Want This. Want That. In fact at some point you start thinking you NEED the things you really just WANT.
For instance...
I want these towels:
 |
| So soft! |
 |
| Simple and plush |
Recently Lee and I have taken a step back and looked at our finances. We spend just about everything we make. At the end of a 2 week period, we are strapped. Not that we are rich, but we make enough that we shouldn't be broke.
We indulge in expensive groceries, beer, and wine. Amazon.com needs to employ me at this point because I pimp that site hard and I am constantly on it. We eat out more than once a week and it's rarely cheap.
Now, we are house hunting and I don't want us to look up and be like "oh shit. we can't pay bills AND eat. Pick one?" We have a child now. We are grown ups.
I am putting us BOTH in a challenge for the next 2 months. BASICS only. Vegetables and meats on sale at the market. Chill out on the beer habit. Chill out on the wine habit. Eat at home for as many meals as possible and if we do treat ourselves to eat out - it has to be basic. We don't need the fanciest place in town.
What do you think? Can we change our spendy ways?
Also - I am participating in a linky today!
Head over to Some Kind of Wonderful for the rules!
20 comments:
Thanks for linking up with us this week:)
Christina
Your newest follower from the linky party!
It's possible to change your ways, you just have to be dedicated. Wants versus Needs is a great place to start, but I need a challenge like this too! hahaha!!! I fulfill way too many of my wants!!!
Yes, you CAN change your spendy ways!
And if you stick to short challenges, like 30-60days, it is much easier to do. Our fav game to play is No Eating Out for 30 days.Good for the waist line too.
Well, welcome to my life! We've been living on a tight budget since we moved. Sometimes it' s hard, but you get used to it :)
You can do it! Setting a specific time goal like Nina said will really help. Also, see if you can not buy a single new THING for a certain amount of time (clothes, shoes, household items). How long can you go with just buying basics *needs*? It's become something of a game for me :) Sure I'd rather have a pile of money, but since I don't, I play myself a litle bankin' Sudoku ;)
Stoping by from Thurs blog hop, Hope you get a chance to return the follow,
mamawanasave.com
Thanks so much
Blessings
Mama
Stopping by from the High on Life Thursdays bloghop to say hi. I'm now following you.
I think it's definitely possible to cut back and change your ways with spending. I'm not house-hunting quiet yet, but am in the market for a new car. I keep a small picture of the car I want in my wallet so I have to look at it before I grab my debit card. That alone has saved me all kinds of money.
Hope you have a great day. I'd love for you to stop by and say hi as well.
Adelaide@Norwegian Phoenix
http://norwegianphoenix.blogspot.com
Hi! Following you from the High on Life Thursday – Link up Party! I Hope you visit my Cajun blog and return the follow!
- Jessica @ http://cajunlicious.com
I can totally relate, we have 3 dogs and are on our third bed set.
Yay Breann! Thanks for linking up!!! My hubs and I are really strapping down and working hard to get our selves on the right track financially, We both made major mistakes and are working hard to get out of them! You got this girl!!!!!! Hope your having a great day!!! <3
Mint.com has been really helpful for us in being able to save $$. It monitors all of your accounts and creates a budget. Also, you could try couponing?
I totally understand ya! It's hard at first but setting 30-60 day challenges do help. Have you read Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover"? It's a great book to read even if you have zero debt or are trying to get your finances in order. Someone mentioned couponing as well...and I'd definitely recommend it! There are coupons out there for just about everything and you can save a TON of money if you learn how to do it right. I've learned to coupon and cut our groceries down from $200 a week to $40-50 every two weeks.
Thanks everyone for your support and advice! I do clip coupons but I find that the food items on sale aren't normally things we buy. I clip them for some cereals, household, and bathroom items.
I am checking out all your blogs, thanks for the follows!!
I am following you via HOLT blog hop.
I am not able to see the GFC on any of the blogs. I just got a new computer yesterday I don't know what is going on I even tried to refresh each site and it still now showing. Sorry.
http://itsabouttimemamaw.blogspot.com
You go, girl! You can do it. When Jeremy and I bought our house, we were in for a rude awakening. It's been the best thing for us, though. We've learned to budget and chill out on things we "want." Life's better now, I'd say. Good luck!
As soon as I have any money to conserve, I will start conserving it. Maybe it would help if I got a job?
I'll get right on that. As soon as I finish this bottle of wine.
Visiting from comment love Sunday. I love that you're seriously looking at your finances and going to make some changes to see how it goes. Good luck! It's totally doable.
Happy SITS day!!! I love this post! I think that wants vs. needs are really scewed these days... We have to do the same thing around here in my opinion....
Sure you can change your ways...You'll find eating in more you'll lose weight too, easiest way to diet, not that you need to.....;)
Stopping by from SITS! I totally know how you feel when you want to go shopping the the money just doesn't seem to find its way to your wallet in time!
Reminds me of a post I made the other day in regards to how my dad never differentiated between "Do you want it?" and "Do you need it?" I would say, I don't need it but I want it and he would just ask again, Do you NEED it? LOL
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