Highs & Lows for the Week. PLUS: My Baby!

j jr jr Happy Friday money lovers!

We haven’t done a 5 For Friday up in here in a while, nor one of our Hits and Misses series, so today’s post is kind of a concoction of both. Inspired by a similar exact post done by the beautiful Cait over at Blonde On a Budget – one of the most sweet, and genuine, bloggers I know.

She’s always keeping it real over there, and I totally admire her for it even when (especially when!) she admits to not knowing what the hell she’s doing. Instead of hiding it like most of us do, she just throws it out there like her recent realization that she doesn’t know how to budget anymore! Love it!

Anyways, Cait inspired this post and the 5 questions below come directly off her site. I’ll be answering them first, and then I hope you guys will do so next. A fun little exercise to check up on each other and see how our goals/lives/money are doing lately. Here we go!

  1. What was the low of your week? Pretty much being overloaded by the max all week-long in terms of email, projects, partnerships, and anything else having to do with my online biz… I once tried to ignore my email for 5 hours straight, only to come back to 59 unreads afterwards – oof. Turns out those one-a-day habits have some consequences to them ;) All good problems to have, really, but it doesn’t come with any extra hours in the day which makes it challenging.
  2. What was the high? Seeing our beautiful and cozy baby!! Look at him up there just posing for y’all :) I cannot WAIT for that sucker to come out in May… my wallet can, but I cannot ;)
  3. What was a favorite article you read this week? This one on the difference between being good with money and bad with money, by a blog called Raptitude. It was in my “you might like” recommendations in Feedly (the new site I use to read everyone’s blogs now), and they couldn’t have been more right. It’s KICK ASS… And fully deserving of those capitals, too.
  4. What was the best money you spent all week? About $28 worth of plastic coin holder-thingies for my B collection. I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with all the coins/currency I don’t really want (collection B) vs those I do (collection A) and after meeting with a fellow collector over coffee this week, I figured out the perfect plan. Collection A will remain in the snazzy cigar box I’ve been housing them in, and will be my “forever” box, while Collection B will be housed in a binder full of plastic sheets w/ holders (similar to baseball card collections) which I’ll use for trading/selling to get more stuff for Collection A :) So now rather than feeling like they’re wastes of coins, I now look at them as stepping stones to something awesome’er! And these new plastic sheets help fulfill this new plan. (Yes, I’m a nerd)
  5. What are your plans for this weekend? Probably a healthy mixture of playing with my coins, playing with my baby, and then scavenger hunting at a local flea market that I hear is popping up. And soon more of them will once Spring comes, huzzah!!! Can’t wait!

So that was my week! I rate it about a 97.6%… You? Where’d all your money/time go?

——
PS: We’re getting really good at making babies. And have press releases to prove it.

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47 Comments

  1. a terrible husband... January 31, 2014 at 5:35 AM

    Very cool. It’s so crazy how great those 3D pictures are. So cute.

    My time was pretty typical – work and home. My money went to cutting down trees and grinding the stumps / filling the holes ($600 cash price) and new cushions for a built-in wrap around sofa thing in our enclosed porch ($1300 cash price). Good news is we saved a few hundred bucks asking for best price and then cash price. It’s my go-to savings method around the house when I don’t care about extended warranties or some other type of “insurance/protection” that paying with a card might offer. Saved us a ton of money so far.

    And yes, 18-year-old me would kick my a$$ for ever spending “$1300 for cushions for a build-in wrap around sofa thing in our enclosed porch.” I threw up a little in my mouth when I wrote that the first time.

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 8:49 AM

      Hahaha… Let’s see if your 48 year old self down the road will want to kick you in the ass now ;) But smooth work w/ the cash-only route! I always forget about that trick.

      Reply
  2. Petra January 31, 2014 at 5:52 AM

    3D pictures are cool, but on the other hand they’re pretty scary. I know that that probably isn’t the case, but your baby looks like it has a very severe skin disease. These kind of pictures are not good for my appetite…

    Reply
  3. Drey January 31, 2014 at 6:50 AM

    Baby looks so peaceful and at rest; a reminder that everything takes time to grow.
    Been reading Raptitude for a while now and I’m glad you discovered him.
    Spent a small heap on the car this week – funded by the emergency fund. Thankful.

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 8:51 AM

      Everything does take time to grow, you’re right. At least all good things :) Have a blessed weekend over there, my friend.

      Reply
  4. Brian January 31, 2014 at 7:14 AM

    Do you have the coins in the cigar box protected or are your trying to get them to tone? I know some people really love a toned coin and others think it is the worst thing ever. Personally it doesn’t matter to me either way.

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 8:54 AM

      Yup, they’re all protected in air-tites – I freakin’ love those things! You can check out your coins nice and easily whenever you want (which is half the fun!), and they don’t take up that much more room either – esp when you’re using a cigar box :) I’m not a big fan of “slabbed” coins cuz they’re so bulky, though then again I don’t have anything valuable enough to go in one, haha…

      Never knew about the toning idea w/ the boxes though. I used to think it was ugly, but now that I’ve seen about a billion REAL ugly coins, I now have an appreciation for them and would love to own a damn colorful one one day ;)

      How do you store yours?

