Finally had a little time to balance the checkbook and pay bills.

• $70 kennel (oh how I wish work paid for dog boarding when I have to go on a business trip)
• $36 Sprint
• $250 Chase
• $39 AT&T (I’m seriously debating whether to cancel internet or not)
• $175 Sallie Mae (I’d like to ram that check where the sun doesn’t shine)

One good thing about going on a business trip is that you don’t have to pay for a damn thing for a week. I did hit up some stores this morning to pick up the prizes for my Bloggy Giveaways, as well as stopping at Cost Plus to take advantage of a 25% off coupon, and picking up a new bathing suit just in case beach weather comes as soon as I hope it does.

• $42 gas
• $90 Target ($55 for iPod Bloggy Giveaway)
• $24 Borders (Dave Ramsey Bloggy Giveaway)
• $89 Cost Plus
• $73 Marshall’s ($40 cocktail dress is going back because husband hates it, but I also picked up a Mother’s Day present))

My husband and I are in big trouble budget-wise when we have kids because there’s nothing I like to shop for more than baby clothes. Not shoes, not purses, not gadgets and gizmos.

There’s something irresistible about baby clothes and dressing a little baby to look like they’ve got style. That little dress is absolutely something I would wear, so I wouldn’t think twice about buying it for a baby girl!

What frugal person doesn’t love a giveaway? The Bloggy Giveaways are a chance to bop around the blogosphere, discovering new blogs that hopefully make it into your permanent reading rotation.

To thank everyone for stopping by, I’m giving away a copy The Total Money Makeover: A proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey. My husband and I are in the midst of reading this book, and it’s really helping us get our priorities straight and reach some goals that we never thought we’d be able to obtain.

All you have to do is leave a comment before midnight on April 27th and I will randomly choose a winner on April 28th. Remember to include your email address in your comment so that I can you for your mailing address should you win!

One entry per person, US only, please.

Just a note that I will be out of town this week, so if you do not see your comment approved and posted right away, check back on Friday when I’ll be doing the majority of the approvals. Thanks!

My husband passed the first of two test to recive his paramedic certificate today, so we celebrated by going out for a nice dinner. I also stopped at the grocery for intredients to make lemon sorbet, brown cows, and strawberry ice cream. Our new ice cream maker is getting a workout!

• $56 TJ Maloney’s
• $35 grocery

When my husband and I got married, my sister’s boyfriend bought us a small wine chiller that we absolutely love. It holes 12 bottles of wine, and we are dying to become members of a wine club and try something new on a regular basis. We’re not wine experts, and I doubt we will ever be, but we know what we like when we taste it and it would be so much fun to have the best sent to us to sample every month.

Are you a wine of the month club? Do you love it? Is it worth the money?

If you’re in the Chicago-land area, and you’re terrible with money, or just want to try to improve upon perfection, check out Money Smart Week Chicago when begins April 20th and runs though the 26th.

There are loads of events like how to save the environment and money, secrets of being a first-time home-owner, how to be smart at the supermakret, learning from life coaches, and touring the Chicago Board of Trade.