Hey, everyone.  I feel like I know so many of you; I've enjoyed this forum off and on for about a year now.  I mainly get to read your posts in the summer, as I teach English and am SOOOO busy during the school year.  I got "hooked" on Deborah Michelle's food stamps forum last summer when I was on a trip for my oldest son's nationals baseball tournament.  Deborah, you are so wise.  I really admire how you and the others on that forum, in particular, know how to manage your money.

I have five children and a great husband.  The kids' ages range from 20 to 6.  (I now have two grandchildren with one on the way.  My daughter got a son when she married his dad).  I homeschooled my children for twelve years.  I just re-entered the work force two years ago.  I have a degree in English, but had never taught.  I taught the first year through my state's non-traditional certification program, but decided to get my master's degree and teaching certificate at the same time during this past school year.  Yes, I was extremely busy.  When I wasn't grading papers,  I was writing papers myself!!!  I graduated in May, and I taught summer school for the first time this summer.  I really enjoyed summer school; I only had ten students. 

As you can tell, I am very busy.  My kids play sports, and I keep my sweet grandchildren some for my daughter who is in nursing school and also works.  Her husband's schedule rotates, so I don't have them everyday.  Now, since I have my professional life under control, I have to get my personal finances back under control.  I'm working on a budget, and want to get all our non-secured debt paid off.  I'm afraid when I've been so busy I've been "penny-wise but pound-foolish."  I've found myself doing things like washing out ziploc bags but going out to eat almost every night!!!  Old habits die hard, thank goodness.

I know how to stretch my dollars since my family lived on one income for so long, but I still find valuable advice and inspiration here.  Thanks to all of you; please keep posting.

Hi Amy!

Welcome aboard and feel free to jump in anywhere you like! There are many wise people here, I'm learning alot myself!

Welcome Amy!!

Amy Hughes:

I have a degree in English, but had never taught. 

I guess we'll have to watch how we talk on here?

No, it's summer, and I don't have a red pen handy, anyway! 

 Welcome to the Community! You DO sound busy.

 Amy- like you, I have five kids from 20 to 6, and then a 3 and 1 year old!   No grandbabies, but I still have a baby.

Sounds like your working should help pay down debt pretty quickly, esp. if you can live on dh's income and  and put most of yours towards debt for a while.  Do you have child care expenses for the little ones?  Are you homeschooling?

Looking forward to your posts. 

 

Tracy,

Yes, my grandkids are 3 and 1, so when they're here, my house is probably very similar to your's!!!  I have a plan for paying off debt now that I've read Dave Ramsey's book, so I think we can do it.  We're doing fine;  I'm just tired of unsecured debt.  No, I don't homeschool anymore.  I did for twelve years, but we had a lot of changes in our lives around the time our oldest DD graduated from homeschool.  Long story short: I started teaching and put the kids in the same school.  It's a really small school where the elementary and h.s. is on the same campus.  I love the fact that if one of my littles (9 and 6) gets sick, I can just run over and get him or her.  Also, my big kids drop by my classroom several times a day.  The first year I taught I taught my oldest DS two classes and my oldest DD once!  It was great!  My kids have done very well both academically and socially.  My big son plays every sport and my oldest daughter is a cheerleader.  My littles love the art and music classes.

I really love your posts.  I'm looking for updates to your DH's job situation.  I'll pray for your family and for your peace of mind.  I'm heading out now for my son's baseball game.  His ABBA team is undefeated.  This is the state tournament semi-final.  His other team, USSSA (tournament team) won the state championship this summer.  We'll be going to nationals later this month.  Fun and sun!

Red pen holders unite!  I majored in English in college and now I use my grammar skills to proof all the articles for our newsletter before they go to the CEO.  He then makes his own adjustments and we go to print.  I'm not perfect and I'm not an expert, but I do love making red pen marks on a paper!

(For the record, I usually use a pink pen!  LOL)

 Amy-dh left today, we are off on a new adventure.

Thanks for your remarks-