You're a WINNA!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, so I have even more good news for ya!

So I found out today that I won a contest at work. I will be getting a Visa gift card. I am going to put that full amount to debt as well. I am so motivated. I can feel this debt getting paid off as we speak.

So I will do another contest on that amount as well.

But I guess you want to know how much my commission was and how much I am paying my debt down.

And more importantly, who came closest to the amount.

I am happy to say that..............












Before I say the amount, can I just say that I want whatever job you guys have that I would have a $4,000 commission!!

Tomorrow I will be paying down my debt............................





And the closest person that came to the amount is........................








You really want to know??





OK, calm down!!






And the winner is............................








BEYOND BROKE!!!!! You can check out her site HERE


Beyond Broke guessed a conservative $300. Not conservative......just realistic. I wish I got more, but I'm glad I got extra and excited to be able to pay extra. Tomorrow I will be paying $320 to my debt and will update my amount on the side of the blog.




Beyond Broke.......email me your address and your prize will be on its way!!





So my next amount that I won today is.......................





Guess what amount that one is!!






I will send a gift to the closest one on this one as well.





OK>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GUESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARE YOU GUYS READY??

OK, LET ME GO LOOK!

I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!



I'm gonna make you wait a little longer!!

Tell me how much you think I am going to pay to my debt today!

The person that comes the closest I will send a special prize to!

OK......GUESS!!!

OK, OK!!!!!!!!!!

So I listened to the bulk of ya!

On Friday......I am going to put the full amount to my debt.

I also listened to a couple of you and I am going to get an extra latte and a pumpkin scone!!

Ooh!!!! I can't wait till Friday! Can you?

ARE YOU WONDERING HOW MUCH I CAN PAY OFF??

IT WILL BE A SURPRISE!!!!

I hope you are all doing good and not spending like lunatics!!

DAMN!!!! I have 30 minutes to get ready for work! That isn't even enough time for me to roll out of bed and find something perfect to wear today!!

OK, THAT'S IT!! I AM WEARING NOTHING!! I am just going to FLOP into work all NEKKID!!!!

With the time I save I can actually put on some mascara! KICK BUTT!

Ooh!......I feel a breeze!

I hope I don't spill my coffee today on my nekkid self!!

WHY IS EVERYONE LOOKING AT ME FUNNY??

Ok, so I found out I am getting a commission this month. I will be getting it on Friday. What I want to know is, what do you guys think I should do with it?

Should I pay down my debt?

Put it in savings?

Spend it like a lunatic crazy bulimic shopper, like I once was?

Feed a third of a third world country?

Get collagen lips? (Nope, I take it back....I hate needles. And can you imagine having an allergic reaction to that one?)

"Doesn't Leigh Ann's lips look big?"

"Yes, but where is her face?"

"I suppose she went a little crazy with the collagen, but who really needs eyes and a nose when you have those ENORMOUS LIPS!"

I would forever be know as Leigh Ann, the BONGO LIPS MAN!

So, you guys tell me.....what should I do with the money??

WHOO YA!!!

I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM FINALLY UNDER $5,000!! Check out my debt tally page to the right to see the exact balance.

KICK BUTT!!

I'm UP!

It is 7:30 in the morning. On a Sunday. WHY AM I AWAKE??!!

What do you guys think I should do today?

Remember I am totally sore from head to toe from walking.

I'm thinking...............

Breakfast?

Sit at Starbucks?

Go back to sleep?

What do you guys think??

What are you guys doing today??

Got a tetanus shot.

Had an allergic reaction.

Arm swollen.

Called in sick on Friday.

Feel a bit better.

Body sore from all the dog walking this week.

Only speaking in single sentences.

Think it has to do with allergic reaction.

Could be because I am in a single sentence mood.

10 PM. Time to get some sleep.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Good.

Night.

Where did the time go?

I have had no time to do anything!

I have been volunteering after work at an animal shelter. I walk the dogs. It has been great! But I have no time! The first dog I decided to walk was a pit bull. I think I should have RETHUNK it and started with something like a poodle. This dog was STRONG! Not to mention, I couldn't get the darn leash on her. Everytime I would go to slip it over her head she would bounce back and jump around. It was hysterical! When I finally get the leash on her and open the cage. PHOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE'RE OFF!!

She was so strong we go flying through the lobby. YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN ME!! My feet were PHLUM PHLUM PHLUM!!!! I think I got through the lobby and out the door in a total of three steps!

And the whole time we were walking (if you could call it that) it was basically me being dragged wherever she wanted to go.

