Budget is NOT a Four Letter Word!

by Carrie Cannon 

So as I sit to write another article at the beginning of the year, money matters are in the forefront of my mind. I don’t intend to write a year’s worth of money articles, but I did want to talk a little about budgeting, after talking last month about savings. As I shared, my family has found some easy ways to boost the savings account a little bit. That said, creating a budget has been the number one way we have gotten a better grasp of our finances. Rather than just living paycheck to paycheck with no real idea of where our money is going, we sit down and we tell our money what we want it to do. It isn’t perfect and sometimes there is more month than money, but we are much more in control with our budget than we were before.    

Here are a few of the things we have learned:

First, a budget is not an ogre telling you that you can never have anything, do anything, or go anywhere. A budget is just a plan…a to-do list for your money, if you will…I think it actually gives you permission to buy things. You create the budget categories you need and then that money can be spent on that category. We all need clothing, there is a category for that. Go get some clothes. Have no guilt. You want to go out to eat and to a movie…we have a category for that. Go do it. Don’t think of the budget as telling you what you can’t do, but instead what you get to do because it is in place. You cannot spend freely though, so a budget helps you determine what is appropriate and when you will need to stop spending.

Second, a budget is not a one-time thing.   It will change from month to month… you need to make a new one each month. When we began budgeting, I was not sure where to start. I found a template I liked online that gave some budget categories with some percentage ranges. These are not a one size fits all kind of thing, but rather a helpful tool to know where to begin. We tweaked those percentages through trial and error and still use those figures to begin with when breaking down our paychecks. Our family gets paid weekly, so we create a new budget each week (with some specific things that need to be done with that particular check). Those categories sometimes need to slide a little as the heating bills are higher in the winter and the gas category isn’t as high because gas prices are down, for example, but again are a framework to begin with.

Third, communication is the KEY! Being the math nerd of the family, I LOVE creating the budget, and it might even be right. If my husband has no input, it is not OUR plan, no matter how perfectly the decimals align, and then the budget can be tossed aside by one splurge at Michael’s or Home Depot….and who really cares anyway and let’s just forget it all. It just doesn’t work. Sit down together with the outline, the bills, the things just on the horizon and have a conversation and be in agreement about what happens.

Finally, remember, a budget is just a plan for your money, not a four letter word! You will feel much more in control financially when you have a budget in place, won’t have as many things pop up and say SURPRISE, and may even find there is a bit less month at the end of the money!  We have learned A LOT by listening to Dave Ramsey/reading his books.  If you need some help in this area, I HIGHLY recommend his materials.

Originally Posted at Home and School Mosaics

Easy Savings Ideas for the New Year

by Carrie Cannon

The New Year ushers in a rush of thoughts on what am I going to accomplish this year and what didn’t I accomplish last year and why. We feel the need to have a list of things we are going to pinky promise ourselves that we ARE going to do this year. Goals and resolutions come in all shapes and sizes…health, professional, spiritual, and personal are a few of the categories we focus on as the last days of a year tick by.   I think having some goals or things to work towards each year is a good thing. There are many things we all can do better; having a plan helps us get there!

One area we are developing a plan for in 2015 (Now 2017) is in the area of personal finance.   Having listened to Dave Ramsey on the radio for several years, we have learned many things about ways to handle money. I know everyone has an idea of how to do this; we just really like his Baby Steps program (which you can find listed here) as outlined in his book, The Total Money Makeover.

Dave talks pretty extensively about having an emergency fund and saving for the things you need. Personally, we have been through a couple of emergencies fairly stress free because of having an emergency fund. I saw a quote one time on the percentage of emergencies that were covered by a $1,000 starter emergency fund and I was stunned at how high it was. Unfortunately, I was unable to find that percentage when I went to look for it though. Certainly, I do know that not every emergency will be covered by this, but beginning is the key. Dave covers this quite a bit in all of his materials, much more eloquently than I can, but I want to share a couple of savings tips that we will be implementing in our home.

