Monday Night Money

Check-In: $3005.39

Like sands through the hourglass... so are the dollars of our tax refund.

Actually, it's not all gone yet, but I do have to admit to some extra spending. A new console for the entry way that will actually make it a functional entryway (where we can actually hang up coats instead of just tossing them on and over chairs)... growing kids and a 40% off clearance sale at Kmart (that's 40% off the already reduced clearance prices)... a trip to IKEA to use a gift card... a night at a hotel while the kids were away... it's really easy to make money disappear. So, the rest is getting saved. We are going to "cash only" and the bank card and checkbook are getting left at home! Actual spending of the tax refund is now on hold until after my husband's dentist appointment and we get an idea of how much that will cost. As for my goals that I listed last week, here's an update:

1. Develop a list of needs and wants and prioritize that list to determine what to do with our tax refund. I did this on the back of March's calendar/ budget sheet. The list is way longer that the money will last, but I was thinking that it would be a good idea to keep such a file on the computer desktop so that we would have a prioritized list for when we do have some extra money to throw at something besides debt.

2. Complete the calendar/ budget sheet for March. Done. It's a fairly painless process and I find that I don't mind doing it at all.

3. Assign the leftovers... what will I do with the money that's left over after paying bills? This step is also on hold until after DH's dentist appointment.

4. Remove the bank card from my wallet/ checkbook! Do not carry my bank card or checkbook with me! Obviously, from the difference in the balance between last week and this week, that didn't happen. Checking-in tonight gave me a good reality check and I realize that this is an amputation that needs to take place immediately! It will happen tonight.

And.... my one, true goal for last weekend: making room for and bringing in the exercise bike. Check! Done! Look! (Okay, I was going to post a pic, but the camera batteries are dead, so don't look... just trust me). It's sitting in the living room in front of the windows, between the couch and a chair. It's not the best piece of interior decorating that I've ever done, but it will do for now (at least until we get the electricity taken care of in the family room and I can move it in there- another item on the "where to spend the tax refund" list).