I have a potential opportunity coming up. I'll post more when I know more.

What a relaxing weekend. Dinner with the in-laws was wonderful - they opened up more than usual. I should have stayed out of the stores yesterday, though. I bought a magazine, a book, and a cookbook - tsk tsk! Also picked up the dreaded Girl Scout cookies and some crafting things. I'm way overbudget, as always. I rarely plan for these "others" like books and beads and cookies. They just happen, and then I scramble to cover the deficit. It's a recurring theme.

I was thinking about using my tax refund for my college loans, but you know what? I'd much rather go on vacation. I found a beautiful, secluded beach resort in Mexico that is just what the doctor ordered. We'll see.

I was going to attempt to live without Excedrin for one week...and failed miserably on the second day. My head was just killing me yesterday. I haven't touched the bottle today, though, so here's me, trying again. I want to make sure they aren't just rebound headaches.

Had to take a prescription painkiller to make it in to work today. Ugh. I hate these headaches. All I have to do is think about Paula Kamen's

All In My Head, though, and I am thankful that my headaches are not nearly that bad.

I went out to eat and back to the grocery store this weekend, so I am over on my challenge. I also forgot that I was tracking cash food purchases, too, so I am significantly over on my challenge. I have done better than last month, though, so that's a good thing. It helps that it's a short month.

Did my taxes this weekend and I'll be getting a nice chunk back. Now I just have to mail the forms in and wait for my payment. I'm not quite sure what to do with it, though....pay off my smaller college loan sooner? Fix my car? Put it all in savings? I suppose that will depend on how much the car fix costs.

I helped a very pregnant friend clean up her house this weekend. I did a good deed but it took up half of my weekend, and this headache took up the other half. I could use another one!

Thanks for the birthday wishes!

I had a fabulous birthday. SO and I had a delicious long lunch with my former boss (she paid). He and I went to Ikea afterwards and chipped away at a gift card we received for Christmas. I got a new dresser! I am so excited! After Ikea, we went to dinner with another couple at a great Thai restaurant (SO paid for me). Back at my place, we had ice cream cake, and I got a few very nice gifts. All in all, it was a great day. The sun was even shining - what luck! The art institute was closed, so that's why we didn't go there.

The concert on Friday was excellent, and we did eat dinner at home beforehand. I got to catch up with an old friend there, too.

We went to Brokeback Mountain on Saturday with another couple (SO had free tickets) and I paid $11 for concessions for both of us. It was a good flick. Heart-wrenching, but good.

I stayed home all day on Sunday. A migraine was building and culminated on my birthday, but I squashed it with drugs and some alternative therapy that my massage friend suggested. She's coming again on Wednesday, so I'll have to tell her that her suggestions helped.

So, not much spending on my part this weekend. It was so nice to have three days off. Wouldn't you know it, my co-workers didn't even notice I was gone! and my cube is right by theirs! Nuts. I'm glad I decided to spend the day with SO and friends instead.

I'm so happy with my credit score. They even have my largest student loan listed twice, so once that goes away, it should get higher (I hope). Given my age (only nine years of credit history), student loans, and no mortgage, I'm pretty pleased. Maybe once I am ready to apply for a mortgage, it will be closer to 800.

My head is feeling a bit better today...but I am going to attend a grade school choir/play thing tonight. I hope it isn't loud. Who am I kidding? More Excedrin, down the hatch. I should really buy stock in Bristol-Myers and Procter & Gamble (makers of Puffs, of which I must use a dozen per day).

I wish ING was extending the temporary interest hike to its current customers. I have nothing more to add to my account for the time being.

My outstanding loan balance is just under $14,000 now - yay! I should get it under $13,000 by the end of May. Progress.

Head hurts today. I decided to stay home rather than inflame it further by dragging myself to work. Lying down seems to be dislodging the hatchet in my forehead, somewhat..that and a hefty amount of Excedrin (which my masseuse friend keeps telling me to lay off of because it's hurting my stomach). Sigh.

I'm invited to a friend's birthday party tonight. It's supposed to be low-key, just a few people in someone's home, quiet. We'll see how I feel later. My friend's birthday gift still hasn't arrived in the mail. I think she will be upset if I don't go.

