Free Kids Book on Saturday

http://blog.hpb.com/hpb-blog/2013/11/13/booksgiving-day-free-childrens-book-for-kids-who-come-to-sto.html

Christmas Savings Club - October Edition

Join the Club at Family Balance Sheet

Yeah! My last deposit will be in the bank, next item is to cash out! It only takes a few days to get my money so I will wait until the week before Thanksgiving to transfer the funds. I also have the option to put the money on gift cards and increase my funds. I doubt if I am going to do this since I haven't decided where my money will go and I don't know how long it takes to receive the gifts cards. I'm super excited about the holidays. My plan for Nov and Dec is to hide my one and only credit card so I can get out of the holidays without extra debt. I just need to pay the fee for my doctors visit and I will feel a lot better. I would feel awesome if I could sell the step 2 princess bed I've been trying to sell all month.

This year the day after Thanksgiving is an automatic paid holiday at work. I also have scheduled the week before Christmas off, which I'm sure we will travel so I will have to make sure to budget this in as well this year.This will also mean visiting my husband's family. I'm not sure how to handle this and I might have to rearrange my budget to fit in more presents. I think it should be my husband who buys presents for his own family, since we have separate accounts and I pay for my own family. We will see how that goes, but I'm not showing up without something!

Family Balance Sheet is also having post all October called 31 Days to Find $1000. Here are some ways I plan to get some extra cash my way:

Coupons - I barely use coupons, but this month I will sure take anything I can get to save some dough.
Turn in Cans - pop cans and bottles, wine and beer bottles gain $.05 each which can add up.
Say NO! - say no to my kids when they want something extra, say no to Starbucks, say no to the vending machine, and so on and so on.
Consignment Shops - I have a leather jacket I never wear, also a bunch of kids toys. I find it is easy to get rid of things at the consignment shops then on Craig's list.

Shop Around - My husband only goes grocery shopping at Walmart and it drives me crazy. I am going to look at sales and try to cut down on the grocery bill which I hope will influence him to pay down more debt.

April Christmas Savings Club

Family Balance Sheet host a monthly link up for saving for Christmas. So far I have saved $289.15 out of my goal of $629. Thank  goodness for automatic withdrawal. I have been so busy with all my kids activities that I haven't been posting to my blog or balancing my checking accounts. I wrote so many checks this last month I had to start a new run of checks. With my Smart Piggy account, I'm also earning interest, which is free money! I did get a teeny raise at work, which is better than zero so that is also good news. I hope to save $5000 to go towards my debt when my no interest ends, but things keep coming up that are not in the budget. I didn't budget two weddings and two graduations that I have been invited to this year. I need to stick to my budget in May and earn some extra cash. I already know of 1 overtime opportunity it May, and I don't mind working overtime if it will be a decent amount.

There is also a Smart Piggy prepaid card that will add 1% to my savings. It would cost $9.95 for the card but it could help me to control my money. The only time I wouldn't use it would be Target, since I have a Target debit card that gives me a 5% savings. I budget for $30 in gas and $20 in spending for myself a week, not that I've been sticking to it, but it's a goal. 1% would be $.50/week and an extra $26/year. I can also load the card from my savings when I hit my goal in Smart Piggy. Loading the card might be hard though since it does take awhile for the payments to post to my savings, I wonder how long it takes to post to the prepay card.

For May, I need to start thinking about some handmade gifts that I can make for friends and family for the holidays. I love Pinterest and have a Gift Board so I'm going to start there.

Christmas Savings Club- Open a Savings Account

familybalancesheet.org

I was kinda nervous to open an online account. I'm a visual person, I like to drive by my bank and be able to go in to see a vault door, where I'm pretty sure they keep my money safe and sound until I'm ready to withdrawal   An online account seems like I'm pretending, or the money is floating like a holograph never in my grasp. But, alas, I did open a SmartPig account. You save for a goal and then at the end you can withdrawal and even can get a bonus percent if you put it on a gift card. I thought this was a good way to save for Christmas,  it will just take some fore thought and organizing to make sure I get the cards and money in time. So I have put $163 in the account for Feb and will have $63 put in every month on the 25th until I reach my goal of $629. I also think I'm going to put the tax refund that we received in a Sallie Mae online account. The SmartPig account is getting 1% APY and Sallie Mae is at .95% APY.

