I set a goal with the last electric bill that I wanted to use no more than 50 kwh this time. I am at 49.38 Ok so I am coming in close. But I have met the goal!! There are 2 days left in the billing cycle and I will be at 1500 or a little under!

This *could* of been lower, but because of rain I had to run the dryer more than I planned. Now that I started working I figure it is costing me about $25 to dry clothes for the month - I will be making a little over $800 so I have decided to continue to use the dryer. This way I can make sure the laundry get's finished daily and it's done and put away in a couple hours.

I will continue to watch all the other ways to save kwh. We still have not turned the a/c on yet this year!! WOOHOO!! Even though last night I wanted to! It's was 80 in here when I got home from work. But I opened the windows and had the ceiling fans going. Cooled down pretty quick actually. I *know* once we start using the a/c I am looking at adding another 25 to 30 kwh- or close to $60!!!

Today will be thrifty as I won't be spending any money!
I am doing good on my no spend day's for March.

My new part time is going good - a little different than I thought at first, but it's still good. I will be working 20 hours a week until April then 24 hours a week. So that will be an extra $800 a month!! WOOHOO!! Now to redirect it *before* it actually get's here. Medical bill and savings first! Then maybe a little fun towards summer. Also want to fully fund our freedom accounts.

I start my new p/t job today!! I am soooo excited! I need to get the house straightened up, run by the grocery store and laundry before I go to work tonight. Also need to get beef stew in the crockpot for dh to serve for dinner.



Have a great day!

WOOHOO!!! It's a great feeling. DD and I left at 8:30 this morning - took younger boys to school and then went to have her pics taken. We didn't clean up at all - left it just as it was.
We came back at noon and within 20 minutes - the place looked fine. It only took that long because I didn't make my bed this morning and I cut her bangs and left the hair on the floor - we were in a hurry. Also folded a load of laundry in that time. It's a great feeling knowing the house is clean and it didn't take a couple of hours. By having less stuff - it's less to clean! Easier to dust because knick knacks are almost gone. New rule - no toys anywhere except in their bedrooms.

Well another load of laundry is done. Gotta fold it. (wished I could use the clothesline but it's raining)

Well I spent $28.00 on pictures this morning - gosh I wanted to buy them all!! The pictures were of our youngest dd - she looks like a little angel in them. It's been a long time since I had her pictures taken and all the kids have school pictures on the wall kwim? But I honestly could of gotten all the pics for 185!!! I don't think so - yes they were cute but honestly I don't have that many people to give pics to. I figured if I was gonna have that kind of $$ sitting in the drawers it would be green!

Other than that no money spent.

I start work tomorrow night - working 3 to 8 pm. My mil just volunteered to keep youngest dd during the day if I got a chance to work days - She has NEVER watched our children!! So it was a shock! Anyways I thanked her and told her nights would work out good for us right now.

Well I am back from shopping - I went to walmart, target, ross and bealls outlet and ended up spending.........................

60.81
I bought $19 worth of groceries at walmart
12.75 for baby clothes for dsis that is due in 3 weeks - I got 4 really cute outfits at ross for this price! Each outfit retails for 9.99 to 24.99 each normally. I never spent that much $ on a newborn's clothes.
$19. on shorts - got 5 pair!!
Then 10 on 2 apple wall decorations for the kitchen - I have redone the kitchen in apples and needed a couple more things for the wall.

NOW to transfer the rest into savings and the medical bill.

It looks like everyone is over the stomach bug here - wow what a week and a half.


Have a great day!

I donated a truck load of stuff to the thrift store tonight!! I feel better, earlier in the day I still wasn't doing that good - but dh and an older son helped and we got almost everything cleaned - except for the fabric cabinet. BUT I will work on that one tomorrow!!

I actually have empty cabinets and shelves in this house now!! Also got rid of alot of children's clothes. They *really* don't need 20 pairs of pants each now do they? I don't buy alot of it though, people have given it to me and I just hate to say no.

