This week marks six months since I quit my job to work from home. It seems impossible that so much time could have passed… Didn’t that just happen a few weeks ago? I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun! And make no mistake – despite some unexpected craziness, multiple changes of plans, and working 18-20 hours most days, I’m truly happy for the first time in YEARS. And yes, I’m having a ton of fun at the same time.

Many people would look at the past six months of my life and judge this whole self-employment experiment a total failure. After all, I was not as financially prepared as I should have been, and a ton of things have happened that impacted my income (not in a good way). But for a lot of compelling reasons, some that I posted about and many that I didn’t, my career was at a critical point. It was simply time to get out.

The Rollercoaster

The first two months I was home, I was almost giddy with what a good decision I’d made. I got to enjoy Christmas with my son and travel for my niece’s first birthday party (two things that wouldn’t have been possible if I’d been at my old job). Money was rolling in left and right. I remember thinking, If I’d known it would be this easy, I would have quit my job a long time ago!

Except it wasn’t that easy. I thought it was at first, but I received a major reality check in my third month at home. In fact, that was the ONLY check I received for quite awhile. You guys have no idea how badly I was freaking out! I minimized things here on the blog because I didn’t (and still don’t) want to hear people pointing out my failures. I’m good enough at finding them (and obsessing about them) on my own.

By the end of February I was applying for work. Frantically. But I really didn’t want to go back to a “real” job. One thing I’ve learned in my time at home is that I will work exponentially harder for myself than for someone else. Not just because of the income at stake – I just find it easier to be motivated when I’m meeting my own goals and not someone else’s. And enjoying what I do has been a huge part of that.

The Transition

The shift from February to now has been so subtle I almost missed it. As the weeks passed, I started writing less and designing more (thus the new business site, which you should totally check out). It’s not that I don’t enjoy writing anymore – I’ll always love it and I have no plans to stop. However, stepping away from a traditional work environment has allowed me to recognize some of my other strengths for the first time.

Sure, I can write. But I can also do things with a computer that a lot of people can’t. It has always come so naturally to me, I honestly never thought it was a big deal. I’ve also learned that I have near-infinite patience when it comes to explaining things to people. Plus I’m now able to confirm what I’ve said for years – I simply function better on a second or third shift schedule. All of these little things added up to the realization that I’ve spent years ignoring the opportunity to truly do what I love.

When I’m solving a problem related to web design, it’s like time stands still. I forget to eat. I can’t sleep. And no matter how many profanities cross my mouth or how many times I bang my head on my desk, it doesn’t really seem like I’m working. I’ve always read about people having that kind of experience, and I even thought I found it a few times in the past, but nothing has come even close to this. This is a whole other level of awesome.

Where This Leaves Me

My financial situation is completely precarious right now. I’m still applying for jobs, not that it seems to matter. As of today, I’ve applied for well over 300 jobs and have not gotten a single call. So in the meantime, I’m busting my butt to cobble together a decent income however I can. It amazes me how money always seems to show up exactly when I need it. Divine intervention or freaky coincidence? I have no idea. But for now it’s working.

I have no idea what’s going on with my life. I could get a phone call tomorrow and end up working for The Man again. I could hit another dry spell for income and end up selling a kidney on the black market. I could buckle under all the sleep deprivation and end up in a loony bin somewhere. But in the meantime, I truly love every minute of what I do and I’m in no hurry to make changes unless I have to.

Some of you probably think I’ve lost my mind. And maybe I have. All I know is that I’m happy, Jayden is happy, and my work leaves me feeling fulfilled. I’m proud of what I’m accomplishing and I expect things to continue to fall into place, because I believe I’m finally doing what I’m meant to do. That’s the only explanation I can find for my immense sense of peace at a time when I should be panicking.

Do you know what you’re really good at? Does your career truly bring you joy, or are you tolerating it because it’s safe? What are your hidden strengths? Those are all questions I’ve been able to answer in my six months of self-employment. And while I know it’s not for everyone, it has been one of the few good decisions I’ve ever made.

