• $44 gas
• $13 Applebees

We tried to have a low key weekend. I went out to lunch with my mom on Saturday and spent Sunday in my pajamas. We did try to buy a Wii Fit, but stops at two different Targets, Walmart, Circuit City, and Best Buy were feeble.

Two years ago, I organized a large company Christmas party where one of the gifts from the CEO to the employees and shareholders was a bottle of wine from a local winery. He wanted to make the presentation special with a Custom Wine Label, but I could not find a vendor to print thousands of lables in the exact size that I needed, so I ended up printing and hand labeling thousands of bottles of wine. Not exactly the stellar presentation the CEO was looking for.

The next time a project like that comes my way, I have Label World up my sleeve for custom wine labels. Their digital press prints quantities large and small quickly and beautifully, to personalize as bottle of wine for corporate events, special occasions, or for resale.

Since I opened my first bank account in 1997, I have never once bounced a check, overdrafted an account, or incurred any unnecessary fees. That all changed this week when Chase hit me with a $25 insufficient funds fee on Monday and a $32 insufficient funds free on Tuesday.

When my credit card was stolen, the bank credited me twice for the unknown charge. I made a note to leave the money aside, but when I checked my balance last week, I forgot and used the extra money to pay a bill. The next day, Chase decided they wanted their money back, which put me into the negative for two days.

I realize it’s my fault for not keeping that money set aside, but I have to be pissed at Chase for taking the money back without any sort of warning. The reason I was in the situation in the first place was because my credit card was stolen, it would have been nice to have a little understanding from the bank, and maybe a note saying “hey, we credited you too much money, we apologize for any inconvenice, but we’re going to take it back on Monday.”

I’m also completely stunned that Chase charges an increasing fee per day for insufficient funds. If I hadn’t checked my account online, it would have been overdrawn for two more days, until I had been paid. I’m sure others who never check their accounts online have gone much longer without realizing they were overdrawn. They have enough time and resources to solicite me for credit cards and CDs every day, but they don’t have the resources to make an automated call or send an email letting me know my account is in the red.

I called customer service and complained, but it fell on deaf ears. Has anyone ever had any luck reversing fees in a similar situation? Is a letter going to do any good?

• $70 Sprint
• $376 car payment
• $200 NIPSCO
• $300 Chase
• $50 Banana Republic
• $213 State Farm
• $250 blog
• $8 Starbucks
• $9 Post Office
• $48 Hooters
• $110 Costco

Can you tell it’s payday? I almost need a micro sd to keep all the bills straight, but thankfully my husband and I have a revised financial budget, and two credit cards are going to be paid in full with money from savings next month, and those payments are going to be snowballed into the next credit card. With that plan, 50% of our debt will be paid by March.

• $65 Hooters
• $76 Target
• $1 McDonald’s

After plans to go out with family Saturday night fizzled, my husband and I drowned our sorrows in wings, shrimp, and beer, then went shopping at Target. A combo that is so good, and so bad.

I have a few friends that are getting ready to pop, so I’ve been putting together some gift baskets. In addition to baby clothes and nipple lube, I’ve made them all a little something. A little something that I hope doesn’t set off the mom hormones. I think it’s funny. And I might mean it. Just a little bit.

• $25 TJ Maxx
• $43 gas
• $40 gas
• $6 Walgreens

Critical tactical gear has been needed in the past 24 hours. My husband’s big job interview is tomorrow, and when he was trying on his suit, he discovered his belt didn’t fit. As much as I tried to play it off, a belt is kind of a necessity when a guy is wearing a suit.