Emergency Fund – This is a great time to get that starter fund in place if you don’t have one already. Many people will be receiving the tax documents needed to file their returns and I am sure that some will be getting a refund. If you are one who is expecting a refund, set aside $1,000 for this purpose. It’s not as fun as a new television or camera, a vacation or a wardrobe update, but you will be thankful for it when needed. You can also sell some things or work extra jobs to get this as quickly as possible. I am not kidding…this saved our backsides at least two times this year.

Car Savings – My husband and I both drive cars that are over 17 years old.   We are grateful to have vehicles that get us to and fro, but as the miles stack up, we know it won’t last forever. We have been working our written budget for quite a while now, but are at a place where one of the paychecks is not NEEDED for our living expenses. Since this is the case, we have decided to set aside an amount to apply to a newer car. While this is not going to be the latest model of anything, it will be a step up from what we currently have. We do not have a target date to buy a new car, but are hoping to save for about 18 months or so.

Food – This is one area where I would ALWAYS love to save more money. We do not eat out often as it is terribly expensive, but even eating in is going up in price…have you seen the price of butter lately? While I am NOT an expert on this, ways I have been trying to save more money are by meal planning around what is on sale, limiting my trips out to the store to minimize any impulse items, shopping in the clearance areas of the stores, and trying to make more things from scratch than I currently buy…such as refried beans, granola bars and salad dressings. I have made flavored white sauces for years now as cream soups are not my favorite, but I keep trying to find ways to save at the grocery store. I know that couponing is an option, but I am not at a place in life where that would work for me. I have a good friend who gets some amazing deals, and I can rejoice with her.  I have also been trying a meal prep system that is new to me...this is pretty new for me, so I don't have much to say on it yet, but I LOVE how it has saved TIME AND MONEY so far.

At the Pump –Just kidding…no helps here. Actually gas prices all over the place right now, but have been down a bit from what we have experienced in recent years, which is a blessing for sure!  I also read somewhere something about getting more gas if you fill up when it is colder in the day versus when the day warms up. That could just be an Urban Legend; I never looked into it further.

Change Jar – This is one of those ways to save money that you really don’t recognize how effective it is until it has piled up a bit. We use an envelope system for most of our budget categories and have quite a bit of change that ends up on the bottom of my purse. Rather than deal with that change in each category, I toss it all into a jar every 2-4 days. At first, it didn’t seem like the jar would ever get full, but it is now almost full. I do not notice the money being gone, but as there is now over $160 in this jar, I sure notice that. We do not have a set category to use this for yet, but I am thinking dinner out with the family would be a great treat. We are all actively involved in this process…both with tossing change into the jar and counting it every once in a while. When this jar is full, it is time to find a bigger jar! (New for this year, I have started to throw $1 bills in too!  It is AMAZING how that adds up!)

Weekly Savings – This is, by far, my favorite tip…I found out about this challenge back in June of 2014 and it was so easy, I LOVED it! So, the premise of this is that you save up $1 for each week of the year. Week one you will save $1, week 30, $30, etc. and at the end of the year, you will have saved $1,378. The thing I LOVE about this challenge is that you are saving, but the most it costs you is $52. We never really missed the money we set aside. If you get paid every other week, then $103 is the highest, but you can switch around the numbers to work in your budget. I originally thought that we would use this money for Christmas, but we ended up leaving this set aside. This would be a great way to save for an event, put towards a vacation, or use to buy a particular item (CAMERA!). We jumped in more than halfway through the year, so we put in a percentage of our income each week, rather than just the amount for that week. I glued a chart to the front of an envelope and highlighted the amount we put into the fund that pay period. This year, I am planning on doing the weeks reversed. So, for the first week of January, we will save $52 instead of $1. I like the idea of the larger amounts not coinciding with the holiday weeks AND you see the total pile up more quickly that way. We do not have a plan for this money, so it might end up getting put into the car fund or emergency fund as it builds up, but like I said, we did not miss this money at all. If we were to get paid every other week, I would probably pair week one and week 52, rather than week one and two.

