Vacations in cash and... Toes that disappear!

Cash in hand...CA calls!

Living ramsically isn't always easy. But, it DOES get easier as it becomes a WAY of life vs. something your just trying out for awhile. Case and point: We went on vacation this last weekend for Memorial Day and paid for everything in cash- not debit card, cash.

While others, possibly you included, feel the debit card is the exact same thing as cash; we have discovered we spend more while using the debit card vs. paying with paper bills. It is harder for me to hand over a $20 or a $50 dollar bill than it is for me to swipe my card. So- we continue on with using our money envelope. But, I did not have an envelope for vacation money. We have a savings account. But not an envelope that said 'vacation food, vacation gas, vacation spending, etc.' So, we took out all our everyday cash for gas, groceries, entertainment, and blow money and left it at home. We replaced it with all the vacation money and hit the road.

Yes. We budget everything- even on vacation. We have to have a budget for how much money we are going to spend on food, activities, and gas. It is entirely possible we would get in the car and take off spending our gas money for the whole trip on fun trinkets or activities and then having nothing left for food or gas the last day. This has happened to us before. Blah! So- we budget. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. And-this works for us.

One of the things we budgeted for this trip was to drive down from Huntington Beach to San Diego to go to Sea World. I can not tell you in words how excited I was for this part of our trip. We saved it to the last day to have more time to spend with my husbands family. We had it all budgeted out: the extra gas money, food money, and money for the tickets. We saved. We waited. And we shopped around for the best deal on tickets. We found them on craigslist from a lady that was selling 2 adult tickets for $35 each! Smokin deal!

The big jerks on Craigslist.



We have bought many things off of the website craigslist. Most items have been great and we have had NO issues with them. We even bought tickets to Disneyland for our 1 year anniversary. They were stellar! And we had a great time saving 70 % of the actual cost at the gate. Thank you craigslist. With that said- we didn't hesitate to look for tickets for Sea World at the same place. Now- we are cautious. We will not wire money or pay without having tickets in hand. So- we found a lady that was selling the tickets for less than 1/2 the original cost because they were getting ready to expire. We made a commitment to meet her Monday morning on our way to the park. We told her  we would call again on Sunday evening at 9pm to confirm. Well- she sold our tickets to someone else. BOO!!! We did not know until we called her Sunday (as promised) at 9pm. By this time it was too late to find any other tickets that were that well priced.

Making a Ramsical choice...especially on vacation.

We had a decision to make. We still had food money left...and we had our debit cards with our emergency money in savings. We had only budgeted $70 for BOTH tickets. Tickets at the gate were about that much...for ONE. That's when the little good and bad angels pop up on your shoulder. The conversation looks something like this:

"Just pay it with your emergency fund! The baby will be here in 3 months and then WHO KNOWS when you will get back to Sea World?!"

"You worked too hard for too long to save up this money to spend it on a bad choice. It's a life style. You don't take a vacation from being wise. No vacation is as relaxing when you go home with regrets or debt."

And It WOULD be easy to say that it was only $70 more dollars...but it was NOT in the original budget. So...argument number 2 won out. It stinks being responsible sometimes. But, we had money for food that we were going to spend just at Sea World AND we had the $70 for the tickets that (Big Jerk) craigslist lady sold to someone else. We took the money home with us. No regrets about making bad financial choices came home with us. Just more money than we thought we were going to have. 

Now- don't get me wrong. It was VERY disappointing. I was TOTALLY bummed. I was going to touch a sting ray. I told all my co-workers that I was going to Sea World that weekend. And then- POW! Big mean craigslist lady sold my stories of how I was going to be the 1st 7 month pregnant lady to ride on Shamu! (Not really- but I had high hopes.) My stories were going to be awesome. Everyone was going to stand around me and laugh as I explained how people confused me and the whales cause of my prego size. It was going to be awesome!...totally awesome. :-(

 However, my husband (who is just about the stinkin hottest guy on the planet and I don't need a poll or magazine to tell me that!- I'm just sayin;o)) took me to the beach for FREE instead AND we spent some awesome time walking up and down the coast splashing in the water!

I guarantee I had just as much fun AND it didn't cost us a dime! 

So- being ramsical wins again!

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I may have saved money...BUT WHERE DID MY TOES GO!!!

As beautiful and relaxing as our vacation was- we did A LOT of walking. We went to Downtown Disney twice. Free parking for the first 3 hours. Lots of sidewalk vendors putting on acts like Swing Dancing, live music, aerobatics, Lego sculpting, and CRAZY painting via hip-hop! (Ugh. Can't believe I didn't take pictures of that...I need to get better at taking and posting pictures with my blog. I will. Promise!) Anyways, we walked all along the coast in Huntington Beach. As said before- We walked the coast!

Our one MUST STOP of any Southern California Trip:

Ruby's Diner at the end of the pier in Huntington Beach. 

We go to Ruby's Diner if we do NOTHING else just for 'fun' while visiting my husbands family in So Cal. (Have I mentioned how delighted I am that I married a man from what I consider a vacation destination. I totally lucked out with this one! It's a wonderful excuse to go to the beach- we're visiting family!!!) I may be exaggerating a bit- but I believe it is about a 1/4 of a mile to the end of the pier. And the only way of getting there is walking. 

