I often get asked to share my meal plan for the week and this is something I have done in the past, but stopped doing for whatever reason. So, I thought with a new month upon us why not bring back the meal planning posts. Now, although I do meal plan for the week, I do not necessarily designate a certain meal to a certain day. I find it much easier to simply plan 7 meals and have the ingredients on hand for those meals to pick and choose from. This also always us to be flexible with our meal plan in case something comes up, or we decide to eat out, etc. Meal planning is something I enjoy doing and helps me to make out our grocery list, but I don't want it to be 100% set in stone. I like to have some wiggle room to play with.
So, what are our options for this upcoming week.
What's for Breakfast?
I always have these items on hand for any given day of the week for quick and easy breakfasts.
-eggs (usually scrambled)
-instant oatmeal
-bacon or sausage
-cereal
-bagels w/ cream cheese
-breakfast burritos
-omelets
-smoothies
What's for Lunch?
Usually served with homemade fries/chips, fruit, veggies
-Hotdogs
-Soup
-Steak & Mushroom Melts
-Tuna Sandwiches
-Homemade pepperoni pocket
What's for Dinner?
I don't normally plan out my side dishes. We generally just have items on hand to make salads, any type of potato dish..fries, chips, roasted potatoes, hash browns, mashed potatoes, etc, and an assortment of frozen veggies, etc.
-Lobster
(definitely not something we generally have, but Aldi has a great deal on them this week)
-Chicken Parm w/ Gluten Free Penne Pasta
-Homemade Taco Bowls
-Homemade Baked Taquitos (never made these but seem easy enough)
-Lasagna Roll Ups
-Hotdogs
-Homemade Blueberry Waffles
So that is everything we are having this week. Please let me know if you enjoy these types of posts so I know if I should make them a regular thing on my blog. Also, I would love to hear from you and let me know what you have planned on your menu for this upcoming week.
Homemade pepperoni rolls bring back fond memories of my childhood. I lived for the days when my mom would make them. Pepperoni rolls soon became a staple at every birthday, along with homemade cinnamon rolls, but that is a different story all on its own.
The recipe I use is not the same one my mother used when I was growing up, but a pepperoni roll is a pepperoni roll and they are all delicious no matter what.
So what do we need?
-pizza dough*
-mozzarella cheese
-pepperoni
-2tbs melted butter
How do we make these?
First roll out your dough into a square or circle or heck any shape really.
Brush some of the melted butter on the top of the dough.
Toss on the cheese and the pepperoni.
Roll up that sucker into a log shape making sure to seal shut any of the openings as well as the end pieces.
Using a sharp knife (or dental floss) cut the log about every inch or so.
Place the slices of pepperoni roll into a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray
Pop them into a 400 degree preheated oven for about 15-20minutes
Enjoy!
*You can find the recipe for my homemade pizza dough over on my channel HERE but feel free to use your favorite pizza dough recipe as well.
**In a rush and don't have time, use a can of crescent rolls. Roll them out flat and press the edges together to form a large piece of dough. Works just as well and still tastes delicious!
Alright everyone it is time for the final installment in my how to start a budget series.
So lets finish this series up!
What is a sinking fund?
A sinking fund is an event that is off in the distance that you will need money for. Some of the most common sinking funds that come to mind are Christmas and vacation. Sinking funds allow someone to set aside money for a certain event that will be happening in the future. Christmas is by far the #1 sinking fund that I recommend everyone to have. I can not tell you how amazing it feels to have Christmas roll around, money set aside for presents, no over spending, no worry, and budget intact. It is truly the greatest feeling in the world, in the financial world at least lol.
So why have a sinking fund?
Sinking funds allow money to be set aside for a future event and help to reduce worry about having money for that event when the time comes. Nothing is worse then Christmas being a month away and not having any idea how you are going to pay for presents, food, and everything else that comes along with it. Having sinking funds makes saving for that event a little bit easier, as money is slowly put away over time opposed to one large sum being withdrawn from your account. Sinking funds just simply help with preparing financially for any event in the future and helps ensure the money will be there when you need it.
So how much money do you put in?
If you haven't read/watched Part 2 in my budgeting series I would highly recommend it. How you determine much money you put into your sinking fund is the exact same method for deciding how much to put into your envelopes. Determine how much money you need for X event, how many months you have to get that money by, and then simply divide the two. For example, we want to have $500 in our Christmas envelope by the beginning of November. This gives us 10 months to save up. $500 divided by 10 months means we would need to put $50 away every month in order to have $500 by November. Now, I don't know about you but I would much prefer to put $50 away each month instead of waiting until November and trying to find where that $500 would come from or withdrawing that large sum out of our account. It makes the amount a little easier to swallow, if done in small amounts each month.