Last night I made a super late trip to the grocery store (you know, because Walmart is pretty empty at midnight) and I left there ready to strangle someone. Not because of what my groceries cost – I only spent $100 – but because of a fellow shopper.

First of all, this lady had her obviously school-aged child in Walmart at midnight. There’s still a week of school left. Now, there might have been a good reason for that, so I really tried not to judge her. But that didn’t last too long. I passed her several times on my quest to buy real food, and at one point her daughter gestured toward me while I was putting a bag of apples in my cart.

“Mom, I want some apples!” she said.

The lady snapped at her, “You’re not getting apples! I don’t know why you think I’m made of money!”

Oh, hell to the no. Commence Super Andrea Judge Mode. I looked in her cart, and what did she have? A couple of shirts, 3 or 4 DVDs, and some random grocery items. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t come up with a single scenario where it’s okay to buy movies and tell your child she can’t have apples. Unless I’m missing something, that woman was either really mean or really broke. Or maybe both.

I don’t know much about being mean, but I’m an expert at being broke. Thankfully I’ve never deprived my son of things like fruit, but that situation got me thinking about the things I have done (or done without) due to lack of funds. Then I started thinking about why people end up broke in the first place. I came up with all kinds of reasons why someone’s pockets may be empty – here are 7 of them.

7 Reasons Why You Don’t Have Any Money

1. You don’t have enough income to meet your expenses.

Been there, done that. Sometimes no matter how much you cut, you just can’t juggle all your responsibilities on the amount of money you have coming in. This is the part where I’m supposed to tell you to get another job or go back to school, but I’ll be honest – now is not a great time to do either of those things. So instead I’ll just tell you I know it sucks and I’m sorry. Reduce expenses as much as you can and don’t be ashamed to ask for help if you need it. Especially if your kids want apples!

2. You spend too much money on junk.

If spending could go on a resume, mine would be the size of a phone book. So please know that I’m not being condescending when I say that you have two choices: You can either stop spending, or you can continue being broke. Getting over my spending addiction was one of the best things I ever did, but no one could convince me to do it. I had to make that decision myself. And it came when I was tired – really tired – of being broke.

3. You have a serious health problem, a sick family member, or some other unfortunate circumstance.

It’s unfortunate that we live in America and something like medical treatment can leave us bankrupt. But for now, that’s the way it works. If you’re broke because of a natural disaster or your spouse’s untimely death, you have my sympathy and you will receive no judgment from me. Just do the best you can.

4. You give all your money away.

Ever meet one of those people who is generous to fault? They’re paying their sister’s electric bill, taking care of their friends’ library fees, picking up their grandma’s prescriptions, and cooking meals for their neighbors. Oh, and they faithfully donate money to charities and/or their church. Yet their bills aren’t paid on time and they frequently go without the things they need. If you’re one of those people, STOP BEING A LUNATIC. There’s a reason why all the finance people harp on paying yourself first. Helping others is great, but only when your own bills are paid.

5. You don’t plan ahead.

Emergency funds are all the rage right now, but have you ever considered why? Because shit happens. When you have a savings account full of money, you can usually deal with said shit pretty easily. But when you don’t, you end up using a credit card, borrowing money, or going without. You absolutely must start saving, even if it’s $10 a month. Saving is contagious – try it out!

6. Your priorities are screwed up.

True story: My friend’s mom hasn’t had air conditioning at her house in almost 3 years. We live in the south, where you can seriously DIE in a house with no air conditioning. It’s not optional. Yet my friend’s mom has been surviving without it somehow, all while taking at least 2 vacations a year. If you ask about the AC unit, she sighs, “We just can’t afford to get it fixed right now.” If you’re doing crazy things like that to afford things like vacations, I don’t even know what to tell you.

7. You simply don’t know where your money goes. Or you’re afraid to find out.

When I took over my cousin’s finances in February, I was flabbergasted to see how much money he spent on late fees, overdraft fees, and random stuff that he didn’t even remember buying. Since he makes more in 6 months than I’ve ever made in a year, it just didn’t make sense that he would be broke. But because of his failure to pay attention to little things like his bank balance and the due dates of his bills, he barely had a dollar to his name. Luckily he’ll be coming home to a nice cushion of cash – if I can just keep him from giving it to the bank.

