Reality check...

Living on less than we earn has been a challenge (this is the first pay period where we've actually taken steps to ensure we live within our means). The $140.00 we started with is dwindling swiftly....we are down to $26.00. I will need to purchase diapers before the end of the week ($15.73). Today I had to buy a few toiletries for #3 and cringed at my shrinking stash.

I also have to decide how much to take out of this next paycheck for daily spending. The first $847.72 is 'already spent' so to speak. I'm not even sure if the check is going to BE that big...hubby's hours have been very sporadic lately.

Just seeing the amount needed to pay the rest of the bills for the month is very discouraging...I doubt the check will even cover that amount...if that's the case how do I continue to live on less than we earn?? For the next two weeks we will need money for 1) gas $60, 2) basketball fees $25, 3)toiletries? $40, 4)cushion $25. That's $150.00 for those of you who can't add ;) A paycheck of $997.72 is less than likely...damn...do I pay a bill late? Do we struggle through and feel so very proud of ourselves for making it? I have doubts the family will be with me on that one! I expect Hubby to have the biggest problem. We are almost ready to file our taxes and our refund is fairly large so he will probably be of the, "But we'll have it paid w/ our tax return." I'm trying to change our habit of spending the money before it comes in. There are always excuses to wait until X to start...and that has gotten us to where we are. With our tax return we already have planned to pay off these crippling credit cards, so any money we spend now takes away from our debt pay-off; extending their ownership of us.

THIS NEEDS TO STOP.

I'm also worried about the return and how we have 'so far' agreed to disperse it. Mathematically it should come extremely close to paying off all of our credit cards. I've always been the "instant gratification" type and am so excited to see ZERO balances on our statements.
I am pretty sure hubby has a 'want list' and is thinking some of the money should go to these "wants" because he's "worked so hard and deserves X reward"

He needs gratification in some areas where I have no problem waiting and it's an ongoing discussion...I can live w/o cable, he claims not to be able to...yesterday I decided that instead of buying him a gift for his birthday I will not have the cable disconnected. The money I would have spent anyway...and this way I am expressing my understanding of this need.

I just want to be out of debt and not have to worry about the payments we send out every month...we might actually be able to relax (just a little bit). With five kids relaxing isn't very high on our list of priorities!!

Wish me luck as I pull my hair out this week waiting for the check to be in my hands!