Alright so I know what you are thinking. I would love to use the envelope system but.........
I hear it all the time, the reasons why using envelopes just wouldn't fit your lifestyle. That you prefer to use your card instead, that it is more convienant to use, and what about the rewards you get when you use your card. I get it, I really do! Swiping a debit/credit card is quicker and easier, so how do you stay on budget while still using your cards?
Lets talk credit cards.
While, I personally do not like credit cards, I know others who love them and swear by them. So how can you stay on a budget while using a credit card.
1. Have a written budget. Regardless if you are using cards or cash you need to have a written budget in place for your money. Even if you use cards, it is still important to know how much money you are bringing in and how much money is going out. You need to be budget concious with your money, even more so with cards then cash because you can't phsycially see how much money you have left after each purchase.
2. Pay that card off!!!! DO NOT just pay the minimum. If you are going the credit card route, follow your budget, and when you receive the bill in the mail pay it ALL off. The fastest and easiest way to get yourself into debt is by not paying off the whole amount, which allows more and more transactions to pile on and this can quickly escalate leaving you buried in credit card debt.
3. If you won't have the money to pay off your card in full, don't buy it! Another way to look at it is if you had cash on hand would you still buy that item? If not, good chances are you should not put it on your credit card. It is important to always be mindful of your money and make smart choices. Think about if you had $50 in cash on you, would you still buy the items in your cart? Chances are you probably wouldn't. It is very easy to buy more items then you would with cash, when using a card. Cash hurts to hand over, you want to keep as much as possible, so with using a card you don't feel the same pain in swiping the card and more then likely will buy more things then you would have if paying in cash.
...but what about debit cards?
All the rules with using a credit card can also apply to using a debit. However, using a debit is a little bit closer to using cash then a card since you can only spend what you have in your account. So if you use a debit card keep these things in mind.
1. ALWAYS know how much money you have in your account at all times. DO NOT just guess how much money you think you have. This is a sure fire way to over withdraw from your account which can lead to nasty fees, sometimes up to $50. DO NOT let this happen to you. Be mindful of your spending and how much money you have in your account. If you are not sure, either look it up (most banks have online apps for your phone) or put stuff back until you can be sure. Thinking you have enough money or thinking you will just pay the overdraft fee if you don't, is not smart. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, but a mistake that could be avoided with just a little effort on your part, there is no excuse for.
2. Budget your money either through manually keeping track of every transaction or through the use of apps. If you choose to keep track of your money manually, sit down and come up with a budget, take envelopes or a notebook, write down the categories and how much money you are allocating for each category. Use this budget just like you would if using cash envelopes. Every time you swipe your card, write down how much money you spent and deduct it from the correct category. When you reach zero in the category, DO NOT use your card for anymore purchases in this category. This can be quite difficult for some, since using a card is a little bit harder to keep track of. Small purchases such as a $1 here or $3 there can easily be forgotten and not written down. So, if you are going this route make sure you are dedicated to it and you trust yourself to be responsible enough to keep track of each and every transaction. One missed transaction can easily ruin your budget.
Let's talk about apps, mainly Mint.Com
Mint.Com is a budgeting app that I have personally used in the past. It is almost like a virtual envelope system. You sign up for a free account, enter your information such as checking/savings account, any student loans or credit card debt you may have, your income, and then the fun part, setting up categories. So, just like you would the envelope system, Mint.Com lets you set up categories, you can make as many as you want and the neat thing, every time you use your debit card, it shows up on Mint.Com and gets placed in the appropriate category. So say you always buy gas from XYZ, every time a transaction shows up from XYZ it will automatically be placed in the gas category. You can even set up budgets for each category, the same you would budget your cash in the envelopes. If you budget $50 for gas for the month, Mint.Com will show how much you have spent and how much you have left out of that category. You can also add goals, such as a savings goal of $500, you can then track the progress of that goal. It really is an all around neat app.
To make matters even better, if you want to be able to use Mint.Com on the go, you can download one of their many apps for anything from a tablet to the iphone. You can also set up bill reminders and choose when you want to receive those notifications (a week before it is due, 2 days before it is due, etc) and you can have the reminders set to your email, phone, or even both! No reason to ever forget when a bill is due ever again lol
Alright everyone, I have shared everything I know about starting a budget, the rest is up to you now. I hope you enjoyed this budgeting series and was able to find some of it at least a little bit helpful. I wish each and every one of you a financially happy year. Now go do that budget!!!
