We took our boys to get their pictures done on Friday. We were only going to go and do the $8 package so we would have pictures to send to family. Well they took such cute pictures that we wanted to get more than just one pose. We ended up getting a 20x24 mounted and framed wall collage, a cd with all the pictures plus the copyright so we can print pictures anywhere, and 12 full sheets, including 2 calenders and 2 collages, all for $330. They lady did give us a discount though. She took $100 off the wall mount, $30 off the cd, and then 25% off our whole order, and she didn't charge us the $80 for the collages. However, I still felt guilty spending that much money just on pictures, no matter how adorable.
We decided instead of buying family christmas presents, we would send them pictures instead. Both my family and his were fine with this and since we had budgeted $300 for presents, it pretty much equalled out.

Well while I was feeling guilty about spending so much money, I figured we get ourselves into these situations by keeping too much money in out checkings. I like to keep an extra $1000 or so in case something comes up, or they decide to cut hubbys hours all of a sudden but it seems like we tend to use it by eating out or buying clothes or something for the house. I decided to start only keeping $100 extra in checkings and then if something comes up put it on our emergency c.c. and pay it off at the beginning of the month with extra income for that month. Hubby agreed this was a good idea.

Earlier this year we bought all new stainless steel appliances at best buy with their 18 month no interest credit card. We have until next December to pay it off but we are hoping to pay it off sooner so we can start paying down our Suv because hubbys work car is about to give out and we don't want 2 car payments if we can help it. Well we took $500 from our checkings and put it towards our best buy card. This left us with $150 in checkings after paying for the pictures. I know we wont dig into our savings for misc. expenses but we will only if hubby's winter hours get cut and we need it to pay bills with. However, I think by puttin excess money to the credit card, we will be able to stop "wasting" money on things that aren't necessities. My in-laws are suppose to pay us back $100 of the $800 they borrowed from us on Wed. and I will put that to the c.c. too. Wish us luck sticking to this plan and not going back to our old ways!