I got a small raise! I rejoice! Since I'm increasing my 401K withholding to 16% and increasing my tax withholding to single 0, this is a good thing.

And today I have reached the $13,000 savings to pay the ex-spouse goal. Only $19,500 more to save, but it feels like a good chunk is ready to pay him, so perhaps if he demands payment, I'll be able to give him the $13K and not borrow the rest. That would be nice, but not counting on it. But it will be way better than having to borrow $34,000.

And my blood count for chloresterol is now 187, which is a huge improvement over 306 so i'm doing good in that arena too.

I have fallen off my good habits and am not tracking money as well.

Goal #1 - Track money spent and money found
Goal #2 - Get dogs to vet for shots
Goal #3 - Get mammogram
Goal #4 - Toss Trash Files - I estimate I have my body weight in old receipts for groceries etc. - toss.
Goal #5 - prepare to paint one wall in my bedroom. Prepare to restrict furry creatures from bedroom while paint drying.

My church divorce came through and I am now single in the eyes of God and everybody else.

My friends keep trying to get me to date. How does one do this? Why should I do this? Can't I just make friends with people and hang out? Why am I supposed to be complete with a man. I have just successfully proved my inability to have a healthy relationship with a man, why wade out and do it again?

Where do I apply to become a vestal virgin? Do they accept rehabs?

I know this is not strictly on frugality, but hey, you guys are the only peer group I have except the guys who play World of Warcraft with me and the older people at church.

1) I paid the taxes and got my return in early - a life time goal met.
2) I got overtime money and used all of it to pay to go on day tours to places I've never visited or wanted to visit again. I'm mad I tell you, Mad As a LOON
3) I went to the Getty Museum (first trip) and spent about $200 on books on art, a really expensive silk scarf, refrigerator magnets of art, a huge poster and a bunch of pictures suitable for framing.
4) Got email from someone that I know is the ex-husband - drat the man - he knows i have a restraining order on him
5) Stopped tracking my mortgage - must check on it to make sure that they are applying principal properly
6) Trying to teach an engineer born and raised in America how to write requests for funding understandable by small children and finance executives without shooting him. If you see anything about an engineering aide going amuck at a government subcontractor, the man wrote something with no verbs in the sentences again and I snapped. No court will convict me.
7) Diabetes and allergies went amuck and I ran through a stop sign this morning. I can't handle my blood sugar getting higher than 118, so I'm heading for a doctors appointment this Friday.
8) stopped tracking all my expenditures - I have this sudden self hatred where spending is concerned. Smack's self in cheek and determine to look at my personal goals again.
9) Got an anctual 2.5% raise - a miracle in this economy (and even more miraculous since I brought in a nerf gun and shot the entire Engineering staff). They must think i'm doing a good job.
10) i'm stimulating local economy - hired kid across the street to mow the jungle in the back yard, since chihuahua was lost in the brush, it had to go. $60 a month to keep front and back yard mowed.

This just goes to show you that:
1) Divorce makes your brain melt
2) You have to really nag payroll to change your withholding

It also proves that having my taxes done by someone professional is less stressful than doing them myself. I won't do Turbo tax again, because I disapprove of the company's marketing practises. I went to a retired accountant and had them done by him for $60 in one hour with less stress.

He also gave me much better advice.
1) consider saving in a Roth IRA
2) Get the Maximum Withholding
3) Start Maxing out your Retirement 401K
4) Have extra funding taken out of your tax withholdings to make up for the earlier shortfall.

And finally, I have savings I can use to pay the taxes, but instead, I'm going to use money I would normally put in my "Pay back the Ex" fund.

Usually when I do taxes, the small dogs run and hide under objects and huddle in object fear because their Mom is in a truly mean rotton mood. So this process saved wear and tear on the dogs too.

I'm starting to feel like I really am divorced. I was awarded a divorce through my church and am back in communion. I still owe ex 20K. I plan to save another 4K and then go out and spend a day at a spa to reward myself. Then I shall return to the grind and keep saving till I have the entire amount in hand.