m having.  I’m reading of people who have been sick for 12-14 days with this (or longer) and it’s not leaving a great feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I’m exhausted from worrying about the kids and just feeling so rough myself.  This has been one of the most difficult weeks I can remember, and I’m not holding my breath for a miraculous recovery.  We’ve already had our miracle for the week.  =c)

If you’re praying, say one for us.  I know we’re not the only ones down with this, but I sure could use a break.  I need to figure out how to focus, too.  Just 500 more words and I’ll get one of six articles off for the weekend – obviously I’m  not gonna finish them all.  =c(

Current Stats:

• $67,577 – current debt
• $24,557 – 2009 debt paid off
• $19,715 – 2009 snowball

Things are Settling Down

Maybe we’ll be back to some sort of normal in time for Monday.  Gosh, when was the last time I wished for Monday?  I miss the school routine, though.  Stepping over kids sprawled all over the place coughing is getting old pretty quick!  Next week will be busy anyway, though.  We’re having a Halloween party here during the week, have to get pumpkins, and have trick-or-treating Saturday. And then, my gosh, it’s November.  Which means Thanksgiving (and a dinner to pay for) and Christmas (ahem).  But I do love January for the clean slate – no gifts to buy, no weird expenses.  Just a chance to get back to “normal” and feel organized again.  So, wow, now that I’ve talked my way into the miserable dead of winter, LOL, I guess I should refocus on now.

I have four pressing bills and not exactly enough to cover them.  No surprise there, LOL.  But all I really “need” is, um, $1900 ($420, $460, $230, and $790) .  I guess I need to get going with that $350 project I need to finish.  With that, I might make it.  It’s been hard to focus on work with everyone sick, but it’s officially crunch time.  I have to get it done.  Geez, good to know.  I should have stayed in January.  (I literally just figured that out as I was typing).  DH has side work so maybe it won’t be as tight as it seems right now.  We have a little bit in the bank, too.  Very little, but maybe it won’t be so bad.

Yeah, so on THAT happy note, I have work to do.  This is insane.  Thank goodness for that extra paycheck in December!

Current Stats:

• $67,577 – current debt
• $24,557 – 2009 debt paid off
• $19,715 – 2009 snowball

GULP

No need to panic – I don’t want you guys freaking since I’M freaking and I NEVER freak.  Well, I rarely freak.  But anyway, today I just had to close my eyes and let it happen – $240 on two major Christmas gifts.  We went Monday so DH could show me what he wanted to get.  The guy behind the counter rattled off some numbers I couldn’t begin to repeat but I could tell by his tone that I was supposed to be impressed.  I just gave him a blank look and said “I have no idea what you just said.”  LOL.  Anyway, turns out they were on sale.  $100 each (on sale for $120 and a $20 mail in rebate) instead of $150 each.  We need two.  $100 in savings  ‘ain’t’ nothing to sneeze at.  We’d already decided which money we’d pay for them with (one of my projects in particular, when I finish) and the sale was good until the 24th.  First of all, I had no idea it was that close to the end of the month.  I was thinking we had a couple of weeks left, LOL!  Then DH says “if they don’t sell out.”  So GROAN, fine, go get them on payday.  And I didn’t have to tell him twice. Rebate, here we come!

And speaking of rebates, I got my $50 rebate today from that cell phone DH had to get a couple of months ago.  I figured I’d amuse myself by spending the whole amount on the cell phone bill.  The phone is now down to $2 or so of out of pocket expense.  Not bad.  First he ran over his good one (it fell off the truck and got  hit by the boat trailer on a BRIDGE) and then the old one he “borrowed” fell apart when he flipped it open with a certain zest for life.  (Or aggravation with one of the guys working for him).  Now that it’s “paid for” I guess it’s time to kill the new one.  GROAN again!

I think we’re slowly feeling better around here.  I’ve been hit with a couple of moments where I felt like death, but they passed within a couple of hours.  The kids are doing better, so now is not the time to invest in generic ibuprofen.  My spending spree might be near the end.

I think my biggest financial crisis is at the moment is that I need two stamps.  I actually need a book of stamps but don’t want to shell out $9 or whatever it is.  I don’t want to go in the post office to wait in line for the two I really need – oh, make that seven I need – and I’m just letting this get to me.  What a pain!  LOL.  I must be feeling better, b/c yesterday I was about to cry over this very issue.

