January Budget is Balanced

As long as I don't spend any money today this week is officially balanced at $82.41. Remember I had to make up for the $1.59 I went over last week. I'm just going to be absolutely honest here. I'm sort of bummed that I've been hardcore penny pinching and sticking to this awful budget as best I can all month and I don't have any awesome debt relief news to share. I wish so adamantly that I could say, "HOORAY I paid off the overdraft," or "the little credit card is GONE!" It's frustrating working so hard and moving so slowly. Spending WAY less money than we used to is a huge accomplishment but it's not as rewarding as tackling those ugly monsters that are lurking in the bill drawer. I am bound and determined to obliterate the overdraft in February and in March the smallest credit card will be no more!

A bit of good news: Last night I won third place in a photo contest which awarded me $20. This morning very first thing without even thinking twice about it (ok maybe I thought about it a bit more than twice, anyway) I paid that $20 towards the overdraft. I would love to have gone out for dinner with that money. Pizza sounds SOOOO good right now. I could have put the money towards additional artistic endevours. It's silly that when I get a little extra money, say $20, I'm like "It's just a little bit of money. It won't matter that much if I spend it. I mean, what's $20 towards our HUGE credit card debt anyway. It won't even make a dent!" But I did what was right this time. That money has gone towards our debt. We're $20 less indebted to the big guys. That's one more step in the right direction. One more step towards freedom. Let's just keep stepping.

YAY!

I have a free coffee coupon for the cafe at church tomorrow. You have no idea how much I am looking forward to that FREE coffee. It's going to be a HUGE caramel mocha I think : ) Oh, the little things!