      Reply
  5. Jon @ MoneySmartGuides January 31, 2014 at 7:23 AM

    1. My low for the week was that the fan in my car decided to stop working. No heat makes Jon an unhappy boy,
    2. My high for the week could be that the fan mentioned above is under warranty so it’ll cost $0 to fix, but I’m going with really good gym sessions this week.
    3.Root of Good – Reaching The Financial Summit – http://rootofgood.com/reaching-the-summit-financial-independence/
    4. I bought a new center channel speaker for my home theater system. Got a great deal on it.
    5. This weekend will be busy. I have a massage on Saturday, a Super Bowl party on Sunday, then head to Cancun on Monday!

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 8:55 AM

      Hot damn! You forgot to send me my ticket! :)

      Reply
  6. Mark Ross @moneysavingdude January 31, 2014 at 7:38 AM

    Most of my time was spend with school works, my dogs and my blog. I haven’t got a good night sleep the whole week, so I’m planning to sleep a lot this weekend. Good night! :)

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 8:55 AM

      Awww, haha…. good luck!

      Reply
  7. Brian @ Debt Discipline January 31, 2014 at 7:53 AM

    Only 59 e-mails? No joke I get 1000 e-mail a day at work. Some are system alert type that I can ignore that I have staff deal with, but I’d take 59 over a 5 hour period any day. Took the wife to see Kelly and Michael show and then on to Superbowl Blvd, all for free! Except for the cost of the train ride into NYC. Lots of time playing with out new puppy too!

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 8:56 AM

      You must be really important at work :)

      Reply
  8. Brian @ Luke1428 January 31, 2014 at 7:56 AM

    My low for the week was dealing with the snow and ice in Atlanta.
    My high for the week…three days off of school because of the snow and ice. Teachers gotta love that!
    Love the baby photo! I remember what it felt like as a parent to see those for the first time. Remarkable that technology helps us begin to know our children before we hold them in our arms.

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 8:57 AM

      I know, right? The whole thing is actually starting to feel *real* now after seeing this last round of sonograms… they’re out of that alien stage :)

      Reply
  9. Amanda @ Passionately Simple Life January 31, 2014 at 8:14 AM

    So cute! It’s amazing how much detail you can get from those 3D images. Who would want to go back to the sonogram when you can see your baby before they are even out of the womb!

    It was a great week besides getting sick. Got to see a lot of family and friends. And luckily because of free room and board from said people, expenses for this trip were a lot lower than planned!

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 8:59 AM

      Cool! Well, not for being sick, but for saving money and having fun ;)

      Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 8:58 AM

      That’s what I said to my wife! But he would only be like a cple pounds :( Would be stuck in the ICU for months on end, bleh… So I have no problems waiting a little longer :)

      Reply
  10. Liz January 31, 2014 at 9:38 AM

    What a cute little baby! My money didn’t really go anywhere this week which was fantastic. We paid one bill but that was it!

    Reply
  11. Charlie @ Our Journey To Zero Debt January 31, 2014 at 9:46 AM

    Congrats on your baby boy! My son is now a little over 14 months and it’s been a huge blessing ever since. Even though I do DEARLY miss my sleep, this is the best thing (along with my wife) that ever happened to me, except my wallet of course =P.

    We’re expecting #2 in September! Oh boy…..

    1) What was the low of your week?

    Fighting with the in-laws about money =(.

    2) What was the high?

    Spending time with my wife and son.

    3) What was a favorite article you read this week?

    This article could have been written about us.
    http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2014/01/29/food-spending-when-bad-habits-attack/

    4) What was the best money you spent all week?

    $6.95 to satisfy my wife’s ice cream and some sort of chewy candy craving.

    5) What are your plans for this weekend?

    Just hang out at home, maybe visit the mall.

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 10:58 AM

      Oh man, sorry to hear about the money fight :( Maybe you can blog about it and get it off your mind/ask for advice? As long as they don’t read it of course, haha…

      Reply
  12. Cait Flanders January 31, 2014 at 10:03 AM

    Umm, you are too sweet! Thanks for sharing my posts with your readers, friend. Also, I love that you copied my post template but that we had the same favourite post of the week! I think I copied that one from you, haha… so now we’re even! ;)

    Sounds like our weeks were pretty similar (insanely busy) but the high of yours was amazing. You and your wife (and your first Jr.) must be so, so excited. Enjoy your weekend!

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 11:00 AM

      HAH! Would you look at that :)

      You have yourself a blessed weekend, my dear. Hope to catch you at the next FINCON – New Orleans, w00t!

      Reply
  13. Broke Millennial January 31, 2014 at 10:24 AM

    That baby is getting big! May is by far the best month to be born in (or at least I love my May birthday).

    My big splurge this week was $70 on a nice chair for the sweet office I’m setting up in my apartment. Time to stop sitting on super uncomfortable stools at the kitchen table!

    Have a great weekend, J$

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 11:01 AM

      Good call :) I did similar stuff until my back started hurting a lot – the new (appropriate) chair has fixed it all up!

      Reply
  14. Ree Klein January 31, 2014 at 10:54 AM

    Okay, here goes!

