Madness.  It's all madness.  We try our hardest to manage everything well.  Kids school, doctor appointments, meetings, getting together with family and friends, more meetings, school work, our work, kids activities, we owe what now?  Oh yes, school lunches, now flu shots, school treat for parties, let's go ahead and throw in another friends birthday party from school, costumes, more food, ran out of milk, donate at the Y, donation at school, increase donation for church. must...calm...down....

Breath with me...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I have three children, and keeping up with them, while starting up a business, and volunteering for other activities can get to be quite strenuous.  I really don't know how some people do it, but then, we all have our melting points and show a different face and pace out in public.  We use to just pay things as they came.  After so many years and moves, that became very difficult.  Each raise, if we got one, never really impacted our lives.  Why?  Before we realize it, 10 years later, a larger paycheck and the stress is the same.  ARRRGGGHHHHH.

That's when I have had it.  I started to talk about our problems.  Come to find out, other people have the same issues that I was having.  So, we took hold of the reigns and started to make changes.  However, we're not eating Ramen noodles, rice and beans for every supper.  We still wanted to live life since it's our only one.  However, things are looking upwards.  We can handle stresses, new tires, new brakes, extra birthday parties, new clothes for growing children.  We found a relief, a deep huge breath in life.  Don't get me wrong, I still have the "I NEED that" the I have to have it feelings a lot!  Trying to currently justify why I need an iphone.  Keep my schedule in balance, stay in touch better with family, it's a great camera to record our family life.  Now, I have blogs and twitter accounts to follow for my new career.  WAIT!!!  Big breath....ahhhhhhhhhhh.  If I want it so bad, better start another budget line.  But what is going to suffer?  It's all choices we make.  When we budget, set the money aside, watch it grow and use that line item for what it was planned for...shopping becomes a whole new experience.  Nothing is laced with guilt.  You remember the purchase, enjoy it longer since you saved for it.  It feels good, a nice cleansing breath.

Yes, it is possible to manage it all.  Money, budgeting, everything.  On a plain simple small budget.  The rest of the 99% can live and survive and ENJOY life.  We just have to do it ourselves.  So, I'm putting on my big girl pants, taking control and off I go. 

Join me?