I think some of my holiday and new year stress has gone away. Sure, I'm still trying to catch up from work

(it crazy in media around the holidays, as deadlines still have to be met, but you have to do tons of work before everyone is on holiday break to make them)..

But I feel like I'll be caught up by tomorrow afternoon.

In the past week, I was paid for two freelance jobs, so I put 100 percent of the money-- $800 into the 2013 IRA. It's been a long time since I managed to put all of a freelance check to a goal. Usually, part of it goes to cover regular monthly bills. We socked 270 of hubby's check into savings.

I'm trying whole-heartedly to keep a lid on our spending to free up those precious freelance checks for the goals list.

So far, it's going fairly well. I did, however, blow past this week's $250 spending goal. Between date night Saturday (sushi, and The Hobbit), groceries, and just everyday stuff I wasn't planning on, I'm probably at $350 for the week, and despite my best attempts, zero no spend days. The clock resets tomorrow. Another chance.

I've been putting some thought into free and cheaper things the kids and I can do, searching through to make sure we're making the most of all of our memberships, etc.

I'm going to try to make more use of the free kids play area at the YMCA, and maybe see if I can squeeze in more work-out time during the day, while giving the kids something 'fun' to do.

We did a free nature hike and education program at the metro park today. The kids had fun. They found coyote poop and tracks, and that was a big deal for the group, so that was good. (and funny)

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Also, I'm doing better about cooking at home. I still find menu planning very difficult, and I don't like to cook, but I've been getting ideas from 100 days of real food, and other web sites, and have been cruising the ALDI and grocery store sales flyers to plan the bulk of it.

I'm also diligently working on the ambitious new food garden expansion for the backyard. We start digging in march! I'm trying to figure out what plants and seeds I need and the best places to get them, and where they'll be planted come spring. It's real work!

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I'm still mulling the refinance options. It just depends on how complicated I want to get, and what kinds of risks I'm willing to take, it any, to save some dollars until the house is paid off.

Hubby says we should just put the $2200 we would have paid in closing costs toward the balance and be done with it. Not a terrible idea. We'll see. Still mulling. It's not just the money, it's do I want to deal with the paperwork and hassle? Mortgages these days are a ton of work. TON. Not sure I have it in me.

The Jury is still out though. It IS money saved, after all, and you guys know how I love that!