We all know that money doesn't grow on trees, but sometimes it's good to have a reminder.

I took some time off blogging, but have been keeping my financial journal now at an online journal which is really helping me stay on track.  For some reason I have been feeling the need to spend; I think it's because of stress, so I'm trying to keep that under control.

I am reaching some of my financial goals but have a long way to go.  It will probably be sometime next year before my outstanding debts are paid.  I had too many medical expenses to contend with; plus I just haven't been as diligent as I should be.   I haven't fallen off the frugal wagon but I could feel myself slipping; so I am renewing my dedication to my frugality.

I plan on blogging often as this really helps me stay on track.  I hope you all have been doing well with your finances and your lives.

Back to the blogs!!!!! 

If you haven't done so yet, please be sure and watch the movie, Miss Potter.  It was a wonderful movie.  The scenery was beautiful and the artwork was gorgeous. 

It will make you laugh, make you cry and definitely leaves  you feeling great.  Please don't miss out on this wonderful movie!!

Have you ever had one of those days when you feel like doing this to someone?  I know it's not nice, but I think we've all felt like this!!!

I love journaling.  I find it very relaxing and enjoyable.  I keep two journals; one is a financial journal and the other is a personal journal.

My financial journal has a puppy dog in an airplane on the cover and in glittered letters it reads, "Reach For The Stars".

My financial journal is pink with red cherries on the cover.  I got both of these journals at Walgreens.

First I will tell you about my financial journal.  I keep a list of my financial goals.  Then I have a page with sub-steps to reaching these goals.  I have a page for each month to chart my progress.  In this journal, I keep pictures relating to my financial goals and several magazine articles I have cut out.  I have some really pretty envelopes and I keep my $1s that I save each month, rebates and any extra money to put in savings or for debt reduction.  I tie that envelope with a pretty ribbon.  I keep this with my financial journal.

My personal journal is filled with everyday happenings, quotes, inspirational articles, etc.  I use scrapbooking stickers in my journal as well as pictures I  cut out and paste into my journal using a glue stick.  I am a very visual person, and like to use colorful stickers pertaining to each month.  I also have cute sunflower recipe cards and I keep a copy of some special recipes in my journal.  I also keep a weekly to-do list in my journal.

I really find journaling very fulfilling and would ask each of you to give it a try.  I''m sure you'll love it!!

I can't believe the first half of the year is over.  I'm expecting some good things for the next half of the year.  I have about $900 setting in my checking account for medical bills, and I think that should take care of them, but I'm not positive yet.  I've made some good progress and will keep on plugging away at the ccs. 

Well, the 4th of July is fast approaching.  I always make a red, white, and blue strawberry shortcake using strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream.  I only make it on the 4th so that it will remain special with my children and be associated as a tradition for the 4th.  I have some red, white and blue roses in a vase and patriotic decorations on my wreath.  I also have an Americana ceramic teddy bear bank that is really cute.

I want to make traditions that are special to my family.  Everyday with them is a blessing. 

I saved $31 in my ones for June which I will add for debt reduction.  I came in under budget for June!! 

Am looking forward to what this month has in store.  Good things for everyone, I Hope!!!

I've been doing very well with my budget.  Pretty soon all those medical bills will be a thing of the past!!!  I can hardly wait.  Sometimes the going gets tough, but I'm up to it.

My ex called today to tell me he missed me!!  Can you believe that.  He said he knows he made a mistake.  (Poor guy, I really feel for him) NOT!!!  He then started telling me all his hard luck stories.  I told him that I firmly believe that the Lord will never bless him for the way he walked out on us, leaving us with nothing.  He's one of those "me" persons.  Everything has to be "Me", "Me", "Me".  He always turns everything around to make him sound like the victim.  He has sent us no support since last November.  He said he hasn't had much work.  He has a master's degree!!!  Oh well, enough of that.

I am still working very hard at decluttering my house and making things the way I like them.  I like having my home look nice and having things of beauty around me. 

Thanks for the comments on my mother's hankies.  I think a shadow box is a very good idea.  I think I'll talk to my dad and see if he has any more vintage items around so I can make a vignette.

I'll update my figures at the end of the month.  I am making some good progress.

Here's to staying on that frugal bandwagon!!

I am going to commit to three things a week that I will do each week to keep me on the path of frugality and also three things I will do to increase the loveliness in my life.

