I'm excited and extremely happy I am on budget this month. I made many cuts and sacrifices which will benefit me in the long run. I added $430 to savings this month.

$46.86 ebay sale
$37.00 paid project - extra income
$140.00 grocery saving (coupons)
$206.14 homeowners ins/utility saving

My biggest challenge is February.

Financially, October was a disaster. I lost track of my spending and had unexpected expenses. My "oh no" fund only covered a small portion. Time to reboot!

November budget:

Food $200(spent $57) balance = $143
Gas $100
Miscellaneous $50

I will try to stay under my food budget but with Thanksgiving coming, it's going to be a challenge.
I'm researching new recipes already. I may try making pies. I found a recipe for a crust that does not require a food processor that received positive reviews.

Gas - increase due to carpooling with coworker who broke his leg. We all need help now and then. The extra expense is minimal.

Made $60 babysitting yesterday. Will go toward October madness!

The property tax roll. Every year on Sept 30, I log onto the tax assessor's website and check my tax roll before the bills are mailed out. I'm a glutton for punishment..LOL

The good news..I will have the funds to pay my taxes when due. I need to increase the amount I save each month because they increase every year. Here's to putting the squeeze on a very overworked budget.

My work week was brutal. So much work and lack of support left me exhausted. A person was hired over a year ago to help me. This person is no help, she causes more work for me. She doesn't belong in the position but nepotism is why she is there. Management is fully aware. They respond with "we'll speak with her". She needs to move on. Ok, rant over

I woke later than usual this morning. Probably from mental exhaustion. I was having a little "pity party" for myself and wanted to reward myself with something. I walked to a few thrift stores within walking distance from my home. I carefully perused the stores and convinced myself "go home". I didn't buy anything. The $9 in my wallet is going into my piggy bank. It's a slow race but financial independence is the best "reward" I will ever have!

Piggy bank previous bal $273.20
Adding $9
Minus $50 (1st food gift card for coworker)
Balance $ 232.20

There's nothing I like more than spending a Sunday afternoon retooling my budget (blah).

Food - increasing to $150. I've done really well however, I need variety and wiggle room. I cook 95% of my meals from scratch, brown bag it to work and eat healthy. Right now I'm eating "what's left" and it's not working for me.

Gas - lowering to $50 mo. I filled the tank today even though I had enough to get me through the month. I don't like getting too low just in case there is an emergency. The $37 for gas will be applied to next month's budget. The $40 I saved will go toward food today. The good news, I cut my monthly gas consumption in half!

*Sold - Starbucks gift card $30
*Spent $18.40 at CVS - saved $20 by making three separate purchases and maximizing my coupons and CVS bucks.
*Spent $50 on food. My fridge is full and my freezer will be too after cooking for the week.

*Making broccoli soup, fish, veggies, bread, muffins lasagna and chili this week.

I am done shopping/cooking/spending for the month! YIPPEE!

*Note to self...need to add $20 to the piggy bank.

Sweet results at F&E.

(2)containers Organic apple sauce $3
(2)containers Organic tomatoes $4
16 oz Organic carrots $1.49
(1) bag white onion $1.69
(1)organic pear $ .45
(1)container mini choc bundt cakes $1.50
(3)LG bananas $.57
Wild salmon $12.59
Subtotal $25.87
Minus F&E coupon -$5.00
Minus F&E bonus points - $11.00
Total $9.29

I'm .29 cents over budget.

I have lentils and veggie stock in the pantry. The carrots, tomatoes and onion will be used to make a double batch of lentil soup which will be frozen in individual portions and last for 3 weeks. (I love soup and have a bowl everyday).

Applesauce with lunch for the next two weeks. The mini bundt cakes are dessert for the next 7 days and the salmon is dinner for the next three days. I might make it stretch four.

Purchased pet food for 11.00 which is taken out of the gas budget. (balance $29)

Feeling pretty good about my purchases.

I’ve spent $91 of my $100 allotment for food this month. Here's where I get creative….

