Embracing my budget

So, I have never been, well, thrifty.  Okay, I'll take that further and admit, I have no head for numbers.  I have to count on my fingers, so figuring out what is a good buy does not come naturally to this girl.  I also suffer from a little known optical disorder called, everything must be pretty and match, even in my pantry or I must toss it, damn the waste.  I am self treating my disorder by allowing my house to look more lived-in.  Well, my kids are big contributers to that for me, but I digress...

My budget Commitment.

I have pledged to Dave that I will provide all of our household needs for $100 Cash/week.  My only exception is the $30/wk in gas.  I won't leave my kids in the car to go inside to pay cash and I am certainly not getting them all out to go with me.  So that is the only non-cash expense I intend to have.  Oh!  and the $13.50 I paid for a paper subscription so I could get the coupons from the Sunday paper.  Why I can get the paper 4 days a week for only 1.05 and it would have cost me $1.25/wk for Sunday only is beyond me.

So thanks to help from Crystal from moneysavingmom.com, I have a nifty little coupon file in my purse, complete with a calculator & pen.  I have always been good at shopping for the things I need for my little projects, its the follow through that trips me up.  Not this time!  My little family is depending on me to get it together and carry us through our current situation.  I can do this.

Tomorrow I will make my meal plan and grocery list.  I don't have many coupons yet, so we will be eating really basic, but that is usually we all enjoy the most.  I need to sneak in some Thanksgiving ingredients and hopefully some Christmas gifts, too.