1) smothering my face with a gooey raw honey mask

2) cracking open a novel

3) much writing in my journal

Additionally here were our weekend expenses:

Friday
-$46 on gas

Saturday
-$158.00 on groceries for a week and a half, with a few indulges peppered in (including a couple of freshly baked multi-grain sticky buns from the co-op that are fantastic. There’s a reason those sweet fluffy dough-balls are an oft used synonym for ambrosia around these parts.)

Sunday
-No spend day (woo-hoo!), spent the whole day at home

Total affliction: $204

Not great but not terrible, all things considered, although I will eyeball our grocery cost more closely next week. So that was my spending schtick.

How spendy was your weekend—did you manage to stay within budget?

=^..^=

We cracked open the budget last night to fiddle with the viability of working toward previous goals while simultaneously re-fluffing our emaciated emergency fund. Then a tense forty minutes was spent on relentlessly nudging, jabbing and cleaving at the numbers until we could reconcile a functional solution, which we managed to do, and which is genuinely excellent.

It was stressful calculating where nearly every penny had to go but we did chisel away a teensy percentage that was being frittered away on rubbish, like unnecessary entertainment costs, which instead would be veered into our specific savings goals (such as purchasing a king-size mattress, also gravely needed at this point), in addition to re-plumping our emergency fund. And instead of trying to scrunch all of our objectives together, we decided to intensely focus on a lone goal and scrape it from the agenda before continuing forward.

We even inaugurated our little savings envelope with a dab of cash: nearly $20 from a massive pile of bottle returns, hah!

Our savings envelope, back on track.

It feels lovely to be progressing forward.
Baby steps.

Fellow peoples: although I enthusiastically support giving hearty obscenities toward insatiable consumerism and other such blatant nonsense represented by Black Friday, I still would like to wish everyone a truly joyous holiday weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving, from Lexi and me!

=^..^=

Are you in danger of being wiped out?

… and quite honestly, it blows. M. took his car in for inspection and the word came back yesterday: we are facing close to $2,000 worth of car repairs.

However, I keep reminding myself that the entire purpose of an ‘emergency fund’ is to be used when needed, and not to feel discouraged. Frankly I hate spending money on anything that doesn’t appreciate in value so it is totally aggravating when a vehicle is chewing away at such a huge chunk of our family savings. Unfortunately, a car is a necessary evil for our current situation and there is just no way to maneuver around these expenses right now.

Thankfully we can pay this bill off immediately, and the plan is to plop these unexpected repairs onto my rewards credit card and pay the balance off in full, to maximize my rewards potential.

The cash is readily available—usually I will accrue a highly liquid stash in order to pounce on investment opportunities on items at local estate sales, and such.

The advantage of credit cards and being able to tap into a line of credit

Let’s say, however, I did not have access to immediate cash to pay for these car repairs, and the mechanic is demanding payment by tomorrow. Here is another huge benefit to a credit card—I could use my available line of credit through my card to float the cost of repairs until I was able to sell (liquidate) some of my investments, and then pay off the balance in full.

This is why a lot of folks eschew an ‘emergency’ savings account, as they would rather not tie up large balances in a conservative account with paltry interest rates. This type of strategy, however, requires excellent credit and discipline.

I can not reiterate enough the importance and good financial sense of accumulating savings. Little bits add up and really do matter. It can mean the difference between dodging scanty annoyances and experiencing complete financial wipe-out.

Our family savings cushioned us from what may otherwise have been a hefty and dire financial pounding; instead, this car situation is just a minor nuisance.

Time to bravely soldier on.

=^..^=

Lexi is so, so proud to clumsily sprint ahead now, and my heart does these fancy little somersaults, all twisted-like, every time she turns to peek slightly over her shoulder. To check. To know that I am close, to grasp onto.

My days are now full of her laughter and her exquisite shenanigans, and it is such a cozy place to be.

On the financial front, M. and I are discussing various goals—a conversation which was ignited by our beloved, fatally-wounded MacBook yesterday, as it decided to shit the bed on us—and we have decided to implement some type of envelope system for our savings. Just, right now our wish list is so long and varied and somehow we must begin to organize our thoughts and prioritize all of these wants, in order to focus more and make a bit of progress toward each of them.

Last night we curled up with chilly fingers and hot tea to quietly murmur over these things: what percentage for long-term savings (with the principal never to be touched—we decided on 20%), and what percentage to stash into tiny vanilla envelopes, with each of our goals scrawled across in spotty ink. It is hard to believe that at some point in the future these envelopes will all brim with crumpled tens and twenties. There are excited whispers of introducing strict “no spending days” as we eagerly anticipate contributing to each of our financial goals.

