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Mar 6, 2012    |       20 comments

More Info About Me

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There’s so much to share! We’ll get there with time but after reading some comments today I do want to let everyone know a little bit more about who…and where…I am! I live in the San Antonio, Texas area…so urban to answer that question…even though it IS Texas and many people think that Texas is synonymous with rural. 🙂

My husband and I both work outside the home and make a very good combined income. I don’t know that I am ready to share the number just based on what milk and ramen created in the comments! If some of you see our combined income I really may have to go into hiding for a few weeks while the cyber-tomatoes are thrown at me!!! I’ll get there….I promise.   I am battling through some shame on that front at this time.

Thank you for the cell phone comments and insurance queries b/c these are two areas that I can stand up and say we are getting the best possible deal out there! My husband works for a major telecom company so our cell phones cannot get any cheaper courtesy of his employee discount. Yay! Thanks for the reminder that this is a big area to give thanks in! I tell my hubby that his employer was absolutely in the top 10 reasons I fell in love with him…because I never have to deal with a cell phone customer service rep again! I have horror stories of battling them on billing errors or a malfunctioning phone and I am thrilled that now I can just hand the phone to hubby and not deal with that mess! As for insurance–that’s my industry so we are good on that front too! I don’t sell insurance mind you–I am employed by a major insurance carrier so I am confident in my understanding in this area and confidence creates better decisions, doesn’t it?

That’s it for now–while I can’t respond to each and every post, I am definitely reading them and thought these issues warranted this post!

Mar 6, 2012    |       26 comments

Cutbacks

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We’re combing through our monthly bills and figuring out what we can get rid of to see instant monthly savings. Right off the bat we were able to eliminate $135 each month. This came from memberships to the gym and clubs we just don’t need and a credit monitoring service that we have replaced with an alternative through our credit union. It doesn’t sound like much but you guys are already teaching me that every penny counts. Hubby and I have also mentioned eliminating cable for the first time and it isn’t nearly as scary to discuss as we both thought it would be. This would be a $80 per month savings. The kids are good about playing outside sans electronics already and this would only encourage that good habit even more. Let me hear what other monthly items you’ve cut out of your budget completely. I’m sure there are obvious things that I haven’t thought of yet.

On this frugality note, thank you to Brandy of The Prudent Homemaker for her gentle nudge to more frugal living. I’m totally overwhelmed by the content of her website BUT I am intrigued by making my own laundry detergent. Now, just as an aside, I promise I just heard my entire family and group of girlfriends laugh out loud at the thought of me making laundry detergent. The humor in that visual is part of the fun I am finding in the idea! Also, I’m ready to explore buying beans in bulk. The kitchen is NOT my strong area but I am very good about making a menu and creating a grocery list from those recipes and then only buying what is on the list. I don’t go crazy in the grocery store. So the beans in bulk will be something we try for next week’s menu. Deep breath.

So, to recap…I have the savings goal set forth, I’m going to attempt to make my own laundry detergent and I’ll explore buying beans in bulk. Okay. Well that sounds pretty pathetic! Oh and I’m diving into chapter 2 of my “Money Road Map” book. One last thing I want to set a timeline for—sitting down and explaining our financial situation to the kids in terms they can understand and getting them on board as part of the “Debt Reduction Team.” I know they will be willing partcipants.  We’ll get that done by Sunday, March 11. 

Have a super Tuesday!

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