[txjman]

Expenses:
$86 phone
$37 gas (water heater/furnace)
$102 Energy (my last 2 bills have been over $200, it's hot in Texas)
$165 auto insurance
$27 alarm
$75 life insurance
$75 water and garbage collection
$240 allowance
$100 childcare
$170 school
$1002 total

Left overs:
$100 eating out
$160 grocery
$280 gasoline (we have long commutes, and it only getting worse with the price of gas)

Sorry, the total yesterday was off the top of my head. We have done a much better job with eating out and misc expenses. I will look into using the equity in my home, but we just refinanced three years ago to do the samething. I didn't have much equity then, and I had to use it to live in because I was laid off at the same time (as were a lot of us). That is the story of my life. I am not saying that I haven't made bad financial decisions, or that we haven't been irresponsible with credit cards. I feel like we have straightened out for the last 3 years at least, but we just can seem to stay one step ahead. It is frustrating.

4 people in the house Me, wife and 2 kids 5 yrs and 1 yr.

Thanks!