Well I abandoned my money saving goals for a bit. Sadly I'm not any further along financially then I was a few months ago but I'm back with a vengeance. I think it's important to start with simple goals and build on them. There are only 4 months until the new year and I've had to adjust in a few ways. My goal to finish school in December was just not feasible. I've had to settle for graduating in May. It's still going to take a lot of work but it's taken the pressure off a bit both time wise and financially.I get paid on Friday and here are my goals:
1. Save $100 per paycheck until the end of the year, starting this Friday
2. Find a way to save an additional $100 over the next four months for total savings of $1000
3. Use cash for spending and groceries and my 2nd Chase account for gas only
4. Tackle 1 bill or spending area per month to find savings
5. Eat breakfast and lunch from home, during the week, AND keep it cheap
6. Shop early for Christmas
Have you re-evaluated your goals lately?
Monday, September 3, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
C'mon get Happy!
So admittedly, I’ve been to very few happy hours in my life. Despite being a member of the working world for almost 20 years (eek!) and being able to drink alcohol for 15 of those, I’ve tended to avoid the 5 o’clock somewhere crowd and done other things instead. Recently I attended a happy hour that was planned for a board that I’m a member of. We met at a local restaurant/bar that had a special happy hour menu. I had one cocktail and a personal pizza, spent about $15, and was home by 8. Perfection.
It got me thinking about how and when I socialize. I’ve been in a committed relationship for almost 2 years now and have no desire to be out late on a Friday night. For a while my friends and I had “pay day” Friday dinners out but I found that I was spending about $100 a month that way. Then it dawned on me…happy hour! I think it’s a great way to spend time with your friends and not spend a lot of money – here’s why:
1. Special Happy Hour Menus or discounts – Many establishments have a special Happy Hour Menu. There are places locally that offer a few items for $5 – usually appetizers or small plates. There’s a fancy steakhouse where you can get a great steak house burger for $6…and it’s a whole lot better than Burger King! Other places have half off appetizers which can also be a great savings. Share a half off plate of nachos with a friend – super inexpensive.
2. You don’t have to drink alcohol – There is no rule that says if you go to happy hour you have to drink alcohol. Order a soda or lemonade…or even water and still benefit from discounted pricing on food.
3. It doesn’t have to be at a bar – Many restaurants have a small bar in them and offer a discounted happy hour. If you are uncomfortable sitting in the bar section, ask if you can still get happy hour pricing in the restaurant. Many places are o.k. with that.
4. Some places offer FREE food! Donovan’s Steakhouse offers complimentary Prime steak sandwiches during their “martini” hour, as well as half priced drinks. One local Mexican chain has a free happy hour buffet with chips, salsa and other items.
5. It’s over early! I don’t know about you but I like to get home before my significant other. I will usually straighten up a bit, make sure there’s something for him to eat, make us a couple of cocktails. It’s rare that I want to go out for the whole night and miss spending time together before bed. This way I’m home just before he is (he works a later schedule) and I’ve had the opportunity to socialize without missing out on personal time together.
How about having a cheap date with the hubby or wifey? Secure a sitter for a couple of hours and meet up for a drink and a bite to eat after work. I would head to Yelp and put “happy hour specials” in the search field. Read through some reviews for deals other people scored or go directly to their website.
Cheers!!
It got me thinking about how and when I socialize. I’ve been in a committed relationship for almost 2 years now and have no desire to be out late on a Friday night. For a while my friends and I had “pay day” Friday dinners out but I found that I was spending about $100 a month that way. Then it dawned on me…happy hour! I think it’s a great way to spend time with your friends and not spend a lot of money – here’s why:
1. Special Happy Hour Menus or discounts – Many establishments have a special Happy Hour Menu. There are places locally that offer a few items for $5 – usually appetizers or small plates. There’s a fancy steakhouse where you can get a great steak house burger for $6…and it’s a whole lot better than Burger King! Other places have half off appetizers which can also be a great savings. Share a half off plate of nachos with a friend – super inexpensive.
2. You don’t have to drink alcohol – There is no rule that says if you go to happy hour you have to drink alcohol. Order a soda or lemonade…or even water and still benefit from discounted pricing on food.
