budgeting works!

I am on a serious debt diet. I mean serious.
I am already an avid couponer and a menu planner. I am also a bit of a "prepper" in that I am a little crazy about having enough food in our house to last us if there were an emergency. I feel really uncomfortable if I don't have a lot of food in the house. While I am not like totally a hoarder, we DO use what we have, we have enough to comfortably feed us for at least a month at all times.
And, I get a serious thrill from hunting down a bargain. I am always searching out new ways to get stuff for free or nearly free. My latest foray is drug store rewards card shopping...

But we have a lot of debt too, from when we were not making a lot of money, and I was a stay at home mama. There wasn't a blogosphere then (Oh how I wish there had been!) and we lived week to week on a sgt's pay with 4 little ones. But we survived on his pay and ashamedly, threw little extras here and there on credit too. Soon enough, those little extra amounts made big, big amounts. Although we've been paying the minimums for YEARS now, the amounts never seem to go down.
My goal is to... this year, pay down my credit card to half of the amount I now owe, AND by this time two years from now, owe NOTHING on that credit card.
So, I looked around, and went with the Dave Ramsey approach. (I already had his total money makeover book and workbook) I bought his envelope wallet(half price at Christmas;) and went to the commissary today with my goal (I was worried it might be too low) and a menu plan for the month. I bought EVERYTHING we will need for a month and even some stock up extras (cookies for a buck a bag, cereal for a dollar ten a box and riesen chocolate chews for 49 cents!)
And when all of my coupons were taken away (41 bucks in coupons:) I made my goal AND had 75 bucks left over. 75 dollars! 75 dollars to pay off on my credit card! I thought what I had budgeted was too low by about a 100 bucks, and to come in at 75 dollars less than my low amount was a miracle. We are spending a ton less than the national average per person for food for our family.
One other goal is to NOT eat out this year. I have been writing down how much I spend in my spending notebook, and it is sad, but in one week, I spent over 30 bucks on McDonalds. I mean, honestly, how do you spend 30 bucks on Mickey D's, in a week?? But those coffees and quick trips to pick up a burger really add up. I'm not so sure how I'll do with this one, BUT, I figure if I absolutely forbid myself, that will curb most of my spending in this area.

Anyway, I am trying new recipes too, that save us $$, like making homemade yogurt in a crockpot. (We eat a ton of yogurt around here) and we'll see how that does. It'll be done in the morning. Also made "cowboy beans" for the first time ever from dried beans, and they ROCK! So good with cornbread. Definitely a recipe that I will make again.

Well, off to celebrate the countdown with Dick Clark and my family! Have a happy new year!

Back in the Saddle Again

I hadn't realized that it had been so long since I last blogged. I guess being a full time working mom with a very demanding job has gotten to me. I am also not good with time management and I frankly lack energy and the will to make myself do things a lot of the time, from the rest of my life being so harried and full. That is one of the things that I want to change in the new year. I thrive on routine, these days off tend to make me tired and lackluster. But with all that in mind, and knowing that I DO have the ability to change, I am setting myself up on a schedule.

Looking over last year's posts, I really saw that I was looking for fulfillment in creativity. That hasn't changed much for me, but I have come to realize that I also tend to jump from one idea to another looking for something to become good at before I really become good at anything. So, that is goal number one this year. Focus on one thing at a time, for one month at a time. This month it is going to be my finances. I am going to set up a budget ala' Dave Ramsey's cash envelope system, write down everything that I spend, and read my two favorite blogs (passionatepennypincher and moneysavingmom) every day. My goal is to get our grocery budget down to a 120 bucks a week, for everything, including all toiletries. I think I can do that, especially with the supercouponing I've been doing and with the surplus of groceries we have around here because I have been stockpiling when there are great deals. (Right now we have 30 boxes of spaghetti in the garage from a really great sale:) So, spaghetti carbonara, anyone?

I love that the end of the year ushers out with it, any old stuff that you don't want to keep. You can start anew with the new year. It is like a renewal of the soul in the heart of winter. I love getting reorganized, setting goals, and getting started on the right foot for a new year. God sure planned that well!