Well, these are a few suggestions to get you started to a greener 2015 (2017)! I hope these ideas get you thinking of the things you can do in your homes to stretch those dollars a bit further!

Originally Posted at Home and School Mosaics

Homemade chalkboard paint

Surfing around reading blogs, I came across this on Amy's blog and I am DEFINITELY going to try it...Chalkboard paint is SO expensive and this looks very economical and easy...and FUN...I LOVE what she did with these cups...I may be trying this SOON!
Love,
C~

Dollars & Sense

So, here is what is new...a new blog with a new focus....this blog will stay here and be a place for whatever is on my mind at the time....
Dollars and Sense will be the place for ideas to make that budget stretch just a little bit farther...
I am hoping to do giveaways for things...I have a Dave Ramsey book that I am giving away this week... share recipes, give tips for saving money, let you know of great deeals and more,so take a peek and let me know what you think...and if you have any great ideas, I would love to post them...
C~

Working on something new

Well, I am working on a new project and hoping to give a peek soon, but life is full and some things are just more important right now...but soon...
Today, my techy guy has an appt. at the Rheum. Dr....pray that that goes well. He also has been wanting a particular burger at a particular restaurant(Dick's) near-ish to said Dr...so we'll see...
I have a baby shower coming up...working on that...and need to get the house company ready...thankfully, the big heavy work is done!
And then, we are transitioning right into the holidays...mmm...my favorite time of the year!
Well, that is all I can think of right now, but be watching for the "NEWS"...
C~

Great Recipe and more

So, it has been a little while since I posted...haven't had much to say...haven't had time to think it through...etc...
First, I would like to share a GREAT recipe...I will post it how I make it...and you can try it that way...but it is VERY GOOD...my family likes the meat the best, so I do add a little more than the recipe calls for, but I would try it the way written first. Also, it takes and hour of cooking time, but do not let that deter you...30 minutes is just cooking on the stove. I serve this with rice, because it FEELS like it needs a starch to go with it.

Bavarian Sausage and Apples
Serves 6

3 Tablespoons butter
12 links sausage of choice, Polish, bratwurst, etc. You probably do not want a strong Italian flavor or something like a Cheddar jalapeno, but I think most types would work fine
2 medium onions, sliced
4 apples, unpeeled cut into 1/2" wedges
2 tsp. brown sugar, heaping
2 T. flour
1 c. beef broth
1 c. unsweetened apple juice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

(and, if you do not eat sausages for whatever reason, I am sure that there are veggie options that would work, or you could try it with a similar meat, I am just not sure what that would be....I am not a big lamb person and do not know if that would over power the flavor...maybe a ground beef, ground lamb mix that you make into small meatballs...let me know what you think...)

Take sausages and cut into slices...I like to cut them on the diagonal, maybe 1-1/2 inches long and 3/8 inch thick...this is not obsessive, just a good mouth sized bite.
Brown sausages in skillet with butter, until browned, remove from pan, set aside.

Add onions to skillet; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add apples and brown sugar; cook 5 minutes. Remove apple slices and set aside.

Add flour to skillet; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Return sausages and apples to pan; bring to boil. Lower heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes


I just got (LAST NIGHT) from the Library, Mary's book, Family Feasts for $75 a Week and I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!!! I read the WHOLE thing last night...this is SO much more than a cookbook...she gives SO many practical and helpful tips for cutting your grocery budget down...I WILL be buying this book...many delicious looking recipes. I am looking forward to my next meal planning session with book in hand!

Also, just in case you have never heard...pre-grated cheese has both an antibiotic in it (Natamycin...can read here for more info) and Cellulose...now, that seriously makes me sick that there are antibiotics in pre-grated cheese...but if that does not bother you, eat freely. I think that most people do not know this and because the price of grated VS block are almost the same...even cheaper for the grated at times, we all go for what is easier. a big thank you to my Pampered Chef lady for letting me know about this one...the ingrediants are right on the back of the package.

