I was just checking out my side bar... my main goal was to file our taxes by Jan. 31. Yeah, hasn't happened yet. I am pretty sure I have everything, just need to get it done.

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My husband and I have been chatting a lot about "what next?" Do we stay in this house until our youngest son graduates? Do we look to move sooner? We go back and forth almost daily. We have about 135K in equity, but I am not sure I want to go through the hassle of selling, even if it's to downsize. We owe 193K on the house.

I think we ask this question a lot because there are things we want to do around here and we just want to make sure it makes sense. Like, this storage shed my husband has been building for us.



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We've incurred some debt as of late... It's been a while. We paid off and sold a car (to my son) and decided to purchase a truck. It was a difficult decision to make - to go further into debt - but I am fine with our decision, and I am focused on paying off my car ASAP. We owe 14K on it - I know I can pay it off in less than 18 months, so that's my goal.

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We got new PUPPIES! They are cheagles... Chihuahua and Beagle mixes. Their names are Beatrice and Ramona!
I forgot how much puppies need (shots, food, toys, beds). $$ but worth it! I lurve them so much.

So much going on... so much to plan for... so many goals to write down. I am declaring 2017 a SPEND VERY LITTLE year. We have done a ton of road tripping and weekend getaways over the past 3 years (and had so much fun and created SO MANY MEMORIES) but I am ready to settle down and decide what we want LONGTERM.

My oldest (21 on Monday) is still living with us. He causes zero issues, and is in school... but he's got some planning to do, too.

My middle (17) graduates in May and I have a feeling she will be hitting the road as soon as she is able.

We will soon be a family of three and I think that qualifies us for some budget adjusting and goal making!

This year (last 12 months) we did travel a lot. Probably spent upwards of 8,000. I REALLY want to refrain from that in 2017 and see what we can throw at debt (house, student loans, car).

We did pay off Car 2 a few months ago (need to update my sidebar). A whole year early. Happy at that!

I spent a few hours testing out a zero balance budget... I just need to get us through the holidays. We have birthdays, holidays, Christmas, etc...

So, here's to budget setting and goal making for 2017!

I need to update my side bars... I found out that I owe $4100 on Car 2... I went into detail about it before... my brother purchased the car for his then girlfriend - unloaded her and then needed to unload the car, so I stepped in. We've been paying on it for 4 years and we can finally see the light! =) I am thinking of putting an extra $400 towards it for the next few months to see if we can just get it paid. Then I have to deal with getting it transferred into my name.

The tags are due this month, but I just realized that I have to get an emissions test done, so $157 set aside for tags and the test.

I was able to put $700 towards debt today! And another $600 to savings.

We've also had some expenses come up... Two dogs bites and, subsequently, two ER trips. Same dog, one victim was the husband and the other was my 9 year old. Exactly a week a part. My husband required plastic surgery, but my son did not. The hospital bills so far are $1200 (that's just the ER visit portion)... waiting to get bills from doctors and then for my husband's three day stay. The husband and kiddo are doing well, considering.

Sadly, we had to turn our pup in (another fee)... We just can't take any more chances. I don't feel like he is aggressive...But I do think he was trying to show his dominance. Animal Control was certain a rescue would come take him since he's only 2 and not yet neutered (may be part of the reason for his actions)... He may still have a chance. We've had the guy since he was just 8 weeks old and loved him MUCHO. So sad. We all have heavy hearts. And our other dog is missing him.

I have big plans for the weekend! We are going tennis shoe shopping and I may try to find some side chairs for my living room. 

And here I thought I only took the months of December and January off... Sheesh! It's been since October.

We spent money, went on vacation, paid the bills, celebrated the holidays, dealt with some drama... and we've landed safely on the other side.

I got my 2016 spreadsheet all cleaned up and the budget built out. Yesterday was our first payday of February so I took care of business and paid the bills. I still need to go grocery and Costco shopping this weekend, but we are set up to have a great week.

I get my yearly bonus on next Friday... $12k. Not too shabby. I have so many items on my wish list (mostly house stuff: replace slider with double doors, fix A/C, think about new counter tops)... but after taxes, the money only goes so far.

We are trying to figure out our vacations this year... far less than the previous years, but still want to get away this summer. I am thinking roadtrip to Colorado.

I love the feeling of a new year, warmer weather (we are in Arizona - expecting 80s all week) - I feel like I can accomplish anything... even my health goals!

In 2011, my brother was in Iraq (Army) and was dealing with an emergency at home. I stepped in and helped. I flew to North Carolina and collected his 16 year old daughter and his second car (really his ex-girlfriend's car in HIS name). My niece stayed with us for about a year, the Mazda hasn't left. I took over the payments in February of 2012.

For all intents and purposes, the car is ours. We drive it, care for it, and continue to make the payments. Once the car is paid for, my brother will transfer the title into our name. There were a few reasons why we did this.

1) To help my brother out
2) We wouldn't be able to get a new car at the rate he had (we had teens starting to drive)
3) The car was only 11 months old and in perfect condition

The light is finally near the end of the tunnel... Just under $6000 left. And I want to get it paid off as quickly as possible. So I spent the day figuring stuff out. Bottom line... the amount he pays to interest is SOOOO low, because a) we are near the end and b) his rate with USAA is phenomenal.

In doing the math, I realized that if we throw an additional $200 a month MINIMUM to the Mazda's principle, we could pay the car off 8 months early. We don't save a whole lot of interest (see a and b up there), but we would be saving the $320 payment each month (which of course we would start to throw at the Dodge - more on that later).

We have a weekly pizza night each Wednesday. We pay $50 for 2 XL pizzas and wings. That gives us dinner for 5 (or 6 if the DS's girlfriend is over) PLUS left overs for lunch for the DH and I on Thursdays, so two meals. But, if we eliminate that each month for the next 8 months, then we are in business. I can make homemade pizza and wings much cheaper... More work, but I will suck it up.

BONUS: If the DH goes in for OT for 2 days per pay period, once a month (or once or twice during the next 8 months), we could knock that out even faster (he generally brings in $1000 extra for two extra days of work, during holiday weeks it's even more).

So, we've got our eyes on the prize... getting the Mazda paid off by August 2016 (instead of February 2017).