Our dog Missy had to go to the vet for minor surgery yesterday. She had a small growth on her gum that was pushing out one of her teeth, and her teeth also needed to be cleaned. $450 and two pulled teeth later, she's just fine. She was sleepy last night from the medicine, but this morning she was back to her old self.

Another monkey rench in the budget is my DH's co-workers wedding. It's Nov. 4 and it's just far enough away that we need a hotel (especially since we'll both be drinking) plus the cost of the gift. We'll have fun, but it will run about $200 between the gift and the room. Oh, and I need to find something to wear, I might have to buy a dress...all my "dress up" clothes are either too big or too small, or are too formal. At least I'll get future use out of a new dress.

I guess DH better keep working that overtime!

This is what I said when I logged in to my bank's website this morning and saw the amount my DH's paycheck deposit was! But let me start from the begining.

DH often gets overtime. In a good week he get an extra $300. In a really good week, he'll get $500.

This week he got $1000 in overtime and bonus money for being in charge of several shifts!!!!!! That's on top of his normal pay, it came out to more than double what his base paycheck is with no OT included.

I was at work when I saw what the deposit was, so I called DH at home. I asked him "Why is your check was so high, what were you doing, selling crack?" "Yup" he answered! He explained he was put in charge for several of the shifts on top of working extra shifts, and between the two he just made huge $$$$.

If you've ready my previous blog posts, you know that DH ran up the CC last month and that I was going to have to dip into savings to pay for it. He made enough in just this past week that I won't have to do that now, we'll just squeek by! I do feel a little bad, he hates to be in charge on a shift, it really causes him a ton of stress. Still, he wouldn't have needed to if he hadn't run up the bill in the first place.

The bad news is that our dog Missy is going to cost us $300 in vet bills. Poor thing is having problems with her teeth and has to go under to have a few pulled and to have them cleaned up. But, that's been the only "unexpected" expense that has come up this month. I put that in quotes because very few expenses in life are unexpected, if you have a pet they WILL cost you money at some point, the only surprise is when exactly it will happen (hint: usually at the worst possible time). But that will be on next months statement, plenty of time to adjust the budget to cover the cost.

DH is not a numbers guy. Plainly put he just does not care about personal finances. Case in point, I was showing him last months CC statement. He couldn't figure out why we owed them money because LAST month's payment was on THIS statement. To him, it meant we already paid THIS month's statement and we shouldn't owe them anything. I couldn't make him understand that the payment was on there because the statment shows ALL activity to the account, including payments. He just didn't get it! He's not stupid, by any means, but "money stuff" just baffles him.

So, our 1 year wedding aniversary was yesterday, and for the past 12 months I've been hitting him in the head with a 2x4 trying to get him to understand that getting rid of our credit card debt is going to give us many, many more options in life. He keeps asking where all the money goes and I keep telling him, and he just doesn't get it. At least until now.

My last post I said that if he didn't get his spending act together, I was going to take away his card with the really high limit and give him back his old one with the $700 limit. With what he spends on gas for his commute to work, he wouldn't have much left over to blow on "fun stuff". Yesterday he voluntarily gave up the high limmit card. He said he just gets too tempted with stuff we don't need, or don't need right this moment. If he legitimatly needs to spend more than his limit (like for the remodeling we're doing), I'll just go with him to Home Depot or wherever and put it on my card.

He still doesn't get where the money goes (I keep telling him but he doesn't listen, or maybe it's just selective hearing...) but I seem to be making some progress, at least!

And it's not all DH, lately I've been having more trouble too. I do need new work clothes, but I spent more money than stictly nessesary, and I've been bad about eating out lately too. But the marjority of the overspending is coming from his end and with this change, I hope we'll be back on track.

Speaking of eating out, we went out last night for our aniversary (and it will be our last outing this month, and maybe even for next month, too!) and had a very nice time!

I got a nasty surprise on Friday. DH ran up the credit card. He has some short term memory problems (really, he does!) at times and over the month he just didn't realize how much he spent.

We have the money to pay it off in full, but we'll have to dip into savings a little bit to cover it. He was truely sorry when I brought it to his attention, and the fact that he now has to work a ton of overtime to keep the damage to a minimum ought to drive the lesson home. I told him if he does it again I'm taking away the United Chase credit card that has the super high limit and I'm giving back his old one with an $800 limit. That will cover him for gas and the occasional trip to Home Depot for remodeling projects. It will force him to think a bit before spending, while at the same time allowing him to be able to get the stuff he needs (like gas and lumber). I told him I didn't want to do it but we just can afford to keep spending like this. He agreed to that, if he goes nuts again this month he'll use his old card again.

Plus I told him I'm getting a part time job (I was planning to before this happened, it just put a fire under my butt is all). He hates that idea, he says it makes him feel like he can't take care of me (not that I've ever asked to be taken care of, of course. Must be a 'guy' thing). I told him it's just until we get our 0% credit card paid off, or at least down a whole bunch. This should also make him think a bit before buying something we really don't need. Besides, with him working nights, I get kind of bored sitting at home. The new tv season has helped, but still, I just need to get out of the house! May as well get paid for it! So, I'm going to apply at Barnes and Noble in the next day or two. Wish me luck!

I didn't want to make him feel bad about all of this, I really didn't. But he has to realize he doesn't work for his old company anymore making $100,000 a year and can't go out and buy what he wants, when he wants. I think he is finally starting to get that.