Frozen Nowhere

 In January I wrote out the things I most wanted to change in my life in 2010, rather than writing out resolutions.  I focused on the 5 areas of my life that I felt I needed to change to start getting back to being more fully ME.

The second of these areas was that I wanted to start having a POSITIVE relationship with my finances instead of being afraid of them.

So in order to keep myself on track, I have decided that I am going to check in every season to see how I am going, what I forgot, what goals have changed, and what I have achieved.

How am I implementing changes?

 

So the first thing, I realized I needed, is a non-scary tracking system. My new system needs to include these things:

• low-math
•  more visual than number based (I work well from graphs)…
• be something that I can carry with me easily (or at least PART of it should be).
• The guidelines should be clear (ie, I get $X for entertainment, and $X for food)
•  not OVERLY restrictive.
• There should be feedback for meeting or exceeding targets… 

 

I am sad to report that I haven’t yet put this into play. I have considered a few options, but so far I haven’t come up with anything that is 1) low math, 2) visual, 3) portable, 4) clear, 4) not restrictive, and 5) gave feedback – although I am open for suggestions.

Secondly, I needed a clear idea of what my expenses will be. As I said before these are pretty up in the air, because the move will change some of the expenses I had for the last year and a half  — I am getting these under control slowly, as the new bills come in over time. I have new bills – mortgage, condo fees, internet, property tax—and some that I used to have that I no longer have (gas, long distance) so I need a few months to assess my new situation fully.

Thirdly, I needed to take a serious look at the expenses I can cut down on. I have cut down on cell charges by changing my cell package. I cut out all the unnecessary satellite programming, and I am likely going to cut back satellite altogether. I no longer have a heating bill, as that is part of my condo fees (as is water, since the condos are water heated).

Fourth, I am changing how I spend on necessities :

How’s my grocery bill going?

Well… the changes I was hoping for didn’t really pan out yet. The things I did manage to change so far:

• I no longer have to entertain the Noodle and his kids, so I have decreased my entertaining costs and junk/snack costs by 90%! That was a larger than expected decrease in my spending.

I am still working on:

• going through the cupboards and freezers and see what I already have and consume THAT before going out to spend more
• have a meal plan set BEFORE I head out
• buy some in bulk and
• plan bulk meals and freeze
• Make the most of weekends for prepping for the week ahead — especially when I have the kids
• Cupons/discounts

New ideas to implement:

• smaller portions to reduce waste
• more fruits/veggies as fillers for meals and between meal snacks

Cutting my entertainment budget?

Things that have been working:

• make coffee at home

• reduce the number of meals out we eat

• have kids help cook/bake

• spend time reading with the kids or helping them with learning
• buy movies already viewed – interestingly enough, now that I no longer have to entertain theNoodle, I haven’t bought ANY movies

Things that I haven’t started working on yet

• cap entertainment spending
•  discount theatres – because theEx usually takes the kids to EVERY SINGLE movie that comes out, we rarely have any movies we can see discount.

• subscribe to magazines rather than buy them off the shelves, this is a SERIOUS savings
• go out for coffee rather than meals (significantly cheaper)
• make use of free entertainment — walks, parks, skating — or bulk value entertainment packages such as for local civic centres

 

Reducing clothing costs for the kids?

• Purchase only what they need
• buy clothes off season
• buy used clothes —not as much as I had hoped
• don’t buy brand name
• do not let the kids dictate waht they want to wear

 

Controlling household expenses:

• Making cleaners at home
• Avoid gimmicky cleaning devices
• have a cleaning routine
• buy in bulk when possible
• reuseable things
• QUALITY furniture
• Using lists 

I have reduced the number of times I go shopping per month. I have been trying to reduce the number of times I go out just to look for things, and not viewing shopping as entertainment, because that increases the likihood I will purchase things I don’t need just to fill a need.

I am working on being more CONSCIOUS about spending. For larger purchases I am starting to plan out how much they are and how I can get them, and what it will do to my budget. I can budget for larger items I need (like eventually having a bed set with a bed with MATRESSES!!! For myself) and how I can fit that in to the life I want to have.

Focusing on what I do have rather than what I don’t have… because I notice how much more JOY I have in the simple things when I consciously become aware of them. I am starting to feel much more comfortable in my home, and I enjoy spending time doing the things that enrich ME and not necessarily bringing more stuff into my house.

How have people been helping me with my goal?

• reminding me that things are not hopeless, and that even if I slip its okay to keep trying
• giving me tips or tricks that you use to keep spending low
• recipes and work arounds for meals that can be bulk batched
• reminder me that someone out there CARES
• ideas for my low math/visual/portable system

 

MY NEW AFFIRMATION:

I WILL change how I spend. I WILL stop buying crap I don’t need, just to buy something. I WILL stop shopping when I am bored. I WILL stop buying things as an activity. I WILL become more conscious about what I need, versus what I want. I WILL stop using STUFF to reward myself and my kidsI WILL focus on quality, not quantity. I WILL ENJOY the things I do have, not be buried in things I don’t want. I WILL budget for things that I need instead of buying and regretting. So I will.

Tags: budget, CHANGES: MONEY, finances, money, my life