Frugal and Fabulous

That's right - You heard me. It is high time I became more frugal.

I HATE money. Don't get me wrong. I love having it, and most importantly I LOVE spending it. The part I hate is budgeting it and finding that I don't have enough of it. Once upon a time I was pretty good at budgeting my money. I don't know what happened.

So what brought this on you may ask?

1 - the speeding ticket I got!!!

No really, I knew I needed to get around to this at some point.

I went to the library today for a book. I didn't get the book I was looking for but I found this book called, "Chick Living: Frugal and Fabulous" I picked up this book and flipped through it. The author got out of college during a recession and could only get a job at a non profit orginization. She would be making $18,000 a year. She managed. She was even able to live on her own. She wrote this book to help all those other out of college people budget their money.

If this lady could live on her own, pay all her bills and still have $1000 saved at the end of the year, why can't I do that. It really hit me that I waste A LOT of money. If there is something that I want - I get it. Nice right???? YEAH - until you don't have as much saved as you would like.

So starting today I am going to do better. Where did I start? I went shopping!!!! lol

No really, I did. I went to the grocery store! I have been eating out almost every day at work. That gets very expensive. So I went to the store and bought lunches for next week. Now I just have to have the power to tell the girls at work that I won't be eating out. Now - Friday's are the exception. It is tradition that we go out to eat on Friday's. I can't say no to that. So I will just be careful with what I buy those days. I will take my own bottle of water (that a savings of $1.89) and I will put chips in a sandwich bag and take those (another $1.89). Then all I will have to buy is the sandwich. ChaChing!!! FRUGAL!!!!

It will be a little hard at first but well worth it. It actually is nice. Before I went to the store I figured out about how much I could spend. When I got to the store I wrote down the price of everything I was getting. I also looked for things on sale. I even had a coupon that saved me 4 dollars. So I was very happy to see that even though I budgeted $20 for this shopping trip, I only spent $16.90.

Day Off

I haven't had a whole lot to blog about (okay- really - nothing to blog about) But it has been a few days so I thought I should.

I have a three day weekend!!! WooHoo! The Peoria District gets what is called a "testing break"

The upper grades finished up AIMS two weeks ago and the lower grades are done with DIBELS this week. (by the way, my kids did amazing with their DIBELS!!!) Now I just need to get them up to speed on their Phonogram Tests. Then I will get me 301 money!!! Gee- lets hope we still get that. Last I heard they were thinking of cutting some of that money. Dang!!!

ANYWAY

It is nice to get a day off in April. With at least one day of every month since September it is only right to have one in April as well.

hummmm.... What to do with my day off.....

First off - I have come to the conclusion that anyone who can blog everyday either has a very entertaining life or a very boring blog.

I may not be very good at the BEDA thing but I am posting more than usual.


OKAY - Now to the post

I am going to Georgia in July. I am giving up my December trip to New York. But it is completely worth it. Clayton in Graduating in July and so I want to go to that. However, I have decided that I will need to take more than one trip to Georgia. Here is why...

In July I will fly to Atlanta with Erna. We will split the cost of a rental car and drive to Columbus/Ft. Benning. We will also split the cost of the hotel.

Because Erna has children and a husband at home she will not be able to spend as much time in Georgia as I would like to. (ahhh, the joy of being single!!!!) This requires me to go on another trip to see the rest of Georgia (I have always wanted to see Savannah)

I am very excited to go to Georgia with Erna and see Clay graduate. It will be very fun. I can't wait to eat real southern cookin'