I couldn’t decide which pictures to use from my Universal Studios trip for this post. But, in the end… here it is. Can anyone name what movie this set is from? (Hover over pic for hint).
JPKittie asked me how my Hawaii fund was coming along. Today I made it a catastrophe. Let me explain.
Hawaii fund total (once had and now…) in theory: $1706
Today: $575
What?????
Hawaii fund is the same as the Emergency Fund *BUZZZZZZ* WRONG thing to do!
1st mistake. They should be two separate funds, but they are not. It started out as two, then combined into one… something(s) came up and now it’s none (it rhymed. had to say it)… I mean it’s at $575.
July:
Really bad planning for camping trip: – $200
The date just kind of snuck up on us, plans went wacked, we played it by ear and we payed for wacked up, non planned camping trip.
August:
Bought ex groceries: -$100
I would do it for anyone that needed a meal. We all run into a hard time in our life. I would hope that the helping hand might return if I were in the same situation. The mistake here, EF & HI fund are the same account.
Universal Studios Trip: -$217
Won the tickets. Expired. 🙁
It was nice that a boy gave us a $15 off per ticket. Really made me smile despite the turmoil of the situation.
Today: -$614
We screwed up (!) on our bank account. Over + draft charges + funds still needed for remainder of week = -$150
Son’s School costs: -$117 (due to budget cuts we now have to pay $250 per year for my son to ride the public school bus)
Son’s dental appointment: -$347 (ouch)
Yup, screwed up this week’s personal challenge! ROYALLY!!!! Yes, I overdrafted *gasp* with that simutaneous effect where it rolls over. Four charges and four overdraft charges that should be charged on the account tonight. Plus we still need gas money for the rest of the week. Where did we mess up? Maybe the effects of living on $250 a week were starting to feel the strain. Whatever it was…. we messed up ROYALLY.
I still sent off the $202 payment to my Visa card, but that money came from the Hawaii/Emergency Fund. No Win this week. 🙁
And I knew about my son’s dental fees, but I think I was secretly in denial.
I knew my son had school fees. Again in denial or I was hoping to have the funds somehow saved for it by this time.
I did not know about my son’s $250 dollar public school bus pass until today. So, I only paid a quarter fee at this time.
With the closing of today I’ve finalized a “World” (word = another hint) of mess with my Hawaii/Emergency account! I now know what goal I need to shoot for in this Earn More Challenge. LOL. >$1,000 is alot of money to try and make in one month. But, I love a challenge and I am hoping that it will jump start some marvelous entrepreneurial plans. Oh, a girl could wish.
Don’t have pity on me. I messed up. And now I just need to get back up, dust myself off and keep on working at my goal. I know that my family is working a high-risk challenge with a potential for a more volatile activity. But it also has the great potential to have a fantastic outcome (equal to playing high risk stocks?). Murphy meet, Murphy part, Murphy Meet Again! LOL.
Next up: Earn More Challenge Guidelines & Prize Announcement!
you really seem to have a great attitude which is so important. perhaps i’m reading too much into things but have you single handly taken on the ownership and responsibility of hawaii fund? i know you’ve mentioned that the family is making sacrifices as well but it seems that you put all of the responsibility on yourself. you all have wanted this trip for quite some time and i’m rooting for you to get there.
it seems I have taken ownership, huh?
May be for a few reasons:
*Family works as a team, but blogging it’s easy to put “I” and “Us” intermingling. Both meaning “The Fam”
*Two, the family is with me on the Challenges, but because I blog the center of focus & work the main part of the finances… it does tend to be more my challenge. But, we are sacrificing the same.
*Three, I do tend to naturally ‘take the lead’ in a situation. I don’t mean to nor do I always want to, but it seems to be a trait of my personality. Which will lead to the 1st two points.
My son is aware of the depletion in the Hawaii fund, but I pulled back in saying much to him now because he is feeling guilty that we took him to Universal and spent $ on the him and his sister. Plus, he is telling me “sorry” for school costing too much. I don’t want him to ‘stress’ over the situation. That is for me and DH to do. I just want the kids to understand that you have to work hard for things you want.
DH and I will work hard to fulfill the goal again. And if I want to make more money than he will stand by me and help in anyway (but again, my natural leadership has a hard time delegating or allowing for help – LOL). That’s what makes him great…he believes in me. Now if I could only believe in me. LOL.
got it and it definitely makes sense. are you serious, your son feels guilty, it’s so not his fault and actualy “fault” doesn’t really play into the equation. i’m glad that you’re encouraging him that it’s not his fault. this business about paying for the school bus is just crazy. in my neck of the woods they haven’t gotten to asking parents to pay but they have drastically cut back on the routes – so now some kids have to walk as far as 1 to 1.5 miles, geez louise.
anyway, you’re very determined and your family is on board so i have no doubt that you all will make it to hawaii. your attitude about the fund is just amazing. i’m like over here feeling frustrated for you (that line you wrote about not feeling sorry for you was written specifically for me, i just know it;-). i know how it is to have goals and work toward them, only to feel like every step forward is followed by two steps backwards. i had some major growing up to do because unlike you, i would just crumble and fall to pieces. i’m much better now, but there was a time when those steps backwards would just suck the life out of me. it’s good that you have your family’s support, i’m sure that helps.
keep up the good work chica and i look forward to hearing about your plans to earn the extra $1,000 this month. we can all benefit from earning extra money. i’m much like jpkittie, i’m shadow participating because i have no idea what to do in order to earn extra money. so yeah, i’m waiting to learn from everyone else.