I will be starting this on Monday, but am working on my list.  The three things I will do this coming week for frugality is  l) Plan meals at home, 2)   Save at least $1 a day in my ones  3)  Absolutely no impulse purchases.

The three things I will do to increase loveliness in my life is 1)  Sew a pretty cover for a pillow I have,  2)   Work on my picture album, and 3)  bring in a bouquet of roses from my rosebushes to enjoy.

I want to blog more often and get my gazelle intensity back.  I just transferred $300 from my savings to my checking to pay more medical bills.  I'm not going to let my EF get below $1000.00, though.  That is the minimum I want to keep in there for any emergencies that come up.

I'm still working on my quilt.  It's coming along real good.  It is long from being finished, though.  It will take time, but it's a really fun project.

I have four vintage hankies that my mom left to me.  They are from  France from the 40s.  I'm trying to come up with a project where I can incorporate them; maybe a picture with other vintage items and then hang it on my wall.  I have these hankies put away and I'd really like to display them.  I always admired them as a child and she said she would leave them to me and she did.  I really treasure them.

Well, this is a new week and I need to get my frugal butt in gear.  I've got the June gloom!!  I can't get things on track like I should.  I find it so boring to be working on these medical bills.  I'm doing pretty good, but I'm just not excited. 

I really need a frugal friend.  My friends like to spend like there is no tomorrow.  I don't have anyone to share the way I feel because no one I know feels the same way.  I get excited when I get a good bargain or stay within my budget for the month, but no one else really cares.

I'm also a crazed perfectionist.  If everything doesn't go exactly as I think it should it bothers me to no end.  Even if a picture is a little crooked or the towels aren't folded properly, I get really upset and have to fix it.  I've been trying to work on that but to no avail.

Well, enough of my complaining.  I'm off  to read some blogs and then back to work!!

A really dear friend of mine said he was surprising me with this raggedysmiles.com/yellowfloral.html .  I am so excited to get it.  I am going to put it on a shelf in my bedroom.  I have heard from other people that this lady does awesome work.

I am being pretty good with my budget.  I am allowing myself some small treats as i was beginning to feel deprived. 

Well, I am going to make this short as I have a lot to do today and I want to read a few blogs before getting busy!!

Have an awesome Monday!!

Well, last night I paid bills.  I always try to make this a fun time.  I put on some nice music, lit a Gardenia candle,  used a jeweled calculator and a pen with rhinestones and it was rather pleasant.  After I pay bills I always thank God for letting me provide for my family.

In April I saved $42.00 in $1s and in May I saved $30.00.  I add that to my debt reduction.  I also added $100 each month to my savings.  I also got a $10.00 rebate.

I am not going to any stores this weekend and plan on spending no cash.  I had to get some prescriptions, but I have a great prescription plan through my health insurance.  I don't see how people can afford medication without a good plan.   Medications are so expensive.

I'd like to do a little cooking and freeze some meals for those nights that I don't feel like cooking.  i try to use my crock pot a lot in the summer as well as cooking out on the grill.

Hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend.

I'm really going bare-bones this month.  It will mark the half-way point of the year and I want to meet my goals.  That means no impulse shopping for me!!  I'm terrible when it comes to impulse buying.  No checking e-bay for bargains too good to pass up!!

I'm going to keep myself busy at home as I have a lot to do here.  I put some really pretty silk daisies in a vase and have on my dresser.  I think yellow really is a cheery color.  I'm going to do more journaling and more entries to my blog.

I went to the doctor on Wednesday and he sent me for blood work.  He called me later in the afternoon and said my PTT time was extremely high and to stop the Coumadin for two days and then start on half dosage for two weeks and have my blood tested again.  My leg is so much better now.  The only thing that really bothers me is swelling in my ankle and tingling in my toes.  He said that may get better with time, but it may be permanent.  I am due to come off the Coumadin in August.  He said I would have to be monitored closely and if another clot develops I will have to be on Coumadin for the rest of my life which is a scary thought.  If you fall or are in a car accident your risk is very high of internal bleeding.

I don't know if anyone is thinking toward Christmas, but I have a great organizing link that I will post here for everyone to enjoy.  I am going to post some of my favorite sites on my blog this month.  Well, here is the link:   organizedchristmas.com/index.html 

Here is to a great June for all of us!!

