Piggy Bank

I've had an opportunity come up that would allow me to stay home with Molly part time. *Insert happy dance here!

Along with part time work comes part time pay. *Insert financial stress face here

So I've made some efforts in the last couple of weeks to really look at where our money goes. I mean I know we make it, and Lord knows we spend it, but on what exactly? I started reading this blog. Where this family of 6 is living on $28K/year. She's got some great practical tips and is very inspiring. But sorting out a budget (I mean a real one where you don't just toss it out the window halfway through the month) is a little overwhelming. So I poked around on Pinterest and found a few different budgeting forms.

This is my favorite

These would work too but I wasn't up for spending any money

Then I came across something about the envelope cash system. Which I have sort of done in the past I just didn't know that's what it was called. All my fixed bills were paid first (rent, utilities, etc) then whatever amounts were budgeted for the other categories I put onto giftcards. Grocery budget went on an HEB gift card & gas budget on a gas station gift card. When it ran out it was out. I'd have to decide if I wanted to use "entertainment" for it or not. If there was anything leftover it ran over to the next month and I could put the difference into savings.

So I've decided for experiment's sake to give it a try again this month. I filled out our budget and I'm going to make envelopes for my store specific cards. (I know you're suppsed to use cash because it's harder to spend than "plastic" cards but I'm being realistic here) I'll need 5:

HEB (groceries)

Target (diapers)

Wal-Mart (gas)

Dining Out (cash)

Entertainment (cash)

We'll see how it goes this month. Maybe this budgeting thing won't be excruciating so hard after all. And if I get stressed I'm going to go to these for comfort

Because when it comes right down to it....

This is what's really important!