A fun day at the fair with $9

So at the end of every pay period it always seems like we have little to no money left in the bank--I guess that's where the term "living from paycheck to paycheck" comes from, huh? So today was "free day" at the fair--just free admission--not free parking or rides or food or anything...so that saved us $14 or so, so it was worth it.
But all we had left in the bank was $9. That would pay for the $7 parking fee....but that was about it. So as we were driving to the fair we had the dillema of trying to determine what we were going to do. We are trying to get out of debt so we cut up the credit card--but I still have the overdraft protection attached to the checking account so in the event that we are in an emergency, if needed, we can intentionally overdraft and take the $10 fee.
Well the fair was certainly not an emergency. But it was very tempting to overdraft so we could have a little fun! But at the same time I could hear Dave Ramsey in the back of my head...The quickest way to get out of debt is to STOP USING CREDIT!!! (http://www.daveramsey.com - Get REAL debt help: Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover Plan)

So these were our options:
1) Walk around with our $2 and enjoy the free shows and exhibits, bring a sack lunch, look at the livestock and go the livestock shows, watch other people have fun on the rides we can't afford, and go home...
or...
2) Go to the bank and withdraw $40 and intentionally overdraft and take the $10 fee, spend the money on rides and other fun silly meaningless things and enjoy the fair for what it's worth....

We were leaning towards option 1...it seemed more responsible (and biblical--apparently God doesn't want us to be in debt either: The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7).Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another (Romans 13:8).Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you (Proverbs 22:26-27). He who puts up security for another will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe (Proverbs 11:5).My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge for another, if you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor! Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler (Proverbs 6:1-5) That's a lot of verses, huh? The bible's got a lot to say about money!)

But then DH thought of a third option--we could go to the fair, see if once we pay for parking it we can come and go (like do they give us a pass--or do we have to pay $7 every time we park?) and if we can come and go we can always go in and see if it is lame and if we really wished we had $40--and then if we did we could leave and go get money and come back. So we decided to go with the somewhat responsible option #3

As we are approaching the fairgrounds DH starts to turn down the wrong street for parking--he needed to drive a half mile further and I say, "I think it's up there--but I could be wrong--it's been 6 years since I've been here..." So we turn on his street anyway and sure enough--dead end--we were on the back side of the parking lot staring at a brick wall--but wait--there's an open gate into the parking lot. Hmmm...we know it is free day and the website was pretty specific about still having to pay for parking...but why would they leave a back gate open? We turn around and spy another car going into the gate. They pause there wondering the same thing I'm sure. So I say, "Turn around and go in there--maybe this is the way to go in." Most of me knows this isn't true.
So both us cars drive in this open gate. We keep driving to the front and sure enough there is the gate where cars are entering and stopping (probably paying!) and then parking...right where I thought it was. So we are in. Both of us pretty honest people. It's one of those moments where we both know that we did something wrong but neither of us wants to say anything because we don't want to find out the truth and then have to pay for the mistake that would have been free......really that feeling ruins the fact that we got in free anyway so might as well go ask the attendant so we don't feel like we're stealing! DH was thinking the same thing, "Should we ask someone?" Me: "Well they did leave the gate open--maybe they don't mind people coming in." Somehow I feel like this is God testing me. I don't want to be stealing anything. Might as well go ask.
I see an official looking person so I get out and walk over to her, "Hi, we just drove in through an open gate and we didn't want to be cheating you out of any money so I just wanted to make sure that was ok..." (all the while I'm thinking, "please reward me for my honesty!") She says: "No that's not ok--where is that open gate?" "right over there." I point to it. She says: "I'm going to call S-1 right now...you guys are fine...thanks." and off she goes! hurray! We got to keep our $7--and felt honest about it too! I was so excited! Think of all the things we can do with $9 instead of just $2!
DH: "What'd she say?" Me: "It wasn't ok, she's going to close the gate, but we don't have to pay! I went over there to ask because I thought well maybe God was testing us and even if we did have to pay then maybe He'd make something be free inside for us." DH: "I was thinking the same thing." Are we married or what--seems like we are always thinking the same thing!
So in we go! The weather was AMAZING! It was that "perfect park day" weather--where the wind is blowing--it's chilly enough that you need a jacket, maybe a little cloudy but the sun is out...just gorgeous!
We had a blast--even if we had only $2 we would have had a lot of fun. No need to go into debt over the fair.
We took a trip down memory lane and had fun watching the school kids "sing" (croon!) in their choirs, we enjoyed all the sights and sounds, and we actually did have fun watching other people ride the rides! And the livestock shows were really neat. We got to pet lots of animals and made some FFA/4H friends who gave us tours, showed us their animals, and we learned a lot about showing.
I also made some "spinning" friends in another part of the fair and learned about the local spinners guild. (spinning is where you take the cotton or wool and turn it into thread/yarn to be used to make stuff--they use real spinning wheels--you know--like on sleeping beauty?! :)
And then of course the kids wanted to ride the rides. SO expensive. But somehow when you become a parent you want to waste your money on silly things that give your children fleeting pleasure...so weird. :) And to top it off I had to go because they are too little to go by themselves so that adds to the expense. But seeing all the fun they'd have would make it worth it.
Well guess what--turns out the rides were $3 each person. So me and the two kids at $3 a piece.....how about that--$9 exactly.
And kids had a blast on their little car ride. And us adults felt real good and honest about it too so that made it all the better. It's neat how God takes care of us--he takes care of all our needs and then some.