All Things JodieLynn

We're moving!

2010-06-02T10:00:00.005-05:00

I have been MIA for almost a month now. I feel like every blog I write starts out this way. David's accident took up a lot of my time, but he's almost back to normal now. He has an appointment today to get his cast cut off and more x-rays taken. We're praying everything is healing nicely and he can just use a brace for the next month. But the main reason I've been gone is that I've been doing lots of research. About 3 weeks ago David got his new orders. We're moving to....OKINAWA, JAPAN for 3 years.

I know! I was just as shocked. I cried for a full 24 hours because I was so stunned and overwhelmed by the news. This wasn't something we'd ever talked about because we never thought we'd have to go there. But now, after 3 weeks of researching and prayer I am excited and ready to go! The thing that still makes me a little leery is having to behind our dog, Bear, at least for a little while. He'll stay with my parents until we're settled and have a house he'll be able to stay in. The military will provide our house and furniture (we'll be taking our bed, sofa and a couple decorations but not much else). They will also store our truck so that it will be in good working condition when we get back. The hardest part will be leaving our families, but they understand and we'll be able to talk often. We can also get discounted tickets to fly home, so it won't be too bad.

What does this mean for us financially? It's going to be such a blessing! I was on the fence about even accepting the orders to Japan, until we crunched the numbers. With the extra entitlements of living overseas, plus the discount in auto insurance and the fact that I can use expired coupons, we have come up with several goals. The first one being PAYING OFF THE TRUCK within the first 18 months! I can not tell you how excited I am about the idea of coming in 3 years to a paid off truck with only 50k miles on it.

We still have a lot of questions and concerns about the move, but we're excited about the journey!

Hello Murphy. We've been expecting you.

2010-05-08T16:38:00.004-05:00

This is my husband David, and yes, he's holding a set a training wheels.

Thursday morning, a little before 7am, I got a call that I'd hoped I would never get. David had been in an accident on his motorcycle on his way to work. It was a pretty nasty crash, and he'd been taken to the emergency room. When you think of motorcycle wrecks, you think of the absolute worst. I was so relieved when I got to the ER and found that he only suffered a broken hand, sprain ankle, bruised ribs and some road rash. It could have been so much worse.

In July of 2008, when we started our Total Money Makeover (by Dave Ramsey, of course) we started expecting "Murphy" to make a visit. You know-everything that can go wrong, will go wrong! But it never happened. In fact, our journey to be credit card debt free was almost easy. Since then we've moved on and are working on the emergency fund. But it feels like we just got the wind knocked out of us. Luckily, the bike was paid for and with David being a Marine all his health care is paid for and he won't be losing any income. But we didn't have full coverage on his bike, and insurance isn't going to pay for it. He's going to sell it for parts and try to recover some cash to add to savings for a new bike.

But it made me realize something I might not have other wise-that we have become complacent in our financial journey. We worked so hard to get the credit card paid off, and it felt so good to accomplish that. But it seems like we've really lost focus on building our savings. Just because we don't have any credit card debt does not mean we are out of the woods and can "live like no one else", we are SO not there yet. We've started to become lazy in our goals and loose with the budget. And that's a nasty combination. But I am re-motivated now and ready to build up that emergency fund, but Murphy finally showed up for a visit and I don't like him.

**By the way, David's co-workers brought him those training wheels, flowers and balloons so he doesn't have any more accidents. Isn't that the funniest thing ever!?

April 18-24 Menu

2010-04-18T12:55:00.002-05:00

Today has been a lazy day at our house, and I finally got the time to blog! I don't even think I made one entry in the month of March. Between 2 visits home and David's trip out of the country, then problems with both of our laptop chargers, it was one crazy month! But I am back, the laptops are fixed and we should be getting back to our routines this week. So here's the menu:

Sunday: Homemade Pizza
Monday: Enchiladas
Tuesday: Meatball Subs
Wednesday: French Toast, Sausage
Thursday: I'm having some friends over for brunch, so we'll have leftovers or sandwiches for supper.
Friday: Spaghetti and Green Beans
Saturday: Neighborhood Picnic, potluck style. I'm thinking a corn salad!

Emergency Savings are crutial!

2010-03-29T09:50:00.003-05:00

I haven't posted anything this month because I've been busy and out of town. At the beginning of the month, my Grandpa passed away. We were not ready for it, but it was not completely unexpected. He would be 80 next week and had several health problems, but we thought we had more time. We're all heartbroken of the fact that he is gone, but through our faith we know that he is with our grandma, who he loved and missed dearly and is at peace. That being said, we had to make an emergency trip home for a week, and my brother had to fly in from Virginia. We were definitely not preparing to spend that extra money to travel back to Florida and luckily we pulled from our entertainment and blow money to cover most of the trip and the rest came from Travel Savings. We were able to make the entire trip home without even having to touch the emergency savings-but it was there if we needed it! That's a wonderful, peaceful feeling. It's amazing what a difference a year makes! If this had happened a year ago we would have, without a doubt, put the money on our credit card. And why? David brings in the exact same income he did last year. But because we thought it was "normal" to have credit card debt and keep up with the Jones (Who are BROKE, by the way!) we put stuff we didn't need on debit cards, and when we had real needs those had to go on the credit card. Then a year ago we decided, "Hey? Let's try buying what we NEED first with cash, SAVING enough for our future needs and goals, and using the rest of the cash on fun?" And it has changed our lives. Do bad things still happen? Of course they do, case in point this month. But it seems like Murphy isn't nearly as scary when he has to face an Emergency Fund!

March Goals

2010-02-28T10:01:00.002-06:00

In like a lion, out like a lamb. I'm hoping for more of the lamb and less of the lion around here. I feel like March will be a great month for us, we'll pay off the last of the Bike loan, and it will be all savings from there. We are expecting news on David's orders sometime this month, and then we should have a good idea of when we'll be moving.

March Goals:

Pay off remaining $170 of Bike Loan.
Add $200 to savings.
Cut back on dining out.
Try to use less gas, and makes fewer trips to the store.
Finish Spring Cleaning.

I'll check back in soon!

2/25-2/28: Living Frugally

2010-02-27T21:58:00.005-06:00

I'm just now catching up on the last couple days. I have to say, we've been doing very well at not spending much money this weekend. A lot of that has to do with the fact that we've gotten serious about house shopping, and it really makes you think before spending money when you're saving for something so important.

Thursday was easy, it rained so David drove my truck into work and I didn't leave the house. He did spend $12 on lunch with co-workers but it came out of this $30 weekly blow money, so that's not a big deal.

Friday was payday and I went out to get the envelope cash and gas in the truck. My bank gives rebates for ATM fees, so there was no waste there. Before I got gas I checked http://www.gasbuddy.com/ so find out where the cheapest place in town was. It happened to be Walmart, which is great because it's only about a mile away and I used a Walmart Shopping Card to save $0.03 a gallon. I bought 16 gallons, saving me a total of $0.48. Doesn't sound like too much, but it was something I was going to buy anyway, might as well save a couple quarters doing it, right? Next stop was the vet to buy Bear's hear worm prevention. It was $55, but it came out of his envelope, so again it there was no real effect on the monthly cash flow. Pet care can be expensive but it's SO worth it to keep your pet happy and healthy. A little money spent to protect your pet now can save so much more expense and heartache later on. I cannot stress this enough!

Which brings me to Saturday. Weekends are always, ALWAYS a "budget buster" for us. I should say for me though, because most money spent is because I don't feel like cooking. I'd say 80% of our blow/entertainment money is spent on dining out. There really is no reason for this, especially when we have a house full of food. But I am really making an effort this week, so I cooked breakfast at home this morning instead of running to McD's. We had leftovers for lunch, then met friends for dinner. We went to a local deli, where I had coupon for a free appetizer and we got a military discount. We saved about $6, and the total bill was only $17. After that our friends came over to watch some movies and play Wii. We had a great time, and $17 is not bad for a Saturday spent with friends!

2/28-3/6 Menu

2010-02-27T21:50:00.003-06:00

Hello warm weather...where are you? I am so over this cold weather and I'm in the mood for warm weather and outdoor fun. Next weekend is the first race at our local dirt track and David and I are so excited about that we can't stand it! Other then that, it's just the same 'ole routine around here.

Here's the menu:
Sunday: Going over to friends house or Stuffed Shells
Monday: Stuffed Shells or leftovers, depending on if I make them on Sunday
Tuesday: Cola Chicken, Rice, Peas
Wednesday: Beef Stroganoff, Green Beans
Thursday: Baked Fish, Potatoes, Broccoli
Friday: Breakfast
Saturday: Out to the race track!

February Summary

2010-02-27T12:05:00.001-06:00

February was a really great month for us, especially financially speaking. It really is amazing the things you can do and the motivation you find when you aren't paying a "stupid tax" on a credit card. We were blessed with getting a larger tax return then we planned on, and with that we were able to almost pay off the bike loan!
In addition to our regular income, we got back $1,556 from Uncle Sam. That is actually a LOT more then we anticipated. Usually our returns are small, about $500. But with the extra $800 stimulus whatever it was (I seriously do not understand all of that!) we got back a larger amount. And wouldn't you know, it was enough to cover all but about $170 on the Bike Loan! We were thrilled, this was out last debt to pay off before saving to buy a house next year. (More on that in the coming months-SO exciting!)

So all combined, here are the numbers for the month:
$351 toward the Truck (regular payment, but still lowering the balance!)
$1,617 to PAY OFF the Bike Loan
$60 Vehicle Savings and Maintenance

Total: We increased our net worth by $2,028

2/24/10: Living Frugally

2010-02-24T19:08:00.001-06:00

Today started rainy and cold here, so not too much happened. I went to Walmart early this morning to get some grocery items I didn't get at the commissary. I spent $25, and only saved $3 but I bought a lot of things that don't have coupons like eggs, fruit and seafood.

I also marinated 2 pounds of meat I will be making jerky out of tomorrow. David is leaving the country soon for work and I'm trying to get a bunch ready for him to take with him. All together it cost about $6. I don't know how much it would have cost to buy store bought, but I know it would be more the $6, plus it wouldn't be the quality I can get from making it myself.

For supper I made fish tacos, and dessert was strawberries with whipped topping. After dinner entertainment is a walk around the neighborhood and American Idol, of course.

Also, my seeds that are planted in the "green house tray" have started to sprout!! I can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can start planting outside!

**One thing I forgot to mention is that I am trying to cut down on my crazy soda addiction. Not only is it super unhealthy, but soda is not cheap! Today I only had 2 cans, which is much, much less then I normally drink, so that was pretty frugal, not to mention healthy!

2/23/10: Living Frugally

2010-02-24T14:21:00.000-06:00

I've decided that in order to keep motivated and amp up my efforts, I'm going to try and keep track of frugal choices I've made for the day. In a perfect world, I would post my amazing frugality everyday. But the reality is, some days there just isn't much frugal-ness going on, and the some days I won't get around to posting. But I'm really going to try! I love reading about how everyone lives frugally on a daily basis. I get so many ideas, and I realize that in some ways I am making frugal choices and didn't know it, while other times I see that I can do so much more!

Yesterday I went with a friend to the commissary an hour away. It takes about 7 gallons of gas to drive there, and at the current price of $2.45 a gallon, it's a total of $17.15 to drive there. That sounds like a small fortune just to drive to a grocery store, but I easily made up for it in savings. Also, my friend and I switch out weeks, so every other week she drives. I spent a total of $105 (including a $2 bagger tip), and my total savings was $65! I am very happy with that, since I didn't go grocery shopping last pay period and we were low and just about everything. In reality, I saved much more then that, because the commissary is an average of 30% cheaper then Walmart.

On the way to the commissary we stopped by McD's where I ordered a biscuit from the Dollar Menu. I spent $1.09 but saved another $1 by bringing my own soda from home.

Our next stop was Old Navy to see what deals we could find. Sadly, there weren't many. I did buy a pair of pants for $10 and 2 pair of flip flops. Total spent: $16

On the way back to our town we picked up lunch at Chik-fil-A. I know! Eating at 2 fast food places in one day is neither frugal nor healthy. But we had a great time, and we don't have a Chik-fil-A in our town so it was a real treat. Total spent: $6

Then we stopped by the local grocery store for a few things. I got a couple grocery items, and used several Marcal Tissue Paper coupons. Total spent: $12, Savings $6

For dinner, David grilled some steaks for him and shrimp for me. I made hush puppies from scratch and a side of green beans. Total cost of the meal was about $7 compared to $30+ at a restaurant.

Staying Motivated

2010-02-18T15:05:00.000-06:00

Good news! With the exception of the truck loan, we are DEBT FREE. Bad news? Now that we're not focused on paying off unsecured debt, we have lost some steam. It was easy to be motivated to get rid of that "evil credit card" and the motocycle loan. But now that we're saving to fully fund an emergency account, we're finding it to be harder. Yes, it's thrilling to be putting away money each pay check instead of sending it away, but at the same time, now we feel like we have "wiggle room" to cash flow things and frankly, we've been doing too much wiggling! We (mainly me!) have been justifying buying thats because I was putting so much stuff off when we were focusing on credit card debt. Now that we have cash in hand, I have been spending a lot on things we were putting off for the last few months. And I guess that fine, things have to be replaced, and now we have the cash to do it. But I am so scared that I'll get into the habit of spending and we'll one step forward, two steps back.

