Tammy's Journal

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!

Today is the last day of February - total of 19 no spend days this month.
Today was spent taking care of a sick one. I hate when the kids are sick.
I have been declutettering and laundry/cleaning all day. I hung out 5 loads of laundry today and have one on the rack tonight.

How my february goals are going
February Frugal Goals:

February I want to -
~continue to track all expenses ~done~
~continue to keep the grocery bill down ~done~
~18 no spend days ~done - actually will have 19!!~
~hang laundry out ~done all but 3 days this month so far, then the rest was put on the rack~
~reduce kwh as much as possible ~done~
~learn to cook a few new recipes ~done~


WOOHOO I met or surpassed most of my goals! Very please with how the process is going so far. Now off to think of some goals for March.

Well I ended up spending money today. $20 for this bar with 2 barstools - It was my neighbors and I have been trying to find one like it for some time. I wanted it in my kitchen for extra kitchen counter space. Well I price the one she had - $160!! I wasn't going to pay that - I didn't want it that bad. Well I mentioned to her a few weeks ago that I loved it and if they ever decided to get rid of it to let me know. She came over today and offered to sell it for $20 to me. UMMM I HAD to take it. I really wanted it for awhile now. It wasn't a no spend day now, but that's ok.

Yesterday turned out not to be frugal at all! But today's a new day. I knew we would be spending money yesterday - I just hate to part with it. LOL

Today:
~laundry using 1/8 cup of soap - in cold water 2 loads hung on the racks last load will either wait until tomorrow or be put in the dryer.
~refilling shampoo bottles adding a little water when I refill them.
~finish the decluttering the 3 little one's clothes
~organize the boy's closet
~print out a copy of the meals going to be made this 2 week period and post on the frig
~make cookies for lunchboxes this week
~track the kwh
~organize the checkbook, update the totals
~give the dog a bath and cut her nails - frugal so I won't have to take her to the groomer
~continuing to unplug things when not in use
~make up some furniture polish
~dinner will be in the crockpot - love that thing!!

Today will be a no spend day. It will make day 18 of this month.

Just wanted to share something with you. In late December we came up with a theme for our family - We're gonna thrive in '05! Well that has been our motto so far this year. We have it in our mind and are willing to do *whatever* it takes to get us to our goal and to thrive. I read somewhere that 80% of budgteing is mindset - I believe it soooooo much now! Is it easy to be in guerilla frugality mode all the time? UUUMM NO! Is it worth it? Oh yes!!!
So far this year (only 2 months into the year)
~ We have paid off one medical bill, working on the last one (already paid $325 on it this month - the payment is only $50 a month, so we've done extra- trying to wipe it out).
~ Dh is getting some overtime - which is normally short hours this time of year.
~I found a job, when I wasn't exactly looking for one. It will eliminate a monthly payment and I will be getting paid.
~zero based budgeting is getting so much easier
~sold our truck within 12 hours of listing it Now we have an EF that we are comfortable with
See it's mindet and hard work, but it's really worth it.
Things that have happened so far:
~Our mortgage went up this year $114 - not as much as Kathyann's - but to us it was alot.
~insurance came down $30 a month by taking the suburban off
~we were able to save cash the last year and with our tax refund get dh a new to us car (a convertible)- with only 64000 miles on it!!!
~lowered the electric bill in one month's time by $48
~our gas for the cars is going down - since I don't drive the suburban anymore.
What we have done so far:
~hang out clothes - even though I don't really wanna BUT it does add up!!
~ate out of the pantry for almost 2 months- thanks Julie!!
~tracked all spending
~In my wallet there is a little note - Is it a need or want? Remember thrive 05! It's not that I don't every buy things that I want - it's just that we have bigger goals and in order to reach those, sometimes we need to sacrifice some things
~We don't eat out
~I prepare a few meals like oamc to pull out when I really don't want to cook.
~pack lunches for kids and dh
~open the windows instead of a/c right now
~only used the heater 3 times this past winter (I am in florida, so we weren't freezing our children )
~cut phone service down to just basic and caller id (thanks to a teenage dd)
~reuse whatever can be reused

I am not posting this to brag but to encourage each and every one of you. Set a goal and get in a mindset that you *WILL* make it. We can *ALL* thrive in '05!!

Ok - down to 1659.xx on the medical bill - every extra penny is gonna go towards this. We have our emergency fund -where we feel comfortable with it right now.

My new job will help with this, ebaying a few items, staying in guerilla frugality mode a little longer. We can do this!!

I got the job I interviewed for yesterday. It will be 20 hours a week - and by working there I will also eliminate a bill for 32 a month.
WOOHOO!!!!!!!

I spent a little over $300 out grocery shopping today.I went to 3 different stores.

then I went to goodwill here in town and got some uniform pants for dson and a few other things.

Not a terrible spending day- but............. tomorrow needs to be a no spend day! LOL

All this KWH tracking was starting to get old as I have made tons of changes this last month - I was just tired of doing it all. KWIM? Well I got the electric bill for last month-
It was...............................








$48 lower!!!!!!!!

Ok I am convinced and renewed to keep tracking!

I made up a menu last night, then a grocery list from that. I am ready to do the shopping for the next 2 weeks today.

Worked on the budget a little last night. Need to finish that up today.

Today will be a spending day - but I will stick to my list!!

Well I was talking about adding $50 more by today into the EF - well I will be able to do it.

17 no spend days for the month of Feb. Only one more to make my goal of 18!! WOOHOO!!

The suburban is now sold!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!

I got the truck listed on a free classified board locally this morning. I will call the paper in a few minutes and find out all the specifics with pricing and how many words etc. for the ad. I will start that one on saturday I think.

Already started seeing savings in just gas since we took it off the road! WOOHOO!!!!

I have a ton of stuff to do today.
~Deal with code enforcement about a tree not on our property - that will save us $300 if the county takes it down instead of us.
~making out budget, menus and grocery list for tomorrow's paycheck
~refilled the conditioner bottle this morning
~washing everything in cold . 1/8 cup detergent
~hanging or dry racking everything
~checking the kwh
~I have an interview at noon today!!! It's part time and I wasn't even actively looking for a job- it kind of fell in my lap yesterday. The hours are only 4 to 8 pm about 4 days a week and saturdays from 8 to 12. Dh and I talked about it and I think those hours would work for us. SOOO wish me luck!!

I haven't been actively looking for a job - but curves that I have been working on in is hiring!!! I talked the manager/owner today and we set up an interview for tomorrow at noon!!!! I am really excited - the hours are 4 pm to 8 pm and 1 saturday a month 8 am until 12 - but I told her I would be willing to work every saturday cause it's only 4 hours!! I have an interview with her and her husband tomorrow!!
WOOHOO!!! This could help me find that extra money for our EF alot quicker!!
I really hope I get it!!!

What's the minimum $ amount you could do it on if you had to? Just the basic expenses plus gas and groceries . Cells, cable, internet are not necessary to live. Even though lots would disagree with me. LOL

I figured ours would be $1800 minimum a month for our family of 9 - so our 3 month EF needs to have a goal of at least $5400.

We have $650 in it right now - so the balance would be 4750 - next goal is to see how fast I can add $50 to it.

This thursday is payday - but normally most of it's already gone with regular bills but I am gonna try to get $50 added in on thursday.

Then I will set another goal.

Something that we have done was set up a realistic budget based on last years spending adding $10 to $20 depending on the category.
Then we strive to come under this amount - whatever comes under gets put into our EF.
So far my electric bill has been alot lower. Goal is to have 3 months of living expenses in the EF.