 The inexpensive but so good Ruby's with a view!!!

Plus all the walking at Downtown Disney two different nights. Plus the walking on the BEAUTIFUL beaches. Plus eating things high in sodium while we were away. Plus the traveling in the car for long periods of time= the loss of normal looking feet and ankles!!!

CAUTION: DISTURBING VIEW NEXT!!!

This is just disturbing on so many levels.

(Not to mention that they look better than they did yesterday. Yikes!)



So we may have saved money but my toes look like little Vienna sausages and my ankles are something that King King would be jealous of.

But, hey! at least I have the money to put towards getting a good pedicure!

What do you consider to be the most relaxing- yet low cost, getaway?

Much love!

The Ramsical Life Style of the Loring's!

Anyone who knows me even a little bit knows how OBSESSED I am with Dave Ramsey's teaching on money:

 I would love to say I have never made a mistake following is Baby Step Plan to financial freedom- but habits die hard. :o) Especially when you're trying to do it-

 1st while in college,

2nd planning a wedding,

 3rd moving cross country,

4th moving BACK cross country,

and 5th having a baby.

We have had set backs- but also major triumphs on our financial journey.

(Which I will talk about more later.)

Dave has these great classes you can take called Financial Peace University. In the kit you get one of his staples in your financial conquests- a money envelop wallet. Now, his money envelops are are rather manly in my opinion:

 He had paper envelops inside:

 My envelops tore to pieces after the first few months- and I was tired of carrying around my wallet and the 'DAVE' wallet. I wanted it all in one.

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So I set out to find one online. Nothing was there that struck my fancy or had zippers for every envelop, etc. My husband suggested I make my own. Agh! I had just...and I mean JUST started learning to sew...like, "Ashley this is called a needle" kind of learning how to sew. But I took the challenge on. And this is what I came up with:

Cut out all my pieces using various types of vinyl material so they can easily wipe off. However, my mother and I quickly learned that this material stretches and makes it a NIGHTMARE to sew. Thank you Mamma Gissel for coming to my rescue!

Sewn altogether.

I took the picture on our church foyer table- sorry if it's hard to see!

Anyways- Hope this encourages some creativity in you too! I need to make more changes and improvements but it is a start!!! :o)

29? Oh Ya, I Can Totally Take You!!!

Hello Friends!

I am starting off the year 29 by being brave. Which means- after blogging for about a month...and keeping it all to myself....I am branching out and sharing with you!

Today is my birthday. At 9:15am Texas time I was born in Fort Hood, Killeen, TX on a military base.Which means- I am indeed 29 years old. I have no problem with this. After all- 30 is the new 20! Right?

Plus, I have accomplished some things on my bucket list:

#1- Traveled to 3 countries. (Does Canada count? Or should I call it 2 1/2 countries?)

I went to Mexico- On an AWESOME mission trip for 10 days to several communities and visited Indian tribes in the remote mountains. Then to El Salvador- Trip of a LIFE TIME with the CLC Missions Team: Painting, Cleaning a bible college, Ministring to villages without cars, running water, or basic needs! And to Canada- um...to visit a friend? :-)

#2- I moved away from home- family and friends- to attend Bible College (Go CLC!). During that time I graduated from college, met and married my husband, traveled all over the country, had the job of my dreams, and lived in the Midwest learning what ministry really is all about.

#3- I met people from all over the world and made friendships that will last a life time.

#4- Was introduced to the concepts of Dave Ramsey. His financial way of living may be extreme for some- but has transformed the way my husband and I live our lives.

#5- Most importantly- I feel I am more secure in who I AM. I have grown into my own skin after having people question me, my choices, and who I am as a human being-and feeling the overwhelming need to live up to other people's expectations- I truly feel I am beginning to have a taste of God's grace. It has taken me WAY too long.

#6- I married my Super Man almost 3 years ago and we recently moved back to my wonderful Canyon State of Arizona. We are embarking on a new journey welcoming a little man into our life in 3 more months! Eek!

So here I am. At 29 I thought I would have a house, a couple cars, and even a couple kids. But, ya know. I am so happy that I don't. I know that may sound weird. (Maybe I would take the house! Ha!) But, I have the man of my dreams with a mini-him 'cookin' inside my belly. ;-) I am sure he has a cape and all! I am satisfied with my journey and excited for the next part.

Here is to 29:

I will laugh at myself more- and berate myself less.

I will plan less- and live more.

I will be more optimistic- less pessimistic.

I will stress less- and trust more.

I will let go of the past- and look forward to the future.

I will be 100% OK with who I am- and try to quit living up to others expectations of who I should be.

I will rest in God's grace- and learn to let Him love ME and not who I think I should be.

So with all that being said: Here is my first test. Hitting publish and sharing a little bit of me- with you!

Happy Thursday!

P.S. The future blogs will be mostly about how my husband and I are living a "Ramsical Life!" (Dave Ramsey life: saving money, coupons, sale ads, vacations in cash, and more!)