Spring Fever

It's been beautiful in SoCal this week....since hubby and I are both in education, we've been off of work and generally, that means spending money. This week has been different...somewhat...we took my car in for routine maintenance and have a $1400+ appointment waiting for us on Monday. The good news is that we had an original bid from Toyota close to $2000...hubby called a trusted mechanic who is also a family friend, who also has a successful automotive care business and we're going with the $1400 bid. The even better news is that we have the savings for it...sadly, it takes about 50% of our savings...but we're avoiding charging for this needed expense.

Today is a no drive/ no spend day...we're basking in the family home with the kids...though we're all doing our own thing...it's nice to get kisses and hugs as we pass eachother in the home...we have leftovers from yesterday that I'm forcing myself to use...which brings me to my resolve for the upcoming month...

1. I will purchase two gas cards from Costco for hubby and I and we will use those for our gas needs for our cars this month
2. I found a treasure in a local market called "Cardenas"....it caters to the Latino community (latina in the house! smile) and the prices are amazing! so, I'm going cash-only this month for groceries...and will avoid going inside Costco. The reason is simple...I spend 200-300 when I go for the month...and right now, we're good on household needs and in light of our car issue, I need to build our savings fast....so, I'll go to Cardenas once a week and take 40-50 bucks and see what I can find. Our weakness is convenience foods for kids lunches...but, I'm going for bean/cheese burritos-yogurt-homemade treat-fresh fruit for the kids lunches...we'll see how it goes...it sounds good...right?
3. We will use left over food...I generally make my menu for the week on Sunday and whatever is left over freeze...well, that has built up to some weird frozen items that look quite nasty...so, if it's too much for lunch the next day, then it will be a form of dinner the following night and I vow to make sure it is consumed with two days.
There is nothing I hate more than wasting time and money and food not consumed is a waste of both...

Confessions of a Gen-Xer

I think I get it now...the whole Gen X thing....this idea that those of us who fall under this label are in fact, label-less....so maybe many of us (uh, me) have racked up debt...unconsciously- in search of a label....in search of meaning....because we weren't given meaning. As I've reached adulthood, I've struggled with meaning and place and identity and the Gen-X label crops up....latch key kid, 50% of GenX-ers are products of divorced homes, slackers, grunge.....all of it negative....and so we (I...in fact, I'll switch to that pronoun now) I have sought to consume in order to BE....yes, I'm reading "A New Earth" and that resonates with the reality that I've been in a slumber-fiscally, emotionally....and maybe it's part of the Gen-X identity....dunno....but, I don't want to be part of Gen-Debt.....I want to be Gen-Debt-Free.....

At some point, I'll have to get real...right...at some point I'll have to post my facts....post the data....post my stupidity. I'm questioning why the blog...and all I can do is think that if I'm facing this others are too...and, this blog will keep me accountable....and it will be a place to share the highs and lows and the creative ways I've cut costs and saved money thus far. So here it goes....blog-on...