The others I walked were basically the same.

Me flying through the lobby as potential adopters are staring in shock,

Me being dragged all around and having to leap instead of walk

Me getting locked in a kennel because I closed it all the way and had to try to stick my finger in the thing to get it to open, which didn't work and someone had to come and let me out. (no one wanted to adopt me either!)

Tonight I think I will try walking the guinea pigs and work my way up!

I decided to do something that would help others instead of focusing on myself. So I signed up with this shelter. I went through training the last couple weeks and now I have a badge and keys to the kennels. I can go in anytime and take out the puppies. I get paid ZIP and I love it! I am helping the poor puppies that are locked up and I have no time to shop or feel sorry for myself. It is a great thing...........you should try it! All the shelters are in desperate need for volunteers to walk the dogs. I had no idea!

So there you have it. That is why I haven't had a chance to update my blog in a few days. Hopefully I will be home early enough tonight and I can let you know what happens and if some CRAZY PSYCHO DOG drags me into the bay!

I hope your week has been great!!

Watch the dog poop!! (oh, no....that's me!)

Should I or Shouldn't I?

OK, I spent the afternoon yesterday cleaning out my closets. I might be taking this getting rid of stuff a little too extreme!

I went through my closet and bookshelf and threw most of it in bags. I am donating all my old clothes and books and movies that I haven't used in over 6 months to the local Goodwill. I tried half.com and sold one movie....But most of the movies are selling for only 75 cents and I think it would raise more money to help people if I donated them. So that is what I am doing.

It is all sitting in the back of my truck and going there this morning.

I am still holding on to one handbag that I have. A coach bag. I loved that bag. It cracks me up. I used a $200+ Coach handbag and got almost no compliments.......I get a bag at Target (which rocks by the way) THIS ONE and people comment daily!! This bag is beautiful! I used to be a total stuck up type of princess when it came to handbags. I was a name brand WHORE! After getting this bag and the way people reacted........I am done with expensive stuff! BRING ON THE CHEAP STUFF!!

So, what I was thinking was.....I have sold everything. I am still holding on to this coach bag for some reason. Do you think I should sell it and be done with it? I feel like if I let it go my old self will be gone forever. It is like a security blanket for me.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK??

I want to know five things each of you are thankful for right now. This minute.....what are you thankful for.

I feel like dookie today.

I did presentations all day yesterday and now I can't talk. My throat hurts and I have no clean clothes.

I am tired. I DON'T WANT TO GET UP!!

I think I will call in POOPED!!

Yesterday was completely uneventful. I have nothing to report.

Wow. I got nothin'.

Nothing at all.

OMG! My life has become ordinary!!

I am in Heaven!!

GOD LET ME ALWAYS FEEL LIKE THIS!

I am sitting on my deck writing this, after going to the gym and having a great workout. Then I walked to Trader Joe's and got some sweet potatoes and veggies. I carried it all the way home. I made pasta with chicken and sweet potatoes. I have some vegetable soup simmering right now.

So I got in my jammies and I am sitting out on my deck enjoying the sunset.

If life could always be like today, I could live in pure bliss!

This all started with Jagular's unselfish gift. It motivated me to stay focused again. Then all your comments you guys have been posting has changed EVERYTHING! I am so grateful for each and every one of you!

I hope I can one day do the same for you!

Actually.......If everyone can check in with Sheila at SAVE SHEILA I think she could use some encouragement. She is just starting out. So if each of you could give her a quick comment I think it would help motivate her as well.

LOVE YOU GUYS!!

MOVIE ANYONE??

Thanks to you guys I listed some movies on half.com. You can check them out here.

I had never even known about half.com. Very cool!!

Thanks guys!

And my garage is sparkling. I am off to Starbucks.....


UPDATE:

I am now at Starbucks and paid ALL my bills! I love this budget my mom did for me. I am so organized now! I have a whopping $29.23 left in my account.....but everything is paid! I am so relieved! I am going to sleep like a baby tonight! (minus the pooping in my pants and drinking from a bottle)

I hope everyone else is doing as SPLENDID AS I AM RIGHT NOW!!

TODAY....

Here is my life today.

I am going to borrow my grandparents truck and clean out the garage. I am loading everything up and taking it all to the dumps.

I am doing the same with some stuff in my apartment. I am going to load up everything I haven't used in months and donate it. I have way to many books and at least people can enjoy them instead of them just sitting here cluttering up my house. If it looks like something I can sell on eBay I will do that. But books and movies are too much work to list and it costs money to list them. I will just donate them.

