I went in to see my principal this week and I now know how much of a bonus I’m receiving for my TAKS scores. I’m VERY excited!!  It’s slightly over $7,000!!!!  I was floored!  For a teacher’s salary, that’s a VERY significant % bonus compared to my yearly salary.  Now we’re trying to figure out if that’s enough to do the framework for the addition I want to add on to my house. That was my ultimate goal for this money. To get the framework up. After that, I can put in a little a month to finish it, and there’s no big hurry. The point would be to do it without involving a loan.  I’m also deliberating paying off my car instead of starting the addition (as much as that pains me to say) because that would then clear up almost $600 a month. With that cleared up, I could save so much not only in interest, but then I’d have that each month to go into the house remodel, and I would be out of my largest debt. UGH!  Sometimes I hate being an adult and having to make wise decisions. (oh! and it would only take half of it to pay my car off and I could still put the rest into savings towards the house remodeling).

I have decided to give myself one gift out of this money. One “frivolous” gift. One thing that’s just for me (well ultimately I guess it is for the family but I’m claiming it as mine). I’m going to buy me a Wii Fit. I’ve got to get more physically active. I refuse to turn to diet pills such as Phentermine 37.5 mg. I’m just too afraid of the side effects. But here I am two weeks into summer vacation, and I’m still not exercising. I’ve been reading lots of reviews of the Wii Fit from women and mothers and almost all of it has been really positive. I’m so excited!!!  I can’t wait.  I’ll bue sure to let you know how it goes after I purchase it. I have to wait to actually get the bonus.