Elitaylor646's Personal Finance Blog

Thank you, everyone, for your kind notes on my last post. I missed this community. You guys are awesome.

There is so much going on; it's crazy. Divorce wrecks havoc like no other. Besides juggling kids, their therapies, work and divorce negotiations... Lawyers are expensive. Two households are expensive. Not yet getting child support is expensive. So until the divorce is finalized, I am going to have a good chunk of credit card debt. I am at peace with that and have opened a new 0% credit card with a low balance transfer fee to pay off my old credit cards. I am keeping my spending low. Not being as frugal as I should, but working hard at it.

The silver lining is that once the divorce is finalized early next year, I should be able to knock debt out of the park and start building up my savings. I cannot wait to have a decent sized EF (since there is only me now!), put in the full amount to HSA, and start really tackling retirement fund! It will be awesome!

I think the most annoying thing so far is that I have no clue what debt and assets I will be left with, so I cannot start to plan the debt payoff. Sigh. Patience. I do think that regardless with what I end up with, the boys and I will still be ok. Life is good.

1) I am a spender. I mostly spend on home improvement items, crafts, and things for my kids.

2) I am a saver. I always have a checking cushion. I always have an emergency savings in cash, saving accounts, and lines of credit.

3) For the first time in over 4 to 5 years, I have credit card debt that wasn't paid in full this last statement.

4) I have used up all my savings pretty much dry in the last month, because...

5) I am in the process of a divorce. My choice, but so much pain- headaches and heartaches.

6) I have previously blogged here under "someone who walks thru a sticky black material" since 2010 but due to #5, I am a little cautious.

7) I am in the lower-30's years old.

8) I have two awesome little boys (toddler ages) who are autistic.

9) I used to dream of learning languages and traveling, but I have learned that I am more of a homebody.

10) I dislike politics. I understand them too well, having worked in a field that dealt with them. I cannot wait for the election to be over.

11) I have primarily lived in two Midwest states my whole life, plus short stints in Boston and South Carolina.

12) I cannot wait to really have my life 100% in my hands again. I have my boys and I have me. We are HAPPY.

13) I graduated from college in the beginning hard-hit part of the recession. I shall always be bitter about the choices those a few years before me and those a few years after me got to have.

14) I have learned that I no longer have a favorite color. I like brights and I like neutrals and I like black/greys and I like browns...

15) I struggle to understand the girly-girl types who don't want to learn how to do things themselves or get down and dirty to fix/build something.

16) I love dressing up in skirts and dresses, but I am horrible at managing my fine hair and makeup.

17) I started suffering with depression and anxiety last fall, when I could no longer keep up with a full-time job due to the children's therapies, among other family issues. After several different medications, talk therapists, removal of stressors (see #5 for one, :-p), supplements, and exercise, I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

18) I cannot eat things in the nightshade family: tomato, potato, peppers, paprika, etc.

19) I am an introvert who can host shindigs and talk-the-talk like an extrovert, but I need my me-time to recharge.

20) I read frequently, but post infrequently. I love the SA family.