My day

Today was quite the day for me.
I was actually a bit bummed because a friend was supposed to come over, but plans changed (although tomorrow she will come over and teach me some new skills LOL!)
But all was well. I hung out with the kids, spent some time on internet land, hung out with the kids, managed to clean the kitchen pretty well, hung out with the kids and then went to work in the sewing room.
I've had a pile of things needing help down there and so today I repaired 2 skirts and 2 stuffed animals. I had two very happy girls when I returned the newly hole-less animals to them.
I was sort of shocked by how happy they were frankly, but what an easy way to please them!
Then we got the mail and today my FPU kit came in the mail! I was very excited to see it since tonight was our first class!
So after a nice dinner, dh and I left and went to class.
As silly as it sounds, I was so nervous! I even had a mini-debate on what I should wear to this class - because you know that is a big deal (yes, I think I'm kind of dorky when it comes to these things!). But we made it to class and it wasn't frightening. There were no pop quizzes or tests or anything like that. We actually missed the first session so tonight was the second session for everyone else.
On the way home dh and I talked. I have to tell you, as much as I am looking forward to implementing these ideas, I am also dreading it. Tonight we talked about budgeting. First, I should tell you, dh and I know how to make the most perfect budget ever. We just have never been able to follow one very well. And we never knew how to plan for a 5 week month over a 4 week month and how to work in those costs that only come up every so often (like car insurance and things like that). Now, this program specifically covers both those issues and I think I like it better than what we have tried to do in the past. But that means we need to start a budget, and more importantly we need to follow a budget.
So we started to chat about it. We talked about how this Christmas we may have to scale back. We might have to eliminate half the people we traditionally buy for. How we might have to limit birthday gifts for a while. We know our biggest expense each and every month is our house. So we talked about if we thought we should really think about selling it and getting something less costly. That option feels completely wrong to both of us right now. So we are going to operate as if that isn't an option. Who knows, maybe in 3 months we will have to revisit that idea, but seeing as we both are in agreement, we will have to make it work somehow.
Anyway, I have to say, that what we talked about tonight made complete sense to me. It clicked in my head. It clicked in dh's head. And of course, having to go back next week with that budget in hand will be a fabulous motivator to get it done and take it seriously. After one night I have to say I like it a lot.
I will keep you posted each Tuesday as we go to class as to how things are going.

And of course, I have to give another HUGE BIG THANK YOU to Lu and her husband. Truly, we wouldn't have gone to this class tonight if not for her. We wouldn't be talking about these things like we did tonight - we'd simply be trying to make ends meet each month, getting stressed out and worried and that can't lead to much happiness.

As another note, one of the recommendations of the program is to start a buddy system with someone as we learn to budget and spend wisely and save wisely and all that jazz ... so anyone else out there budgeting right now? Let me know ... and we can all buddy up and share progress, the good steps forward and the bumps we hit along the way ... just a thought =)