Making Choices

This is always a tough time of year in my system, because I have to pay for spring and summer activities at the same time. It involves some creative accounting, and making choices about what to pay for, and what to put off. It means that I can't do those little extra things that I like to do for the kids. Since they have no sense of time, it is hard to make them understand that they will get the good stuff, just in August instead of right now!

This year, I am a bit lucky, because I have a small buildup in my clothing account. Who knows why, and it will disappear quickly when bathing suits get purchased, but for the moment, I can use it to cover other expenses. Even doing this is a choice that I hate to make, because it temporarily messes with my numbers, and means I have the stress of keeping track of what is going on. I don't like stress, which is the whole reason I started this in the first place! Every year, I tell myself I will have a buildup by spring, and every year, I don't.

I will say that this is basically the only time this happens, and I know it is better than wondering all the time about where the money is coming from. The kids need activities like music and sports, and you have to set aside the funds on a regular basis, there just is no other way to make it work!