Small victories

Yesterday was a busy day. The boys and I went to playgroup for our annual Valentines Day party. I made enchiladas in the crockpot from items I had in the pantry, and utilized the crockpot so I wasn't tied to the stove. The boys brougt their handmade (no cost) valentines and the lollipops I bought on clearance (.25). I thought it turned out really cute, and plan to do the same thing for preschool tomorrow. The only difference is that I'm baking muffins and treats, all from items I already have on hand, nothing bought just for Valentines Day.

When we came home, I was pleased to find a note from Directv, informing us that we have Showtime (approx 8 channels) free for a year, as a token for being members for so long. Considering that we don't go to the movies, don't use Netflix, and rely on the library for entertainment, this is a welcome treat. I'm looking forward to recording some movies for date and family nights.

R has the day off, and I picked up work for the day. He's taking the van in to the dealership-we heard something squeaking and want to get it looked at before something happens. While I hope nothing is wrong, we have cash to fix the problem, and won't rely on credit. Fixing the car is a need, since we only have one family vehicle. I want to mention that our garage door broke last weekend and while R is going to get estimates to have it fixed properly, its not a need so we'll wait until payday next month to put money aside for the repair. Until then, I'll park in front. This is where I know we're changing our ways. Last month I would have told R to go ahead and fix it, but I'm determined to stick to the no spend challenge. Today marks the halfway point for the month, and we're still going strong. I'm contemplating how I can continue this once the month is over. I want to plan ahead and buy things I know we'll need, but walk the line of using discretionary funds for random purchases. I think this is the only way we will finally pay off our debt- alá Dave Ramsey.