You often see bloggers or Instagrammers mentioning they are doing a no spend or no shopping month. It probably means something slightly different for each individual but this is what it means for me. Mireille’s no spend month Refrain from spending UNECESSARY money: no clothes shopping no fun Amazon shopping no new decor Be thrifty: create budget meals and menu eat in (we actually barely ever eat out unless we are on vacation) make snacks as much as possible Being successful I like to be accountable so I downloaded a calendar app so I can track my spend/no spend days Look at your calendar: what is coming up? Plan accordingly!…

After the unhappy surprise of a high water bill (which seems to have been resolved), I was reminded about the need to pay attention to our monthly bills. There are certain things that you can do to lower your utility bills and other bills associated with owning a house. These tips to not including expensive updates to your house such as new insulation, new windows or new AC units which of course can make your house more energy efficient but are costly on the upfront. Trash Depending where you live, you may be able to choose your trash service. That was the case in our old neighborhood: there were 3…

As the holidays approach, you should start thinking about your plans for the holidays whether it is food or gifts. Some families end up stressing out at Christmas or in its aftermath because of how the cost (emotional or financial) affects their family. I think we should all remember first that Christmas is first about the birth of Christ and that gifts are just a tradition that most of us follow. There should not be excess involved in food nor expenses. You are not going to fully enjoy something if you have a large cost associated with it or if you cannot afford it (whether is is putting on a…

Last week, I shared about taking a look at your budget periodically and doing a budget reset. When I posted that post, I was all excited about catching up on my leftover summer bills and feeling really comfortable with October. Then I received a very high water bill on Tuesday and started stressing out about it wondering if the utility company had made a mistake, how I would pay it, etc.. At other times, we have had unexpected bills from doctors or maybe an unplanned outing or vacation. What do you do when something like that threatens to break your budget? Medical bills First off, for anyone who doesn’t know,…

A budget reset to me is when I look at my monthly budget of income and bills and make adjustments to the different categories. Some bills alternate between seasons (gas bill is high in winter, electricity bill is high in summer), I may have a new grocery bill goal or there is a change in income. When should you do a budget reset? new job (increase or decrease in pay) loss of job when you realize your budget is not working for you when a recurring payment ends (car payment, medical bill) you want to save more How do you do a budget reset? I have attached a form that…

Has anyone figured out how to do allowance and chores in a fair manner? I change the way I do this with my kids every month or so because I haven’t found a perfect way to do it. I like to give my children money/allowance to help them learn several skills: saving (for something big or little) sharing (tithing for church or charities) planning (what will you use your money for) teach child that things are not free (they sometimes have to buy their own toys or treats) a little math (counting money and subtracting/counting up towards goal) Chores My children do not have a long list of chores: they…

Have you ever watched one of those tv shows that were popular for a while like “Extreme Couponing”? I was always amazed with the deals people would come across and impressed with their stock pile. However, the question is how much toothpaste do you actually go through in a year? Many of those deals were for toiletry and household items that either took lots of space or would last for a long while. These couponers also spent a lot of hours daily or weekly couponing. The following way is the way that I stockpile and my stockpile lasts about 2 months at the most. I do not stockpile on household…

While I do not typically consider visiting family a real vacation, going on vacation with some extended family can have many advantages. Our vacations typically only include ourselves and our children, but over the past last year or so, we have taken a couple of vacations with some extended family and I have changed my mind about not liking to spend my husband and our vacation time with others. I thought it would be interesting to look at the pros and cons of going on vacation with other members of your family. Pros: budget: sharing the cost of the rent and the food might allow you to afford a vacation…

Different families have different circumstances, budgets and priorities. While my husband works full time, my main job right now is to makes our household run smoothly, take care of our 4 children and stay on budget. In the past 10+ years since working full time, I have helped bring income in by working part time as a preschool teacher, babysat my old coworker and friend’s children and neighbor’s child and tutored Spanish. With a 18 month old, my focus has been to get him on a schedule and I will probably return to tutoring in the evenings this fall. While the following tips and ideas are not by any means…