Savvy Budget

Day 22- baby steps

Ok, here we go again. I have a $1200 check in my purse plus 2 $40 checks from bank shops. I get paid again on Friday, but I will have a lower mileage check this pay period. :( I am also waiting on a nearly $400 from Best Buy- hate that place!!

With the 1200 uncashed paycheck, I will re-fund my baby EF. That will only take $800. the additional $400 will cover this month's car fuel and maintenance. The $80 will be deposited for cc debt payment.

Fasy forward to Friday January the 12th. That is the next payday. $900 in wages will be put toward budgeted bills. Mileage will be set aside toward car insurance due in April. Ins is $300, mileage is almost $200. That will go toward April insurance. I want to have it in hand because I get a discount for paying in full. I also do not have to remember to pay monthly payments and that is a good thing.

THEN January 28th, I get paid again. That will finish off January's budget and give me Auto expenses for February. Any extra mileage funds will finish off April's insurance bill. If there is any left, the rest goes towrd CC bill.

I am currently decluttering the apartment. Anything I think I can sell is going in boxes to take to my sister's house this weekend. She is working toward a $1500 dental repair she wants completed. I am am getting Gazelle on paying off my CC. I will be debt free by the 4th of July 2007.

We are looking into several venues to hold yardsales. Every little bit helps. I also need to look into completing a few more Mystery shops that pay. I also plan to get serous about doing online surveys. I need to replace my computer and it is NOT in the budget.

After paying off my cc, I will be focusing on two things. A) A fully funded emergency fund- I want a minimum of 3 months in that account. B) All mileage after Auto expenses is to be put in a new to me car fund. Both of my cars are over 10 years old. I am going to need a replacement in the next 1-3 years. Preferably later than sooner. I am on the 100% down payment plan for the next car.

I put a few more quarters in the 2006 $100 goal jar. I am still short ( I have $80 I need $20 more) and whittling away before I start the 2007 $500 qutr challenge. LOL- I am soooo going to fish the 2007 challenge on time. Even if I have to eat 4 cases of Ramen over the year.

I took a little notebook and I am in the process of numbering the lines 1-2000. I want to see all the ways I saved $500 a qtr at a time.

What did I do frugal today?
I worked on laundry- so I will have clothes for work. The more I wear the current ones I have, the less I will feel the need to buy new clothes for a while.
I used less than half the reccomended amount of detergent. I just let them soak a little and they come out just as clean.
I cooked danish ribs I bought on discount. That should be enough meat for the week.
I need to freeze a pork roast for next week's meat. It was also bough on discount.
I packed a lunch bag with snacks for this week at work.
I am soaking rice to eat with the ribs and to make into a stirfry later this week.
I need to make tea. These sodas are killing the budget.

Anyway, I need to go work on 80 more ways to save money this month so I can finish off the 2006 challenge. sigh- will I ever learn???

posted by Casper @ 8:26 PM