February 2012 Budget Challenge

[sotsuguyou]

Oo...I've been looking for something more patterns to try. Thanks Valiant.

[Valiant]

A few more links for rug patterns added at end of Pg. 1 of our thread.
Some are tutorials for beginners.

[sweetproserpina]

Thanks for the explanation of your rag rugs- I wondered what the crocheted ones looked like. One day when little ones aren't at my feet, I'd like to do old-fashioned hooked rugs, they always look so homey

I worked hard today to get ready for DD's 2nd birthday party tomorrow. Made chocolate cupcakes and iced them, and also made my teapot cake- tricky, but I think it worked out pretty well! I will post a pic tomorrow.

[Valiant]

Thanks for the explanation of your rag rugs- I wondered what the crocheted ones looked like. One day when little ones aren't at my feet, I'd like to do old-fashioned hooked rugs, they always look so homey

I worked hard today to get ready for DD's 2nd birthday party tomorrow. Made chocolate cupcakes and iced them, and also made my teapot cake- tricky, but I think it worked out pretty well! I will post a pic tomorrow.

You go girl...sounds very delicious...but now I want chocolate.
Oh those days of homemade designer birthday-cakes!
I remember baking cakes all the years of my kids' birthdays. Then came one year when DS#3 asked me if I'd buy him a cake that year...he had come shopping at Superstore with me and he'd seen their big Black Forest Cakes...the chocolate shavings, the cherries. Well, so that's what I did, and it cost me about $15, and looked so yummy! At his birthday party, he cut a huge slice, took a big bite, ate that, and then this disappointed look slowly came over his face...hahaha...I'll never forget it. Didn't taste quite the same as homemade, I guess. Since then, I've occasionally asked him if he would like me to buy him another Black Forest Cake, and he always quickly says...no...oh no, Mom...that's ok.

Have a lovely party!

[bobbiegirl2010]

My goals for this wknd are:

- Make double batch of chili using 2 crockpots - Done! Actually had enough ingredients to make a triple batch using 3 crockpots!
- Bake bran muffins
- Take DD to free skating at local arena (and hopefully not kill my feet!) - went to arena and found out public skate was cancelled today
- NO GROCERY SHOPPING!!!!!!!!!!!! - Tried to not shop but had to buy 2 red peppers and 2 cans of corn for chili and also picked up 3 loaves of bread on sale for 3/$5.00...
- Get gift card for nephew's b-day
- Buy arts and crafts supplies and reusable containers at dollar store ($20 max) - I have no desire to shop so I think I will post-pone this...
- Buy cat food that is on sale at Cdn Tire
- Look for cork board (free or cheap) to use for hanging children's art projects

[Valiant]

- finish week-day goals
- enjoy the beauty of the hoar-frost on the trees outdoors
- de-stress from the strain of last week
- shut out the noise and oppressive attacks of 's
- re-establish inner peace by affirming the authority of God over us all
- find comfort by reading His Word
- keep the faith

"And though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear for God has willed His truth to triumph through us."

[Valiant]

Today while doing my errands downtown, I was fortunate to find 3 bags of oranges in the bargain-bin for a total of $3. Just what I needed; went without citrus last Nov. & Dec., but got a few bags of oranges in January, which are almost gone. Have been feeling weaker lately, so hope this helps. A beautiful day, very mild, but made it much harder to manipulate my walker through the mushy parts of the snow.

