One budgeting victory at a time

As we gear up to climb Debt Mountain, we have had one budgeting victory after another!

Budgeting Victory #1

The Dude is completely on board with it! And so are the kids!

Budgeting Victory #1

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Budgeting Victory #2

We actually had a budget surplus last pay period. That never happens, right? We started budgeting on 10/1. By the end of the first month, we had a $240 surplus. We are working to build a $1000 emergency fund before slashing debt. We kept about $90 in a slush fund so that if our budget has a shortfall, we can rectify it without tapping the EF. The $150 extra went into the emergency fund.

Budgeting Victory #2

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Budgeting Victory #3

Ci has gotten our van put back together.  Over a year ago, the heads went and it would cost more than it is worth to replace them at a shop. So the Dude bought a used engine and has slowly pieced it together. It has been a slow process and then he got sick and really can’t lift and bend yet. But Ci got motivated and got it done!

Budgeting Victory #3

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Budgeting Victory #4

We bought an Astrovan for $1 last year, drove it for over a year, and sold it for $1200 last week.

The Astro money turned into old Corolla that gets 30 MPG.

Budgeting Victory #3

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Budgeting Victory #5

I canceled my fitness center membership. I have used it twice. There is a big hill behind my work, and podcasts to listen to while I climb. We are reevaluating our internet and cell phone plans to bring them down.

Budgeting Victory #5

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Sad verse: A cranky sidebar

On the problem side, the grocery budget is proving difficult. We have bumped it up to $150 a week, and it is still not working. I think the first few weeks were easier because we had a surplus. Now that we are winnowing that down, it is harder to keep to the budget. I am spending 2-3 hours a week planning the list and comparison shopping and then we spend a good chunk of Friday making the purchases. It is not fun. And I can’t comparison shop online at our cheapest grocery stores because they don’t have prices online. So I am frustrated.

Budgeting Victory #6

But to get back to focusing on the positive: the emergency fund has grown from $0 to  $700 in a month and a half! For folks who have never stuck to a budget and have never had an actual dedicated emergency fund, this is huge!

Budgeting Victory #6

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While we do expect to continue the process to be a hard, uphill slog-we are going to tackle this financial challenge one budgeting victory at a time!