I'm tempted to take advantage of the Victoria's Secret online sale. I stopped in the store last weekend and they only had one style of bra on clearance, but they have everything online. Have to spend $100 to get free shipping though. I'm going to think about it for a few days. I'd rather get the sale price now than have to pay full price down the road.

I'm reading a library book, Women in the Material World, published in 1996. It's interviews and photos with women in 20 different countries. Fascinating, and disturbing. It says that in Albania, a bride's parents give the groom a bullet to show him just how much power he has over his new wife (their DAUGHTER). So many of the women walk hours each way to buy food for their families, and they scrub their clothing on rocks in dirty river water. I'm far too lucky...not only because I have a car and a laundry machine, but because I can be true to myself and not have to allow any man to dictate how I live my life. How I value my independence and freedom.

More 2005 accomplishments:
~Paid off smallest college loan
~Paid $200 extra to middle college loan
~Paid $545 extra to largest college loan

Things I liked about 2005:
~I moved out of my one bedroom apartment and into a larger, better, and ultimately cheaper one with my sweetie
~I donated a ton of excess stuff before the move, making things clearer and fresher
~I adopted two adorable kitties
~I got a new job, one that is a small step closer to my ultimate goal
~I had no medical issues resulting in large bills

I could go on. I liked 2005. It was one of my better years so far. Humorously enough, my 16th year was my favorite...my 26th year was one of the better ones, too. Maybe 36 will be rockstar quality?

My sweetie has the flu. I wish he had gotten the flu shot like I had asked him to. He is diabetic, which makes it much more complicated, so I have been watching him closely. He seems to be improving a bit, but I am ready to take him to the ER at any moment.

LOVE the new Avon Headache Relief. It really makes a difference. I ordered more tubes of it so I can carry it everywhere!

Yes, I know, at the mere age of 26 I should not be so fed up with the working world. But I am. I am so tired of working. I took yesterday off, and all I could think was, "I SO do not want to go to work EVER AGAIN." I wish there was some way for me to stay home and make money. The only way it is really socially acceptable to stay home and not work is to have children and become a stay at home mom (and even then, they don't get much respect). However, I don't want the children piece, so that foils that idea!

It would be so nice to be able to sleep in until 11 if I had a headache. It would be so nice to take a nap at 2 if I had a headache. A lot of wanting to stay at home has to do with my constant headaches.

My job is uninteresting and I have not made any friends. I miss the social aspect of work. At my last job, people talked to me. Wacky things happened. I had a few close friends to talk to. At my new job, I am lucky if someone says "hi" to me in passing.

Maybe if I was doing something remotely interesting at my job, working wouldn't be so bad...but editing this subject matter is like gnawing on old, dry toast. I think I am going to have to move if I want an interesting editing career.

The other thing that's bugging me is that all of my friends are getting huge raises and promotions. I have yet to hit $35K, almost 5 years out of college. I have friends in my age group making twice that.

*sigh* just sad, crabby, and sick of working today (and yes, I have a headache).

On the spending front, I've spent way more than I had budgeted. Car is not fixed yet. Enough said.

November 25
$1.05 water (forgot my water bottle in the dishwasher)
$.75 candy bar
approx $55 grocery store with SO (can't find the receipt, went on joint card)

My sister and SO made a delicious dinner. It was nice to come home to that. I fell asleep on the couch fairly early.

November 26
$20 movie and popcorn (cash)
$14.86 beading supplies (cash)
$75 boots for sister and me
$16.75 bowl and measuring cup
$36.46 grocery store with sister (went on joint card since most of it was for my household anyway)

After having homemade waffles for breakfast, we went to Harry Potter, and it was great! I really enjoyed it. Then we went wandering through two malls, and I bought her a pair of winter boots and a pair of high black boots for myself. I also splurged on the bowl and measuring cup (totally awesome set). She wanted some speciality groceries, so we stopped by the store. I picked up ready-made cheese fondue and garlic bread, and we had a delicious dinner at home. Yet again, I fell asleep on the couch fairly early.

