Cash is King!

So what a great day I have had. Started out dropping my truck off again to have the paint sealer and horn/alarm fixed. Go figure they couldn't duplicate the alarm auto arming so that didn't get fixed. I got home and it did it again, but Murphy's Law its only a minor issue that happens when I don't hit the arm button. I can live with that. They fixed my warranty situation though and my truck has a full extended warranty until 72,000 miles, or 6 years. So nice to drive a truck that is totally paid off BTW ( Love you Mom )

So I spent the morning eating breakfast by myself at Denny's just like last week, then walked across the street to Starbucks to finish some magazines and enjoy a triple iced latte for a hour. And then to Home Depot to buy a flower for the one that died at my front door. It was so nice walking around enjoying the city I live in. Even though the main areas are a good 3 miles from my house it was nice. Then I went to Starlight Theatre and watched the new X-Files movie. I enjoyed it even though it was a tad boring in some places. I think this movie would be a bummer for anyone not familiar with the X-files, but I enjoyed it a lot.

So here is the best part! All of my expenditures were on my Debit Card, or cash! I even went to Walmart for shopping and for once I put my shopping on my Debit Card. It was a tad scary, but very empowering. I decided for this ENTIRE week I will not eat out once. That explains the $130 grocery bill but had a lot of non-perishibles like cat litter, salt blocks and TP in the bill. And lots of stuff to last more then one week. I am totally motivated for this. I am going to also track my spending and such as well. If I am going to get out of debt, I need to start living Dave Ramseys motto which is CASH IS KING, DEBT IS DUMB. So that is my exciting day. I am going to go enjoy a fresh Peach-Strawberry Daquiri and go spend time with the horses. Will check back soon! :)

Out of my comfort zone

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So today I totally took myself out of my comfort zone. I paid off 2 credit cards, following Dave Ramseys baby steps. Goodbye Avenue and Lane Bryant. ( Hell soon I won't have to shop there anyway ) His program is to start with the lowest credit card balances, and work your way up. I didn't want to pay these cards off as the balance is less then $300, but that is what I have to do to get out of debt. I don't know why I am so tied to debt.. by my 42nd birthday I want to be totally out of credit card debt. I know I can totally do that, before as I only have around $20,000 left to pay off. My goal is to build a riding arena and then a horse trailer when I am out of credit card debt. I will also write Suze Ormans show hoping I can get on her "Can I afford it" segment. She will probably say no as I need to have 6 months worth of my salary in my savings account, but maybe I will build a riding arena after I do that. Hell I am 40 now, its time to start to plan for my future.

I don't know why I worry so much about money. If I needed cash for a emergency I do have credit cards to fall back on or charge on, as right now I am putting all my extra cash into paying off my cards. Even though I only will have $100 cash on me it puts me in panic mode. I have enough hay in my barn to last me a month, just paid $220 for all my horses feet to be trimmed and shoed and that will last 8 weeks, but I still worry. Its so silly... But its part of being a mature adult that I haven't done for such a long time.

I actually feel pretty good knowing I have paid 2 cards off. I won't cancel them totally as it will hurt my credit score ( Suze Orman's advice versus Dave Ramsey ) I have 6 more to go, and I will start next with my First National Bank ( WOW ) Credit Card. It has a $3300 balance and needs to be paid off by December or I get charged compounded interest since it was a zero interest credit card. I am focused now, at least for today, which will be a good day :)

The picture above is of Princess playing with Luna. I have moved the goats into my back yard to help with weed control. I will see tonight if they stay in my back yard. They somehow have a way of making it over a fence to go back into the pasture...

The importance of keeping receipts

So the last week I have been busy with work and life. Being off the pill has done horrible things for my hormones and its time I get back on the pill, to control my moodiness. I work with a guy who has been assigned to my class who is a total control freak, and a jerk to top it off. So this week I have worked on keeping my cool, and not flying off the handle at stupid shit. I am not a control freak, but think I know a bit or two about the job I train. I guess I have the personality that people try to walk all over me, and its up to me to maintain my image and not freak out. So this week has been a challenge, but I made it through. I totally believe in Karma, and this person who thinks he is a god of all god will not have his day with me. I could never be a jerk or asshole to anyone, I don't know how people can live with themselves being that way. I guess insecurity?

I spent Sunday with a friend going to Madrid. Its a totally cute little town that the movie Wild Hogs was filmed in. Did a little shopping even though I am on a total budget, had fun window shopping and bought a cheap little purse made in China. I was thinking today it could be made of Dog skin and I would have no idea. Its hard to trust things bought in China.. Being with my friend Sunday made me analyze my friendships. This person had a short lived affair with a guy who was too young for her, and had a girlfriend. Her heart is broken now that he went back to the girlfriend, or never really left her to begin with. He cheated on her for my friend and now went back to his girlfriend who he never broke up with. I am like WTF? I have been single for a while now, and am ready I think to start dating but I will never date anyone who has a girlfriend. If he cheats on her, he will cheat on me. Anyways my friend drove me completely bonkers talking about this loser for 4 hours straight. I love her but nowI need a vacation from this friend, and hell friends are hard to come by, but I would rather talk to my dogs all day then endure what I went through. Being single is simple, end of story there..