Also, I think another reason for my lack on motivation is because of my lack of posts! Now that the credit debt is gone, I feel like I have nothing to post about anymore. I've been thinking about branching out into other topics, and definitely adding a monthly summary so I can see how much we've been able to save. I've made a couple posts about cheap date/entertainment ideas, and I'd like to continue with those. I need to do something to get my focus back into saving and being finacially smart!

1/31-2/6 Menu

2010-02-01T13:27:00.000-06:00

Mardi Gras is in full swing here, and with the Saints going to the Super Bowl next Sunday it's even bigger then ever! We've been to a couple parades already, and have several more in the next few weeks. This Friday is the Mona Lisa Moon Pie Parade, and I'm really excited about it. But that's really all that on the agenda for this week, it should be pretty quite until the weekend. So here's the menu for the week:

Sunday: Chili

Monday: Cola Chicken, Rice, Brussel Sprouts

Tuesday: Burgers, Cajun Potato Wedges

Wednesday: Pancakes, Eggs, Bacon

Thursday: Grilled Chicken, Macaroni, Peas

Friday: Parade, and out with friends.

Saturday: Spaghetti, Garlic Bread

1/25-1/30 Menu

2010-01-26T09:52:00.000-06:00

A day late, but here it is! I have really been having a hard time sticking to my menu lately, which causes me to run out to the local store for a few things every couple days. And our local store is NOT cheap. I don't normally leave there for under $10, and that adds up fast. The main struggle is that we have been having friends over or going over to a friends house a lot lately and I have to adjust my menu at the last minute. I think this week I've planned pretty well and I'm also making a couple dinners that will feed a crowd and freezing them, so I am always ready. That's my challenge for this week-STICK TO THE MENU. Or at least make something with ingredients I have on hand. Wish me luck!

Sunday: Chips and Dip while watching the Saint's/Viking's Game.
Monday: Garlic Chicken Pasta, Rolls
Tuesday: Meatball Subs
Wednesday: French Onion Soup with Sausage and Bread
Thursday: BBQ Sandwiches, Cajun Potato Wedges
Friday: Pork Chops, Potatoes, Peas and Rolls
Saturday: South Western Burgers, Rice

I am also making a lasagna, Broccoli Potato Soup, and some extra meatballs to freeze, as well as some deer jerky.

Hope you all have a great week! Can you believe it's the last week of January already!?

$2 Date

2010-01-21T09:53:00.000-06:00

Have you ever heard the old wives tale that what you do on New Years Day is what you'll do all year long? Well this year I didn't want to take any chances! And what do I want to do this year? Spend time enjoying my family, and save more money! So we spent the day at out local state park, including a picnic lunch. We had a great time, David had never been to this park and it's one of Bear's favorites. Going to State Parks are a wonderful time. Not only are they cheap-in our case just $1 a person!-but the are so informative. You can learn so much about the history of your area. And the monies made on admission go back into the parks to help with up keep so others can enjoy. Add in that going for a walk and "exploring" is healthy and it's a total winner!

You can go here to find more information on State Parks in your area: http://www.nps.gov/index.htm

Book Review: Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover

2010-01-20T07:57:00.001-06:00

After almost a year of following Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover plan I finally read the book. I'd been watching his show here: http://www.hulu.com/the-dave-ramsey-show but had never read the book. I checked it out of my local library, but this a book that I definitely recommend buying a copy to keep for your person use. I found some on Amazon for around $10, so well worth the price.

My favorite thing about the book has to be Dave's straight forward approach and his "tell it like it is" style. He's also extremely funny and uses great analogies.

The book is made up of 8 Baby Steps.

1. Get Current on all bills, and Save $1,000 as a Baby Emergency Fund.

2. Get out of debt, by using the Debt Snowball. (Excluding the mortgage.)

3. Finish the Emergency Fund with 3-6 months of expenses saved.

4. Maximize Retirement Investing.

5. Save for your Child's College.

6. Pay off the House.

7. Build Wealth

8. Live like no one else!

He goes into detail about how to accomplish each step and includes charts and formulas to help you plan. He also includes success stories of many other families that have had Total Money Makeovers. He debunks debt and money myths and provides shocking stats like these:

78% of Americans say they would borrow on a credit card if a rainy day came.
60% of people don't pay their credit card every month.

And the scariest stat of all: 49% of Americans could cover less then one months expenses if they lost their income! Do you see a pattern here?

Dave isn't all gloom and doom though, he stresses the fact that there is hope and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It's not easy but it IS worth it. He has other personal finance books that can be found here http://www.daveramsey.com/store/cBOOKS-p1.html, including books for children and teens.

I think this book is wonderful and much needed in our current economic climate. It has really changed they way David and I view money, and it's changed our future!

1/10-1/16 Menu and a recipe!

2010-01-11T11:18:00.000-06:00

It is COLD here in the South! All I've wanted to do is stay inside watching movies! We've been eating a lot of soup and chili lately. Sunday I made a huge batch of potato soup, and it really hit the spot. It was so simple and healthy and comforting. I have to credit my friend Jodi for this recipe (would you believe her name is Jodi Lynn, too!).

Jodi's Potato Soup
4-5 Cups Potatoes, diced small
6 cups Fat Free Chicken Broth
1 Package Country Gravy Mix

In a skillet saute the potatoes for about 10 minutes, or until soft. In a large pot combine chicken broth, potatoes, salt and pepper (to taste) and bring to a boil. Prepare gravy using package directions and add to potatoes and broth. Simmer 20-30 minutes. ENJOY!

Makes 6-7 cups.

(I like to top mine with a couple bacon crumbles, and some chives.)

Also, for anyone interested, it's only 2 Weight Watcher's Points per cup.

So, here's our menu for this week:

Sunday: Dinner over at our friends house, she make some awesome Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Monday: Cola Chicken, Rice, Green Beans, and Salad

Tuesday: Crockpot Cheeseburgers, Broccoli, Applesauce

Wednesday: Grits, Eggs, Bacon, Toast

Thursday: Tilapia, Spinach, Carrots, and Fruit

Friday: Swiss Steak, Salad

Saturday: Either out with friends, or leftovers

Hope y'all have a wonderful week!

Valentine's Day is coming!

2010-01-07T23:00:00.000-06:00

I love Valentine's Day! I know people say it's too "commercial", and to a certain degree I think they are right, it can be. But it's also one of the most simple and sweet holidays. It's easy and cheap to show someone you love them, and it's IMPORTANT. Especially now, with so many families facing hard times, it's necessary to tell the people who love and support you the most just how much they mean to you. They are the ones you can always turn to, and the ones who take this journey with us. In this economy, with some many outside stresses, the relationships with our significant others aren't always as cared for and nurtured as they should. With the pressure of getting out of debt, performing well so you can keep your job, kids, housekeeping, and other things that need our attentions, it's easy to lose sight of what is really important and what you really are fighting for.

I stumbled across this blog, written by a lady named Cher and her husband. I think it's wonderful and so, so important. She offers such great ideas and inspiration-on a budget!! So go check it out, and share the love!

http://www.blogger.com/Love,%20Actually

Interesting Documentary

2010-01-06T15:27:00.000-06:00

My friend shared this link with me, it's a PBS documentary on credit card practices, the Truth in Lending Act, and some insight on the politics behind them. I think everyone should watch this, include your spouse and teenage children.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/creditcards/view/

2010 Goals and Plans

2010-01-03T16:35:00.000-06:00

It's time to start the new year! I am so excited about 2010. Last year was the first year in my entire life that I accomplished my resolution. I made it a goal in 2009 to end the year credit card debt free, and we did. We still have many other financial goals we want to reach and many habits we still need to work on, but accomplishing our 2009 goal has given me such motivation for the next steps in our financial journey. The plan is to continue on the same path, using the envelope system, and the biweekly budget we are using now. As for the goals, here are the 4 we are going to focus on in 2010.

1. Start 2010 with 7% contribution to our TSP retirement. DONE 1/1/2010

2. Have the Bike paid off by June.

3. Have 3 months worth of expenses saved by the end of the year. (About $6,000.)

4. Stay credit card debt free.

1/3-1/9 Menu

2010-01-03T15:14:00.000-06:00

I love the holidays, but boy, am I glad things are getting back to normal this week. I love routines, and get anxious when mine gets messed up! This week David goes back to work, and things are settling down here.

Sunday: Deer Cubed Steaks, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Monday: Fish, Rice, Sweet Peas

Tuesday: Potatoes and Sausage

Wednesday: Spaghetti

Thursday: Cheesy Chicken and Mashed Potatoes

Friday: Chili

Saturday: Out to Dinner, or Leftovers

Hope you all have a wonderful week, and the begining of a happy New Year!

Vacation

2009-12-20T08:59:00.000-06:00

We're here at my parents house in Florida this week. We drive in yesterday, swung by the airport and picked up my brother, and made it in around lunch time. Last night we went to see "A Christmas Carol", it was mine and Matt's favorite book growing up. The movie was cute and stuck very closely to the actual Charles Dickens novel, which is always nice. Today we had a huge breakfast and now we're sitting in the living room, playing Wii. I'll be taking lots of pictures, but just wanted to post real quickly and say that I am not gone, just busy with the family. Hope you're all having a great weekend and getting ready for the big day!!!

Big News!

2009-12-16T08:16:00.000-06:00

I have never said on here our actually amount of Credit Card debt. We only have a couple cards, our MasterCard through our bank, my Ann Taylor MasterCard from when I worked there, and our Military Star (Military Exchange Credit Card). We only ever used one, our bank MasterCard, but boy did we use it! I was so excited and proud when they raised our limit to $8,500 when I was only 21 years old! I can remember thinking "Wow, they must think really highly of me if they'll 'give' me that much money!" WRONG! What was I thinking? They didn't GIVE me any money, but that's how I saw it. It was mine-it had my name on it and I could use it as I wanted. And no, they didn't think highly of me. They were hoping I wouldn't pay it in full so they could charge me interest. And I totally proved them right.

But today, a year after starting my blog and 6 months into our Total Money Makeover I am ready to confess our credit card balance. On the first page of my Money Binder, in a sheet protector is a printed statement from January 20, 2009. The balance was $6,700 and change. Do I need to wait for you to catch your breath? But wait-that wasn't the highest it's been! At one point it was $8,046. That number STILL makes me sick to think about. But why am I confessing today? BECAUSE YESTERDAY I PAID IT OFF IN FULL. Yes! In less then a year, on one income and at the ripe old age of 24 we are credit card debt free.

We were able to accomplish this by making a couple changes. First, in November of 2008 we committed to stop charging things we couldn't pay for. Now, this doesn't mean we haven't used the card, because we have. For example, my brother is in the Navy, stationed in VA and I always help him book his plane tickets. I use my credit card to purchase them and he writes me a check when he gets here, which I then use to pay the credit card. So the key is that even if you use it, to PAY IT OFF. Secondly, we stopped adding to our savings. At first that thought scared the crap out of me. In the first recession of my adult life, I stopped saving money. Instead, I put that money toward paying off that credit card. When I really say down and thought about it, it made complete sense. I was saving money, that was making me 2% interest, which WASTING money by being charged 9% interest on the credit card balance. I was paying up to $50 a month on a finance charge, while making pennies on my savings account. (I do agree with Dave Ramsey though, and I kept at least $1000 in savings at all time for emergencies. We were also lucky enough that David would take short deployments at work, and while gone, he tried to save as much travel money and per diem as possible to put toward our debt. His sacrifice it what made it possible to pay off that card.

I can't put into words the peace I have now that we are credit card debt free. It's a peace that sinks deep into my heart. It's wonderful to make goals for 2010 that don't include paying off a stupid credit card. We can do so much more with our money when it's not going to a credit card company.

Happy First Anniversary

2009-12-02T16:48:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a year since I wrote my first blog! So much has changed for us financially I can't even begin to imagine where we'd be now if we hadn't made the decision to become debt free. And while we still aren't there, we are MUCH closer. In fact, we'll make our last payment to credit card debt this month and start 2010 with only a truck payment. Here are my top 3 things I've learned this year, and what's worked the best for us:

1. USE CASH: I'd heard of Dave Ramsey but never paid much attention to his plan until this summer. I was still hesitant to use a cash only system. In this day and age it seems "old fashion" and inconvenient to use cash instead of a debit card, but that's just not so. Also, from my experience using a debit card is NOT the same as cash. It's just too easy to swipe the plastic, it's painful to hand over tangible cash.

2. BUDGET: My old budget didn't work because I would plan for what I would like to see happen with my money. When I took total control and told my money where to go, I was able to stick to it. (Example: I used to *hope* that I could spend less then $15o a pay period on groceries. With my new budget, I tell myself I *must* spend less this $150 because that's all the cash I have.) It's amazing what you can so when you have to!

3. BLOGGING: And reading blogs. Sharing ideas is the best way to find a budget that works for you. When I feel myself slipping or wanting to have a pity party I read others blogs and get all the motivation I need. So thanks to all the fellow bloggers!

Here's to another year of blogging and reaching new goals!

