I�ve been reading the forum and a couple of the blogs for a while now so it is time to jump in.

I am a mid-30�s woman. DH is early 40�s. We�ve been married just short of ten years. In exactly two weeks I will have my last day of work. My department has been eliminated because of a corporate merger. I had a well paying job that more than provided for a decent living. I am not sad to be losing this job; it is time to move on. I have known about my termination for almost a year. In this time I have started to think about my financial situation and about the accomplishments I have achieved and areas where I could do better. Notice I say �I�. That�s because DH has very little to do with our finances.

Debt:
1. Started with student loan debt of 30,000. Now it is down to just under 5,000.
2. Purchased house for 127,000. Balance = 94000. 11 years remaining.
3. Purchased and still paying for a car. Balance = 11800

That�s the liabilities side. At the moment I am too shy to give the asset side of the equation. I am pleased with my assets but I am really looking back at the past ten years and I am beginning to realize how much more I could have done. This is depressing for me when I think about how much money I have wasted.

What is also frustrating for me is that I can�t get DH on board. He is not overly extravagant but at the same time I feel he spends too much on stuff that is not necessary. I make much more than he does and yet I am the frugal one? Here�s a great example that just happened. We have used the same brand of salon hair products since we�ve been together and it is more expensive than what you�d buy at a discount store. Thanks to the freebies section of this site I recently received a shampoo and conditioner sample pack. That little pack lasted me four days! I was on the phone to DH tonight. He frequently stays at hotels. I asked if the hotel room came with the shampoo bottles and could he please bring them home to me. His response: �Are we that hard up?�

Oh� I am hoping this blog doesn�t turn into one long rant about DH, but right now his attitude is really frustrating me given our upcoming financial situation in light of the fact that I am going to be unemployed on December 1 and may not want to return to work for 6 months, 9 months, 12 months.

Aside from that venting, I am here to learn and share. I believe taking little steps can really make a difference overall. Using a $1.00 coupon here or there, cutting back on this or that, finding a good interest rate. I am also looking at ways to take my assets to the next level.