What's up with Whatsit

What has been going on

We teach about how to drive in school, but not how to manage finances.
Andy Williams

You know, you just can't say everything on Facebook that you want to, especially when the people you might be referring to are on your friends list.

Years ago, when I worked at the juvie jail, I got my own bank account and left hubby to his own account. He talked me (read: manipulated me by making me feel guilty) into getting back into the same account with him. Now, everything that somebody has ever talked me into, from getting my hair cut to buying clothes, usually made me regret it. This was no different. I have been through the financial Sahara Desert. Therefore, the lapsed WdC membership. I could buy actual groceries with that money, plus I was having to cash my check because I have no idea where the money in that account goes. It is like a black hole for money. You can't pay WdC with cash.

Around the middle of October, I took the first step to freeing myself financially. I had a good excuse for this, which is why it was a good place to start. This is the fourth school year I have worked where I am, and never once have I been able to get a cell phone signal inside the building. I got a fine signal at the juvie jail, but I come to a regular elementary school and get no signal whatsoever. I didn't really care on way or the other: I don't talk on my phone that much. But I could use this as the excuse to change cell phone companies and get out of hubby's account. Every month his cell phone bill is enormous and I had to get away from it.

Then on November 1st, I went back to having my own checking account at a totally different bank. There was much eye-rolling and guilt-flinging when I told hubby of this. I had no "excuse" for this. But I lived through it! This was a big step for me. I did something I knew he wouldn't agree with and lived through the aftermath. I didn't argue one bit, I just sat there and listened to him. Ha! When he saw that he wasn't getting an argument from me, he had to stop. You can't argue with yourself.

So I have come back to WdC, now that my money is my own. I thought that my old blog would be long gone, but it was simply locked up.

I am going shopping for my kids today. I haven't bought a single gift. Not one. For one thing, I don't have any really good places in my house to hide them. Neither my husband or I have trunks on our cars.- we both have an SUV. Every year I wind up waiting until the last minute to shop. I usually don't get them much: mostly clothes and one fun thing. Emily was telling me last night about her friend, who happens to be an only child, who gets around 25 presents every year. Ha! Good for her. The question is, does she actually play with/wear/use all 25 presents through the year? Does she even remember what she got? Who knows. When Emily told her that she got around 3 presents for Christmas, she said that Emily is deprived. If that's deprived, I'll take it! I'm kind of a Scrooge about stuff like that.

I'm glad to be back on WdC, and mostly glad to have my blog back. Wahoo!