Progress is exciting. Stagnation = boo!

More soon,

me.

It is Monday. (Again.)

Some PF link crushin’ to get you through the rubbish of Monday.

Here are some personal finance reads floating around the blogosphere, for your distinct perusing pleasure:

LBee and the Money Tree – Broken Heart, Broken Wallet-Part 1.

My Money Design – My Money Design For Achieving Financial Freedom

Modest Money – What Happens to Debt When You Die?

Canadian Budget Binder – How To Have The Wedding of Your Dreams and Still Be Frugal

So Over This – My Credit Cards Are Plotting Against Me

Money Life and More – How Much A Cheap Cruise Really Costs

Club Thrifty – Top 5 Finance Apps to Keep Your Finances in Check

Simple Debt Free Finance – The Worst Things For Your Credit Score

Frugal Rules – Are Rich People Really That Different From the Rest of Us?

Reach Financial Independence – Little House in Guatemala, Week 1 (with lots of pics!)

Monster Piggy Bank – 6 Simple Money Saving Tips

Pelican on Money – The Thank-You Letter That Landed A Job

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It is also time for another Broke-Ass Monday! Enjoy some of this fun free stuff circulating around the web.

…it’s another Broke-Ass Monday!

• Broke-Ass Mommy is helping to sponsor a $100 Cash Giveaway through Paypal or Amazon gift card (winner’s choice) in our ‘the importance of emergency fund’ giveaway. Don’t miss your chance to win, you cheeky muff.
• WorkSaveLive is celebrating their one-year blogoversary by giving away an iPad Mini, $100 Amazon Gift Card, and $50 Paypal Cash to three lucky winners! Hurry over to enter.

Good luck to all participants. See you folks for the next Broke-Ass Monday!

=^..^=

Here is an example, with scrambled duck eggs (for our eggs we enjoy alternating between chicken and duck), peach, veggies, tomato and a fresh-baked blueberry streusel muffin:

Mmmmm, a heavenly breakfast that is simply delish!

We always utilize cash whenever we attend the market and thus carry anywhere between $50 to $100, depending on what is in season and what our selection for that particular week is.

This weekend we were stuck in line behind a patron who was fumbling through his wallet to pay for a string of garlic bulbs, and I was a bit surprised when the gentleman had to eventually step away to track down an ATM because he had no cash on hand. This made me wonder how often people still carry cash, and how much.

Usually I make an effort to have around $40 tucked in my pocket at all times (with a nice selection of $5′s, $10′s and singles) and a cache of spare change somewhere in the vehicle, which is especially useful while living in the city if, for example, I want to run downtown for a cheap bite with friends, as parking in designated lots or ramps can cost upward of $5 or more.

A drawback with having access to immediate cash on hand: it can be much harder to keep track of since it is ridiculously easy to spend.

Admittedly there have been occasions where I’ve lost track and then scratched my head at the end of the day, wondering where the hell all my cash dwindled away to. Using vending machines during tediously long errands that tend to crop up (such as car oil changes) and the drive-thru for coffee are HUGE culprits here. Gulp.

Now I am a bit more mindful about guarding my cash and find it helpful to carry a bag, containing: my tablet, a notebook and pen, my current novel or magazine of choice, bottled water, a coffee mug, and some snacks to smother those dreaded munch-y pangs.

Is cash still king?

Do you find plastic more convenient and tend to swipe everything? Does cash vanish more easily because you feel a greater urge to spend down with it?

I am curious for a peek inside your wallet: how much cash do you regularly carry?

=^..^=

Related posts:

• Financial Lessons I’ve Learned from Scrooge McDuck
• A Candid Look At My Finances
• Weathering Weekend Expenses – It’s Blustery!
• Financial Check-up: Our Vacation at Cape Ann

Just to be forewarned—we quashed the budget this weekend. Something akin to over a hundred dollars, obliterated. A peek at our spoils unveiled a few monstrosities.

Our budget was blown on:

* A penchant for pricey and delicious Oktoberfest brews.
* Accumulation of necessary ingredients for a ‘finer dining’ type of meal experience.
* And, entertainment for guests dropping by our apartment one evening from out-of-town.

Off-budget, and I totally blame the duck.
He sparked such a festive mood in us.

