I am so tired today, and have SUCH a headache. Ugh. Anyways I have been trying to look for extra ways to bring in money, no matter how small the amounts may be, it's still extra money right? I am trying Avon, but truthfully not doing well at all, I am in my 2nd campaign and have had no sales. Doesn't help that I am out of work and am not socializing, yeah, but also everyone seems to already HAVE an Avon lady! Oh well.

The other thing I've done is I am now using the Google AdSense program on my journal and also American Consumer Opinion, a really great survey site (it's actually for real). Every so often they'll ask you to take part in a product testing, supply you with what you need, and pay you for your opinion. You'll also get free samples from time to time. The amounts will vary, like today I was asked to participate and will be paid $14. I still think it's great. So anyway I listed them on my site too, and anyone that joins through me, I will get paid for. I am hoping it does well.

I am hoping things get better. We are doing our best, trying to put money away in our savings in case my SO loses his job. We'll see what happens. I have been signing up for alot of freebies and contests, and I've won a T-shirt and a book so far. I am signing up for all the great freebies I find on these forums I would like to figure out another way to bring in more money, but I really don't have anything to sell, so that idea is shot.

We did good with our weekly spending, only spent $89.61, which is $15.39 below the $105 budgeted :-)

Here's the breakdown:

Amazon.com - I bought a used book by Jean Chatzky for $1.81, but with s&h, etc. it came to $5.30.
Prescription - $12.27
SO dr. appt - $15.00
Walmart - got food and household stuff. $55.05
7/8 & 7/9 were no spend days

and today, I spent $1.99 for the s&h on the Suave freebie offer listed (you get 5 full sized products, couldn't pass that up).

All in all the spending habits are better, but we still have to watch it and keep our fingers crossed.

My bf and I agreed to live on $15 a day, which would allow us $105 to spend weekly. I added up our expenses for the week and was very happy to see that we were under budget by $8.20, at $96.80. We had 2 no spend days, and all the expenses except for $9.21 worth were necessities (dr's visits, prescription medicine, gas, and food). I had gone to Walmart yesterday and picked up some 'filler' foods and other items, and was thrilled because I got 42 items for $48.83. Among them were the Banquet fried chicken dinners, which are really good and only $1 each (think about that the next time you go for fast food, I do), and the Totino's pizzas for $.98 each. I got everything from tunafish, cups of soup lunches, bread, fruit snacks, soda, etc. for that low price. I don't need to go on a regular food shopping trip, but I always go to Walmart first because I end up getting a lot for a small price. I also qualify for cash back from Upromise on quite a few of the items I bought. Overall it was a good week, and I hope to be able to stick to the same budget continually. $400 a month in all expenses would save us so much money overall.

http://ksfinancialprogressreport.blogspot.com/

Doing well so far - recently paid $450 off my Dell bill (only about $400 more to go and then it's paid off!) Beyond that I have 2 credit cards - Discover and Best Buy. Then I am DONE! This is a great feeling considering I once had 14, yes, 14 credit cards. I paid off 7 of those debts since February of this year (used my income tax return to help get a jump start). My overall goals are to pay off all my debt, then sock money away in my ING savings account, as well as increase my contribution to my 401k. Reading others' experiences helps me to keep going and also has offered some great advice. I recently visited LowerMyBills.com and switched cell phone plans AND refinanced my car loan to a lower interest rate and term - payment is a little higher but I can manage - and in the end I am saving money. I am now trying to limit myself and my boyfriend to $15 a day - much easier for me, but less for him. He is a coffee fiend and loves visiting the convenience store around the corner. Once I started tracking our spending and showed him how much money was wasted there, he agreed that we needed to stop = he even stopped smoking to help save money (and his health). I have started a Christmas Club account so that when it comes that time, the money will be there to shop (and I'm even earning interest on it). I can't wait to cut up that last credit card...

I love the journals I have found on this site. I have my own journal, and have been tracking my progress so far in eliminating debt (and increasing my savings), but I have hit a plateau. I am almost there, I have gone from 13 debts to only 3 but now I feel like I am losing the motivation. Reading some of these journals, it seems so easy for some people? I have had the most frustration with trying to lower the money wasted on everyday stuff.