I dislike being in debt so much that my entire website is devoted to getting debt help and eliminating debt from our lives. For us, that doesn’t mean debt consolidation or IVA, that means buckling down, controlling our spending, and paying off our debt the same way we accumulated it.

The Daily Dollars category on this site isn’t just to fill space. It’s to make me realize the extent of our spending by forcing me to write it down and admit to the world that I spent $300 on a new purse or $6 on a new pack of underwear.

It’s kind of like when you are trying to lose weight and doctors recommend keeping a food journal, but we’re trying to lose debt so we keep a spending journal.

I went to TJ Maxx on my lunch prepared to buy new shoes and some warm socks, and didn’t find anything I liked. Why is it that when you have money you can’t find anything to buy, but when you’re flat broke you could buy the entire store?

• $5 Taco Bell

I know it won’t be long after my husband and I buy a home with a nice backyard that we will be talking about getting another dog. When I see a Teacup Yorkie puppy for sale I can picture us with our little dachshund and yorkie taking a walk down the street.

I did a lot of research when I bought our dacshund, and I would never buy a dog from a kennel that was not USDA or a breeder that did not meet AKC standards. Salt Creek Kennel takes both of those standards as seriously as I do, and I would be confident in the quality of puppy I purchased from their kennels.

I was out and about on some business meetings this afternoon and took a bit of personal time to stop at Target and Marshall’s. Nothing too exciting, just groceries, underwear, Christmas cards, and nylons.

• $30 Target
• $50 Marshall’s

I haven’t bought underwear someplace other than Victoria’s Secret in years, but I finally came to my senses and bought a 6 pack of Hanes for what 1 pair of undies from Vicky’s costs. Cotton undies are cotton undies!

My husband was a medic in the army and now he is a paramedic for a private ambulance company. He uses a lot of the same equipment and gear as the police and military, and regards his tactical pants as his most important work tool, so I know he’ll be interested in 5.11 Tactical, a simple blog showcasing the best tactical gear and where to purchase at the best price.

I’ve done fairly well with spending lately. There have been no random trips to Target, no online spending, and any clothes that have been purchased are necessities in basic colors.

It’s amazing how much of a surplus accumulates in your checking, and how quickly it accumulates, when you don’t buy the silly little things. The frikin’ amazing part is that I don’t miss the silly little things!

• $0

One of my grandfather’s hobbies is Stamp Collecting. He always considered it an investment, and while I don’t know if he’ll get rich from collecting stamps, I do think it’s a great hobby to have.

Arpin Philately has been the leading stamp collecting club since 1969, sending stamps, based on your interest, directly to your home with no purchase obligation. You have 20 days to examine the stamps, see if they add value to your collection, and make a buying decision.

There are no membership fees, you can cancel at any time, and there’s no obligation to buy. Just for becoming a member, you’ll get to choose from 50 aviation stamps, 100 worldwide stamps, or 50 old Canada stamps to add to your current collection.

Makes me feel like soaking my envelopes in warm water to peel off the stamps and start collecting them myself!