Weakness Points

Recently, I made the commitment to pinch my pennies, go on a budget and start a shopping ban once again.  I thought the first step I should take is to identify all of those places that I fall prey to spending more money (I'm nervous this is going to be a long list....) so I know which places (and areas) I need to steer clear of when out in town.

1.  Wal-Mart

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I touched on this yesterday, but I'm terrible about making a grocery run and buying a bunch of crap I don't need.  I'm the poster child for effective advertising.  If it promises to make my life easier, more organized, simpler or just looks pretty in the package, I'm probably going to be tempted to buy it.  Thanks to some really great readers, I've gotten some great suggestions on where to shop for groceries once we move back to Etown.  Now, I need a lesson in couponing.  I don't want to be an extreme couponer, by any means, but I always seem to find the coupons that are "Buy 6, get 1 free."  Well, I don't need 6.  I'll barely use the one that I have to buy.  I need to know where to find good, worthwhile coupons that are going to save me money on the things I need without making me buy 80 of them to get a discount. 

2.  Target

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Oh Target.  How I could talk for hours about your Clearance section and clean stores and Bullseye logo that suck me in.  Your accessories, your clothing, your shoes, your home section.  I love it all.  And that's why I won't be seeing you for 90 days.  At all.  I just can't.  I don't have that much willpower.  But please know that I will miss you very much....even though my bank account won't.

3.  Organizational aisles

I'm an organized nerd.  I love planners, binders, bins, shelves, containers, anything that makes my life even halfway organized. I will buy planners just because I like the way they're laid out....even though I already have a planner for 2013.  I'll buy stackable containers to store office supplies...even though I already have an organizational system in place in my home office.  Therefore, I must stay away from Office Depot, Staples, Michaels and all organizational and home supply aisles in any store I go in.

4.  Pier One, Kirklands, TJ Maxx, etc.

We're moving.  We're getting a new home.  A blank canvas.  That's just begging to be decorated exactly how I want it to be.  That I'm dying to make look exactly like all the pins I've been faithfully pinning on Pinterest.  But I can't.  That would be EXPENSIVE.  Instead, I'm not going to unpack all of the old stuff that I didn't like about our current house.  I'm going to work on my house a tiny little bit at a time.  It may take 5  years, but it would finally be how I wanted it.  I'm horrible about buying little knickknacky clearance things if I think it looks cute.  As a result, my house looks.....jumbled.  Not pulled together.  Not how I want it.  Stay away from all home goods stores, Devan.

5.  Avery clothing

Ugh.  Little girl's clothing.  I buy it like crazy...even when my child doesn't need it.  I buy the cutest dress, the cutest shoes, the cutest shirt.  As a result, she has a pair of shoes that only match two shirts in her entire wardrobe, shirts that don't match any pants and dresses for the wrong season.  I'm going to plan ahead when it comes to shopping for Avery.  Before buying that adorable shirt, make sure it's practical and that she can wear it more than just once.  I'm going to allow myself to buy Avery clothes during my shopping ban, but only on a limited basis and only if she truly needs it.

6.  Clearance sections

Do I need to say more?  Totally off-limits.


That's it.  It's easier for me to spend less when I can identify my weaknesses and know exactly what I need to stay away from.

What's your shopping weakness??

Acting My Wage.

This past summer, I embarked on a personal finance journey that was really successful for me and for my bank account.  I think it's time to dredge it out of the archives....with some slight changes.
Introducing:  Penny Pinching Summer LIVING!  