Okay, guys, tell no one.  I’m blowing off a project I should be working on so I can work on my novel!  <sneaks away but goes nowhere>  =c)

Current Stats:

• $67,577 – current debt
• $24,557 – 2009 debt paid off
• $19,715 – 2009 snowball

Get Well Soon … Please!

All five kids are sick, but the fevers seem to have passed and we’re left with coughing.  THEY ARE DRIVING ME NUTS.  I’m thrilled that they’re feeling better, but this fighting over silly stuff is going to drive me up a wall.

The good news is that I managed to get that one article finished that has been haunting me since Saturday.  I have five projects open right now.  One, I’m waiting for feedback to see if I need to edit or if I’m done.  One is ongoing but I don’t have any item numbers right now, so nothing to do there.  One is monthly and only takes an hour, and that’s not due until 11/1.  (November?  What?)  The other I need to work on, and the last one – the one that will pay $350 – isn’t technically due again until next weekend and then weekly.  I have five weeks left, but I’d love to finish it in the next week.

DH has side work all over the yard.  I don’t know the half of what he’s supposed to be doing out there.  It’s been a crazy week between our surprise and everyone being sick, so I’ll have to get an update from him later.  He’s off to pick up a truck that has to be towed back here, so I know that money is coming.

Since my work schedule isn’t killing me and the kids are off school this week (due to the sickies) I should be able to get plenty listed on ebay.  I have a lot of stuff to put up there.  I also need to get to the store, but who the heck feels like doing THAT?  Ugh!

Right now I’ll just settle for a healthy family and some return – any return – to a schedule.  Worrying about everyone is hard on me.  My kids are never sick and I may not be much of a money worrier but when it comes to my kids I can freak a little!

Current Stats:

• $67,577 – current debt
• $24,557 – 2009 debt paid off
• $19,715 – 2009 snowball

Bear With Me

As far as I can tell, we have five kids with the flu in the house.  The good news is that they’re starting to feel better because the fighting has begun.  Oh, joy.  But after seeing them so sick, I’m grateful for it.  Anyway, I’m a bit of an unorganized mess right now.  My routines – what little I’ve had – have been thrown to the wind.  All I’ve kept to is dosing meds every six hours.

Let’s see … I have three open projects right now.  One pays $350 but that goes for Christmas gifts.  Another will pay a couple hundred, and the third pays by vendor and it’s ongoing.  I have another monthly ongoing project but that’s short and not due until the end of this month.  I’ve been running behind all week (what a week it has been) and it’s frustrating to feel that way.  For his part, DH has a few side jobs open / billed.  It’s still coming in.

We blew a ton of money last week, but all but $30 had to be done.  We spent $120 on copays for four appointments, $12 (and counting) on meds for the kids, and $30 on pizza last night.  DH didn’t feel well so I didn’t make him cook  (it was steak night for the grill).  I think we’ll skate by on leftovers tonight, but we are NOT going to the church dinner Wednesday night so that’s a meal I have to cook that I don’t usually plan for.  No one is eating much anyway.

I’m going to get back to work and clear out another pile this morning.  It’s my ongoing project, but I’ve had these vendors to take care of for way too long.  I need to get them done.  Keep your fingers crossed that I do NOT get sick!

Current Stats:

• $67,577 – current debt
• $24,557 – 2009 debt paid off
• $19,715 – 2009 snowball

Insane Day

As if my week could get ANY more eventful, today, unbelievably, it did.

