January 6th, 2008
This year has definitely started off better than last year. I finally have some goals set. I have given myself some parameters within which to operate. Watching Jane4girls and her $800 a year grocery budget really made me start to think about setting goals and how to reach them. So, for this year, I have made some goals. I will not call them resolutions, those are just made to be broken, kind of like diets.
First and foremost, each month I will have a written budget for that month before the month begins! Ala Dave Ramsey, spending every dime on paper. Sticking to that budget 100% and if something has to change, knowing that I will have to move it from somewhere else (another category). Any money left over at the end of the month will be moved to savings.
I have started a savings category for bills that will come occasionally, like car insurance and property taxes and will take them out monthly so there is not a problem (read:panic) when they are due.
Things like car maintenance and clothes and furniture replacement....these all need to be funded, but just a little at a time. And, I will keep an emergency fund that is truly designated just for that. A true emergency.
Now on to the food budget. Right now, I'll admit, I am a little chicken. I have it set higher than I think I need it. I set it at $300 a month for our family of four. (2 teenage sons, dh and myself) We do have a fair amount of things stockpiled, but I have not been keeping track of anything for the last 2 1/2 months and I want to make sure we are in good shape before I lower it. Does that mean I will spend that much? I sure hope not!
I am aiming a lot lower. I just have to get dh back in the habit of not running to Walmart and overpaying for cokes.
This year has definitely started off better than last year. I finally have some goals set. I have given myself some parameters within which to operate. Watching Jane4girls and her $800 a year grocery budget really made me start to think about setting goals and how to reach them. So, for this year, I have made some goals. I will not call them resolutions, those are just made to be broken, kind of like diets.
First and foremost, each month I will have a written budget for that month before the month begins! Ala Dave Ramsey, spending every dime on paper. Sticking to that budget 100% and if something has to change, knowing that I will have to move it from somewhere else (another category). Any money left over at the end of the month will be moved to savings.
I have started a savings category for bills that will come occasionally, like car insurance and property taxes and will take them out monthly so there is not a problem (read:panic) when they are due.
Things like car maintenance and clothes and furniture replacement....these all need to be funded, but just a little at a time. And, I will keep an emergency fund that is truly designated just for that. A true emergency.
Now on to the food budget. Right now, I'll admit, I am a little chicken. I have it set higher than I think I need it. I set it at $300 a month for our family of four. (2 teenage sons, dh and myself) We do have a fair amount of things stockpiled, but I have not been keeping track of anything for the last 2 1/2 months and I want to make sure we are in good shape before I lower it. Does that mean I will spend that much? I sure hope not!
I am aiming a lot lower. I just have to get dh back in the habit of not running to Walmart and overpaying for cokes.Warmth
Posted 01-16-2009 at 01:18:23 PM by kmmmom
No matter how much I want to complain about the high cost of heating, nights like tonight put everything into perspective. It is -2 here right now. That's before the wind chill factor is added in. Schools in the area are canceled. The news keeps going over again and again on how to protect yourself if you absolutely must go out. Then, they keep showing a piece about how the homeless shelters are filled to capacity. These people who are crammed in there would have no chance of survival if they were left on their own out in the bitter cold.
Wow, I can complain that I'm cold as I run to my car to start it up and get it warm before I drive off. I can remind my son to put on socks or an extra shirt when he goes out. I can complain about the towel that's blocking the draft under my backdoor that keeps getting pulled away by my pug because she likes to play with it. I can complain that it seems like my furnace is running constantly. But, you know what? None of that is important. We are safe and we are warm. We have a solid roof over our heads. We have heat and water that is not frozen in the pipes. We have plenty of sweaters and blankets and warm socks. Life is good.
I feel for those unfortunate souls who are not as blessed as we are. I hope everyone takes a moment today to realize the good fortunes in their own lives. It's wonderful that we sometimes can donate to food banks because of our couponing efforts. But is that enough? It really makes me wonder what more I personally can do as I sit here in my comfy chair wrapped in my robe pecking away at my computer while the rest of my family sleeps all snug and warm in their beds.
*************
I received an email today from little crow foods giving me a link for a free coupon for their product. Normally, I make my own breading for my fried chicken, but if they want to give it to me for free, who am I to complain. Here is the link and under comments, just write "free coupon"
Little Crow Foods
I did contact the 5 companies I posted about yesterday through email. Bumble bee is the only one that wanted a upc code, so I just entered 0000000 because I didn't happen to have any on hand.
************
Spending: $0
Wow, I can complain that I'm cold as I run to my car to start it up and get it warm before I drive off. I can remind my son to put on socks or an extra shirt when he goes out. I can complain about the towel that's blocking the draft under my backdoor that keeps getting pulled away by my pug because she likes to play with it. I can complain that it seems like my furnace is running constantly. But, you know what? None of that is important. We are safe and we are warm. We have a solid roof over our heads. We have heat and water that is not frozen in the pipes. We have plenty of sweaters and blankets and warm socks. Life is good.
I feel for those unfortunate souls who are not as blessed as we are. I hope everyone takes a moment today to realize the good fortunes in their own lives. It's wonderful that we sometimes can donate to food banks because of our couponing efforts. But is that enough? It really makes me wonder what more I personally can do as I sit here in my comfy chair wrapped in my robe pecking away at my computer while the rest of my family sleeps all snug and warm in their beds.
*************
I received an email today from little crow foods giving me a link for a free coupon for their product. Normally, I make my own breading for my fried chicken, but if they want to give it to me for free, who am I to complain. Here is the link and under comments, just write "free coupon"
Little Crow Foods
I did contact the 5 companies I posted about yesterday through email. Bumble bee is the only one that wanted a upc code, so I just entered 0000000 because I didn't happen to have any on hand.
************
Spending: $0
Total Comments 1
Comments
 |  I hear you regarding the weather in this area. Hopefully, this is the last day and night for a long while. Looking forwards to the heat wave of 35 degrees tomorrow. I am glad that they cancelled school today. At -12 this morning it was much too cold for the kids to be waiting for the bus. |
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Recent Blog Entries by kmmmom
- Road Trip (01-20-2009)
- Sunday Mornings (01-18-2009)
- giveaways (01-17-2009)
- Warmth (01-16-2009)
- Making contact (01-15-2009)
