I find it a constant battle with my husband, sometimes. He does not have the same level of 'frugalness' that I have. We often times have to have discussions about whether or not it is something we want or something we need. In the end he typically comes around but it's a bit depressing to have to tell him no because I know in reality it isn't something we actually need to spend our money on. His co-worker is facing foreclosure (I have no pity for a man living well beyond his means) and is selling the majority of his excess. He has some things my husband wants to buy. Shelving units. Tools for work. Random other things. I don't see where we would put the shelving units in our current house. The only thing I suppose would be useful would be a tool for work but if he can just borrow someone else's as it isn't something he would need often, isn't that just as good?
We decided to take a vacation this year. We haven't been anything since our honeymoon two years ago. Josh gets a paid vacation starting in October after his one year mark. I've always wanted to go to Disney during the Christmas season and since we moved back to Virginia before I could see it this year, we've decided to hit up the off season and go this December. My father has two weeks a year at a resort and a few extra years banked. We're going to borrow one of those and go to Florida (where else?) the week before Christmas. I was a little hesitant to allow my father to book the week for us because what if we move back to Florida before December? But as Josh pointed out, we haven't gone anywhere in a long time and nothing says we can't still go. The point of a vacation is to get away from home, who cares if home is only an hour away from your vacation spot? We can still go and have fun! The 14th-21st. While that is a bit closer to Christmas then I wanted to go, it's worth it. One week for $165 in a two bedroom five star resort. It works out to be $23.xx a night. I couldn't even find a flea infested motel for that price. On the down side, flights are more expensive then a week or two earlier but we're thinking of driving as it would be cheaper then flying and renting a car anyway. My plan is to put away $100 a month between now and then and I will have the majority of our vacation expenses already paid for.

$165 housing
$275 gas and food on the road
$450 park tickets (may vary depending on whether or not we decide to do a day at Universal)
$150 food
$200 shopping ($100 each)


Rounding up for anything unforeseeable that's $1300 for a eight day trip. Or $81 per person a day. Not shabby! I'm of course going to keep my eye out for any ticket deals, bring all our own snacks and a cooler full of things so we only have to purchase the basic items there. Too bad December is nine long months away!

Work has picked up for Josh and we're looking at being able to put $1300 into savings this month and have $500 extra to put toward the two credit cards which will make one payment $550 and the other $350. It will leave us with about $500 left over after $100 vacation fund comes out. Roll that over into next month.

I wish deciding to move or to stay was less emotional. Emotionally I want to live in Florida where we went to Disney twice a month, where Josh had only a 15 minute drive to work, where he only worked one Saturday a month and only until one pm. But I know we are better off money-wise here. I know that. Too bad that doesn't outweigh the part of me that doesn't care and wants to go back anyway.