3. It doesn’t have to be at a bar – Many restaurants have a small bar in them and offer a discounted happy hour. If you are uncomfortable sitting in the bar section, ask if you can still get happy hour pricing in the restaurant. Many places are o.k. with that.
4. Some places offer FREE food! Donovan’s Steakhouse offers complimentary Prime steak sandwiches during their “martini” hour, as well as half priced drinks. One local Mexican chain has a free happy hour buffet with chips, salsa and other items.
5. It’s over early! I don’t know about you but I like to get home before my significant other. I will usually straighten up a bit, make sure there’s something for him to eat, make us a couple of cocktails. It’s rare that I want to go out for the whole night and miss spending time together before bed. This way I’m home just before he is (he works a later schedule) and I’ve had the opportunity to socialize without missing out on personal time together.
How about having a cheap date with the hubby or wifey? Secure a sitter for a couple of hours and meet up for a drink and a bite to eat after work. I would head to Yelp and put “happy hour specials” in the search field. Read through some reviews for deals other people scored or go directly to their website.
Cheers!!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Dollar Store Diva
On Sunday a few unpleasant things happened to me…like waking up to find that someone had egged my car. I suppose in most parts of the country this wouldn’t be AS big of a deal. I don’t know if the egg would ruin your paint the way it does here. Unfortunately in a place where the temperatures get into the hundreds, egg baking into your paint job is a catastrophe. I did my best to get it off using the window cleaning solution at the gas station but I needed something stronger. Trying to be budget friendly I decided to head to the dollar store.
I’ve never really been a dollar store shopper. I was actually surprised at all the things you can get there! I had some household items (storage bags, Tupperware type containers, dishwashing liquid) that I knew I needed to get. Dollar tree ended up being the perfect place! I walked out with 4 bags of things for about $20. My boyfriend wasn’t thrilled with the dishwashing liquid I got; it was a bit thinner in consistency than our usual Palmolive but when I did the dinner dishes it worked just fine. Considering it was two times the size of the one I usually get AND only cost a dollar – I’m not complaining.
We managed to get most of the egg off my car. It’s one of two that I own personally and I consider it my “beater” car and it needs a new paint job anyway. It’s just disappointing to me that someone would do that. To be so destructive to another person’s property is beyond my comprehension. Too bad I don’t actually believe in Karma…
Another unpleasant thing that occurred was that the store where I was going to pick up the ham , The Honey Baked Ham Co., was closed which threw off my whole menu plan…I’m still recovering. Normally I wouldn’t spend so much on a ham but I have a gift certificate I need to use. I did score two “cheap” food finds:
A box of instant oatmeal packets for $1
2 half gallons of milk for $1 apiece
If the milk is still on sale when I go back to the store tonight I’ll pick up a couple more.
What items do you like to buy at the dollar store?
I’ve never really been a dollar store shopper. I was actually surprised at all the things you can get there! I had some household items (storage bags, Tupperware type containers, dishwashing liquid) that I knew I needed to get. Dollar tree ended up being the perfect place! I walked out with 4 bags of things for about $20. My boyfriend wasn’t thrilled with the dishwashing liquid I got; it was a bit thinner in consistency than our usual Palmolive but when I did the dinner dishes it worked just fine. Considering it was two times the size of the one I usually get AND only cost a dollar – I’m not complaining.
We managed to get most of the egg off my car. It’s one of two that I own personally and I consider it my “beater” car and it needs a new paint job anyway. It’s just disappointing to me that someone would do that. To be so destructive to another person’s property is beyond my comprehension. Too bad I don’t actually believe in Karma…
Another unpleasant thing that occurred was that the store where I was going to pick up the ham , The Honey Baked Ham Co., was closed which threw off my whole menu plan…I’m still recovering. Normally I wouldn’t spend so much on a ham but I have a gift certificate I need to use. I did score two “cheap” food finds:
A box of instant oatmeal packets for $1
2 half gallons of milk for $1 apiece
If the milk is still on sale when I go back to the store tonight I’ll pick up a couple more.
What items do you like to buy at the dollar store?