M. and I bought our duck locally at the organic Farmers Market. After we trussed, de-quilled, and placed him in a pan for a few hours to roast, our bird was smothered with a honeyed-molasses glaze and crisped to a deep mahogany. Wild rice pilaf and copious fall brews ensued (including one IPA, aged in oak cask, which was splendid and completely knocked my socks off).

We were off-budget but it felt gratifying to embrace our bursting tummies and just relax in a cosy atmosphere, blithely enjoying our rare-but-savory spread with good company.

Tomorrow, we head out to the countryside in the early morning to pick wild grapes and apples for pressing and wine-making.

So there you have it.

I was naughty but now that we’ve had our fun, note to self: it’s time to get back on financial track, bee-yotch.

=^..^=

Every so often I retreat to my work area, clutching tattered scraps of invoices and receipts, and indulge in a heinously liberating tantrum of writhing in a corner and having a moan while banging my head against the hardwood.

While chanting: go away, bills, gooo awaaayyyy. (thrashing and banging)

Then someone kindheartedly intervenes at some point during this bizarre ritual to peel me from the floor.

This is one reason I’m so anal about paying my credit card bills promptly after making a purchase, before the monthly billing cycle closes out. Although I love the rewards incentive for utilizing plastic instead of cash, I hate owing anyone anything.

M. will quite calmly allow his bills to pile up and fester in some stark corner of the apartment, unopened. “Oh, this was due two days ago,” he will nonchalantly say. “Pass me the corn chips?”

You do not want to see my spazzed-out reaction to money being pissed away on late fees.

We are works in progress.

Developments afoot—M. is on a rigorous credit-repair regime and, inevitably, I have taken over all bill-paying duties for our household.

Damn it.

=^..^=

Enjoy perusing all the great entries this Labor Day and please take a moment to share a salient post or two on your social media platforms and through your blogs. Also remember, this carnival is hosted every second week by My University Money and you can submit articles at Blog Carnivals or Blog Carnival HQ.

BUDGETING

Everything Finance @ Everything Finance Blog writes Are You Still Working Without a Budget? – Let’s face it, budgeting is kind of hard—you’re trying to implement a system for tracking your expenses, and since you’re probably spending by check, debit and credit cards, and cash, keeping it all in order can be a challenge. And they don’t teach personal budgeting in school either, so how do you learn?

Steve @ Canadian Personal Finance writes Is it OK to get a discount if you are good looking? – Would you turn down a discount because you were good looking? A customer received a discount for being good looking. This was simply a joke by the server but honestly it brings up a good question, do good looking people get discounts?

Steven @ Grocery Alerts writes 3 Monthly Expenses to Cut to Save you Money – Although monthly expenses don’t seem like very much, but they can really add up. For example, a $100 cable bill on a monthly basis equates to $1200 at the end of the year. Here are a few tips on some monthly expenses that you could consider cutting.

Steven @ Grocery Alerts writes How you can fly first class to Hawaii for under $350! – For approx. $328 you can obtain 30,000 Saga Club miles which will get you a FIRST CLASS roundtrip ticket on Alaska Airlines to anywhere they fly in the U.S. (Alaska and Hawaii included) Canada and Mexico.

CAREER & EDUCATION

Evan @ My Journey to Millions writes Analyzing the Prepayments on One of My Student Loans – As I made my monthly payment the other day on one of my student loans I wondered how much I have saved in interest over the years by adding to the principal some months. Since the lender didn’t provide me with that information I almost looked at it as a challenge to see whether I could figure it out.

Edward Antrobus @ Edward Antrobus writes 3 Job Search Tips for Recent Graduates – It’s a tough economy for recent grads, but these three job search tips can help you land your first job after graduation.

FINANCIAL ADVICE

MR @ Money Reasons writes My Personal Finance Pyramid Update – I use a Personal Finance Pyramid to provide feedback as I strive to acquire wealth in life for me, my family and my kids!

harry campbell @ Your Personal Finance Pro writes How to Take Advantage of Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses – I got my first credit card when I was in college and I used it for most of my entertainment(see alcohol) and dining out purchases. Since then I’ve applied and been accepted for over 10 credit cards with sign up bonuses and gotten thousands in gift cards, travel rewards and cash(wow that sounds like a scam! But it’s true). So here’s how I do it.

Aaron @ Aaron Hung.com writes How many credit cards are too many? – There comes a time in your life when you need to make a big purchase such as buying a house to raise your family, or for investment purposes. Going to big name lenders is usually the way to go when looking for capitals to buy your dream house

PPlan @ Provident Plan writes What’s the Most Effective Way to Give? – The most effective way to give is one that provides sustainability and the most bang for your buck. Find out what else gives a gift the biggest impact.