I am going to hit the gym after that and then if I'm not passed out in my garage I will go to Starbucks and let you know how it all went.

I hope your day is filled with more exciting things to do.

WHAT THE HECK!! IT IS SATURDAY!! WHAT AM I DOING UP AT 6 AM??

Let Me Clear a Few Things Up........

Someone anonymously asked me a few questions......they said I would probably delete the comment because I don't want to answer. I did delete the comment, not because I don't want to answer it, but because I don't keep anonymous comments on my blog. If you want to ask a question, then let me know who you are. I am guessing it is someone I know. But regardless, let me answer for you.

First they asked why it fell apart so recently.

As I had said before......my income changed dramatically. My paycheck was cut in half. What I was working with before and what I have to work with now is 50% less. I have been budgeting but when amounts came up I wasn't able to handle them.

Also, I had an emergency fund for such an emergency, but had to use it a couple months ago, which I blogged about. I haven't been able to save since as my paycheck is now smaller.

They said I should pay a little less of my debt to start a cushion. I am paying the minimum on my debt right now. I am in a debt repayment program and I am paying the amount they require. I can't pay any less. I am not making additional payments right now. I would love to say I am paying a huge amount to my debt, but I can't pay extra right now.

They asked if I was really happy about asking my mom for help. And let me tell you. I would love to not have to ask ANYONE FOR HELP! I asked her for help with my budget as she studied to be an accountant and is good at it. She set me up on what I should do and then offered the money to me to help me get caught up. Am I happy about my mom bailing me out? Right now? Yes I am. I love my mom dearly. We do for each other. What I neglected to mention was that day that I went over to their house to do the budget, I was mainly going over to take care of my grandparents. It was a holiday and they charge double for the nursing staff to be there. So on holidays I take care of them. My husband takes care of my grandfather and I take care of my grandma. My mom doesn't want to see my grandmother go to the bathroom, change her diaper and clean her, so I do that. We do for each other. Which brings me to my support.

My husband does the same with my grandfather as I don't really want to see my grandfather in that situation. Not that I wouldn't, I would do anything for him. But I have a huge support with my husband. It is really about me. He doesn't spend at all.

I had my son when I was very young. My husband and I have now been married almost 17 years. I am 36. People never thought we would last as I got married when I was 19. But we proved everyone wrong. He is a huge support. He is there not only for me but for my mom too!

Things can change in an instant....I know that. It has definitely proven that this week. I didn't know how things would turn out, but I am happy things worked out this week. I would love to be able to handle everything myself.....and I have been working hard since last October to do it myself. But sometimes situations change and I was unable to change with it successfully. Even though my mom didn't ask for the money back.....of course I will pay her back. Not because I have to, but because I want to.

I don't have any credit cards.....I cut them up long ago. I live on a cash basis. If I don't have the cash, I don't buy it. My debt should be paid off in a matter of months. That will free up $654 a month. That amount has been tough to pay every month, but it is almost over.

I will never put myself in that situation again.

This blog was the best thing that happened to me. I know that if I didn't have this blog to answer to every evening.....I never would have gotten where I am today. I have learned so much about myself through writing things down and I am learning every day.

On this blog I always try to make it fun and positive. I don't like to post about depressing whoa is me types of things. It doesn't help me and it doesn't help anyone else.

I really think this blog saved me.

So there you go. That is me. Take it or leave it.

Love you all!!

OK, HERE'S YA DAHN POST!! AMAZING WHAT 24 HOURS CAN BRING!!

Honestly I don't understand how life works. My life totally turned around overnight!

I went to my mom's house to do laundry....which I haven't been able to do in two weeks. I used her computer while on the soak cycle....... This is what happens:

It all started with this comment.........



jagular said...
Don't be so down, Leigh Ann.
(Sending you happy thoughts)
Just always try to find something to be thankful for and then you can never feel stressed out. You can't be thankful and stressed at the same time.
(Sending you happy thoughts)
I'm sorry to hear about all of your recent troubles, but believe it or not, you can still be happy in the hard times. It's really a choice, after all.
(Sending you happy thoughts)
So just get your refrigerator tomorrow and be thankful you are able to have a refrigerator to begin with.
(Sending you happy thoughts)
And then go buy some food and stick it in the refrigerator and count your blessings.
(Sending you fifty bucks.)


I gasped! I PRACTICALLY INHALED MY TONGUE!!!!

My mom yells to me.......


"What's wrong?"

"Read this."

She reads it and says

"What a nice person. Do you know them?"

"We read each other's blogs. They are a blog friend."

She looks at me kind of weird and says "Oh, ok honey."

