WORKS FOR ME WEDNESDAY...ON A THURSDAY!

It seems I have a little catching up to do. Little Man is in bed sleeping peacefully with his favorite monkey (a gift from Papa) and his favorite frog. Daddy, after working a 65 hour week, is also in bed sleeping very soundly, I'm sure. So, this leaves me some free time to blog away!

I think I will start with my very own, and very first, Works For Me. Now, this is quite the acomplishment because NOTHING has really worked for me in the past year. I literally take things one day at a time. I have my father, Curmudgeon Central, to thank for this one. It's called my budget sheet...and it has worked like a charm for one whole year! A little history first...when I met my hubby and moved in with him, we decided right away that we would combine our checking accounts but I was in charge of the money. Heh, heh, definately did NOT work for me back in those days. He didn't keep a check register so I thought neither will I. Bad move, very bad move. So, to make a nasty story short the bank hated me for quite some time. Now, I am not proud of this fact, not proud at all. That is why, when I was 6 months pregnant, I ran the long trek (three houses down) to my parent's and bawled at their kitchen table because I had yet again flubbed up our account. That's when Dad, he who is almost as organized as mom, busted out The Budget Sheet.

Basically, what it is, is a document my dad created that broke out the month into 4 weeks. Each week had it's own little box with 6 more little boxes inside. Above the little boxes is one box that you write down what your paycheck is going to be. In the little boxes you write down what bills you have due for that week and how much is owed. With a little basic subtraction you can figure out what you are spending on bills for that week and how much money you will have left over for whatever!

This has worked wonders for me. I get paid twice a month and Andy gets paid once a week so not only are my bills paid ON TIME, the bank loves me again. I have not bounced a check in alomst a year and I have started keeping a check register again. The beginning of every month I sit down and fill in my Budget Sheet and I am good to go for the whole month. Talk about having your paycheck spent before you even get it, but this works for me!