Well, sadly, I'm in.
Three years ago we were debt free with a $600/month mortgage to be PIF in 2 years. We were able to take great vacations, etc.
Well, we bought a bigger house and tried living like we had been. Fuel prices skyrocketed (and we had moved further out). Decided to put in a pool. Well, I now have 3 credit cards - 2 with zero interest that expires in March and April and another card with only $550 that I was planning on paying off this month, but that isn't happening.
The things that are getting me are the little things that add up - "needed" a new Christmas tree bag - $80 (have to get the one with the best reviews
), son had holes in his shoes (he's 9 and in men's sizes
), boys will be outgrowing their coats this year and I always get them the year before on great sales (2 coats - $42 total), DS wanted the HUGE honey crisp apple at the grocery store (sure! - $3 for an apple!
), love Harry and David pears and going to do without this year (Found a "deal" - out $32 and have 18 pears), boys returned to school and I was still off and they wanted Subway and me to come eat with them which I hadn't been able to do in 1.5 years ($24 for the 3 of us lunch!!! - ugh!).
Our vehicles are paid off and I still put money monthly into savings, but the last 6 months, I've taken out everything + that goes in. (My separate savings, which I like to have at $5000 for trips, etc. - now at $700.) I'm great at taking my lunch to work and now we may eat out about once every two weeks (down from 3-4 times a week).
We really need to recover our couch or get new furniture - there are now holes in the couches and the desk chair. I can recover the desk chair, but don't have the time (or the $$$ at this time) for the couches. (I don't want to waste $250 on couch covers that don't hold up, likely won't fit the couches, etc...would rather save that $$$ to "do it right".)
And to top it all off, my stepdad, who loves to spend $$$ retired 12/31/12 and now my mom was just dx with breast cancer and likely will be laid off the end of February.
(They don't live with us, and their finances haven't ever directly impacted us, but if they need something, we'll surely help them out.)
And DH went out and bought a new $400 "investment" (toy). He NEVER keeps these things a secret and he did this. That has me really worried (not about the item, but about the cost and the secrecy prior to receiving the purchase - you know what I could have done with that money!!!)
(Wow, as I read through what I wrote, I really seem to have more stress, anxiety and anger over this issue than I may have realized. Think I may may need to look at that spreadsheet.)
Thanks for letting me join...and vent. Maybe I should get the board approval before I make any purchase.