money diet

I am going to save money.

I'm a little hesitant to write this here. I know that my chances of success will be greater if I establish this accountability, but it scares me a little. Putting this out here sets the initiative in stone, and I'm pretty sure this is not going to be a fun exercise. 

A brief history:

I was always the frugal (aka: cheap) one in our marriage. The kind who added a layer and turned down the heat, who counted miles and turned off lights, who would have NEVER gotten a manicure, pedicure or dye job in a salon.  

I cringed and cried, hoped and prayed that Greg would pinch just one penny somewhere along the line.    

His motto used to be, and I quote: 

"It's just money. We're only going to make more."             

I kid not.

Since God moved us in location, home, and fiscally over a year ago things have changed for us. 

I have loosened my clenches as Greg has more than proven that he really is only going to "make more". 

And since Greg has tasted debt free (outside of the house and harley) living, he has become almost obsessed with having bank. 

SO, what has happened is, I get a weekly budget/allowance, whatever you want to call it. It includes gas, food, home supplies, and whatever else Zeek and I need, want, do...
The amount is lavish and embarrassing, and I'm the first to admit that I am spoiled by this. But I justify my spending decisions to myself by comparing them to others, 
"at least I don't ________." and "I would never ________." 

The ugly truth is, it's completely unnecessary that I spend the ridiculous amounts of money that I do each month. My former self would roll over in her grave if that were possible. For real.    

Greg budgets our savings outside of what I get, and he has tried to talk to me about working towards left overs from my own allotment, but I'm always like, 

"this is not credit card debt...it's not like I'm out buying wardrobe and silicone, decorating the house...i reuse and recycle and give away...and I never go over budget!" 


You see how well this has worked for him?

Lately, I've been considering his words, tossed in with a personal conviction or two, praying that God will let me off the hook somehow. But it's like He's working for my husband... or more like the other way around I'm sure.

And so it's dawned on me that if I shave off just a third of my weekly spending I would have mad cash in six months. We're talking D700-with-lenses-and-a-bag kind of cash. 

And if you know me at all, you know that is a cheese cake and coke-a-cola type motivation.

And the six months after that we could do our master bathroom, 

and then the living room, 

in one year we could do our floors. With cash.

And not that in any stretch of my imagination everything we'd save should or would go into our home, but we have chosen not to replace our NASTY carpeting or fix our ghetto bathroom because of cost and our vow to never go back into debt again.
Meanwhile, I'm spending all the money that could be buying the things we have little hope of otherwise fixing/changing/renewing in our home.

So, this is what I'm deciding to do: 

I'm done spending money at random. 

I'm going back to menu planning.

I'm hitting second hand clothing stores (killing me softly).

No more internet buying. 

No more pampered chef, tastefully simple, mary kay magazine perusing... 

If I want or need something extra, I am going to make extra money to buy it. 

I'm a photographer, and I have an etsy account, and I made $730 on craigslist in 9 days two weeks ago. 

I do have the means.

I'm going to spend six months changing my habits back to those of frugal girl, and I'm going to continue praying for God's guidance on what and when and where. 

We want to be good stewards of our money. We have come a long way in coming out of debt and staying "cash only". But I'm ready for the next step. Greg has been ready. And I'm diving in. 

I want to do my best to keep track here of ways we cut and save and make way for the new money diet. I don't really want to go numbers, but percentages work well, and I hope to get good ideas, encouragement, prayer, and most of all accountability. 

PLEASE PRAY! 

I will need it.

I've already had to deny myself twice this morning and I haven't even left the house! :)

Keeping in mind:

Proverbs 21:20 In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.