I'm bringing it back y'all!  It's time to start, as Dave Ramsey would say, "acting my wage."  Marty and I have had a pretty significant life change happen to us in the last couple months.  I eluded to it a couple of posts ago, but I think it's finally safe to say:  we're moving!  We're finally moving back home to Etown!  I'll go into more detail later, but we're leaving our little starter home for a bigger  home, more suited for our family and closer to the ones we love.  But with a new, bigger home comes new, bigger expenses.  Bigger utility bills.  Bigger problems.  Bigger upgrades and work I want done to make the house the one of my dreams.  And Marty and I can afford all this (obviously, or we wouldn't be moving in the first place), but I don't want to get to the point where we're scraping together our pennies and dimes because we've strapped ourselves down with a bigger mortgage.  So I'm taking the first step to discipline myself.  I don't have to.  I WANT to.  I'm the world's worst about buying crap I don't need.  I go to the grocery and I end up with probably $30 of stuff that wasn't on the list, I just felt like I needed it.  I go into a store and end up buying myself two shirts off the clearance rack because I felt like it was a deal I couldn't pass up.  I don't spend money with my head.  I don't logically think about what I should or shouldn't be buying.  I shop with my emotions...the worst kind.  I impulsively buy things, get them home and then later feel guilty about not saving the money for something more important.  I'm HORRIBLE about going out to eat.  Getting a Coke in the mornings.  Grabbing myself some breakfast.  Hitting the drive through for lunch because I was too lazy to get up early and make myself a lunch.  Well, no more.  Not only am I resurrecting the "Penny Pinching" idea, I'm going to put myself back on a shopping ban.  I did it a couple of years ago, and I was successful.  But I limited myself to not buying anything for myself--meaning new clothing, shoes, a pair of earrings.  I'm taking that a step further.  I buy NOTHING.  For 90 days.  Unless it's a necessity.  I spend absolutely no money except on groceries, necessities for the new house and necessities for Avery.  That's it.  No more little knickknacks at Kirklands or cute little home items at Target.  No more shoes from the clearance rack or craft items that I don't need.  I am going to start crafting and selling again when we get moved into our new house to make myself a little extra "cushion" money (a.k.a. I'm saving to treat myself to a new couch!), but if it's not a necessity for the specific craft I'm making, I won't buy it.  Now, here's where you come in.  Hold me accountable.  Ask how my shopping ban is going (and then be a shoulder to cry on when I tell you about an adorable purse I had to pass up).  Tell me about great deals and how to save money at the grocery (where I fail miserably at saving money).  Tell me where I can get good discounted clothing or deals on Avery things.  Let's make this a group thingy!  You share deals and penny pinching tips with me, and I'll do the same for you (here's my first--start by making  your own laundry detergent!).  And hopefully later, we'll both be in excellent financial shape and be able to brag about being debt free (hey, I dream big, okay?).
I'll leave you with a couple of Dave Ramsey quotes that are going to be my motivation for the next 90 days.

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No, shoes.  I don't need you.  No, unnecessary Walmart crap.  I don't need you.  No, Marty.  We don't need to go out to eat tonight. Let me make dinner tonight.

Printing this off and putting it in my wallet.  Right by my debit card.

Goodbye Michaels and Target.  I'll see you in 90 days.

It All Comes Out in the Wash (Detergent Update!)

The blog post I get the most questions about in real life, hands down, is the question about my homemade laundry detergent.  Do you remember that?  Let me refresh your memory (a.k.a. click here. It'll take you to the original post).  I thought I would talk a little bit about it in case you were curious!

I made my laundry detergent back in JUNE.  I just ran out last month.  That's SIX MONTHS of not buying laundry detergent.  Absolutely reedonkulous.  It was time to make some more, so I thought I would do a little tweaking to the original recipe. 

I'll start by saying that Marty didn't love the homemade detergent.  Almost from the moment I made it, he turned his nose up.  I guess because it's not a trusted brand or well-renowned for it's cleaning ability...I don't know.  Whatever the reason, he wasn't really wanting to give the 1950s detergent a chance at all ( but that didn't stop me from using it *cheesy grin*).  I figured out later that Marty likes really fresh clothes that have a distinct "just washed" smell.  That's probably one of the few negatives about this detergent.  It doesn't have much of a smell--which doesn't bother me.  I don't have to walk around every day smelling like a fabric softener sheet, but apparently my husband does, so I wanted to fix that with this round of detergent.

Recap:  here's the "recipe" to make your own homemade laundry detergent:

1 box (76 oz) 20 Mule Team Borax

1 box (55 oz) Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda

3 bars of soap**

**In my original round of making detergent, I used plain, ole Ivory soap.  This time, I went for the actual laundry soap...Fels Naptha (you can also pick up Zote--another laundry soap brand).  Heads up, if you go this route?  This stuff is strooooong scented.  Like make your house smell like this soap for THREE DAYS STRAIGHT strong.  

So, let's make the detergent.  Dump the Borax and Washing Soda into your chosen container.  I've been using a cute red beverage tub I found on clearance at Target.  

Then, grate all three bars of soap into the mix with a cheese grater.  Looks just like grated cheese.  A little weird.

Now, one more change from the original batch I made.  To make the detergent and the laundry smell cleaner, I added a bottle of Purex Crystals.  

I picked the Fresh Spring Waters scent, just because I didn't think the hubs would appreciate the Lavender smelling clothing.   