Here are some links I used to help make my decision:
Savings Account.com
Kiplinger
Money Talk News

Thanks to Family Balance Sheet for creating the monthly link up!

Christmas Spending/Savings

Family Balance Sheet  is putting together a Christmas Savings Club. If you had a hard time keeping to a budget or finding money to spend on Christmas gifts and you would like to think ahead, this may just be the right solution. I don't think you could go wrong in trying this club. It may seem crazy to think this early about Christmas, but before you know it, it will be here again.

Making Ends Meet.....So Far

Picture taken by my boy.

I think I did really well this last week, but that was also thanks to my sister.  As I mentioned I was going out of town, and my first stop was my older sister's house.  We went to Old Navy and I was in line to buy a shirt, but she was unsure if she would make enough to use her coupon of $10 off of $50.  I tried to pay her but she said she didn't mind paying for for it since she had her coupon.  So I got my son a cute shirt for $2 and didn't pay.  Then she treated me to an awesome dinner at a Japanese steakhouse.  You know the one where they put on a show.  I have always wanted to go to one, but you have to get there early to beat the crowd.  As mentioned I was in a rural part of the Midwest for the family reunion on Saturday and part of Sunday, so no money to spend there.  I didn't even have cell phone reception!  Once on our way home Sunday I spent $12 and some change, I'll round to $13 since I can't remember.  Today I spent $1.75 on vending machine at work since I wasn't really prepared, plus $4.23 on Lil Ceasars Pizza.  I went to Walmart and spent $2.98 on 5lb of sugar, and I bought $2.94 for about 4lb of chicken hindquarters, and I also had to buy anti itch solution ($4.69, cause I forget to buy at Walmart) after the weekend of giant mosquitoes.

So my total for the week is $29.59.  $40.41 left to spend.  I have $21.44 from two weeks ago and $17.86 from last week.  I plan on spending some money this week on some household item and more groceries so I'm sure to go over this week.  I'm glad gas is going down because I have a lot of running around to do this week, plus my daughter's birthday is coming up soon.  I'm winging the meal plan this week too!  I hope for things to be back to normal next week because we are back out of town after this coming weekend.  I'm in overload!

Timely Returns

So today I finally returned this tube of sealant I bought from the hardware store almost a month ago.  It took maybe five minutes, but I just never made the time.  I was able to get back $6.33.  I think the more time that passes, the more you will just hold on to the item, or the store is less likely to take the item back.  It is best to put the item in your car with the receipt if possible.  I just happened to be driving by the store and remember I had this return, otherwise who knows how long it would have been.  It wasn't a large amount, but every bit counts.

Today I did spend money at the  vending machine(ugh, it is so temping now that I have the cash in my wallet).  It was $.60 for a candy bar, and then I also visited Costco tonight and picked up some photos I had ordered.  I found that Costco was the cheapest for 5x7 photos, at $.39 each.  My total was $2.89, and I also bought a pop for $.75.  So my total spent today was $4.24.  I also priced some items since they have some coupons coming out soon.

