Obsessive Blog Reader

One of my favorite things to do is to look for new blogs to read.  I think this links with my addiction to reality tv. My quest to find the perfect way to live, seeing how others are doing it, and being able to change up my life in ways I haven't thought about.

So my newest blog that I found is: fabulously fru-girl.

We aren't in the same boat, but she does have a challenge to herself to stop spending in 2011.  She started by keeping track of her spending the year before.  I think this is where I need to start.  I also need to stick to a shopping list when I go out.  When you have kids soooooo many things come up unexpectedly.  If I was a saver I would have an extra emergency fund just for the kids.  Just the other day I rushed my daughter out of school for a dentist appointment.  She was wearing her boots, and ending up leaving her shoes by the lunch room.  When we returned to the school they were gone. (I know big surprise). So with the school year almost over, here I am in the predicament of having to buy new shoes. Thankfully they did find them two days later.  But this is just an ongoing issue.  Between birthday parties, and sports, and field trips, somehow there is always new ways for your money to be spent on your children.

I was also thinking of keeping a small notebook, and making a pocket on the front for my debt card.  (I have already removed the credit cards out of my purse.)  Any time I felt like making a purchase that wasn't on my shopping list I could write it down with the cost in the notebook.  Then when I get home I could put this amount toward my credit card debt instead of spending it on something I didn't have on my list.

I am loving the fact that I am working part time, but it also gives me less money.  With gas going up I am going to have to cut down on car trips.  Since I work near a grocery store I am going to try to make a grocery plan for a month as to cut down on trips to Aldi's and Hy-Vee.  We could also cut down on renting from Redbox even though it is only a dollar. We usually rent 2 movies a week, which adds up to about $104 a year.  We also currently have a subscription to Netflix for streaming for $7.99, so we could just watch movies on there.

I'm at least going to try these methods for the month of March and see how far I get.