Like I stated before. This wont be easy.. I highly recommend you apply every step to your life in some way. If you need help ask.. I am not an expert.. Just a motivated mom who needs the same results you do.. I have just as many questions and we can use each other as tools.
I want to post more than weekly assignments but daily is too much.. so I will post as I feel is needed.. it may be once a week you may get 4..
For those that started their assignment early.. well you get a freebie.. For the rest of us.. Grab a notebook or use your phone, save reciepts or however works best for you..Do this for at least 30 days.. I recommended a whole year
Track every penny you spend from your household budget.. This is a tricky but worthwhile task. Spend $1.06 on McD's soda? Write it down. .50¢ on a candy bar at the store? Write it down. $137.47 on your elec bill? write it down. It doesnt have to be neat right off. Mostly I just grab receipts and put them where the cash was. If I dont have a receipt I write it on scratch paper.. Then when I can I put it into list form.
This is a personal record for you to assess. It gives you an idea of where your money goes and where you need to cut.. This will also help as you can see next Jan that the $80 you were spending at the convince store each month is now $20.. My first experience with this method was in 2004. I will never forget and neither will my husband.. I still nag him for receipts. I wanted to know where all our money was going.. We tracked everything.. I spent $87 at Blockbuster.. yes.. $87.. this was for movies and video game rentals.. YIKES!! thats when we became customers of Netflix and Gamefly.. :) spent about $25 at the time for both. I was also spending alot of money at convience stores. I think last month I spent less than $10 outside of gas- thats high too since we were on the move we stopped a few times for potty and a drink to share.
So tracking your spending. For those with spouses try to get them to track or at least provide receipts.. a misc "I dont know where it went" category is fine, just try to keep it under $20 :)
I wanted to add to this that it may be easier to keep a little book in the center counsel of your car. That is usually where you are when you spend money.
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