Nick loves tricks and practical jokes of any kind. I can't tell you how many times the fake doggie doo has tricked me! He got me with his hand buzzer last week too. I'm not sure why, but he has his heart set on a rubber chicken. I called Gags & Gifts and it costs $7.99. Not very much, right? In the past we would have gone to pick up the rubber chicken, but now I hesitate. It's not the big expenses that zap us, but all of the little ones. Stephanie has been after me for new jeans and shoes as well. She has quite the wardrobe, but runs the dryer too long and has shrunk her jeans. Her shoes are dirty.

I'm usually the pushover, but am slowly realizing that the kids will survive without these things. I remember something I read in the Tightwad Gazette. Amy said that having extra "space" around possesions makes them more special.

Stephanie will have to wait until April (her birthday) for new things.

Nick gets his next allowance Friday. He'll have enough money saved up to get his rubber chicken.

I have such a hard time saying no! I try to remember how hard my DH works to earn money. Sometimes I pull money out of the toy store for extra expenses. I spent way too much this past Christmas, and have promised myself not to do any more "owner draws" until April.

I'm coming up on 3 years of owning the store, and have just started to pay myself recently. I pull out $100 a week for groceries, gas and allowance for the kids. DH pays the bills, still. Hopefully as time goes by I'll be able to contribute more. It's been a challenge to keep up with the bills on his salary alone. We have credit card debt that we never did before!

OK... rambling again. What is the biggest "hole" in your budget? For me it is the credit card debt and spending too much on the kids.