Since the first day I got accepted into the respiratory therapy program, I have been wondering how in the world I was going to pay for five straight semesters without working. I still occasionally work at my job, but the little I do make is more for us to be able to keep fixing up our house and to be able to go out and do fun things once in a while. It's almost time to register for the next semester and the thought of watching our savings slowly decline has started to seep into my mind.
When Matthew came home Saturday and brought in the mail, there was a letter from the school. When you aren't expecting anything, you instantly think it's bad news. I opened the letter up and read about two sentences before I burst into tears. I just sobbed. I got a scholarship for this semester! Since I already paid up front for this semester (because you have to), I will get back the amount of the scholarship. This amount will definitely cover my tuition for the spring semester with a little left over to go towards books!
I have been praying and asking God to help me to have more faith and to worry less and to depend on Him to provide while I prepare to serve Him with this career in respiratory therapy. He has certainly provided! Two out of the five semesters are now paid for!
Showing posts with label budget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label budget. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Grocery Shopping and Pantry Organizing
I have not been grocery shopping in forever! Matthew and I have both just been on a long run of eating out. It was just so easy when my schedule changed because of school. Eating out is expensive. And it finally has taken its toll. As you read last week, I got back in the meal planning game. Now we're into week two of consistent meal planning! This weekend we went to the grocery store and got a bunch of stuff that we needed. We're not only meal planning for dinner, but also for breakfast and lunch.
As of today, Matthew is going to be taking his breakfast and lunch to work with him instead of buying fast food. I see Matthew as being the bigger challenge because he loves to go out for food. But in order for us to stick to our budget, this has to work. So every night I am going to get Matthew's lunch bag ready for the next day. I also need to find him a real lunch bag instead of a Wal-mart bag! haha I'm such a great wife!
We now have a variety of breakfast foods (cereals, poptarts, protein bars, smoked sausage) and snack foods (chips, dips, cookie bars, goldfish) and fruit (apples, bananas, pears) and lunch foods that are not so healthy. I will make healthy lunches my next goal.
And after the huge grocery store haul, I felt compelled to clean out the pantry and organize it! It looks so amazing! There is a breakfast section, a snack section, a baking section, a pasta section (it's sad that I have over 15 boxes of pasta). I also bought these cute canisters. So excited to get them! I'm going to put my sugar and flour in them.
As of today, Matthew is going to be taking his breakfast and lunch to work with him instead of buying fast food. I see Matthew as being the bigger challenge because he loves to go out for food. But in order for us to stick to our budget, this has to work. So every night I am going to get Matthew's lunch bag ready for the next day. I also need to find him a real lunch bag instead of a Wal-mart bag! haha I'm such a great wife!
We now have a variety of breakfast foods (cereals, poptarts, protein bars, smoked sausage) and snack foods (chips, dips, cookie bars, goldfish) and fruit (apples, bananas, pears) and lunch foods that are not so healthy. I will make healthy lunches my next goal.
And after the huge grocery store haul, I felt compelled to clean out the pantry and organize it! It looks so amazing! There is a breakfast section, a snack section, a baking section, a pasta section (it's sad that I have over 15 boxes of pasta). I also bought these cute canisters. So excited to get them! I'm going to put my sugar and flour in them.
I also bought this two-level wire rack today at TJ Maxx. I have been wanting something to put my fruits and vegetables in. I've been using a wire bowl, but I had just one. Maybe it's just me, but I don't like my fruits and vegetables touching each other. Is that weird? It has rope around the rims and looks like an old antique. It's super tall too. I saw it yesterday but thought $25 was too high. Then I couldn't stop thinking about it. I was so glad that they still had it today! I think I would have cried if it was gone haha.
Monday, October 18, 2010
New Beginnings!
This weekend was the beginning of a couple of things.
We went to Dave Ramsey Saturday at the RBC Center. And we had a great time! Well we had a great time after we actually got inside. Traffic was terrible as the state fair is right across the street. We sat in traffic for an hour and were within viewing distance of the RBC Center the entire time! And apparently we made some kind of illegal move and were told to exit the property immediately. We went around some cones to get in. Yet the people at that entrance directed us down to the parking making no comment that we had done nothing wrong. Yet the two people at the parking section were rude and could not even answer my question about whether we would be allowed back on the property. That was an adventure. But we were not the only people to arrive late, so it was okay! And the next four hours flew by because we were actually having fun learning!
So after the show, we bought the home study kit to go through the 13-week class. We did the first lesson last night. It was eye-opening! The lesson lasted about 60 minutes, and we filled in the workbook answers while we listened. Afterwards we did our homework assignment which is to do a quickie budget of the four necessities: house, utilities, transportation, and food. We realized how much difference there was between our necessity bills and how much we are actually spending each month. And we have officially started on baby step 1 which is to save $1,000 in an emergency fund! I am so excited to have started this step! I don't even know the last time I had a decent amount in savings.