For Christmas this year I received a $50 Forever 21 gift card as one of my presents from my mother in law. I knew that I wanted to use the gift card online (I can't stand going in to the actual store, but that is another story all on its own lol) and the great thing is if you spend $50 or more online you get free shipping.
Score! $50 to spend online on whatever I want, plus free shipping
AND I can do it while wearing pajamas...SOLD!
So for the past month or so I have been casually browsing their online store. I would add a couple things to my cart and then come back a bit later and remove those items only to add different ones...and so on and so on. This continued for about a good 2 weeks until finally I decided whatever items I put in my cart next I was buying!
So about a day ago I posted on my INSTAGRAMthat I had received my box full of goodies from Forever 21
A couple of you mentioned you would love to see a haul. Since I only ordered a couple things, I thought instead of a video, why not show you what I bought here instead.
So what did I buy?
One of my favorite things from Forever 21 is their tank tops. At only $1.80 each they are an awesome deal! Unfortunately because they are so cheap, they don't last forever. I decided to pick up a couple new ones. I choose one in white and the other in heather grey.
I also picked up a new pair of sweat pants. I chose to go with the black ones with the phrase "laugh, dance, love" on the side.
These are super comfy for just lounging around the house and for only $15.80 not a bad deal.
The next thing I chose was 2 nail polishes. I am just a wee bit obsessed with nail polishes lately and wanted to grab a couple new ones to try. I have never bought nail polishes from Forever 21 and have not had a chance to try them yet, but I am anxious to see how they hold up. These were only $2.80 a pop
Above is "Turquoise jewel nail polish" and the one on the right is " Jazzed glitter nail polish"
I also decided to pick up some jewelry. Forever 21 is known for having some really cute and inexpensive jewelry. Most of my jewelry collection has come from Forever 21.
The first jewelry item I picked up were necklaces. This one on the right is the Opulent Medallion Necklace. You had the option of purchasing it in black/gunmetal or peach/cream, which is the option that I chose. This pretty little thing only cost $6.80
The second necklace I chose is very unique and I love that it has so many different pieces. I really love necklaces that have multiple charms. This necklace is called the "crazy hearts charm necklace" and was also $6.80
Next I chose 3 sets of earrings. I LOVE buying earrings from Forever 21. Not only are they cheap, but if you buy the sets of earrings you get multiple pairs for one price. For instance, the first set I bought comes with 6 different pairs of earrings for only $4.80. 6 pairs of earrings for only $4.80 what! That means each pair only costs about 80 cents. That is a great deal in my book. I also love how simple these are, they are something I can wear everyday.
The next set of earrings that I bought comes with 3 different pairs. A mint color, a cream, and a pink. These are the "lacquered knot studs" and only cost $3.80. I like that I can wear these everyday as well but they are a little more detailed and elegant.
The final set of earrings that I picked up came with 4 different styles of earrings. I love these sets that have different designs/styles all in one. This is the "sweet thing stud set" and was only $4.80. My favorite out of this set would have to be the bows or the very last ones. I just love the tiny pearl clusters.
So, that is everything I bought at Forever 21 for $50, technically $55 once I paid for tax, but not too shabby at all. I love everything I bought and am so happy I was able to find items I would enjoy online, so that I didn't have to venture out into our local Forever 21 store. Our local store drives me crazy and is just one big headache. There are just racks upon racks everywhere and nothing is organized or has any rhyme or reason to the way it is set up. For a person like myself, who likes being organized, seeing that store that way makes me want to pull my hair out lol Not to mention, the high school girls who work there are very stand offish to put it nicely haha.
So, I shop online. Makes me retain my sanity.
Have you done any shopping lately? What is your favorite thing to purchase from Forever 21?
Today we are going to be talking about the infamous envelope system. About a year ago my husband and I decided we wanted to start a budget and give the envelope system a try. Since then it has become a big part of our life in terms of our finances. I often share our personal envelopes with those of you who follow me on youtube and it has come to no surprise that many of you are interested in learning more about the envelope system and where to start.
If you asked someone today what is the envelope system most would probably associate it with Dave Ramsey. While Dave Ramsey is truly an advocate for the envelope system, generations upon generations have been using envelopes to budget ones money for years and years. Back during times such as The Great Depression, many families used envelopes to budget their money. At the time, banks were not seen as safe and families wanted to have more of a handle on their own cash. Just like today they would take money they received from their paychecks and divide it into multiple envelopes for things such as bills and food. Many families hid their envelopes under their bed mattress in order to keep it safe. Today we can keep our envelope money safe a little bit different, but the principle is still the same.
