Another debt paid

Just paid the $132 I owed to paypal billpay.

My only remaining debt:
$200 owe dad
$127 owe Josh's dentist
mortgage

I also have a small emergency fund started.

Praise the Lord.

-Becky

I need your help

Please go to this blog.
Please pray for this single, unemployed mom of four kids who are all living in a travel trailer.
Leave a comment of encouragement.
If you are able make a donation, even $1 will add up (if all my 43 followers give $1 that will pay a bill this month, or put gas in her car, etc.)

Thanks so much!

-Becky

43 Followers

Welcome new followers Kim & Michelle!!!

Finance Update

I was able to pay off my MasterCard & Kohl's charges (about $900 total.) I also am all caught up on all utilities, taxes, and other household bills.

The debt I still have:

-$127 owe dentist (technically Josh's dad owes all of this, and also owes me about $300 from his half of other medical bills I paid in 2011. We are supposed to split all medical bills 50/50. Out of the $450 he owes, he has paid $50. However bills are in my name and come to me, so this affects me negatively.)
-$200 owe my dad
-$170 owe paypal bill me (not due until Sept. 1st, if paid before no interest)
-$116,000 my mortgage

So about $500 in debt, not including mortgage. I plan to have paid off by end of summer. Feb., March, April, & May will be very tight months. Every penny made working at all my jobs will go to pay regular bills. Come June I will have 1-2 extra daycare children (but will not be able to do my cleaning jobs, so if I take 1 child it evens out, need 2 extra to get a bit extra in budget.)

I also have the $1,200 to clean/replace my ac coil so my furnace and ac unit will work properly again. I hate to spend this but it needs to be done.

How are your finances?

-Becky

p.s. The money to repay these debts came from my 2011 Federal Tax Refund.

Health Update

I wanted to update on some of my health goals. I wish I was reporting about the success I have had, but this is not the case.

My goal is to lose over 60 pounds.

Here is how I am trying to accomplish that:

-walking 45 min-60 min 3-4 times a week
-not eating past 9pm (for a 12 hour break of not eating)
-drinking enough water (not necessarily 8 glasses a day, but right amount for me)
-tracking foods eaten here

Here is how I am doing:
-walking - I actually have walked 3 days a week for at least 45min. since mid Oct., so it has been 4 months of walking, but I still hate getting up to walk (we walk about 8:45-9:30)
-not eating past 9pm - I am failing on this one
-drinking enough water - Also failing on this one
-tracking foods eaten - I do this successfully about 2 times a week, not enough

I lost 6 pounds, but gained back 2. So I am averaging a weight loss of 1 pound a month.

I am realizing that food really is an addiction for me, especially food with sugar.

I am so glad I am going to Wellness Week (really 6 days) to focus on these issues at the end of April. I really wanted to lose 16 pounds before then (so 12 more.) Not sure if that is possible in just 2 months especially at the rate I have been going.

Ahhhh! Any prayers about my health are appreciated. Thanks.

-Becky

Sweet Potato Soup

I just made a yummy sweet potato soup.

I baked an organic sweet potato (it was huge, like 3 sweet potatoes big.)
I cut it up, skin and all.
I took a quart of homemade veggie broth from freezer (made from organic veggie scraps.)
I defrosted in pot.
I added frozen chopped onions (about a cup.)
I also added about a cup of organic mung beans (I had made too much last time and froze them.)
I put in 1/2 a stick butter.
I added salt & pepper.

I boiled in soup pot. After boiling I turned heat down to about half way and cooked another 1-2 hours to reduce some of the liquid. Then I cooled and pureed in blender.

Super yummy.

Best part is the sweet potato was given to me, the stock was from veggie scraps, the mung beans were left over, the onions were also left over. So it was a very frugal meal.

Have you ever made sweet potato soup?

-Becky

Feb 2012 Budget

Expenses:

10% tithe
$ 38 Compassion Sponsor child
$ 22 Solutions Pregnancy Center donation

$400 mortgage
$400 property taxes
$155 home insurance
$ 70 gas bill
$100 electric bill
$ 50 water bill
$ 60 sewer bill
$ 80 phone/internet/cable
$ 80 car insurance
$120 gas for car
$ 32 Jason's writing class ($8 a week)
$ 30 cell phone bill
$ 30 MasterCard payment
$ 15 Kohl's charge
$350 food

If I work all my jobs, 6 days a week (watching toddler Tues.-Sat.; cleaning every Mon.; and babysitting every Sat. night) I will just make above bills. But that will not include any spending above this budget. So we have to be extremely careful about not spending beyond this budget!!! I have cut up my credit card and may have a friend hold my debit card so we can actually stick to that. I will also try to sell anything I can, including homemade laundry soap for some spending money. I know I need $14 for next Thur., so we can go to a bug museum with other homeschooling families. Will only go if I sell $14 worth of stuff.

Do you have a Feb. 2012 budget?

Praise God

Praise God:

We are all healthy!
All Jan. bills are paid!
Feb. 1st taxes and mortgage paid!
House insurance / flood insurance is paid!
Gas tank is full!
In my entire adult life I have not gone without one need!
And many wants have been fufilled as well!
I am so blessed!
We are so blessed!

What are you praising God for today?