K-Roger….

So it’s grocery store Tuesday. First post was Kroger, then Publix, and now I’m back to Kroger again.  I live directly across the street from a Kroger and less than a half mile from Publix, so it amuses me at how much I go back and forth between the two stores for my grocery shopping. I wonder……… If they knew how they are fighting for a victory each week in an attempt to win me over as a customer, would either want to sit me down and have a chat and figure out what was up….Why did I pick one over the other? What was pushing my decision?  Yeah, it’s not that likely they care…..but it still makes me wonder.

I’m a nit picky frugal chick and pretty darn serious about where my money goes as well as trying to stay semi-healthy in the process. I need to be able to spend my money wisely and meet my needs and wants at the same time. I get “oohs and aahs” from some friends and others think I’m just looney, but this way of shopping suits me just fine!  As I have stated before, I look at the items on sale, the items that are on my needs/want list, and whichever store can give me the best deal after looking at both combined will do it for me. If it’s close in comparison, I usually go with Kroger because of their gas rewards. The gas prices are killing me these days, even with my little Civic!

So today I fared pretty well. Look how pretty and full of color and all four food groups!

The worst thing for me in this picture?  I would go with the pizza, but HEY it was free. Thanks Kroger for the coupon you sent me for a FREE pizza 🙂

The best thing for me? Probably the big scary green leafy looking thing in the back. That’s kale and it wasn’t on sale. Sometimes I will pay full price to get some goodness in me. It was only a $1.50 and I’ve learned to make some pretty good kale chips.  Compared to potato chips they are healthier AND cheaper. So I did save some money after all!

 

This was an additional piece to my trip that was fun for me. I don’t always get non-food items (personal items, cleaning supplies etc), but I got a decent deal on this stuff as well. The deodorant was 33 cents a pop after coupons, and the Tide was only $3.59. I also got $3 back for that purchase to use on my next trip. The soap….FREE!

So how did I do?  Take a look…

If you have no idea what you are looking at here is a quick summary.

The total SHOULD have been $98.49.

I only spent $49.10.

WOO HOO!  I saved 51%.

Again, thanks to Southern Savers

A penny saved, is a penny earned

A lot of us out there started saving our coins a long time ago. Remember when you were just a kid and you had your first piggy bank.  Mine was actually a pig!  Some of us may have had other designs, shapes, or contraptions to make saving our coins fun, but most of us all had a little something.  The idea, I assume, was our parents trying to teach us at an early age the importance of saving our money.

As I got older my allowance grew from coins to dollars and soon it was time to open up a savings account. Then came the checking account, and an actual checkbook, and with my first job, a pay check.  As an early teen I was writing checks, carrying a real wallet with bills inside, and earning interest at the bank.

Alas, my poor piggy bank was soon forgotten and collecting dust somewhere in the depths of my closet or a drawer….

So why is it that as we grow older the foundations of where we learned how to manage our money is so quickly forgotten?  Pennies, BAH, that’s not worth my time. Pennies are for kids….

Well, I always say I never want to grow up and hold onto to as much of my child-like faith and innocence as I can. And even when it comes to money, my inner child remembered… That piggy bank can still be pretty important!

My Daddy taught me long ago, a “penny saved is a penny earned” and as an adult I still believe this today. I may not have a piggy bank, but I do have a large jar in my laundry room. Everyday when I come home I empty out my pockets, wallet, and depths of my purse and drop in whatever loose change I have. I started this when I was in college wanting to save up for extra spending money on my Spring Break trip.  It seemed silly at first, but I thought, “I did this as a kid, why can’t I do it as an adult?”

Year after year I do this and I set my self a little goal or dream for which I am saving these pennies.  Sometimes if I have had a rough year, I cash out around the Holidays to buy extra gifts for loves ones.  Other times I treat myself to a gift for myself.  It depends on my goals and how my budget is looking.

This year I wanted to grow my garden to three times it’s size. While long term, the dollar amount I would have to spend at the store for my produce is WAY more than what I get out of my garden, the start up cost to get the garden going can be a bit of a shock. I didn’t have a garden budget set this year, and I knew if I was expanding the plot, it was going to cost me money I didn’t have set aside. So….I cashed out my coins after a year of savings and I had $56!  Keep in mind I don’t use cash often and I’m single.  If you are a big cash user or have a roommate or spouse that you want to save jointly with, you could have quite a bit more.

