So since my tests are getting more and more positive I thought I would make a list of all the things that we got rid of in Hawaii so that we could make weight for the move to NJ.
-Maternity and nursing Clothes, I have none!
-Newborn and up clothes. I have from 12mths and up girl clothes and 6mth and up boys clothes.
-Swing
-bouncy seat
We also will need to get a larger vehicle. Something that seats 8. We are thinking a suburban. I just ran KBB on my current van and it would sell for a
Ugh. Good thing we are in a pantry challenge We paid off the collection agency for the lost cleaning bill via our checking account AFTER we had already sent our snowball. I can always move money from our FFEF if I need to but DH and I talked about it and decided just to have a "tight" month and try and pull it out without transferring money. We shall see how we do. We are down to about $200 in the account till the end of the month.
DH also decided to get new tires on my van, a alignment, a
Well we are halfway through the month and we are doing pretty well.
So far the pantry challenge is going well. We have only spent $280 of our $800 grocery budget. You would think that would mean tons more in savings but it has been all absorbed my those little extra costs that have come up with the deployment.
My business is going well I sold one quilt, have custom orders for 4 more, a top almost finished, and one just being cut out. I am busy which is good, keeps my mind occupied.
Today is a rainy gloomy day here and I just want to curl up under the covers and sleep. To bad I still have 3 toddlers to take care of
Lets see............
Budget is rolling right along
Hailey, Sara, and I went last night to get the fish for her birthday tank. For the entire set up including tank and everything it was $12 Gotta love free stuff!
The rental car took back one of the charges and only charged us $380. I am still ticked off since it was supposed to be 100% covered.
Everything is going smoothly. I know as soon as I say that something is doing to go wrong though.
We did get some bad news in that we are going to have to cover part of the rental car, about $400. I am not overly thrilled with this news! It will be coming out of the car savings though so I am slightly less annoyed but not by much.
I have been trying to figure out how to keep the momentum with my business and thought up some ideas for making some 4th of July things since that is the nex
So far we are off to a good start this month. We are on or under budget in all categories which is great
I have also been so blessed to have some people contact me to do some custom quilting work which is just amazing! I love getting to play around with picking out fabric and making something for other people
I finally managed to get my etsy shop unlocked. Apparently because I had a $0.20 unpaid balance for a year they locked my account. Kicker is every time in that year that I tried t
Yes I know it is the last day of April but today starts day 1 of our May budget. Since we are only a few hours into the month we are doing well I though it would be helpful to keep track on here this month. This is the last month before dh leaves for his deployment and I know it is going to be stressful enough I don't need a financial hangover after he leaves.
So I sent the snowball to the CC to pay off the car accident charges so we have a clean slate there again. Nothing left for the FFEF
I have been trying to come up with some ideas on some crafts I could make to sell. I am currently working on a baby/toddler quilt and should be finished in the next day or so. So I am trying to think what to do next and since my brain is in danger of falling out these days I need to write them down where I will be able to find them again
*Baby/toddler quilts
*Baby doll quilts ~made from scraps from the toddler quilts~
*Diaper and wipes "Pocket" bag http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/diaper-ac
I am trying to come up with some idea's to keep me busy (and maybe earn a buck or two) while DH is deployed
Income Idea's:
*Doggie Daycare
*Quilts
*Bows
House stuff:
*Paint the kids bathroom and complete mural ( http://www.elephantsonthewall.com/diy-wall-art-mural-kits-paint-by-numbers-feathery-friends-one-wall-mural )
*Paint the hallway
Okay gotta run to riding lessons
Well with all the drama I did manage to get a few things sold to add to my stockpile of cash We are up to $107 from selling junk. I have a few more things that hopefully people will pay for in the next few days. I think i would feel less stressed about it all if I knew a total I was saving up to ykwim? This endless money pit I seem to have fallen into is getting old
I have been slacking so badly. It just seems like it has been one thing after another and it has just been impossible to get our footing. But that is a load of crap. I have been slacking. I don't even want to count up how much we have spent in fast food alone
Okay I need to stop making excuses and get control. I am so tempted to just say "MIL is coming so we should just wait til after she leaves" but we are going to start right now.