J.P. @ Novel Investor writes Options For Your 401k Rollover – When you leave your job, do you really want to leave your retirement savings behind? There are several 401k rollover options available so you can take your retirement savings with you and have better control of that money.

Jeremy @ Modest Money writes Compare The Best Credit Card Offers – Personally I pay off my balance in full each month and earn cash back on all my card purchases. Plus by using my credit card I am entitled to extra buyer protection. Hey, works for me. It does not work for everyone though. For people who can control their spending, I present a comparison of the best credit card offers.

Mr. Money @ Smart on Money writes Why You Should Have Life Insurance Even If You Are Young and Healthy with No Dependents – The thing is, even if you’re young and healthy there may be quite a few good reasons for you to buy good term life insurance. It isn’t just for old people, you know!

Peter @ Bible Money Matters writes Paying Down Debt? Make Sure to Recognize Non-Financial Progress – If you have had to take a break from debt repayment and feel discouraged, ask yourself if any of these situations apply to you. If so, pat yourself on the back. You are progressing in your war on debt, just not in a gazelle intense monetary way. You know you are making progress on your war on debt if:

FRUGALITY

Michelle @ See Debt Run writes Crock Pot Piggy Bank – You can save a lot of money by making your own crock pot recipes. Eating healthy and fresh doesn’t have to be more expensive!

Wayne @ Young Family Finance writes How to Raise a Child on a Budget: Identifying the Necessities – Find out how you can raise a child on a budget. Spending less on your children doesn’t mean sacrificing the love given to them.

Amanda L Grossman @ Frugal Confessions writes Simple Childhood Pleasures – Aside from going to Ocean City MD each summer, I have realized that most of the fun I had in my childhood was simple and cheap.

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Frugal Dating and the Fun Factor – Saving money and being frugal can be boring sometimes, but it doesn`t have to be. Making a date night fun by thinking outside of the box while still saving money can be helpful to your relationship and your finances.

INVESTING

Shilpan @ Street Smart Finance writes The Best Investment Strategy for Growth and Income – There is no doubt that both value and growth investing styles have their share of staunch followers. Those who believe in Graham and Warren Buffett’s value investment style believe that growth investing is for roulette players. On the other hand, growth investors believe that value investing is a thing of the past with mediocre return at best for the serious investors.

Matt @ Dividend Monk writes Gordon Growth Model Overview – A description of the simple method to determine a fair price to pay for most stable, blue-chip companies.

IMB @ Investing Money writes How to Get Started Investing Money – Find out how you can get started investing money. It’s never too early to start.

Corey @ Steadfast Finances writes Unusual Investment Ideas – Looking for nontraditional investment ideas? Look no further. While these may not be as safe, they could provide you with positive returns.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes Don’t Be Fooled Into These Life Insurance Policies – Here are five of my favorite insurance life policies that I love to hate. You don’t need these five life insurance policies. Don’t waste your money on them.

Eddie @ Finance Fox writes Maybe Home Ownership Isn’t For You – There is more to life than home ownership, and it isn’t the only way. If you ENJOY owning a home, more power to you. But not everyone does.

My Own Advisor @ My Own Advisor writes How many dividend stocks are enough? – I guess one goal for dividend investors should be to reach a saturation point whereby the addition of one more stock in the portfolio marginally reduces volatility. To reach this goal, you’re gonna need more than a few stocks I’m sure… Read on to find out what I feel, is a healthy amount of stocks to own for diversification purposes.

BARBARA FRIEDBERG @ Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance writes CAN YOU RELY ON THE 4% RULE IN RETIREMENT? – Are you properly preparing for retirement? Read about retirement issues to consider.

krantcents @ KrantCents writes Home Gym on a Budget – Would you like a home gym? All the movie stars have a home gym and you can too! Do you have to be a movie star to have one? No, not really! In fact, you can put one together for very little money.

Jen @ Master the Art of Saving writes My Plan to Save a LOT of Money – We’re planning to close on our house the first or second week of September, so we don’t have much time to save a lot of money. My goal is to take advantage…..

TRL @ The Retired Landlord writes Real Estate Investing is Easier with Positive Cash Flow – If you are looking to invest in real estate, as I am looking to do, I have learned that a positive monthly cash flow is important to have. As I have already discussed, real estate investing has risks. There is a chance of having to pay the mortgage between tenants or losing money with major maintenance issues.

