Making a budget - YUCK

So, one of my guardian angels sent me a book to read. The Financial Peace Planner, by Dave Ramsey. If you know this name, you know that he has done some amazing things in the world of financial budgets and getting people out of debt. I read through the first 3 or 4 chapters yesterday ...and then proceeded to get extremely depressed.

He starts the book by asking several questions and putting yourself in a category.

The Get A-Heads - "You have money left over each month after paying bills, but probably you aren't sure how to invest it. Sometimes you can't explain where the money has gone, and you find yourself saying things like "With what we make and spend, we should be able to save more".

The Currents - "You are living on the edge. You bring home the bacon each month, and you send it right back out. You ahve never been late on a payment, but you can't save."

The Troubled - "Until that unexpected event a few months ago, you were a Current. Now you are in over your head. You are thirty to sixty days delinquent on your credit cards or house or car payments and you have begun to get nasty calls. You have considered debt consolidation or other borrowing tactics just to catch up".

The Desperadoes - "You are probably close to giving up. You have thought about the B word (bankruptcy). Foaming mouthed collection monsters call your home every night during supper to threaten foreclosure on your home. You are several months behind on your car payments, making reposession imminent".

We...are in the Troubled category...although somedays I feel like we are looking down the path of the Desperadoes..

This isn't the worst category to be in, but it is really tough to see the light at the end of the tunnel right now.

So I had to put the book down for the night otherwise mommy would have been a nightmare to be around.

But today, i'm reflecting on what I read and what I need to do to get out of this situation. So I am working on our monthly budget. Hmph! there is definately more month than money. We have cut back on several of our bills, are working out payment plans with others, eating at home, taking our lunch, and there still just isn't enough. i really just can't believe we are here...at this place...in this situation, in need of so much help. But, the important thing right now is just trying to figure out how to get through. I have faith that we will make it out to the other side, I really do. I know we will be ok. One day at a time, one bill at a time, one step at a time. So the first step is to make a budget.

I'm not really sure that I will share all the details of our budget..but I will share the progress on here and some of the activities that I am asked to do throughout the book.

To my guardian angel...You are now my accountability partner. The book tells me I need one, so I am appointing it to you. I know, I know...JUST what you need is one more thing. Sorry!

On a positive note...The Man is having a second interview right now. I haven't told anyone because I feel like I jinx it everytime I say something. So if you read this...don't ask. I promise, if he gets the job, i'll tell ya! But I really just can't talk about it for fear that they will offer it to someone else. Or pull his credit...and then not offer it to him. It's funny - we have had great credit for several years now...and after 6 months, it has all gone to pot!

I have spring pictures scheduled at the school this Wednesday - God...please let it go better than the fall...please?!? I could really use this income, it would help us out greatly!

Work is ick right now...it's going to be a long week. A really long week.