Today I took my car to the dealership to get a oil change and this paint sealer I signed up for. Also my horn honks and the alarm auto sets which is a pain. After walking to Dennys to eat breakfast by myself, then to Starbucks to finish a book ( Good In Bed, loved in Shauna :) ) , then to Home Depot to buy fly traps. Back to the dealership 2 hours later to find out they couldn't fit me in for my work and paint sealer, only to change oil and charge me $40 for a new airfilter I guess I needed. My serviceman said in the system they don't have me for a extended warranty, they only have my truck for 36k/3 year plan and that would explain why GM sends me all this extended warranty shit every month. I got home and checked my reciepts which THANK GOD I kept, and I did pay $2500 for a extended warranty up to 6 years. I will get that taken care of next Monday when I take my truck back again to have the paint sealed and my alarm/horn fixed.

So that is about it. I am going out to feed the horses now as its almost 11pm, Prince my newest rescue thoughbred has a swollen back leg again, so I am back to wrapping it. Farrier comes Wed to trim the herd and cost me another $300. I am going to try to watch him more so I can save some money and do myself. Last time I told him I was going to trim my horses feet, start with the mini- horse he said " Kristen, please call me when you do it as I think it would be fun to watch", laughing as he said it. Its true, trimming is hard work! I love my farrier Patrick, he is extremly sweet, totally handsome, a teacher, a cowboy, and very happily married. Damn thats how it goes :)

Picture is of Prince. A beaten up young thoughbred that I saved from death at a Slaughterhouse. Back leg swells due to a track injury that will take a while to recover him. He is young, and a sweetheart.

4 lbs down!

So as I posted on my Sparkpeople page, I lost 4lbs this week! I feel great and know if I cut half the calories that I overate, I could have lost more but its down to enjoying life, and not sabotaging my diet.. This week I will begin to track what I eat on my Sparkpeople page, and I think this will totally help me track my success.. For those that don't know about Sparkpeople, its totally free, and listed on one of the links to the right..

I have been doing a lot of thinking about obsessing, which is something I have been doing a lot of lately. Today I am obsessing about getting more hay, in which I have at least a 2 week supply, its everywhere but I still obsess and act like there will be no more supply out there ( totally excessive supply in the area I live) . I also obsess about gas, and getting the lowest price per gallon. I have been known to fill up on 400 miles of my 520 mile gallon tank just to save 2 cents on gas. I really need to stop this behavior, its driving me crazy! One think I have learned to do is to do something when I start to think this way. Do something different. Today as I relax around the house I am going to organize my cat room and set up my 3rd bed in there. I don't know why I feel the need to put another bed in there, I have visitors like 3 times a year.. But at least the cats will like it..

TV Blues

So today I went to pop a movie in and my TV stopped working. It was a 32 inch Philips HDTV. I have only had it a little over a year. I have noticed the picture has been kinda fuzzy sometimes so something happen to the tube I am sure, and out of warranty of course. I panicked and searched flyers to get another TV, I have back up TV's but the biggest is like 15 inches.. I just can't make it with a small, non-HDTV! I kept hearing Suze Orman in my head saying " YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT, DENIED", but I went to Walmart and bought a cheaper Vizio 32 inch anyways, with a 3 year warranty.... I really can't afford it as I am so focused on getting out of debt. But I just cashed out my Ameritrade "Save Yourself" account in which Suze Orman gave me $100 for saving $50 a month for the last year. So I guess I saved for my new TV.. Sorry Credit Cards, you will get paid off soon.

I weigh in tomorrow and feel really good about my last weeks results. I have been working out everyday, and feel great. I also started back on my Wii Fit today, which I beat all previous records! I just need to keep it up, tomorrow I will post my weight and hopefully the 3 lemonade and vodkas won't sabotage my weight loss tomorrow haha..

Picture is of the Eiffel Tower in Paris I took in May of 2006, I want to go back next year!!

Quote of the day

"Horses are expensive, and they require daily maintenance. And once they have you wrapped in their 4 legs, it is impossible to break free. Not a bad life. Not a bad life at all."