The Bottom Line

When you do any of the things I mentioned, you end up broke. When you end up broke, you’re forced to do things you wouldn’t normally do. When you’re forced to do things you wouldn’t normally do, you buy DVDs instead of letting your child have apples. Don’t buy DVDs instead of letting your child have apples.

Are you (or have you ever been) broke for any of the reasons I listed? Any other reasons you can think of why people don’t have any money? Am I the only one who wanted to punch the grocery store lady in the jaw?

To all my friends and readers who are moms, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

I feel very blessed to have my mom in my life, as well as my step-grandmother, my great-grandmother, my aunt, and my older sister. (Not to mention all my cousins, great aunts, and various other relatives!) Having many strong female influences has helped me become stronger, and I love having a day to honor all the women who make my life great.

I’m also very proud to celebrate my 13th Mother’s Day as Jayden’s mom. He’ll be graduating 8th grade on Thursday and turning 14 in August; I can hardly believe that my baby is now a teenager! If someone had told me when I was pregnant that he would have autism and that I’d be raising him alone, I never would have believed it was possible. But thanks to an amazing support system (including my mom and all the other women in my family) we’ve managed pretty well I think.

I’m lucky that my mom is just a few miles away and I can see her anytime I want. I’ll be spending time with her this afternoon, and I hope you’re all able to visit with the important women in your life. Have a great Mother’s Day!

okay, is it just me or is that girl a cyclops?

Ah, the joys of single parenthood. While I’ve always basically been a single mom, even when I was still married, nothing could have prepared me for the difficulties I would face raising my son on my own. The discussions about puberty and sex (which I firmly believe should be father/son topics). The hilarity of trying to teach him to play sports. Trying to prevent him from becoming a total computer nerd like his mother.

One thing I was definitely unprepared for was the financial impact of being a single mom. No, I’m not talking about all those statistics about how single moms end up broke. Clearly two incomes are better than one; I don’t need anyone to tell me about that. No, I’m talking about those little things, the ones that add up to big things. Here are some examples of what I mean.

3 Things That Suck (Financially) About Being a Single Parent

1. School Expenses

All the talk about a free public education in the US is a load of crap. School supplies alone set me back an average of $100 each year. Then there are school clothes, shoes, book rental fees, locker fees, club fees, field trips, lunch money, bake sales, and those stupid fundraisers where I’m supposed to spend $20 a roll for wrapping paper. And I won’t even get started on the twice-a-year crappy school photos that I feel obligated to buy.

Sure, I could go tell the school all my financial business and save on some of those things. But in the small town where I live, it would take about an hour for everyone else to know every detail and judge me (and my son) as a result. No thanks. I’ll just quietly complain until 2016 when he finally graduates.

2. Buying Food

This may not be too bad for parents of girls. But all the stuff you hear about teenage boys’ appetites is totally true. In the past few months, Jayden has morphed from a bottomless pit to a black hole when it comes to food. The child literally eats 6-7 times a day. And just when I feel pretty good about all the food I brought into the house (you know, because I’ve been cooking lately), I hear him screaming, “I’M STARVING AND THERE’S NOTHING TO EAT!” Yes, it really is that bad.

I don’t know how to solve this problem other than convincing the insurance company to cover a feeding tube. (I asked his doctor. She looked at me like I was nuts.) And not only do I have to pay for all this food, but I also have to be the one who drives to go get it. I bet I spend more on food in a year than most people spend on housing.

3. Worrying About the Future

Sometimes I think about Jayden’s future and just curl into a fetal position. If he decides to go to college, who’s going to help pay for it? Mom. When he moves out on his own and needs help getting started, who’s going to take him grocery shopping and teach him what Mean Green is for? Mom. If he takes after me and makes a bunch of financial mistakes, who’s going to pull him out of the hole? Mom. I’ve considered changing my name to Dad just so I can get out of all these fun future experiences.

I’d like to think that my son will always make good adult decisions and that he won’t need to lean on me for help, but let’s face the facts – he IS my child. Something tells me he’ll be just as stubborn about learning to be responsible as I was. So I’ve been stockpiling money since the day he was born in preparation for his future failures. (Don’t send mean emails. I’m just being realistic.)