Have been checking out the CRA site and reading up on the OAS and GIS.

`````````

Today I got a 'damage-control' survey form in the mail from my Conservative MP; saying how much the gov't does for Seniors, how much they value the Seniors contribution to building-up Canada in our lifetime, and that 'it's only right that we (gov't) make sure they're (Seniors) financially secure'.
No mention about 'the proposed changes to the eligibility age of 65 to 67',
or that 'Seniors are a threat to the economic security of Canada.'
I'll have to make some notes on that form, and also contact their website with some comments.


Here's the website for the survey:

http://survey.conservative.ca/seniors/4007

[LaineyB]

i am going to join this, how does it wrk? we put a break down of what we spend a month etc?

[sotsuguyou]

i am going to join this, how does it wrk? we put a break down of what we spend a month etc?

Sure! Everyone does what works for them but most folks put an estimate of how much they are going to spend this month on various things based on their income for the month. The goal then is to stay within budget.

The basic idea is that because you're posting, you become more aware of your spending habits. It also helps to keep you on track for any future goals or helps your save for that big ticket item etc. And the beauty of this forum is that you'll get lots of encouragement, support and helpful feedback from folks.

[LaineyB]

ok here it goes

Expenses:
Rent (+ utilities): PAID (as per rate)
Phone & Internet and cable: $112.00 PAID
Food & Stockpile: $121.06/ $200
Miscellaneous: $15.35
Other: $21.35d valentines, toy for ds and derby practice)
Loan $100 PAID
Gas $140/180
School Fees $190 PAID


Total February 2012 Expenses to date: $1942.37

Coupons Used: $101.07
Change Found: $ .16
Extra Income :$195

SPEND Days to date: 9/29

NO SPEND Days to date: 18/29


Goals:
-no shopping until 17th
- add money to savings
- bring in more money
- put extra money brought in, into vacation fund

To-Do List:
- finally get the house looking how i want
- get out the sewing machine
- try and do freezer meals
- take a day and make pancakes/waffles and freeze
- clean the playroom and set it up better
- start thinking about gardens etc


Living within my Budget: (updates)

[Jody22002]

I am going to join too because we have now gone from a one income family back to a two income family. Now that I know we could survive on one income, more focus is going to be on savings. There are going to be a few bigger expenses coming up though.


January/February Budget 2012:

Mortgage: PAID
Property Taxes:200.00 /200.00(set aside for next year)

Hydro: $122/$122
TV/Internet: /44.80
Cell Phones:165.86 /165.86
Water: 20.00/20.00
Phone: /40.00(guessing bill hasn't come yet)
Car Insurance: /127.00(set aside for next year)
Life Insurance: 22.00/22.00
House Insurance: 44.00/44.00
Gas: 20.00/80.00
Groceries:7.00 /300.00
Savings: 500.00

Misc:

Haircuts for four of us:30.00 /72.00
Oil Change for Car: /60.00
Deductible for the accident my H had: /200.00
Son's B'day gift: 67.00/67.00
Clothing for all: /250.00

Everyone needs some new clothes this month. I am allotting each person 50.00 and hitting up the secondhand stores and Winner's Clearance Sale.

[sotsuguyou]

Yay! The more the merrier!

[secheltsaver]

bobbiegirl2010-I just noticed that you need a free or cheap display for kids art,presumably for the home daycare.Got an old yardstick or something similar,and some wooden clothes pins?There's a site called ana-white.com that has tons of free easy woodworking plans,and she's got a simple plan for using those items to create a holder for kids art.Here's a link:http://ana-white.com/2010/11/ruler-clip-art-rails.html
It's one of my favorite sites-the plans are geared towards your average handyperson,and easy to follow.She has a lot of kid oriented stuff because she has a preschooler

[carebearhamm]

So an update - January the kids were sick and Feb I have been sick still coughing but much better. my goals of no sugar and fastfood have gone right out the door. I hoping to restart my month on Monday. Im feeling bad i went shopping today for food - got what we needed lots of veggies, yougert - no junk and still spent over 170 dollars.

[Tresmom]

So an update - January the kids were sick and Feb I have been sick still coughing but much better. my goals of no sugar and fastfood have gone right out the door. I hoping to restart my month on Monday. Im feeling bad i went shopping today for food - got what we needed lots of veggies, yougert - no junk and still spent over 170 dollars.

I always find with the kids we go over budget on groceries every week even though I cook from scratch and we do not eat alot of pre-packaged food. Every week I think "I need to adjust the budget for next week" and the same thing happens again. I'm sure if we keep working at it, we will get there.