Spent too much money over the last week

but it was all cash or debit...no credit card usage at all!

Tonight was hopefully the last of my spending for awhile.  I ended up buying a new vacuum.  I am sick and tired of the one I have not cleaning properly.  I am pretty sure it is just because it needs a new filter.  However, a new filter for this dang thing is $20!  With 2 cats, 1 dog, 2 kids, 2 adults, a gravel driveway and carpet in every room except 2 (bathroom and downstairs bedroom are linoleum and hardwood, respectively), a vacuum cleaner gets a workout in this house.  I religiously clean the filter after every use but I still end up replacing it every 3-4 months.  Sometimes I can go 6 months but not usually.  At $20 a filter, it gets expensive.  Before I bought the bagless vacuum, I had a bagged vacuum that I loved.  That thing was awesome!  I had it for 5 years or so.  I replaced it because the handle was broke.  It was still working but was annoying to have to adjust the handle all the time and forget trying to take it upstairs.  That was a nightmare ordeal.  The handle would pull right off.  The screw was stripped out and wouldn't hold the handle on.  I got tired of it and replaced it.  I didn't check the price of filters before replacing it and now wished I would have.  I learned a valuable lesson.  So today I replaced the bagless with a bagged vacuum.  Pretty much the same one I had before.  Bags are just under $3 for 3.  Previously I only had to change bags once a month or so.  Even if I have to replace them more often it will still be cheaper than buying filters for the bagless.  The new vacuum was $39.  I haven't been able to use it yet as the kids are asleep but that is on the agenda for the morning.  Can't wait!

I have a couple more things to do yet before Christmas but for the most part we are done with Christmas shopping.  No more gifts to buy other than a gift card.  What I need for my father in law's gift basket I can get at the grocery store.  I can order the gift card I want to get for my dad online so no trips to the store there.  I was originally done with my dad's gifts but he gave use $300 toward our new tv so I felt that I should give him something more for Christmas.  It will be nowhere near what he gave to us but he has stated many times that he knows we cannot afford to do that so I shouldn't worry about it.  I do though.