So, Single Parenthood. Worth It?

It’s fun to gripe every now and then, but I wouldn’t trade my role as a single mom for anything in the world. Despite the swirling, sucking sound I hear in my wallet every time Jayden comes near me, he’s a damn good kid and I’m proud of the young man he’s becoming. I’d much rather him be exposed to my influence than certain other individuals’ influences. I just wish he didn’t cost so much!

I’m aware that two-parent households face the same challenges when it comes to raising kids – it’s not like single parents are given a more expensive model. However, it’s tough to be the only person your child can turn to on an emotional AND financial basis. By being aware of the things that suck, I’m learning to be more appreciative of the things that don’t suck. And I’m able to prepare for future sucktastic financial drains, because if his appetite is any indication, the costs are going to be epic.

Do any of the following scenarios sound familiar to you?

It’s two days until payday and I really need groceries. I’ll just write a check and hope it doesn’t clear before my paycheck goes into the bank.

I want to buy a new TV, but the money in the bank is for rent. Hmm… I do have that birthday money from Grandma coming in a few weeks, so I can get the TV now and replace the rent money when I get my birthday card.

I need clothes. I’ll use a credit card and I can pay off the balance when I get my tax return.

I’m going to skip my car payment so I can go on vacation. My extra student loan money will be here before the payment is 30 days past due, so I can make it up when I get back.

My dad will totally loan me the money to buy this dishwasher once I explain all the cool features. I should be able to pay him back in a few months when I get my raise.

All of the examples above are things I have actually done. That’s hard to admit, since I’m reading it now and cringing at how foolish I was, but it’s just the truth. For years, I was constantly waiting for money that would allow me to cover what’d I’d already spent.

If you’re shaking your head in recognition right now, welcome to the club. You don’t get a membership card and there are no meetings or cookies, but you do get to admit the sad truth: At some point, either now or in the past, you’ve spent money you didn’t have.

Why Does it Matter? You Paid it Back, Right?

Oh, you paid it back all right. More than likely, you paid back significantly more than you spent. Let’s look at each situation’s worst case scenario.

Writing a rubber check - If you’re lucky, your paycheck will be deposited on time and your check will clear as planned. If you’re not lucky, though, you could face overdraft fees, bounced check fees (from your bank AND the grocery store), and legal fees if you don’t pick up the check on time. Do this often enough and you could be arrested for check fraud.

Buying a TV with rent money - What if Grandma’s birthday card gets lost in the mail? What if she has a massive stroke before she finishes writing your check? These may seem like far-fetched possibilities, but I’m telling you, it could happen. How would you pay your rent? You could pay late fees or even face eviction. All for a TV.

Paying off credit cards with your tax return – How much interest are you paying on those cards between charging them up and paying them off? Probably quite a bit. If your tax refund is delayed, or you get audited by the IRS, that money may not arrive in time to avoid paying extra fees and interest. Or, if your car breaks down in the meantime, you could find yourself using that tax money for something way more important than clothes.

Going on vacation with future student loan money – From my experience, student loan refunds never arrive when they’re supposed to. There’s always a paperwork snag or a delay at the bank or a hurricane; anything to keep you from getting the money when you’re counting on it. Also, as I know all too well, those loans have to be paid back. A vacation will be the last thing on your mind when your loan payments take up half your net pay every month.

Counting on a raise – If you work in an industry that still awards raises, congratulations! In this economy, very few people can count on cost of living increases, promotions, or bonuses at work. Borrowing money from a relative, especially if you’re depending on a windfall to pay it back, can ruin your relationship with that person forever. Family members may be more understanding than a bank, but that doesn’t mean they don’t expect to be repaid.

Why Would Someone Be So Dumb?

Two words: Instant gratification. We don’t want to wait a week or a month for something other people already have. We want it now! And the problem has only gotten worse as time passes. I see three main reasons for this:

1. Advertising is shoved down our throats 24/7. TV commercials. Jingles on the radio. Banner ads on websites. Billboards. No matter where we go, someone is trying to sell us something, and they can be very persuasive. Unless you live underground without contact from the outside world, you’re exposed to more advertising than your brain can consciously register.

