Hi there, I haven't been on here for a couple of days, but have spent some time today reading other peoples' blogs and getting some GREAT ideas.

One thing I liked was ImaSaver's idea of putting $1 into savings when she met fitness goals she set for herself. Also every day that she doesn't go anywhere (drive) she puts $1 into savings. I think I could do that too.

In my previous entry I said I was going to cut down and eventually eliminate pop from my diet. I am also going to try to eliminate junky snack foods (i.e., Ho Ho's, my downfall). So what I am doing, is I usually shop every 2 weeks for groceries. I am only going to buy myself ONE kind of treat for the whole 2 weeks. For instance, a box of Ho Hos has 12 ho's in it. I am only going to get one per day. A 12-pack of Dr. Pepper, of course, has 12 doctors in it. So I only get one a day, and my hubby is going to keep them locked in his garage and only give me one a day. This is really great because we will spend less on snacks, and I will learn to cut it out of my diet. And considering the health issues I am having, this will help me immensely. Once I run out of snacks, I have to wait until the next grocery store trip to get anything else. But I will continue to get one thing and it has to last the whole 2 weeks between shopping trips.

What threatens to screw me up is my baking. I have a cake I was planning on baking, and we usually make cookies a lot. But what I am going to do is only one baked good per week (this is more for my diet than for the budget). And if I have a piece of cake on a particular day, then no Ho Hos. Same with cookies. Only 2 cookies and no Ho-Hos that day. You must all think I'm a goofball to have to tell myself these things.

* Ok, every payday is when I go shopping. If I can make it through a pay period and every single day of the period I stuck with it and didn't break the rule, I will put $5 in the savings.

Once I work out my exercise/fitness routine, I will put $ into savings when I meet my day's goals for that.

I am still working on my total plan. I'm still really excited to do this. I haven't told my hubby or anybody! If I find ways to include him on it, I will tell him. But the idea of coming up with extra money for vacations, birthdays, etc., will thrill him to no end. We are both already frugal in most of our lives. We just need to stop eating out as much as we do, and cut down on expensive junk food and impulse buys.


Since I started the other day, these are the things I have done to save:

Kroger Plus grocery savings - $24.22
Regular manufacturers coupon savings - $2.85
Keep the change checkbook roundup $ - $5.04

Previous balance: 21.10
Added Savings: 32.11
New Total: 53.21

Yay!