Christmas Home Tour

2009-11-30T20:27:00.000-06:00

I love Christmas. I wait all year long for it, and I start early. David doesn't understand why I start decorating so early and even though I've tried to explain, it's just something he doesn't agree with me on. I justify it by saying that I pay a lot for my Christmas things and I want to get the most out of them. But the truth is that I love to be surrounded by the lights, smells, colors, and emotions of Christmas. I love the glow of a Christmas tree and the joy in Christmas carols. I was blessed to grow up in a happy home where Christmas was special and family was the most important thing. That has carried over into my adult life, as well as the appreciation for those traditions. I love having people in our home to enjoy the season with us. All that being said we finished up our decorations tonight and I have very happy with the outcome. It's our second Christmas here, so we kept things pretty much the same.

My tree is mainly red and gold and some ambers and greens. I like traditional, rich colors and lots of shimmer. I have poinsettia picks stuck in randomly, and I love the look it gives.
I love this little shelf, it's full of all kinds of my favorite things. I think I bought it used about 4 years ago for $50. Probably one of my best finds!

I love the white and black look. This is our upstairs Den, and I like that it can have a different color scheme and modern look, so unlike the rest of my house, without clashing. It's like it's own little living room off of the bedrooms.

This us the entry, I LOVE this picture. I loved it so much that I bought one for my mom, too.

I have more of the outside, but I need to upload them so I'll make another post. Hope you enjoyed our "2009 Home Tour".

11/29-12/5 Menu

2009-11-30T20:21:00.000-06:00

Hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful time at my parents house. So many laughs and so much good food, but I am glad to be back at home and back to a (somewhat) normal routine.
I have a feeling this week will go by fast. In fact, I think the rest of 2009 will fly by. Here's this weeks menu:

Sunday: Dinner out with friends.

Monday: Taco Pizza

Tuesday: David has Duty at work, I'll have soup and a sandwich.

Wednesday: Grilled Chicken, Rice and Broccoli, Carrots

Thursday: Spaghetti, Yeast Rolls

Friday: Waffles, Bacon

Saturday: FOOTBALL!!! Pizza and Wings

November 15-21 Menu and To Do's

2009-11-15T11:00:00.000-06:00

Last week felt so "off" to me. David didn't have to work on Wednesday (Veteran's Day) and we went out a lot with friends to celebrate. Now it's weekend and he's working, so it doesn't even feel like a real weekend. But I guess that's the way it will be from now until the beginning of the new year. With all the holidays, parties, traveling, and work functions time just speeds by. I know for me, it's very important to schedule and make lists this time of year. It's so easy for spending to get out of control with all the business of the next couple months. Last year at this time we were half heartedly following the budget and basically just treading water. What a difference a year makes! So...on to this week!

MENU:
Sunday: Cube Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Monday: Homemade Pizza

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken, Rice, Carrots

Wednesday: Breakfast (Grits, Eggs, Bacon)

Thursday: Meatball Subs

Friday: Beef Stroganoff

Saturday: David has a Motorcycle "Poker Run", so I'll probably have leftovers or a salad.

TO DO's:
This week I need to get my house ready for Christmas decorations!!! And we'll be leaving on the 21st for a week, so I need to get packed and get the house ready for us to leave.

1. Vacuum Baseboards
2. Dust Ceiling Fans and Air Vents
3. Vacuum Truck
4. Return Halloween things to my neighbors house.
5. Organize Office Closet

Have a great week!

Happy Veteran's Day and Happy Marine Corps Birthday

2009-11-08T16:22:00.000-06:00

My husband, David, before he left for Iraq in 2007.

"I love the Corps for those intangible possessions that cannot be issued: pride, honor, integrity, and being able to carry on the traditions for generations of warriors past." Cpl. Jeff Sornig, USMC

My sister, my brother and I at my brother's Navy Boot Camp Graduation. January 2009

"I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: "I served in the United States Navy""-John F. Kennedy (JFK)

November 8-14 Menu

2009-11-08T15:27:00.001-06:00

Last week went by really fast! It seems like September on just flies by and then it's a new year! We don't have too much going this week, but it's definitely the calm before the storm. Literally, there is a tiny hurricane headed this way. But like I was telling a friend early-this ain't my first rodeo. Growing up in Panama City, Florida I've seen my share and they don't scare me in the least. In fact, I love a good storm! So I'm not planning too much for this week, since it will likely be raining for a couple days. David is off Wednesday for the Marine Corps Birthday (which is the 10th) , and Veteran's Day. Then he has duty again on Saturday, so I don't have to cook either of those nights. Here's the menu:

Sunday: Meatball Soup

Monday: Hotdogs and Tater Tots (We have SO many hot dogs left over from the Halloween party, well be eating them once a week for a while yet!)

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Bread

Wednesday: Out to dinner, probably Applebee's since they are doing a free meal for Veteran's (YAY! Thanks Applebee's!) http://applebees.com/vetsDay/default.aspx

Thursday: Pizza (I got a new bread recipe from here: http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2008/02/bread-baking-made-easier-finally.html and it makes a great pizza crust. I'm thinking of trying a new pizza each week!

Friday: Beef Stroganoff

Saturday: David has duty, I'll eat left overs or canned soup.

Happy Veteran's Day!!!

November 1-7 Spending:

2009-11-03T10:24:00.000-06:00

11/1:
$10 Burger King-Breakfast
$5 Target-Halloween Clearance
$12 Marshall's-Halloween Clearance
$13 Kirkland's-Halloween Clearance

11/2:
$9 Heros-lunch with BFF

11/3
$9 Dog Food
$14 Candles, Soda, Chips, TP
$1 McD's Burger

11/4:
$5 Coupon Order

11/5:
$3 SnoBalls

11/6:
$7 Cracker Barrel
$10 Walmart
$20 Gas

11/7:
$4 Target
$14 Walmart
$5 Dollar Tree
$20 Hero's

This week I spent $137 on things that we didn't NEED. Ugh, that's a lot. In red are the things that were wants and could have been avoided. Technically all but about $50 were within budget because we used cash. But lately I've been wondering if we spend the cash because we have it. Just because I have $10 left in my Blow Money, doesn't mean I need to go to Target and see what I can buy for $10. I need to really work on that! Hopefully this week will be better. My weakness is seasonal clearance, I've spend a lot on marked down Halloween stuff. Which is fine if it's stuff I'll actually need and use next year. But naturally I get sucked into buying crap just because it's 75% off. Another weakness if boredom. I want to try to stay out of stores more this week. Last week I went shopping almost everyday just because I could. But again-that doesn't mean I SHOULD. If I stay out of stores and busy doing something else then I can't spend any money, right!? I'll check back in next week.

A Plateau?

2009-11-03T09:56:00.000-06:00

I think I've hit one. Lately I've just felt like I'm barely treading water. In some ways it doesn't make sense because we're still plugging along, working the budget and paying off debt. But in other ways I feel like we should be doing MORE. I kind of feel like we're doing just enough to make progress, and that we've gotten complacent over the last 6 months. Part of it could be the New Year getting closer, and the anticipation of what we can and will do in 2010. I definitely haven't lost motivation, if anything I have more and don't know what to do with it!

I went over last months numbers and here's is what I think I should focus on in November:

1. Sticking to the menu:
A. Cutting back on the fast food/dinning out.
B. Stop running to the store for chips, soda, eggs, etc., and plan better when I do go.
C. Using what we have in the freezer, and using up leftovers.

2. Using less gas:
A. Make sure I budget enough for the pay period based on that weeks activities.
B. Cutting down on MY driving, and planning lots of errands in one day.
C. Cut back on the trips to the commissary. (100 miles round trip!!)

Ok, so that the game plan for November! Maybe what I need is to get back to the basics and focus on the areas that NEED the most work.

Halloween Par-tay!

2009-11-02T09:15:00.000-06:00

I love Halloween!!! It's so fun and festive, I love the colors and the costumes. Some great friends and neighbors helped me host the party this year. It was a blast! David was a good sport and helped me transform the garage into a "cave". I bought several black table clothes from the Dollar Tree and David was great enough to thumb tack them to the ceiling of the garage. It was a little time consuming, but was only about $12 and made a huge impact on the decorations!

The final product!

Our friends Monica and Travis made a "Mystery Box" game that was a huge hit! The boxes had slits cut in the top and each player had to stick their hand in and try and guess what body part was inside. The boxes were actually filled with things like pasta, peeled grapes and jello! FUN! Here is David after sticking his hand in.

We also had a "Witch's Broom Race". I made brooms out of paper bags, and each player had to "sweep" their balled up newspaper across the finish line. It was hilarious to watch.

And finally-all the food!

11/1-11/7 Weekly To Do List

2009-11-01T10:59:00.000-06:00

Well, last night was the big Halloween bash and I think it went very well. I have some pictures but I'll make another post about that. I got everything on my To Do List done, since it was all party prep. But this week I need to start getting ready for the Holidays, since they are right around the corner. I love this time change, I feel so much more productive when I get up early, and being an hour ahead is nice!
I also wanted to mention that I've been a fan of www.flylady.net for years, and she's started her annual "Cruising Through the Holidays", so be sure to check that out. Over the years I've adapted it to help me with my household management. I've never had a problem with clutter, so I don't need that aspect of her plan, but I follow her routines and daily missions to help me stay on top of my housework. She also has a Blog Talk Radio show here http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flylady. Those ladies are so insightful and practical!

This week I need to:

1. Clean out and vacuum the truck.

2. Clean out and inventory the chest freezer.

3. Wash and vacuum couch cushions.

4. Go to the DMV and have the motorcycle registered.

5. Spend an hour working on my recipe and idea binders. (I probably should do a post about this, too!)

So, that's want I want to get done this week, along with all the general daily cleaning.

November 1-7 Menu

2009-11-01T10:19:00.000-06:00

Hello November! These next few weeks will be the calm before the Holiday storm. We don't have much planned this week, just resting up from the Halloween party, and getting ready for Thanksgiving.

Sunday: Grilled Chicken, Rice, Green Beans
Monday: Stromboli's
Tuesday: Cube Steak, Potatoes, Carrots
Wednesday: Leftovers, or Sandwiches
Thursday: Breakfast
Friday: Chicken and Rice, Peas, Biscuits
Saturday: Meatball Soup

Have a wonderful week!

October 25-31: Weekly To Do List and Menu

2009-10-28T15:58:00.000-05:00

I'll a little (ok, A LOT) late on this post, but for good reason. My Mom and sister, Lane were visiting Sunday-Wednesday and we had a blast. However, nothing got done! But It's 4pm on Wednesday and they are back home in Florida, and I'm here trying to catch up on my week. So first here's the menu for Wednesday-Saturday:

Wednesday: Chicken Quesadillas, Yellow Rice, Corn

Thursday: David has duty, so probably Chicken nuggets and Easy Mac for me!

Friday: Breakfast (Grits, Eggs, Bacon)

Saturday: A group of girlfriends and I are hosting a Halloween Party at our house!

OK, and now for the To Do's:

Last weeks:
1. Start working on re-organizing the garage, this will be done a few minutes each day, and the mostly on the weekend when David can help me. Yes, and it looks great and is much more convenient!

2. Finish my "Bat Project". Did work on it, but didn't complete it.

3. Wash my truck-although this one is sort of depending on the weather. It needs to be washed, but it's been too cold lately to get out there and do it. Um, no. Didn't even try to do it!

4. Re-Organize the pantry and make a list of all Holiday baking needs. Yes!

5. Deep clean my office. Yes!

6. Take and post pictures of my Halloween Decor!!! Not yet, but I have a good reason. I bought a few more things, but they are paper and it's supposed to rain. So I will finish up Halloween morning and take pictures that night it all it's glory.

And now for this weeks! This one is a dozy since the Party is Saturday.
1. Clean the house and get it ready for the party.

2. Get the garage decorated.

3. Bake 4 dozen cupcakes, and 2 batches of Rice Krispie Treats.

4. Take pictures of the decor before the party.

Have a great week!

October 25-31 Menu

2009-10-26T07:42:00.000-05:00

It's already the last week of October!!! This is a fun week at our house, my sister Lane and my Mom (and their dog Buster) are here visiting while Daddy it out of town for work. They will be here until Wednesday, and then on Saturday we're having a huge Halloween party here. I'm super excited-I love Halloween. So here's the plan for this week:

Sunday: Spaghetti, Green Beans, Garlic Bread

Monday: Out to Dinner

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken, Potatoes, Broccoli

Wednesday: Breakfast (Grits, Eggs, Bacon, Toast)

Thursday: Chicken Taco Manicotti

Friday: Homemade Pizza

Saturday: PARTY!

Have a great week!!

A Productive Day!

2009-10-20T16:18:00.000-05:00

Whoa, am I tired! But I've gotten a lot done today, and it's only 4:30. David started his motorcycle safety course today, and since he wasn't going to be working out before work, I made him breakfast. So my day started about 5:30am! My normal wake up isn't until about 7-ish. But I love days when I get up early, I seem to get a lot done. Then later in the morning I called my mom, who told me that she and my sister are coming to stay with me Sunday-Wednesday for Lane's Fall Break!!! I am thrilled. I haven't seen them since the 2nd, and I didn't think I'd get to see them again until Thanksgiving so I am super excited about that. Daddy can't come, he has to work and stay there to take care of the animals.

That sent me into a cleaning frenzy! Now, mind you, I stay home all day and clean regularly but when I know someone is coming over I kick it up a few notches. Today I managed to vacuum all the baseboards, air vents, window sills, closets, mattresses, dryer vent, and floors upstairs. I also cleaned 2 bathrooms, and the laundry room. I still have lots to do, but dang! my arms are tired for dragging that vacuum cleaner all over. That was all in addition to my normal cleaning-I did a load of dishes, laundry (which still need to be put away), and general straightening downstairs. Can I just say I will be thrilled to death when we move into a 1 story house. Luckily, my laundry room is on the 2nd story, where all the bedrooms are. But still! I hate stairs, and I especially hate vacuuming them.