I have an $11 credit with Fresh & Easy. I also have a coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase. I can make it work by making sure I don’t exceed the $25 minimum purchase by more than a few cents. Realistically, it will be up to a dollar. I shop this way often, only purchasing the minimum for the coupon.

During the final week I will dig into my gift cards and use as needed. I’m also doing really well on gasoline. I budgeted $70 for the month and only used $30 (so far) and I still have gas in the tank. I’ll be using a portion of my gas money for pet food.

Determination! 

My extreme budget is quite the challenge. I can appreciate households on small fixed incomes making their food dollars stretch each month. I know from experiece growing up in a household of seven living on social security. My father passed when I was five so my mother became incredibly resourceful. There were no credit cards to fall back on for purchases. Our meals were planned and cooked every night (with the occassional Saturday off). We lived within our means. That is my goal for the month.

With that said, I have $35 left for food and $15 for gas. I also have $10 grocery rewards and a $15 gas gift card.

I bake and freeze nutritious muffins for my work week morning snack. I cook and prep my lunches for the week on Sunday. I keep it simple. Some people don't have the discipline. It's two fold for me. I save money and eat better than my coworkers who eat fast food (yuck) or over priced/processed foods.

My next goal is to grow a few veggies in containers. I tried growing tomatoes with little or no success. The payoff didn't yield the effort or the plants contracted a fungus right just before they were ripe.

It's a beautiful day. Time to take advantage of it.

Over budget by $500. I knew it was going to be a rough month. I expected to exceed it by $200-300, not $500.

March:
I have large bills due this month again. I expect the same overage for March since I have friends visiting from out of state I have not seen for over 10 years! I'm not going to beat myself up over it. The memories I create with my friends will be priceless.

I've been looking for part-time work to supplement my income.

I'm putting positive energy and thoughts into April!

I was over budget by $ 225.00 for the month of Jan.
I still consider it a small achievement because I focused on needs, instead of wants. All of my purchases after fixed expenses went to food (including pet food)/gasoline, toiletries and a cash contribution for food for a friend who's father passed away.

The really good news is I have been steadfast on walking. I've walked 28 out of 38 days since starting this adventure. I have a lot of energy, feel good so I am really proud of this achievment.

Feb goals:
*Eat mainly from panty/freezer all month. Only purchase perishables (fruits, veggies, dairy).

My fixed expenses increased for Feb leaving me a very slight budget of $180. I've spent most of it replenishing and food for the next two weeks. I have approx $11 left. I'm babysitting again adding at least $80 to the budget. I know I will go over again.

My bathroom project is taking place this month. Plastering the cracks in the walls, painting, replacing the light fixture and mirror. Cost for supplies $157.00 so far.

Today, I am prepping/cooking for the week. Soup, zucchini casserole, muffins and tuna salad.

It's midway through the month and my totals are:

$69.42 over budget (cash).
Babysitting fund:
$160-$69.42(overage)=$90.58 cushion remaining.
$2 CVS Bucks
$20 TJ card

I was able to score a few bargains at Target:
*(4)boxes Kashi cereal@$2.99 ea - $6 coupons = $5.96
($1.50 a box)
*(1)bag (3.5 lb)Purina cat food $5.99-$4 coupon=$1.99
Perfect for the outdoor cats

Kashi is pretty generous with their coupons. If you sign up at their website, they'll send coupons to you. They used to affix $1 & $2 coupons to their boxes at Target but I haven't seen any in the past six month. When my family members were living with me I would buy 20 boxes at a time. I swear I didn't spend more than 50 cents a box. It was amazing. They probably stopped because of me! LOL!

Technically I'm overbudget in cash by $20. I need to use the money I earned babysitting to get by this month. I really wanted to use it towards my OH NO fund.
CVS Bonus bucks: $2
TJ's gift card: $20

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. I've come to the realization, my income does not support home ownership (at least not the home I currently occupy). I've been a homeowner for 12 years. I've lived in my current home 8 years. There are so many things that need attention. I don't have the funds to handle.
Windows - original wood from 1930's. They are badly damaged and need replacing.
Paint - The exterior of my home has peeling paint, rotting wood, and windowsills. It needs repair and paint.
Sprinklers - Need to be repaired, reworked. They are a mess.
Garage - floods during heavy downpours. Needs drywall and who knows what else to stop the flooding.