Just imagine if I hadn’t saved my coins day in and day out?  $56 may not seem like a lot to some readers, but I was proud of the fact that I got my garden up and running for what felt like “FREE!” I walked out of the store only paying $7 out of pocket.

I was able to rent a tiller, buy soil, cow manure, Nature’s helper, plant food, extra plant cages for support and all my produce!  More on my garden soon….I’m about to have a whole summer of fruit and veggies for practically free!

So save your coins people!  You’ll be surprised at how quickly they will add up after a year.

 

 

 

 

 

ING Rocks my socks off!!

So I feel a little dorky about my giddiness today regarding my bank.  Finally they have been able to offer the one feature I have been missing since I joined.   Now I feel fully confident about recommending this bank to anyone out there.  So here’s the back story about where I was banking, why I switched, and why it was the best 2011 decision I made!

I have (well, had) been with my previous bank for 16 years up until about 6 months ago.  About 6 months ago I’m sure those of you watch the news remember the breaking story about some of the bigger banks announcing that they were going to implement some new fees/charges. My particular bank was issuing notices to any and all customers that a $5 service charge was going to be implemented just to have and use a debit card. I was one of these people that received these notices. I was alarmed. I don’t use credit cards except for emergencies. I didn’t want to have to pay for a debit card!!  Not only that, I was also informed I was going to be charged another fee just to have an account if I didn’t keep a $500 minimum balance.  So regardless of the fact that I had been a long-term and very loyal customer, I was about to be charged $10 a month to have my account and use a debit card. Even if that debit card was only swiped once. Wait, they were going to charge me $10 a month? After 16 years as a customer…..That’s no customer appreciation!

This notice was pretty much my breaking point. I had had it.  I know I am no millionaire, but I thought the concept of banking was letting someone hold onto my money and use it to lend out to others.  Has anyone seen “A Wonderful Life”.  So its a fair trade right?  I will let you hold onto my money and protect it for me, and you are free to lend it out to others when they need a loan.  So why am I suddenly getting all these fees and charges? Aren’t the banks already earning interest of my money they are holding for me?  I know I’m not getting any of that interest? Maybe I don’t understand the full economics behind it, but I did know there were better options out there.  So it was time to make the switch.

I opened up a new Checking account with ING Direct and immediately transferred $500 just to get it started.  ** There is no minimum to open an account with them. This is just the amount I chose. Then I started to make changes in my banking accounts to make the transition go as smoothly as possible; updating my direct deposit from work, getting online bill pay set up, etc, and VOILA! my new account was open.  I did keep my other account open for 60 days just to make sure there weren’t any other auto payments out there I forgot about.

After 60 days were up and I felt comfortable all activity with my banking had been transferred, I called up my old bank and said I needed to close my account. Surprisingly they didn’t ask why or try to retain me. I was ready for a battle, but none necessary. Just a simple good-bye was all it took. So why am I so happy with ING.  Here is a comparison chart. This only outlines my reasons for switching. I know banking has a million features and services, so this may not be for everyone. This was just my decision making process and it’s very basic…

What I need from my bank?	What my previous bank offers	How ING Direct compares	+  or  – FOR ING DIRECT
Ability to Deposit Money	Numerous branches all throughout my city open 6 days a week	No branches. I was going to have to mail in my deposits.	_
Ability to Withdraw Money	About 3000 ATMS	35,000 ATMS	+
Checking Account	$500 minimum or there is a $5 monthly service fee	They pay you monthly interest! Yes, on a checking account!	+
Protection if I goof up and overdraft	Sure, for a big fat fee of $35 NSF. Even if it’s only a day or as little as $.01 over!	They give you a line of credit and charge you a very small interest rate based on the amount and time you are over. I overdrew once and had to pay a penny.  $0.01!!! That’s it!	+
Online bill pay	Yes, for free	Yes, for free	This was the same.
Online reminders to pay bills	Yes, for free	Yes, for free	This was the same.
Savings accounts	Forgive me for not knowing details here, but yes they are offered with interest paid.	You can have as many as you want with no minimums and even label each one as you wish.  I have three labeled as follows (Vacation, Emergency, and Future Car Savings).  Oh, and they pay interest on each one.	+

