Throughout the school year our homeschool coop hosts various events and classes.  For simplicity’s sake our leader often requests exact change.  I am not good at keeping cash on hand and am likely to have  $20 when I need a dollar or 3 quarters when I need a five.  The first year this was a source of frustration for me but now I have my system down and I thought to share it with you all who may have a similar situation.  At the beginning of the first semester, I figure out the amounts and denominations I need for various events for the whole year.  Then I get cash in those amounts and parse it out into various labeled envelopes.  If there are any large amounts coming up within three months or so I go ahead and make out checks for those, post-dating them as necessary.

Of course, there will still be random events that pop up here and there and I do have to remember to actually take the envelope to the events but this at least relieves the bulk of the stress.

Some of you who have purchased a new or nearly new car before will laugh at my naivete but the recent price of my Oklahoma tag left me thinking it should look more like this

than this

I knew it would be in the hundreds but when the tag lady requested double what I was prepared for ….. there were no words.  I mumbled something about using a different account as I fumbled in my purse.  Fortunately I knew there was enough money to cover the immediate charge but I sure rushed home and did some fancy schmancy budgeting moves to prevent any *ahem* mishaps at the bank.

Anyway, I’m telling you all of this because it occurs to me that you might like to know what I found out from my sticker shock experience.  Basically, (in Okla) the tag costs 3.5 percent of the sticker price.  Unless of course Uncle Bob gave you a phenomenally great deal then Uncle Sam shakes a finger at you, looks up the bluebook value and you pay 3.5 percent of that.  The most important thing to know though is that you can call ahead.  From the privacy of your very own home you can call the tag office with the VIN # and the current mileage and they can tell you what the charge will be.  The great advantage of this would of course be that you’ll have a sofa handy when you faint.

***FYI - the tag numbers have been changed to protect the innocent.

Sister and Will have gone to visit Great-Grandma Mary this weekend as she is not feeling so well.  Will had some work to do before they left so Sis and I were in charge of packing.  We put in clothes and toothbrushes, a few small toys and other sundry items.  Then as an afterthought almost, Sister ran to get her piggy bank and began dumping change into her purse.

“I’m going to take a little money….just in case we need it.  ‘Cause money is really popular.”  (She paused then added matter-of-factly.)  “It’s even more popular than horses.”

Indeed.  Maybe, that’s what’s wrong with the world.  Money is more popular than horses.

Will has a great job and provides for us well.  So well, in fact, that sometimes I feel a bit guilty being a SAHM.  I love playing house for real and each year it gets a little easier as my experience and my children grow.  There are difficult days to be sure but for me the benefits of sticky kisses and “I love you, mama” make up for them many times over.   So, I feel guilty when Will comes home tired after a hard day while I stayed home painting pictures, building sand castles and baking cupcakes.  I feel guilty when an unexpected expense comes along and I have no money to contribute to the cause.  At least I did until I ran across this study.  Apparently, in 2002, a typical mother’s annual salary based on her job skills would have been a whopping $635,734 if she had, in fact, been paid. In a way, these numbers are just a modern confirmation of what the Bible stated a long time ago.

“Who can find a vituous wife?

For her worth is far above rubies.”

                                      Proverbs 31:10