Budgeting like a Boss.
So... my Trophy Wife and I need to save money. I'm dropping down to part-time while I go to school. School starts on Monday. We're making a list of things that we'll be doing to save money, and I'm going to post them here so that I'm absolutely obligated to follow the list. (Accountability, right?)
1. Eat through our supply of staple foods. Cook with bulk staples like rice and beans more.
2. Stop buying so many perishables; only buy what we're ready to use. Use the garden.
3. Drink tea instead of coffee. Drink through our MASSIVE supply of tea. Don't buy ANY more tea.
4. Make a grocery list and stick to it.
5. We're not allowed to spend more than $20 on groceries unless we're both there.
6. Stop spending so much when we entertain. We spend a LOT of money every time we have a party. We can have people visit, but we can't supply tons of things for the party.
7. No more booze. Drink what we have. No exceptions.
8. We'll stick with the mattress and table/chairs we have for now, and try to make them both last another year.
9. Use all of the toiletries that I've purchased on clearance sales; don't buy any more. (I tend to stock up when CVS marks things down to 75% off.)
10. Be responsible about replacing things (electronics, appliances, etc.). Discuss all purchases before making them.
11. Put off my car repair(s) until next year. One oil change before the end of the year, and that's it.
12. Trophy wife will use the fabric she has for costuming, and only buy things if she specifically needs it for a specific project that she's ready to start, and doesn't have an acceptable option in her stash.
13. Sell more stuff on Craig's List, as needed.
14. Do haircuts and massages for tips. (All tips will go directly into my paramedic school fund.)
15. Bring our own lunches to work.
That's it for now. We'll be trying to think of more ways to save money as time goes on. Feel free to offer reasonable suggestions. I'm already accustomed to buying in bulk, shopping sales, and scouring thrift stores. With the cool summer we're having, our electricity bill is low, and we have an energy-efficient house anyway. Still, all other suggestions are welcomed.
Anyway, that's most of what's going on right now. I'm still applying for ambulance jobs, trying to get away from the casino job. Sure, it's an EMT position, but the focus isn't on EMS, and I want to work on an ambulance crew. So... more applications and call-backs. Here goes nothing.
1. Eat through our supply of staple foods. Cook with bulk staples like rice and beans more.
2. Stop buying so many perishables; only buy what we're ready to use. Use the garden.
3. Drink tea instead of coffee. Drink through our MASSIVE supply of tea. Don't buy ANY more tea.
4. Make a grocery list and stick to it.
5. We're not allowed to spend more than $20 on groceries unless we're both there.
6. Stop spending so much when we entertain. We spend a LOT of money every time we have a party. We can have people visit, but we can't supply tons of things for the party.
7. No more booze. Drink what we have. No exceptions.
8. We'll stick with the mattress and table/chairs we have for now, and try to make them both last another year.
9. Use all of the toiletries that I've purchased on clearance sales; don't buy any more. (I tend to stock up when CVS marks things down to 75% off.)
10. Be responsible about replacing things (electronics, appliances, etc.). Discuss all purchases before making them.
11. Put off my car repair(s) until next year. One oil change before the end of the year, and that's it.
12. Trophy wife will use the fabric she has for costuming, and only buy things if she specifically needs it for a specific project that she's ready to start, and doesn't have an acceptable option in her stash.
13. Sell more stuff on Craig's List, as needed.
14. Do haircuts and massages for tips. (All tips will go directly into my paramedic school fund.)
15. Bring our own lunches to work.
That's it for now. We'll be trying to think of more ways to save money as time goes on. Feel free to offer reasonable suggestions. I'm already accustomed to buying in bulk, shopping sales, and scouring thrift stores. With the cool summer we're having, our electricity bill is low, and we have an energy-efficient house anyway. Still, all other suggestions are welcomed.
Anyway, that's most of what's going on right now. I'm still applying for ambulance jobs, trying to get away from the casino job. Sure, it's an EMT position, but the focus isn't on EMS, and I want to work on an ambulance crew. So... more applications and call-backs. Here goes nothing.