Kanwal @ Simply Investing writes 9 Important Reasons Why Dividends Matter – I came across a great article at Dividend Growth Stocks that I would like to share with you: “It seems that every financial adviser or financial publication is proclaiming that you should own dividend stocks. Each are proclaiming the virtues of dividend stocks from their own perspective. To that I have two questions: 1. What took you so long? 2.

Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes Get debt Under Control and Start to Enjoy Life – Find out how to pay off your debt and enjoy life as you prepare for retirement.

Investor Junkie @ Investor Junkie writes Four Top Investment Mistakes You are Making Today – Investing is a task unlike any other. Rarely is there an opportunity to outperform just by avoiding the big mistakes. The truth is, though, that the best investors aren’t those that hit home runs. The best investors simply avoid big mistakes.

SAVING

Deacon Hayes @ Well Kept Wallet writes Why it Pays to Go Back to the Store – Every time I go to Fry’s, they post the ads on the right as soon as you walk in the door. I have made it a habit to go over to see if there is anything that is a good deal or worth looking at. Well, this time I noticed that a radio I had bought within the past 30 days was on sale for $20 less. I remembered that they had a price match guarantee and decided I would ask if they would give me the difference.

Jefferson @ See Debt Run writes Four Great Uses For a Savings Account – http://seedebtrun.com/2012/08/4-great-uses-for-a-savings-account.html

Passive Income Earner @ The Passive Income Earner writes Kids and Money: The Bank Card Introduction – Introducing the bank card to children. It’s a delightful experience.

OTHER

SB @ One Cent at a Time writes How to replace HP Laptop – Effectively managing financial institution accounts is equally important as saving money. Still we don’t usually put much attention on managing side of the personal finance. In personal finance, diversification is as important as managing that diversified portfolio. Do it effectively

Ryan @ Early Retirement Investments writes Some Signs that You Need to Convert to Heat Pumps – Confused on whether you should have a heat pump or not? Read more to see if it makes sense for you!

Jon the Saver @ Free Money Wisdom writes Why Do We Worry About Money? – Worrying about money is not helpful in life. It’s better to plan and not worry so much about it. Money does not need to consume your thoughts.

Suba @ Broke Professionals writes 5 Easy Ways to Irritate Your Boomer Boss – 5 Easy Ways to Irritate Your Boomer Boss is a post from: Broke Professionals if you enjoy it, please visit us and subscribe to the Feed.

Jason @ Work Save Live writes Popular Jobs in Tax Friendly Countries – With all the debate around Mitt Romney’s possible assets overseas, it makes you wonder more about the places like Gibraltar, Andorra, the Cayman Islands and more. These places are known as tax shelters, and as such, they usually have a lot of bankers and financial institutions in place.

Corey @ 20s Finances writes Do You Remember Your First Time? – Getting approved for a credit card without having any previous credit history can be a challenge. Find out what you can do to get approved.

Roger the Amateur Financier @ The Amateur Financier writes The Success of Others and My Motivation – A discussion of how the success of other people influences me, and how such success (and the converse failure) can influence everyone.

Jester @ The Ultimate Juggle writes Family Spending Choices Versus Family Wants – Struggling to balance the best mix of family spending and saving for the future.

Daisy @ Add Vodka writes An Unsent Letter to People Who Are Selling Things – Dear whomever this may concern: While I appreciate your drive to make money so that you can buy winter booties for your dog and another cardigan sweater from BCBG instead of paying down your debt, please stop sending me sly. Read more of my unsent letter!

Ashley @ Money Talks Coaching writes Trying to Get My Daughter to Save – I’ve mentioned several times that my daughter really doesn’t get money. She doesn’t care to earn it. She doesn’t care to keep it.

Aloysa @ My Broken Coin writes My Not Quite Traditional Marriage – When we met over seven years ago, both of us were poor. I was a full-time student, working full-time, my spending problems were in full gear, debt piling up.

SFB @ Simple Finance Blog writes Minimalism At Home: Do I Really Need Six Sets of Sheets? – I hate laundry day; or, rather, when you have two children under the age of four and a husband who changes clothes more often than a budding fashionista, it’s more like laundry days. Despite that, I still follow my mother’s old adage that you should wash your bath towels weekly and your bed sheets every…

Shawanda @ You Have More Than You Think writes Secret Tricks to Grabbing the Best Travel Deals – Making the most of your travel dollars will give you peace of mind and set the stage for a relaxing vacation.