So far, I like this version detergent better.  It smells clean and I think the Purex Crystals add to the cleaning power.  And....hubs hasn't complained.  Score. 

Last time, I compared my savings in making my own detergent vs buying a bottle of Tide or other brand name.  Since I added the Purex Crystals and spent a little more on the Fels Naptha, I would say I spent around $13 on this batch.  Since there are more ingredients, there's more detergent to go around (175. oz worth)  Here's the math: 

Cost of detergent/amount of detergent (tbsp)=Cost per load of laundry

There are 175.5 oz in this batch.  1 oz=2 tbsp.  So, 351 tbsp. of laundry.

$13/351 tbsp= 4 cents a load

I use 2 tbsp in each load of laundry, so it costs me 8 cents a load.

Yep.  Totally still worth it. 

What kind of products do you make yourself and save money?  Share!! 

Organize One Thing meets Penny Pinching

This post is going to be pulling double duty today!  It's a "Organize One Thing Wednesday" meets "Penny Pinching Summer" kind of post (yes, I know summer is almost over, but you can learn financial tips any time of the year). 

I am a FREAK when it comes to organizing my checkbook.  I don't see how people balance their checkbooks only once a month when their bank statement comes in the mail.  I'm signed up for online banking and I check my account and balance my checkbook EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.  I need to know how much is in my account every day...down to the penny.  To further cement my OCD status when it comes to my checkbook, I color code everything that's written down.  Yep.  Color coded.

Breakdown:

Green is bills.  Medical, credit cards, house payments, utilities, etc.  This is the stuff that has to be paid, before anything else.  On payday, I sit down and make sure all the greens are taken care of first.

Orange is gas purchases.  Since we live in Bardstown and I'm driving to Etown, I like to easily see how much I'm spending per month in gas.  Makes budgeting so much easier.

Pink is deposits.  Paychecks, cash deposits, etc.  Helps me be able to add up what's coming in.

Blue is necessities.  Grocery trips, medicines, clothes for Avery, clothes for me or Marty (that are needed, not just a splurge), etc. 

Yellow is my least favorite.  It's unnecessary purchases.  Trips through the drive through, that cute pair of shoes I wanted, but didn't need.  Those kinds of things.  It's more of a motivator when I look in my checkbook and see 5 yellow highlighted purchases.  I feel guilty for throwing that much money away and vow to do better. 

I know, I know.  I'm OCD.  At least I'm admitting it, right?  It sure makes me feel better and makes balancing the checkbook and making my budget so much easier.....and more colorful. :)

OOTW--bills, bills, bills!

I love Wednesdays.  It's quickly becoming one of my favorite days of the week....because it's an excuse to look around my house, find what needs organizing and do it! 

This week, I'm tackling bills.  It's so easy for bills to get piled up or pushed aside and forgotten about until that dreaded "Payment Overdue" statement comes in the mail....or worse, when you notice a late fee tacked on to next month's bill.  When I was first on my own and had just a few bills to handle,  I was so overwhelmed.  How can you keep up with all of these due dates and amounts due and which bill to pay when??  And that was just the basic bills of a college student!  Then I grew up, got married, bought a house and found out what it REALLY meant to be in debt and have bills.  Marty and I have recently split accounts and bills for us each to handle.  It was a great way to keep up both accountable for where our money was going and it cut down on unnecessary "You spent HOW much??" kind of fights.   I thought I had it under control....until this month.  Marty, by the grace of God, has found a new job.  A new job that's going to bring a bigger paycheck (wahoo!).  But a bigger paycheck brings more opportunity for wasteful spending and little penny pinching.  So, to make a long story short, we're joining accounts again, under the stipulation that I am in charge of the bills.  Insert super organizational skills here!  To keep all of the bills, due dates and payments under control, I have corralled all of the monthly statements in this gorgeous binder:

Call me old-fashioned or not being earth-friendly, but I like having a paper statement in my hand every month that tells me exactly how much I owe and gives me the details of my charges.  Yes, I know I can go online and view all that information, but something about holding a physical piece of paper in my hands gives me a sense of satisfaction.  I have all of the statements separated by dividers and labels so I know where each bill is whenever I need to refer back to it. 

Now, this is my favorite part.  I made up a printable bill organizing checklist, so I can view all of our monthly expenses at once. 

I'm a visual person.  I won't believe that it's done until I see it written down and checked off.  I guess I'm a little OCD. 

