It's wonderful to think I can't possibly use my credit cards because I took drastic measures and cut every one of them up! I am not even tempted anymore by the credit card checks that come in. really what was keeping me having any at all was the thought I'd need one for an emergency. This has forced me to be responsible and now I have around $600 in the EF fund.

I bought clothes to sell on EBAY and am doing an experiment. They cost $170. Nexttime I write I will put down the profit made and add it to the EF fund!

I received my discover card statement thinking I was going to have a much lower balance than last month. It was higher than last month's by about $200 I forgot I spent $250 on Turbo tax-one for my husbands corp., the other income tax. Then I learned I have a 19% interest rate and interest alone is $51. That made me frustrated enough to find both of my discover cards and another credit card and cut up all three. I am going to try cash only for the next 40 days. That is my new challenge! Today my grandmother took me and my son out to lunch, gave me $20 for gas, and bought me a new belt. I resisted temptation from 2 of the cutest sweaters you've ever seen in the Thrift store. It's been a great day.

As of 1/1/07 I have officially saved $153.76 in my Ing savings account. $28.76 of that was interest/bonus earnings from Ing.
remember:
Life is good.

I got my paycheck and allotted $1000 for the EF fund. Out of the $1000 I bought 4 new tires. Which technically wasn't an emergency but I'm guessing I wouldn't feel that way broken down on the freeway with two screaming kids in carseats. I have an older Mercedes which is built like a tank and very heavy and hard on the tires. I got the best kind which were pricey but supposedly will last on that type of cars the most. $585 was the bill. $415 left now in the ef fund. I also have the Ing Direct orange savings account with $148.20 in it. I put in $5 every two weeks. I purposly do that so I won't even notice. They gave me $25 just for opening it. No strings attached.

As a property manager that has to collect coins from over 1000 rental units, I am here to tell you I think there's money in it. I know there is. A coin laundry machine is about $1000 and maintenance is about $200 per year. Each wash and dry is $1.75 each. Just on one machine alone I collect about $250-$500 for the owner per month.....something to think about.....water isn't that expensive. There are companies who put the machines in themselves then collect the coins every month and split them 50/50 with the owners. Why am I not doing this? Why aren't we all???