stop living paycheck to paycheck

I got paid today, and this month I didn’t have any little panic attacks in the week before payday – that’s the first time since November. My finances are looking a lot better now, and this is a big relief.

That said, I was a little bit extravagant this month. I bought some furniture, I ate out a couple of times, I went to the movies, I spent a lot of money on chocolates, and I even bought a novel. But I didn’t have any major financial surprises so it worked out fine and I still managed to save a bit. Hopefully all goes well this month too.

this is the last month I’ll have to feel like this.
I feel sick I’m so stressed out because I don’t know when I’ll get paid. I get paid monthly so it’s a different day each month.

Hopefully it’ll be next week and it’ll be just in time to pay my bills. But maybe it won’t…

Okay, so I opened my own savings account that’s linked to my checking account. I got tired of my husband spending all of our money in savings because he can’t budget his own paycheck, and I got mad enough to cut him out of the joint savings situation.

Currently I can only put like $25-35 a month into the new account, but it’s better than nothing right?

A few months back, I stopped going grocery shopping for “the usual” basics (ground meat, chicken breasts, potatos, onions, etc.) that I would use throughout the week to make the same few meals continuously and bought a cook book. Now, on Saturday mornings we sit down as a family and decide on at least 3 or 4 meals together. Then, when I make my grocery list, I only get what I need to make those meals.

So far it’s going a little better as far as the grocery bills are concerned. We used to spend well over $200 a trip, and now I’m getting in and out of Wal-Mart for under $150 on average. It helps to leave our son with my husband and go by myself when I’ve just had lunch (NEVER grocery shop when you’re hungry). That way, I can concentrate on my list instead of telling my 2 year old “sit down” constantly, and I actually only get what’s on the list and not whatever works that happens to be on that isle.

1. Get Current with all my bills
2. Start to save money
3. Get a month ahead on ALL my bills

For the first time in my life, I don’t have to time the bills to the paychecks. I can pay them as they come in.

I would HIGHLY recommend YNAB Pro to anyone working toward this goal. (www.ynab.com)

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I mean, seriously, I’m not strapped.

I am also aware of my need to attribute a portion of this to my present living situation, but that was also the point of embarking upon this – to stop living with pennies to get me through days and days before I receive replenishment just enough to pay part of the bills I owe.

No more. I vow to myself. Work it.

Soon my dearies .. soon.. im broke .. im broker than broke could be :) .. working on waitangi day.. something’s gotta give!

this is going to be pretty hard or pretty easy depending on how stubborn im going to be

i get given about 200 bucks a week … i dont even pay my own rent.. and im always running into debt

my money goes into eating food outside, and drinking cocktails

if i quit both of those i could lose weight and save money.. but it will just have to be seen how well i am with managing my money?!