Joe

This is from one of my favorite sites, http://www.tbfriends.com - Joe and his wife Cathy do great things for horses. This quote really made my day. As I a spent a hour this morning unloading hay, feeding and taking care of my herd I realized even though I am somewhat living paycheck to paycheck, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love my life with its crazy up and downs and I think God brought me here to NM for a reason. To do what my dream has always been, to have a ranch with horses. Thank You God for everything :)

J&J Drilling, Bosque Farms=Beware

So yesterday I had a interesting day- First on the way to getting hay I got stuck in the people's yard trying to back up into the hay area. We have had so much rain my non-4x4 truck got stuck in thick sand/mud. It took them getting their tractor out to pull me out, after the guys asked me at least 4 times " You don't have 4x4 "? I am like WTF.. Anyways I probably won't go back after that even though they were nice and somehow I still tipped the guys to put hay in my truck after I spent 30 min trying to get my truck out.. I am to nice.. Then I got home, took a shower and went to do some laundry and no water. My water pump had gone out. Living in the country is nice except you have to deal with water pumps, wells, septic, ect ect..

So I called the people who put the system in, J&J Plumbing and the lady Trudy said someone will be out in the morning.. I figured keep your cool you can use water from the barn well/pump for the toilets and I was going to be gone all day anyway.. This morning they came out. They said that the electrical portion of the pump was fried and that was going to cost me $30 plus $90 labor. I was like um, isn't this under warranty? I paid you guys $1600 8 months ago for a system that I feel is too small ( Water tank is only like 5 gallons ) and I have had issues with this system the first month you put it in, the guy called and said Nope electicial isn't under warranty due to the leak you have causing it to come on so much..

So I am getting mad, but keeping my cool. I called Trudy and explained that from the moment they put this system in, gave me a estimate of $900 and ended up costing $1600 due to my old plumbing and labor ( I paid for the workers to take breaks every 15 min and smoke, I am still pissed about that ) that I have had issues. Their worker "Nick" had to come out 4 times since the install due to it leaking, and it going on every hour. He finally fixed it on the 3rd call and said they had the air wrong and it was going on too early.. I explained the first month due to incompentant employees you fried my pumps electrical system. I agreed to pay for the parts, but not the labor.

She said no, and got her boss on the phone. He was incredibly rude and said that Nick said I had a leak that was causing the pump to go on. I explained I have a small leak in the front but it was fixed, and my plumber said it was not due to that. I explained its not my fault he had a employee that didn't do his job right, and that its not fair for me to have to pay this. It took them a month to fix the problem from the start, and it was going on every hour back then! And at this point I was getting emotional and crying which didn't help. He then said that today's call will be on him, and in the future not to call him back for business. I am like WTF? My system is under warranty for 1 year, and the water tank 5. I was so shocked I just hung up and said fine. His poor workers were like apologizing telling me he is having a bad day and to please call if something else goes wrong. I told them that I will call the BBB, and that if any issues come out, he will see me in small claims court.

I was so upset- How can a small business owner get away with this attitude? There is a chance that my well will need replacing in a few years, and that is 4k and I will not go through them. I don't have any documentation from the original installation since I figured I would always go through them even though I am not happy with my first installation and the cost.

I am a typical female who just lets things slides. Well not today. Today my eyes opened and I will never be taken advantage of again. Its time to start sticking up for my finances and even though I am upset with this stupid owner at J&J Drilling in Bosque Farms, NM, I will do business with other company's and if I have any more problems I will take them to small claims court. Enough is Enough!

So the above pictures is some baby starlings who have taken up residence in my front door foyer area. Their parents are very upset when I leave and enter my front door but I guess I feel blessed that they trusted my house enough to raise their baby's. They don't have to worry about water pumps and living expenses, sometimes I envy them...

Becoming a Hermit

So for the 4th I just hung out at home and today, Sunday. I was invited to a party on the 4th but I really like staying at home and was too tired to drive 40 miles for the party. I need to get out more, as my mom says people will eventually stop asking. I got my office all cleaned and organized as well as my hay barn and the stalls. That leaves my cat room, or my backroom to organize and I am pretty much done. There will be more to keep organizing though and I will work hard to keep it up. I do need to get out more, how the heck will I ever meet anyone staying at home all the time?

So I watched some movies this weekend as well. The Bucket list was really sad and good- I was thinking it was a comendy, and it really brought some tears out. Probably related to my dad and all and the topic of the movie. Then I watched 10,000BC. That was beyond boring, and lastly Semi-Pro, which was a HUGE waste of my time. I spent most of the movie in my office surfing the web. I have to say that was the worse movie I have seen this year, and I have seen a lot.

So I am off tomorrow and will give platelets at United Blood Services and take my friend Rachael to dinner for her Birthday. Then back to the grind of work. It goes by fast though and I have a good, smart interesting class I am training ( which makes all the difference in the world ) .

Above is a picture of Luna, which Shauna calls my faithful companion. She really is when I think about it, and doesn't even want to leave my side. I think she really knows her life was saved at the pound and is truly a good girl. The rug looks wet, not sure what is going on there, I think a reflection..

The sound of bullfrogs

So today we got A LOT of rain. When we get rain in NM the bull frogs come out. It is the strangest sound and tonight it is louder then I have ever heard. I guess they live in the ground and when it rains they they come out and play. Pretty strange sounding but actually kind of cool. Turn sound up as you won't see much other then Luna playing in the muddy ground