JP @ My Family Finances writes Reasons Why Families Need to Get Life Insurance: Take It From a Guy Not Trying to Sell You a Policy – There are plenty of convincing reasons for buying life insurance; I need not frighten you.

Don @ MoneySmartGuides writes Can People Not Save for Retirment? – Teresa Ghilarducci is back again. I previously wrote about her wanting Guaranteed Return Accounts (GRA) for Americans back in July of 2010. She is still advocating these accounts, now with updated numbers to make her point.

Jennifer Lynn @ Broke-Ass Mommy writes The Best Piece of Writing Advice, Ever. – This is the best information on writing advice that I know of, read more to see if you agree.

Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes Which is the Greener Option – Shopping Online or Shopping at a Store? – Shopping online has become the method of choice for many people but I’m still not convinced it’s for me.

John @ Married (with Debt) writes The Savings to be Made from Paying Off Your Mortgage Early – The savings to be made from paying off your mortgage early For most Canadians, the biggest debt they will ever have is a home mortgage.

A Blinkin @ Funancials writes How To Lose Money and Hate The Stock Market – Do the exact opposite of what you find in this article and you will be on your way to riches. Find out how to lose money and hate the stock market. Don’t meet with your adviser regularly. Check your brokerage account or stock daily. Watch the news. Take stock-picking advice from a friend. Buy high, sell low.

Crystal @ Budgeting in the Fun Stuff writes My Take on Life Insurance – Today, I am participating in the huge Life Insurance Movement in the blogging world that was started by Good Financial Cents. Here is my life insurance take.

Daniel @ Sweating the Big Stuff writes Five Wedding Gifts You Shouldn’t Buy For A Friend – Some gifts are appropriate for specific audiences. Others will almost definitely be returned. Here are five gifts that you shouldn’t get for friends.

Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes When Should You Replace Your Old Car For A New One? – When it comes to making smart money moves, our family has never been a big fan of buying a new car.

PITR @ Passive Income To Retire writes Hidden Risks of a Mortgage Fine Print – Find out how to avoid the most common mortgage mistakes.

Invest It Wisely @ Invest It Wisely writes Are You an Introvert? Here’s How to Make the Most of Your Conference Experience – If you are introverted, read how to make the best of conferences!

Luke @ Learn Bonds writes How to Choose a High Yield Bond Fund – Interested in choosing a high yield bond fund but not sure where to start? Here is a 6 step guide walking you through the entire process.

SBB @ Simple Budget Blog writes Simple Ways to Cut Monthly Expenses – Do you need a little extra cash? We offer simple ways for you to save money without it being a huge inconvenience.

Kevin @ Thousandaire writes 4 Reasons We May be Headed for a Recession – Read these four reasons that we might be heading for a recession, see if you relate!

Maria @ The Money Principle writes The Rise in Health Negligence Payouts – Policies has effects and in this article the increase in health negligence payouts is discussed.

YFS @ Your Finances Simplified writes 5 Ways Marriage Can Make You Richer – The cake has been cut, the champagne cork has been popped, and confetti has been strewn all over the place.

L Bee @ L Bee and the Money Tree writes Taking a break matters! – Hey guys, I’ve been away for about a week or so while technical issues with my self-hosting site get ironed out. Even though I was on “vacation” with my blog I was still in training for my part-time gig and …

SB @ One Cent at a Time writes 10 Tips to Avoid Internet Fraud and Scams – In most cases of online scams, people are either careless or ignorant. That is the reason they are cheated quiet easily. Following are the 10 ways to protect yourself from being cheated in to scams and frauds

SB @ Finance Product Reviews writes Kiva Microloan Review – an Attempt to Understand Kiva – This is review of Kiva micro-loan program. Is Kiva legit, is Kiva worth it. Learn more about the allegations against Kiva. Learn how can you lend to Kiva or borrow from Kiva.

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More nifty carnivals to make your eyes bleed:

Carnival of MoneyPros at Simple Finance Blog
Carnival of Retirement at My Family Finances
Carn. of Financial Camaraderie at My University Money
Wealth Artisan’s FinCarn at Wealth Artisan
Y & T’s Weekend Ramblings at Young and Thrifty

Happy Labor Day!!

=^..^=

Expenses.

This weekend was brutal, financially. Another wedding. (Our second within a month.) A stag party last night. And another wedding reception next weekend.

M. and I calculated our wedding gift expenses, and it’s reaching such an exorbitant amount, I feel foolish (as a professed frugal-y chick) confessing the amount. I wonder how others deal with wedding gift expenses toward dear ones?