So, I think that is all that is on my mind today...I will be back when I think of more things!
Happy Fall...oh and the time change is coming up...I think we FALL back on October 31! Don't forget...

Cookbook Giveaway

Mary at Owlhaven is having a contest giving away SETS of her cookbook that I have mentioned....here are the details...


I’m giving away three sets of THREE copies each of my book Family Feasts for $75 a Week. Be one of the three winners of this giveaway, and you’ll have a copy of the cookbook for yourself, PLUS two copies to give away to friends. (Christmas gifts, maybe???)

You can get up to 5 entries to the Family Feasts giveaway by doing any of the following 5 things:

1. Blog about the contest and share a direct link to your post in comments.

2. Twitter about it, and share a link to your twitter in comments.

3. Request that your local library purchase FAMILY FEASTS, and tell me which library it is.

4. If you’ve already read FAMILY FEASTS, post a review of the book on amazon.com or bn.com.

5. Mention the contest on your Facebook page.

I’ll be picking 3 winners using random.org. Be sure to comment using a valid email address. The contest ends Monday morning, October 26th! I hope to hear from lots of you!

Grocery Challenge Wrap up

Mary at Owlhaven posted a challenge at the beginning of September to spend $75 a week on groceries this month. I was excited about the challenge and jumped on board...we lost track of our spending because my hubby did some of the shopping, meal planning, etc...and I couldn't find receipts, etc...so that is a flop...but...I did learn things this month...
The greatest thing this challenge did was made me aware of my spending...we would often buy things because they looked good, were on sale, etc with no plan...and I am sure many of those purchases are still on my shelves...stocking up during a good sale is good, but there must be a plan somewhere.
The next thing that I realized was that when there is a plan for meals, life is so much easier...the brain wracking frantic 5 pm hunt is gone...I know what is on the menu and am prepared to pull out the things I need.
From many of the other participants, I realized that some people were able to stock up and buy extras even on that lower dollar amount...I am hoping to stock up on some things over the next several months too...sugar, flour, butter, etc...all those things that you go through so quickly during the holidays.
I am excited to see what this means for future months of grocery shopping...I think Mary may have just started something!
Thanks for the challenge Mary~!
C~

Grocery Challenge

Well, It is challenge time again...the day of reckoning, so to speak...and I have just completely lost track...and here is why...the wonderful man I am married to can do two things that are related to this...one, he does most of our shopping, which allows me to stay home and do the things I need to do...LIKE CLEAN (always a challenge with a houseful...and a Momma who would rather be sitting on the floor doing a puzzle with the 3 year old), and homeschool, and love on our blessings...and second...this man can COOK...and I don't mean like top ramen, or mac and cheese type "box" cooking...I mean, he can REALLY cook...last week he made Chili Verde...I am REALLY hoping that he will make Pork Carnitas on Sunday...those are my ABSOLUTE favorites...he is also wonderful with grilling...burgers, steaks, etc...so I have lost track where we are. What I appreciate about this challenge though...is that it is challenging me to be more creative, think more in advance, use what we have, even if it is not our preference for that meal. It's helping me to look ahead for maybe what I will need for holiday baking...to gather staples now when there is a little more money in the budget rather than when everything is busier and money is stretched far too thin...use seasonal things that are cheaper and fresher and to REALLY watch the specials.
So, even though I have lost track of where I am, I have been reminded of some valuable lessons and I am so thankful for this challenge...and I tell you what...as soon as I can, I am going to get Mary's book...Family Feasts for $75 a week...

C~

Gleaning, again

I forgot to mention in my Gleaning post that there is a yearly fee to be in Gleaners...last year, it was $20 per family...this year, it was $50 because we had some unusual expenses, the roof being the biggest...
Now, I am not 100% sure, but I think I got well over $50 worth of items in just one shopping trip...very well worth the money spent.
Another thing I did not mention...probably because I forgot to ask if there were any...I USUALLY get diapers and sometimes wipes during a specialty glean...it was CRAZY when I was dropping off my run yesterday, and I completely forgot about asking.