I think the biggest difference between my old bank and new bank is quite simply the brick and mortar.  ING Direct has no actual branches… buildings….brick and mortar structures with drive thus and smiling tellers telling you to have a good day. I personally thought long and hard about this difference. For me I only stepped foot into a branch in order to deposit checks and monies or withdraw cash.  Other than that, everything I need to do in order to bank is available right online. So as you can see the one thing I was going to have to give up was the ease of depositing money. Everything else was better at ING. For the past 6 months I have dealt with USPS envelopes, stamps, and snail mail to get my money in the bank and it seems my patience has been rewarded. Today I logged onto my account to find the following…

Now I feel complete. Everything I have ever needed and wanted in a bank is now being offered to me. There are more features I use as well, but I didn’t want to bore or overwhelm my readers.  I can offer more details on other services I use later. I thought I would stick to the basics today. Thanks ING. You’re the bomb!

I know I may have quite the elementary outlook when writing about my banking. Here is another website if you want a more in-depth/professional comparison.

Ing Direct Comparison Chart

For anyone interested in opening an account (Checking or Savings) I can send you a referral link and you get a $25 bonus if you start with $250.  Just pop me an email and Ill send a link your way.

Here is ING Directs Website if you want to learn more

ING DIRECT
 

 

 

Wake up, Wake up, it’s the 1st of the Month!

Can you believe it?  May 1 already.  So I sat down this morning and had my normal money date.  April was a pretty decent month for me.  Despite the fact that I had to shell out $800 on car repairs, I didn’t bat an eye at the huge expense because I was prepared. Ok, maybe there was a slight gulp and sigh involved.  Nevertheless I love my little Civic and I haven’t had a car payment in 6 years, so I think the expense was a long time coming.

Ok so let’s get down to it.

APRIL MONEY REVIEW FOR YOU

EXPENSES

My expenses were pretty much on par in April.  I only went over in one category (Car Maintenance and Repair) which I plan to make up for in May no problem.  I know, one paragraph ago I said I was prepared, but considering I had an $800 expense and I’m only over $40 in this category, I think I’m doing ok!

My car is getting on in years so I set aside a little more each month to prepare myself for a big repair when it’s time.  It’s hard staring at all that moolah in my account sometimes, but I know it’s there so I’m prepared in a pinch. April was a pinch and I had a BIG repair I had to have done.  I had just enough money saved up to pay for this repair, but I still went over $40. But how am I going to make up for this $40 overage you ask?   I did a secret shop back in March where I had to spend $40.  I will be getting a $45 check in May to reimburse for this shop plus a $5 bonus for my time!  BOOM!  Applying that right to my Car Maintenance and Repair category. $40 out, $45 back in! I don’t want to give away too much of my shop here and ruin my cover, but let’s just say I ended up with free service on my car that was needed 🙂

INCOME –  I haven’t really discussed my income during my posts on my budget reviews yet, however it should not be overlooked.

Most people have a salary or a set income.  I however do not.  I can’t just budget a set amount each month under my income and then “walk away” only looking at my expenses each month. Because my income fluctuates from month to month just like my expenses, I have to look back at this part of my budget as well. Aside from my paycheck fluctuating, I have many other forms of income causing it to fluctuate as well. Even if you are a salaried employee and your paycheck is the same each month, don’t forget to factor in other items you could consider as income.

Here are some examples I have in addition to my paycheck

Interest – savings and Checking accounts

Dividends – well I don’t have this line item, but you might!

Side Jobs – Baby sitting, secret shopping, dog walking, yard sales, etc

Taxes – Refunds (yay!) If you are so lucky.

Gifts – You know those sweet little checks you may get from Grandma or Aunt Sue on those special occasions.

So why was I under income? I’m one of those hourly employees so I don’t have a set pay. While I thoroughly enjoyed my week-long SPRING BREAK vacation, I didn’t get paid for that week off.  I can’t budget a set amount in my little spreadsheet, so I have to adjust it from month to month. Spring Break tells me I need to budget myself at a lower-income in April, or make sure I do some side jobs to make up for that lost income…….Wait, that reminds me! I have paid vacation days I could have used….DOH! Guess I will make a note to myself to use those days when I have a week-long vacation over the 4th of July Holiday 🙂

So my income was down in April. I need to make sure I make up for that in May. I plan to without a problem though. I already mentioned I like to perform Secret Shops from time to time in another posts. I’ll be sure to take a crack at quite a few more in May.  I also like to do Focus Groups. I actually did one this morning. I’ll talk about those in another post.

My reward – I never did that bathing suit and dress shopping I said I was going to do mid-April.  It’s time….

