Cleaning Drawers

Funny how Facebook seems to take up blogging time. Hmmm....that should be noted as a danger....

Anyway, cleaning drawers. Evidently I am a packrat -- at least about some things. And I have a pen fetish. I wish I could count the number of pens I have found -- and they are wonderful!! Lots of colors, glittery, not so glittery, fountain pens, gel pens, ball point pens, markers, highlighters.....the list is endless. Not to mention my drawer is full again (plus I have 4 pen holders full....)

Tonight I found our first recorded budget from August 1, 1971. We had been married just over a year:

Bob's check was $850/month. Mine was $580/month.

Our house payment was $265, car payment for Bob's Cutlass (does anyone know what that is anymore?) was $90. Mine for my Kharmann Ghia (OK -- that's a blast from the past) was $180. We were helping to pay back my parents for their contribution to my Wheaton College education by contributing to Rosie's college at $75/month. We gave $150/month to the church, Missionary Internship, and Winning Women. Water was $5/month, Electricity $15/month, Phone $20, Gas for the house $10. Yikes!! Our "allowances" (Dave Ramsey would be pleased) were $40/month each. "Entertainment" and "Living" (which must ahve been groceries and eating out and movies or whatever) added up to $170/month.

As of January, 1973, Bob's check was up to $925/month, and mine was $625. Heady earnings for a young couple with not children in that day. We were putting $500/month into savings. Food was only $70/month. What on earth were we eating?

I have a note in April, 1973 -- "leaving $190 for fun, frivolity and EVERYthing else!" And at that point we weren't saving quite as much either.

In January of 1975, we have a total of $2170 in savings and our debits -- we owed Wheaton College $550 and my parents $750 for a total of $1300. Plus, of course, our mortgage on our little house on Edythe.

We were rich then.