Financial Friday

This has to be one of the worst times to be in debt. Interest rates keep climbing, making it more difficult to pay off old debts. Minimum payments keep climbing, making it more difficult to pay off old debts. The price of groceries, household goods, gasoline, and more keep climbing, making it more difficult to pay off old debts.

We have been trying to get out of debt for years now, but it seems we take a step backward for every two steps forward. We have made progress. We outright own our vehicles, and we have paid off some credit cards and other debts. Last year, we tried not to use our credit cards. We did all right until a few emergencies came up.

One exception we make to our no credit card usage rule is using our Old Navy card. We always pay off the balance after we use it so we don't have to pay interest. If we will not be able to pay it off, then we don't use it. We don't use it often. Following is an explanation of why we go ahead and use the Old Navy card.

My cousin's baby shower is tomorrow and I went to get her a gift today. We did not have the money in our budget for a gift, but we did have a ten dollar Old Navy Bucks Back coupon earned by our previous purchases.

This is what I found. I got the notepad so that I would not lose two dollars, but it is a nice pad that my cousin could keep handy in her diaper bag.

This is a copy of my receipt.

I am always looking for new money saving ideas, so now let me ask you. What do you do to stretch a dollar?

Tidbits

Things have been rather crazy, lately.

The challenge of eating out of our pantry was not well timed for us. Then again, we really didn't have much grocery money this month, so maybe it was well timed. We were blessed by both of our moms. My mom sent some carrots (from my sister's garden) and some other food items home with us last month. Kitty Kat helped out Jon's mom and she sent Kitty Kat home with some items she wouldn't use: corn flakes, rice, dry pinto beans, tomato juice, and condensed milk. Between the items we were given and shopping just for what we absolutely needed, we made it through the month.

We had two birthday girls in January. Monkey turned ten on the twenty-sixth and Froggie turned fifteen on the twenty-seventh. My parents had a birthday dinner for the girls on Monkey's birthday. The boys had started coughing the Thursday before. That evening at my parents, six out of the eight of us had fevers. Tomorrow will be two weeks since the boys began getting sick. Most of us are still congested and worn out. The birthdays weren't as much fun as they could have been.

Little Bear, who turned five last month, was just miserable Friday, so I took him to the doctor. He was diagnosed with an acute cold, an acute ear infection, conjunctivitis, and a bead was in the other ear. Yes, a bead. The doctor said there was no telling how long it had been in there. Little Bear could not remember putting it in his ear. It was a type of bead that we have not had out in quite some time.

A few days ago, I reached up to put a clip in my hair and pulled a muscle in my neck and shoulder. I can barely move without taking ibuprofen and using Biofreeze. I've been stretching constantly, but the muscle(s) is/are still very tight.

We aren't buying pop anymore. Jon is even in on it. Actually, it was his idea! We have been drinking a lot more water.

I saved thirty-three percent off my grocery bill Monday using coupons on sale items. We have more food in the house. The trip to the store took a while, but it was worth it.

I hope and pray you all have a good night/day.