So, what exactly is the envelope system?
The envelope system is simply a way of budgeting ones money with the use of envelopes for different categories. Some of the most common envelopes include food, fuel, entertainment, and eating out.
So why use the envelope system?
While the decision to use the envelope system can vary from person to person, one of the main reasons to use the envelope system is to keep ones budget on track. It has been shown that swiping a debit/credit card is easier then handing over cash. People become attached to cash and using envelopes to budget your money, you always know exactly how much money you have at any given moment. This can help someone from overspending money and make wise choices in terms of what you are actually spending your money on. For example, if you have $10 left in your envelope and still another 2 weeks to go before you put more money in the envelope, it might make you think twice about hitting up the drive through on the way home from work.
So how do you set up the envelope system?
This is probably my number one most asked question when I talk about our envelope system. How do you set it up? Where do you begin? What do you use?
My biggest suggestion I have if you are wanting to set up the envelope system is start slow! Starting the envelope system is really like anything you might want to try. If you have never run before, the first thing you would do wouldn't be to run a 5k would it? No! You would start off slowly, go walking, then turn to jogging, then running, and finally after you felt comfortable with running you may decide to enter a 5k.That is precisely the same thing with starting up an envelope system. I know, I know, you might want to just jump right in and think that in order to be successful with your money and this system it is best to just jump right into it. Honestly, this is the easiest way to make you hate the envelope system and the easiest way to become overwhelmed and frustrated and give up on it altogether. So, start slowly. You need to work your way up to it. Try using only a couple envelopes at first. Maybe even try just one if that seems more approachable to you. The idea is that switching from a card based world to a completely cash based world can be very intimating at first and is enough to scare most people away. If you start out slowly, with just a few envelopes this gives you a chance to really focus on those items and learn the patterns of your spending, what you spend it on, how often you are spending it. It also gives you time to make mistakes and learn how to adjust your envelopes to fit your needs. Once you are comfortable with those few envelopes, add in a couple more, and so on. Keep adding envelopes until eventually you have all the envelopes that you want to have. It takes time and you will mess up, it is to be expected. When you first learned to ride a bike, I can bet that you fell off multiple times before you finally got the hang of it. You didn't give up though right? You kept getting back on even if it was scary until finally you reached that day where you actually learned to ride a bike and it seemed easy and wonderful and was no longer overwhelming. I promise you, that if you keep trying and keep at it with your envelopes you will reach a point where it becomes easy and you don't have to think too much about it, it will just become something you do and part of your routine.
How much money do you put in each month?
Good for you, you started using envelopes and have come up with your categories but now what? How do you figure out how much money to put in? Honestly, the amount in your envelopes will vary from person to person, just like your categories for your envelopes will vary from person to person. I am going to share with you the method that I have found that works for my family, however just because it works for my family doesn't necessarily mean it will work for yours. My method though, can be a starting point for anyone trying to start using this method. If it works for you great! If it doesn't, it at least should give you some sort of idea where to start and how to tweak it to work for you. So what do I do? Some envelopes have a set number every single month, these are part of our basic budget (food, spending, misc.) These envelopes are given the same amount every month and are part of our budgeted expenses. The other envelopes that we use, such as hair cuts, car insurance, AAA membership are figured out using the following method.
Lets say that I need $100 by Oct 1st. (we will also assume we are starting in Jan) This means I have 10 months before I will need that $100. So, I will divide $100 by 10 months. This means I will need to put $10 in my envelope every month for 10 months in order to have the $100 by October.
I use this method for every one of my envelopes. So, make a list of all your envelopes, how much money you need/want in them and when you need that money by. Then divide the amount needed by the amount of months you have to save that money and this will give you the total amount you need to put away each month. Now, sometimes you may not be able to put away money in your envelopes every month, and that is OK. In that case, you need to decide what envelopes are your priority. Paying your car insurance should be more important in terms of saving for opposed to going on Vacation. While a vacation would be nice, if you don't pay your car insurance, you won't be able to drive your car to your vacation spot.
What about an emergency fund?
