Expenses:
$355 mort.
62 gas
23 electric
52 water
27 internet
50 car ins.
200 food
65 gasoline
30 toiletries
50 pets
10 cleaning/household
13 Rx
20 Shrink bill
10 med bill
50 entertainment
50 car repair fund
35 extra mortgage principle
-----------------
$1102 Total

Income:
$1116 SSDI
$200-400 from part-time job

DECEMBER projected Income $2160.

Church 160.

Mortgage 878.

Electric 80.

Phone/Internet 81.

Long Distance 16.

Trash 75.

Grocery 150.

Gasoline 150. (taking a car off the road and getting by w/1 vehicle for awhile)

Gifts 85.

Insurance 165.

Household 20.

Misc 75.

Cash on Hand 80

Dining 80.

Grain 20.

Charities 28.

Medical Insurance 85. (going up to 106. in Feb)

SHORT (68.)

 Michelle CH, can you sell more eggs or cheese to make a little more in Dec?

My dh is getting a check for $2000 this week, the biggest check in almost a year.  I am mailing out the mortgage, $1424, and the heat $242 right away.  He will need $100 or so for gas,  I'd like to get dd some boots. 

Will post the whole budget soon.

No, egg and cheese production go way down in the winter months.

or actually I should say egg and MILK production go way down in the winter.

I also need to add $144 bill for the circulating pump replacement on the boiler. We have 30 day billing from the supply house so it'll come due later in December.

Still waiting on the sale of dh's truck. We had a friend that we thought was going to buy it so we haven't listed it for a few weeks now waiting on this person. Either he needs to do something with it this week or it HAS to be listed after Thanksgiving! This has been enough grace period. That should give us about $3000.00.

 That would be a God sent blessing, at this point. 

With work being down for my husband, expenses lower as well. I have no idea what to expect for work expenses this month. I can only track what we actually spend.

One year ago we started to fix up and redo, and paint and paper the house - it's very old and needs some upgrades to keep its value. When I say we started, I mean we started listing what needed to be done. We started saving $50 per week toward this effort but the money would go into savings and then back out again to pay for a car repair, or higher gas costs, or something else. We have made NO headway in repairs and some really need to be done to preserve the structure. We have extra cash each month to go toward savings OR debt OR repairs, but not for all, and I feel torn about how to get the work done on the house - even just the necessary repairs. So while we are keeping up with bills and paying down debts, and building an emergency fund, I am starting to worry about whether we will ever get the house fixed up.

So for December

Mortgage 1200

Utilities      760 (cable, cells, elec/gas)

Variables  1800 (gas, food, meds, pets, necessary purchases)

Debt           700

Savings       500

Total - 4960

Income - ~ 4800  will have to cut somewhere or maybe will earn more, don't know

Last night I tweaked our December budget, I was short by $500.00.  We then tweaked where we could and cut discretionary spending (food, gas, medical) to the bone.  I "found' an additional $200.  This will officially begin our snowballing effort to pay down our debt.  We'll make the regular payment along with the $200.  That should help us get things going.

Even though we're living paycheck to paycheck, I feel hopeful for the first time in a long time.  As I actually know what our expenses are and not just guesstimating what's happening.

So now I have to be disciplined and accountable.

Pamelaw:

One year ago we started to fix up and redo, and paint and paper the house - it's very old and needs some upgrades to keep its value. When I say we started, I mean we started listing what needed to be done.

Pamelaw, do not despair!  You are paying down some huge bills, and keeping up your emergency fund/savings.  I, too, live in a very old house, and have lists of things that need or I want to be done.  I wanted the kitchen done first, but the roof needed to be done, then it was the siding, and the gutters.  I didn't have all the student loans you have, so I have been able to work on a big project each year or a couple smaller ones. 

At least you have begun a list.  Get it out and dust it off every so often.  Maybe what you wanted originally has changed because your tastes have changed.  When you think of something you want, you should jot it down.  Periodically, you might find a great deal such as on paint in the color family you have chosen for a room, and if you could live with a slightly different hue or shade, you might be able to accomplish one painting job for one room on your list.  Do you want wallpaper or would a border at the top or midway down the wall suffice?  Will you do the work yourself or hire it done? 

This year I am dusting off kitchen plans once again, have gone to look at cabinets and inserts, since many have changed over the past years.  I'm also now old enough to know I want pullouts everywhere feasible to make things easier for the rest of my life. 

Having and updating that list can keep you on track and allows you to change your mind. 

Hope this helps alleviate your despair of ever having your house "done".