So I have checked out bank balance and ran the number
I just got done going over our old budget and updating it for our new lives here in NJ. I have had the numbers in my head for a while but sitting down and writing them down really helped
Income: $2,296
Groceries: $600
Gas: $135
Misc Exp.: $400
Blow money: $100 ($50 each)
Home Phone: $3
Netflix: $8.35
DH haircut: $20
Tracphone: $60
Hulu: $8.35
Internet: $58
Life ins
You know I read a lot of frugal blogs and books in the search for how to save every penny I can around here. Over time I have read several different large family blogs that have all claimed to be able to use ONE chicken for THREE meals. Now for a long time I have sat there and looked at that statement in wonder. How in the world is one tiny little chicken supposed to feed 7 people three times? Well we finally managed it and I thought I would share how we did it
Day one:
Roast chicken with
I have been working up January's menu today and think I have it done.
All meals are in the order they will be served:
Spaghetti and Bread
Layered Dinner Casserole and Bread
Mexican Chicken with corn and Rice (crock pot)
Leftovers
Tortilla Soup with Salad and bread
Pizza and Salad
Taco's and Spanish Rice
Roast with green beans and rice
Black bean chili with rice
Hamburgers with homemade fries and corn
Spaghetti and bread
Creamy Chicken with green beans and rice (crock pot)
She
So today is payday for us and also the time when we look at our monthly budget and see how we are doing. This month is a bit different since we started doing the once a month shopping and menu planning.
Normal budget:
First two weeks...
Food: $400
Snowball: $200
Second two weeks....
Food: $400
Snowball: $200
Total Food: $800
Total Snowball: $400
This months budget:
First two weeks...
Food: $650
Snowball: $0
Second two weeks...
Food: $90
Snowball: $500
Total Food:
So over the years I feel like I have read every single thing ever written on the subject of cutting the grocery bill. I was trying to think of all the tips today and thought I would write them all down to help myself (and anyone else who is curious) remember them all.
*Once a month shopping
*Buy in bulk
*Shop sales flyers
*Coupon on items you will use
*Grow you own fruit/veg
*Can/freeze your home grown produce
*Menu plan
*Join a CSA
I am already planning our garden for this spring
Every year I say that we are going to have a frugal Christmas and then every year we go over board due to poor planning. This year we are sticking to our guns
Gift's for extended family:
***Pillow cases personalized by my kids ($12 total)***
~Grandma
~Grandpa
~Nana
***Handmade "Faith, Love, Hope" Sign ($15)***
~My Brother and SIL
***$10 Game Stop GC ($20 total)***
~11yr old nephews
***Crayon Roll and Coloring Book ($20 total)***
~Niece
~Nephew
Total for extended f
So I managed to do my once a month shopping trip this week and we ended up spending $500 at Costco and $120 at the Commissary. It is a lot but our grocery budget is $800 a month and we are done except for milk and fresh veg for this month, so we are on target.
Projects for this month:
*25 Sausage biscuits, from scratch, in the freezer **Check**
* 4 spaghetti sauces in the freezer **Check**
* Pizza sauce, from scratch, in the freezer
* Pizza rolls assembled and in the freezer
* Cinnamon
Okay now that I have the menu planned it is time to get the grocery list done! I still need to look up the recipe for the mexican casseroles and the baked oatmeal but this is everything else.
11 lbs ground beef
2 roasts
2 whole chickens
2lbs Chicken
4 packages of pepperoni
2 LARGE cans of tomato Sauce (the #10 cans from costco)
Basil
Oregano
Garlic Pwder
5lbs Carrots
10lbs frozen mixed veg
3c. Pearled barley
4pk Tortilla's
5lbs Mozzarella
3pk Hamburger buns
1 box lasagna noodl
As I prepare for my once a month shopping I have been working up a menu for the month of December. One that has cheap, big, simple, healthy meals that when able can be turned into a meal for the second day as well
December's meals (all meals are in the order they will be served):
1 Spaghetti
2 Pot Roast
3 Beef and Barley soup (leftovers from day 2)
4 Beef and Barley soup
5 Roast chicken
6 Chicken noodle soup (leftovers from day 5)
7 Mexican Casserole
8 Pizza rolls
9 Taco's
10
As a mother of 5 children 7yrs and under I am a little busy! I know that many people find that they can save the most money on their grocery budget by shopping the sales and then meal planning around what is on sale. I have tried this the last few months and it just isn't working for me. I just don't have the time each week to sit down with the sales flyers and try and figure out a menu based on what is being offered. Add to it when there is a good sale at one store but you have to buy the rest