2. We know what everyone else is doing. All the time. I log on to Facebook, and the first post I see is a picture of a friend’s new car. Scrolling down, I can read about the groceries someone bought (and how much they saved with coupons), my cousin’s trip to the mall, and the renovation project of a former coworker. More than ever before, we know all too well what our friends and neighbors are spending money on – even if we rarely talk to them.

3. We rarely wait for things anymore. If I want the highlights from last night’s game, I don’t have to spend 5 hours in front of SportsCenter. I can look it up online in an instant – video, written descriptions, still pictures, and commentary from fans and players. I don’t wait for my favorite song to come on the radio; I pull it up on my iPod. I don’t even have to wait for an order to arrive from Amazon because I can download books instantly to my phone, tablet, or computer.

I’m not saying we aren’t responsible for what we do; I can just see why it’s so easy to fall into the trap of spending money before we have it.

How Do I Stop?

Learning to save for things ahead of time isn’t easy. It requires impulse control, something far too many of us lack. More important than that, though, is the development of a real desire to change your behavior. Your motivation could come from any number of factors – for me, it took realizing that my son was growing up without a good financial role model. Until you move beyond a vague inkling that your spending is out of control, you’re likely to continue spending money you don’t have, with all the negative consequences that go along with it.

Do you spend money before you have it? How has that worked out for you?

Anyway, I’m realizing lately that I have inherited some of my mom’s obsessive-compulsive ways. I just didn’t manage to get them in the ways that count.

Let’s review all the ways I’m not like my mother, shall we?

I can’t cook I’m finally learning to cook at 29 years old. My house is usually somewhere between chaos and utter destruction, and that’s on a good day. I have a house full of dogs, including a puppy who randomly pees when she is excited, scared, bored, or (apparently) any other emotional state you can imagine. I don’t participate in fundraisers for my son’s school. I eat in my living room. I’m a smoker. Up until about 16 months ago, my finances were an utter disaster (and I’m still climbing out). Gee, does any of that scream OCD to you? I didn’t think so.

BUT… (There’s Always a But)

I will probably never be as nutso about cleanliness as my mom. Hell, I don’t even think Mr. Clean or the Pine Sol lady are on her level – they probably pay her for lessons or something. But I have to admit, there are a number of things in my life that simply must be a certain way. 

Lately, as my self-employment has moved away from freelance writing and more toward web design, my OCD is in overdrive. My clients have no idea how much I agonize over the smallest details, from the exact placement of the logo to the color scheme to the way the site renders on mobile devices. I literally cried when the social media icons I made for one blog were the wrong color (then I got over it and fixed them). And while I know that the site owner’s happiness comes before mine, I die a little inside if someone chooses things I wouldn’t pick.

You see those colors? That’s the color scheme I chose for an as yet unidentified website. (It’s one of MY websites, so no stealing!) I have been agonizing over those colors since DECEMBER. And if any of you tell me you don’t like them, I will come to your house and kick you in your nether regions because I seriously cannot spend any more time looking at different shades of the same four colors.

My obsessive tendencies don’t hinder my ability to finish projects quickly. (Well, unless they’re my own projects, but that’s because I put my clients’ stuff first.) I’m learning to let things go and move on in the interest of getting done before I die of old age. But when I look back at screenshots of the work I’ve done, I find a million ways I could have done things differently or made them look better. And that’s where I’m stuck.

Part of me thinks it’s good to be nitpicky about something as important as another person’s website. After all, people judge a website within mere seconds of visiting it. But I also wonder how much I’d be able to accomplish if I didn’t feel so compelled to make everything perfect.

Do you or your friends/family have any OCD traits? Are they the good kind (like my mom’s) or the crazy kind (like mine)? Are there times when it pays off to be a little obsessive about certain things? 