My son seems to be ‘adjusting to life’ in many areas. Its that teenage think – the quirky years of where do I fit in. But, guilt is not one I want to emphasize in him. And he shouldn’t feel like that. So, hopefully learning from seeing will be of influence.
I can’t believe his school is charging $250 per year for the bus! And they did the same… made the boundries 3 miles from the school to qualify for a bus ride. It’s crazy. My son just made. Woosh! That would have been tough on us. But, my DH is already talking about bringing him to/fro because he is outraged on the fee.
you make me laugh. you have to realize under my hype for positivity is a layer that really wants to crumble and fall. Trust me, I almost fell as i was typing the post yesterday. I just wanted to quit it all – the blog, the tracking, the saving, the paying off – and just remain in my debt pile. But, I figure it is better to move forward than to lay there and play dead. I think it is just many trials of adversity that have helped me to develop a positive attitude. Now, i just need to play the part. 🙂
i don’t think that i would be this far if it wasn’t for all you great friends – going thru similar journeys, offering guidance & support, etc.. In fact, I know i wouldn’t have come this far. 😉
$1000 – don’t know if I can pull it off. But let see what list I come up with. There are lots of great ideas. Now its just making them happen. Onward we go! (with sword held high) *neigh*
okay, crud … you’ve inspiried me. add me to the earn more challenge for september. you asked about the transition, well yeah, if i can earn more money, i’ll be a few steps closer. i’m always so encouraged by you and jpk’s relentlessness (is that correct, oh well, you get what i’m saying). you two have amazing spirits that refuse to quit so i’m pulling on some of those vibes and deciding to take the plunge. after all, what’s the worst that can happen?!
LOL. I want to say… to me this challenge is more about the effort to making changes. Not so much about the money. Although that would be nice. But, I feel more emphasis is realizing the attachment of debt thru our materialistic things.
I think if I mass declutter, I will actually feel better.
If I make more money by starting a side business I may feel more freedom (or a bind for time).
That there are ways to expand outside our box.
Thanks for joining. Will post name to sidebar shortly. 🙂
Oh no! That really sucks!!!! But on the VERY HAPPY side… it was all paid for WITH CASH!!! Wahoo!!! No Credit Cards there! 🙂 And that my love, is what it is all about in the end!
So my question to you – have you split the remainder of the $ into two parts now? and will you start to work towards having your mini & then your hawaii, or are you still just going to lump it all together & just ‘save’ period?
christine, doesn’t ms. moneychat make you feel good about what you are doing? It truly is because of everyone out here that i know I am able to keep ticking, I truly would have given up long ago & just sat idle with the whole process & probably would have taken the next 40 years to pay off my debt!!!
Keep it up chicky! You are on a roll… you will get to hawaii!!!!
You have a point… it was all paid for with CASH. *smile*
I haven’t gotten to the split yet. I am still dusting myself off and will determine how to ‘get back on the horse’. lol. I kind of like, ‘save’ period. 🙂
ms. moneychat is very kind with her words. But, I think you have two choices…sit down and stay stuck or get up and push thru. I like the latter, as tough as it can get, because I think it has a better outcome. Push thru adversity.
Thank you, jpkittie. you keep the chin up too. We’ll make it! I know it!
Ah, how do I compete with all these great comments!
My kids too, offer to pay for things, feel bad about spending money…and I so don’t want them to feel guilty. I, too, just want them to know that you have to work for what you have, that there are no money trees, etc. But guilt? Gosh no!
As far as the overdraft fees, perhaps you can call the bank and they can take at least one of them away? I did that once, with a lot of success!
I know your Hawaii trip will happen, you have a great drive to get things done! And the setbacks? Well, we will have to just attack them head on! 🙂
Yes, there are some really great comments. I like how it has turned to quite a group discussion. Ladies at a table. Now we just need April’s zucchini bread and some tea or coffee. 🙂
I am beginning to find out it is hard to balance. At least with my older child (the younger one doesn’t associate guilt with money – she still has the notion we have to save, but that money grows on trees at the same time – lol). Maybe if we show by doing… that when they are on their own they can understand the importance. It’s all a journey. I am sure what we are doing could have some great influence on their futures. Its better than having debt.
Yeah! The bank DID NOT (I repeat – DID NOT) charge me the overdraft charges! I moved money from my savings to the checking account last night and this morning there were no charges. 🙂 Maybe because we have been solid customers for years and that they like us? I can hope that is why. I saved myself $40 in fees. Woosh!
I just hope Hawaii comes in April for Spring Break (w/o going into more debt). Well, let me dust myself off and figure out how I am going to make this work.
Thank you for the vote of confidence!
Well the best thing you can do is forgive yourself & your mistakes & move on! You’ll get there I know you will, such hard work & determination always pays off 🙂
Thank you! You are such a sweetheart. 🙂
I am determined to make it work. I just hope to make it within my (realistic) guidelines. Everything happens for a reason. I just have to find the lesson to be learned in this particular downshift.
Well, crud, everyone starting with you said what I wanted to or would have said!! So I just will add “yep, uh huh, me too, and like your grit.”
I love your comments! Bring a good smile.
I’ve dusted off the chaps and I’m gonna jump back on to move forward. 😉