Oh Boy! Oberto beef jerky

$14.49, coupon for $3.50 off

Kirkland Signature Diet Green Tea

$9.99 for 35 bottles, coupon for $2 off

Scotch-Brite Sponges

heavy duty 21 count $12.55

multi-purpose 18 count $11.79

coupon for $2.75 off

Kleenex 

Family 10 boxes of 260 count

$16.85, coupon for $3.50 off

Cheerios49oz 

Honey Nut

$6.79, coupon for $4 off of two boxes

37.5oz Multigrain 

$7.69, coupon for $4 off of two boxes

Cottonelle Ultra Bath Tissue

36 pack

$18.89, coupon for $3.50 off

Haagen-Daz Vanilla Milk chocolate almond bars

$11.99, coupon for $3 off

Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner

6 24oz bottles

$8.79, coupon for $2.50 off

Clorox Wipes

4 packages of 78

$11.99, coupon for $2.50 off

Glide Floss

6 pack

$12.99, coupon for $3 off

Tampax 

Pearl regular 96 count

$13.88, coupon for $3 off

Super 96 count

$13.88, coupon for $3 off

Duo pack 108 count

$12.99, coupon for $3 off

Always

Long super 90 count

$11.99, coupon for $2.50 off

Ultra thin regular or overnight 96 count

$11.99, coupon for $2.50 off

I always go online and look ahead to see what the coupons are at adamcos.com.  Next I will budget how much money to bring to Costco so I can bring cash, and not be surprised at the register.

$29.04 left to spend this week.  I will be going to the farmer's market Thursday night and hope to keep it $5 or under.  I also am leaving for out of town on Friday so I hope to just spend $10 on eating out that day which will leave me with $14.04 left to spend on Saturday, when I will be in a very rural area, with no where to spend my money except maybe a gas station. Well, we'll see. :0)

Use Your Resources

My cute Fossil wallet, with money in it!

So today, there was a lot of money spent.  But that's OK.  I gave my sister $10 for the kids since she is taking them to my parents house for the week, and I will meet up with them on Friday.  I also spent $2.00 on the vending machine at work today (this habit needs to die).  I went to Aldi's and bought what I needed for weekly grocery and then some (cuz we all know I can't stick to a list), and to the Bread Outlet.  Here is a breakdown:

Aldi's

1lb of jalapeno peppers: $1.29

3 cans of jumbo biscuits in a can: $1.29 each ($3.90)

8oz cream cheese: $1.29

2 8oz cheese chunks: $1.99 ($3.98)

french dressing: $1.29

3 snack size trail mix:$.49 each ($1.47)

English muffins: $.99

skim milk: $2.79

Bread Outlet

1 loaf of bread, hamburger buns, and hotdog buns: $.99 each ($2.97)

sourdough bread loaf: $1.59

I didn't spend any money yesterday so my total spending for the week is: $33.56.  $33.28 left to spend.  This could be hard this week because I have an itch to buy something at my job.  I have so many things I could buy and many reasons, but none of them are a need.  They are a want.  I might have to make a deal with myself where I can buy something if I make it for 4 weeks with not going over $70  a week, just so this itch will subside.  I really need to not spend anymore this week since I will be traveling.  I don't take gas out of this funding, so you won't see that added in to my totals, but I'm sure I will eat out at least once on the road.

ReStore knobs and handle.

On another note I thought I should mention that if you need some home supplies to see if there is a Habitat for Humanity ReStore in your area.  Their inventory is always changing due to what people donate, but it also a good place just to look.  Our store has great prices on 5x7 rugs, cabinets, and doors. Use this Link to find one in your hood: Habitat ReStore.

Game Plan for Life- Wednesday

I have made the bed, cleared the table a couple of times, and empty and refilled the dishwasher. It has been a few days since I ran it because it wasn't full. I ran it before dinner, and I was very convinced I wasn't going to unload it tonight. Then I looked in the sink at the dirty dishes and that made me unload and reload. My mom and the kids came back tonight and that means more mess. I found a bag of potatoes while putting other things away so my mom decided to make potato salad. She isn't the best at cleaning up after herself so I thought it would be............

Sorry, my son I had to use the bathroom and can't turn on the light. Well, while I was gone I noticed a snack explosion on the table and cleared it off again. I turns out my mom did clean up the dishes after cooking, what a nice surprise! I think if I would have had dishes in the sink, she might of left the pot and lid with the others or made me feel guilty by doing all the dishes by hand. (My mom lives with us for the most part but still has a home in my hometown with my dad. Complicated I know, for another post.)