Well, the end of the month is rapidly approaching.  I really haven't kept to my budget this month like I should have.  I bought a few things because I was kind of feeling down.  I got a red, white and blue silk roses bush that I used for Memorial Day and I will use it again on July 4th.  I also got a couple of silk daisy bushes to use for the summer.  I also got a couple of baskets; one to put my freebies in and the other one to keep my mail in.  I was using a box for my mail and I didn't like the looks of it so I got a pretty basket to use instead.  It seems like I get so much mail; a lot of junk mail; and I'm always over-run with it.

I also got a Gardenia candle to burn in the summer.  My friend got me a watermelon candle which really smells good and the gardenia one really smells good.

I'm going to pay attention to my budget starting with June.  I haven't been really bad; but small things do add up.

I'm not planning on going on vacation this year.  I haven't gone on one in a long time.  I'll just find fun things to do close to home.  By having access to a big city (Los Angeles), I can always find something and the beach is not far away.

I'd really like to get my bedroom painted and finish the redecorating, but I've got a long way to go.  I also want to put new tile down.  I feel so much better since I took the carpet up.  Also I've had absolutely no ants since I removed the carpets.

I want to get to the Farmers Market and get some fresh fruit and veggies.  They have the greatest produce around.  It tastes so fresh and much different than what you get at the grocery store.

Well, here's to high hopes for a good month of June!!!

I ran across the Million Dollar Experiment the other day and found it very interesting.  It is a passive attraction of money into your life.  I will give the address in case anyone would like to read about it.  Hey, what have you got to lose??

I can't believe how fast this year has gone by.  Pretty soon we will have reached the half way mark.  I'm anxious to meet some of my goals.  I am doing pretty good, but I need to get some gazelle intensity.  Hope to make greater strides in the second half of the year.  If I can reach my goal of being debt-free by the end of the year, I will be so happy!!

Well, here is the link:   www.stevepavlina.com/million-dollar-experiment.htm

I've been missing from the blogs for a little bit as I have been feeling so overwhelmed with things.  I'm trying really hard to keep on top of everything, but it's really a challenge.

I've had two birthdays this month and I have Father's Day next month.   Then in July is my son's birthday and my daughter's birthday is in August.  It just never ends!!

I'm trying to remember that every day is a brand new 24 hours and a brand new canvass in which I can paint my dreams.  I've always dreamed of having my home beautifully decorated and organized.  When I see something out of place or the way I don't like it, it makes me very unhappy.  I want everything a certain way and it makes me really upset when it isn't.

I've had so many challenges in my life these past few years.  I hope that it makes me stronger and a better person.  They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  I should be really strong!!!!LOL

Well,off to read some blogs and then dinnertime!!

I've been thinking a lot about beauty lately.  There is so much beauty to enjoy in this World.  I love a blue sky with puffy white cottoncandy clouds.  I love my rose bushes in bloom; especially the yellow one with pink tinges.  I love my green lawn.  I love my kitty's whiskers.  I'm going to give you a link to a blog that I visit because of its beauty.  I just love to browse around this site:

http://www.cherryhillcottage.typepad.com/

I enjoy paying bills because since I no longer have credit cards, I can look forward to the balances going down!!

I have made a little ritual when paying bills.  I get myself a cup of tea, I turn on some lovely classical music.  I pay bills in my bedroom because I love the atmosphere there.  I have a really cute bill paying organizer that I keep my bills in.  It's covered with cherries and flowers.  (Mary Engelbriet).  I use a jeweled pen that was a gift and is really pretty.  I light a nice scented candle on my nightstand.  I then pay my bills and say a prayer thanking God that he has provided for me and my family.

Yes, I'm enjoying the journey!!

'

I've been thinking about frugality and how I would like my message to be conveyed to my children and to others.  I don't want them to think that we're broke and that we can't afford things.  I don't want them to think I'm a stingy miser, hoarding money or goods.  I don't want them to think this is a life of poverty.

What I want to convey is that I do have money and we spend it on things that are most important to us.  We have a choice how to spend our money.  I want them to know that I support charities and am first in line to give if someone is in true need.  I want to convey that I stockpile only things that we are going to use and that I am being a good steward of our money when I do this.

I also want to convey the fact that I buy fewer things because I don't want my home and my mind cluttered.  The fewer things I buy, the better for the environment.

I hope that I am able to convey the fact that frugality is a life of abundance "directed abundance".

Well, starting a new month.  I'm really glad as April was a pretty hard month.  I was over budget by $3.40, but I could have done much better if I would have focused more. 