November 27
$17.06 gasoline (my only fill-up this month!!!!)
$25 dinner out with friends (cash)

I baked in the morning, and made pancakes. I don't know what it was, but I was in a completely foul mood for most of the day (might have had something to do with the migraine that attacked in the middle of the night). I took my sister back to school in dense fog. She tried to pay me back for the boots, but I wouldn't let her. For some reason I feel guilty taking money from someone who has no income other than what my parents give her, because she spends ALL of her time studying. I mean all of her time. She is a spectacular student.

Later that evening, SO and I met some friends for dinner. I hadn't seen this particular friend in 4.5 years, and it was so great to see her, and to meet her partner. We had a long 3.5 hour dinner at a FABULOUS Thai restaurant. I would go back to that restaurant in a heartbeat. Seeing my friend completely cheered me up, too.

November 28
$4 parking
$2 pop and a banana

Lazed out of bed 20 minutes before I had to leave for my bus...uh, that sucked. No morning shower, and I ended up driving anyway. Oh well, the plus side is that I didn't have to walk in the rain. (Rain?? In MN? On November 28?? It's true.)

August 23 Spending:
$115 makeup
$12 dinner
TOTAL: $127

1/3 of that makeup is my sister's birthday gift, 1/3 is my mother's Christmas gift, and 1/3 was for me. I am completely done with my mother's Christmas and birthday gifts, and done with my sister's birthday gift. Now I just have to figure out what to get everyone else for Christmas. My mom is always the easiest for me. I had a great time shopping and chatting with my friend, too...definitely worth the $12!

I woke up with a headache this morning...never a good sign. I took painkiller immediately upon waking up. I hope it kicks in soon!

We may be getting a free cat this weekend! My mom has one that she rescued, and she says he's very sweet. If we're not allergic to him, we may take him home with us. We'd want to get another one to keep him company during the day. I miss having a cat. I wonder how he will take to a seven hour car ride...?

I'm still irritated with my job. I stayed home from work yesterday and tried to get over a stress-induced headache. In the afternoon, I stopped by the post office to mail out a few things to my family and my requisit half.com book. A few more groceries and home needs at Target found their way into my car. I stopped by Michaels and bought decorative candle holders for my apartment and a Christmas gift for my mother that was $20 off (I'm already done with her Christmas gift! yeah!). I wandered through Barnes and Noble and nearly came out with nothing, until I saw a magazine about businesses in my area. It had a big section on good and bad car repair shops with consumer reviews. Given my current track record of having a car shop tell me every year that I need to replace my serpentine belt, I bought it. After getting gasoline, I went home, put away the groceries, hung up my new decorations and some that had been waiting to be hung, did two loads of dishes, and oiled our new kitchen island top again. Dinner was in the crockpot and turned out ok (not enough spices, I need to get better at that). BF and I decided to ride our bikes to the library instead of vegging out in front of the tv. I really needed that! It was so refreshing! I want to go bike riding again tonight.

Post Office: $9
Target: $50
Michaels: $80
Barnes and Noble: $11
Gas: $18

Total Spent: $168

All I have left budgeted to spend on this month is one prescription, rent, my car repair, $50 to savings and $25 to Roth IRA. I'm way over budget again. I don't even want to think about it. Our pantry is completely stocked, so I need to stay out of the stores!

Friday: Didn't have to pay for lunch - nice!

Saturday: Went to look at a table and chair set for sale, but it was too big for our new place. I was soooo tired all day long. I didn't want to do anything. We went out for brunch, BF's treat. I tried to pack up some stuff as best I could. I was really wiped out...from what, I don't know. Everyone around me has been ill lately, so maybe I was fighting off an illness. Frozen pizza at home, and I went to bed early.

Sunday: Woke up super early and jumped online (first mistake). Logged on to amazon.com and placed an order for several books (second mistake). I got really good deals on them, but I am supposed to be downsizing here! Total was $53. Packed up both cars with my stuff and moved it to the new place. It was a hot, sticky day yesterday, but at least it wasn't raining! We went to Target to buy a ton of stuff for the new place; BF paid. I paid for a few more bathroom things at another store ($26). I bought dinner for both of us ($25). By then we both had pounding headaches, so we went home.