There are two things I want to confess to you guys:

1. I have totally sucked at linking to my awesome fellow bloggers lately. Actually I’ve sucked at reading their posts, too. On multiple occasions, I have cleared the PF posts from my reader because I was too stressed out to read them.
2. I am so burned out on blogging about finance, it’s not even funny. I haven’t decided what to do about this problem. I took a week off from blogging here, which didn’t help much, and lately I just struggle to decide what I want to say. Probably because I’m scared of getting chewed out for having opinions.

Anyway, with those confessions off my chest, it’s time to link to some posts that are way more interesting than anything I’ve written lately. Please go check out these posts from my friends and let them know what you think!

Debts n Taxes asks if he and his wife should carry a balance on their credit card. Some interesting discussion going on in the comments over there!

Erika at From Shopping to Saving tells us how to plan a multi-family vacation without going crazy. I haven’t been on a vacation in 9 years, but my last one was multi-family and it was NUTS! Could have used this then!

Daisy at When Life Gives You Lemons did a great post about how running a blog is like running a business. Since my blogs ARE a business for me, obviously I thought this post was spot on!

Carrie at Careful Cents tells us 10 ways to save money on practically anything. I mean, where was this post when I was grocery shopping last week? And who did that FABULOUS redesign on her blog?

Jana at Daily Money Shot really really wants another dog. Like really. As someone with 4 dogs, I don’t think I’m in a position to comment, but she’s obviously smarter than me full of willpower.

Bog of Debt asks, are you giving it your all? When it comes to this blog, I have to say no! This was a fantastic post that reminded me I need to get my butt in gear and get motivated again.

JT at Money Mamba makes an interesting case for buying a new car instead of a used one. I actually bought my Yaris new, simply because the vastly lower interest made up for the savings of buying used.

Jefferson at See Debt Run gives several ways to use a big bag of chicken. Naturally this is one of my favorite posts of the week since I’m trying to learn to cook!

That’s what I know this weekend – I’m off to battle the burnout yet again! My mantra for the week ahead: When you’re freaking out and nothing is helping, you could be looking for the wrong solution.

A few months ago, I wrote about how to stop buying on impulse. Using a decision tree like the one in that post can help you think before you spend, simply by reminding you to ask yourself important questions like “Do I already own something that does the same thing?” or “Will I have to hide this purchase from my spouse?”

For me, using decision trees has been very helpful, not just for impulse spending but for other life decisions as well. One question I’ve found myself asking a lot lately is, “Should I put this purchase on my credit card?” Rather than waste time agonizing in the checkout line (and pissing off everyone behind me), I thought I’d make a decision tree to help me make that choice as well.

Should I Use a Credit Card?

Here are the criteria I used to make my decision tree:

1. Is this a real emergency? We all say we have a credit card (or two, or ten) for emergencies, but it’s funny how anything can become an emergency if you want to buy it badly enough. So my first question is simple: Is this truly an emergency situation?

• YES: Will someone die if I don’t use the card? If a doctor says, “We need a thousand dollars or your son won’t survive,” you can bet I’ll be swiping as fast as I can. No brainer. If not, I’m moving to the next question.
• NO: Is it still very important? If not, I’m putting the card away. If so, I’m moving to the next question.

2. Will I starve or lose my home/car if I don’t use the card? Food, shelter, and transportation are basic needs. In an ideal world, no one would need to use a credit card to meet those needs. But since I’ve been there before, I’m not going to rule out the possibility that I could end up there again.

• YES: If so, I’m using the card. The end.
• NO: I’m moving to the next question.

3. Will I be able to pay off the balance when the bill comes? Let’s say something isn’t a life-or-death emergency, and it doesn’t involve meeting basic needs, but it’s still important enough that I haven’t given up yet. My next concern is whether I can pay off my balance without paying interest.

• YES: I’m moving on to the next question.
• NO: I’m putting the card away. If it’s not life or death, not a basic need, and I can’t pay it off within a month, I can’t afford it. Plain and simple.

4. Can I pay for this item with cash instead? For a long time, using a credit card was a habit for me because I didn’t keep up with my money. I would use the credit card, THEN go home and see if I had enough in the bank. That’s a backward way of thinking. Instead, I need to know the answer to that question before I buy anything.

