Delicate Balancing Act

Well, we are successfully in our first month of the Scrutiny Budget! We are tracking all expenses and comparing them to our budget and next month we will re-adjust again. It has really tuned my ears. I looked at our gas bill and immediately I thought, "What trips can I combine to make sure I fall in under budget?" Some people are asking more specifics on what we are doing. I don't want to give out numbers but I will get as specific as possible.

Funny how it works when you scrutinize your spending on paper! It is actually pretty fun. I am also seeing that it is okay to go to Chick Fil A once in a while. We won't break the bank! BUT, it is not okay for us to go out to big dinners or spend a lot of uneccesary money while we are out. We can go out to one nice dinner (like Chili's) and spend about $25 on it for the whole month. That will help us save and that is what we want. We did set aside some money for entertainment, but that includes blockbuster, eating out, and thrift store trips. It is better to set that a little higher so we learn where we can cut. I know I could cut in a lot of areas. If our goal is to save then I need to do EVERYTHING I can to accomplish that including sacrificing things like clothes and snacking while we are out running errands. We both cut out things like coffee or sodas on the run. WE just always bring water from home.

I have stuck very well to $50 per week in groceries still. I do not feel comfortable changing that yet. But I will, someday, trim another $10 off of that. We have been doing a meatless night and a backwards night. Backwards night is bacon and eggs or pancakes. We eat it in the living room and make it a fun night. I also do rice and beans or lentil soup on a separate night. I have been trying to prepare ahead and freeze one meal a week.

My articles on ehow, (see link on the right,) are starting to earn some money which has made me very happy about writing. I am, however, still not working on my novel. That has still been put on the back burner. I think I need a better plan for that. I still haven't gotten as much reading done as I would like. At the very least, I have been reading daily things like bible studies or blogs and such.

Madison has been doing amazing in school. We have done some really neat projects including cooking together. She is reading so well. We are currently studying the pilgrims and we will be starting the 13 colonies as we are talking about the settlers.

Mackenzie is standing and starting to babble Dada and Mama. We think she is reciting the Bill of Rights sometimes!!

Moments...where to begin!

-Madison jumping up and down on the front of the fire truck during our field trip.
-Mike on the floor with 2 precious little girls crawling on him.
-Madison getting her own cup of milk!
-Mackenzie and Madi....well, just them! They are always good moments for me!
-Girl's night with Life Group at Starbucks...so nice to be an adult and talk about what WE want!
-Mike home for a whole day!!!
-Madison cleaned out her room to sell some of her thing ans she earned $11 and will be giving $10 to the Net Work project at church!!! I am sooo     proud of her!
-A shower all by myself again! Happens once in a while!!

Balance is delicate, but it can break and be repaired very quickly and with little cost!