Well it's bound to lead to confusion, having the name "tea" refer to both steeped drinks generally and to a particular leaf that is made into steeped drinks. Ah well. Since I like both teas and tisanes they tend to occupy the same place in my mental economy.

I found her waterbottle upside down in her backpack where it had leaked all over her schoolwork, math book, piano theory book, and the upholstered chair where it was all sitting.

Ugh! What a drag. I've been there. I recommend getting the kind of backpack which has an outside holder for water bottles.

It's freakin' gorgeous in San Francisco today. Even by San Francisco standards.

I recommend getting the kind of backpack which has an outside holder for water bottles.

I recommend getting the kind of kids who remember that those side pockets exist.

First world problem of the day - I need a new pair of Keens and the black ones I want are $30 more expensive than all the other colors, and I just can't bring myself to buy blue shoes.

So morning of parental fail.

I think the kids get to take some of the fail there, Burrell.

- t, I can relate to the not getting ahead. Since I seem to have little to no ability to actually stay on budget just by drawing one up and tracking my expenses (and then feeling bad at month end when I am over on several things), I am doing the Ramsey envelope system and I made up my discretionary spending envelopes last night.

Already over budget for the month on:

hone/lawn
eating out
personal care/beauty

I figure it may take me a few months to get things under control, but I hope I can get with it and stay on it.

Making up the budget and tracking in Mint did do some to get spending down. Electricity, water, eating out, clothing, and personal care/beauty have all gone down since a year ago. Still more work to go.

I am just floored at how I cannot get ahead when I know that people make a lot less. I have a mortgage lower than I could get a one bedroom apartment for. I have a car that is less than 10 years old, it gets decent gas mileage, and I have no car payments. I have just the one kid. No major medical expenses AND I have insurance. I just kind of do not get it. If my monthly mandatory expenses are about $1350 on the low end $1500 is probably average - and food (how is food discretionary?) is kept to 300-350 (the USDA thrifty plan based on US averages) per month, I cannot do anything outside of basic expenses (no gifts, no charitable giving, no clothing) and cannot save outside of 401K contributions - and make less than about $40K.

Poverty level is $15K?!?! for family of 2. How to the what?

I am just floored at how I cannot get ahead when I know that people make a lot less.

I am right there with you. And I have no dependents. (Besides the damn cats.)

Pets are no joke though. Approximately $600/year. I tell you what, when the cats (aged 14 - 14.5) pass, they will not be replaced.

We've been tracking our spending pretty tightly every month and it is eye-opening, but we still spend too much!

I do think people who pay rent/mortgage in an OK neighborhood underestimate how much you save by living in a bad neighborhood and taking the bus! Not saying you should, but I think that is where the savings is to make it on $15,000 a year

Slate Culture Gabfest listeners - the 80s miniseries they spend 10 minutes bashing? That's the project that has been devouring me from below for the past year. Oy.