I planned out my budget, and this is what I need to make a day. This is for living on my OWN, well, with the kid of course, but no roomies.

I can totally do this! Right now, I have a goal of $50 ... which I often hit. The "extra" goes into a savings account. $70 won't leave as much "savings", but there will still be some.

So, even though I am not moving until April or May, I am starting my goal of $70 a day now.

Today was $74, so the "extra" $4 went into my challenge money. I will update that total on Thursday or Friday, when I stop at the credit union to deposit my paycheck.

Today was ALMOST a no spend day, and I'm almost ready to count it.

All I bought today was a refurbished Ipod that I was going to buy myself for Christmas, but an emergency room trip to the er and my car being broken into put it on the back burner. I've been funding that fund for a couple of weeks now, and spent $35 on myself ... for once.

I've been pretty down lately, and I have to say it felt good spending money on myself for once. I never spend money on myself, which I find out most mom's don't.

I also spent this morning packing up some of Julie's old clothes and toys to get ready to move. I can't wait to go through them and get rid of a bunch of CRAP.

I'm still debating applying for a new job. They are having an open house on Jan 30th, so I have a couple of days to decide, since I'll have to make up a new resume. I want to stay with my current company, but a $4-5 an hour raise would be really sweet.

I made $100 tonight serving. I'm hoping tomorrow is really busy ... with the way things have been going lately, it's the weekend that should be busy. Here's to hoping

Now, I'll be honest. I kinda like working two jobs. If I didn't have Julie, I would work two full time jobs. Drag myself into the ground. I do feel guilty not spending enough time with Juliette ... but we do spend tons of time together ... just not as much as before.

But this weekend, I make $245 serving. WOW! I've been averaging around $200 including my measley paycheck (I get about $20 a week from Cracker Barrel b/c I have a 401k through them) This weekend I didn't even pick up my paycheck.

I'm pretty thrilled. I am not working next weekend, I decided to take some time off (plus my parents are going out of town, so no babysitter) so I am going to hold on to a lot of this money. Plus next weekend since I'm not working, I decided to take Julie to Disney for the day. We haven't been since Labor Day, I'm really exicited, since Disney will be decorated for Christmas. My three favorite things, Julie, Disney and Christmas. It's going to be amazing. I wish it wasn't so much money to go to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, or we'd go to that to. I think I am going to wait another year before taking Julie to it, I just don't think she'll enjoy it quite yet.

Today, well I've spent about $5 on food so far. Breakfast I had something from downstairs, and then for lunch I had to go down for a bottle of water, and they had these awesome veggies so I picked some up. My coworker shared his leftover yummy shrimp pasta with me. I have some food that I really need to cook and freeze, I just don't feel like cooking when I get home.

This weekend, I went out and picked up Julie's Christmas outfit. It's sad, but I went to the Disney store and got her a cute dress with Mickey and Minnie on it. I also picked her up a stuffed version of Lightning McQueen. She's really into cars, and this darn thing has had to go with us everywhere. Then we rode the carousel, a good $2 spent. She didn't want to ride on the horse, we sat in this clam thing. It moved up and down and she kept yelling "WEEEE!!!!" She's pretty silly. Tomorrow we're going up to get the girls pictures with Santa, yay!

Friday I took Michael out to dinner. Dinner was bleck, but Julie was with us. They were so cute together. Julie acutally listened to him. We had a great conversation, good time with Julie ... I didn't want to introduce him to her so soon, but I think that if things keep continuing down the path they are on, it was good for him to meet her now. On the ironic side, her father who was so interested in seeing her still hasn't. Sigh. I don't even want to ask him anymore. The past two weeks having to talk to him and deal with him have been grueling.

This weekend flew by. I love it when that happens.

It was a good money making weekend. I brought home around $115 on both Saturday and Sunday. SWEET. It means that we're getting back into season "Come on down snowbirds!" I complain like most Floridians the amount of snowbirds that do infact come down ... but it's amazing how much our income depends on it.

$130 - day care
$15 - gas
$5 - McDonald's for dinner Saturday
$25 - Dad
$10 - phone bill
$27 - groceries at walmart

I have a couple of bucks left over, and I had to buy lunch at CB on Sunday. I don't count that as a spending day though ... since I HAVE to eat at work or risk not making it home without hitting up McDonald's or something.

This afternoon, I was going to put my check into savings, but I think I am going to cash it and head over to the consingment shop to pick up one or two pairs of pants for Julie ... possibly more. Tomorrow it will be in the 50's when we wake up in the morning ... the high will barely reach the 70's! Yeah fall is here!! This weekend it was digustingly hot ... I hate trying to plan for "winters" down here.

Goals for this week:
1. Plan Julie's outfits for the week .. including socks. No more hunting in the morning.
2. Box up some of her toys and take to the storage shed.
3. Make some more lunches for work ... the mac n cheese I had today ROCKED.
4. Make breakfast at home.
5. Keep track of money spent better.

That's enough for now ...

Thursday are my least favorite day ... ugh .. just stressing and thinking about money. Wondering where it's going to go, how I am going to get it .. all that fun stuff.

