Monday, July 7, 2008

Money Making Money

My Aunt Peggy has been working off and on as a day trader for many years. She does pretty good for herself and if I was a bit more adventurous with our money, I would join her! I'm not sure what the difference is between a day trader and a futures broker, but this is an area I want to learn more about. We don't have any investments other than our house and honestly, I don't think it's making us that much money! I don't even know where to start. Maybe I should go back to school and get a degree in Finance.

More Memory Needed

We are leaving on our trip north in less than two weeks. The kids are excited and I actually have everything I need for a great week away. I do want to find another micro sd for my camera. Since I won't have my computer in Wisconsin, I won't be able to download my photo's and clear my card to take more. So it's just easier to take a couple and bring them both home full. That way I don't miss a minute of the fun!

Who Knew!!

Are you as clueless as me? My husband's birthday is coming up on the 25th of the month and to surprise him I found an amazing deal on a flat screen TV. These are something that he's always shown interest in, so I know he'll love it! I called my brother in law to have him help me get it home and set up. Everything was going really well until he asked me for a mount. Eh hem!! What?? Apparently you need to have one of those cool mounts from Peerless to attach the thing to the wall! Well, I didn't have one and I didn't want my husband to see his gift if it wasn't in it's place showing off it's perfectness! So I sent the thing home with my brother in law who will pick up whatever I need and come back tomorrow when my husband is at work to finish the installation! Yep...I'm a ditz!

Health Food Stores

My son has a little digestion problem. Little isn't really what the problem is...but he requires the use of enzymes to help his body digest all of the foods he takes in. When these enzymes are lacking he will literally clog the toilet every time he uses it! I have been out of his pills for a week or so, and had forgotten all about them, until I walked upstairs to see that not one, but two of the toilets are clogged! So today, with my GNC coupons in hand, I'm heading off to the health food store to purchase his enzymes. I'm hoping this is a problem he grows out of, but I'm thinking it may be something he'll be dealing with for the rest of his life. Poor thing!

Housing Woes

My sister and her husband have been talking to tons of mortgage lenders over the past several months. They just bought a house last September and their mortgage was written so oddly that they've been working to refinance it ever since. Sadly, with the housing market the way it is, no one is getting loans. They have $50,000 down and still can't get a loan for $200,000! What in the world? Even if they didn't have perfect credit, the down payment alone should give any lender some confidence!

Baby Horses

Some family friends own a horse farm nearby and just welcomed a baby horse. My kids were so excited to be able to get up close and personal with this new little guy. He's a bit skittish, but when his mom is around, he's fine. What darling animals these babies are. It made me want to take one home! Mind you, I don't live in an area zoned for horses. I don't have property big enough for horses. I don't own any saddles or other tack items necessary to care for a horse. And the biggest lack...time and energy to care for such a beautiful animal! So I will just have to spend time up at the horse farm to get my fill!

Summer Plans

I have been online looking up travel guides for different destinations nearby. That is what's nice about living in the Chicago area. We are only an hour away from Wisconsin and Indiana, and only 2-3 hours outside of Michigan. Throw Illinois into that and we can have a summer full of fun destinations while not going crazy with the gas budget! We are going to be spending a week in Wisconsin, just North of the Dells. There is a campground/water park that we visit every year. The kids can't wait!

Be Prepared

My goal for this month is to find affordable term life insurance for myself and my husband. There isn't much left in the budget monthly but this is an expense that I think is necessary. We have four kids and with either one of us missing from the picture, the other will be left with nothing. We'll need enough to pay off the home as well as provide for some educational expenses for the kids. I don't need millions of dollars, but enough to keep us afloat while we get our bearings back. My husband would be the worst off, he would need to find child care so that he could work, and that alone can break any budget!