Let me preface by saying that between all five of our kids, now ages 2-11, we’ve been to precisely ONE sick appointment.  They just never get sick.  Well, yesterday two of them slept all day and last night said they didn’t want to go to the book sale at the library today.  Waaahhh?  They were fairly pitiful last night and I ended up using the last of the medicine.  I took one healthy kid to the book sale and stopped at the store on the way home to get some Children’s Advil.  I gave it to the younger one and he was hot but not crazy hot.  When I gave it to my oldest, she was burning up.  Frantically dug up the themometer (they are NEVER sick – the last time I used that thing was for charting my fertility cycle for TTC #5!) and she came back at 105!  OMG!  DH said no way and asked me if the thing worked.  I came in at 97.6 (I always run low) and the other sick kid was 102.6.  Well, I’d just dosed her with Advil but I sent DH off with her to the 24 hr urgent care place.  (It’s actually our PCP so when DH and I go it’s $20 but the kids usually go to the pediatrician so for them it’s $40.  Sigh.)  When she got there she was 102.6 and when she left it was 101.something.  But, yep, swine flu.  FUN.  And in light of my big week, this just wasn’t good.  Isn’t good.  Sick kid #2 was fine after the medicine kicked in and they both went downhill when it wore off.  I assumed since it was 8 hr medicine that I was supposed to wait 8 hrs to dose again, but when I read the package (duh) I saw that doses could repeat every 6-8 hours.  They both perked right back up after 30 mins after I gave them more.  WHEW.  I wonder how many of the kids THIS will cycle through?

Meanwhile, I found a couple of things at the book sale that I plan to resell on ebay.  One thing I wasn’t sure about was a set of 10 Colonial America reference books.  They’re really nice books but at $1 each I wasn’t sure if I’d get the investment back.  Then I decided that since we’re homeschoolers we could get a lot of value out of them even if they don’t sell, so I took the plunge.  Got home, looked them up, and they’re worth $309.  WOW!  And they’re in excellent condition.  They were library reference books so they never left the library.  They’re SO good that I’m not sure I want to even list them, but all of that aside, I’m proud of my instincts on that one!  =c)

I can’t remember if I officially listed my side money the other day, but I did mention it.  Today I spent $3.99 on Advil, $5.99 on Excedrin Migraine, and $40 on the doctor copay.  A $50 check came in the mail.  Lovely, huh?  And my $40 copay on Friday – we’re moving backwards.  ARGH!  I do have another bill for $50 to send out and there’s a $50 rebate in the mail for us.  Oh, my inbox dollars account is over $20 now.  Once I get to $30 I can get my money.  If I shop through their link for some of the Christmas stuff I was going to get anyway, I’ll be in business!

I’m calling it a day.  Wish me luck, LOL.  I’ve had all the big news I can take this week!

Side money rec’d since last update:

• $109 from a client
• $50 from a client

Current Stats:

• $67,577 – current debt
• $24,557 – 2009 debt paid off
• $19,715 – 2009 snowball

Surprising Ebay Sales

I actually sold a couple of things I didn’t think would go!  Between the two of them, I made about $40.  I figured I’d start them at a 7 days listing and relist for 30 days afterwards.  Much, much to my surprise they sold!  And can I just celebrate getting two more boxes out of my house?  LOL.

We’re having a little dinner party here this weekend.  Actually, we’re only inviting two guests but when you start with our brood of seven it’s always a party!  I need to buy steaks.  Luckily we stocked up when the potatoes were on sale at the store – 10 lbs of russets for only $1.99 – and we probably have 60 lbs of them in cardboard boxes in the bottom of the pantry.  I’m hoping they’ll last that way because I know we used to keep them around forever when I was a kid.  Now after a week in the plastic bag they’ve got eyes.  Anyway, I’ll probably drop $50 on dinner Sunday – if not more.  DH needs charcoal.

DH got that “must have” check today.  We’re about $100 short for covering the mortgage AND the electric bill, which was “charged” on our Visa debit card, so we might have a fee.  BUT the important thing is that the mortgage will clear because they put the bigger items through first and the electric will clear b/c the debit was already authorized.  WHEW.  DH did get that other $900 moved to Monday so we’re okay for now.

I have an “unexpected” $40 copay tomorrow for an impromptu dr appointment.  I’ll probably end up with a monthly bill to follow that up, but we’ll find that out for sure later.  If that’s the case, my debt will actually increase.  ARGH.  But we’ll be fine.  We’ve made some pretty incredible progress this year – even a small setback isn’t going to kill me.

I finished a project today so YAY.  It’s worth about $100.  I have four left to deal with right now, but before I get to take a deep breath something else will probably come up.  And if it doesn’t, I’m going to sit back and ENJOY the break!  Actually, one project is ongoing so I don’t guess I’ll get much of a break, but I’ll be free of the late nights anyway.

Oooh, my client just paid me.  Yay for that!

Current Stats:

• $67,977 – current debt
• $24,157 – 2009 debt paid off
• $19,315 – 2009 snowball