So for those of you that are budgeting and trying to track all those little dollars and pennies each month, how is it going? Any new comers that are learning or veterans that have their own system? I enjoy comments and feedback.

Grocery Store Savings – 56%

PUBLIX WINS THIS WEEK!

In my last post on grocery shopping I gave a few tips on how to save money on groceries while not having to sacrifice healthy choices. There is couponing, list making, and a sweet sweet website called “Southern Savers”. Seriously I’m addicted to this thing and it has changed the way I go about my everyday shopping. I cannot do Jenny (creator of this site) justice by trying to teach my readers in the way she does. And why would I? She is the pro. I’m simply trying to pay it forward by sharing this site. She teaches the tricks of the trade in the couponing world. She will tell you where and how to find the best deals at any and almost every grocery store, drug store, and even Target and Walmart.

If you are interested I highly suggest trying it out. It can be a bit overwhelming when you start so I suggest starting with one store at a a time. For instance, she gives deals and savings for almost every grocery known in the southeast, but I mainly look at Kroger and Publix.

Each week I check out the deals at each store. Whichever store meets my grocery needs and has the better deals, wins for the week.

This week Publix won! I saved 56%…Check the proof below

Mid-month check in – QT time!

Like I have said in previous posts, I have two dates a month with my money.  The 1st and the 15th.  If you are new to my blog check out some of my budgeting posts as well as my March Review…How did you do?. Here it is the 17th, but I finally got to my Money Date.  Quality time at last! I did gave myself some leeway. I figured since Uncle Sam wasn’t forcing his hand until today with tax filings, I could make today my deadline today too.

Nevertheless, my mid month review is pretty much the same as my 1st of the month, but not quite as detailed. I just like to check in and make sure I’m staying on track and give myself a quick heads up if I’m about to be in trouble anywhere.

Step 1 -Get your records. Bank statements, credit cards statements, etc.

Step 2 – Plug in all transactions.

I still use my trusty Excel Spreadsheet. For every transaction noted in my statement, I input each into the appropriate category under the “actual” column.  i.e.  A deposit from work will most likely go into my income category “Pay check”.  A debit card expense at Quick Trip will go into my expense category “Gas”.

Step 3 – How did you do?

Budget column (you predetermine) – Actual Column (you just finished plugging in the numbers) = Variance (how you are doing)

Wherever you see a negative in your variance column is where you need to make some adjustments.

Step 4 – Make changes necessary to stay safe through the rest of the month.

Here are my categories where I went over budget or it looks like I might go over budget before the month is over.

• NONE – Woo hoo! Go me! So far I’m on track 🙂 It looks like no changes are necessary!

Step 5 – Life Changes = Budget Changes

In my last Budget Review Post, I noted in this step that I wanted to start saving for a car.  Since that post I have opened a new savings account. I have a new budget category labeled “Future Car Savings” and each month I deposit a budgeted amount into this account.  I have given myself 15 months. By this time, I hope to have met the following goals.

1) The money I deposit each month is about the same amount as what I am willing to pay as a car payment. If I can go 15 months without needing this monthly amount somewhere else in my expenses, then I know I can survive on this car payment amount.

2) By the end of 15 months, I should have a nice little amount to use as my down payment.

3) I have given myself a good amount of time to drool over cars, test drive cars, research cars, and even try to stay realistic and decide on practical cars. Perhaps after a full 15 months I will be able to find a car that is fun, makes me happy, and is a money wise decision!

STEP 6 – REWARD TIME!

I always leave the best for last. I like to check out the categories where I actually did better than I planned.  These are the categories where I have positive numbers staring back at me. Now I get to decide what to do with this extra moolah within these categories! You treat yourself too!

• My reward – I’m going shopping before the month is over. I haven’t spent a dime of my “clothing budget” this month AND I have left over money from last month too! Mama needs a new bathing suit and sundresses!

Fitness centers – They aren’t for kids…..or me

While trying to redeem myself after my financial crash and burn, one of the things I had to revisit was my “fitness” budget.  This was such a sacrifice for me. Beyond trying to stay fit, I have always enjoyed anything to get me up and moving.  I have a hard time sitting still. I rarely go to the movies anymore. Heaven forbid I sit in one seat for that long! I feel like such a prisoner there. Let’s face it. Our bodies are made to move and  I need some sort of physical exercise and motion in my daily routine. At this time of my life, many of the avenues I was used to were about to be closed due to my new budget constraints. The first thing I opted to cut from budget was my gym membership. No gym?  No what?!? I had been a member for years at this point…. Where do I exercise now? Hmmmmmm…

I went back to the basics and where my love of fitness all started….my childhood

Children aren’t allowed in a gym. If children aren’t allowed in the gym, then where do they get their exercise?  I was no longer “allowed” either, so I started to think like a child.

