Over the last year we have been spending money like we were actually employed. I was getting $900 every two weeks for 1 year on maternity leave from the government but other than that we just few a hundred dollars coming in randomly (bookkeeping job, interest from a loan we lent, income tax return). We never went into debt BUT we used quite a bit of our savings.
Now Scott is employed! Working as an intern for the government. Amazing experience but little pay. I'm currently updating my resume and already have found child care for Boston starting July 4.
I realized we (okay, mostly me) need to get on top of our money and spending! I have always wanted to do money jars just never got around to it. My favourite money show is Till Debt Do Us Part (it aires on a few different channels and a few different versions including Home Edition and Princess Edition). Gail always sets up each couple with money jars. Starting TODAY I have taken away our bank and visa cards and we are a officially a money jar family! Is anyone already doing money jars and have any great tips?
To set up our money jars I first set up a budget worksheet a lot like Gail's found here. I will admit that I am kind of a geek when it comes to spreadsheets. I have had an excel spreadsheet budget for many years. I can tell you exactly how much we spend and on what. You think the numbers would have scared me to go to money jars sooner, but at the end of the day we always found the money. Sadly looking back, I cant believe how much money we could/should have saved!
Next I took baby food jars that I was saving. I used WD40 to take off all the glue from the labels. If you haven't tried this before, it works! Just spray onto the glue, wait a minute or two. Scrub off and if glue remains, spray again.
I then spray painted the lids a fun yellow that I had from a pervious project. I thought about creating cute labels with my cricut but for now I just used my label maker to print out my categories.
I have a good friend that is going through some hard money times and she listed on her blog some great points that she is started off with to get out of debt. My favourite ones that got me really thinking are 1. Plan your weekly meals around what is on sale in the flyers. Too bad flyers don't come around lately... but I can go online. 2. Gives yourself a time limit on the amount of time spent at the grocery store. Love this idea. I am one of those shoppers that stores love. I take my time... going around Superstore and Walmart looking at what is new. 3. Fill up your gas tank on cheap days. Didn't even know there was such thing!
I feel like if I share my struggles with money, I might be able to stay more committed. I love when Gail on Till Debt Do Us Part makes the couples tell their families how much debt they are in. Most of the time they have hid it from their families and close friends. By coming clean their families/friends are more likely to stop asking them to host big parties, go out for dinner, ect. I am going to make a commitment that every month I will tell everyone how my progress is going. My goal is to save enough money that when we are done with Regina, we will have a nice downpayment for a HOUSE back in Alberta! Oh how I dream of a house!
If you have had any success or failures saving money! I would love to hear about it. Leave me a comment below!