I got rid of lots of tupperware - and paired everything down to 10 - like plates, glasses, cereal bowls stuff like that. When we have company we eat off paper plates and cups anyways, which isn't frugal necessarily BUT it makes life easier.

The house looks soooooo nice and clean - now I feel like I am ready to start my new job this week!

I ended up getting real sick on sunday. No $$ spent all weekend. I am feeling somewhat better now, not totally but I think as the day goes on it will get better. - at least I hope so.

I need to run by the store and pick up a couple items - apples and bananas are on sale for 10cents each. So will probably pick up a few $$ worth of fruit.

Watched clean sweep a couple nights ago and decided to really needed to declutter even more. We have sooooooo much stuff! I have decluttered so much in the past few months - but things I HAD to keep a couple months ago - just aren't that important now. KWIM?

I also start my new job this week - Can't wait to start adding to the savings!!!

Haven't been extremely frugal since last week - when everyone started getting sick. Slowly I will get back in the guerilla - frugal mode.

UGH!!!! I have had sick kiddos for the last 4 days. They are alllllllll getting it. UGH!!! It's a stomach flu thingie. IT's AWFUL!!!!!!

Anyways because everyone has been sick - we didn't go anywhere so no $$ spent. This is NOT the way I wanted to spend a saturday!!!

Today will be another no spend day here.
I am still working on menus and meal planning for next week when I start my new job.
Today I will finish the laundry up using the dryer. It's been cold here for us anyways. I also took the timer off the water heater right now as we have had sick kiddos and I want to kill germs.

I am setting a goal to save $200 into our EF this month. More would be great, but I will be putting mos of the extra towards the medical bill.

So I am looking for ways to get that $200 in there. I got a rebate check from the new car we just got for 6.65 that went in there yesterday. So the balance is now 1006.65 - Looking for other ways to get the 193.35 creatively.
~On the 28th of March I will save 30.89 (curves membership) as I will be working there so I won't need to pay that any longer.
~look through books and see what I can ebay/half.com
~keeping the utilities lower than the budgeted amount


I'll keep thinking and see what else I come up with. I LOVE LOVE LOVE saving money!!!!!! It is such a GREAT feeling!! Walking away from the edge finally.

I reworked our budget last night and got a cool spreadsheet going. Anyways something that I noticed is with the exception of our medical bill (we are still paying on) - we just have basic everyday expenses! Mortgage, utilities, car insurance, gas and groceries - also 2 prepaid cell phones that can be canceled at any time.
Our goal is to pay off the medical bill and then get $$$ in savings then start paying that mortgage down quickly.
It's very exciting to be at this point finally.

Ugh! I am sooooooo tired!! We have sick kiddos. I was up most of the night with 3 that are sick right now.

In March I have had 2 no spend days- I am aiming for 20 this month.

It's raining out and with all the sickies I am gonna use the dryer today instead of the drying rack - as I want to kill the germs with hot sunlight (which I don't have) or the dryer.

Trying to get the menus and dinners organized for next week, when I start my new job.

Elimintated a couple of *small* charges ($39.90) total monthly yesterday - 2 were for credit monitoring service and one was an isp - that I forgot about. DUH! Anyways that should give a little more wiggle room.

Set most of our bills up with ebilling and now in March will start paying everything online. Not saving much - but some.

I had 24 no spend days in January - goal was 20
I had 19 no spend days in February - goal was 18
In March I am aiming for 20 days -

I am sure I can do this many, and possibly more.

March's goals:

~add at least $200 more to the EF - it's at 1000 right now.
~Start a freedom account and get it going and start funding it
~No A/C this month
~continue to keep kwh under 50 a day.

Today was a no spend day. Actually got a check back for overpayment of our new car tag - 6.65 but that will be going in the Emergency fund tomorrow.

Kwh are still down. Yeah!!

Neighbor is having some trees taken down - from same tree guy we used - dh and I are getting dinner out of it. The tree company is sending us a gift cert. yeah!