My apartment is being viewed again by another potential renter today (*crossing fingers*). I tried to make it look as nice as possible, and it looks pretty good with two carloads taken out of it. My massage therapist is coming tonight, that will be another $80.

I'm going to try to make at least one more trip to the new place with a bunch of stuff this week, before Thursday. We really need to get cracking on cleaning over there, before his stuff arrives. I imagine I'll be over there every night for the rest of the week.

I listed 11 books on half.com yesterday. What I'm wondering is, how can I possibly compete with wholesalers who list brand new books for $0.75? I think my like-new hardcover book is worth much more than that.

This was a really spend-crazy month. I've got the spending record in front of me, yet I'm not sure what happened. May is only half over and my last paycheck of the month came today, and it's mostly spent today as well. It would be SO nice to find a new place that I can live with and split the rent, so it drops drastically...right now rent payments take away 34% of my monthly net income.

The big kicker this month has been groceries, though. I've spent $175 already! The massages and my credit card bill from last month have also substantially strained my budget.

We had a great, frugal girl's night last night. I made pizza dough and provided a couple of toppings. One friend brought the rest of the toppings, breadsticks, and dessert, and the other two brought beer. We always have a great time sitting around talking and watching tv together! I really want a real dining room, so there is space for us all to sit down!

Yesterday's lunch was not so frugal, about $9 at the grocery store. I got this fabulous Amy's Kitchen frozen vegetarian Indian meal, though, and I'd love to buy them again (with coupons).

I bought groceries again today, $19 worth. I'm going to make a raspberry gelatin poke cake this weekend, as fat-free as possible. I also want to try making my first artisian style loaf of bread...I'm looking forward to it!

Headache is still here, but the hatchet is gone. I'd like to be less dependent on Excedrin!!

It has rained 17 of the last 24 days. And you thought I was kidding about monsoon season...

Spending Log
Monday: $5 Greek dinner
Tuesday: $15 oil change & tire rotation, $7 Taco Bell for 2, Walmart trip but I didn't pay.
Wednesday: $26 prescription, $7 birthday box mailing, $8 car headlight bulb, fast food breakfast but I didn't pay.
Today: I have to mail a package from a half.com sale, probably about $2.

Yesterday I stayed home form work with a migraine. I didn't actually stay in the house all day because my landlord was having it appraised and I didn't want to be around. So, I took a bunch of painkillers and BF and I went clothes shopping for him. It was an enjoyable time. I would not have gone if it had been sunny (the light would have killed me), but that was not a problem since the sun will seemingly never come back to MN. We returned home, I took more painkillers, and we went to look at four duplexes. Only one was promising, but I'd like to look at it again after the people move out, because they had so much stuff, we couldn't even open up some doors. We came home, ate frozen pizza, and I went to sleep. My head feels full today but doesn't hurt as much. I have identified a cycle in my headaches...one day bad headache, next day worse headache, next day it feels like I have a hatchet lodged in my forehead. Drugs don't really help prevent the cycle, though I haven't tried real migraine meds. I'm not sure what the trigger is, but at least I know there is a pattern now.

Tonight the girls are coming over and we're making homemade pizzas. I had better find a crust recipe!

Today is payday, and I paid off my not-0% interest credit card. I pay it off every month, so it's not a big deal, but I need to put that card somewhere where I can't find it, so I will STOP USING IT.

I started counting Weight Watchers points on Wednesday and am attempting to adhere to the diet.

Wednesday: no money spent, 22 points eaten, 20 minutes of brisk walking done. All the apartments we looked at on Wednesday sucked. They were all extremely run down. I had a huge headache from such a drastic drop in calories, so I went to bed early.

Thursday: no money spent, 36 points eaten (stupid Oreos taunting me from the kitchen after dinner), 20 minutes of brisk walking done. Again, a huge headache, despite the Oreos, and I went to bed early.

Today: I will be spending money on a in-home massage, and hopefully that's all. I'm doing well on the diet so far today, and I intend to avoid the Oreos tonight.