Having an emergency fund is very important. Especially if you are a home owner or car owner. You can expect things to break and need fixed or replaced. Having an emergency fund set in place can help deal with all the wonderful unexpected events that life likes to throw at you. I suggest everyone have an emergency fund. If you are using the envelope system this would be one of the first envelopes I would suggest. How much money to put in this envelope completely depends on you and what you feel comfortable with, but I would suggest having at least $1,000 in your envelope. However, even if you only manage to put $200 or $400 in your emergency fund that is still money that can help out if an unexpected event should occur. Now with that being said, I would also suggest starting a home repairs or car repairs envelope for when those issues arise. Your emergency fund is a great way to start, but having those other envelopes can help out just as much and lets you keep your emergency fund intact for a "real" emergency.
Where do you keep it?
This is also a question I get asked all the time. Many people say one reason they do not like the envelope system is because they don't feel safe having that much cash lay around the house. My suggestion, invest in a good quality, water and fire, proof safe that is decent in size. Having a small safe might be less expensive and less of an eyesore, but if you have a safe that is easy enough to pick up, if someone ever breaks into your home there is nothing stopping them from picking up that safe and taking it, only to break it open once out of your home. Investing in a larger safe, makes the likelihood of someone being able to carry your safe off with them, a little bit more unlikely.
What happens if I forget the envelope at home?
So, you are using the envelope system, have all your envelopes marked out with money in each one. Good for you right? Well, what happens if you forget an envelope at home and you are out somewhere and that purse is calling your name? There are 3 ways I personally handle this.
1. I try to keep envelopes that I frequently use on me at all times. Envelopes for things such as spending, fuel, and groceries I always have on me. These are my most reached for envelopes. Decide what envelopes your family will frequently reach for and keep them with you. This will help cut back on times that you don't have an envelope that you need with you.
2. I use money from an envelope I already have with me. Lets say I have my grocery envelope on me but not my spending envelope. I see that purse I have to have. I will use money from the grocery envelopes that I have with me and immediately upon arriving at home, I take the money out of my spending envelope and place it back in the grocery envelope (the envelope I borrowed from). I will say I try not to do this too often because it does require you to know how much money you have in your envelopes and can become messy. For instance what if you thought you had $50 in your spending envelope and when you get home you find out you actually only had $30? Mistakes like that can ruin ones budget, so try not to do it too often if you can help it.
3. Same thing goes for #3, try not to do this too often but if needed here is what I do. If I forget my envelopes at home but I have my debit card on hand, I will pay for the purse with my debit card, keep the receipt and once home remove the money from my envelope and place it in my bank envelope. Next time I go to the bank I deposit the money back into our account. This method is generally what we choose to use when ordering online. However, make sure you know how much money is in your bank account before using this method. We don't want to over withdraw from our account. This can lead to hefty fees that we don't want!
Alright, I think that sums up the envelope system. Be sure to watch the video below if you want to learn how to make your own envelopes to use. Printable I used can be found HERE
Also, be sure to check out the blog post for part 1 HERE if you haven't already.
You can also watch the video for part 1 below.
Be sure to check back next week for part 3 of this series where we will be talking about sinking funds and how to budget using cards instead of cash.
About a week ago I picked up a Kitchen Living juice extractor at my local Aldi store. I had wanted one for quite awhile but could never justify the price.
When I was browsing the weekly ad for Aldi, I noticed they had a juicer for $34.99. Needless to say I was really excited and decided to check it out when I went grocery shopping. I decided for $34.99 if I only used it a couple times I could justify the price and if I never used it again, well I would only be out $35 opposed to $100+ I had seen other juicers go for.
I shared this juicer in my grocery haul and I got asked quite a bit to do a review on it. So I decided what the heck! If video reviews are more your style, you can watch the video where I share how to assemble, use, and clean this particular juicer.
However, for those of you who just like to read about the pros and cons of a product and read about others opinions, this post is for you. So, lets start off with the pros and cons
PROS:
* This juicer was much cheaper then most I had found and with a price tag of only $34.99 it is definitely budget friendly.
*There are suction cups on the bottom of the juicer to prevent the machine from moving around too much while juicing. This is great because I don't have to worry about someone knocking it over or it moving around while I am trying to use it.
*Easy to assemble. It only took me about 5 minutes to set up, from un-boxing, cleaning, and then setting it up for the first time use.
*Easy to clean. I had always heard that juicers could be a bit of a pain to clean since they have so many parts. I found it only takes about 10 minutes to clean everything up and is super easy.
* Seems to have no issues with juicing. I tried multiple types of fruits and veggies, cut to all size, with skins and without skins, and it had no problem juicing whatever I threw at it.