And to see Matthew's excitement over all of this has amazed me! I am so proud! I think I even shed a tear or two.. tears of joy of course. This is our beginning to live like no one else. The numbers don't lie and this is the motivation we needed!
The second thing is that my Solo Slim arrived this morning! And so today is the first day. I can already tell that my appetite is not as ravenous, for the lack of a more descriptive word! I didn't even finish my whole 6" sub for lunch! I am very optimistic about the next few weeks and to see the results! I haven't had any jittery feelings or heart racing. I haven't felt nervous or had any changes in temperature. And I have not felt nauseous. This may be the easiest diet ever!
We went to Dave Ramsey Saturday at the RBC Center. And we had a great time! Well we had a great time after we actually got inside. Traffic was terrible as the state fair is right across the street. We sat in traffic for an hour and were within viewing distance of the RBC Center the entire time! And apparently we made some kind of illegal move and were told to exit the property immediately. We went around some cones to get in. Yet the people at that entrance directed us down to the parking making no comment that we had done nothing wrong. Yet the two people at the parking section were rude and could not even answer my question about whether we would be allowed back on the property. That was an adventure. But we were not the only people to arrive late, so it was okay! And the next four hours flew by because we were actually having fun learning!
So after the show, we bought the home study kit to go through the 13-week class. We did the first lesson last night. It was eye-opening! The lesson lasted about 60 minutes, and we filled in the workbook answers while we listened. Afterwards we did our homework assignment which is to do a quickie budget of the four necessities: house, utilities, transportation, and food. We realized how much difference there was between our necessity bills and how much we are actually spending each month. And we have officially started on baby step 1 which is to save $1,000 in an emergency fund! I am so excited to have started this step! I don't even know the last time I had a decent amount in savings.
And to see Matthew's excitement over all of this has amazed me! I am so proud! I think I even shed a tear or two.. tears of joy of course. This is our beginning to live like no one else. The numbers don't lie and this is the motivation we needed!
The second thing is that my Solo Slim arrived this morning! And so today is the first day. I can already tell that my appetite is not as ravenous, for the lack of a more descriptive word! I didn't even finish my whole 6" sub for lunch! I am very optimistic about the next few weeks and to see the results! I haven't had any jittery feelings or heart racing. I haven't felt nervous or had any changes in temperature. And I have not felt nauseous. This may be the easiest diet ever!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Finances.. Or the Lack Thereof!
I am so excited about this weekend! Dave Ramsey is speaking at the RBC Center! They had a few tickets on Groupon yesterday for half price, so of course I snagged a couple for us!
Matthew and I are both young. I work full-time. Matthew is considered part-time but usually gets about 35 hours a week. We make above minimum wage, but not much more. And we are paid hourly and not salary. I bought a house last year, which has been great now that we are married. At times, I feel that it is a lot more expensive than renting, but I honestly know that in the long run it will be cheaper than renting. I also attend school full-time through a community college and part-time through a university. I have a large amount of loans! My dad owns my car and therefore pays for the insurance and for the gas. Matthew's grandpa paid for his car when it was purchased. We recently added his car to our insurance policy to receive the discount on the home insurance, but his grandpa is giving us the money to cover the cost of the car insurance. This really saves us a lot of money by not having to cover these costs!
We are basically living paycheck to paycheck. And I can't stand it! I love to save money and have a budget that I can stick to. But it's hard to have a budget when your pay is not consistent and your expenses come quite close to making all of your money disappear. And every time we get ahead, something comes up and then we are back where we started. We have no savings, so there is no emergency fund. All of our extra money is spent on eating out and shopping. We have been fixing up our house, so a lot of money has been going to those final touches.
In our marriage, I am the one who handles the finances. Matthew likes to spend. I like to save. And sometimes I like to spend. I have control of the money. Matthew does not realize how much things cost and how high our expenses are compared to our income. I of course worry constantly.
I'm excited to hear Dave Ramsey speak! I really hope that we walk away from this being able to create a working budget (that actually works for us and not against us!). I hope that Matthew really understands how much money we have coming in and how much we have going out. I want him to realize that cooking at home vs. eating out (even the same meal) can save so much! I hope that we can sit down and talk about our finances without me getting stressed out and Matthew getting mad. I hope that we come to have a mutual understanding of where we are and where we could be!
Matthew and I are both young. I work full-time. Matthew is considered part-time but usually gets about 35 hours a week. We make above minimum wage, but not much more. And we are paid hourly and not salary. I bought a house last year, which has been great now that we are married. At times, I feel that it is a lot more expensive than renting, but I honestly know that in the long run it will be cheaper than renting. I also attend school full-time through a community college and part-time through a university. I have a large amount of loans! My dad owns my car and therefore pays for the insurance and for the gas. Matthew's grandpa paid for his car when it was purchased. We recently added his car to our insurance policy to receive the discount on the home insurance, but his grandpa is giving us the money to cover the cost of the car insurance. This really saves us a lot of money by not having to cover these costs!