But, today's not too bad. $692 ... It would be $130 more if I didn't have to pay for Julie's flippin insurance!

I put aside $325 to go onto the prepaid debit card ... $305 to my car insurance, and $15 to Julie's Florida KidCare premium, that way her health insurance can stop being almost $300 a month. I can handle $15 a month ... $300 hurts.

I put $300 aside to go tomorrow and pay my car payment.

I went out and got lunch today, so I have $60 left. I put some money into my change jar ... With the $60, and I am hoping to buy my groceries for the week, diapers and my gas for the week. The good news in that is that I usually have to wait for the weekend to be able to do this ... after working my second job.

My goal is to stop worrying over payday ... to just have the money there .. when I need it.

I acutally used the a/c in the car for about 20 minutes both yesterday and today ... I needed to use the phone and couldn't hear over the wind.

My lunch by the way ROCKED! I spent $10 ... I got shrimp, fries and chocolate cake. Another girl at work wanted to have some shrimp so she got a chicken philly cheesesteak. So ... I split that with her. I still have a few shrimp, a ton of fries, half the cheesesteak and half a piece of chocolate cake for tomorrow. I'm still STUFFED!

10.18 .. that's how much I added to the change jar today.

It came from a few random places, a couple of pants pockets, I cleaned out my wallet ... I also brought home $6 in change from work tonight. Not too shabby.

16.00 - original
+10.18 - today's total
--------
26.18 - two days worth of saving. Not to shabby at all.

Tonight wasn't a great night at work, but it wasn't to bad either. I brought home $103, which is $12 less than average.

I ran to Walmart afterwards. I needed a few things ... and only bought what I went in there for. WOW ... it CAN happen!

I needed deodorant, a small pack of wipes for Julie, gum, milk, cheese, turkey, envelopes, pens and I did fight the decision to buy Julie a new pair of shoes ... but she really needed them, so I picked up a pair. I ended up spending $28.88 ... and I have to run by the grocery store tomorrow to pick up some veggies, eggs and turkey sausage for work this week. I shouldn't spend much at all.

I also got a $20 gas card ... I usually get $40 every week ... even though $20 will fill my tank for the week *usually* ... I like to have the extra, just in case. I get paid Thursday though ... so I only got the $20 since I really really have to get my oil changed this weekend.

I spent $5 at McDonald's ... after serving food all day .. the last thing I want to do is come home and cook ... plus everyone is asleep. I need to be asleep too ... its after midnight and I have to be at work at 8am.

I put $45 away for daycare, I only need $20 more. Plus, I have a few bucks left over tonight, after tomorrow I'll know how to spend those.

All in all ... a good day. I just wish there were more hours in it.

So, dinner out with my brother and family got canceled, which is probably for the better. Just money saved on my end, and missing out since they went to breakfast and I was working.

Saturday, I took a box of clothes to the consignment shop ... they only bought 8 items ... so I made $15. Not the best, but most of the stuff we have for her is spring anyways. I think I am going to wait until Feb and EBAY it. I might not make a ton of money off of it, but it will get the clothes out of my hair.

This weekend was slow at work. I only brought home $140 plus my check. Not the greatest weeeked ever. I also ate out twice this weekend, put gas in the car, bought groceries. I also overslept and didn't make my food for work today, so i spent $11 on breakfast and lunch. Though I have enough lunch leftovers that I will eat tomorrow.

Next weekend should be busier at work as well. It seems we're in a pattern, one slow week and one busy week. The busy season should be starting back up soon, just waiting for the snow birds to come back to their Florida homes.

I really need to get an oil change ... I haven't figured out if I can afford it this week ... I think I can. Next week I only have to pay half for Julie's daycare ... which is sweet. With half of the money, I am going back the consignment shop to pick up some pants for Julie. I'm think 18 months should get her through at least half of the winter. Hopefully through Christmas ... we're telling my grandma to buy her 24 months. Hopefully they won't be too big.

I just HATE the weather here! It's too hot during the day (over 100 degrees with humidty) but we start the day with a chill in the air. I don't know if it's too hot for pants yet ... but she needs a sweater.

Tomorrow my parents are both taking off of work to take my brother to Disney. I want to call in ... but I will spend $100 that I don't have ... so it's not worth it. Plus, I'm really hoping to go closer to Christmas ... I LOVE the Candlelight Processional, nothing puts me in the moode for Christmas more.

I made $115 tonght at work. Woot!

Of course, it's all going into my checking account, and actually I owe my mom $10 and my boss $5 for lunch on Friday. PLUS, I have to put gas in my car, so that'll be another $30 taken out. AAARRRGGGHHHH.

So, in reality, I'll be depositing $70. Plus, I'm cashing in my change, plus my $17 dollar check. Not a lot, but not too bad.

I'm not serving tomorrow .. which isn't cool. I have to be a serving assistance, which means I'll only make around $50. BLAH. Sunday's are the best days. Oh well, that check is going to go straight into my saving account anyways. I'll be ok.

I keep telling myself that Thursday is payday, and that it'll all be ok. But, I don't want to be in that state, waiting and hoping for a payday.

Amanda