Friday, February 10, 2012

Where'd the money go?

So Michael and I have been talking about paying off those lingering school loans (they last for ten years you know), or maybe paying the cars off early, or basically, just wondering what it would take to live debt free.  Now, I'm fairly good with money.  I've been reading a lot of debt and money saving books and most of their suggestions are things I'm aware of.  I check resale shops for toys at birthdays and christmas, I only buy their clothes at the end of season sales, we very rarely visit starbucks, and when we do, it's a full outing.  I have some vices, we've decided we are tv people and we like our cable. So I did call about six months ago and get the best new deal I could, but we don't want to cancel it.  I'm also a bargain enthusiest, which means I shop online sales ALL THE TIME.  Now, I only buy the really cheap stuff, with free shipping, but I do buy sometimes.  Most of it is saved for later, for instance, I already have all the toys for the easter baskets because of after christmas sales, I have my dad's bday present, my husband's father's day presents, and some things for next years stockings all taking up room in the corner of the closest.  I budget, I use coupons when I have them, I use my stop and shop car to discount my gas, shall I go on?  I thought I was good at money.  However, while reading one of those debt books, this guy said to pick a few months here and there throughout the year and not spend any money on anything that's not a necessity.  I liked the concept, I wanted to know how much we might save or if it wouldn't be a big deal at all because we already only buy necessities.  So I chose February, a short month, to try this new money saving plan.  (The book says to use any savings from that month towards your debt... it's called the snowflake effect I think).  So here we are, ten days in, and I never thought it would be this hard.  First, Lake's birthday was celebrated on the 3rd.  I already purchased a groupon back in november for chuck e cheese so I thought we were all set, but what about plates and cups and hats and streamers???  Nope, not this year.  He didn't miss them, but Kai commented on the lack.  I did cheat and let him pick out two balloons and a bouncy ball, and we added french fries to the groupon order, so that was some 10.00 on non essentials right there, three days into the month.  Then Lake got money for his birthday, so we took him to target where he and kai used some gift cards they got from christmas and some birthday money to buy toys.  Do you know how hard it is to go to target and walk out with NOTHING???  Come on, target is 100 dollar trip easy... always.  But we managed.  (we did buy razors and milk, but those are essentials so it's okay).  Then there was the time I dropped Kai off at school and needed to kill some time, but I couldn't take the other two for french fries at McDonalds...  or when Michael left for his trip saying that he couldn't wait to get a magnet from switzerland and the netherlands because he'd never been there before and I had to remind him that he'd have to wait to purchase those until his next trip, magnets are not essential.  How about those itunes purchases that help him make it through the eight hour flights?  Nope, not this trip.  And hello people, it's oscar season.  Out come the nominations and off to the ondemand channel I go.  Oops, not this year.  (for those of you reading my facebook status, I had a free rental from charter, and the rest I will be renting on itunes via my christmas gift cards, so I'm not cheating).  Oh and the kindle store....  michael has his itunes obsession and I have my kindle store.  Come on... that book was only .99 and it was only a little terribly written!  Not this month, no horrible fiction for me, back to the library I go, for paper books, which smell funny now that I love my kindle :( So I've babbled on and on and I'm sure you get the point by now.  This has not been easy, it's been a lesson.  We use a lot of money and things that are not essential to our daily lives.  I've had a hard time letting deals go by (plush are buy one get one free at the Disney store, and the Old Navy baby sale is going on now fyi), and maybe I'll find out that we didn't actually save that much this month.  Maybe it's just 50 bucks, maybe I should have purchased that 17 dollar comforter for Kai because he needs one anyway and I may never find it for that price again, but even if the dollar amounts don't add up to massive savings, I think I've learned something.  Ask if I really need it before I buy it, and be thankful that a random drive by Starbucks will not break the bank.  Because for some people it does.  And think about how my "essentials" still include soda, paper towels, and birthday cake mix.  Some people have to decide how "essential" buying a gallon of milk is, we do not, and for that I'm greatful.  Hopefully we make it the next 19 days and learn something from it.  And maybe get to make a double payment on a loan.  We will see.  

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