She is a paper and pen kind of person. She has no idea what I am talking about. I have to explain.........."You know, my online journal?"

"Oh, sure."

Ok, she still didn't get it.

I sit at the computer balling..........wondering why my life is the way it is and in a complete and utter shock at the generosity.

So I decide that I need to do a better budget and really crack down. A coworker's sister works for Martha Stewart and gave me this book. I thought it would be a great book for my budget as it is just a dream of items on the cover. Not that Martha was great with money or anything. I drool over the ice cream picture everyday now.




I then sit down with my mom and she helps me figure out a better budget. It took over two hours but I finally got it down. If I was stressed before......I was doubly stressed after seeing what was due in a few weeks. This is the first page of my budget..........The stuff that is due now!

My registration is a month late and I was worried I would get my car towed or impounded or something not so sun shiny.

You already know about the taxes.

The Diners is actually my corporate card that I had to put my gas onto. It is two months worth. I was panicking about that one.

The MRI and Dentist things are ones that I tried to be good and get things taken care of and didn't realize the cost involved until I got a HUGE ASS BILL in the mail!

That ass was enormous..........it was one of those big cellulite kind of asses!

*note to self.........check my cellulite in the rearview mirror when I get a chance.

Then I do my normal budget. To see what I need to do each month. Here is the next month's bills:

My comcast is beyond late and have to catch up.

The newspaper is a bill I keep getting. I have called them a gazillion times and told them I don't have the account and they KEEP SENDING THE DARN BILL! I am just going to pay it and get it over with. I don't want it to go on my credit.

So after doing all of this I felt good about my regular bills.....but totally freaking out about what is due in a few weeks.

I have been stressing over the tax one. You all know. I tell you everything. I swear I feel like you are all my family!

My mom is going through so much with my grandparents I didn't want to bother her with all this. But honestly I was at the end of my rope.

So I sit down and tell her the whole story.

How I have my taxes due. How I have a huge dental bill. How my registration is a month and a half late. I felt like I had no hope. I couldn't see a way out. Until I saw that post from Jagular.

I decided to go over everything with my mom.

And you know what happened next?

Should I tell you later?

Is your interest peaking??????????

Am I driving you nuts!!!!!!!!!?????????????

TELL ME LEIGH ANN........SHEESH!!!!

.

.

.

.

.

.

My mom gave me the amount I needed to get caught up!!

I now had a total of $2,700!!

As I hugged my mom goodbye and loaded my clothes into my car............I sat in amazement. It went from completely dark............to brighter than I could have ever imagined!

So, instead of mailing off the bills I decided to go one step further and I went to each place and paid it!!

I thought I would take you along for the ride.......so here we go!

First, I went to the bank and deposited the check.

No picture of that though. I didn't want to breach security or identity theft stuff or anything. Ok, fine, I forgot to take the picture!

Then I went and got a smog since I couldn't register my car without it.

They put my car on this thing and it starts spinning. It was going so fast. I had this image of my car getting traction and flying right through the back of the building! That would have been a great picture!

AND WHAT THE HECK IS THIS!! My car felt so violated!! He stuck this thing right up my car's BUTT!!

I guess they were taking it's temperature or something. But I thought he could at least take my car to dinner first......or at least a DRIVE THRU before expecting it to put out!!

After that it was off to the DMV! I know.....don't be jealous! You too can go to the DMV.

I walk in and I have to stand in line. Yes. I had to stand in line.

I know you are shocked, but that has been known to happen at the DMV.

BUT I HAD TO STAND IN THIS LINE AND I GO UP TO THE WOMEN AND SAY......

"I just need to pay my registration."

"Take a number."

"What is it for?"

"It will tell you what line to stand in once your number is called."

"So I just stood in line to find out where to stand in line?"

"Um huh."

Hmm....very efficient.

Look at all the numbers! It was like a mouse maze. They would call numbers and people would scurry to the other number where they are supposed to stand in yet another line.

It actually felt so great to be able to pay the bills I practically skipped up to the line to pay the bill!

I then went to my dentist and wrote that very painful amount! And I did it without NOVACAINE!! I am a strong woman! I said "No, not me.....I don't need novacaine.....I want to feel everything!"

Got a funny look from the receptionist on that one.

I totally forgot to take a picture of that one too...........but I figure people hate the dentist and wouldn't want to experience that gem of a visit anyway.

After that I went to Starbucks to pay the rest.

I went online and paid the MRI visit.............

My Diner's Club account..................

and the most important one of all..................I PAID MY TAXES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe it! I actually paid everything.

