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A monthly money plan is a really useful tool. You need to know where your money is going, so begin by finding out how much you are currently spending. You could dig out your old bills and start putting down how much for the essentials, such as gas, electric, rent, and other commitments that can not be reduced. Now you know how much money you need to have. If you know how much you spent on these sort of items over the last 12 months, you can estimate for the year ahead. Divide this figure by 12. We now have a monthly ballpark figure. You need to save this amount out of your take-home pay each week to meet these commitments.
Get yourself a notebook and write in the dates of each payday,
using one page for each month. Give yourself plenty of room.
Now, when a bill arrives, look at the date due and write the
amount and what the bill is for under the date before the bill
is due. This keeps all your bills together and is a reminder
to pay them on time. It also creates a great record of how
much and where your money is going so that next year you will
have a really realistic figure to work with. I know how hard
it is to balance the budget, but knowing how much you need to
meet those bills that come in really helps you to sleep
nights.
Mandy (from down under)
more suggestions on creating a monthly money plan
I have a bathroom in the middle of my house (no outside walls) and we put in an extra strong fan to suck out the steam, and it still gets mold in the shower, ceiling and wall joints. We are also on a septic system, so I don't like to use the chemicals if I can avoid it.
I finally found an environmentally friendly, cheap solution.
Mix two cups of hot water, one tablespoon of borax and two
tablespoons of vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake and spray on.
I used a toothbrush (to scrub) and rag (to catch the drips
running down the walls) and the mold is gone. I also have
started to use vinegar to clean my toilet. Use two cups and
let sit overnight to do the initial cleaning. Then just use a
bit once a week to keep it up.
Debbie B.
One of the first things I did after deciding to eliminate debt
was to open a savings account where I could put away money for
expenses that only occur once or twice a year. I then bought a
small, inexpensive notebook to keep in my purse as my "savings
register." On the top of each page, I listed something that I
was saving for (vacation, property taxes, college tuition,
Christmas gifts, etc.) and then listed the twelve months of
the year on the lines under it. Next, I determined how much I
would need to save in each category, totaled it up, and
divided it by 12 months. Each month, I put the designated
amount in savings and then divide it up among each of the
categories in my notebook. This way, each dollar in savings is
accounted for and I'm not tempted to blow what seems like a
generous savings balance on our vacation and end up without
enough for Christmas presents!
Melissa F.
Instead of buying expensive wrapping paper for gifts, save the
funny pages from your newspaper and wrap gifts in the funny
pages. I do this with all the presents I need to wrap. Both
kids and parents think it is a nifty idea. Not only is your
wrapping unique, but also you are recycling a product.
Melissa in State College, PA
I always start my Christmas shopping for the next year right
after Christmas. I shop the sales all year with my Christmas
list in mind. I make a list of what I have gotten for whom and
store the presents in a plastic bin. Sometimes, if the gift is
already in a box, I will even wrap and tag it then. It makes
it so much easier. I have found that I have spent more in
January, but come out of the month with more than 50% of my
Christmas shopping done at 75-90% off! I keep my list in my
planner so it doesn't get lost and everything is in the bin.
Beverly P.
Being only six years old, my son's activities require that I am in attendance. Right now, he is taking Tae Kwon Do and there is a place for parents to observe. I make sure I take some activity or chore with me to attend to while I can still catch glimpses of his activity. I sort through that day's mail, look through library books for decorating ideas, clean out my purse, or write out Christmas cards.
We just completed football, and while practice was outside, I
took the time to walk (since there was no time left for the
gym) around the practice field. I could maintain an eye on my
son yet still get in my all-important walk.
Kathleen B. (Tampa Mom)
I purchase birthday, get well, congratulations, etc. cards all
at one time, usually when I have a coupon for a free item or a
specified percentage of savings. I file the birthday cards in
month order, knowing the intended recipient. The other cards I
file by type. I never have to run out at the last minute to
buy a card. I just go to my "stash." This saves a lot of time
and gas. Don't forget to have stamps on hand!
Stacey M.
I live in the (mostly) sunny South where it's frequently "shorts" weather on Christmas Day. We don't see snow for the season, but we still have a "snowball" fight on Christmas Day!
As all the presents are unwrapped, the gift paper is saved in a pile. Later that afternoon/night, after the big Christmas meal, someone announces "snowball fight at XXX time!" (usually at least 20 minutes away).
All those who wish to participate get into teams and grab the used wrapping paper, newspapers, old magazines, etc. and start making "snowballs"! No, they're not white, but the paper makes great balls!
Then at the appointed time, everyone starts throwing their
horde of "snowballs"! The fight rages all through the house,
up and down the stairs, etc. with teams ambushing each other
and a lot of screaming and laughing. The everyone gets a trash
bag and helps pick up the mess!
Deb C.
When you go through your old Christmas lights and find a
strand that needs to be thrown away, be sure to remove the
bulbs and place them in a resealable baggie to be used as
replacements on your current strands. Then pack them away with
your lights when Christmas is over, so you'll have them next
year.