C~

Gleaning

Well, we have been SO blessed to have Gleaners in our area...I thought I would show what I got today...this includes a Specialty Glean, which memebers get when they work over so many hours per month, that is why there is so much...





So, some of the things I got were:
Borax (Score for making laundry soap)
Dish Soap ( I really needed this...Thank you Lord)
2 lipsticks and a compact
2 bottles of lotion
1 bottle of body wash
Pregnancy Test- you just never know...
a quart of sour cream
a pint of whipping cream
1 gallon milk
1 doz. eggs
1 package sausage patties
1 lb bacon
4 pack. hot dogs
2 pack. apple gouda sausages (THESE ARE SO GOOD!!!)
1 lg. can tuna
3 boxes pop tarts
2 boxes ritz type crackers
bag of jelly beans
2 bags frosted animal cookies
4 small bags chips
box of brownie mix
2 boxes cereal bars
bag of lollipops
5 pkg. gum
bag of cheese puffs
pkg. oatmeal cookies (these look real interesting with chocolate covered sunflower seeds on them)
a pkg. of oreo type cookies....double stuff!!!!
2 lbs coffee
5 cans soup
box of penne noodles
2 bottles hot sauce
bottle of salad dressing
can of pumpkin
qt of strawberries
lettuce
freezer jam
4 Dove ice cream bars....YUMMY
2 Deli sandwiches
lasagna
1 dz. biscuits
a bouquet of flowers
1 pr. pajamas...a Christmas gift for my nephew....shhhh....don't tell!

I am sure there were a few more items, but my brains aren't quite all there and so...this is it...I know that this has blessed our family TREMENDOUSLY...There have been a couple of really lean times when we have had to create from what we get from gleaning.
Well, I need to get ready for dinner...
Love,
C~

Monthly Grocery Challenge

Well, it has been a few days since I posted on this...just busy with school starting this week and all...so we are still going on this...I think we are still under budget...I need to check with my husband (He treated us to steaks one night, and I KNOW that was more expensive!). Breakfasts are usually whatever is available....leftovers, cereal, etc...yesterday, I made the children some potatoes with leftover chicken verde that I sauteed in butter and olive oil...it looked really good. I did take four of the children to taco bell for lunch too...we spent $9 for the 5 of us...not so great for you, but we were all hungry and that seemed the best option... We are trying to empty a freezer so we can defrost it, so that has been making life a little easier...so yesterday, I really needed to go to the store for dinner, but due to some circumstances, I was unable to...so 4:30 ish came by and I thought...what on earth are we going to have for dinner...thankfully, I was able to come up with an idea. I made Tuna Casserole....not at all my favorite, but I was so grateful that we had all the makings...for those of you who live for Cream of Whatever soups...they do make life a little easier, but white sauce is SO easy to make....cooking noodles, making white sauce, stirring it all up with the tuna and into the oven for a bit...we had some salad left and I cut up some tomatoes and onions and tossed that with some italian dressing...and even made dessert...brownies with strawberries and ice cream....
I think I am going to make Turkey this weekend...we still have one...I kept forgetting about it...I have a good friend who posted a great way to cook a turkey...maybe I will post that next....makes life a little easier...
I will be gone tonight, so I need to figure out something to be ready for everyone else...and then Friday is my hubby's birthday, so we are going to Red Robin...he gets a FREE burger...and I think we have a coupon or something...then I FOUND some money in my wallet...woo hoo!!!! I will be making my husband a german chocolate cake too...that is his yearly tradition...

White Sauce recipe (Sort of)

I do not measure this at all, I am sure that there are recipes out there, so you may wish to check on that, but here is what I do:

Equal parts butter and flour ( I usually do about 1/4 cup of each) in a pan...til thick and pasty looking...then add milk...again, I don't measure...just till it looks right...I add just a little at a time...seems like I don't have to wait as long to see if it is the right thickness or not...my guess would be 2-3 cups of milk, but that is totally a guess...
I added some chicken base, parmesan and garlic to this last night...