All this cleaning did make for a good day budget wise, although I did leave the house to go to Sonic. But since it was Happy Hour, and I got a large Coke for less then a dollar, I'm totally not even counting that. I paid for it out the change in my truck's ash try! And I think I deserved it!

Also, David's motorcycle jacket came in today. I am so happy. He's ecstatic about how "cool" it is. And I am loving that it's armored with back, elbow, shoulder, and neck padding "just in case". I am getting used to the idea of him driving it, but I can't really say I'm loving it. He's at the Marine Corps motorcycle safety course today and tomorrow, so that also makes me feel better. And I have to say I am loving the $8 a week it takes him to drive back and forth to work. (Verses the $40 a week on the truck!) And the cheap insurance. It's still a little nerve wracking though!

I think that's enough rambling for today. Time to go cook some dinner! Y'all take care.

No Spend Challenge

2009-10-19T19:05:00.000-05:00

Back at the beginning of the year I did them a lot, but slacked off once I got the budget down. Lately we've really been able to save and it's been nice. But sometimes I feel like even though I use cash, and stick to my budget, I still waste money. For example, I get $20 a week as Blow Money (money just to spend as I want/need). If on Saturday, I still have $10 I'll go to Target and buy whatever I want, or I'll go out to lunch. And I have a problem with that. Just because I HAVE the cash, doesn't mean I need to SPEND that cash. Even if it is within my budget! I seriously need to reign in the spending a little. Even though it is just $5 here, $3 there. If I don't need it, it's still WASTE. Not that I think we don't all need a little wiggle room, but I've taken a lot lately!

Today is Monday, and I've already done all the grocery/household shopping for the week. I also have enough gas in my truck, and DH's spending doesn't count (since he rarely spends anything). I can't think of anything Tuesday-Saturday that I'll need. The only thing I have coming up is a birthday party on Saturday, but I've got the "Gift Envelope" for that. If you saw my "To Do" post, you know I have plenty to keep me busy. Plus I just started a series of books, and I've finished 1 out of 6 so I want to read those as well. With the weather being SO nice (mid 60's) Bear and I have been taking lots of long walks. So I have lots and lots to keep me busy and have no need to spend a dime! I'll check back in periodically!

10/18-10/24: To Do List

2009-10-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

I made the comment to David yesterday that it was almost one month until I could put up my Christmas Tree! I've never seen anyone roll their eyes so far before. I won't call him a Scrooge, but he's not real Jolly either! That's OK though, my enthusiasm makes up for his lack. But it's true, the holidays are practically here and it's time to get on the move. A few of my good friends and neighbors and I are planning a "sure 'nough" Halloween Bash in our neighborhood! I am so excited about it, we've already had planning meeting and we're going out on Wednesday to do some shopping. I've started making a few decorations, and the outside of my house is almost ready (I'll have to make another post about that!). But with the Halloween Party, there is a lot to do to get the house ready (we're having it here!), and then as soon as that's over, we jump right into Thanksgiving and Christmas! I need to start now to get everything ready, and we all know I'm a planner. So I think from now until the new year, and maybe after, depending on how it works, I'm going to post a weekly To Do list.

So what needs to be done this week?

1. Start working on re-organizing the garage, this will be done a few minutes each day, and the mostly on the weekend when David can help me.

2. Finish my "Bat Project".

3. Wash my truck-although this one is sort of depending on the weather. It needs to be washed, but it's been too cold lately to get out there and do it.

4. Re-Organize the pantry and make a list of all Holiday baking needs.

5. Deep clean my office.

6. Take and post pictures of my Halloween Decor!!!

Feel free to join me!

October 18-24 Menu

2009-10-19T07:50:00.000-05:00

It's finally cold here! This morning when I got up at 6:30 it was 38 degrees. Considering I live on the Gulf Coast, that is COLD for us. But I am happy. I've been craving chili and all sorts of baked goods, and apple cider-just waiting on the weather to drop!

This should be a fairly "normal" week for us, we don't have too much going on. So here's the plan:

Sunday-FFYS, or Fend For You Self!

Monday: Grilled Chicken, Mushroom Rice, Broccoli

Tuesday: Mexican Pizza, Corn

Wednesday: Breakfast (Grits, Eggs, Bacon)

Thursday: Spaghetti, Garlic Bread

Friday: Leftovers, or Frozen Pizza

Saturday: Lunch-Weeks leftovers, or Sandwiches and soup, Dinner-Birthday Party at Friends House.

I'll also be doing some baking-pumpkin muffins, blueberry muffins, and probably some breads.

Have a wonderful week, and stay warm out there!

Oct. 11-17 Menu

2009-10-12T13:37:00.000-05:00

Happy Columbus Day!

David was off work today, so he and some friends went on a motorcycle ride. Bear and I stayed home and cleaning house, which after a long weekend, really needed some TLC! I have supper in the crockpot and it smells yummy. Now we're all just hanging out enjoying the rainy day. Hope your Monday is great, too!

Sunday: Tilapia, Broccoli, Squash, and Tomatoes

Monday: BBQ Chicken, Baked Beans, Corn Bread, Fresh Tomato Slices

Tuesday: Beef Stroganoff, Green Beans

Wednesday: Meatball Soup, Garlic Bread

Thursday: Fish, Rice, Peas

Friday: Black Bean Empanadas, Corn

Saturday: Lunch-Pizza, Supper-Grilled Beef Kabobs, Potatoes, Carrots

I'm also planning on making a pie (probably apple) and baking a bunch of muffins to freeze!

Have a wonderful week!

80 Days Until...

2009-10-05T15:51:00.000-05:00

CHRISTMAS! Have you started shopping, making lists, putting together a "game plan"?

I love my Mama, she has the best ideas! Since David and I, and she and my Daddy are all trying to save more and pay off debt, we've decided we'll draw names for Christmas this year. We asked my brother and sister, and they are fine with the idea, too. To make it even more fun, we've made it into a game. We each drew a name from a hat, and we have to spend $20 or less on that person. The person who spends closest to $20 without going over wins! We're all so excited about this, not only does it mean that we'll only be spending $20 each, but the contest to spend $20 makes it so much fun!

*If you notice on my "October Goals" post I changed the Christmas Savings Goal. Normally I budget $50 for each of my 5 family members, so only spending $40 will saves us a lot, and we can lower the amount we need to save for Christmas, and add more to Debt Payments!

October 4-10 Menu

2009-10-05T15:39:00.000-05:00

We are really loving the new grill! Plus, with the great weather we've been having, it's been nice to eat outside. Of course, as I type this it's raining outside, and supposed to continue all week. But I do love the rain, too! We're also trying to eat healthier with more fish and veggies, so here's the menu this week:

Sunday-Sandwiches, it had been a long day of driving home.

Monday-Tilapia, Broccoli, Homemade Hush Puppies

Tuesday-Grilled Chicken, Rice, Green Beans, Rolls

Wednesday-Chicken Salad Sandwiches, using the leftover grilled chicken.

Thursday-Crockpot Soup, we have Bible Study that night so we'll have soup before we go.

Friday-Spaghetti, Garlic bread

Saturday Lunch-Leftover Spaghetti, Dinner-Tilapia, Rice, Brussel Sprouts

Have a wonderful week!

No New Debt- FAIL!

2009-10-05T15:21:00.000-05:00

Yes. We did it. We took on more debt. I am not happy about it, but I am not upset by it either. I think the difference is that now I have a plan, and we have our budget set up in a way that will allow us to work our plan.

We had a car that was having a few mechanical problems, and since I don't work or go to school I had pretty much stopped driving it. It's been paid off since early 2007, but we were still paying $100 a month on insurance for it, and not driving it. We decided to sell it, but hadn't actually gone as far as to put it up for sale yet. Then, a neighbor was at our house and David mentioned we were probably selling it, that I didn't really need or want it anymore, and our eventual plan was to purchase a motorcycle for him to drive back and forth to work and leave me with the truck. The neighbor said he'd be interested in the car for his teenage son. And wouldn't you know, he had a bike that David liked that he was willing to trade for it. The value of the car was much lower then the value of the Bike, so we traded our car and $1,500 for the Bike (which is worth a little over $3,400). We had enough cash on hand to pay for the bike, but didn't want to dip into the Emergency Fund. We had been planning on buying a bike with Davids bonus later in the year, maybe early 2010. So, after much thought we decided to take out a small personal loan, pay for the bike, and pay it off as soon as possible. The payment is $65 a month, but we'll save $20 in insurance and $60-80 in gas, so we'll put all of that toward the payment each month. As soon as the credit card if paid off (December) we'll be using the snowball to pay off the bike. However, if the bonus comes in before, the bike and card will both be paid off immediately. It also means that the $4,000 of the bonus we had earmarked for a bike can now be saved for the Fully-Funded Emergency Fund.

I know taking on more debt may not have been the best option, but we do take some comfort in the fact that we do have a very workable plan. And we are grateful that we've spent the last year working hard, so that we are able to work this into our plan.

October Goals

2009-10-01T11:21:00.000-05:00

Fall is my all time favorite season. I love everything about it-the smells, colors, crisp air, football, apples, sweaters, crunchy leaves, open windows, bonfires, soups, Halloween, and the anticipation of the coming Holiday Season. This time of year makes me so happy, and excited to just be able to experience it!

I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air. -Nathaniel Hawthorne

October Goals:

1. Pay $250 to the Credit Card

2. Save $100 for Christmas*

3. Pay $150 to the Bike*

4. NO New Debt

5. Post at teast 10 times.

6. Take more pictures!

After I posted this we changed out plans for Christmas shopping, and decided not to attend the MC Ball, so I changed the goals to reflect the new plan. We also added the new Bike Debt.

Summary: September Goals

2009-09-30T11:10:00.000-05:00

Whoa, did this month fly by or what? This was a crazy month. I turned 24, David was out of the country, we had a family emegency, the dog got sick, my parents celebrated 25 years of marriage, and FALL is here. So how did I do on the goals? Overall, I think I did pretty well!

1.Pay $400 to the Credit Card. YES! Thanks to David's short deployment we were able to pay $2,000!!! Which brings us to 85% paid off!

2.Save $200 for Christmas. YES!

3.Save $100 for the Marine Corps Ball. Not exactly, I did save $60, but now we aren't even sure if we're going. However, we're still saving the money and if we don't go, we'll use it for Christmas Travel or something else that's needed.

4.NO new debt. YES!

5.Post at least 10 times! No...It's actually pretty pitiful. But I'll make this a goal again for October adn keep trying!

6.Earn 90 Swagbucks and order Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover" from Amazon! (I currently have 80!!!) YES! I have 91 actually, but I haven't ordered the gift cards yet. I need to add that to my growing "To Do" list.

See you in October!

Menu: Sept 27-Oct 3

2009-09-28T14:19:00.000-05:00

Good morning! Can you believe October starts the week? This year will be over before I know it! I am loving all the fall and Halloween decorations and I'm really in the mood to bake. I just wish the weather would cool off. It's hard to really get in the mood when it's still 96 degrees outside! We used the new grill for the first time last night, we had salmon, green beans, squash, and scallops. It was so yummy! And the gas grill so much easy to use and clean up then the charcoal one! Here's the game plan for the rest of the week:

Monday: Turkey Stroganoff and garlic bread.
Tuesday: Burger and Tater Tots
Wednesday: Spaghetti and garlic bread
Thursday-Saturday: Visiting family in Florida.

I've also been going through my recipe binder and my recipe box on http://www.allrecipes.com/ and finding all kinds of things I want to bake. I'm thinking I'll try and freeze a lot of it.

Have a great week!!!

New Coupon Binder

2009-09-12T09:56:00.000-05:00

I am SO excited. I'd seen this binder at Target a couple weeks back and it was on a "back to school" sale for $12. I thought that was a pretty good price, but since I didn't NEED one, I passed it up. I really liked that it had a shoulder strap. I hate having to balance a purse, a binder, car keys, and your purchases! So I was out running some errands the other day and noticed some school supplies were 75% off at Target, and among them was my binder! I got this bad boy for $3!!!! Can you hear the angels singing? I also love that it's bright blue.

It's set up the same way as my old one, with the baseball card holders and tabs. I did have to add a zipper pouch to keep my scissors and calculator in, since it didn't have one, but those were on sale for 48 cent!!!

Now...time to go shopping!!!

Why?

2009-09-09T11:43:00.000-05:00

WHY do we want to be debt free?

Today, we are 80% credit card debt free. We are so close we can taste it, and it taste GOOD. So we've been tossing around ideas of how to tackle our next goal, and what exactly that goal might be. But this post isn't about that. It's about WHY. Why be debt free? I'm sure almost everyone would answer the same way-to be able to buy what we want, to fix what breaks, to be secure, to no longer be a slave to the lender. I agree, those are my reasons too.

But aside from the normal everyday answers, I believe each person has their own why. My main reason for wanting to be debt free is to prove something. We got married young, I was 18 he was 19. I had just graduated high school the month before and he'd only been in the Marines for a year. My parents were very supportive, but they were probably the only ones. Sure, everyone gave us well wishes, but they also would ask "Are you sure this is what you want?" or my personal favorite..."but you're both babies! Are you ready for this?" I could scream for every time I heard that. And then of course, when we visit back home old friends will ask "So, are you guys still married?" Umm..YEAH. Why wouldn't we be?

