Search Results for: blog hi im michelle and im an overspender

Grandpa’s Shop

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One of the coolest things about my father-in-law is that he’s self-employed and has been for a very long time. He works with his hand and his heart and his head. He’s situated in a historic part of the town, sort of an outdoor shopping mall type feel, but in a very small town with lots of unique shops. This is a great little treasure amidst the otherwise national brands the grace most of the rest of our city. The last time we had visited Grandpa’s shop was when our son was too young to walk (if memory serves). This … Continue reading →

Debt vs. Financial Freedom

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Recent studies have shown more and more Americans are paying off their credit card debt. However, conflicting reports are showing Americans averaging several thousands of dollars in debt; many of these people spending more in a year than they actually make. My husband and I stayed on the rollercoaster of credit card debt for more than ten years until we took the plunge and paid them off. I recall several times we charged our groceries and years ago, even charging our rent. God has not intended for us to live beyond our means. He has promised, as with the birds … Continue reading →

Are You an Over Spender?

Are you an over spender? Do you have difficulty sticking to a budget? Or do you have a hard time knowing where you spend your money? Are you surprised at the balance in your account every time you go to an ATM? Do you frequently pay overdraft charges and wonder why you never have enough money? It may be that you make enough money that you feel like you shouldn’t have to worry about what you are spending, but if you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you have a spending problem. It is important that you … Continue reading →

The Dirty Word – Budget

Say budget in a small gathering of your friends and you’ll likely hear a bunch of groans and sighs. The word itself is likely to stop any party dead and most of us find it pretty dang boring to think of setting up a budget. Why oh why should we be expected to control and keep track of our money if our government can’t seem to do it? What if our neighbor seems to be really happy living a million dollar lifestyle on a $100,000.00 a year salary? It’ll catch up. I warn you, living beyond your means – or … Continue reading →

Tips for Getting a Sales Price

The week before Christmas I went to the grocery store looking for a sale on some Christmas items. They had kept moving some of the perishables, and I couldn’t find the chestnuts or the special Panettone bread we buy each year – but I knew they had them somewhere! So I asked a clerk where the items had been moved to, and then I asked about Christmas items going on sale. They got the manager and put the items on sale right then – on the spot – just for me! Of course this won’t always work, but asking for … Continue reading →

The New Year and a New Budget…. Coming …..

It’s a New Year and time to think about my budget for the year ahead. Maybe you have already planned expenses for the upcoming year, but I am just starting to get the numbers down on paper. As I have casually mentioned in just a few blog posts, Hubby and I, well, – we’ve got some debt. In a spending spree extraordinare last year, we remodeled our kitchen, installed a gourmet coffee machine, spent our savings on our fridge and still managed to travel a bit. Then Christmas came, we hosted for a family of seven and I knew our … Continue reading →

My Loves and Hates Around Budgeting

I’ve only been budgeting a short time, so Hubby and I are still feeling our way around. So far, this is what budgeting to me means: Pre- spending your money on paper, before you actually get the cash in hand. Taking a set amount of cash, needed for the week in envelopes. Watching prices at the grocery store. Writing everything down on a daily (hubby) or weekly (hubby and I together) basis to evaluate our financial situation. Sounds easy enough …. NOT! I’m forced to think about things like: What do we want to eat for dinner this week? And … Continue reading →

Hi, I’m Michelle and I’m an Overspender

I’ve been a working gal all my life. My first job was at twelve years old helping the neighbor lady in her small grocery store down the road. Every Friday I’d proudly get my paycheck and…. spend it. Years later,as a married woman, I more or less did the same thing. I got my paycheck, and hubby and I spent it. We went out to dinner, to the bars, I got massages, had spa days, and bought new clothes at the trendy spot downtown. Then Hubby and I adopted a little girl and I quit working. Suddenly we found ourselves … Continue reading →