• YES: I’m putting the card away and using my debit card or cash.
• NO: I’m moving to the next question.

5. Why not? If I can pay off the card when the bill comes, yet I’m not able to pay for the item in cash, I want to know the reason why. This is a safeguard question for me, to make sure my shopaholic brain isn’t telling me lies and helping me justify an unnecessary purchase.

•  I don’t have that much money and probably won’t in the near future. Sometimes I tell myself, “Oh, I’m sure I can pay that off, as long as I sell stuff on eBay and get X amount for my birthday and Mars aligns with Saturn!” If I’m counting on money I don’t know I’m getting FOR A FACT, I know this is not a good time to use a credit card. I’m putting the card away.
• It’s between paydays, it’s an unexpected expense, etc. If I get a flat tire on Tuesday and I’m getting paid on Friday, I can justify using a credit card. (Ideally my emergency fund would cover something like that, but I’ll be honest – it’s running kind of low at the moment.) Or maybe I have money in my Paypal account but it will take 3 days to transfer to my checking account. So it’s entirely possible that I’ll have the money to pay off the credit card, but I might not have it right this second. In that case, I’d use the card.

The Decision Tree

If you’d like to use this decision tree for yourself, you can click the image below to make it bigger, or you can download a PDF to save and/or print.

One More Consideration

When it comes to credit cards, one final question I always ask myself is this:

What would I do in this situation if my credit cards were maxed out or I didn’t have a credit card?

If I would be willing to borrow money, pawn something, or sell a body part, it’s likely that the purchase really is a need. If not, it’s probably a want that’s disguising itself as a need.

For example, last summer my son became addicted to online games, and we only had one computer in the house. I decided that getting a second computer was important, mainly to keep us from strangling each other (but it wasn’t an emergency or a basic need). However, I couldn’t pay off the cost of a new computer by the following month. When I asked myself what I would do if I didn’t have access to credit, my answer was, I’d wait until I had the money saved up.

So I waited until I had enough money to buy another computer. It actually didn’t take too long, especially since I was throwing every dollar I could toward that savings goal. (It’s amazing what you’ll do when you have a whiny teenager driving you crazy!)

What About You?

How do you decide whether or not to use a credit card for purchases? Are you adding to existing credit card debt? How could a decision tree help you avoid that gross feeling of regret?

Last week I talked about how I suck at cooking, and readers were cool enough to send me TONS of great information via email and comments. Seriously, I’m not sure if I’ll ever make it through all the links, recipes, and tips I got – you guys are amazing! Anyway, I swore I would start cooking when I got back from my trip to Georgia, so last night I went to the grocery store AND cooked a meal that didn’t (1) come from a box or (2) require the use of a fire extinguisher.

The bad news is that I spent a ton of money, BUT I knew that would happen since I lacked even the most basic things I needed to cook real food. Now that I have that stuff, I shouldn’t have to replace most of it for awhile. I also made a shopping list, which is rare for me, to make sure I bought real food instead of frozen dinners.

My Shopping Plan

• Spicy chicken tortellini from the fabulous TeacHer Finance (I made this last night!)
• Meatloaf, also from TeacHer Finance, with mashed potatoes
• Shake & Bake chicken with pasta salad, which is one of the few things I already make regularly
• Something else with ground beef, possibly tacos
• Some quick and easy breakfast foods
• Snack foods that are not potato chips
• Backup foods in case Jayden won’t eat what I make

What I Bought

This is the sucky part. My grand total at Walmart was $195. When I look at what I got, though, I’m not too sad about it. I’ll be prepared to make all kinds of new foods now!

Staples and supplies ($90): I’m embarrassed to admit that I had to buy a measuring cup, measuring spoons, mixing bowl, cutting board, paring knife, food storage containers, and a cookie sheet because I seriously did not own any of those things. I also had to buy salt and pepper (obviously I had those – just had to replenish), basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, parsley, bread crumbs, rice, rotini (got the wheat kind thanks to reader Jay), frozen corn/green beans/peas, olive oil, nonstick cooking spray, Worcestershire sauce, and barbecue sauce.

