Every year I start out gung ho on tracking every penny and usually by March/April it becomes overwhelming.
My epiphany is I spend too much time on the internet reading, tracking my spending, planning and not enough actually doing!
Case in point: DH drove up to Oregon to do some maintenance on our rental home. He called and said let's grab a rice/bean/cheese burrito when I get home (Lent). Well I had spent a few hours yesterday entering receipts into quicken and YNAB (don't ask). I started thinking I don't want to spent $15.00 on a couple of so-so burittos at the local Mexican food place. What is wrong with me? My BFF is half mexican and gave me her grandmother's rice recipe and we have canned beans. I checked the frig, yep have tortillas. Wow I even have sour cream and TJ's chips, plus we always have Tillamook cheddar cheese.
I had all the ingredients for the rice including an open container of chicken broth in the frig. So by the time DH drove up an hour or so later I was finishing up the ingredients and was heating the tortillas.
I did so well in February with food when I was in a challenge with my sister, so I need to have that mind set all the time!
My job ended Friday the 26th of March and I received my last check yesterday. I am working on contract until the outsourcing company takes over the hospital transcription department. I have been offered a job Tues-Sat 8-12 with the company. I am happy to have a job, but do not feel the great relief I thought I would feel after finally talking to the HR department. I am apprehensive as I hate change!
I am going to start using envelopes to budget instead of tracking every penny. That way if I have leftover money in an envelope I know we did well. If I run out or look like I am running out, I know I need to be careful. Till Debt Do Us Part is sinking in.....
I did splurge on Easter books for:
But then she is my only grandchild and lives so far away. Easter really snuck up on me this year so I ordered from Amazon yesterday and paid extra for the books to be delivered today.
I would love to go back to the East Coast for a visit before they come at the end of June, but at this point with starting a new job I just don't know when I can fit it in. I know it is only 2.5 more months, but it has been 2.5 months since I saw her last (and could hold her and kiss her and read to her) and I am having painful withdrawals! Luckily we both have webcams so I do get to see her and talk to her, but she seems more interested in my dog than me!
Happy Easter Everyone!
Another epiphany....
April 3rd, 2010 at 12:12 pm
April 3rd, 2010 at 12:21 pm 1270297317
April 3rd, 2010 at 02:00 pm 1270303255
I love that you are willing to keep tweaking until you hit on the budgeting/spending method that works for you. I think this is where many just give up. If we'd just keep making those tiny adjustments until we hit upon the most workable, eventually we WIN!!!
April 3rd, 2010 at 02:27 pm 1270304822
And great work on the cooking. That's all restaurants do, have all the ingredients without having to run to the store! Oh yeah, and also they know how to cook.
April 3rd, 2010 at 04:22 pm 1270311738
April 3rd, 2010 at 05:17 pm 1270315021