I was so focused to pay off debt that I caved and bought a Vera Bradley bag.  It's so cute with bees and flowers.  It wasn't that expensive, and it raised my spirits.  It was an impulse purchase and something I didn't need, but it will come out of my blow money.

I was hoping I could dance around the May pole today, but my April figures left me feeling flat so no dance!!  I remember as a kid dancing around the May pole at school.  It was so much fun.  I have a lot of ribbon and I think I'll make a May pole for my kids so they will have the memory.  Hope everything is going well with everyone.

Off to make a May pole!!

First I will talk a little bit about Care Bears.  I don't know how many of you grew up with these Cuddly Bears, but I have always loved them.  I am including a link to their website so you can visit and enjoy yourself a little.  The link is www.care-bears.com/CareBears/html/index.html   I played the games and had a lot of fun. My daughter loves this site and I subscribed to the Care Bears News Letter.

Well, on to money matters.  I have been doing really well.  I am sticking to my budget and not buying fountain drinks out.  I just have a can of pop a day at home.  I am getting rid of more hospital debt.  I feel totally stoked right now.  I believe I can do it!!  If I would have been this gazelle all along, I am sure I would be debt-free right now.  I have had several no-spend days.

I watched my best friend's baby for her and she brought me back a watermelon candle.  It smells just like fresh watermelon.  I can't wait to burn it.  On a hot summer's day, there's nothing better than ice cold watermelon.

Well, I am digging myself out of debt one shovel at a time.  My shovel isn't very big, but that means I'll just have to dig a little harder and a little longer, but I will get the same results as those with larger shovels.  I am not the least bit discouraged.  In fact, I feel encouraged to surpass my expectations!!

Hope you all are stoked up too!!

Today has been a rather nice day.  i've gotten quite a lot accomplished.  I fixed lunch and dinner, did some laundry, spent time with my family and worked on the budget and things I need to do for the coming week.

I'm doing pretty good on the budget.  I came in under budget for the past week by $8.82.  I would have done better but I found some sales and did a little stockpiling.  It seems that everything is so expensive at the grocery store.  Seems like prices keep going up and up.  I try to shop the sales but food takes a huge chunk out of the budget.

Well I decided to step out of my comfort zone and make a quilt.  I have been wanting to start a sewing project and decided to try something new.  I have never made one before.  This will take a year, as we are going to do a block a month.  I saw "we" because my best friend and I are both making one.  Back home, when I was growing up, all the women made quilts by hand; didn't use a machine.  The ladies wold get together once a week (taking turns hosting) and they would quilt, chat and have dessert.  It was a wonderful time for them.  I thought it was pretty old-fashioned when I was growing up but now I have a great appreciation for what they were doing..  I think this will be a really fun project and will give us time to socalize and be productive at the same time.  We are starting this week, and I'll keep posting about our progress.  I'm really looking forward to it.

I've also started my online Italian lessons.  They are a lot of fun (and free!!).  I hope to be able to speak a little Italian when I'm finished with them.

I've got $750 more saved to go towards medical bills as they come in.  I'm doing really good.  If I had concentrated that hard on the ccs, I would be debt-free by now!!

Here's hoping we all have a great week!!

Well, it's time I start getting serious with my finances.  April is half over, and I have not done great with my budget.  I've been a little lax but now I'm tightening the belt.

I went to the grocery store and got a package of bologna.  I'm going to have bologna sandwiches or egg salad this month.  I made some potato salad to go with it and I made some chocolate chip cookies.  I got a 12 pak of Pepsi on sale, and I'm cutting out the fountain drinks.  I'll just have to learn to get along with the cans or else drink water.  I got bottles of water, but not the most expensive ones.

For supper I fixed salisbury steaks and gravy, mixed vegies, oven roasted potatoes and apple crisp.  I plan on using all the groceries I bought and will not throw anything out. 

I want to be debt-free by the end of the year and I am going to seriously work at it.  No more robbing Peter to pay Paul.  I will stay within my budget.  My friend has a  Costco membership and I'll go with her on a guest pass this week and get t.p., kleenex, etc if I find them to be a better value than at the grocery or Wal-Mart.

The days I go into the office I plan on taking my lunch.  Once a week a doctor I work for buys us pizza.  I'm going to be organized and really utilize my crock pot.

I get really excited when I think about being debt-free!!  I need everyones' encouragement to keep on track!!