Freezer Cooking

Been cooking in advance of school starting again.

So far today, I've made ...

• chimichangas (16) from this recipe http://www.food.com/recipe/make-ahead-chimichangas-57027

• incredible blueberry/nectarine and shhhh! (spinach) smoothies (14) ( I freeze these in ball (plastic) freezer jars and take out the night before for breakfast the next day

• Crockpot chili (cook meat and put all ingredients together in a bag to just toss in the crockpot on cooking day) (4 recipes )

• Cooked a ton o bacon for future meals (we'll see if this makes it to actually being made into meals with 4 "boys" in the house :)

And we'll see what I get done tomorrow, but that is a pretty good start...

Screaming deal!

Oh Target, how I love thee!

Ok, so not really, but it is the store I shop most often at. We are pretty limited in my local area with shopping choices. And, I happen to be really fortunate (not) in that if I want to do any serious shopping I have to cross a bridge which charges me 3 bucks to do so. I try to stay on "this side of the bridge" and only go across when I have lots to do on that side of the world:)

But tonight, went to Target and had 2- three dollar coupons if I bought 2 Johnson and Johnson red cross first aid items (go to money saving mom for the link to the coupons). My DD is going to camp for the next couple of days and needed a small 1st aid kit, so I bought 4 of the first aid kits that they have in the travel size section for 97 cents each and got 6 bucks off in coupons. Score!
I also bought gauze pads for 1.72 and had 2-2 dollar coupons. So, I made $$$ there too. It is like getting paid to shop:) Love that!

But the best deal of all tonight, was something that I have kind of a passion for. I love love love fountain pens. The Cross kind are my favorite. I love the way they write. I love the old fashionedness of using a fountain pen and I love the way my handwriting turns out when I use a fountain pen. And the black onyx pen is my favorite of all. Had to run by Office Depot and get copies of forms for the camping child, and saw (gasp!) a Cross fountain pen set! Two of my favorite pen. TWO! I asked how much they were. And I think the guy must have been confused, because I KNOW that I paid the same price for just one pen about a year ago. He told me it was on clearance because they didn't have the case, he would give a discount and my teacher discount on top to boot! I got two of my favorite pens for the price of one and a 25% discount on top of that. I just feel so blessed at the moment. I am one lucky girl!

Hope you score some great deals too!

5 things in 5 days reveal

I took the 5 things in 5 days challenge. (It was 10 things in 10 days but I came to the party late:)

And, of course, I have been working on about 7 more projects at the same time.

I am loving having time to work on things for my home. I've been pretty busy with work and my family activities over the school year. It is so nice to have time to think about what I want to accomplish at home now too.

So, my original goals were to:

1. Finish the peg board sewing organizer! (My first diy project of the summer) DONE!

2. Organize sewing desk and get the rest of my room cleaned up (its too trashed for words right now) DONE!

3. Chalkboard paint the back of the front door. Add frame. (I am forgetful and hope this will help!) (Have to find a big frame too!) (So, I am rethinking this one. I am not sure if what I envsion would be cute enough)

4. Sew 2 skirts for my daughter on newly organized sewing desk:) (in process)

5. Closet makeover. (in process- a WAY bigger job than I originally anticipated)

I added making these darling apothecary jars that I saw online at the Drab to Fab blog. They went from this...

to this....

I have an idea in mind for our entryway using these on the newly repainted sofa table that I use as a family organizer. But so far, it is just a place for everyone to dump their crud as they enter the house. It makes the rest of that area feel really small and cramped and it always looks messy.

And I added painting our hutch bottom and sofa table to the mix) I still need to stain the top of the table in the picture like a dark walnut, but that is all, really.

And finally, finally, finally, it is going to be summery around here soon! We have had cloudy cold overcast skies for a few days. Tomorrow it is supposed to be nearly 80 degrees and nearing the end of the week nearly 90! Yahoooooo!

Ok, off to make dinner and then paint some more!

Things to do, Things to do....