We haven’t blown through our entire budget, but next month we do need to aggressively tighten the purse strings, to recoup from these sprightly bashes.

My Financial Challenge Update.

As a stay-at-home mommy without a reliable income stream, I made a financial challenge at the start of summer to raise $1,000, somehow. This is how things currently stand:

(All income was passively made from previous writing projects & sponsors.)

June – $80.00
July – $57.71
August – $257.05

I’ve been incredibly lax but income has slooooowly been trickling in.

Now, my other dilemma: once my goal is reached, since I’m nearly half-way there, how should this money be invested?

To express my gratitude for your support with this site, I find this an exciting opportunity to give back to you, my broke-ass reader, in a sort of reader give-back scenario. So I am considering sponsoring a cash giveaway once my $1,000 milestone is successfully attained—something along the lines of 20 percent ($200) to one lucky reader and 10% ($100) to a charity. The remainder will most likely be stashed into our family savings, to help replenish the coffers from wedding expenses, etc.

Jacob from My Personal Finance Journey does a monthly community and charity giveback and I think it’s the niftiest idea, ever.

What do you think? What would you do right now with $1,000?

Be sure to sign up for email updates or click the ‘subscribe to this feed’ link at the end of this post so you don’t miss out on the progress of my $1,000 Broke-Ass Financial Challenge.

My to-do list this evening:

Read and respond to emails and comments left on Broke-Ass Mommy.
Devour a peach. DONE
Investigate why my Site Meter suddenly went kaput.
Browse through sites listed on my blog roll, and comment accordingly.
Hunker down and pay my American Express bill and car insurance.
Watch a movie with M. tonight.

Here’s what I’m currently reading:

• Metro Santa Cruz (feature story, John Moss). Field Trippin’ — One high school teacher’s account of a trip he didn’t mean to take
  Drugs are a common topic in my classroom. The students have questions and I have answers, and if I can prevent one less overdose or drunken driving death, it’s worth it. My students get fucked up. We live in the wine country, and whenever you live in a booze-based economy, kids are going to grow up with issues…Max had left a screensaver depicting 12 tabs of Scooby-Doo windowpane acid on one of my classroom computers. I told him to do a research paper on Timothy Leary and quit being such an asshole. I think that’s why he dosed me.

aaahhh hahahahahahahahaha…
UGH.

=^..^=

At the moment, even before a vintage typewriter (which I’ve always wanted, for the sheer pleasure of tapping on polished keys, to hear that familiar clickety-clack), I would love to acquire a sturdy, waterproof metal detector and wield it around like a bad-ass, foraging through meadows and beaches, to unearth elusive coins and other fascinating relics.

It could even spawn a whole new website, where I track the sheer awesome-ness of my treasure hunts!

(Me, trying to convince M. what a fun and cool investment this will be):
You know that Roman solidus gold coin minted in Constantinople that I’ve been looking for, we could discover one, but instead of purchasing it from an auction house, we dig it up from the earth. It could be right here, buried beneath our feet. HOW COOL IS THAT?

M.: No. I want a geiger counter.

Choosing a particle detector that measures ionizing radiation over a bad-ass metal detector??

It’s amazing I still find him adorable.

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What I’m currently reading:
(And I’m soo using these as ammunition!)

Ancient Coins Worth 15 Million Found By Amateur Treasure Hunters
Roman coins mother lode! UK treasure hunter, using a metal detector, finds 52,000 ancient coins worth over $5 million

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Also included for your reading pleasure, some financial carnivals whirled through this week:

Totally Money Carnival at James Petzke: Graduating with a Surplus
Yakezie Carnival at Kylie Ofiu
Carnival of Retirement at Life Insurance by Jeff
Nerdy Finance Carnival at Nerdy Finance Carnival
Carnival of MoneyPros at Making Sense Of Cents
Wealth Artisan’s FinCarn at Wealth Artison
Y & T’s Weekend Ramblings at Young and Thrifty
Carn. of Financial Camaraderie at The University of Money

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On the financial front, we had to slap $200.00 worth of savings toward replacing a control arm and ball joint for the driver’s side of my vehicle. This is the second ball joint replacement in the past year (six months ago it was the passenger side), and I am not pleased. So, essentially, M. and I have chewed through $1,200 in the past few weeks between these car repairs and our recent family vacation to Cape Ann.

So, financially, we’ll be hunkering back into savings mode. Except for, of course, my shiny, new metal detector, folks, which I fully expect to be propped on the patio, fired up and ready to go, by next week.

