Wow, can't believe six months have passed since my last entry. I still have money on the mind (like many people). DH can expect 10 furlough days this year and sees his retirement investments dropping like a stone. He hopes to retire at 62 and my goal is to help him do that. My deferred comp accounts don't fluctuate much, but I expect that my job will furlough people soon. I need to hang in at least six more years (26 years) and then hope to find a job that pays for my insurance. That is, of course, if all goes well. The news is full of stories about people who thought they'd planned and then are hit with a medical or family emergency that wipes out the cushion they believed would help them get by.

Six months ago, I was complaining about our leaky roof. We're finishing up with the repairs to the car decking (wooden ceiling) and will have a check for the new roof in the mail to the roofing company this afternoon! The rains can come... although our part of the country is experiencing summer, finally.

My money plan is to start my financial year from 7/25/10 and to track our spending patterns for a year. Our rough budget is:

*insurance-(car, house and medical co-pay): $250/month
*car payment (low interest) - 355.00
*house payment- (including 500 principle pay): 2280.00
*house bills- (water/sewer/garbage,electric,phones,cable):600.00
*food: 300.00
*spending-300= 150x2
*gas- 150= 75.00x2
*travel- 377.92
*propane- 125

The remainder of any check will go to the "E" fund. A large part of the fund was used to pay for the roof which makes us both nervous--more reason to start saving!