No Easy Way To Save Money

Lets face it... There is no easy or painless way to save money.  In order to save, you are literally doing without, and making sacrifices.  I save my change, and I put a little money away each month, sometimes it is only 50 dollars.  I keep telling myself that this little by little savings attempt is going to change my life.  Last month I got a surprise orthodontist bill.  My daughter was due to get her braces off, and I had just paid off the last 1200 dollars that I owed in February.  So imagine my surprise when I got a bill for 879 more dollars.  They were for the retainers and must be paid in full or they would not be removing the braces.  I picked my jaw up off the floor and went to change my pants. 
At first I was shocked, and then mad.  But what can you do?  I gathered my wits, and came up with the idea to have a yard sale, I needed to get rid of some crap anyway, might as well make some money.  I cried and whined to my working daughter and asked for help paying the bill which netted me 255 dollars toward the payment.  I made 170 dollars at the yard sale, it was an impromptu yard sale, one day no advertising, so that was not so bad.  I used my insurance reimbursement check to the tune of about 230 dollars....  and took all the rest out of my savings account.
I was thrilled with my creative money endeavors, but extremely sad to take money out of my precious savings account. 
When I took the money to the billing office at the Orthodontist... I told them that they needed to take me out to dinner. 
I am relieved and happy to have this terrible bill out of my way~ forever by the way, my daughters braces are off and she has a beautiful smile.  I just have to get back to cutting back and doing without, so that I can replace that money in my savings account.

Have a Fabulous & Frugal Day!!!!