Now I do realize these are sad, but valid questions given the culture we live it. But I feel like it was almost expected of us to fail. But we refuse to fit the mold the young couple, struggling to make it. We want to be the exception, and for people to not question us, but use us as examples of how it CAN and DOES work. And, for us, part of that is being debt free at a young age. What will that mean for us? Being debt free at 24 will mean I don't stress over money and I will never lose sleep at night over a credit card bill. I will not live paycheck to paycheck, I will have an emergency account that gives us peace, I can afford my pet, and to keep him healthy and happy. We can travel, with cash and thank ourselves for a wonderful time, not Visa! We can drive new (to us) cars that we enjoy, we can fix what breaks, when it breaks. It will mean that David can deploy to war, and not worry about me while he's gone. We can buy a house and make it our home. We WILL retire millionaires, neither of us having ever gone to college, and we will NOT BE SLAVE TO THE LENDER.

So, what will being debt free be like for you, and WHY is it important?

September Goals

2009-09-02T08:36:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it's already September? This is my favorite month, and I have big plans for it.

Pay $400 to the Credit Card.
Save $200 for Christmas.
Save $100 for the Marine Corps Ball.
NO new debt.
Post at least 10 times!
Earn 90 Swagbucks and order Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover" from Amazon! (I currently have 80!!!)

Because of the new budget, there really isn't much to post about. Since we're using cash it's either there or it's not. I want work harder on posting about other frugal things I'm doing, not just the budget.

So HELLO September!!!

8/31-9/14 Budget

2009-08-31T12:12:00.000-05:00

I love it when payday is on a Monday, I feel like my week falls into place better when I can start my budget on the beginning of the week. August was our second full month on Dave Ramsey's "Envelope System", and like I keep saying-it's WONDERFUL! You know your plan is really working when you forget it's payday because your not out of money! This last pay period was the dreaded 3 weekend pay check, which normally leaves us broke by the 3rd weekend. But in fact, we had more left over then normal and I didn't even realize today was payday until I logged onto my bank this morning and saw the deposit. Then later, a friend mentioned how long this period had been. Normally I complain along side her, but this week I was so grateful for the changes we've made and the peace of mind it brings!

For the next 2 weeks it will just be me, David will be out of town again for work. This lowers our grocery and blw money ammounts, but since I'll be traveling back to Florida our gas budget will be higher. Here's the plan:

Food/HBA: $30
Gas: $100
Blow Money: $60
Misc/Entertainment: $30
Dog: $20
Travel/Gifts/Christmas: $150
Marine Corps Ball: $50

I am SO, SO excited about September being here. It's probably my favorite month! It's the start of football season, cooler weather, fall smells, changing leaves, MY BIRTHDAY, and most exciting-next weekend is my parent's 25th wedding anniversary!

Where did August go?

2009-08-28T15:57:00.000-05:00

I feel like I completely missed it. This will only be my third post of the month! But don't worry, it's not because I've fallen off the wagon, we've just been busy and away from the house. But we're still plugging along and actually got some great financial news yesterday. I'll post about it later though, as there are still a few things I am waiting on before I post.

So what was great about August?

We paid $680 toward debt (including a truck payment and 2 credit cards.
We paid off a small credit card( Credit Card #2) and only have one left.
We added $150 to sinking funds.
We added no new debt.
We increased our net worth by over $1000!

And where did we miss?

I did use the debit card for a few things totaling $50.
We missed our Credit Card #1 payment goal by $100.
We went over our gas budget by $40.

So overall it was a great month, especially considering we were both traveling for 3 weeks out of the month!

Checking In

2009-08-13T14:30:00.000-05:00

I know it's been a while since I posted, and I just wanted to let y'all know I am still on plan, just busy. I'm at my parents house, my brother is flying in this weekend! He's been deployed since Easter, so we're excited about that and busy getting stuff together for a homecoming/triple birthday party. Me, my brother and sister all have birthdays within a month. Starting with my sister, who turned 14 today, then my brother will be 22 on the 25th, and I'll be 24 exactly a month from today!

I have been sticking to my budget, which is fairly simple since it's just me. David is still out of the country on a short deployment. I've been using cash only, and still loving it.

There really isn't much to say, finance wise, since I'm not at home. Maybe I'll take some pictures later of what we've been up to. My parents have a small hobby farm with 4 goats and several chickens. The ultimate goal is to be almost completely self sufficient. The chickens provide both meat, eggs, and fertilizer. The goats provide milk and meat. I've been planning a post about some things they do here, like making homemade goat cheese and such, but it still needs some work before I post it.

But that's enough of my rambling, I am still reading blogs and getting great ideas from everyone! Have a great weekend!

How do you stay on plan?

2009-08-03T11:28:00.001-05:00

It seems like this time of year everyone is busy with back to school, or vacations before school starts back, camps, and family reunions. For us, David is leaving this week for a short deployment, and I'll be heading to my parents house for most of the month for both my brother and sister's birthdays. My brother will also be coming home from his deployment!!!

So with all these great things going on, I've been thinking about about how I can stay on budget and still enjoy the last bits of summer. I've come up with a few things I think will help.

As always, before I made my budget, I sat down with the calendar and filled out all the events for the month. Then I budgeted according to what's going on. I think it's extremely important to base the budget on the events of the month, otherwise you are bound to go off plan.
I won't be home on the next payday, I so I made sure to have a copy of the budget in my purse, on my laptop, and even downloaded to my phone. That way I always know my budgeted amounts.
I also have alerts since to my phone via text from my bank. It lets me know the balances of my account daily, as well as any transactions that have posted. This is a GREAT help, and also gives me such peace of mind. It's great security because if something were to be incorrect or stolen from my account I would know very soon and can take the proper steps.
Again, I can't say enough how the envelope system has helped us! We will definitely be continuing it.
I've also printed off, or gathered coupons I know I'll use while traveling. For example I've earn some free 20 oz. Coke coupons from www.mycokerewards.com and also free jerky and candy bar coupons. These will be so helpful while traveling!

These are just a few things I hope will help me stay on plan while away from home this month. If you have any, please comment. I'd love to hear your ideas!

August 1-14 Budget

2009-07-30T06:57:00.000-05:00

So technically it's July 30th, but David got paid this morning so I did all the banking today. He's leaving for a short deployment next week, and I'm going to my parents since MY BROTHER IS COMING HOME from his deployment. Our expenses will be less this month since we'll both be gone. He'll be using his Government card and I'll be staying with the parents in Florida.

Regular Bills: $356
Debt Repayments: $230

Grocery/HBA: $50
Gas: $100
Cash:$70
Misc: $50
Dog: $20
Gifts: $35
Travel Savings: $100
Marine Corps Ball Savings: $50

Hope you all have a great weekend!

One Credit Card Down...

2009-07-30T06:47:00.000-05:00

Only one more and a truck loan left until "WE'RE DEBT FREE".

I paid it off this morning. It was a small balance, but annoying none the less. Our goal is to be debt free, except the truck by March 2010, and then start saving like our lives depend on it to buy a house (and thus take on MORE debt) by the beginning of 2011 when we move. It had the highest interest rate at 19%, and it was a dreaded store card. I know those are the worst to have, but I was an employee of the company at the time and we were forced to get one. I actually never used it, until David needed all new clothes for a business trip. I used it that one day, spend $265 and never used it again. Now, 2 months later it's paid off. It has a credit limit of over $5k, so I'll keep it open so it adds to my credit score. I know Dave Ramsey says it doesn't matter what your FICO is, and I completely agree. However we are in our early-mid twenties and will be buying a home in the next 2 years, so I don't want to hurt the score either. We only have one card that we really used and it has an interest rate of 9%. We haven't used it since December 2008!!!! And we'll have it paid off (hopefully) in March 2010.

6 Month Update

2009-07-25T14:34:00.000-05:00

So last week I post about looking back on the last 6 months and what we've accomplished. Today, I wanted to focus on what lies ahead in 2009, and check up on my goals.

August: David has a short deployments this month, and my brother homes home from his tour over seas. I'll be spending a lot of time at my parents house, and should be able to pay down a good chunk of debt, since I won't need food and such here. Also, David gets a little more money from his trip. Not much, but every little bit is welcome.

September: I turn 24! And David will be gone and yet another deployment the entire month. I will spend the first part of the month at my parents house to celebrate my birthday, their 25th Anniversary, and attend some local high school football games. (There are few things I love more then high school football!) Again, there will less expenses with Davie gone, and slightly more income, it should be a very good month financially.

October: David will be home the whole time! And will probably submit his package for re-enlistment in the Marines. I am so excited and grateful for another 4 years of secure income!
Financially, not a real busy month. Just the same old grind. I would like to start getting come Christmas shopping done. There are no birthdays or anniversaries this month, but we do have a trip to my parents house planned. Oh, almost forgot! The Marine Corps Ball is this month, so we'll need to budget about $150 for tickets and travel. I am using a dress from a few years back.

November: Will renew tags on David's truck, to the tune of about $100. Not happy about this, but at least I know it's coming and can plan. That money will come out of the "auto" fund. Again, not birthdays or anniversaries, but will continue to shop for Christmas. Also going to my parents for Thanksgiving.

December: CHRISTMAS!!! Hope to have all shopping done by the first week. Aside from Christmas festivities, nothing financial going on, just the same 'ole. I do want to change our TSP (retirement) contributions this month though, since I want to start 2010 with 7% going toward retirement verses the 5% we have now.

And GOALS! How are we doing?

Have 80% of Credit Card debt paid by December 1st. So far we've paid off 55%, and should be able to pay off another 20% in August and September, bringing us to 75% by October 1st and in good shape to reach this goal!
Have Baby EF funded with $1000. DONE and then some!
Have $200 "buffer" in checking account. Currently have $75. Eventually our goal is to have an entire month's worth of expenses always in out checking account. Again, we're in good shape to have this by the end of the year!

A look back...

2009-07-20T22:01:00.000-05:00

I started this blog on December 1st 2008. I can't believe it's already been almost 8 months! Lately I have been really motivated, but it hasn't always been that way. Being able to look back on the past few months has help me stay on focused and keep up with my goals. I have learned so many priceless things from other bloggers. I decided now is a good time to look back see how I have changed since there, and where I could still use some work!

Accomplishments:

We have paid off over $6, 600 in debt.
We have set up a new cash only budget that is working very well for us.
We are following Dave Ramsey's plan.
My neighbor has become my best friend, and coupon partner.
I am way more organized and prepared then last year.
We have a positive cash flow each month.
WE HAVEN'T USED OUR CREDIT CARD IN OVER 7 MONTHS!!!
We have savings accounts set up for the pet, gifts, travel, vehicles, and emergency, and they all get money added at least once a month.
We have a solid, achievable 5 year plan.
We bought a new truck. I know this added to our debt, but we got a great deal and it's under warranty. Our old truck needed over $3000 in repairs, so this was a smart move.
At CVS alone I've saved over $1000, I think in total my coupons savings is well over $2000. Next year I will track it better.

Things that still need some work:

We did add to our debt by buying a new truck, and while it was the best decision, we still feel it's extremely important that we start now to pay if off early.
We can still "cut some fat" from our budget.
I would like to increase our retirement savings and open an IRA in addition to our 401k.
We need to cut down our traveling to Florida to once a month.
I want to track my coupon savings better.

I am excited about the changes we've made this year and proud of all we've done. Thanks for taking this journey with me, and thanks for blogging and giving me ideas and motivation!

I want this!

2009-07-20T15:19:00.000-05:00

It's the Kodak Z1015 IS. I've been researching cameras for almost 6 months now. I love taking pictures but currently it's a hassle. My "good" camera's flash bulb went out almost a year ago and I was told it would cost more to fix it then to buy a new one. I can use it for outdoor pictures, but nothing inside, cloudy, or after dusk. For this I use my "bad" camera. It's not awful, just old. It's 6 mega pixels, and no optical zoom. It works, but I really enjoy taking pictures and neither of these cameras fit my needs. So in researching and shopping around I found this beauty. I've played with it in person and have fallen in love. And the best part? Sam's Club has it for $210. My birthday is coming up, so I'm using the money I get, and money I've saved and buying it. In fact, if I save enough between now and then I might get it in time for brother's homecoming! I'll have tons a nice pictures to post on my blog after that. I am so excited!!!

Envelope System, Day 15

2009-07-15T09:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday ended the first pay period of our new Envelope System. We are very, very pleased with the results. I was nervous at first since we took a trip to Florida over the 4th and other trip to Mobile last weekend. Then there were a couple birthdays thrown in there. But we managed to do it all on the set amount of cash we pulled out at the beginning of the month. We did use the debit card once on gas, but that was IT. I'm amazed at the amount of money left over that was about to go to paying our credit card.

Today is the start of another pay period. We technically got paid yesterday, because our bank releases the funds early. But we "pretend" to not get paid to day to simplify out plan. We sat down after dinner again last night and went over the money from the previous pay period, and made a budget for the next. Then we went to the ATM (we don't have any local branches of our bank) and withdrew our cash for the next 2 weeks. Here's how it looks:

Grocery/HBA: $120
Spending Money; $100
Entertainment/Misc: $100
Pet: $20
Travel: $40
Gifts: $60
Gas: $75

I also was shocked at how fast the pay period went by. Normally, I am stressed and praying for pay day to get here because I need more money. But I actually forgot it was even payday until I checked my account yesterday. That just doesn't happen here, and it was total wake up call. When you tell your money where to go, you have total control over it. It DOES NOT control you.