Because, who doesn’t have room in their budget for a metal detector?
(Or a geiger counter. But it’s not quite the same.)

=^..^=

Our Anticipated Budget For Our Road Trip: $960.00

Starting Mileage: 37,224
Ending Mileage: 38,300

Total Distance Traveled: 1,076 miles

Day 1 -
Saturday, July 21, 2012.

The first day consisted mainly of driving for over ten hours and then staking a claim to our land upon arrival, followed by camp set-up.

Lexi and I in our humble dwelling for the week

Final Cost :  $49.32 gas / $2.65 large coffee / $16.65 tolls / $128.00 Cape Ann camping, four days = $196.57

Day 2 -
Sunday, July 22, 2012.

We drove to Good Harbor beach during the morning, and then visited Wingaersheek Beach for some evening clamming during low tide. Lexi was delighted to watch Papa sift through and dig wayyy down into the sand with his bare hands, to harvest some fresh Atlantic clams.

Final Cost: $6.99 brandy / $33.43 groceries / $7.00 ice & tent stakes = $47.42

Day 3 -
Monday, July 23, 2012.

We explored the Cape Ann and Ipswich area further, and browsed some antique shops in Essex. For dinner, we stopped by the docks and bought four live lobsters straight off the boat, and brought the wriggling, thrashing beasts back to camp for a scrumptious lobster feast over our campfire.

Our campfire lobster feast.

Lexi has the claws duke it out.

Final Cost: $20 four fresh lobster, straight off the boat / $47.50 beer, ice, lemon & asparagus, salad, and other groceries = $67.50

Day 4 -
Tuesday, July 24, 2012. Lexi’s first birthday!

It was my butter bean’s first birthday and we spent the afternoon swishing through the streets of Salem and visiting the haunting, eerie sites from the witch trial hysteria of 1692.
(I was less than bewitched, however, to discover a Salem parking ticket tacked to the windshield.)

Salem, Massachusetts

Then it was off to the Cape Ann harbor for a festive dinner at the Gloucester House. I ordered some steamers and succulent seafood ravioli, and M. and I polished the birthday celebration off with a slice of triple-layer chocolate cake, with one unlit peppermint candle plopped among the buttery ripples.

We sang happy birthday to Lexi (who was absolutely tickled to be up past her bedtime) and, while she was absorbed with cooing and waving at the waitresses, Mommy slyly wolfed down the delectable chocolate treat.

Happy first birthday, Lexi!

Final Cost: $64 camp reservations, two more nights / $2 ice / $44.21 gas / $16 Salem Dungeon entrance fee / $12 Salem Witch Museum entrance fee / $22 Urban Oasis for lunch / $15 parking ticket in Salem / $100.00 dinner at the Gloucester House in Cape Ann = $275.21

Day 5 -
Wednesday, July 25, 2012.

Wednesday morning was gorgeous so we returned to Wingaersheek Beach during low-tide so Lexi could wade into the water and scout for sea shells and sand dollars. My precious girl was soo captivated by the beach and got a kick out of observing other children splashing around and playing in the ocean.

Spotted: clams, crabs, loads of fish, and sand dollars.

Wingaersheek Beach

Final Cost: $18.00 ice, water, propane & other groceries / $10.00 Wingaersheek beach parking pass / $11.81 beer / $4.00 ice & a Snickers ice cream bar / $20.00 groceries = $63.81

Day 6-
Thursday, July 26, 2012.

Stick figure built to ward against any lingering bad mojo from Salem. Seconds later, Lexi decapitated the poor chap.

The Cape Ann weather forecast was ominously warning about possible severe storms and hail, so we decided to break camp a day early and head to Boston before returning home.

We had a comical incident where I was gnawed on by a tick and consequently burned, and then it was off to the Boston Aquarium for the morning. We left Boston right before rush-hour traffic started to jam up the highways, and were homeward-bound by 3 p.m.

Final Cost: $35.00 Boston parking garage / $45.90 Boston Aquarium Admission / $35.46 gas / $3.80 Boston toll / $4.00 Massachusetts Pike toll / $40.54 lunch @ Applebee’s / $5 two coffees / $11.95 toll =   $181.65

In conclusion:
The original pre-planned budget was roughly $960.00.

Unexpected Expenses: $15.00 Parking ticket in Salem, Massachusetts

Cape Ann & Boston, Final Vacation Cost: $832.16

Now that our vacation is over, it’s back to the writing hole, so expect regular updates once again.

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