Well it was a good day. Except for my Gift card I did no spending.

On the plus side

1. Did get the tree and decorations down.
2. All food from home
3. no lights/heat on for the daylight hours

Minus side
1. Had to wash DH uniforms in hot.(grease/oil from cars)
2. Had to use dryer for said uniforms

Well with one of my 2008 goals to be more frugal we will be eating from home more often. DH is all behind this just because he doesn't feel we get a lot for the money. So today I went and stocked up at the grocery store.

Spent $140 but did get a lot of things that we use on a regular basis that we are low on. It just feels that I spent way to much. This should last us for about 3-4 months if we do it right. I should only have to buy perishables over the next couple of weeks.

Well hopefully we are doing the $20 challenge next year. I haven't been able to the past couple of years because DH wasn't working and all available money was going to pay off debt.

So how will I be doing this
1. Coupon savings/card savings
2. Exercise - $1
3. declutter something - $1
4. change
5. aluminum cans
6. for every freebie I get - $.25

Kellie

Well as of yesterday I have $1000 more in my savings. Yes I did a transfer on Christmas day. What better day to do it. I had saved money and was a gift giver.

I have also looked a a bill to see if we could reduce costs. We can reduce the insurance by $200 a year by increasing the deductible by $100. so we will be changing that.

Well 4-8 on my personal goals did not copy over

4. Exercise - join community center gym
5. Hobbies
6. Work on housekeeping
7. Go to more expos and concerts for free
8. Organization
9. Pamper myself more

My 2008 goals are

Financial
1. Pay off 2nd mortgage
2. Track all spending
3. Reduce spending
4. Can/Freeze produce
5. Save DH paycheck
6. Track Frugality
7. Be more frugal

HOME
1. Redo shelves in Linen closet
2. New Dishwasher
3. Garden
4. Dejunk/declutter
5. Become more green

Work
1. Get rid of reports
2. Better audit scores
3. Learn the products better

Personal
1. Better communication with family and friends
2. Lose 50 pounds (5 pound goals)
3. Dentist
4. Exercise - join community center gym
5. Hobbies
6. Work on housekeeping
7. Go to more expos and concerts for free
8. Organization
9. Pamper myself more
__________________
Kellie

Well I have been doing my journal for a week now. Love the thought of have a record of not only my spending but what I am doing to save and earn more money.

Went a little overboard on Christmas but I thought I would. This is the first Christmas in 3 years that DH has a job so I went overboard but by only $150. Not to bad (could have been worse).

So overall, I have found that I need to tighten up the spending, and dig back into my frugal roots to save more $.

Well one of 2008 goals is to become more frugal. But how does one justify if they have been MORE frugal? Money in the bank and being debt free? More stuff? We are debt free except for the house so that is something also we will be working on.

I have defined it as getting the most bang for my buck. Have I done everything to squeeze the last penny from my dollar?

So I will be journaling my successes and not so succesful frugality (never failure) to see if I am doing just that.

Well this lovely month of December as been full of excitement.

DH has been on call for the past 15 days because of the weather. So at any moment he could be called in to work. This is besides his regular shift.

Had to put my dad in the hospital for 5 days because of diverticulitis. That was fun as well

The weather has put a big kink into activities and when we can do them.

All that being said I have paid the bills that needed to be paid and put back $800 in savings. Christmas is bought, paid for and wrapped. As well as DD's birthday on the 23rd. I only need to buy a few ingredients for Christmas dinner and we are ready to go.

Well tried to type this once and it didn't work. So here is the second try.

My goals for December 2007 are as follows

1. Save $1000
2. Track all expeditures
3. Take one bill and find a way to make it smaller
4. Buy less
5. Start Christmas club for next year
6. Get more use out of freecycle and craigslist
7. Start looking at taxes