We had my daughter's birthday party here the other night.
It was so much fun. We made "designer"T shirts for the movie and ate hamburgers off the grill.
Since I have three teen boys, mostly we have boy parties around here. Lots of shoot'em up video games with lots of shouting and (pretend) fighting. I hate the "boys will be boys" argument, but it is in their natures to to wrestle and shout and compete. In ten years time that will transform itself into protection for their families and the ability to compete in the world.

But, when we have girl parties, we go all out around here.(not that we don't for the boys, but they want different things, again that boy/girl gender difference thing) SO...
We (hubby(isn't he a great dad??) and I) went to see the premiere of Eclipse at midnight with 9 preteen girls. Now, the Twilight movies aren't my cup of tea, but you have to love a character who says, NO! I won't have sex with you before marriage, even if he is a demon/vampire/soulless creature. I grew a little soft spot for Edwaaaard that night. Just a little one though. And then, after the movie, we had a sleep over.

I am glad that I have gotten to be the mother of both boys and girls. I have learned so much about both genders that I never would have believed if I had not had both. And, I am glad that I had more than one boy because my boys are all really different in personality.

Anyway, I had just gotten my sewing area cleaned up and all ready to sew on when the party happened and now, everything has been shoved onto that desk (since it was a clean area, of course) and I have to start all over again. That seems to happen a lot around here.

But, I did get the sewing pegboard up. It looks fantastic. I am still working on the pegs though, so no pics yet. But it isn't quite ready to show the world yet.

I also got the materials for all of my upcoming projects at Home Depot. I got the boys' tub scraped free of yuccky old caulk and am going to be adding the new sealant and fix the floor in there and fix the surround.

I have guests showing up tomorrow afternoon, too, for the 4th of July, so I have to get all of that sort of stuff done too. I have about 800 irons in the fire at any one time. I wish sometimes that I was the kind of person who dilligently does one task at a time, but I suspect that it is not in my nature either.

Well... off to get some coffee and get started on my projects. It is chilly and cloudy here today after a few days of sunshine. We are supposed to be cloudy/rainy until the 5th of July. You have to love God's sense of humor. He is good in all things!

Have a great day- whatever you do!

Been reading a lot of designer blogs

I love summer! I actually have TIME to do things that I want and all right...need to do (ok so housework is in there too, but only 15 minutes at a time:)

So, I was blog hopping and found all these great blog sites and am totally inspired to redo like my whole ENTIRE house. I am loving this great yellow color on the walls with big white baseboard and black accents. So beautiful, calm and elegant. Actually, the pic is from the Target website... Target, who knew??? Love, love, love it!

Anyway, one of the blogs (can't find the link...) was about accomplishing ten things in ten days. I am going to take up that challenge, but have to halve the list because, of course, I am 5 days behind everyone else, but better late than never!

Here's my list.....

1. Finish the peg board sewing organizer! (My first diy project of the summer)

2. Organize sewing desk and get the rest of my room cleaned up (its too trashed for words right now)

3. Chalkboard paint the back of the front door. Add frame. (I am forgetful and hope this will help!) (Have to find a big frame too!)

4. Sew 2 skirts for my daughter on newly organized sewing desk:)

5. Closet makeover.

Here's my rest of the summer list...

6. Get garden cleaned up (copper tape for slugs)

7. Make 4th of July fizzy drinks and deck out the deck and front of the house in style

8. Make tippy pots decoration for the front of the house (sooo cute) (14 in. pot and 3 8's)

9. Revamp sewing chair

10. Baseboard for the house.

11. Big mirror redo in my bathroom (show and tell blog inspiration)

12. Paint bookshelves, add hidey curtains (dropcloth covers and skinny tension rods)

13. Paint the sewing table

14. Curtains for the bathroom?

15. Kids bathroom floor, toilet seat and the bath (3/4 round and plumber's goop)

16. Spray paint the shoe baskets. (hee hee, no more day glo yellow!)

17. School stuff, math thing with Karen, reorganize files, and color code....

and so much more.....

Oh and time to play and just relax and enjoy summer and my hubby and my kids.

Well, no time like the present. Better stop blogging and get started!