I am totally caught up!

I had no money for food and then Ken over at Jagular changed that as well.....so here is what I bought and this is my brand new refrigerator!!! I haven't been this happy in weeks!!!! Ken, I don't know how to thank you! I have been saying a prayer for you each night! In fact, I have been praying for all of you!!

So there you have it! What a full 24 hours! I am up to date and all these bills that were hanging over my head are now paid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like Ken said............I am counting my blessings and realize that LIFE IS GOOD and things can change overnight. I am living proof of that!

Love you guys so much!!!!!

I am broke again......but everything is paid!!

Hope it was worth the wait!!

What do you do when you have no MONAY!!!!!!!!

And yes.........I spelled money that way on purpose. Just didn't want you to think I have no spell check around this here place!

So, what do I do when I got nothin'?

Work out and sleep.

So I just worked out at the gym (that my mom got for me) and pooped myself out.

Now I am going to take a nap.

Then I am going to do some laundry..............at my mom's house. So I don't have to spend $2 to do it at home.

Then while that is being done, I am going to sit at Starbucks and add some stuff to eBay.

So, now you know.

That is my day.

Are you just beside yourself with excitement? I know you are!

Oh, by the way..........I still have no refrigerator. They are supposed to deliver a new one tomorrow. And not that it would matter, I don't have money to buy any new food when it does get here. So it will be a very clean refrigerator. At least until next Friday when I get paid.

*sigh.

OK, NAP TIME! Hopefully I will dream about something besides Top Ramen!

A GOOD FRIEND!!

A great blogging friend Danielle over at A NICHOL'S WORTH OF NEWS is having an eBay sale this weekend! Everyone stop by and see if there is something you like.

You can check out all her items HERE.

And she is putting all the money she raised toward her debt...........EVEN BETTER!

Good luck Danielle (pronounced denial) Let me know how you do!

It's amazing how things work out! For today, at least.......

I have been living on soup and stale crackers for a few days now. It sucks!

So, there is an art and wine festival going on in the city I live in so I walk around and look at all the useless stuff. And of course, I didn't buy anything. BUT DID I EVER DROOL OVER THE FOOD!

Of course I didn't buy that as well.

I decided to make the best of my situation and just enjoyed the day.

I ate some popcorn and then sat outside on my Adirondack chair. My neighbor comes out and starts a barbecue in the front. I chatted with him for a while and next thing you know, we had a crowd. The entire neighborhood came out and we were all just CHILLING! Ok, it was warm........There was no chilling. Especially with no refrigerator. Nothing I have is chilled!!

Before I know it he says...........

"Hey, get a plate."

I said "Really!?" AS I HIGHTAIL IT OVER TO MY PLACE AND TAKE THE STAIRS IN FOURS!! I don't even think he realized I left and came back! It was like WHOOSH~~~~~~~~~~~!


"I feel like I am begging."


"No way, we have a ton."


He opens the barbecue and I SWEAR BELLS RANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh no...That's just my stomach.


He had ribs..................

He had sausages...............

He had chicken........................

He had a crazy chick practically sexually harass his barbecue!!!!!!!!!!!


I hold out the plate......... (I almost brought out my basting pan and said fill er up!)


He gave me two of everything. I felt like the deli version of Noah's Ark!


I don't think he had any idea of how incredible this gift was. I practically inhaled it through my nose! It smelled amazing.

Toast doesn't have the same aroma.

So, I'm happier than I have been in a week!

Dr. Atkin's is still in business!

And I am so grateful I have you guys and I have incredible neighbors and will have a great night's sleep with all this protein in my stomach!


I love my life tonight!

It's 4 o'clock in the morning. I can't sleep. I'm worried about money. I'm worried about the bills I don't have enough money to pay for.

I don't know what to do. I have to figure something out. Something has to change. What am I doing wrong? I have been so good.

Yawn.

*sigh

At work.

Not motivated AT ALL!

Refrigerator still not working.

Won't have new one until next Tuesday!!

House starting to smell a little funny.

Still at work.

Still not motivated.

Still no money.

Car registration now 3 weeks past due.

Need a smog.

Taxes due in a month and still short.

Have no food.

Been living off soup and stale crackers.

Really hate soup now.

WANT COLD FOOD!!!

Seriously thinking about selling my body for a night in a hotel.

Realize I probably would be lucky to get a MOTEL.......For only an hour.

Wouldn't help.

Still no money.

Now depressed that I couldn't even get a Happy Meal for selling my body.

In serious need of comments on this blog to see me through.