Budget Update

So I have been good and bad about the budget this month.  Here is my list that I had made and I will write in red to show my progress/failure this month.

Grocery budgeting....last night I made a game out of our monthly menu. I am tired of picking the whole month for menu as I usually get "I don't like this" or "really this again". So we each had to put down 5 meals on post it notes (non-sticky). I am not putting them on a calendar as I want to be able to draw from the pile (continuing the game) each day and that is our winner for the day. We have 5-6 grace days for leftovers or making something completely off our menu post its.  I have stuck with the monthly menu but trying to go to the store once a paycheck has been the challenge as I did not prepare very well.  I am hoping to do better in November.


Coupons...are my enemies. I hate clipping as I either forget to use them, the store doesn't accept (Sam's Club) or they expire by the time I use them. I am hoping to change that factor.  Coupons are still my enemy.  I did print off some coupons for Kwik Trip but that is about as far as I have made it.

Eating out...We did good in September as we only ate out for Harry and I's birthdays. October will be an exception for our "honeymoon weekend" but other than that I have a goal not to eat out. We tried very hard to be frugal on our honeymoon weekend.  Now this past weekend was not good as we went out to eat  with some friends which meant I still needed to feed the kids.  Ellaree requested a cheeseburger so what was easiest in my mind...run to McDonalds and buy some cheeseburgers off the dollar menu.  Plus you have to add in the expense of a babysitter. We took advantage of our neighbor girl since the kids were already in bed before we went out. 

Date night...Not really worried as Harry and I rarely get this. With the exception of October for our "honeymoon weekend".  I would categorize this along with Eating out since that is about the only time we do something together (besides the honeymoon weekend). 

Cooking and baking...shouldn't be hard as I love to do both, right? I love to do this for everyone else but for at home. There is something to be said for when you have company come over or you are taking to someones house as they just had a baby, been in hospital, etc. There is a satisfaction of helping someone out or entertaining. But when it comes to every day life, well it is a struggle for me. Sounds crazy, I know. I am going to work on having more healthy choices for meals, snacks and desserts every day for my family as well as entertaining and families in need.  We have done pretty good here.  Ellaree and Lorelai have been requesting more baking these days so it has been much easier.   I would say I have succeeded in this area more then anywhere else.

Lights...Even with the energy efficient light bulbs throughout the whole house I am trying to convince the entire family that when you leave a room to turn off the lights. Ellaree is notorious for this as she just walks out of the room. But when she is in a room, all the lights need to be on! Drives me nuts!  I would say a little better.  If you could just categorize it as electric it will be good all around as we have the wood stove working, lights in every room seems to be better and we are not using our central air. 

Another accomplishment this month is the choice to go from Similac to Parents Choice (PC) formula and to go from Huggies diapers to PC diapers.  With Harry's sensitive stomach we had to wein him off of the Similac.  This has been a challenge but is getting better and better, we have actually been doing this for the last 2 months with the formula.  First we had to do half Similac, half PC and half whole milk.  We are now down to just PC formula & whole milk.  I was a little leery about going to PC diapers but they have amazed me at how well they are made and very similar to Huggies.  I was very impressed and $5 cheaper a box. 

So I am gaining slowly but getting there.  I would like to also cut my food budget by 25%.  I will try but not sure how that will go.