Can someone please explain?

I bought my kids socks today. Yes - socks. I bought a total of 20 pairs of kids socks. And it cost me $32.80! For socks! What is this world coming to?!

Shad and I have been following the guidelines in this book for about 15 months now. We think the advice in it is fabulous. In fact, this book will be the gift I give at every wedding from now on!

Because we are following the steps in this book, we've been able to save up some money. 

When we heard that the 2012 Olympics were going to be in London, we set a family goal to save up money to go.  

We had even thought that we could take the Chunnel and go pop over to Paris for a few days.

I studied French for 4 years in High School and 3 years in college. I loved learning about Paris and it has been one of my greatest dreams to go. I started making a list of places we would have to see if we went and it was getting ridiculously huge!

But, after watching the Olympics in Beijing for 2 weeks, we really got to thinking about how much we can't wait to watch the Winter Olympics - our family, as a whole, prefers the Winter Olympics to the Summer ones. When we realized that the 2010 Winter Olympics are in North America - we thought "we have to go!"

So we've changed plans, Vancouver here we come! 

Sorry, London!

But get this!

Shad knows how much I've always wanted to go to Paris, 

so he's suggested...

Paris for our 15th Wedding Anniversary next year!!!!

My sister and her husband are going in November and it got Shad thinking of how much more fun it would be to go as a couple instead of as a family. 

So I guess we'll be living off of bread and water for the next year or so as I work my financial magic and get those pennies to accumulate in our savings account.

Or I'll be doing some detective work, trying to find the will of that long-lost, rich relative who just died, leaving us a boat load of money.

Wish me luck!

Inflation

Have you noticed that your money doesn't buy as much as it used to?

I just got back from the grocery store and the gas pump.

I spent $5.01 to get 1.5 gallons of gas (to tide me over until I can get to Sam's Club tomorrow for cheaper gas).

I spent $2.92 to buy 18 eggs! How did that happen? I remember getting 18 eggs for $1.29! I almost cried when I saw that the eggs had all spilled out of the carton while I was walking to my car. Thank heavens none of them broke.

My favorite brand of pasta (Barilla) went up 18 cents at Wal-Mart.

The cost of bread flour has DOUBLED in less than a year. I actually let out a shriek of dismay when I bought some at Sam's Club last week. 

If only Shad's paycheck would increase at the same rate that the cost of gas and groceries keep increasing!