Friday, May 4, 2012
5/4 Pay Period Menu....Sorta
As I mentioned in my previous post I am going to be on a tight budget, out of neccesity, for the rest of this pay period. I have a set budget for groceries/spending money - $140. Out of that spending money I need to pick up 2 prescriptions ($20), get my nails done ($20 including tip), and go to the chiropractor ($15). That means my grocery budget is $85. I believe I am up to the challenge and really...I don't have a choice.
I've seen so many blogs where people post weekly menus but usually those people have a family. For the most part it is just me and every once and a while my boyfriend. I decided to take a different approach. I inventoried what I have available at home and then thought of inexpensive items to buy to make those things into meals. Rather than create a hard and fast menu I'm going to post a piece of paper on my fridge with the list of meals that I can make. The designations are r - refrigerator, p - pantry, f - freezer, meaning I already have them on hand. The ham is being purchased with a gift certificate I have for the Honey Baked Ham Co.
Breakfast:
Eggs (r) scrambled with salsa, fruit
Waffles (f), fruit, milk
Cereal, milk, fruit
Lunches:
Cowboy Caviar (black beans, corn, salsa, onions) with tortilla chips
Cold Tuna Noodle Salad (tuna (p), macaroni (p), onion, celery, mayo (r), italian dressing (r)
Leftovers
Snacks for Work:
Peanut Butter and Celery
String Cheese and Fruit
Dinners: (will serve a salad or steamed veggie on the side)
Ham, Corn on the Cob, Peas and Rice (Sunday dinner)
Black Beans and Rice (use ham)
Red Beans and Rice (box of dirty rice, can of kidney beans (p), sausage (f), ground beef (f)
Tacos (tortillas (p), ground beef (f), taco seasoning (p), corn (leftover), salsa
Ham (leftover) and Scalloped Potatoes (box, P)
RHONJ Pasta dish (pasta (p), peas (f), ham)
Crock Pot Chicken Supreme (chicken thighs (f), 2 cans cream of chicken soup, onion, 4 slices of havarti, bacon
Meatless Spaghetti (spaghetti (p), sauce, breadsticks (f)
My goal is to get all the items for the meals above for $35. I have more than that to spend but I'd like to do it as inexpensively as possible. It will help me use up more of my pantry items too. Here's to eating cheap for the next two weeks :)
I've seen so many blogs where people post weekly menus but usually those people have a family. For the most part it is just me and every once and a while my boyfriend. I decided to take a different approach. I inventoried what I have available at home and then thought of inexpensive items to buy to make those things into meals. Rather than create a hard and fast menu I'm going to post a piece of paper on my fridge with the list of meals that I can make. The designations are r - refrigerator, p - pantry, f - freezer, meaning I already have them on hand. The ham is being purchased with a gift certificate I have for the Honey Baked Ham Co.
Breakfast:
Eggs (r) scrambled with salsa, fruit
Waffles (f), fruit, milk
Cereal, milk, fruit
Lunches:
Cowboy Caviar (black beans, corn, salsa, onions) with tortilla chips
Cold Tuna Noodle Salad (tuna (p), macaroni (p), onion, celery, mayo (r), italian dressing (r)
Leftovers
Snacks for Work:
Peanut Butter and Celery
String Cheese and Fruit
Dinners: (will serve a salad or steamed veggie on the side)
Ham, Corn on the Cob, Peas and Rice (Sunday dinner)
Black Beans and Rice (use ham)
Red Beans and Rice (box of dirty rice, can of kidney beans (p), sausage (f), ground beef (f)
Tacos (tortillas (p), ground beef (f), taco seasoning (p), corn (leftover), salsa
Ham (leftover) and Scalloped Potatoes (box, P)
RHONJ Pasta dish (pasta (p), peas (f), ham)
Crock Pot Chicken Supreme (chicken thighs (f), 2 cans cream of chicken soup, onion, 4 slices of havarti, bacon
Meatless Spaghetti (spaghetti (p), sauce, breadsticks (f)
My goal is to get all the items for the meals above for $35. I have more than that to spend but I'd like to do it as inexpensively as possible. It will help me use up more of my pantry items too. Here's to eating cheap for the next two weeks :)
If I've Learned One Thing It's That....