Not only do I have the list of bills, but I also made a pretty list of when to pay which bills.  You see, when Marty starts this new job, our paychecks are going to be scattered throughout the entire month.  To keep me from paying too many bills out of one single paycheck, I have them scattered so we still have spending/saving money leftover.  This printable shows me EXACTLY when to pay which bill.  Super daggone helpful. 

P.S.  Both of these printables are free for you to take!  Print them off, make your own binder and revel in your organization!


Bills to Pay FREE printable! 

Laun-dream-y rooms

When you think of your dream home, which room do you drool over?  A kitchen with top of the line appliances and enough counter space to prep your family's dinner?  A living room with square footage large enough for you to arrange and re-arrange your jaw-dropping furniture?  A home office with built in bookshelves and a bay window?  Those are all well and good, but I dream of something a little bit different.  When I think of my dream home, I focus on one room.......the laundry.  I can't really explain it.  I don't particularly enjoy doing laundry or want to spend an excessive amount of time in the laundry room, but I can't help but drool over pictures of shelves for baskets, counter tops for folding clothes fresh out of the dryer.  I sigh over pictures of adorable laundry rooms that combine design and function.  In fact, my Dream Home Pinterest board is filled with pictures of laundry rooms and organizing solutions.  Let me just share a few of my drool-worthy photos with you:



Every family member has their own basket to put away

I want a sink in my laundry room. Bad.



Love the red and gray...and that island!!

Organized AND spacious??  When can I move in??

Is there anything I can say about this that you're not already thinking.....???

Geez.  If I get nothing else I want when (if??) Marty and I ever build, I want a spacious laundry room.  I don't think it's too much to ask, right? 
More along the lines of my current (penny pinching) budget, I've currently got my eye on a clothes line.  Eventually, when Marty and I figure out where we're going to be for a few years (it's kind of up in the air at the moment), I want an outdoor clothing line.  Saves money by not running the dryer constantly and gives your clothes and sheets a fresh air clean smell. *mmmmmm* 

Until we figure out a more permanent solution, I have my eye on these:

Indoor Retractable clothesline by Home Depot

Genius

The...$5!....clothesline.  We may have a winner.

I'll leave you guys to dream of your fabulous kitchens and living rooms.  Meanwhile, I'll have visions of clotheslines and ridiculously large laundry rooms dancing in my head.

Penny Pinching Tips....from a pro.

I feel like an official blogger now...I've asked a guest poster to give you some tips on how to save some money.  Lucky for you, she gets paid to tell people how to save money as the Nelson County FCS agent....and she's my sister!  We are nothing alike--Dayna is a saver, I'm a spender.  Dayna is outgoing, I'm super shy.  Dayna is modern and color, I'm vintage and black and white.  Despite all this, the boys in our family can't tell us apart when they're learning names.  I'm "black hair," she's "red hair."  So, without further ado, Red Hair and her "Penny Pinching" tips.

Hey Penny Pinchers!

I hope that Devan has been giving you some helpful tips this summer about how she saves money and that you’ve been able to apply them to your own life. Dev asked me to “guest post” on her blog because her “Penny Pinching Summer” idea is exactly what I do in my job. I am the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent at the Nelson County Extension Office. (Every county has an extension office and most have an FCS agent- check out your county office here: www.ca.uky.edu/county). Basically, it’s my job to deliver UK information to the community about financial management, nutrition, food preservation, food safety, child development and much more. It’s kind of hard to explain to people but I love it.