I had to work late last night (as in till 10:30), then came home and talked with my husband and couldn't fall asleep right away. I set my alarm for 6am but didn't get up until 7:10. I was able to prep for tonight's dinner, but I forgot till the last minute about lunch. I decided that I could fall back into old ways and eat out or I could come home and see my hubby for about 1/2 hour. I decided on the latter, and I feel good about my decision since I got to talk with my husband for awhile without children's interruptions. I love my kids but they repeat themselves until you answer or acknowledge them for anything. Anyways, I wonder if I spent more in gas or if I saved by not eating the Taco Bell $2 meal deal. I will look into this further.

Good night.

Game Plan for Life- Tuesday

I have:

made my bed

put all new dishes in the dishwasher

made a trip to Costco and local grocery store

put away clothes that were on the couch

put in a load of clothes to wash and dry

went to work to watch a broad cast for 20min

made dinner for me to bring to work and for my husband to eat when he gets home

My budget so far is:

Household: $127.10 (which may include some groceries, I can't find my Walmart receipt)

Grocery: $82.44 (I hope I'm done for the week!)

Entertainment: $41.54 (we went to the zoo and husband bought a CD)

Eating out: $17.73 ($2 from McDonald's to break a $20, $15.73 is from my husband grabbing snacks at work)

Hobbies: $4 (fair dues)

I bought some things to try and stop my husband from eating out at the gas stations so much. I'm going to have to show him how much this adds up, and that if he wants his own business he needs to tighten his wallet.

Now off to work again. I hope when I get home I can prep for Wed dinner since I work early on Wednesday.

Accountability for my Budget

So here is the eye opener: I know my budget isn't where is should be. I use many things to make sure I don't overdraft, but sticking to budget is another thing. I would like to save a lot of money for my families future. I this point my husband never sees me quiting my job to devote more time for family. I will not accept this. You would think that as babies I would have wanted to quit more so than when they started school but this is not the case. Now that my oldest is in school, I miss out on field trips, class parties, volunteer opportunities, being her Brownie Leader, forgetting to bring her to 4-H, and now my son is starting sports and I had to ask my sister to bring him to a make up game since my husband and I were both at work. I want more time to help my kids study and practice their sports, and to show them things that I did as a kid.

So here is the debt:

Home mortgage: $147,482

Student Loan: $12,191

Car Loan: $10,474 (didn't really need a new car)

Best Buy Credit Card: $767 & $440 (my PC crashed so I bought a laptop, he bought misc electronic item, these have % interest)

Jared $1551 (a ring for me a watch for him)

Visa: $500 (his misc spending)

JCPenney: $838 (furniture o% interest)

Menards: $225 (insulation, 0% interest)

BP Visa: $108.85 (trip to MN)

I use mint.com and 2003 Microsoft money to help stay within my income.

I get paid every 2 weeks, and he gets paid weekly.

(6/20-6/26)

Income Last week:

$445.12

$998.16 ( they forgot to pay me holiday on the last paycheck so this is more than usual)

Total: $1443.28

Withdrawals Last Week:

Clothing: $55.11 (I bought expensive tone shoes)

Household & Groceries: $186.24 (I'm not sure what all this was?)

Credit Card Payments: $559.59 ( I paid off a Credit Card with savings)

Home Decor: $17.49 (I had a $10 off of $10 coupon and bought some frames)

Books: $13.61 (entertainment for the summer)

Fast food: $36.19 (way too much going out this week!)

Gas $68.58

Mortgage: $297.10 (we pay every week)

Total: $1199.84

Savings: $243.44, which mainly goes to paying back all the I-want-it-right-now credit card debt.

This week I am going to only eat out once, and collect all my receipt so I can see what I'm really buying in the household and groceries category. (Crossing my fingers.)

No TV and I'm loving it

As a child both of my parents worked, and they worked opposite shifts to save on daycare with 3 kids. I watched a lot of TV and ate a lot of TV dinners as a kid. As I grew up I always seemed to feel better with the TV on. I would do homework in front of the TV, eat, surf the Internet, cook, babysit, fight with my boyfriend, etc. When I was in college I didn't want to pay for my own cable so I didn't have as much to watch with an antenna, but I still consistently had the TV on. So last year my husband decided we should have cable, which we have had before. Ever since the need for converter boxes, we get very poor reception in the valley where we live. We watched a lot of TV in that year, probably too much.