Budgeting is a process. I keep setting goals for myself, failing, and then looking at the situation and asking myself why. I was near tears yesterday regarding my finances. Despite making an effort NOT to overdraft my bank account - I did. And unfortunately it was with several little purchases that caused me to get hit with 5 overdraft fees of $34. I was devastated. My first question was – how the he** did this happen?? I looked over my account and realized that I’d bought gas for $30 and forgotten about it. It took several days for it to post. It over drafted my account by $13. I had also gone into the gas station after pumping gas and bought a bottle of water and a soda – 2nd transaction. Then I had 3 small purchases that I had made earlier in the week – one was for only $1 in ITunes which makes me sick – and voila…my account is in the negative.
Words cannot express how tired of this I am. Not being in control of your finances is exhausting. While I’m sad that since I started this process I’ve made ZERO progress, I feel like I had to get to this point. Now I know that I really have to CHANGE to make this change – period. So here’s my plan going forward:
1. Keep it simple! No more elaborate goals – at least not for the time being. Pick one thing and focus on it until I succeed.
2. Switch to cash for my grocery and spending money. Take out the amount I’ve budgeted on Friday, payday and when it’s gone…it’s gone.
3. Use a designated bank account for gas. I have a 2nd Chase account I rarely use. My gas money for the pay period will be transferred there. The reason for doing this is so I can still “pay at the pump”.
4. Track my spending – not just by looking at my bank account but by keeping a notebook with me in my purse and writing down every penny I spend.
Therefore my goals for this pay period are pretty basic:
1. Use cash for groceries and spending – budget $140
2. Use a designated account for gas – budget $60
3. Track my spending every day.
That’s it! Wish me luck!!
Words cannot express how tired of this I am. Not being in control of your finances is exhausting. While I’m sad that since I started this process I’ve made ZERO progress, I feel like I had to get to this point. Now I know that I really have to CHANGE to make this change – period. So here’s my plan going forward:
1. Keep it simple! No more elaborate goals – at least not for the time being. Pick one thing and focus on it until I succeed.
2. Switch to cash for my grocery and spending money. Take out the amount I’ve budgeted on Friday, payday and when it’s gone…it’s gone.
3. Use a designated bank account for gas. I have a 2nd Chase account I rarely use. My gas money for the pay period will be transferred there. The reason for doing this is so I can still “pay at the pump”.
4. Track my spending – not just by looking at my bank account but by keeping a notebook with me in my purse and writing down every penny I spend.
Therefore my goals for this pay period are pretty basic:
1. Use cash for groceries and spending – budget $140
2. Use a designated account for gas – budget $60
3. Track my spending every day.
That’s it! Wish me luck!!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Budget Recipe - Farfalle con Piselli
I wanted to share a quick budget recipe with you. First, I have to admit that I have a very serious problem - a cookbook buying problem. I love them. And unfortunately most of them are e-books which means I can't resell them. Often I purchase them, read them, and never make anything out of them. Secondly, I have to confess that I have another very serious problem - an addiction to the Real Housewives series. Yes it's true...and those two problems are how I came into possession of Teresa Giudice's cookbook - Skinny Italian. I decided that since I had paid good money for the thing I needed to make at least one recipe from it.
Surprisingly the recipe I chose turned out to be really good AND also a really flexible recipe. I used items I had in the house but even if you were to purchase each one it would be really inexpensive. I think it's a great vehicle for leftovers and used it that way myself - I added some leftover ham. The original recipe is vegetarian but we like meat in this house :) . Here's my version of the recipe:
1 lb farfalle pasta
1 tbsp exra virgin olive oil
1/2 a large onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
1/3 of a cup light cream
1/4 of a teaspoon salt
1/8 of a teaspoon pepper
1 cup diced ham
Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil, add salt and pepper while it's cooking
Add the ham and peas and continue to cook over low heat while boiling the pasta
When the pasta has started boiling but isn't quite ready add the cream to the veggies and ham and heat through, let it boil a bit as it will thicken the cream some
Drain the pasta when ready, reserve a small amount of cooking water
Toss the pasta with the veggies/ham and cream until the pasta is coated
Grate some fresh parmesan over top and stir
If the sauce is too thick add the reserved pasta water a little at a time until it loosens and covers the pasta well
Easy right? And so pretty with the butterfly pasta, green peas, and ham.
