So far I have stuck to the plan/resolution regarding eating out, haven't done it this month. However, I have been shopping...this is what got me into debt in the first place, at least I have not used the cc. But tomorrow I will return some pants I bought from Penney's that will be about $15.00. But today I bought a silver ring and a pair of pants about $28 total

Cashed my refund check today so I added it to the EF ($30) new total is $1230.82

Got my rebate check for $30 from Norton today so I am happy. Unfortunately I spent $28 on pj's today so I am adding the same amount to my challenge/debt to match this amount.

New total
$833.03

I was on another site and there was a lis of 10 nasty money habits to kick which included:
Spending without a budget.

***Carrying a balance on credit cards.
Ignoring interest rates.

Not investigating disability insurance.

Failing to see how little purchases add up.

Not matching employer's contribution to retirement.

Waiting until the last minute to fund IRA.

Paying everyone else, saving "what's left."

Not managing your investments.

Getting emotional about your investments.
I can't believe I was guilty of most of these, thank God I have made some serious changes

Wow I am so happy I sold both my text books today on half.com this is the first time I ever done anything like this. One book was $36.89 and the other $37.56 at total of $74.45 the only problem is half.com makes two payments a month so I have to wait until the 15th but once I receive the payment it's going into my education/tuition account

Ok today was payday and I paid every bill I think of as well as socked away some. It is amazing that when you don't have cc debt you cn see the bulk of your money so here is what i did:

$200 EF
$25 IRA
$10 Misc Account
$20 New car account
$20 Tuition account
$20 Fun Money
$100 $20 challenge/new home
$20 Offerings
$21 $20 Challenge/Debt
$28.08 Gas
$60.52 Verizon
$15.00 Prescription
$8.50 personal care
with over $200 left I am so happy I feel like I am living now (not living check to check)

I found a couple of things that I can part with on Ebay, so I will take the pics and post them on Thursday. I still need to go through some things but I am ready to start selling things. I did list my books on half.com but no luck if they do not sell by next week I may post elsewhere like Amazon but we will see

Load my pictures even though I use the save and add imagine, my imagines aren't posted

Thanks to rduell I decided to do the following for the challenge at some point last year I stopped but here is the plan
- 39 cents added every time I save postage
- any gift of money that I get throughout the year
- use more coupons and transfer the money I save
- $1 for every no-spend day
- $2 for every "A" I get
- $1 for every "B"
- .50 for every "C"

Ok I picked up a movie for my nephwe "Cat in the Hat" and now I can not find it I have cleaned my room from top to bottom and no signs of it. Now I am going to have to pay for it which I am sure is over priced compaired to some where else. I ask my nephew if he had it and he said he left in FL in the tv (he's 3) I do believe him because we fell asleep watching it and I turned off the TV. And where the DVD is he can not reach i just do not remeber taking it out, I wonder if it is some how stuck in the player nah it would not work oh well

I know it is early but I know today will not be a spend day so I am adding $1 to the challenge home and debt. My first contribution this year a total of $2.00

$20 challenge/hm (YTD)$1.00 bal $282.69
$20 Challenge/Debt (YTD)$1.00 bal $884.03

It is here, I am so happy I made it with some sanity. I was able to watch the ball drop and then that was it for me. I had to work yesterday but the seniors were nice and quiet, they had a new year's bash until 12:30 and I left at 11 so I got lucky but i'm sure my reliever didn't...lol

This was in my inbox so I'll like to share:
When it comes to money management mistakes, debt counselors have seen it all. And if you knew what they already know, you could save a lot of money and more than a little grief.

Unfortunately, by the time consumers sign on for credit counseling, they already have an average of $30,000 in bills and seven or eight credit cards, says Susan Keating, president and CEO of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling
1. Freebies are lethal.
Those low introductory offers sound great, but they are designed to get you hooked on the service.
If you co-sign, that debt is yours.
If your son or daughter wants you to co-sign for a car, apartment or loan, just say no
Bouncing a couple of checks can cost you your bank account.
Not only can your own bank kick you to the curb, but it can put you in a financial database that acts as a kind of black list
You need a plan. If you just spend money until it's gone, you never get ahead.
Look at what you make, what you need to spend, what you want to save. Keep track of your spending for a month or two to see where the money is going.
Auto leases can be hazardous to your financial health.
Leasing (and some zero-down payment deals) can put you at risk financially because you may be driving a car that's actually worth less than you owe
Your old emergency fund might not cut it.
The old rule was to sock away three to six months' salary. But that's just not enough anymore, aim for having a year's wages in the bank
Don't always reach for that debit card.
Some gas stations and restaurants will put a hold on your card for more than you actually spend