I refinanced the first year of ownership to a 15 year loan. I only have 8 more years before it's paid off.
Do I hang on or bail before the ship sinks? I'm meeting with my accountant in March and will speak with a Realtor regarding pricing. I know it's a bad market for selling but if I can get a reasonable price, I'll accept. If not, I'll stay put until it recovers in a few years?

Kitchen project almost completed. We need to tie up a few loose ends next weekend. What a mess. We replaced the bottom, side and back of the cabinet and sealed the holes where we believe the furry creatures were entering the home. We could not use solid pieces of wood due to the placement of several plumbing fixtures. Patching together pieces of wood is not ideal but who is going to be looking under my kitchen sink cabinet but me! I might get tile or peel and stick squares of linoleum and place on the bottom cabinet. I have seen trays for under sink cabinets but since I have plumbing fixures are oddly placed, it won't work.

Total cost labor & materials: $250

The good news is I babysat this weekend. A very LONG day. Net $160 (YAY). So the offset is $90. I need to think of it this way to get over the angst I feel over these projects.

I also sold one item on e-bay. Net profit $5.50. Not a lot but it's something.

Next project: The bathroom

Time to replenish...
Pet food $34.77 (1 case).
Household $6.56
Food $42.49

.39 cash remaining (YIKES!)
*2.00 CVS extra bucks
*$20.00 TJ gift card

**Coupon savings: $10.54

It's obvious I need more cash. I transferred $50 from my PAYPAL account into the cash fund. (This is money made from selling on e-bay and doing surveys). I'm babysitting this weekend. I should net $100 but won't add it the the new totals until I'm paid.

New totals:
*$50.39 CASH
*2.00 CVS extra bucks
*$20.00 TJ gift card

Lord, give me strength! This month is really tough. I'm doing well with exercise. I walk between 4-5 miles each day before work. I'm energized all day and feel great!

I am making a master list of the foods I buy most often. I will buy larger quantities (and/or containers) since they are depleted quickly.

I have been more creative with my food and meal prep.
Ordinarily, if I didn't care for something I would throw it out. Now, I'm eating it as long as it isn't disgusting. LOL!

One week down, 3 more to go!

I think every home should come with a handyman just as every car should come with a mechanic

I hired a handyman to complete a few projects around the house (who happens to be a friend I trust).

My kitchen sink cabinet is in deperate need of repair. There is severe water damage on the sides and bottom. The flooring around piping from the sink to the sewer is not sealed (BRILLIANT!) Cold air is coming in along with a few furry creatures (mouse or baby rat). I caught one with a trap. It was truely a horrible experience. The 2nd one came in as far as my bedroom in the middle of the night. My cats enjoyed it but again I was horrified.

The 2nd project is my bathroom. My house is settling and there are several cracks in the walls that need to be patched and then the room needs to be painted. I'm changing out a rusted light fixture and removing a broken medicine cabinet. Yes, I probably could patch the cracks and repaint but I don't know how to pull the medicine cabinet and drywall over the hole. I've painted my house numerous times over. I hate painting bathrooms.

I anticipate a cost between $1,000 and $1,500 for both projects including material and labor. My biggest worry is the kitchen project. We won't know the extent of the damage until we get into it. Keeping my fingers crossed.

The funding for this will come from 2010 IRA savings.

I'm so glad I started this journey on Christmas day instead of January 1st. It's given me more time to think about what I want out of 2011.

Feeling inspired, I returned a few purchases I made over the past several weeks. I always keep the tag on until I am ready to use the item. My credits are:

Target $12.50
Macy's $47.68. (I owe 7.56, net credit $40.12).