I started thinking of a ton of variations:
Instead of ham and peas how about leftover chicken and asparagus? or turkey and broccoli florets?
If you don't have any leftover meat you could add a can of tuna or bake some chicken breasts and serve the meatless version on the side. If you don't have farfalle you could use any pasta you have on hand. Don't have the cream? How about a little butter and parmesan cheese with a few splashes of milk?
Too hot for warm meal? How about cooking the pasta and rinsing it in cold water and adding the peas, ham and diced onion along with some italian dressing for a quick pasta salad?
I really think this a great recipe to know so that you can use it in a variety of ways. The cost is really minimal for the basics:
Pasta from your pantry or from the dollar store - $1
Leftover meat or even buying a small ham steak for about - $3
Frozen peas - $1
Cream - $2
an onion - less than a dollar
garlic - less than a dollar
I don't know about you but I usually have most of these ingredients on hand - pasta, an onion or garlic, and some frozen veggies.
What's your favorite go to budget recipe?
Surprisingly the recipe I chose turned out to be really good AND also a really flexible recipe. I used items I had in the house but even if you were to purchase each one it would be really inexpensive. I think it's a great vehicle for leftovers and used it that way myself - I added some leftover ham. The original recipe is vegetarian but we like meat in this house :) . Here's my version of the recipe:
1 lb farfalle pasta
1 tbsp exra virgin olive oil
1/2 a large onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas
1/3 of a cup light cream
1/4 of a teaspoon salt
1/8 of a teaspoon pepper
1 cup diced ham
Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil, add salt and pepper while it's cooking
Add the ham and peas and continue to cook over low heat while boiling the pasta
When the pasta has started boiling but isn't quite ready add the cream to the veggies and ham and heat through, let it boil a bit as it will thicken the cream some
Drain the pasta when ready, reserve a small amount of cooking water
Toss the pasta with the veggies/ham and cream until the pasta is coated
Grate some fresh parmesan over top and stir
If the sauce is too thick add the reserved pasta water a little at a time until it loosens and covers the pasta well
Easy right? And so pretty with the butterfly pasta, green peas, and ham.
I started thinking of a ton of variations:
Instead of ham and peas how about leftover chicken and asparagus? or turkey and broccoli florets?
If you don't have any leftover meat you could add a can of tuna or bake some chicken breasts and serve the meatless version on the side. If you don't have farfalle you could use any pasta you have on hand. Don't have the cream? How about a little butter and parmesan cheese with a few splashes of milk?
Too hot for warm meal? How about cooking the pasta and rinsing it in cold water and adding the peas, ham and diced onion along with some italian dressing for a quick pasta salad?
I really think this a great recipe to know so that you can use it in a variety of ways. The cost is really minimal for the basics:
Pasta from your pantry or from the dollar store - $1
Leftover meat or even buying a small ham steak for about - $3
Frozen peas - $1
Cream - $2
an onion - less than a dollar
garlic - less than a dollar
I don't know about you but I usually have most of these ingredients on hand - pasta, an onion or garlic, and some frozen veggies.
What's your favorite go to budget recipe?
Monday, April 23, 2012
Week of 4/23 Goals
Eat 3 meals a day at or from home during the week, 1 meal out on the weekend
Have no overdraft fees in any of my accounts
Track non-essential or non-goal spending
Participate in Food Waste Friday and document what has to be thrown away!
Start Money Saving Mom’s 4 Weeks to a More Organized Home Plan
Study for and do well on my accounting mid-term
Find one item to purchase for my work wardrobe
Join the gym
Sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? The good thing is that most of these goals are easily met – tracking my spending isn’t hard because I always use my debit card. I’ll record it as a word document as these two weeks progress in order to make sure I’m not spending a lot of money when I shouldn’t be and I will celebrate “no spend days” by documenting it here. Eating from home is a major thing for me because food and eating out is one my three “budget leaks”. The others are shopping and unnecessary bills.
What are your goals for the week?
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