A {Frugalista's} Thoughts and Ramblings

Last night, I walked into the livingroom in a bit of a {panic}.  My husband asked me what was wrong and I told him..."I have a {Frugalista's} nightmare just occur"... I told him what had happened.  My toner in my printer is GONE.  It is not super light - the printer is not working because the toner is {{{{{EMPTY}}}}}.  Okay, so I realize that there are a lot more serious problems in the world.  I get it.  I did not think my statement would invoke laughter from my husband (maybe it was the dramatic pauses and gasping while I told him).

So, today I sit here thinking about how much my budgeting skills have changed since starting this blog in the beginning of the year.  I started the blog simply to share the deals I was finding but I never imagined the opportunity this blog would allow for my family.  The opportunity to grow and to really look at where my dollars and cents are going.  The last few years have been pretty rough on our family paying off the medical bills and everything that goes along with an organ transplant.  We had a lot of success with our fundraisers and frankly without the Children's Organ Transplant Assocation we would have had to declare bankruptcy by now...no if's and or buts.  We went from a couple of who would enjoy evenings out at a nice restaurant and days shopping at the mall....to a couple who sold everything they owned (except for my baby's furniture) in their house to pay for travel expenses to the hospital and for COBRA insurance payments and the such.  I share this with you because I realized that I have been on the two extremes of life...financially that is.  No, I a was never a lottery winner or owned a mansion but we did live very comfortably and never thought about not paying off our bills. Then we hit the extreme of not knowing if we would be able to make a car payment or utility bill payment because we would need the money to pay for an emergency hospital trip.  Our daughter's medical expenses wiped us out and I can tell you that it was THEN that I became rich.

Today, we are in a middle ground I believe.  My husband has started a new job so we are currently paying COBRA payments {{{Ouch}}} but I no longer panic.  I don't panic because even with all that life has brought us we are at a better financial place then we were before my daughter was born and her medical crisis started.  I say this because we now have a plan.  We now know where our money is going and if we now have a budget and we make things work.  My daughter has a bunch of toys in her room and yes most are from Freecycle or they are Gifts ... guess what?  My daughter plays with them and has fun with them and it makes no difference to her.

No, I don't have new a new car and yes...it could use a paint job but then my little Hyundai is dependable and paid off.  Although we don't {Have} as much as we used to ... we do have a home that is the most beautiful home I could ever imagine...simply because it is mine.  No fancy new couches in my house..but a comfy one with a slip cover...we do have more then you can ever imagine.  We have our {Health} and we have each other...and we have a financial plan that we are working.  Our financial plan involves coupons, not going out to restaurants, packing my husbands lunch every day, and {{Gasp}} my learning how to cook! 

So, today I am going to start working on a menu for my husband's birthday party.  A party on a {budget}...we used to throw super fancy dancy party's in our home with tons of wine and homemade breads and I never looked at a budget.  My goal for this party is the opposite....it will be fancy dancy but I will do it within a budget.  My husband has never allowed me to throw him a birthday party before but this year it is different.  You see...last year my daughter spent his birthday fighting for her life {again} and I was in Philadelphia sitting with her Yia Yia everyday next to her hospital bed.  This year will mark KNOCK ON WOOD an entire year without an admission for our daughter...we have had ER visits but NO admissions!  This is a reason to {{{{CELEBRATE}}}}.  He is letting me throw this party for him with the condition that I request that presents not be bought for him but rather that a new toy be brought so it can be donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Lauderdale through Mami on a McMission. 

So, the party planning begins.....can you help me out with {Frugal} party recipes?..now this is going to be the toughie ... the recipes need to be dairy free ... the princesa in our house has a dairy allergy.