Terri T.
Even though I have a dishwasher, there are always items I need
to wash by hand. To save on liquid dish soap, I have a small
spray bottle that I fill half with dish soap and half with
water. By doing this, I only have to buy dish soap about twice
a year, and I never run out because I can see how much is left
and have plenty of time to put it on my shopping list before
my spray bottle runs out.
Adrienne P.
I wear contact lenses and the solution I use to clean them
with is multi-purpose. It cleans and rinses. The solution
costs about $8 per bottle. Instead of using the cleaning
solution for daily rinsing of my lenses, I use $2 per bottle
saline solution, and save the more expensive solution for
overnight storing and disinfecting of my lenses. Saline is
harder to find. My local Target doesn't even carry it any more
because of all the multi-purpose solutions. Wal-Mart does
carry a generic brand of saline, so when I go there, I stock
up.
KV
Being frugal and quite busy, I normally bring and eat lunch in the office. With the extra time I save by not driving somewhere for lunch, I use those minutes to prepare my meal plan and grocery list. Not only does this give me the time to prepare the lists, but it also helps me save time and money at the grocery store. I know exactly what I need, and this keeps me from splurging on unnecessary items in the store.
The meal plan usually covers two weeks. I try to come up with new or different meals that often use similar ingredients spread out over the time period. I also have my calendar handy so that I know which nights we'll need quick meals and which nights I have extra time to prepare a more difficult meal. In that same list, the meals I choose often have leftovers that I can bring for lunch. For example, chicken and dumplings from scratch takes a long time to prepare yet is very inexpensive, so I might cook that on a Sunday, giving me plenty of time to make and enjoy it and plenty of leftovers for lunches. Our Monday night meal, since I have night classes, may be as simple as grilled cheese and tomato soup.
I'm able to use a few minutes of my personal time at work to
plan out meals for the next two weeks, and I only need to go
shopping once for the main meal items, leaving mealtime less
frustrating with fewer last minute dashes to the store for
forgotten items. Often, the meals are quite a bit healthier
and more satisfying. Not to mention, it's much easier to plan
ahead than to figure out a dinner for four at the last minute,
so it's definitely a stress saver, too!
Rebecca P. in Huntsville, AL
If you get ugly hard water stains around any of your faucets,
soak paper towels in vinegar and place them around as needed.
In about a half an hour, stains will brush off. No need to
purchase expensive (and extremely toxic) chemicals.
Debi S.
We recently moved about five miles out of town. I love the
quiet and the open space, but I never realized how many times
a day I jump into the car to run errands. With three
teenagers, I found that we were sometimes going into town six
times per day! We have started trying to coordinate better.
Before anyone comes back from town, he or she calls home first
to see if anything is needed. Sometimes, I ask them to pick up
something at the store. Or I ask them to hang out at the
library and pick up a sibling in half an hour somewhere else
before coming home. It has made a big difference in gas and
wear and tear on our car, and it's a time saver for me!
Jeanna H.
Don't buy those expensive twill covers for your futons. All
you need is a fitted bottom sheet in your choice of fabric. I
had the basic black twill futon cover. I wanted a burgundy
cover, so I went to Wal-Mart and picked up a burgundy bottom
sheet and put it over the twill cover. It was only a little
over $6. I also picked up some inexpensive throw pillows at
Wal-Mart in burgundy and tan and added those. Also I added a
tan throw that I already had across the back of the futon and
I had a whole new look for very little money. An added bonus
was that the sheet did not pick up cat hair the way the twill
cover had, which will be of interest to pet lovers.
Noel C.
When making popped corn, use the unpopped kernels for bird
feed. I use them with peanut butter and seeds on pinecones for
bird treats!
Teresa M.
I saw a great idea today for an inexpensive neighbor gift. Buy
Christmas themed oven mitts, cookie mix in a plastic bag, and
cookie cutters at the dollar store. Put one bag of cookie mix
inside an oven mitt. Tie the top of the mitt with curling
ribbon or raffia and add a cookie cutter. I was able to put
them together for less than $2.50 each. The dollar store also
had cake and brownie mixes in the bags. These could be tied
with a wooden spoon instead of a cookie cutter. This is a cute
idea and it doesn't require much money.
Janet in Utah
My legs tend to swell because of a medical condition, and I
know a lot of other people (like diabetics) have this problem
as well, so I thought I would pass along what I do for socks.
The non-constrictive socks that you can buy (that are often
labeled "diabetic socks") are very pricey, so instead I buy
regular socks and simply cut off the tight upper band with a
pair of pinking shears. I prefer ankle socks, so there isn't
an issue of whether or not the socks are staying up on my leg,
and with the tight band gone, the socks are much looser and
much more comfortable. As a bonus, I then use the bands that I
have cut off as ponytail holders. They work great!
Michelle R.
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