CONS:
* It is quite loud (I do think this is quite common with juicers, but still something to think about)
*It is quit heavy and bulky (again something I think most juicers are, but good to know) If you have limited counter space or cupboard space to store this, you may want to reconsider. I still have yet to figure out where to store mine haha
*You need to hand wash the juicer (I did read online somewhere that you can put some of the parts in the dishwasher, but the manual does say hand wash) Personally, I hate having to hand wash items and much prefer to throw stuff in the dishwasher, but if hand washing doesn't bother you this shouldn't be an issue. Also as I stated in the PROS, it does only take 10 minutes to hand wash, so I would count this as a huge CON. ***UPDATE: After re-reading my manual it appears you CAN wash the removable parts in the dishwasher, on the top rack away from the heating element.
OVERALL THOUGHT:
Overall, I would say this is a well priced, easy to to use juicer and is definitely worth giving it a shot. Especially, if you are new to juicing and not sure how much you will actually be using it. Personally, I think I will be using this quite a bit, as there really is nothing like freshly squeezed orange/apple juicer.
So, if you are in need of a juicer, run out to your nearest store and grab one! This was in last weeks ad, so I would assume most stores should still carry them until the 14th or 15th.
Let me know if you end up purchasing one and how you like it Or What type of juicer you have and how do you like it?
It is a brand new year and with that everyone around me is setting goals to become more organized financially and setting up their budgets for the new year. A big question I often get asked though, is where to begin? In my 3 part mini series, How to Start a Budget, I will be talking you through all the ins and outs of starting a budget. If you haven't read my post about this budgeting series, you can find it HERE.
So for today, we are going to be talking about the basics of a budget and where to begin.
There are a few things that I feel everyone should know before starting a budget.
1. What is your income?
2. What are your fixed expenses?
3. What are your variable expenses?
4. What are your other expenses (savings, spending, budgeted expenses)
#1. What is your income
This may sound like a silly question but it is the most important aspect of starting a budget. You can't begin to start a budget if you have no idea how much money you are bringing into the household. So, get out your paychecks and figure out exactly how much money you are bringing in each month. Also add in any extra money that you may bring in (this can be from side jobs, freelance work, etc) Once you have an actual amount that you can put to your income, you can move on to the second most important part of a budget, how much money is going out each month?
Now that you know how much money is coming into your household each month it is important to determine how much money is going out of your household. In an ideal world the amount of money outgoing will be less then the money that is coming in. (We want to be in the positives not negative, when it comes to our money) For example, If you make $800 a month, we want our outgoing money to be $800 or less. If we are bringing in $800 a month but $1000 is outgoing, this means we are in the negative and we have some work to do.
Now that we know how much money is coming in and going out, lets take a look at #2 and #3 and find out exactly what our outgoing money is being spent on.
#2 Fixed Expenses
Fixed expenses are items that you generally pay every month and always stay the same. Your mortgage payment or rent payment generally stay the same each month. Other items such as phone bills, internet and cable also stay the same. Fixed expenses are the easiest expenses to keep track of on a budget. When you have a fixed expense, you always know when it is due and exactly how much you will need. This makes it easy to allocate money for those expenses. For example, if your rent is due on the 1st of every month and is $400, you know that every month you need to allocate $400 of your income for that expense.
Although fixed expenses generally are a set amount, it is important to re-evaluate them a couple times throughout the year. Look at your fixed expenses and see if there is a way to reduce the amount or if it can be cut altogether. For example, contact your phone company and see if you are eligible for a family plan that may help to reduce your monthly cost, or how about switching to basic cable instead of the premier package (or even cut it out altogether and use a service like Netflix or Hulu instead) Once you have exhausted all options in terms of reducing your fixed expenses, you can move on to the variable expenses.
#3 Variable Expenses
Variable expenses are items that again you generally pay every month but the amount always changes. Your electric bill and water bill are two great examples of variable expenses. Variable expenses are a little more difficult to budget since they are always changing however, it can still be done. One way to budget these types of expenses involves tracking past bills. Look at your monthly payment over the past 3-4 months and find the average.For example if during the past 3 months, you paid $30, $35, and $37 you can add the three payments together and divide by 3 in order to find the average amount spent. This will give you a good estimate of how much money you should be setting aside for that expense. You can also use past payments to determine how your bill may change during certain seasons. For example, if in 2013 your average electric bill during the winter was $200 and during the summer it was $70, you know that during the summer months of 2014 your budget for electric will be much lower opposed to the winter. Finally we can move on to #4 and all those extra expenses.