    1. What was the low of your week? Struggling over whether to consider going back to Corporate America. I was offered a chance at a high-paying job working for an executive I adore who was recruiting me. I passed because I just can’t go back “there”…I have to see what happens by sticking to work that lights me up even though it’s not a paying gig right now!

    2. What was the high? Deciding to cancel my tax appointment after doing them myself in TurboTax and realizing there’s nothing I can’t figure out on my own with a little help from the internet!

    3. What was a favorite article you read this week? I’m going to cheat and mention books. I finished Speaking on the Side by Jeff Green and I’m in the middle of Resonate by Nancy Duarte. Both are about public speaking; both are very different but AMAZING books that are a must-read by anyone interested in public speaking.

    4. What was the best money you spent all week? $75 on TurboTax for Home and Business. That saved me the $500 I would have spent going to the tax person I used last year…YIPPEE!!!!

    5 What are your plans for this weekend? Write a post tomorrow and root for my Seahawks on Sunday :)

    Have a great one, J, and love the baby pic :)
    Ree

    Reply
    1. J. Money January 31, 2014 at 11:05 AM

      Oh no. I did not realize you were a Seahawks fan – y’all always beat up on my ‘Skins!!! They’re lucky to have you on their side, now I’ll only smile *once* – on your behalf – if they win. Unfortunately I’m rooting against that smile though ;)

      RE: Job vs passion – That’s always a biggie, isn’t it? So many pros and cons to them, but I’m confident you’ll land on the one that makes you feel the best once it’s time. You’re a smartie – in both brains AND heart! If you ever want to chat about it, you know where to find me :)

      Reply
  15. Done by Forty January 31, 2014 at 11:28 AM

    Nice work making that baby! I have no baby making skills yet. Maybe that’ll be one of my 2015 goals though. :)

    Reply
    1. J. Money February 1, 2014 at 8:08 AM

      You probably have the skills, just not the prize at the end ;)

      Reply
  16. Crystal January 31, 2014 at 1:51 PM

    I suck and completely missed your announcement post! Congratulations again!!! Whoo-hoo!!! Those 3D pictures creep the heck out of me though, so I’m clicking off, but YAY!!! :-D

    Reply
    1. J. Money February 1, 2014 at 8:11 AM

      Thanks! We’re pretty excited :)

      Reply
  17. writing2reality January 31, 2014 at 4:12 PM

    Is it just me, or does that baby of yours already have a ‘hawk? :)

    Overloaded weeks can still be awesome as you’ve just showed! Stick with it, dive into those coins like Scrooge McDuck (best mental picture ever!), and enjoy the weekend!

    Reply
  18. Jim February 1, 2014 at 12:01 AM

    Congrats on the soon arrival, May is a great month to have a young-en I guess I am a little biased since mine will be 4 in May! Congrats on the awesome blogs too, your business is busting it!

    Reply
    1. J. Money February 1, 2014 at 8:12 AM

      Thanks Jim, and congrats on your 4 y/o too :) Keep the blog hustle going on your end too! Been really enjoying it.

      Reply
  19. Marie @ 4HWD February 1, 2014 at 6:29 AM

    Congratulations on your cutie baby!! We just had a movie marathon earlier with my family while eating a popcorn and a pancake! And tomorrow after going to church, I’m planning to have a lunch date with them.

    Reply
    1. J. Money February 1, 2014 at 8:13 AM

      Sounds SO FUN!!!! I want to do that stuff!

      Reply
  20. Cat Alford (@BudgetBlonde) February 1, 2014 at 11:41 AM

    Oooh I *love* your baby!!! So cute!! Love those 4d ultrasounds!!!! I just got a really good one of my daughter but my son is being all sneaky sneaky and doesn’t want his mama to see his face. ;)

    Reply
    1. J. Money February 2, 2014 at 3:35 PM

      He won’t be shy once he’s outta there, I can promise you that!

      Reply
  21. Martin February 3, 2014 at 3:17 AM

    Are married guys allowed to call other young ladies beautiful?

    I really like this idea and might have to steal it as well!

    Reply
    1. J. Money February 3, 2014 at 4:42 PM

      Sure. They’re allowed to still drink beer and play poker too ;)

      Reply
  22. maria@moneyprinciple February 4, 2014 at 6:19 AM

    Picture is cool; and from what I can see, this baby is a thinker :). When we had this kind of picture of our son, he looked like a British politician I can’t stand. So a wished very hard he is different. He looks well better, but at three he asked me when the then Prime Minister will go so he could take the job. Some people are like that!

    Reply
    1. J. Money February 4, 2014 at 9:12 PM

      Haha… you’re too much, girlfriend.

      Reply
  23. Ryan @ Impersonal Finance February 5, 2014 at 2:24 PM

    Awesome pic man, and I read that article at Raptitude- you’re right, it was killer. Have a good one! Best money I spent all week was on some taquitos. Not super exciting, but they were freaking delicious.

    Reply
    1. J. Money February 6, 2014 at 10:57 AM

      HAH! I love those things :) Glad you like that site – he seems like a pretty smart dude.

      Reply

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