We are basically living paycheck to paycheck. And I can't stand it! I love to save money and have a budget that I can stick to. But it's hard to have a budget when your pay is not consistent and your expenses come quite close to making all of your money disappear. And every time we get ahead, something comes up and then we are back where we started. We have no savings, so there is no emergency fund. All of our extra money is spent on eating out and shopping. We have been fixing up our house, so a lot of money has been going to those final touches.
In our marriage, I am the one who handles the finances. Matthew likes to spend. I like to save. And sometimes I like to spend. I have control of the money. Matthew does not realize how much things cost and how high our expenses are compared to our income. I of course worry constantly.
I'm excited to hear Dave Ramsey speak! I really hope that we walk away from this being able to create a working budget (that actually works for us and not against us!). I hope that Matthew really understands how much money we have coming in and how much we have going out. I want him to realize that cooking at home vs. eating out (even the same meal) can save so much! I hope that we can sit down and talk about our finances without me getting stressed out and Matthew getting mad. I hope that we come to have a mutual understanding of where we are and where we could be!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Trying Out Some New Methods!
I have been cooking at home every night for dinner for the last week. And this is going to continue for the next five weeks, at least. Now I don't cook dinner every single night. There are at least two nights of leftovers or easy meals (sandwiches, etc.). I guess I should say we are eating at home every night. And so far, so good! I sat down last Sunday and created a meal plan for six weeks. I always try to meal plan, but like I've said before, my schedule is still not a routine to me yet. But having the meal plan is helping out a lot with getting into a routine!
You can check out my meal plans and other coupon deals over at Deal for Real!
Now, I have allowed us a $50/week grocery budget. This is our normal grocery budget. So for the next six weeks, I am dropping it to $25/week. This includes any cleaning supplies, personal hygiene supplies, and food. For those of you that don't know, I have a fairly stocked coupon closet. There are a lot of things that we don't need. I will only be getting those things if they are free! So I think we can definitely manage on $25/week for the essentials of bread, milk, and produce. We have plenty of food in the closet and in the freezer to last us much longer than six weeks!
And by dropping our food bill to $25/week, we are saving $100 automatically for the month! This of course makes me very happy!
I have thought of a new schedule that I think will work for both of us! Since I have class to go to at least twice a week, sometimes three times, I have decided to schedule when I go to class around Matthew's work schedule. If he's working late, then I'll go to class. If he gets off before me or is off for the day, then I will go straight home from work. I just think this will allow us more time to spend together! For example, Matthew works late today and I have a big coding test due tonight, so I will go straight home to get that done before he gets there. And tomorrow, he is off so I will go home right after work. I sure hope this goes well!
And last but not least, I have purchased the 30 Day Shred video by Jillian Michaels. I am going to use the video starting today. I must be crazy! But my sister's wedding is less than 7 weeks away! If I could lose just 10 pounds, I'd be happy. If I lost 20 pounds, I'd be happier! Please pray that I don't kill myself. I am not the most coordinated person. Jumping jacks are not my friend! And the last time I did some major exercise was when I played sports in high school four years ago.
You can check out my meal plans and other coupon deals over at Deal for Real!
Now, I have allowed us a $50/week grocery budget. This is our normal grocery budget. So for the next six weeks, I am dropping it to $25/week. This includes any cleaning supplies, personal hygiene supplies, and food. For those of you that don't know, I have a fairly stocked coupon closet. There are a lot of things that we don't need. I will only be getting those things if they are free! So I think we can definitely manage on $25/week for the essentials of bread, milk, and produce. We have plenty of food in the closet and in the freezer to last us much longer than six weeks!
And by dropping our food bill to $25/week, we are saving $100 automatically for the month! This of course makes me very happy!
I have thought of a new schedule that I think will work for both of us! Since I have class to go to at least twice a week, sometimes three times, I have decided to schedule when I go to class around Matthew's work schedule. If he's working late, then I'll go to class. If he gets off before me or is off for the day, then I will go straight home from work. I just think this will allow us more time to spend together! For example, Matthew works late today and I have a big coding test due tonight, so I will go straight home to get that done before he gets there. And tomorrow, he is off so I will go home right after work. I sure hope this goes well!
And last but not least, I have purchased the 30 Day Shred video by Jillian Michaels. I am going to use the video starting today. I must be crazy! But my sister's wedding is less than 7 weeks away! If I could lose just 10 pounds, I'd be happy. If I lost 20 pounds, I'd be happier! Please pray that I don't kill myself. I am not the most coordinated person. Jumping jacks are not my friend! And the last time I did some major exercise was when I played sports in high school four years ago.
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