My fitness education started way back in….duh….P.E. class. There was also playing sports outside with my Dad, and eventually falling madly in love with gymnastics. Since I no longer had a gym membership I did the best I could with what I had and could afford. I no longer had a treadmill so I started going for walks and runs outside again.  I also had access to a gymnastics facility, since its my place of work :).   I started to stay after work or come in early just to see what I could still do. I would bounce on the trampoline, flip a cartwheel, or jump in the foam blocks when I felt the urge.  While trying to do the skills of the sport, I realized through my aching muscles, that being in shape was also necessary. But I had no gym?  In all sports, there is the need for additional conditioning and exercising to help stay in shape in order to actually be able to do the sport. I started to watch the younger gymnasts and remembered the things I learned over the years. I didn’t need a gym. I needed to MOVE! I didn’t need free weights and treadmills. I needed ideas, activities, and to simply stay in motion!  I began to create modified workouts around the sport and exercises I had learned over the years.   I started to fall in love all over again with fitness and the activities I did as a child instead of the work outs I had been doing as an adult. Some of them overlapped, but thinking like a child seem to make it more fun.

30 and still flipping!

Before the gym fees, treadmills, and dumb bells, what physical activity, game, or sport, did you participate in and learn to love when you were young. Have you thought about going down that road again? When you hit a speed bump and cannot afford the gym, don’t want to go to the gym, or the gym just plain bores you, go back to your childhood!  You may not be as physically capable as you were at a young age, but I bet your mind and heart can still find the joy in it. Find a park, a backyard, or a free community recreation center and reminisce today!

Remember, I never said I cut all my costs! I still have a “fitness” budget, I simply have made some cuts and I learned to get creative. It also gave me a new outlook and different style to motivate myself to keep at it!  In posts to come, I want to share some creative ideas to keep you motivated to exercise.  Enjoying a great work out, releasing those endorphins, and keeping your body moving is a must when living a better life. Spending better? I wasn’t getting the most bang for my buck with a gym fee.  Perhaps I can make sure when you spend your money on exercise it’s being spent wisely.  So tip #1. Reminisce and remember what you used to love, or just recently have learned to love. Or perhaps explore the unknown! What makes you happy when making your body MOVE.   Lets see what you can do on your own in your basement, back yard, or local park. If you need to spend money on fitness, lets make sure you find a little passion with whatever good or service you purchase.

Please note, I am in no way deterring people from going to a gym or paying for exercise. If that is your “thing”, than go for it! I just wanted to help those trying to seek alternatives when trying to save money.  I am no doctor. I am not certified, qualified, or medically trained in any way to tell you how to get physical fitness incorporated into your life. This post stems from my own personal experiences and results. I strongly believe in health and exercise. It’s wise!  I just hope to encourage and inspire my fellow readers to get moving AND save a little. Chose your own path at your own discretion.

Dare to DIY

One of the things I am learning during my journey of spending less while living more, is the fulfillment I get from something as simple as D.I.Y.

That’s right, Do It Yourself!

If we think about the main reason we need money in this world, it seems to me it stems from the fact that  either cannot or will not make or do something for ourselves. Therefore we have to offer something (money) that will inspire someone else to help us.

Why do we buy bread?

Why do we pay rent or a mortgage?

Why do we fill our cars up with gas at the service station?

If we can’t find the time, don’t have the supplies, or simply don’t know how to do it, we will pay someone else to do it for us.

I had a thought?  What if there is a way I could save a little money while simultaneously trying to grow into a better person? What if I enhanced my living and dropped my expenses by every once in a while trying a little D.I.Y.? Hmmmmm….

Like with any new challenge I take on, I started small. Baby steps. I certainly am not trying to D.I.Y. open heart surgery or build myself a car, but there are so many little things in life I could do myself if I put the time, effort, and heart into it. Throughout this process I have discovered things I will never D.I.Y. again, but I have also discovered other things I didn’t know I enjoyed and quite possibly have a knack for! It’s fun to try out new things, learn where and how stuff is made, and actually get off my rear end and get moving!

