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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 23 2010 : 10:42:26 AM
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Love your post, Kathy! I am a HUGE fan of Amy Dacyzyn!!! We have all three Tightwad Gazette books, and I have given a few as gifts over the years! I'm not ready to give up the television quite yet - we use it quite a bit for educational purposes - but that has DEFINITELY been a serious topic of discussion in our house lately. We've been turning it off quite a bit more lately! ;)
I, too, am real big on coupons - I save them, watching their dates, using them only at stores that double and always match them with store sales -the savings can be phenomenal! One time I saved 83% of my food bill, but that's rare. The only thing is, I'm really careful because I don't want to get carried away and wind up with a whole bunch of unhealthy items or ones we'll never use. I try to do most of my cooking from scratch, and like I said, stay to the outer perimeter of the store. Usually, though, Costco is the big shopping trip for us. Bulk basics are the way to go! It does take time to "buy forward," but little by little you'll see it happen!
Amanda - I have a couple of friends who LOVE Dave Ramsey's plan! That's a great recommendation!
And Cherime - I do the spreadsheet, too. I use it for my checkbook register, savings, cash spending, etc. Whenever we make a purchase for anything, I make sure to carry over the dollar amount to the corresponding expense category. It really REALLY helps me keep an eye on our spending. It has helped me identify our "problem areas" as well as watch the increase in cost of living expenditures over the past few years. It's amazing how many times I've had to revise our budget to compensate for inflation. But it really does help keep everything in perspective. We have made serious cutbacks in some areas to help cover the expenses in others, but aids like the "Tightwad Gazette" books have really helped us tremendously. What it all boils down to is that we can live very comfortably on a lot less - and on a lot less unnecessary spending! Over the years we have really learned the meaning of "wants" vs. "needs." Realizing the difference can really take the pressure off. Although we don't have any savings to speak of, we really do live a lot more comfortably week to week, and within our means. And, like Kathy mentioned, getting back to Grandma's way of doing things has really improved our quality of life.
Oh! And a few years ago we quit credit all together, paying only cash for purchases, only buying what we can afford - another tidbit of Grandma's wisdom put into action. I know a lot of financial gurus will tell you to keep a credit card handy, but I disagree. We have a mortgage, and our utility carriers contribute to our credit rating. What's wrong with paying as you go? What's wrong with saving and planning ahead? What's wrong with doing without? In an emergency, we turn assets to cash. Not using credit has given us a world of peace and plenty of sleep-filled nights. It's not always easy, and maybe someday we'll need it, but I'm willing to take the chance. When we were sinking the last time, the heaviest weight pulling us down was our credit! I never ever ever want to feel like that again!
Need a budget book? Try Larry Burkett's, "The Financial Planning Workbook," or his "The Family Budget Workbook." I think they're out of print, but you can usually find them on ebay... The budget percentages might not be accurate for today's financial climate, but they can be adjusted and you'll receive a good education on budgeting. Another valuable resource is www.crown.org which has LOADS of budgeting information and financial answers. Their Spending Plan Online Calculator is a great budgeting guide/resource!
Great idea, Annika!!! What a great way to help each other through!
Hang in there, girls - we can do this!
Hugs,
Nini
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
Edited by - Ninibini on Sep 23 2010 10:43:13 AM |
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Am I the only one??