Last Saturday I canceled my cable and I'm loving it. I have my Internet and that is all I need. You can watch so my shows on the Internet these days it seems like such a waste to continue paying high price for cable. Now my kids watch DVDs, and I don't have to constantly monitor what is being watched ( I am not a fan of some Cartoon Network cartoons). I can watch my shows any time I want to, before I didn't splurge for the DVR and I would stay up too late watching a later show. Today my daughter is playing with her cousin and was reading him a book. This is the girl who hated to read at the beginning of first grade. I also woke up and started cleaning while listening to my Dr Joy Browne podcast. If I still had cable I'm sure I would be glued to the TV guide looking for something to entertain me. My husband still thinks we should shop around for a new package but I don't want to play the game of promotional pricing. If anything I would buy a media player once I learn more about them. My sister has also volunteered to DVR Big Brother, and I can watch a marathon when I visit her. I feel optimistic about my decision and I hope the positives of no cable continue.

Budget

This year I have been trying different things to get out of our credit card debt so I can start working on student loan and mortgage debt.

I use Microsoft Money 2006 on an old pc to budget out a whole year of finance. I wanted to save $90 a month for Christmas but so far I have nothing put away. I did budget in all the nieces and nephew's birthdays which helps me remember. Every Sunday I check and balance my budget since we use our debt cards all week. I do have a habit of miss paying my husbands credit cards because he comes to me when they send him the late notice email, not the statement email. I wish all my credit card bills were on my banks ebill program because that makes life so much easier. Paying down all the credit will help with this too. We also want to do some projects around the house so I need to pay some things down before we start.
I also got an iTouch for my birthday in Jan and I have a few applications to have track finance and prices of items. I need to save receipts and use the Shoppee program more. It take some time to tap the prices in and my kids are not patient in the store with me so I need to work this out. I have the mint.com application which I just started using. It has opened my eyes a little but I am still getting used to the way it works.
My husband and I are paid by the hour so when I get paid over a set amount in a pay period that goes straight to credit card pay off. I have tried to not use credit cards at all but I somehow keep creeping back to them. I like to use my BP visa when I buy gas because they give cash back, which I believe is 5% back when I buy gas.

How did you pay down your debt?

The $500 Challenge

The website Family Balance Sheet has issued a challenge to find $5oo in your budget this month. I am getting in a little late but I do have a few ideas.

My plan:
taking back pop cans brings in 5 cents a can
bringing old toys and clothes to resell shops
rummage old toy and clothes
picking up all the loose change around the house and car
I have been working more nights so we don't have to pay childcare as much
trying to buy items we use alot of at Costco
wake up early to walk to school to save some gas cost (my kids would love this)
stop buying my daughter lunchable so I don't have to make her lunch
find more vegetarian meals

Good luck to all!

Leapster Games

Toys R Us has Leapster games for 25% off so that makes them $18.49. Family Circle had a coupon for $5 off any Leapster game making them $13.49. There is also a $4 off coupon here.

Hy-Vee Deal

Hy-Vee has Nestle fun size chocolate candy for $1.77 each. In the store near the display they have $.50 off of 2 making them $1.52 each. Great deal for Halloween night!

Walgreen's Shopping

This is my first try at savings at Walgreen's. I have to admit it was very frustrating. They like to put the ad items in the oddest placest and some were already sold out. Here is what I bought:

4- 2 liters of Coke products $5 plus $.05 deposit on each
4- candy bars (just because I like candy, this also shows how much more I spend 'cause I can't stick to a list, I was trying to reward my child for good behavior, and the more places I go the more I will spend) $2.67
2- AAA battery packages $5.98
Oral B toothbrush $3.oo minus $.75 coupon
Gillette razor $8.99 minus coupon $4 in Sunday paper
Vasaline lotion $6.99
Aluminum foil $2.49 minus Walgreens $.50 coupon
Halls refresh $1.00 minus coupon $.75

$5 off a $25 purchase coupon.

Total was $27.12
Register Rewards earned $17 !