Hope everyone has a great afternoon!

Envelope System Day 7

2009-07-07T07:51:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend! We had a wonderful time at my parents house. This holiday is especially meaningful to my family. David is in the Marines, and my brother, Matt, is in the Navy. Matt is currently underway and will be back stateside by fall, so this weekend was bittersweet.

We left Thursday headed to my parents house and stayed there through Monday morning, then headed home with my sister. She'll be staying with me again this week, since she only had a few more weeks before school starts back. I was nervous about traveling on the ES, but it worked out really well. For me, the best part was not having to remember to write it all down in my check register. I am awful at doing that on vacations and while traveling, so using cash made that much easier. We only used the debit card once, and that was for gas. We didn't spend more then we planned and we didn't dip into our money for this week. So I'd say that's a definite success!!!

Oh, and I didn't make a post about this because I was busy getting ready for the weekend, but last week I made a trip to the commissary and got some great deals. My total before coupons was $80, and my final oop was less then $3. $4 was the surcharge, so my total savings was 101%. I was with my best friend and I told her I almost wanted to cry. I really needed that good trip to motivate me!

Envelope System: Day 1

2009-07-02T07:42:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was the first day of our new envelope system, and I'm excited to get started posting about it! We started out by sitting down together after dinner the night before payday and making a budget. I think it's extremely important to base your budget on the events and specific needs of that pay period. For example, July 1-15 will include a trip home to Florida for the 4th of July, as well as both my parents birthdays. Therefore, we budget accordingly.

Here are the amounts for July 1-15:

Grocery/HBA: $120
Cash: $100
Gas: $75
Entertainment/Misc: $100
Travel: $180
Gifts: $50
Dog: $20

Day one went really, really smoothly. I love paying cash! And it's so convenient to pay with cash and not have to swipe that card for $1 here, or $3 there. I'll update in a few more days, but for now HAPPY 4Th OF JULY!!!!

June 28-July 4 Menu

2009-06-29T12:54:00.000-05:00

Sunday: Philly Cheese Steak Subs

Monday: Chicken Tenders, Pasta, Green Beans

Tuesday: Chicken Fajitas

Wednesday: Homemade Pizza

Thursday-Sunday: Going to my parent's house

HAPPY 4TH!!!

June 21-27 Summary

2009-06-29T10:34:00.000-05:00

It was a pretty normal, boring week around here. Which was very, very welcome! This week starts our Envelope System!!! We're very excited about this. Here last weeks numbers though, and they aren't too bad.

Budget/Actual

Grocery/HBA: $20/$25
Gas: $30/$60 (I had to go to Mississippi twice this week, so it's higher then planned.)
Cash:$40/$40
Misc: $50/$34

Others:
It spent $38 getting new tags for my car, but that was budgeted for in the "Auto Fund".

It was a great week, and it was much needed to motivate me!

Total: $19 over budget!!!!

Our Envelope System

2009-06-27T10:26:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday!!!

I've got some down time today, so I thought I'd take the time to post a blog about our new budget/spending plan. I've mentioned a couple times that on July 1st David and I will start an envelope system (I'll call it an ES). We'll essentially be following Dave Ramsey's plan (http://www.daveramsey.com/). It's something I've been hearing and reading a lot about lately and I have a couple friends who have recommended it. Our budget works when we stick to it, but lately that just hasn't been happening. And while things are much better on the financial front then they were a year ago, we could be saving more and repaying more. So we'll use our regular budget that I've been posting on here, but we'll do it with cash instead. We've sat down and come up with a couple guidelines for our ES.

1. Categories: These will be the envelopes. I should add that all bills will still be paid with the debit card or web bill pay.

Grocery/Household
Bear (Pet)
Entertainment/Dining Out
Spending Money
Gas
Travel Savings
Auto Maintenance
Gifts

2. The Plan

On the night before payday we will sit down and write a budget for the next pay period (2 weeks). Each budget will be different depending on the activities and needs during that time.
On payday, I will go to the ATM and withdraw all the cash we will need for that period.
Gas will not be pulled out in cash, but will be put on a Walmart gift card. (This is dependant upon the price. Walmart is almost always much cheaper after the 3 cent discount, but if it's not, then we'll get it somewhere else). Gas will be purchased on the first day of the pay period.

3. The Rules

If one category goes "negative" we can withdraw from another category, but NO going back to the ATM.
At the end of the period, all remaining funds will be pooled and re-budgeted into the next month.
Re-budgeted money will take the place of the money from the following pay period. Thus leaving more money for savings/debt repayment.
There will always be some money on the debit card for "in case". But at the end of the period all money on the debit card will go to savings/debt repayment.
Any additional income, or found money will NOT be budgeted into the plan, but go straight to savings/debt repayment.

So that's the plan for now. Of course, as we go along we might need to change and tweak some things, but for the first 2 weeks at least this is the general idea. I will be using regular 'ole envelopes and I have them in a zipper pouch in my "money binder". We will each keep our spending money on us, and take the envelope we will need with us when we leave the house. I won't keep all the money on me all the time.

Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas, too. I'd love to hear them!

6-26-09 Deals

2009-06-26T09:27:00.000-05:00

I did a little bit of grocery shopping this morning. Not much, but David and some friends are going out on a boat at 5am tomorrow, so I thought I get the stuff to make them some breakfast sandwiches. It will be much cheaper then going to a fast food place. I totally spaced out on the picture today, and put the stuff away before I took one!

First stop was Walgreens where I got a 3 pack of packing tape clearanced to $4, and used a $3 RR. Total OOP was $1.35 (including $0.35 tax). This is a great deal for me, since we move every 3 years I am always needing more packing tape. The original price for the tape? $12.99!!!

Total Savings: $3 (from the RR)

Super Walmart:
2lbs. Great Value Sausage $4.14
1lb. Land 'O Frost turkey lunch meat $3-$0.55mc=$2.45
Velveeta sliced cheese $2
Starbucks Ice cream (pint) $2.50-$1.50IP=$1
Santitas Tortilla chips $1.78
Doritos $2
2 jars Pace Salsa $2.84ea-$2mc=$0.84ea
2 Kotex Liners $1ea-$1.50/2=$0.25ea
3 Glade Scented Oil Tins $2.50-$1.50 peelie=$1ea*
Great Value Bread $1.08
Doz. Eggs $1

Total before Q's: $32.68
Total After Q's: $20.63 (plus $1.93 tax)

Total Savings with Q's $12.05

Total Daily Savings with Q's $15.05

WTD Savings $46.61

*I got the Glade tins for $1, and inside was another $1.50 coupon that doesn't expire until 2010!!! These are great in gift baskets.

I also registered for my free Mars Candy coupons this morning!

Merry Christmas

2009-06-26T09:06:00.000-05:00

Already?

Not quite, but did you know that yesterday (June 25th) is exactly half way to Christmas? Yep, only 6 months (well I guess today it's 5 months and 29 days) until the big day.

Are you ready? Do you have a game plan? It's time to get one.

I post this because I don't have one. I know I should, I mean it's not like Christmas is a surprise! You can bet it'll be here every December 25th, the good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise! I should do more to get ready for it. So far I've earned a whopping $50 with the points on my debit card. But since we are switching to Dave Ramsey's cash only envelope system in July, my point will go down drastically. I've also thought about saving up all the points I earn from surveys and http://www.swagbucks.com/ to buy gifts. And that will help, but it may not be enough, and it's not predictable.

I've been researching online, and found a few ideas:

http://www.ehow.com/ suggests setting aside a weekly amount to contribute to your CS (that's what we'll call "Christmas Savings". And also suggest using you spare change to add to that. This plan might work for me, since we'll be using cash for almost everything, we're sure to have lots of coin change.

Other ideas I gathered from various sources on the net include:

Using your banks "Christmas Club" account.
Buying bargain gifts throughout the year. While I think this is a wonderful idea, you want to keep in mind that sizes, preferences, and fads can change quickly. If you buy a gift too early before Christmas, you may not be able to return or exchange it.
Working an extra job, such as retail, babysitting, or pizza delivery.
Selling items you aren't using on eBay, and use the profit for gifts.
Drawing names-great for larger families, and you'll only to buy a few gifts.

I'm sure you can find many more ideas, and I know you have great ones of your own. Let me know what you are doing to get ready for Christmas this year.

And don't forget what Dave Ramsey says-"Christmas is NOT an emergency!"

Meaning DO NOT touch those emergency funds in order to buy gifts.

Merry Christmas in June!

6/24/09 Deals

2009-06-24T09:54:00.000-05:00

I haven't done much shopping in the last few days. It's been well over 100 degrees every afternoon, and frankly, that's just too hot the leave the house unless you need to! On top of that, my very energetic bulldog has to stay outside when we aren't home and there is no way I could leave him in this heat. So he and I just hang out in the air conditioned house and read blogs all day, and LOVE it. I have run a few errands after David gets home in the evenings (so he can stay with Bear). On Tuesday I ran to Walgreens to drop off my ink to get refilled. It cost me $12.99 to get a full ink cartridge, compared to $25-$30 to buy a new one. It was the first time I'd ever tried it, and I am very pleased. I've heard that Walgreens sometimes has coupons in their flyers for ink refills, so I'll be on the lookout for those. Total savings from that was anywhere from $12-$17, but I won't had it to my weekly savings since it's an ongoing price with them. While there I did the Coke deal, and got 4-12 packs for $13, plus $3 Register Rewards, plus those 4 packs will earn me 40 http://www.mycokerewards.com/ points! I also cashed in my rain check for a free Walgreens cloth bag. I LOVE those bags, they hold so much more then a plastic bag!
We also used a free code at Redbox to rent "New In Town", it was cute. I just love Renee Z. and Harry Connick Jr.
Yesterday I received 2 coupons for free Velveeta microwaveable cups, and one BOGOF coupon. David LOVES these cups, and so do I. They are quick, store well in the pantry, are great to take to work, taste just like the real thing...and you toss the bowl when you're done! NO dirty dishes!! Try them out, they are fantastic.
I have been tweaking our plan for the Envelope System we'll be starting on July 1st, but I think I'll make a new post about that.
Take care, and have a great day!!

Total Weekly Savings using coupons and codes: $31.56

Happy Anniversay

2009-06-24T09:50:00.000-05:00

Yep, that's me! Yesterday was our 5th Anniversary!! It's gone by so fast. We met when we were in middle school, and that seems like last year. Gosh, we were 18 and 19 in that picture! Time does fly. I love you, David!!!!

June 21-27 Budget

2009-06-22T10:57:00.001-05:00

After last week, this week will be boring. Which is not altogether a bad thing. I am ready for some down time! We don't have much planned for this week, and this weekend will be the first one in a long time that we don't have plans and can enjoy the summer. It's supposed to storm, and I am ready. It's so dry here, and we haven't had rain in quite a few weeks. The high today is 102, with an index of 115+. That's GREAT for the budget. Why? Because I'm not leaving my air conditioned house to go out in that heat, therefor I won't spend a dime!

And speaking of dimes, here they are!

Groceries: $20, just picking up a couple of good deals.
Gas: $30
Cash $40
Misc: $50

Total: $140

June 14-20 Summary

2009-06-22T10:26:00.000-05:00

This was an expensive week. We had family in the entire time, and while I LOVE every minute of it, the spending got out of control and stayed there. There really isn't anything else I can say, so here are the numbers:

Budget/Actual

Groceries/Household: $40/$178
Gas:$30/$60
Cash:$40/$40
Misc:$50/$239, including $30 for a gift.

We spent $137 eating out this week. That is awful, and HAS to stop. But I'm not beating myself up too hard because as bad as it was, we didn't spend anything we didn't have, and I was honest about every penny. It just makes me want to try harder this week!

6-21-09 Deals

2009-06-21T14:59:00.000-05:00

I decided that this week I want to keep track of every penny I save on deals and coupons. I normally don't track how much I save, so I want to start small with just a week. I'd eventually love to track an entire year, but I'd definitely have to build up to that. So for the week of 6/21-6/27 I will take pictures and post all of my shopping.

Here's todays:

Super WalMart:

First off, DH got $30 in gas in his truck on a WM gift card, saving $0.03 a gal, or $0.36 on the entire purchase. It doesn't sound like much, but when you buy as much gas as we do, it's saves a lot in the course of a year.

And I bought:
2 Blue Bunny IceCream snacks $1 each -$1IP=FREE
1 pkg Oscar Meyer Beef Frank$2.50-Free Q from Oscar Meyer
1 pkg Playtex Wipes $1.97-$1=$0.97
2 Huggies Wipes $1 each-$1mc=FREE
1 Snuggle 40ct. dryer sheets $1.87-$1IP=$0.87
1 Jar Pace Specialty Salsa $2.84-$2mc=$0.84
1 can Mighty Dog $0.57-Free mc, but the cashier ran the Q through as $1, so Money Maker!!