I hope to share a list of things I have attempted to D.I.Y. and perhaps it will inspire you to give it a whirl as well. You will be surprised at what you can do, what you will learn, and the money you will save!

Starting Small!  My D.I.Y. tip for the day.

Homemade Febreze! 

This fits into an original Febreze bottle.

1/8 Cup of Your Favorite Fabric Softener
2 Tablespoons Baking Soda
Hot Tap Water – Fill the Bottle to the Top

Shake and enjoy!

Why spend $4 to $5 for the name brand when you can D.I.Y. for about .20 a bottle! Yep 20 CENTS! I can send you the math if you want me to, but I didn’t want to bore the readers.

I came across this on Pinterest.
It’s amazing the D.I.Y. stuff I get from there!

Thanks Fake it Frugal

Daily Deal Check List

So yesterday I posted about those glorious Daily Deal websites that are flooding the internet and our email in-boxes and even appearing on TV ads and billboards! They push their goods and services with phenomenal limited time deals one almost cannot refuse.  Or can we? Despite the fact that these deals are out there, I would highly suggest thinking through a few important factors before clicking that button and snagging up the deal. I know these deals seem to good to be true at times. I mean who wouldn’t want a singing Justin Bieber toothbrush (batteries not included) or a one night stay in the Caribbean for 90% off?  I mean its a steal of a deal right!?

Remember the the primary reason you are tempted to take these companies up on their offer is due to the fact that it’s being advertised as a deal. Most likely, you are not willing or wanting to pay full price either. Why? Because these are most likely wants, wishes, and desires for your lives, but not needs. If you have gone this long without these deals, you can probably go a little longer. However, if there are goods or services you desire out there and you wish to treat yourself, or perhaps it is a need you can’t afford at this moment, you should always follow these steps first.

Before opting for that deal and ESPECIALLY before spending any money, here are 6 key things to think about first.

1. Make a wish list.   Make it as long or as short as you want. Make it as detailed as you want. Pretend like your a kid writing out your birthday wish list. If you could put anything on it what would it be? I personally have an ongoing list hanging in my house. Anytime something strikes my interest, I add it to my list. Whether its something as simple as new bath mats for the bathroom, or a dream vacation, it goes on the list. Know up front what your wishes are. I suggest making sure you keep an eye out for deals on your wish list first.  If something seems so very tempting, but it’s not on your wish list, STOP. Don’t buy it. Add it to your wish list first. I promise another deal like it will come back around. You’ll be sad when you scoop up a random carpet cleaning for your house because it seemed like a good deal, but you didn’t need it. Meanwhile, the very next day, you see a new deal for a full house cleaning, which is really what you wanted but now you can’t afford it!
2. Budget for it. Once it’s on your list, you can budget it for it. Yes, the idea is to save money. You are banking on the fact you don’t have to pay full price, but you should still budget for it even if its at a lower amount.
3. Check your calendar. Many deals have restrictions and expiration dates. If you have done step 1 and step 2, now you need to make sure you can actually use the deal within the time frame allotted.  There is nothing worse than spending money on a deal, only to have it go bad. Would you buy a gallon of milk before going out of town for 2 weeks? Of course not. So don’t buy a deal you wont have to time to enjoy either.
4. Know who you are dealing with. Make sure you know a little about the company first. If it’s an unfamiliar company, I usually visit their website, check various other websites for customer reviews and ratings, and also see if they are listed with the Better Business Bureau.
5. Put on your patience hat. While some of these deals may expire, you may have your own deadline as well. Some of the companies that offer these deals are usually trying to create awareness and grow their customer base. If they are advertising a deal you want, it’s likely others will want it too.  If a lot of deals are issued, it means the company could be busier than normal and it may take some time to redeem your good or service. Be ready and willing to wait on yours. If you need something right away, it may be better to pay full price elsewhere.
6. Read the fine print! Everyone always advises this step with any purchase, but it seems like no one ever does. Why? Duh! It’s fine print and too hard to read and who understand all the legal mumbo jumbo anyway! Fine, I get it. It’s a risk you can take, but I won’t.  Sometimes these deals might have other special rules or warnings listed that can be a key element into really making the good or service worthwhile.  For instance, if you want to get laser hair removal or have your yard treated for mosquitoes, will just the one visit being offered in the deal actually do any good or will you have to make another appointment, but this time at full price?