#4 Extra Expenses (Savings, Spending, & Budgeted Expenses)
So now that we started to discuss budgeting expenses that change, lets dive a bit further into that area. It is important to also budget for items such as food and fuel for your car. Some people might assume it is too hard to budget for these items or not realize the importance of doing so. First, lets think about the items we spend every month and how much we want to spend on them. For example, in my household we budget $400 a month for all grocery cost. Yes, sometimes I may spend over that amount but having a budget for those items allows me to put aside that money so it is ONLY allocated for those items. If I did not have some sort of budget in place it is very likely I would tap into that money and instead of having $400 for groceries I may end up with only $300. Without have a place for all your money to go, money can be spent on other things since it is there and has not been assigned a reason. This leads us into the method of zero based budgeting.
Here we have an example of what a zero based budget should look like. Now you may be wondering, what exactly is a zero based budget. A zero based budget is a budget that, essentially, starts with X amount of money and ends up with 0. The intention of this type of budgeting allows for all your income to be accounted for. Every last dime has a reason and a place that it is to be used for. In this example, we start out with an income of $800, we then subtract all of our expenses from that amount. In this example, after all expenses are accounted for, we are left with $200. We now need to determine where that $200 is going to go. We are going to allocate $150 towards savings and $50 for spending. This brings our total down to 0, this means that every single dollar from that $800 income has a purpose and a reason. Without giving your money a purpose or a reason, a budget can be useless. You worked hard for your money so don't let it go to waste. Make sure your money is accounted for and put to the best use for your particular situation.
Now that we have covered the basics of a budget, fixed & variable expenses, budgeted expenses, and what a zero based budget is, you are off to a good start. Just remember, your budget is working for you, not the other way around. If you do not like the budget you currently have, know it is OK to change it. In fact, I encourage it! Look at your budget on a month to month basis opposed to a yearly basis, not only does it make things seems a little less overwhelming but sometimes our needs change and while your budget might work great for 4 or 5 months, month 6 you may have completely difference circumstances (a new addition to your family, a loss of a job, a move, etc). Budgets are't meant to be set 100% in stone, there has to be some wiggle room. If you try to make your budget 100% set in stone, refuse to re-evaluate it and change it, your budget is going to end up working against you instead of for you. You will soon resent having a budget and that just leads to frustration and bad choices.
So remember, make your budget work for you, go over your budget on a monthly basis if needed, and know it is OK to make mistakes at first, everyone does. Just learn from those mistakes and try again. If you are too hard on yourself, you will lose the motivation for having a budget.
With that being said, this is where part 1 of this series ends. Remember to keep an eye out next Sunday for part 2, where we discuss the envelope system and how to get started.
Time and time again I receive so many questions in regards to starting a budget, where to begin, how to utilize the envelope system, how much money to put in each envelope, and the list goes on. In this 3 part series called "How to Start a Budget" I will be covering the following:
Part 1: The Basics & Where to Begin
In part 1, we will be discussing the basics of a budget and how to start setting up a budget. We will discuss fixed expenses, variable expenses, and how much money we have coming and going. It is important to figure out how much money you have coming in before you can determine how much money is going out and if you are in the positive or negative. This is the first place to start when coming up with a budget and allows you to figure out where you currently stand and generally is the first thing that is easiest to fix. In part 1 of this series we will also be discussing a zero-based budget, what it is, and how it can work for you.
Part 2: Utilizing the Envelope System
In part 2 of this series we will be discussing the envelope system. Most people are at least somewhat familiar with the envelope system and understand the basics of how they work. In part 2 of this series we will discuss what exactly is the envelope system, why use the envelope system, and how it can work for you. We will also be going over how to set up the envelope system and how to determine how much money should go into each envelope.
Part 3: Sinking Funds & Budgeting with Cards
In part 3 of this series we will be going over sinking funds. We will discuss how to set them up and determine how much money should be allocated for those funds. We will also be discussing how to budget with cards opposed to cash as well as some tools that can be used to help with budgeting.
So if you have been thinking about starting a budget for 2014 but not sure where to start, this series is for you! The first part in this series will be uploaded tomorrow, (Jan 12th) over on my youtube channel HERE
I am super excited to share today's post with you! For the past month or two I have been talking about ordering an Erin Condren life planner. I was a little leery to order one since I couldn't actually see it in person AND it also came with a hefty price of $50.
However, I decided to take the plunge and ordered my planner after hearing so many other people talk about how amazing it was and how much they loved theirs.
Needless to say I am jumping on the bandwagon! I am IN LOVE with my planner and I have only had it for a short while. However, it seems to be fitting my needs perfectly.