Fortunately for you, the information I give out about financial management is all research based and backed by the one and only University of Kentucky. So, I figured I’d compile all of my favorite money saving tips into one and then give you the links to a few publications on saving money.
First: Couponing 101
Couponing 101 is just a lesson for basic coupon etiquette and use for those individuals who want to use coupons to save a little dough. Basically, it’s for those smart folks who take the free money stores send out in the paper every week.
When couponing, don’t make your list around the coupons. Make your grocery list, then browse the coupons to see if you can use any. If you hunt through coupons first you’ll end up buying things you don’t need just because you have a coupon for it, which ultimately, just cost you more money.
When you coupon, sort them out in some way that makes sense to you. Some people like to separate into food and non-food, some put them in order of the grocery store aisles, and others paper clip the ones they know they’re going to use onto their list. Regardless of how you do it, find a way that works best for you. It may take you a few tries but you’ll figure something out.
The first rule of couponing is this: only try to use the coupons for what they are intended. If it says buy three, save $3.00, no you may not buy one and save $1.00. Buy what it says you need to buy for the coupon to be honored.
Second, don’t try to use expired coupons. They have an expiration date on them for a reason. If you have some recently expired coupons, visit www.coupsfortroops.com to find an address to someone you can send them to who will send them overseas to our military families who have access to commissaries. They can use them up to 6 months expired there. (only manufacturer’s coupons!)
Last, don’t get angry at the cashier if one of your coupons doesn’t work. First, make sure you bought the correct item and amount (don’t try to buy a 16 oz Coke and use a coupon for a 20 oz). Then, if you have the correct items and it still won’t scan, check the expiration date and check that it isn’t a coupon for another store. Using a Dollar General coupon at Kroger aint gonna fly. If all of this is correct, calmly ask for the manager. No big deal.
I think couponing is a wonderful thing- I honestly see coupons as free money. If you have to buy toilet paper and it would have cost you 5.89 without a coupon, but you have a coupon for .40 cents off, imagine that you paid your normal 5.89 and they just handed you back .40 cents. For free. It helps.
I just skimmed the very basics of this publication. Check it out to learn about sale cycles (typically 12 weeks) and more. It’s worth the read: http://www.ca.uky.edu/hes/FCS/FACTSHTS/FRM-AP-087.pdf
Next, we have these awesome “Add Up the Savings” cards. They’re quick tips to saving money different ways. Let me re-cap for you:
Add Up the Savings When Eating Out: http://www.ca.uky.edu/HES/FCS/FACTSHTS/AUTS_When_eating_out.pdf
1. The obvious one- try to limit the number of times you go out to eat.
2. Don’t order super size meals. They only add calories and money. Order smaller, save money.
3. Drink water. Sodas shouldn’t cost 2+ dollars but they usually do. So again, save money, save calories. If you don’t like the taste of water, take a flavor packet into the restaurant with you.
4. Bring your lunch to work. Sometimes this isn’t feasible if we’re on the road or we have a lunch meeting, but when possible, you can save up to $1,000 a year. And I know there aren’t too many people out there who couldn’t use an extra $1,000 a year. Lunches is one of the fastest ways we blow our money. Spend an extra ten minutes at night or in the morning to pack yourself one, or better yet, eat your leftovers from the night before.
5. Eat earlier in the day when you’re going out for dinner. Many places up the prices of their meals later in the evening. Get there while they’re still offering the early prices.
6. Order off the lunch menu if you go during the day. They’re usually smaller portions and cost less, again saving money and calories (anyone else see a theme here?)
7. Avoid vending machines or stopping at a gas station for snacks. They’re usually packed with fat and cost more than they should. Keep a drawer of healthy snacks in your office or at home.
Add Up the Savings On Clothing: http://www.ca.uky.edu/HES/FCS/FACTSHTS/AUTS_on_clothing.pdf
1. Avoid fads that are probably going to be unfashionable next season. Those flamingo pants may be cool today, but they probably won’t be in a month, and you just dropped $50 for something you can only wear a few times. Purchase classic pieces that you’ll be able to re-wear season after season.
2. Don’t buy lots of bright colors. These can usually only be worn in spring. Darker colors can be worn all year.
3. Follow care instructions when washing and drying your clothes. Meaning, if it says dry clean only- dry clean it. Don’t risk tearing it up, then you’ll just have to go buy another one. (Personal opinion: don’t buy things that are dry clean only in the first place!)
4. Buy solid colored pieces so you can mix and match and re-wear more often without people noticing. If you start to show up in that start studded pink zebra shirt more than once a month, people will talk.
5. Use accessories at a minimum. Yes, they are nice and can add to an outfit, but they also cost quite a bit of money. Find classic earrings you can wear with anything and a good watch and bracelet or necklace. Use extravagant accessories for special occasions.
6. Shop at consignments stores. Yes, I said it and I mean it. Consignments stores can offer you the same thing a store offers you for a much cheaper price. Who cares that someone wore it a few times already? It’s half the price and technically, people have tried on the clothes in the store, so they’ve been worn too.
7. Don’t buy clothes you don’t need. If you already have a black shirt in good condition, don’t buy another one.
8. Learn how to sew to make minor repairs. (You can all come to my beginner’s sewing class at the Nelson County Extension Office if you need to learn. July 25th at 5:30 p.m. and it only costs $5.00)
There are also “Add Up The Savings” cards when shopping for food, at home, on energy, and on food preparation. See those here:
At Home: http://www.ca.uky.edu/HES/FCS/FACTSHTS/AUTS_at_home.pdf
On Food Preparation: http://www.ca.uky.edu/HES/FCS/FACTSHTS/AUTS_at_home.pdf
When Shopping For Food: http://www.ca.uky.edu/HES/FCS/FACTSHTS/AUTS_at_home.pdf
On Energy: http://www.ca.uky.edu/HES/FCS/FACTSHTS/AUTS_on_energy.pdf
My last money saving tid-bit is this: host a swap party! Get some snacks, call up your girls and get together for a night of fun! Have everyone bring their purses, shoes, clothes, books, whatever that are in good condition, lay them out and swap! Then, have the party the next month (or rotate it to someone else’s house) and do it again! Bring the same items (friend A may have borrowed friend B’s purse that you really wanted to get) and/or bring some new things! You’ll always have new things without spending a dime! Plus you get girl time!
Basically, just be aware of how much you’re spending and what you’re spending your money on. I recently went through my bank statements and saw that I had bought 12 McDonalds Sweet Teas in one month. TWELVE. I justified it to myself each time that it was only a dollar. ONE DOLLAR! Who can pass up a large delicious sweet tea when it’s so cheap? Well I can when I figure out I’d spent twelve dollars over the course of the month.  Needless to say, I’ve banned myself. I grab a cup and fill it up with water instead. No money, no calories. I really don’t see a down side to it!
I hope you all find this helpful, I know it was long but I hope it was worth it! And please don’t hesitate to call me (our office number is 502-348-9204), email me (dayna.parrett@uky.edu) , or check out my work blog (www.nelsonfcs.wordpress.com)  if you want more information! I also try to tweet financial tips every now and then (@NelsonCountyFCS).  You’re also welcome to call the FCS agent in your own county. That’s what we’re here for!
Additional publications you might find interesting:
How To Keep Money In Your Pocket: http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/fcs5/fcs5102/fcs5102.pdf
Supermarket Savvy: http://www.ca.uky.edu/HES/fcs/FACTSHTS/FRM-RHF-131.pdf
The Power of Ten: http://www.ca.uky.edu/HES/fcs/FACTSHTS/frm-ssb-76.pdf
There are tons more! Visit http://www.ca.uky.edu/hes/index.php?p=206 to see all of the financial management publications. From estate planning, to retirement planning, to which bread machine to buy, we’ve got you covered.