I read that you are supposed to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day if you want to lose weight. No problem here! I love water.

It's interesting...ever since I started seriously dieting, I haven't wanted to spend. I think the two are really connected in my life.

No idea what we are going to do about the apartment search...we've looked at 22 places, and I'm sick of looking.

I started to get a headache last night during our girl's night, and it's still here. luckily it is quiet and calm inside my apartment, and outside there is so much recent snow that it's muffling everything!

I spent about $56 last night, which was what I was expecting. It was pretty fun, but we did a lot of venting about a member of our group who has abandonded us for her boyfriend. That sucks, and we are really hurt by it, but there's not much you can do when someone is in "love". The problem I have with it is that that is the sort of thing girls did in junior high...not in their mid to late twenties.

I am fighting the urge to go shopping. I don't need anything, and I need to just keep reminding myself of that. I don't have enough in my bank account anyway. If I can keep myself out of the stores, it will be a no-spend weekend. I should really try to make an effort to have a no spend week up until payday next Friday!

ugh...I'm going to curl up on the couch.

Saturday afternoon turned out to be a bust. I started getting a rapidly developing migraine and it was downhill from there. I didn't get much accomplished.

Sunday I woke up with a dull ache, but it felt like it was off in the distance, so I thought maybe I could keep it at bay. I did four loads of laundry over the course of the day, made cinnamon pecan bread, and cleaned up the kitchen. I went to Target and a couple of sporting goods stores in the afternoon. I spent $58 at Target, $28 more than I intended to, but I had coupons and stocked up on a few things. I didn't spend anything at the sporting goods stores. I went to the grocery store too, but my BF picked up the tab there - another $60, so that brings March's total thus far up to $135. We are trying to eat healthier things, and less prepackaged stuff. We even planned the week's meals when we got home...hopefully we can stick to it. My headache came back in the midst of all this, and I was in bed by 8:00pm.

Today the headache is in its same dull state.

I applied to several jobs yesterday, all over the country. We'll see.

Today will most likely be a no spend day, since my headache is creeping back in and I am tired of shopping for the moment. Plus, we are well stocked in groceries, and tonight is lasagna night!

I have to find a shirt tonight. I just looooove having to do things at the last minute. grrrrrrrr. but to my credit I have been looking for an outfit/shirt for weeks with little luck.

the cabin was great. very relaxing. the bed was spectacular...so much so that it made my bed at home feel like a rock. I researched mattress pads earlier this week and bought one on overstock.com, and two down-like pillows. I cannot seem to find a pillow that does not wrench my neck and cause headaches. I bought a memory foam pillow last month to see if that would help, but it is as hard as a rock and I can't stand to sleep on it anymore. today I have a killer headache....looking forward to those pillows, I hope they help. overstock.com has such great deals, though...the mattress pad I bought was twice as much at JCPenneys.

I picked up a few supplies for the wedding this weekend last night, and some necessities. I've eaten out a little too much in the past week. this weekend will be more eating out, but I'll curb that when March rolls around. back to cooking!

I'm purchasing my rock climbing gym membership this weekend ($200 off the regular price!). I've been saving for it and I am very excited. I will have to buy some gear, but that will have to wait until April.

In March I will be paying off one of my college loans! whoo hoo!

last night we prepared dinner at home and made a tasty vegetable pie. the recipe was on the back of a potato soup can and was basically frozen veggies, bisquick, potato soup, and seasonings. it was great. we also baked the few tiny potatoes we had left over from our previous bag, so we made good use of a whole bag! that's a first for me.

I brought lunch today...boca spicy chick'n patty with the fixings.

I have a birthday party to attend this weekend at a local bar/club. I've budgeted the money for it and I really need to stick to that. birthday parties and gifts really drain my budget.

I can't seem to get rid of my headaches. they dull slightly but seldom really go away. I had a bad one last night and woke up with it still this morning. I've tried acupucture, massage, over the counter meds...these things dull them but never get rid of them. I drink a ton of water every day, so I know it's not dehydration. my mom gets terrible headaches too...I think maybe they are hereditary.

I did fairly well on the diet yesterday! even resisted several temptations.