No Spend April?

The local ABC affiliate is doing a story on a frugal family and their challenge not to spend extra money for one month. Obviously they'll still buy gas and pay their bills, but you know they won't buy nonessential. Hmmm...could I? Should I give this a try? I'm a thrift and budget shopper already, but the operative word is that I do shop. I'm going to give it a go. I mean, we really already have what we need, most of what I buy is really things I want and don't really need. Yep, sign me up, no spend April here I come. I think I'll issue the challenge to some of my friends so we can all support each other. Isn't that funny, the idea that you might need support "not" to spend?

The Homemade Home Project

That's my name for what I'm about to do. It'll be a process, a project, a way of living from here to eternity...I hope. For the last month I've been using an online program called mvelopes to help me budget. We have a nice income, but I really feel that we spend impulsively and needlessly and need to be more cognizant of our finances. Well, it's a big wake up call. I knew we spent a ton of money eating out. But jeez we spend a ton! So I started thinking about why that is and what kind of life I want for my family. The why happens when there's poor planning, I'm tired, I'm sick or just don't want to cook and because I know that we have the money and I can just "pick up something". But that money could be going to savings or a fun trip...anything else. Our chest freezer is jammed full of food, yet this week we ate takeout 3 times for dinner and once for lunch and that's not including the fact that A. eats out for lunch every day at work. So, I tweaked my housework schedule to include not only meal planning (that was already on there), but preparing 2-3 freezer meals/week. That way I'll have a store and when I don't feel like cooking or have a busy day I can pop something out of the freezer and into the oven. Today I made 3 meals. One for tonights dinner and 2 to freeze. I'm also going to use my crockpot more. I use it a few times/month now, but I want to use it a few times a week.
Now, why homemade home project you ask...it's because I want to get back to basics. I want to nurture my family with less processed, commercialized, prepackaged crap. I want them to know that I take pride in the food and things I make for them. I want them to know that every time I take my hands to prepare something for them that It's like a hug and a kiss. I'm not just talking about cooking either. I'm pledging to make our home a place that nutures them at all times, that is gentle and welcoming...where their creativity and happiness dwell. I want our homemade home to be the place that is always dear in their hearts and stays with them as they are out in the world now and forever. That's my project, that's my pledge. To use my love, skills and care to continue to create the kind of home I want for my family.

Ash Wednesday has me thinking...

So Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. As a Catholic I'm used to "giving up" something as a way to focus on the great sacrifice Christ made for all humanity. I have decided to give up fabric shopping. I have so much and I can't think of why I might need to buy some for the next 40 days. But, that got me thinking about other things. About finances, budgeting and the future. I really want my family to have a strong and secure financial base and that if something were to happen to A. or myself that we would be ok. My goal is that in the next 2 years we will have all our debt (with the exception of the house) paid off and substantial savings. How do I hope to accomplish this? By getting real and getting real serious. I've read so many books on the subject of personal finance. While I don't buy his entire method I do like his simple no nonsense approach. So, I plan to become a gazelle. If you know Dave Ramsey, you know what that means.
Here are some the high points of his method
0-- Get current on bills
1 -- $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund
2 -- Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball
3 -- Three to six months of expenses in savings
4 -- Invest 15 percent of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement
5 -- College funding for children
6 -- Pay off home early
7 -- Build wealth and give

I also love the Tightwad Gazette as a way to embrace a frugal lifestyle. Yes, some of her suggestions are extreme...but the overall message is one I can really believe in and commit to. So...I'll keep you posted on my progress and I hope to spending my 10th wedding anniversary on a fully funded trip to Italy.

The Kitchen/Grocery Challenge

I started this last year, but I slacked off big time. But, baby I'm back! We've been spending way to much eating out lately. Plus with gas prices what they are I need to be organized and avoid running to the store 10 times/week. So I found this cool site called Cindy's Porch and I'm going to print off the list and begin my once a month cooking again. I even have a new cookbook to try out and I think it will make the summer much more relaxing if I don't have to stress about cooking big full meals. So, tonight I will make out my menu and tomorrow the cooking begins. I'm also going to try and eat fresher. I took the kids to the farmer's market last week and the veggies we got were so delicious. Maybe it was my imagination, but I felt like I was eating a wonderful meal and doing something great for our community by shopping at the farmer's market. Ah well, next I'll be going organic!