Total Before Q's: $13.75
Total After Q's: $2.25 (+ $0.91 tax)

Total Savings: $11.50 + $0.36 (gas)

CVS:

2 Glade Scented Oil Holders clearanced to $4.79 -$2mc=$2.79 each
1 Johnson & Johnson First Aid kit $0.99-$1mc=Free
4 Soy Joy Bars $4
1 20oz. Coke $1.49 -Free Q I got from http://www.mycokerewards.com/
2 Therma Care 1ct. Neck Wraps $2.49-$1mc=$1.49 each

Used a $4/$20 CVS Q, and $6 ECB's

Total before Q's $21.28
Total after Q's $2.58 (+$1.10 tax)

Total Savings: $18.70

Received $4ECB's for Soy Joy Bars and $2.49 for each Therma Care Wrap= $8.98 ECB's

Total Daily Savings: $30.56

Week-to-Date Savings: $30.56

Refilling Ink

2009-06-19T09:35:00.000-05:00

First off, Happy Friday! Let the weekend begin.

I must be way behind because I'd never given much thought to having my ink cartridge refilled. I always just shelled out the $25 for a new one. But my ink is out and I have more coupons I want to print before I go grocery shopping on Sunday. The old Jodie would swipe her card for $25 and be glad she had more ink. But lately, that just won't do. It's not enough to be glad you have something new. It's important to me know to get a good deal out of that something new. So I called Walgreens and guess what? That $25 ink can be mine for $13!!!! That's a savings of $12, almost half.

So definitely check out getting the ink cartridge refilled before forking over money for a new one.

Have a great weekend!

Hulu and Dave Ramsey

2009-06-17T12:20:00.001-05:00

I am addicted!

Recently we've been really thinking had about canceling our cable/DVR service. My goal is to eliminate and simplify where my money goes each month. In my opinion, cable TV is extremely overpriced and something we don't use enough to justify the $60 a month. I will still need my internet because it's how I do all my banking, and I DO feel like I use it enough to get the $40 a month out of it.
So once we cut out the cable what will we watch? We still have shows we enjoy and want to watch. My sister mentioned www.hulu.com. I had never heard of it, but after going to the site, I am hooked. It's completely free and so easy. We even have a cable that connects our laptops to the TV, so we can watch movies and shows together, rather then on our laptops alone. They even have my favorite show...BURN NOTICE!!! With www.hulu.com and free codes from Redbox, I see no reason at all to pay that extra $60 a month to a greedy cable company.

Another show I've recently found on Hulu-The Dave Ramsey Show. I knew who he was, and about his program, but since we didn't get that channel with out cable I'd never seen the show. But it's FREE on Hulu!!!! There are almost 100 episodes on there, and I've been watching them back to back for 3 days now. He's wonderful, and so motivating. I love hearing the stories of families that were so close to the bottom, and now are debt free, or on their way.

So go now and check out www.hulu.com, it's my new FFF (favorite frugal find)!

Frugal Fun

2009-06-16T14:38:00.000-05:00

I mentioned earlier that I've had a lot of family visiting this week. It's been hard on my budget because I can't get over that mentality that I need take them out to eat, or to the movies, or zoo...all of which can get costly. But I've been trying really hard this week to cook at home and come up with fun, free activities. Sunday-Tuesday my Granny, my little sister (age 13) and my cousin (age 12) were here. We ordered pizza the first night, but that was the only time we paid for food. My Granny did by breakfast both morning, but other then that we ate at home. And you know what? No one felt like they were missing anything! We had a great time cooking together and sitting down at my table together. We could be as loud and silly as we wanted because were comfortable and alone. We also rented a movie free from RedBox and set up the projector in the den. It was JUST like being at the real theater. We had tons of popcorn and soda, and homemade brownies. What movie theater sales brownies? Only the free one at my house!!! We huge out in our jammies with piles of pillows and blankets and a blast, all for FREE. It would have cost over $42 for the 3 of us to watch a movie, complete with popcorn and soda, at the local theater. And once again we were able to talk as loud, laugh as loud and get up as much as we wanted. We could pause the movie if someone needed to get up, and we got to see deleted scenes. You can't get that at a normal, pricey theater. We also had a great time having a "Bowling Tournament" on the Wii. I can't even imagine how much it would have cost at a real bowling alley, since we played for hours on end, and all the drinks we would have needed. Again, totally free at home, and probably even more fun!
This weekend we plan to take a picnic to the local beach with our dog, our friends and their dogs, and my parents and sister. The dogs all love the beach, and the boys will skim board while we girls read and listen to music. I have all kinds of picnic food I've gotten with coupons, and I'll make a few homemade treats. We'll have a wonderful time, and make lots of memories...all for free.
I think it's fun to come up with cheap or free ways to have fun this summer, and I'd love to hear some of yours!

June 14-20 Budget

2009-06-16T13:14:00.000-05:00

I have my Granny, sister, and cousin in town the first part of the week, and then my Parents and sister here the last part of the week, so it will be hectic. I am trying really hard to keep the budget in mind at all times and to stay frugal by cutting down on dining out and shopping, but it's SO hard with company here and wanting to so fun things. I can see that I need to change my mindset of what "fun" really means, and that I don't have to spend money to have it. Here's the plan for the week:

Grocery/Household: $40 (I made a huge shopping trip last week, and we should only need a few things.)
Gas:$30
Cash;$40
Misc:$50

Total: $160

Have a wonderful week!

Weekly Menu

2009-06-16T07:54:00.000-05:00

It's Tuesday already, where did Monday go?

Sunday-Ordered Pizza

Monday-Spaghetti, garlic rolls

Tuesday-Chicken and yellow rice

Wednesday-Leftover Spaghetti, garlic rolls, and salad

Thursday-Tacos

Friday-David has duty and will be spending the night at work. I'll have leftovers or and sandwich.

Saturday- Lunch: Picnic at the beach and dog play date with friends, Supper: Out with Parents

June 7-13 Summary & Goals

2009-06-15T21:14:00.001-05:00

UGH! This was another "bad" week. So much waste and unplanned things. Plus I've had family here non-stop, and while I LOVE having them here, it does challenge my budget. He are the numbers for the week.

Budgeted/Actual:
Groceries, Household, Pet: $40/$73
Gas: $50/$50
Cash: $40/$60
Misc: $50/$78

Total Over: $81

Father's Day Trip:$100...trip was changed, and my parents are coming over here on Father's Day weekend. We've planned a beach trip with the dogs, so it should be fairly frugal. Thank goodness!!!

And as for my goals-they are going OK.

1. My reading is going alright, I have read several pages, but with company here the last day or two I've been slacking. I plan to read more tonight before bed. I can really see a difference in my attitude about this new frugal change in my life. It's helping me see it more as I'm gaining insight rather then I'm giving up shopping.

2. I haven't added any to savings, but that's fine. I normally add the money on the first payday anyway, so this isn't a failure. Although I COULD have saved more and squeezed in another $100 this pay period.

3. I have totally failed on planning a sticking to a menu. The planning went well, as did the shopping. My total before coupons was $180, after coupons I walked out spending $97, including the $8 surcharge. I was very pleased with that. However, we've spent $49 dining out, and we're only 2 days into the pay period!

Summer Goals

2009-06-09T14:57:00.000-05:00

Some say summer is almost here, but if you live with me in the South, I'm sure you're thinkin' it's already here. It's closing in on 90 degree heat everyday and dry as a bone. But I do love it! The humidity doesn't bother me, since my whole 23 years have been spent in it. And summer is good for the budget! There is so much to so for free outside, and so many friends to grill out with, good books to read and gardens to grow! I love summer. And because this summer I'm striving to be frugal and stay on budget I've set up some goals.
I tend to go hog wild with goals and set about 10 at a time and then wonder why I can't stick them out. Wonder if it's because I overload myself? So I whittled it down to 3 goals for the summer, to be completed by September 1st.

Here they are:
1. Read and study Psalms and Proverbs. I know this isn't a traditional personal finance goal, but for me this isn't just about the amount of money I spend and save. It's about getting myself organized and being responsible. Both Psalms and Proverbs have great life lessons that make me what to be a better person and strive for that balance in life. Like Psalms 37:21 that says "The wicked borroweth and payeth not again, but the righteous sheweth mercy and giveth." And Proverbs 22:7 "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

2. Add $600 to Emergency Fund.

3. Plan and stick to a menu plan, including a new dish once a week.

Weekly Menu

2009-06-08T09:36:00.000-05:00

Monday: Baked Ziti with salad and garlic bread

Tuesday: Fish Tacos

Wednesday: Pizza Rolls, salad

Thursday: Taco Salad

Friday: Bowling, Dinner Out

Saturday: Meeting my parents in Alabama for dinner.

June 7-13 Budget

2009-06-07T11:45:00.000-05:00

Finally, a somewhat normal week. I will be glad to get back to our normal routine. This will be a more expensive week for us because it's time to buy the monthly dog food, and montly gas fill up for my car. Also my little sister is spending the week here and we have a couple things planned. I don't need that many groceries since I bought some last week before she got here, but I'll need some milk and fresh breads and veggies. Other then that, it should be pretty simple. This weekend we'll be going to my parents again to celebrate Father's Day with my Dad and return my sister. Here's the budget!

Groceries, Household, Pet: $40
Gas: $50
Cash: $40
Misc: $50

Father's Day Trip:
Gas: $75
Food: $25

Total for Trip: $100

Wish me luck, and have a great week!

May 31-June 6 Summary

2009-06-07T11:35:00.001-05:00

I'm just gonna say it. I blew my budget this week. I ended up getting sick, and having that "I don't feel good, so I don't care" mentality. And well, that was NOT good for the budget. But I know what my problem was and I know how to fix it. When I don't balance my checkbook everyday, but think that I can mentally keep track of my spending, I totally blow it. So lesson learned? Even when out of town and sick, BALANCE YOUR ACCOUNTS and don't get the "I don't care" attitude.

Another lesson is to CHARGE your cell phone. I got a new smartphone a couple months back and hadn't bought a car charger for it because I think since I get the wall charger free, spending $20 on a car charger is wasteful. But because I forgot to charge the phone at home, and had to meet someone an our away I had to make a last minute stop by Target and spend the $20 a car charger. What a waste!!!

Here's my budget/actual numbers:

Gas: $35/$60
Cash: $0/$0
Misc: $20/$153 (This was due to a shopping trip with my sister.)

Total Over Budget: $158!!!

May 31-June 6 Budget

2009-05-31T10:23:00.000-05:00

David is out of town on a business trip again this week so I am spending the week at my parents house in Florida. This should be a fairly simple week since I won't need groceries, and all of David's spending is done with his work credit card. Here goes!

Groceries, Household: $5 (Will need a small bag of dog food while here in FL.)
Gas: $35
Cash:$0 (Already have some.)
Misc:$20

May 24-30 Summary

2009-05-31T09:53:00.000-05:00

This week was a short one. Because of the Memorial Day weekend, our real week didn't start until Tuesday. The week itself was uneventful and normal, and Friday night we went out with friends to eat and then to a local Minor League baseball game. The tickets were free for Military families, so that was great. We had a wonderful time, I'd never been to a real baseball game before (just high school games) and it was SO MUCH FUN. We are planning to go back again soon. Here's how the week went:

Budgeted/Actual
Groceries-Household: $0/54*
Gas: $60/74
Cash: $60/60
Misc: $30/30

Total: $68 over budget

*I hadn't planned on buying groceries but since my sister is coming to stay with me next I went and head and bought some. Next week I should only need milk and bread and maybe a few veggies.

May 24-30 Budget

2009-05-27T09:43:00.001-05:00

This will be a hectic week for us! We were out of town Sunday and Monday, we'll be home and have our normal schedule Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Then Friday I leave to go to my parents, and David leaves Saturday for a week long business trip to Tampa. Because of this, I don't need to buy groceries, but I do need to budget for our travel. Here's the plan:

Food: $0
Gas: $60 ($30 for weekly driving, $30 for driving to my parents on Friday.)
Cash: $60
Misc: $30

Total: $150

Memorial Weekend Summary

2009-05-27T09:34:00.000-05:00

We stayed UNDER budget. I know! I'm so stoked and I'm excited for the next week. Having a great week is so motivating! Here's how it worked out:

Budgeted/Actual

Gas: $30/$55
Food: $20/$35
Misc: $50/$6

Total Spent: $ 96

$4 UNDER budget!!!!!!

May 17-23 Summary

2009-05-21T18:22:00.000-05:00

Because we'll be out of town our week is pretty much over. This week was pretty simple. David was out of the country, so with it just being me there wasn't much I needed, but here's the numbers:

Food: $0/$0
Gas: $20/$20
Cash; $20/20
Misc: $20/$3

Total spent this week: $43, $17 under budget.
I had 4 No Spend Days this week.

This was a VERY good week, I wish they could all be this good!

Memorial Weekend Trip

2009-05-21T18:11:00.000-05:00

David is coming on from his business trip early, and will have a 4 day weekend, so we're going to my parents house in Florida. Here is our budget for that trip:

$30 gas (The truck is already full, so we'll need a little more, but not much.)
$20 food (Since we stay at me parents house we'll eat here, but probably get McD's for lunch while traveling to and from.)
$50 Misc (We might go to the dirt track depending on the weather, but no other real plans. We'll probably spend some time fishing and grilling out if the weathers good.)

So my goal for this 4 day trip (Fri-Mon) is to spend less then $100! I think it's totally do-able, but I just have to remember to write it all down. I have a bad habit of not balancing my checkbook while I'm out of town. I don't ever overdraft it, but I often spend more because I don't realize how much I've already spent.