Actual things to cook ($55): I bought ground beef, chicken, potatoes, onions, bell peppers, celery, carrots, eggs, milk, canned vegetables, pasta sauce, tortellini, and cheese. Definitely could have saved here by buying in bulk, but I don’t want to do that until I’m sure I’m going to stick with this whole cooking thing.

Snacks that aren’t potato chips ($15): I consider this a huge win. I got apples, fruit juice, dry-roasted almonds, and garlic parmesan pretzel crisps (my new favorite thing). No chips, cookies, candy, or any of the other crap I would normally buy, yet all of those are things I really like to eat.

Breakfast foods ($10): I usually don’t eat breakfast, so I’m starting slow. I bought Carnation Instant Breakfast and a few premade frozen smoothie concoctions just to get in the habit of eating (or in this case, drinking) something in the morning.

Junk for Jayden ($25): I’m trying to expand Jayden’s food horizons, but I’m realistic if nothing else. I picked up peanut butter, jelly, bread, Lunchables pizzas, those disgusting Lipton cheddar broccoli noodles that he loves, Pringles, Doritos, Goldfish crackers, Pop-Tarts, and frozen waffles.

The Verdict

As I said, last night I made spicy chicken tortellini. It was delicious, though I got a little carried away with the “spicy” part. The recipe wasn’t hard at all, but it was a little more time-consuming than I’d like – it isn’t something I’d make on a random weeknight when I’m in a hurry. That said, I froze the leftovers in my new storage containers (the recipe made about 5 billion servings) and I’ll be enjoying the spicy deliciousness for quite awhile!

Minus all the basics, I spent $110 on food that might last 2 weeks if I’m good about eating leftovers. I’m a little disgusted with that part, though it’s going to take time to incorporate things like shopping sales, buying in bulk, and converting Jayden to real food. Still, I feel better knowing that I’ll be eating less processed food, and since I didn’t buy any prepackaged junk for myself, I’m forced to either cook real meals or eat some of the stuff cluttering up my pantry.

What I learned: (1) It’s easier to cook when I already have an idea of what I’m going to make. (2) Shopping from a list is a good thing. (3) I’m really dumb when it comes to following recipes. (4) A good paring knife is kind of expensive. (5) From now on, when I want to know how to do something, I’ll just ask you guys!

Oh, what an interesting weekend I had! I drove down to Ft. Benning, Georgia on Friday to visit my cousin in basic training and got back late last night. I’m completely exhausted – it’s an 8-hour drive and I drove it on Friday AND Sunday, with plenty of running around in-between. So here’s a short one for a change!

Things I Learned on My Road Trip

My refusal to use GPS is a good thing. I hate GPS. I think it turns people into mindless drones who can’t get anywhere without a little box telling them when to turn. Instead, I pull up directions from Google Maps on my phone, take screenshots (in case I need them and don’t have service), print them out (in case my phone dies), and actually pay attention to where I’m going. My grandfather, on the other hand, spent the entire trip doing U-turns and cutting off other vehicles because his GPS was acting stupid.

It’s possible to go on a trip without shopping. This was one of the few times I’ve been out of town since I decided to stop overspending. Other than gas and food, I bought a pair of shoes for my son (that I planned to buy anyway) and two pairs of flip flops (2 for $5). That’s it. No souvenirs, no clothes, no nothing. And it’s nice not to come home with a ton more stuff than I had when I left.

I love my car. My Toyota Yaris gets about 42 mpg. I drove over 1000 miles and spent just over $100 on gas. Yes, an SUV might have been slightly more comfortable for 3 women with way too much luggage for one weekend, but the gas receipts don’t lie. My parents can’t even fill up their SUV once for under $100 anymore.

I’m getting old. Seriously. A few years ago, I could make a trip like that without a second thought. Friday night, I crashed for nearly 12 hours after spending all day in the car. AND took a 2-hour nap on Saturday. I won’t even talk about how painful it was to get up this morning. I honestly considered calling Jayden in sick to school so I could sleep more. And now my emails are out of control because I’m so off track from traveling.

That’s all from me for today – I may have to take a nap! Anyone have other educational moments from road trips?