Stephanie's Frugal Journey

Just $50 more. But every little bit helps!!

Total Score at Bi-Lo yesterday. $101 groceries purchased for $44.00. This was after bonus card, coupon & a $25 gift card for transferring a prescription that I needed to be filled anyways.YAY!

So 38 plus 44= 82spent/200goal!

I got so much food that I will actually make this challenge. I just know it!

I paid my van payment & my payoff is 530. I wish I could get this paid off asap! That would help out so much.

My dad called this morning & asked me to come in and help at his office 3 days next week. He has meetings, so I gladly jumped at the chance. I also should get paid for training on Monday at my WAH job. I still havent finished the training. It seems like it is taking for-evah. I'm losing interest because the training is soooo long. 45 hours.

The kiddos are back in school today. It's quiet here this morning.LOL!

Wednesday was a no spend day. Well except for my normal 50cent newspaper. I only buy the paper on Wednesdays & thats to get the local flyers for the grocery stores! So $2.00 a month expense. It's worth that for sure!

I paid $20.00 on Carson's lunch acct this morning & i'm going to clean the house this morning & then go pick around at the library.I havent gone in ages & these cold nights it would be nice to curl up with a good book.

I'm challenging myself to only spend $200 this month. I typically spend 280-300. This would mean 80-100 to go in the e.fund.

So far 38/200 spent.

WE have quite a bit of meat in the freezer & staples like flour,cornmeal, sugar, etc.

I think I can do it!

So far today has been a no spend day as well!

I kept my nephew for my MIL, since she had to work. The boys enjoyed the company & played well together. They are currently watching Spiderman 3. Well B & Nephew are. C is reading books and drawing. He's such a good kid! (Most of the time, LOL).

I made a big batch of potato soup last night & so I play to eat that for lunch the next few days. Also left over baked spaghetti from the reunion.

It's supposed to get very cold tonight, so Josh is going to go get some wood cut for the fireplace/woodstove.WE normally try to heat with wood 95% of the time, but the past 2 weeks he didnt have a day off until now. So he went to grab a truckload. WE have land we own up near the inlaws that we plan on building or getting a modular in the next year or so (depends on debt reduction), and so he has cut down some of the trees to use as firewood & to help start clearing it.
Win win situation.
We also have an oil monitor heater. But oil is so expensive, we try to rarely use it. Thank goodness for these mild days.

I'm going through the house today to look for things I can unplug. Our power bill came and it was $76.69, which is lower than last years at this time. I just know we can go even lower though!

WEll last night was a family reunion and my mom & stepdad rode with me. I put $10 in gas & they put $10 in as well! This gave me almost 1/2 tank. That should last me till next payday..Thursday. If not a bit longer. That was all that was spent yesterday!

Today will be no spend day for me! I'm staying at home with the boys & just hanging out. They watched a movie & are now taking naps. It's rainy & yucky out & a good day for relaxing!

I've almost finished my training for my at home job. I will be getting that direct deposited soon! It's going straight into the emergency fund!Hubby has had to work all weekend, so that means OT as well!! It would rock if I could get this funded in like 2 weeks!

I will try to get the van paid off and work on some of the hospital bills.

LOL..

A guest left a comment asking if I would be willing to share about my low rent.

Well, first off, I'm in Marion North Carolina. We are in between the wonderful Asheville & Hickory. I'm also about 1 hour or 1 1/2 away from Boone, Home of the Applachain mountaineers! Go APPstate!!

We live in an older (like 1950's) 3 bedroom 1.5 bath home. We found the house full of "things" and in awful cosmetic shape. The lady who lived owned the house died about 5 years ago & this house was basically a storage for her kids. The son said he'd be willing to rent it if we did the work to it. it mostly consisted of ripping up nasty carpet & sanding down beautiful oak floors, new countertop, gutting the bathrooms and paint. A few patches to sheetrock and buying our own appliances.

Our landlord did replace to wooden windows with new doublepan storm windows and doors.

Our landlord is retired from at&t & this house is his play money fund. Sometimes our check doesnt get cashed for months on end.

So I guess we are extremely lucky. For a couple hundred dollars & lots of my, my hubby, my FIL & BIL's sweat equity; we are guaranteed this low rent.

Of course this is also a low cost of living area, which also means the pay isnt so great. My husband has to drive to Asheville to work, which is a 100 mile round trip commute. There is no public transportation available as well.

Feel free to ask any questions!

Income: Hubby's $500.00 weekly (sometimes with OT slightly higher, but this is normal)

Bills:

REnt: $350.00 (We live in the Boonedocks of NC )
Power:$80.00
Phone/DSL: $60.00
Water: $50.00
Truck Payment: $120/Owe $2700
Van Payment: $150/Owe $700
Car Insurance: $110 (Full coverage $100col/0 comp)
Gas: Hubby:$85 weekly- he has over 100 mile commute)
Me: $40 weekly- Hope to lower this ASAP!
Groceries: $70 weekly (Hoping to drop this ASAP!)
C's Lunch Acct: $40- Both boys get free tuition but since C's is included in exceptional children, they dont cover lunch. We dont have the option of packing a lunch.

This leaves $300. I havent included incenditals, like; haircuts(though hubby buts the kids, I get one like every 2 months & hubby monthly),fast food (nono!!)birthday gifts, prescriptions, co-pays, etc.

This also doesnt include any payments toward Hospital Bills.




But It gives me somewhere to start. I know we will get a tax return of some kind & hopefully we will be able to pay off the Van & maybe even the truck.That will free up another $150 or $270.

I'm going to stick all my paychecks from the new work-from-home job in the savings. I dont know how much or when that will start coming in.

Just a quick lil introduction:

I'm Stephanie, I've been reading p.f blogs and frugal blogs/sites/forums for about 2 years now. I've picked up quite a few tips and tricks. It's time to get black belt serious though.

We are current on our of our bills at the moment. WE do have close to 7,000 in medical bills. We are sending what we can. We also do not have an emergency fund.

I'm getting that started slowly but surely this next week.

I will be posting our income/outgoing as soon as get them all together. I've started that process.

I'am currently not working at the moment, I'm in the process of training for an at home job. It is through a well known legitimate center. It only pays $6.50 an hour, but It allows me the flexibility of working during my childrens crazy preschool schedule.

More to come soon...Any questions, just ask!