I will post the turkey directions soon!

Love,
C~

Budget Crunching

Well, I briefly mentioned about the challenge Mary over at Owlhaven has presented and how I was going to try to do it this month. Now Mary spends $75 a week for everything, if I read that correctly...shampoo, etc...I am not sure if I will cut that far...but I think $75 a week for a family of 7 is a worthy challenge, so that is what I am aiming for...
Now this week, we are living on whatever we have or whatever we can get from Gleaners...Our Gleaner organization gets things from local grocery stores that they can no longer sell and we bring it back and it gets distributed among 80-ish families and let me tell you...it is a BLESSING! Yesterday, I was able to get milk, orange juice, lots of veggies and breads...things we will really use this week FOR SURE! One unexpected find was KALE...well, no I am not a Kale freak, but Kale works beautifully in Green smoothies, which I need to get back to, so we will be enjoying that...I will post the "recipe" below...they are SO good for you!
So, for your info, I will post our plan thus far...I am not very far into the plan...I need to so that today...
So yesterday we had:
B:- It was an on your own morning...granola bars, yogurt, baked spaghetti...
L:- Leftover Taco Soup, fritos and peaches (Had all of these)
D:- Clam Chowder and rolls- We got the leeks, milk and rolls from gleaners and had all the rest.
$0

9/2-
B: French Toast- bread, milk and eggs from gleaners
L: Mac and cheese for children- good ole blue boxes...we have these...I think I got them from Gleaners...I will add veggies and fruit...whatever we have on hand...and I think I will have a green smoothie...
D: Chili and Cornbread...raw veggies...we have all of this...

$0

9/3-
B: Scones, Lemon Curd and something to balance the sugar...not sure...maybe bacon, maybe yogurt...we are not big egg people...
L: Leftover Clam Chowder and bread- We need to thicken this, so when we do that, I will need to get some cream....I will do that later...Bread from Gleaners
D: Baked Spaghetti, Salad or green beans and Garlic bread...
We either will get this from gleaners, already have it or will buy some lettuce...I haven't decided yet....
That's my plan thus far...such as it is...

Okay, a couple of recipes

Green Smoothies

40% green leafy things...spinach, kale, chard, parsley, etc...we usually use either spinach or parsley...if you use spinach and get the proportions right you cannot taste it...
60% fruit...I always use a banana or two...this sweetens it...we use frozen bananas for this...no need for ice if you do...I also balance seeded fruit ( Berries) with unseeded (Bananas, peaches, plums, etc)...too many seeds and I don't care for it as much.
We add a little water to get it all blending in the Vitamix, you could use juice if you like...sometimes we add a little coconut milk or oil if we have it...and that is it.

Lemon Curd...this is SO easy and delicious...much better than a store bought jar...
I usually use bottled juice if we have it and it tastes fine..I also do not add the zest...I don't like that texture in it...and I have not noticed a noticible difference in the taste with vs. without...

Grated peel of 4 lemons
Juice of 4 lemons, about 1 cup
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter, cut in small pieces
2 c. sugar

In the top of a double boiler , combine zest, juice, eggs, butter and sugar. Place over simmering water and stil until sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and smooth. Strain through a sieve to remove bits of egg that cooked. Chill. The recipe says it lasts a couple of weeks...I think they are lying...mine never lasts that long! ;-)

Enjoy!
C~

Swagbucks, even better

Thanks to Melissa's Bargain Blog, I now have the scoop on an even better deal with Swagbucks...as you all know, I have been very excited about swagbucks...thinking I would add up my points for Target Gift Cards (I found out, btw, that these are for online use only)...well, now they have an option for a $5 paypal deposit...cash on your paypal account...so I just used all of my points to deposit $10 to my account...then I can either leave it there or transfer to my checking account...not sure yet what I will do, but it is a great prize. So for the special introduction of this prize, it costs 80 swagbucks...the regular price is 190 swagbucks. Just thought I would share this little tidbit...I will let you know when it shows up in my account.
C~