This is my gorgeous planner, I chose the pattern Dahlia and you can find it HERE
One thing I will say about this planner is it is well constructed. This binding is heavy duty and seems like it will hold up to daily use very well.
Each planner comes with tabbed dividers that are laminated Again I was impressed here, these tabs are not going to rip easily at all.
The planner comes with a 2 page monthly spread
I absolutely love how the stickers fit perfectly in the boxes. I am using the monthly spread to keep track of bills that are due, paydays, and any special occasions or appointments. The planner already comes with 2 sheets of blank stickers and 2 sheets of printed stickers. but you can also choose to add customized stickers (page of 60) for $5 or customized photo stickers, also $5
Following the monthly 2 page spread you will find your weekly pages, again a 2 page spread for each week. The weekly pages start off with Monday and end with Sunday. Personally I love having my weeks laid out this way as I like to keep my weekends together. The days for each week are broken down into 3 boxes (morning, day, and night)
At the bottom of the weekly pages there are lined areas where you can plan out your meals, exercise, or daily do's. I am choosing to color coordinate this area and am strictly using it for my meal planning and exercise. I love having this on my weekly pages and makes it quick and easy to plan out everything I need for the upcoming week.
Near the back of the planner you will find 2 pockets where you can tuck in notes, recipes you want to try, or bills to pay later. Really the pockets can be used for anything! I currently am using them to hold my stickers and address labels.
...and last but not least (and probably my favorite thing about this planner) is the zippered pouch where you can store just about anything. This is a great place to tuck stamps or your pens, or even receipts from the week. I absolutely LOVE that this is in the planner and it really comes in handy to store little things that may otherwise get lost.
Overall I would say this planner is a must have and is so worth the price. I could not be happier with my purchase and can not wait to continue using it and sharing it with you throughout the year.
Also a special thank you goes out to ErinCondren for their generosity in providing a $50 gift certificate for one of you to purchase your very own planner or any of their other amazing items over on their site.
This giveaway will run for 1 week and 1 lucky winner will be chosen!
All thoughts and opinions are my own. My personal planner was purchased and paid for by me. The $50 gift certificate for this giveaway however, was provided by ErinCondren.
With a new year comes a new budget. My husband and I came up with our 2014 budget along with our envelopes that we will be using for the upcoming year. We currently utilize the envelope system in order to pay for 90% of things in cash. If we don't have the cash for something, we simply do not buy it. This helps us to budget our money better and save more money opposed to spending.
This year we combined a couple different envelopes, got rid of a couple envelopes that simply were not working for us, and even added a couple as well.
To learn more about our 2014 budget and what envelopes we will be utilizing for the year, watch this video!
I get asked so many questions about our budget and our envelopes and the wallet that I personally use and with the New Year just starting now is as good of time as any to talk about budgets and becoming financially happy in 2014. One great way to do that is through implementing a system that works for you. For me personally, one of those things is my envelope wallet system by Dave Ramsey. I use this wallet every single time I go out and it holds all of my envelopes that I use on a weekly basis.
So, I thought what better way to start the new year off and get a budget in order then hosting a giveaway for the exact same wallet that I personally use and love.
You can enter the giveaway below!
DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with Dave Ramsey in any way and this is not a sponsored giveaway. I paid for the giveaway prize with my own money.
2014 Resolutions & Goals I try to make New Years resolutions/goals every year for as long as I can remember. There is just something about starting a new year off with a fresh start and an endless amount of opportunities ahead of you. My husband NEVER makes resolutions and instead lives by the idea that if you want to make a change, do it right now, why wait until the New Year? While I agree with his idea on making changes when necessary, there is still something about a brand New Year and the idea to come up with a list of things I want to accomplish throughout the New Year. So, with 2014 here already (I still can't believe it is already Jan!) I sat down and made my list of what I wanted 2014 to hold for me. So, lets jump in to my list!
Personal
-Find a part time job
-Read more
-Finish Wedding Scrapbook
-Finish 2013 Project Life Scrapbook
-Increase money I bring in ($400-$800 mth)
-Paint nails and dress up more
Fitness/Health
-Yoga in morning
-Work out 3x a week
-Smoothies in morning
-Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner
-Try green juices/smoothies
-Walking/Running when it gets warm
Youtube/Blog
-Finish Youtube Thumbnails
-Coordinating blog posts (or at least 2x a week)
-Craft channel up to date and then post once a week
-Etsy shop up and running
Financial
-Vacation Fund $400-$500
-Christmas Fund $500
-Car Repair Fund $400-$500
-Pay off 1 student loan
-Stay on budget for groceries and try to lower it to $300-$350
