So, my cousin took a sample of our tamales to a Hotel on Friday...they said to call on Sunday to find out whether they'll want to buy from us or not...but they were in meetings all morning on Saturday, and today, when she called, we were asked to call tomorrow, as they are having inventory...I hate waiting!
I hope this deal comes through, though, as it would mean at least 2 orders per week (for ~200 each!, ~$64 for each of us per month....still not a fortune, but considerably more than what we are getting right now...)

I hope they pay before 5:00pm today (they do it electronically), because, otherwise, I won't be able to go to the supermarket until tomorrow...I also won't be able to pay the nanny today (I pay her once a week, every Monday)...that would really mortify me, as I know she NEEDS the money...((sigh))
Will keep my fingers crossed!

I took my boss' shopping list down to the supermarket (due to the structure of our unit, you can say I have 9 bosses: 1 VP, 2 Directors and 9 Project Managers....besides the normal admin assist stuff, I am also in charge of the houses)....this is my latest effort to NOT have to deal with the maid!! (meaning, I don't want to have to call her twice a week to get a grocery list, I do not want to have to translate said list and I do not have to keep getting calls from the maid explaining that she can't cook/clean because she hasn't received the groceries yet!...which is what happens when I give them the list so they go to the store!)...I made a super-duper list, with quantities and brands and everything...I made 20 copies and sent it to the maid...now all she has to do is tick off what she needs...then send it to me, then I will take it down to the supermarket (there's a supermarket on the first floor of the building) and they will fill out the order, call me when it's ready, one of the PM's will go pay for it, then the supermarket will make the delivery...end of my involvement! ...anyway, getting to the pictures, it is a special promotion the supermarket has, that if you spend more than X amount, you get a coupon for a picture...they got 4 coupons, and, since they buy so much, they got 4 coupons...and, since they really don't have any use for them, my boss let me have them!! I gave 2 to the other admin and kept 2 for myself!!
Will go this weekend for a picture of DD and one of DD and myself!
How fun!!

Monday - gas $10
Tuesday - food for DD's lunch box - $5.49
Wednesday - cell phone card - $5
Thursday - lunch -$ 2.14
Friday - will have to buy lunch again! ~$2.00
Saturday - $45 at the department store ($25 shoes for DD and $20 in contact lens solutions for myself!)
Sunday - $0.30 cupcake at CREA

well, we couldn't get one on loan...we checked with various churches and charities and, also with friends...my sister found one at $80....she's on her way to get it now...
I had to give her the last $60 for that, so now we don't even have enough for groceries this weekend...It'll have to wait until Monday (which is payday)...and I know Mom is going to give me grief over not bringing her anything this weekend (no juices, no sodas, no candy...) It is so hard, sometimes...this doesn't make things any easier when trying to explain to DD that WE have no money for sodas, and juices and candy....and then she sees me take money out of my pocket to pay for this stuff for Mom...I have told her many times, this is HER money...but, does DD really understand??
I hope so!

the new income tax forms are here...time to start looking for my envelope where I store all the receipts for the year (at the beginning of each year, I take a manila envelope and label it with the year in big bold letters "2005" Then, whenever I make a purchase/payment that qualifies as a "deductible" I just put it in the envelope (saves me the time to go digging for stuff later!)...
I was looking at the taxable income table and, just with what I make agains what has been retained, I would have to pay $2.73...that is good, because, once I apply the deductibles...it won't be a lot, but I might have some money coming my way!! (plus, honest, as long as I don't have to pay, I really don't mind if I get a refund or not!!)....one year I had to pay $46...

a friend of my niece's was selling caps at $20 each...we found them downtown at $7 each...my niece saw an opportunity...we managed to get 5 hats for $6 each, and, she sold them to her friend at $13 each, so he can still make a profit (she didn't tell him we got them downtown, she told them they had been sent to her as a gift from someone in the US and that she didn't quite like them....she bought 2 for herself, so she told him she only kept those 2...)My niece let my cousin and I keep the profit and, was content with saving on her hats and, with the promise that we can take her downtown any time she wants (where she can get a lot more value from her money, and still astonish her friends!...a lot of what's sold there is trash, but, you get the occasional treasure, and she has a great eye for fashion!)
So, my cousin and I both got $17.50 that we didn't anticipate!! woo-hoo!...It'll go to one of my credit cards (there's one where minimum payment is $50....)
I have also managed to reduce my cell phone usage to the point where I can make a $5 card last 2 weeks!...that means $10 a month, when before I was using $35-$39!!! the $25 "saved" will also go to this cc, so I now have $42 out of the $50!!!...I feel rich!!
Of course, there's always something to burst your bubble!...I just got a call from a cc company...(not the one with the $42...ANOTHER one!...) ((sigh))
Let's make a few phone calls and see who'll want tamales for this weekend! - hope I get a lot more orders than last week!!

this last week I did not really have the time on Wed to call people to remind them about the tamales, so we only had orders for 36!!..plus what we sold on the weekend, about 80 for the whole week!...tough!
this week, though, my cousin is meeting with the chef at a hotel, to see if they would consider buying from us...I have a good contact at another hotel and will try that...

The weekend turned out to be a 'no spend' weekend, but only because I forgot to go to the bank on Saturday, so we had no money....only $3, which, of course, I had to use for gas!!...I don't know whether to be happy or unhappy about that!

we'll see what this week brings!