Everyone have a relaxing and safe Memorial Day!!!

My New Truck!!!

2009-05-20T21:35:00.001-05:00

David and I bought this last week. Our truck had almost 140k miles on it and lots of small things were starting to go. We decided to just trade it in and get a new one with lower miles and a warranty. It did increase our payments from $317 to $480, but it decreased our insurance by $50 a month. And add in the peace of mind knowing it's under warranty and won't require any repairs in the next few years is priceless, especially since David spends so much time out of the country and I'm here along.

Don't Leave the House.

2009-05-19T09:50:00.000-05:00

David is out of the country on business this week, and I had planned on visiting family. At the last minute I had to stay here because we had to have some A/C repair done. Luckily, it's government housing, so we aren't responsible. On top of that, this house is only 6 months old, so it's still under warranty. Apparently when they were nailing in the baseboards, someone nailed through the A/C line and it's been leaking slowly ever since. So I'm stuck here while they fix it and won't be going to my parents house. Without someone to cook for or clean up after, I am extremely bored. I really, really want to go shopping today. I know I can find some great deals, but I have to keep reminding myself that no matter how great the deal is (unless it's free!) that if we don't need it, it's still a waste. And frankly...WE DON'T NEED IT. I decided the best way to combat my shopping urge was to reorganize my stock pile. It worked really well because not only did it get something accomplished that need to be done, (my stockpile was looking like a stock mountain) but it made me realize all the stuff we had, and that no, I didn't need to leave the house and bring MORE stuff in. I also found some things I had laying around that my sister would love, so I'm taking them to her next week.
I have tons of stuff to keep my busy this week when I really put my mind to it. My truck needs to be washed, the grass could be cut, my garden should be weeded, and my microwave needs a good scrub down. Plenty to do and no time to shop=a No Spend Day!!!!!
What are you up to this fine spring day?

My Budget Basics

2009-05-19T09:16:00.000-05:00

I am so unorganized and random when it comes to blogging, obviously. I have really good ideas and intentions but they never seem to pan out. I don't ever follow through, and not just with blogging, but with almost everything I do. I am a planner, but not a do-er. I love to plan, I could do it all day. I love to budget, I could do that all day too. But it doesn't help unless I FOLLOW through on that plan or budget. I've decided I need to schedule time to blog, instead of just waiting for a reason to. So I'm laying out a new plan, and this time I will follow through.

My "Budget Basics":

My budget is for myself, my husband, and our dog.
I don't work, and our only income is from my husbands full time, salaried job.
Our week starts on Sunday, and we budget weekly.
While I budget weekly, I also track spending by the month, to see from year to year where the money goes.
I don't really use software. I do use quicken, but for me, it works best using a notebook and pen, and an old fashion check register.

My Basic Monthly Budget:

Total Net Income: $2254 (We get an additional $1200, but because we live on Military Housing, it goes straight to them, covering housing and all utilities.)

Fixed Expenses:

$200: Automobile and Home Insurance

$140: Both Cell Phones

$477: Truck Loan

$103; Cable and Internet

Total Fixed Expenses: $920

Variable Expenses:

Groceries/Household Needs: $250

Gas: $150

Cash: $200 (We each get $20 a week "spending money". David gets $30 since he usually eats lunch at work.)

Misc: $200 (This covers dining out, entertainment, clothing, etc.)

Credit Card: $200

Total Variable Expenses: $1,000

Automotive Savings: $50 (This is a vehicle maintenance fund, we pull from it for repairs or upkeep on both the car and truck.)

This leaves about $285. At the end of the month, all leftover money is transferred to general savings.

My plan is to post on Sunday or Monday the budget for that week. I also want to track how many "No Spend Days" I have. My goal is 4 a week. Aside from the day I run my errands and the weekends, there really is no reason to spend money during the week. However this doesn't include the $20 weekly spending money, since we don't track that. Also, on the 1st of each month I want to post the totals for the previous month.

I'm excited to get started...again.

Quicken

2009-05-04T09:16:00.001-05:00

I created an account with http://www.quicken.com/ this weekend, and so far I am really liking it. I wanted to use http://www.mint.com/ but wasn't ever able to get my bank accounts to download, so I gave up. There are a few kinks I need to work out, but I'm learning and it's been fun playing around with it. I really like that it allows me to budget by setting up limits and then alerts my phone when I'm close to my budget on things like gas, or groceries. I also like that I can sort transactions by type, rather then just by date like when I was using my checkbook register. The only problems that I have, and really they aren't problems, just quirks of mine, are that I like to budget by the week, but Quicken tracks monthly. For now I'm still budgeting weekly in my notebook, and monthly on Quicken, and that seems to work out well. Over time I think I might like it better since I'll be able to see both where I am this minute, and where I stand for the entire month. My other problem is that our bank releases David's check the day before payday, so for us it's the 14th and 31st of every month instead of the 1st and 15th. Our bugeting month starts a day early, while Quicken uses a calendar month. I think we'll try just pretending like the money doesn't deposit until the next day and see how that works. I'll update in a week or two and let you know how I feel about it once I've been using it for a while.

May 3-9 Menu

2009-05-04T09:11:00.000-05:00

Sunday: Fish, Hushpuppies, Pasta

Monday: San Antonio Chicken Rolls, South Western Rice, Peas

Tuesday: Shrimp Dirty Rice

Wednesday: Chicken Salad Wraps

Thursday: Fish, Hushpuppies, Squash, Peas

Friday: Chicken Patties, Potatoes Au Gratin, Brussel Sprouts

Saturday: David has duty, so it's just me. I'll probably have soup and a sandwich.

Challenge

2009-04-21T10:17:00.000-05:00

I think I need one. I've been feeling a little disappointed and overwhelmed lately with my spending plan. What makes it worse is that I've been successful before. I know I can do it, and I know how great it feels to see just how much I can save. So why don't I? Why can't I get it together and make smart decisions and stick to my plan. I spend so much time going over and over my plan. I rework it and change things, set new goals. But yet in the end I get too impulsive and screw the plan. WHY?
I am feeling the need for a challenge. To set rules and stick to them. Kind of like a cleansing for my finanaces. I wanted to do a month long "No Spend" Challenge, but that won't work since Mother's Day is within a month and I know I'll be buying gifts and going out of town. So I'm going to try a 2 week challenge. Here are my rules:

1. I set up a weekly budget on Sunday and stick to it through the week.

2. Stay within my $20 weekly cash allowance.

3. Post atleast every other day, and BE HONEST.

I might add rules along the way, as the need arises. Today is Day 1, and May 4th will be the 14th and final day.

That being said, there is no reason for any spending for the rest of this week. Gas, food, and bills have all been bought and/or paid for. David and I each have our cash allowances, and he has duty this weekend and won't be coming home so there is no need for any weekend entertainment. Of my $20, I still have $15, which *should* be more then enough to get me through Sunday.

Menu 4/19-4/25

2009-04-20T21:14:00.001-05:00

Sunday: Chicken, Rice, Sweet Peas

Monday: Burgers, Squash, Salad, Wheat Rolls

Tuesday: Tilapia, Brown Rice with Mushrooms, Brussel Sprouts

Wednesday: South Western Burgers, Corn, Cornbread

Thursday: Chicken and Cracked Wheat Pilaf, Peas

Friday: Tacos

Saturday: David has duty at work, so I'll probably have a sandwich and chips.

I'm no Betty Crocker...

2009-04-20T19:13:00.000-05:00

Remember that bread I was going to make? Well, I made it. And it was AWFUL. It's the same recipe my mom uses all the time, but for me they turned out like bricks. I ended up just throwing them out. The rolls where good though. I think I kneaded a little too much, so I'll try it again soon.
I also planted a ton more seeds today. The seeds I planted a couple weeks ago didn't sprout, but I think that was mainly because I was out of town for 3 weeks and didn't water them. I know-that was dumb! But today I planted carrots, lettuce, spinach, squash, several herbs and several types of flowers. I really hope these turn out better. I got them at the Dollar Tree for $.10 each, and used old pots I had in the garage, so I think all together including potting soil I invested about $5. Not too bad, especially if I get lots of plants from them!

Update

2009-04-19T20:59:00.000-05:00

I am not gone, just been away for a while. I've been visiting family a lot the last month. My brother finally came home from IL, on his way to VA. He'll be at sea for the next 9 months so I spent all the time I could with him. It was fun, but this are so far behind at home. Being away really take a toll on me. I just got in this afternoon and I'm ready to get back to our routine soon. I think and hope we have family coming to visit next weekend. David's family hasn't been to visit yet, so we are hoping they will be able to make it for him Mom's birthday.
While I was at my parents house I finally got the recipe she uses for wheat rolls and wheat bread. It's what I grew up on and it's so easy to make. I also snagged a 25 pound bucket of whole wheat. I am super excited about that. I have a couple recipes I want to try. While we were there David and my Dad make 50 pounds of deer sausage. Luckily my grandparents own the local grocery store in town and they use the grinders and packers there. The deer was killed by my cousin last winter, so the whole 50 pounds cost us $10 is spices. We brought home about 20 pounds, and for David and I that will make about 40 meals. I was beyond stoked!
So here's to tomorrow and getting back on track! I'll update with results and pictures from my first ever bread baking!

3/22-3/28 Menu

2009-03-24T11:20:00.000-05:00

Sunday: BBQ at the neighbors house.

Monday: Hash brown's Supreme and Sawmill Gravy

Tuesday: Mexi-Meatloaf, Santa Fe Rice, Corn

Wednesday: Lasagna Bake

Thursday: Chicken Cordon Bleu, Potatoes Au Gratin, Broccoli

Friday: Chicken and Yellow Rice

Saturday: Spaghetti

K-Mart Doubles!!!

2009-03-23T15:48:00.000-05:00

It went to KMart first thing this morning and really found some great deals. I ordered a ton more coupons that should be here mid-week so I'll be making at least one more trip before the sale is over.

Here's what I got today:
4 bags Purina Carver's dog treats $3.49 each. Used 4 $1.50 MC, doubled =$0.49 each
2 bags Pup-Peroni $2.99 each, used 2 $1 MC doubled = $0.99 each
2 bags Perdigree Good Bites Oral Care $3.29 each, used 2 $1 MC, doubled =$1.29 each
4 Ziploc containers $2.50 each, used 4 $1 peelies, doubled =$0.50 each
2 Ziploc containers $2.50 each, used 1 $1.50/2 MC, doubled = $1 each (Keep the peelies from these to use next trip!)
1 Swiffer Dry refill $3.49, used 1 $0.50 MC, doubled= $2.99
1 Swiffer Wet refill $3.49, used 1 $0.50 MC, doubled=$2.99
1 Dawn plus Hand Renewal $2.99, used $1 MC, doubled= $0.99
1 Glade Candle $2.50, used $1 MC, doubled =$0.50

1 Gillette Body Wash $4.49, used $2 MC, doubled= $0.49

1 Gillette Shampoo $4.99, used $2 MC, doubled= $0.99

2 Secret Deodorants $2.49 each, used 2 $1 MC, doubled= $0.49 each

1 Oral B Twin Pack Indicator tooth brush $3.69, used 1 $2 MC=FREE

2 Oral B Twin Pack Advantage Tooth Brush $4.99 each, used 2 $2 MC, doubled= $0.99 each

1 bag Easter M&M's $2.34, & 1 bag Jelly Beans $1.50, used 1 $1/2 MC, doubled= $0.94 each

1 20 ounce Coke $1.29

Total Before Q's= $87.49

Total After Q's= $ 25.06 + 5.07 tax= 30.13

Used $4.07 Gift Card

Total OOP: $26.06

Total Q's used: $62.19

71% Savings!!!

Gardening

2009-03-19T10:56:00.000-05:00

So I got my last check today from my old job. It was $331, so I was pleased with that. I paid $200 to my credit card, and I'm keeping the remaining $131 for my garden, and other random things I might want or need now that I have all the time in the world. Last weekend, David and I prepped the area we'll be using for our garden. It's very, very small, but we have big plans for it! We know we're growing some tomatoes, both big, and small sizes, cucumbers, and maybe some spinach. I'm also growing some herbs, including cilantro, chives, and maybe thyme. I'm going out later today to buy the plants from a local nursery. I've never really had any luck with starting from seeds. Plants can get expensive though, and I'm going to try my hand at starting from seeds again. Now that I actually have the time to devote to it. I'll take some pictures when I get done tonight.

I'm so excited!!! And I'd love to hear any comments or suggestions you have.

Christmas Savings

2009-03-16T21:09:00.000-05:00

So I've been thinking...it's only 9 months until Christmas. I know, I know-Christmas was just here. But when it comes to saving up for it, it's never too early. As of right now our "savings" for Christmas consists of the points we earn from our debt/credit card ($50). Last year we were able to cash in our points for $400. But then last year we used the CC a lot, and had big purchases like a move, furniture and car repairs. This year, we aren't earning any CC points really, and a moderate amount for debt purchases, but nowhere near as much as last year. So my question is how should we save for this year? Our options are:
1.) Set up and Christmas Savings Account
2.) Set aside cash each month, like the envelope system.
3.) Rely on points and hope we have enough.

Another option is to buy gifts as I go. I've already bought a few, but the downside is trends, sizes, and preferences can change in 9 months and by then things can't be returned.

So what do you do? What works and what doesn't?