Target is cash credit, Macy's is store credit.

The total credit($60.18)is going to the "OH NO" fund. A portion will be funded this month and the balance next month.

I have a tendancy to stock up on items needlessly.
I'm going to deplete before replenishing. The only exception would be extraordinary deals & toiletries (eg. kleenex, TP). One example of an extraordinary deal is Quaker Oats Granola bars - 8 pack. Target usually has them on sale for $2.09 a box. I picked up (4) boxes of "holiday themed" granola bars for 47 cents. Yes, 47 cents a box just because they were considered "holiday". Always check expiration dates.
These are good until June 2011.

Good bye 2010, Hello 2011!

Happy New Year to all!

The devil made me do it! LOL!

The problem with not working between x-mas and New Year's is time to shop. (Not a good thing). Target had 75% off x-mas themed items. I purchased
granola bars, nuts, coffee and yes, candy for the office candy jar. I also purchased fleece jackets for my chilly morning walks. I went grocery shopping and
my fridge/freezer are full. All of these purchases were charged to my credit card so the funds are coming out of January's budget.

Food $83.06
Incidentals: $35.00
Clothing: 37.29
Hair $47 (partial expense charged to card)
Wine $60.17
Pet $20.27

I went over in some categories so the fund were deducted from others. The math doesn't lie. I only have $104.21(including $20 TJ's gift card) left for the month.

I am not discouraged. Certain items need replenishing (gasoline, pet food, perishables).January is a long month and I'm determined to meet my challenge head on and succeed. Bring it on 2011!

On a side note, I'm entertaining at home this eveing.
My cost $7..for wine. My friends are bringing the food and movies and great conversation.

I finally made an appointment to get my hair cut.
I purchased a deal from TIPPER, $30 for a cut and half off any hair color treatments. The highlights were $47 so the total was $77 (not including tip). I live in the Los Angeles area and let's face it, everything cost more and this was definitely a deal.
Did I need the highlights, no. Did I want them, yes.
I don't spend on myself very often. I get my hair cut twice a year (maybe). I sometimes stretch it
longer depending on the cut. I find cheap cuts don't last as long nor grow out well.

My peeve is parking cost. I foolishly parked in the garage adjacent to the hair salon. The salon doesn't validate. In the future, if I return to this salon I will arrive at least 15 minutes early and search for cheaper or free parking even if it means walking several blocks. Lesson learned.

My budget is month to month. Whatever is left over after paying my fixed expenses will determine what I can spend in other areas. Here's January:

Food $200
Gas $70
Incidentals $20
Pet $50 (I care for a few homeless critters in addition to my own so this amount can vary from month to month)
Wine $50 (Yes, I need my wine)

Ironically, I only had $370 after my fixed expenses but received a $20 Trader Joe's gift card for Christmas which brings it to $390 (just what I needed). I love it when that happens

Anything left over is going to my "OH NO" (aka: Emergency) fund.

I also sell on e-bay occasionally, babysit and do pinecone surveys for extra money. My goal is to increase my income.

I just had a big bowl of soup that I made a few days ago and now I'm ready for a walk.

Instead of starting Jan 1st, I'm taking a leap early (Dec 25th). Most of the festivities are done by Christmas and I'm off work until Jan 3rd. This gives me an opportunity to:
A) Create a new workable budget. I've always budgeted for the big items(house payment, insurance, car payment, etc. )but the little things get in the way and I seem to blow it by month end.
B) Clear my head of the clutter and focus on my goals.
C) Exercise more
D) Explore creative cooking. It's a love/hate thing with me depending on my mood.

To start my new year off, I made a delicious vegetarian vegetable soup containing all organic ingredients. Total cost $12.80. Minimum serving (6). Cost per serving $2.13!

Wishing all a glorious holiday and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As most of us deal with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I am already thinking of the New Year and the sacrafices I need to make in order to reduce my debt and make ends meet. I am going to attempt extreme frugalism. It's going to take everthing I have to perservere but with a little faith, I think I can do it