Talk about feeling rotten!...a while ago I was envying my best friend for her luck in having a higher-paying job, and having finished paying off her loan...well, turns out she's losing her job in 2 months (they couldn't secure any new donors for the ONG she works for, so they have to close!)...she's sending out resumes like crazy, trying to find something else....and, sending letters like crazy to try to find donors that might make a miracle happen and keep them open!...it's tough, though...been there, done that!...she's soooo stressed! (kind of like me a year ago!!)...my financial problems are far from over, but, sadly, I went past the point of desperation (where I would stay up all night because I couldn't meet minimum payments on the cards, etc) to the point of acceptance (I just CAN'T, so I juggle the payments and live with the fact that I'm ruining my credit!...and with the fact that it will take me 5 years to rebuild it!...what else can I do?? I already sell my mind when I do translations, I have traded my rest/family time so I may make a few extra dollars...unless they take blood for payment, I have nothing to offer!)...
Anyway...back to my friend. She's a single mom, just like me, except she lives with her mom and dad...until very recently (this week) she always thought if things got really bad, she would ask her parents for help while she found a job...but, turns out her dad has had problems lately and is broke!...so, her parents actually would need their support! (she has 3 sisters)....my friend has her son enrolled in one of the top 5 schools in the country (also one of the 3 most expensive ones!)...with the school year ending in June, she would have to switch him to another school if she can't find a high-paying job...it's difficult for her to even consider this, because a) she went there and b) he's on the shy side, and it took him almost 1.5 years to adapt and finally like the school!...Again, been there, done that!...I, too, went to one of those top 5 schools (different one!)...but, I accepted the fact that I cannot enroll DD there, so I just swallowed hard and went to look for what I would consider an "acceptable" one...
More and more people are falling into hard times...I hate it! Life is becoming dreary!

I have applied to 2 jobs in the past 2 weeks...not necessarily that I want a change, I'm actually happy where I am, but, these might bring more money (plus, they were very attractive, right the kind of work that I like!)...worst-case-scenario nothing will happen!

so many people have dumped their jobs on me...to finish it all I'd have to stay until 9!...and, we don't get paid overtime! (because, according to the law, I make too much money!!...you have to make $600 or less a month to be paid overtime!!...)
some days just suck!

we are diversifying, we have added 'espumillas' (meringues) at $0.50 (leaving us a $0.15 profit!) and are trying to introduce shrimp cocktails...that is going to be more difficult, as they sell for $4...it is way easier for someone to part with 0.50 or with 1 dollar than with 4...but, if we make it...we make $1.50 on each cocktail!!! (at least, people now know we also sell cocktails...maybe next week!)

yesterday I had a call from the Real Estate broker...he says there's someone interested...let's hope interested enough to actually buy the apartment!!...

I have to decide which bills to pay (I can't pay them all, unless I either win the lottery or find oil in my backyard- no, wait, I'm renting, so that wouldn't solve anything!)...
so, now I have to decide which bills to pay and which to leave pending...which ones will cause the less harm....I hate living like this!! (I know, I know, I brought it on myself!)...but, it's still tough!

((sigh))...If only I could make this thing with selling tamales outside the church work...if my numbers are right (and something tells me I AM), that could mean $80- $110 more per month...decidedly worth the effort...I just need to think and pray on this and I know God will send me the right answer....I know the idea is good...but, I need a better plan to execute it...maybe try a different church...maybe a different hour... definetely a colorful banner for advertising...think, think, think, as Winnie the Pooh used to say!

The arrangement we made when we sold my parents' farm (before the bank could seize it!) was for monthly installments...the second year would bring less than the first...starting February....starting today....
I need a break!
I'm praying for my old apt to sell...only two things could bring an instant substantial change in my finances right now: the sale of the apt, or my Mother's death....so I'm praying for the apt to sell!!....
I also answered a job ad for a position that sounded really nice...but, who knows, they might pay the same as here...or even less!....

I couldn't meet my goal for lunch budget this week...I spent $4.31, not $4.....I guess $5 was a much more realistic budget...still, I'll keep trying, maybe I-ll manage next week!!

DD wants to learn to surf...that is her "lifelong" dream (she's 4!, but has expressed this desire ever since she was able to talk articulately)....she knows that swimming lessons are a pre-requisite and that, no, just having the right motions with your arms while standing on solid ground does not qualify her as a true swimmer!....I called in January, just to check how much the swimming lessons would be ...they are $15/month...not expensive, really, just not affordable right now (debt takes priority over 'elective classes' at this point...debt takes priority over most anything, except for food, shelter, health and school right now!)....she would need a swimsuit, a towel, goggles and a cap....she has the swimsuit and the towel (as she insists on pointing out!) and she found the goggles at a thrift store for $1.25/pair....no, we didn't buy them...I'd have to quote on the cap... and, finding a cap that is able to contain all that hair!! (lovely curly hair, at that!) would be difficult....((sigh)) maybe in a couple of months!!

we have orders for 116 tamales for tomorrow, and had the 36 for breakfast yesterday, plus an order for 30 for the weekend already...68 more and we will make our goal for the week!...hmmm...where to find enough people to order 68 tamales??

It's only Wednesday, and I already spent $2.96....I went to make a payment yesterday, and bought the paper to read while having lunch (nasty habit, I know, but I hate eating alone, and reading helps!)....well, if I manage to buy only my Salvacolas the rest of the week, I can keep it at $3.71 for the entire week (lunches only)...

I can't believe it! my sister left a bundle (literally) of money she needed to pay for my niece's school ($480) in her purse, and it somehow fell out and the puppy got to it...we found the puppy in the garden, munching happily at the plastic cover my sister had used for the money....and found only 20 $20 bills...or $400...
I really doubt the puppy ate the money, because there should at least be tiny bits of paper, shouldn't there? ....anyway...we have to be more careful (after all, you really can't blame a puppy for behaving like a puppy...and we all know this puppy is addicted to paper!)...I'm sad for my sister, but, there's really nothing I can do about it...and, in any case, at first she thought she might have lost it at the mall, so finding $400 is better than $0, right??

((sigh)) as if we needed any more money problems!!