tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8631126949164443203.post5798521546799120973..comments2023-10-25T06:29:05.472-05:00Comments on Autumn Asks Why: Autumn asks: Are you actually working with a written budget?autumnesfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04519475352289814754noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8631126949164443203.post-53137150604180898232008-11-11T09:39:00.000-06:002008-11-11T09:39:00.000-06:00We have tried soooo many times to stay on a budget...We have tried soooo many times to stay on a budget. My husband is the one who can't(won't) do it. He was raised getting everything, EVERYTHING, he wanted, a very spoiled child. He still is but just this month he has seen the light(especially about the need to pay off the credit cards and STOP USING THEM-this is huge!). I'm doing the happy dance all the live-long day now!! <BR/><BR/>Of course, he's doing a budget so we can afford a new automobile and that's not so good(but we need one, fixing our 1990 Suburban that has 270,000 miles on it will be around $4K, we'd rather get something more dependable). <BR/><BR/>He also just found out that his asthma medication will cost him $110 more per month than he'd been paying when he worked for a pharmacist so we now have to adjust for that and some other medical debt needs paid off too.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, the 3 things we can't give up are cell phones, our plan is about $70/month but it has saved more than that in long distance charges on our land line(which we also have to have for internet), the dsl internet, and the tv. I'd love to give up the last one but since we homeschool it is valuable for educational shows.<BR/><BR/>What I would give up, and I think I speak for the rest of my family with this, is fast food and/or restaurant food! Last time we went out to eat it was horrible! And cost us over $50 for two people!!! I'd MUCH rather spend half that to rent a movie and make a nice dinner at home. Other things I'd give up would be our Sunday morning excursions to the local Bookstore/coffee bar. We take our two daughters while our son goes to church. It doesn't cost all that much to do this, maybe $8 a week, but the time wasted is what concerns me. I'd rather us head to a walking trail for exercise or go sit beside our pool(even in the fall and winter) with some good jazz music and some old quilting mags. My husband could access the internet here(he can't at the bookstore) and it would just be so much more relaxing, to me.<BR/>I don't know what else we'd cut out, seems like all the rest of it is something we need.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for this inspiring post!!<BR/><BR/>Molly~Molly~https://www.blogger.com/profile/06755051681394616554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8631126949164443203.post-7626579153210255452008-11-11T08:45:00.000-06:002008-11-11T08:45:00.000-06:00We do have a written budget, because I just think ...We do have a written budget, because I just think it helps us stay on track if we can see it on paper. <BR/><BR/>It takes great discipline to get out of debt, but I think you're doing great!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8631126949164443203.post-37713418063921842512008-11-10T22:27:00.000-06:002008-11-10T22:27:00.000-06:00Great post! Made me chuckle. We developed such a h...Great post! Made me chuckle. We developed such a habit of being on a budget that it's become second-nature to us. But- we are needing to reevaluate. Getting out of debt is so hard. At first, the hardest part was trusting God instead of the plastic. But He provides everything we NEED, and just in time sometimes. <BR/><BR/>Top three things...<BR/>Internet - FOR SURE<BR/>Cell phone - but we don't have a land line, so that's really not an option<BR/>Eating out once a week (just fast food mind you!)Having It Allhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05316394224052415052noreply@blogger.com