Oompa-Loompa Wisdom

I am white… not as an ethnicity (although technically that is true too)… but rather as a very pale, ghostly winterish shade of hiding under sweaters for the last 6 months white. I was especially white sitting next to my darling mother today who has just returned from a glorious beach vacation. “Wow, look how tan I am,” she rejoiced as she held her beautifully golden arm next to my, what all of a sudden appeared to have turned bluish-white, arm. It was a very cool day here in Tulsa, so maybe that’s why I appeared a little blue…. or …

Redeeming Sickness?

I was sick last week. Not a life and death condition, just sick enough to stop caring. My sweet husband sent me to bed, and when he suggested take-out I said, “Whatever you want to do honey.” He was thrilled. Matt loves take-out. The week came to a close. I finally felt better, and at the end of the siege I surveyed the damages. Children still alive? Check. House destroyed? Check. Finances? Good… wait a second, I better check my wallet. On Wednesday, during a brief respite from feeling yucky, I had made a deposit at the bank and withdrawn …

Budget Friendly Date Night

When was the last time you dated your spouse? No, Christmas shopping for your relatives doesn’t count. Neither does the drive to church. I know not everyone is married who reads this blog, but I wanted to give a little budget friendly date idea for those of you who are. Many people will spend a small fortune while dating on dinner, movies, flowers. However, it is very easy after marriage to forsake the romance for convenience. Especially after children come along, you can easily become a partnership of survival. Poopy diapers, snotty noses, and even homework can suck every romantic …

Between the Envelopes

I had a reader ask me, “Are you allowed to use money from one category for another if you have left over cash in an envelope?” She went on to say that her husband had put his foot down that there would be no stealing from the envelopes! If they were going to do the envelope system then the money had to be used for the purpose that they had designated. If they do not use it this month, then it has to be left in the envelope for next month. Now, I confess, I steal from my envelopes all …

Debit Card Users? Anyone?

Does anyone use their Debit Card anymore? They were such a novelty when they first came out. I used to use mine all the time in college. It was as easy as a credit card, and without the hassle of a check. I just made sure to write everything into my bank account ledger, and balanced my account regularly. They truly seemed liked such a brilliant invention… until people started having their bank accounts wiped out because someone had stolen their debit card information. Scary. Very scary. So scary that I stopped using my card… for everything. Actually, I will …

Corralling Your Credit Card

So I feel your heart torn… why give up the convenience of your credit card for all of that paper money? It is just so easy to swipe and go. It is also almost impossible to buy something online without one, or to rent a car. There are many reasons for having a credit card in our society. Credit cards also help your credit score in demonstrating your credit history. How old your card is, and if it has been kept in good standing are two variables that help to determine your credit score. You can keep your card in …

Change to Spare

What my children love most about my wallet is that I always have change. Like most kids they have a fascination with change and money and love to carry it around in their “purse” (for Ava) or piggy bank. And while your kids may love all your extra change too, if you do not find a way to utilize this change it really is like wasted money. The abundance of change is a definite side effect of the cash/envelope system. So what do you do with all that extra change? If you are a woman, it just makes your purse …

Cash, Credit, or Bank Card: A Plan for Discretionary Spending

One of the questions I get so often is “How do you keep track of your grocery money?” It is probably about groceries because most of my friends are Moms and staying within a budget with groceries is a huge part of our world. Grocery money, Gas money, Entertainment, Gifts, Free money, and just whatever categories you have in your budget that you don’t automatically pay as a bill, are really the most challenging thing about budgeting and the areas that most people overspend the most on. I consider these categories as discretionary spending, because it is money that you …