I was feeling a little too flush with paying all the bills for Sept, and spent $66 we didn't really have for skating lessons for four kids- it is cheap for an activity, they get 4 activites a year at 75% reduction through the city, I guess I was feeling this is their chance to use a last one- so for %16.50 each the 14 yo, 12 y, 9yo, and 6 yo will learn to skate.  7 lessons plus skate time befroe and after, plus they went today and each got two free passes for an hour and a half of skating on Sundays.  Skate rental is $2 each time, the big two will use their birthday money. 

Have paid Oct. mortgage, will have to sort bills on Monday.  

 Tracy ask on freecycle for skates. Here everyone skates and you can usually find some free or very cheap. Saves the $2. My kids love skating.Is it an indoor or outdoor rink? Babs

That is a great idea! 

It's an indoor triple rink, there is lots of hockey there and a figure skating club.  We live in a heavy hockey area, lots of girls and boys play.  

 Hockey is big here too. It is expensive sport. My kids never played. Here the practice and games for kids are on Sunday mornings. Same with football. If kids do those sports , then they dont go to church. I think that it is very unfair. I have seen a lot of families drop out of church because of these two sports. Kids start hockey at age 3 and football at age 5. Football was $125 per child. Very young and way too much money for a 5 year old. in MHO. Babs

None of my kids have ever played hockey, one played football from grade 3-7, for about $110 a season.  Lots of kids play hockey and skate, and some of the kids have been invited to skating parties, etc, and they don't know how to skate- so for this price, thought I'd have four take the basic skills and be able to do it with friends.  With our family, they get to do some things with friends that I just don't do, skating, sledding, biking.  We have a few bikes and a few sleds, once they hit about 11 or 12, they can bike by themselves, but I am not one to take a whole bunch of kids,, including little ones on recreational things- as the littlest ones grow up, that will change, the older kids missed out that way, but had other perks- every spot is different, they had more classes, more restaurant meals, more trips, the little kids have more time at home, I'm not working as much, this summer and last they had more time at the pool, they cook more.  

Practice and games for football is very respectful of the church here, games and practices Mon, Tues, Wed off for confirmation and religion classes, Th, Fr, sometimes Saturday, only a jamboree on Sunday afternoon at the beginning of the season, and the final game is on Sat/Sunday if they make the playoffs.  

I listed a skates wanted on Free Market here.  

 Tracy, it is true too that the older you are when kids are born, then you are doing different things. My two oldest kids, we traveled a lot. DH fwas doing Evanlistic work and we sang as a family. They went to Disney World more times than I can remember because DH was ask to preach in Fla a lot. Then we had three more kids bought a house and that changed. They have nver been to Disney. Will have to take themselves. Older kids never skated or played sports. Younger 3, skated, played basketball.  Middle DS worked as a skate guard for a couple of seasons. The lessons paid off for him. Same with swimming. He worked as a lifeguard for two summers.  I think they all have had  good experiences but very different. Just where G'd puts us at different times and ages. Babs

Four bills paid today-

last rent, $600, and carpet cleaning $100 for dh's Iowa apt, $700 sent.

two credit cards, one I need to pay, and one, Sears, with payment deferred, just sent Sears $20 as I like to pay a little towards the water heater.  Even getting $360 off, $20 a month, before payment is due will help.  The bill is $800, have it down to $755.

Phone, down from last month with dh back at home. $38

Expenses - Oct 2008      10/1/2008 through 10/13/2008

 Uncategorized 83.54 
 Auto 100.00 
 Business Auto 161.02 
 Business Expense 155.64 
 Entertainment 7.70 
 Household Expenses 493.12 
 Misc 27.28 
  Utilities 111.23 
 Credit Card 40.00 

 OVERALL TOTAL 1,179.53 

ArielDawn:

I did my October budget and IF (yeah big IF) I can get DH to keep his pocket spending in line we'll come up with 500 extra - and that's including paying the $900 in property taxes I owe the town (behind on that).  He will get 3 paychecks this month and I will get 5 unemployment checks.

I just re-read my own post and my big IF isn't working out so well......but I won't go over budget and 'might' come in around $100 under.    DH was told that OT is at ZERO for the rest of the year unless there is a big storm or cable failure/cable cutover (he's a telephone tech).  

DH lost his wallet last weekend - which in some terms is good as he can't use his debit card....

Everything went according to plan except:

groceries were more than the $175. I'd planned.

We spent $21 on discount seeds for next years garden, and $44 at Borders for books, both were not accounted for.

My $560 at the end of the month was to go to savings, however we spent $545 at the farm auction this weekend.

No charging on credit cards at all this month ... yet...and don't plan to.