I realize these steps can seem a bit time consuming and obviously you may not have to go through each step with a fine tooth comb before every purchase. I certainly don’t mean to make every penny you spend a cumbersome task. Every purchase is relative and you can decide how much care to take into each one.  I simply would like to make sure you actually save money when opting for these deals, which is the purpose to begin with, rather than making a crucial mistake causing you to lose money in the end.

Good luck deal finders!

March Review…How did you do?

So I had my QT today.  I feel a little dorky that I’m off work all week for Spring Break and the first thing I embarked on was my finances. I guess knocking out responsibilities early so I can enjoy the rest of the day/week is a good thing though….

So here is how I do it.

Step 1 -Get your records.

I pull my bank account statement for the month.  I don’t use credit cards. Those are for emergencies only in my world. If you use them, you will need to pull those too.

Step 2 – Plug in all transactions.

I still use my trusty Excel Spreadsheet. For every transaction noted in my statement, I input each into the appropriate catagory under the “actual” column.  i.e.  A deposit from work will most likely go into my income category “Pay check”.  A debit card expense at QuickTrip will go into my expense category “Gas”.

Step 3 – How did you do?

At the beginning of March I set my budget column by inputting what I planned to earn or spend. Now I have  finished the actual column by inputting what I actually earned or spent.  That’s the most tedious and time consuming step for me. The final variance column has now auto-filled for me telling me how I did. I take a quick glance and see which categories I did well and saved money and which categories I went over budget.

Step 4 – Make changes necessary for April

The first thing I look at is where I have negative numbers staring back at me.  I ask myself, “What happened?”. What is the reason I am over budget?  In April, do I need to change the amount in my ACTUAL column or my BUDGET column.

1) ACTUAL COLUMN – If I believe I have the ability to change the amount I earn or spend in any given category where I am over, then that means I believe I am budgeting appropriately.  However,  I am not earning or spending the appropriate amount. Whenever I believe my budget is correct, but my actions were off, I tell myself that I need to change my actual numbers next month to get back on track and I decide what I actions I must take to make this change happen.

Here are my categories where I went over budget and my plan for how to make a change.

• DINING OUT – I have the ability to to chose when I dine out. Because I over spent in March, I will have to chose to not dine out as much in April.
• CABLE AND INTERNET – I have the ability to chose my provider. I am choosing to switch providers, so that expense will go down next month.

2)BUDGET COLUMN – If I believe there isn’t much I can do to change my actual numbers in the month of April. If I cant earn more or spend less in a category within 30 days, then that means I need to rethink the amount I am budgeting for April. Sometimes, what we earn or spend, we cannot control within a month. It takes time to make these changes.

Here are my categories where I went over budget, but I cannot make changes to my “actuals”, so I must change my budget.

• GAS –  Gas prices have gone up in the past month and I didn’t budget for the increase. In April I will have to increase my gas budget to stay on track with the new prices.

*Remember, if you decide to increase an expense category, you must decrease another one so you still have your expenses = income. Or you can chose to increase your income 🙂

Step 5 – Life Changes = Budget Changes

The next thing I do is to think about things in my life that have occurred, may occur, or I wish will occur in my life. What new things have entered into my life that calls for me to rethink my budget short or long term. Here are some of my personal examples.

• CAR SAVINGS – I realize my goal of purchasing a new car is more and more a priority. I need to make sure I am saving enough to be able to make this happen.
• VACATION/TRAVEL – Congratulations to my cousins engagement! He has planned a wedding in St. Simons.  I need to make sure I am saving enough to make this trip.

STEP 6 – REWARD TIME!

I always leave the best for last. I like to check out the categories where I actually did better than I planned.  These are the categories where I have positive numbers staring back at me. Now I get to decide what to do with this extra moolah within these categories!  Do I need to move it to another category where I am over spending? Do I need to leave it alone and allow it to be extra cushion for the month of April? Do I need to spend it? I say ALWAYS treat yourself if you can. Whether its $1 candy bar, a new outfit, or a toy you have been saving up for. Small or big,  you deserve to reward yourself and it will keep you motivated to keep this habit going!

• My reward – I have a little category called “spoil me” where I save up for personal treats and rewards. If I do well overall, this is where I get to treat myself. Today, I’m treating myself with a pedicure. I just love those chairs that massage me while I lean back, read cheesy magazines, and have a little decoration added to my tiny little toes!