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! :shrug7: 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! :shrug7: 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.
Feelings of Accomplishments
Posted 01-10-2008 at 05:36:45 PM by kmmmom
January 10th
So far, so good! I am feeling really good about things. I have actually stepped into this century and opened up an online savings account. (Big step there) Once I have the acknowledgment (from the bank) and know what I am doing with it, I will be able to use it to help remove some of the temptation from our bank account and help keep me in check!
I have continued to track every penny we have spent so far this year. We are doing very well on our budget. It's almost like I am afraid to shop for fear of overspending, even though I know we have plenty left in the budget. But today was a super shopping day! I went CVSing!
Not only was it a good day because they had nearly everything I was looking for, I also was able to get things for rebates!
All in all, I shopped at CVS, Rite-Aid and Family Dollar. I spent a whopping total of $3.11 and got $381.25 worth of merchandise. I went in with 8 ecb and came out with 43 ecb.
I have receipts and upcs for rebates totaling $37.99 from today's shopping trip (which I already have filled out and have ready to mail....except for the 3 bags of chips....I can't cut out the upc yet.....doggone kids, can you believe they haven't eaten those chips yet?)
And my pork roast that I payed $1 a lb. for has been cooking all day in the crockpot and smells delicious. What a great day!
So far, so good! I am feeling really good about things. I have actually stepped into this century and opened up an online savings account. (Big step there) Once I have the acknowledgment (from the bank) and know what I am doing with it, I will be able to use it to help remove some of the temptation from our bank account and help keep me in check!
I have continued to track every penny we have spent so far this year. We are doing very well on our budget. It's almost like I am afraid to shop for fear of overspending, even though I know we have plenty left in the budget. But today was a super shopping day! I went CVSing!
Not only was it a good day because they had nearly everything I was looking for, I also was able to get things for rebates! All in all, I shopped at CVS, Rite-Aid and Family Dollar. I spent a whopping total of $3.11 and got $381.25 worth of merchandise. I went in with 8 ecb and came out with 43 ecb.
I have receipts and upcs for rebates totaling $37.99 from today's shopping trip (which I already have filled out and have ready to mail....except for the 3 bags of chips....I can't cut out the upc yet.....doggone kids, can you believe they haven't eaten those chips yet?)
And my pork roast that I payed $1 a lb. for has been cooking all day in the crockpot and smells delicious. What a great day!
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