Happy Penny Pinching! :)

Feeling the pinch

It's no secret that I would love to be able to blog full-time.  What would be more fun than doing series, craft projects and blogging all day....and get paid to do it??  Until that happens, I'm going to keep dreaming....and I'm going to start some of those series.  My post a few days ago addressed my unhappiness and discontent in several areas of my life.  A huge issue is moving back to Etown.  When Marty and I married, he worked in Bardstown and our house search in the Etown area wasn't turning up anything promising.  On a whim, we decided to check out houses in Bardstown.  Our price range in Etown was getting us older, fixer-upper homes that would have required quite a bit of money to get it up to par.  The same price range got us a brand-new, three bedroom home in Bardstown that was still in the process of being built.  At the time, the decision was a no-brainer.  Now, fast-forward three years, job changes and a new baby later, and we're spending a ton of money on gas schlepping back and forth to jobs and babysitters and appointments in Etown.  Frankly, it's exhausting.  Every day, I dream about getting back to the city that we both grew up in.  Part of those dreams include this perfect house plan I've found.  Perfect size, perfect layout, perfect, perfect, perfect.  Unfortunately, we don't have the funds available at the moment to make that home more than just a piece of paper.  So I've decided to do something about it.  I'm tired of spending money on things that are completely unneccessary.  I'm tired of talking about budgeting and never doing it.  I'm tired of watching money fly right out of my account after payday and not being completely sure how it all adds up or where it's all going.  Enough is enough.  That's when the "Penny Pinching Summer" series was born.  I will stop spending money on things that are unneccessary.  I will stop being lured into the clearance section in Target, forcing me to buy things I don't need.  I will start saving money at the grocery.  I will start finding ways to make a little extra money.  I'll share the tips that I find and that are successful for our family.  I hope you do the same.  If you know brillant ways to curb your spending or save more at the grocery, I would be more than happy to hear them all.  With this plan, hopefully our dream home will be more than just a dream....it'll be a reality soon.