Comments on: Getting Back on Track

By: Frugal Babe » Archive » No New Necklace

Frugal Babe » Archive » No New Necklace — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:17:43 +0000

[...] been spending a lot of money lately on our house renovations and our midwife, and I’m really looking forward to getting back to our $1000/month spending [...]

By: Sunday Morning Link Love | I've Paid For This Twice Already...

Sunday Morning Link Love | I've Paid For This Twice Already... — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:33:00 +0000

[...] Frugal: Getting Back on Track – I’ve felt like this a lot. Especially during the car [...]

By: Ken Clark - CollegeSavings.About.com

Ken Clark - CollegeSavings.About.com — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:37:16 +0000

You just bite the bullet… ask each other for accountability… and beat yourself with a whip until while staring at your account statement (it’s a psychological deal).

Actually, just laugh at your own human frailty, forgive yourself, and move on.

By: PT

PT — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:00:19 +0000

It’s hard to get back going b/c it seems like there is always something…and I don’t even have kids yet.

I just have learned to say enough is enough.

By: Frugal Babe » Archive » Almost Finished Buying Stuff…

Frugal Babe » Archive » Almost Finished Buying Stuff… — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:48:02 +0000

[...] have a guest post up at Being Frugal today. I wrote about all the money we’ve been spending lately to remodel [...]

By: Michelle H

Michelle H — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:03:22 +0000

I certainly can sympathize with your house remodeling – we’ve been remodeling an older home for the last two years and it’s so expensive! We’ve done quite a bit ourselves but had to hire a carpenter for some of the harder jobs. I sat down and figured out how much we were spending and nearly passed out! We had to just quit for a while and get back on tract with our budget. It helps that we don’t live in the house.(We live in a parsonage and we bought the house to fix up for our retirement years.) It would be hard to stop in the middle of the renovation if you lived there. I think what helped me the most, was just to prioritze what needed to be done when and not get in a hurry and put it all in the budget and not spend until we had enough saved up. Looking back, I wish we had just saved up enough to buy a house outright that was already in good enough shape. Houses are very reasonable in our area but building supplies are expensive everywhere.

By: marci357

marci357 — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:50:48 +0000

I keep a “want” list. Anything I am thinking about buying goes on that list. It’s a physical list – inside a kitchen cabinet door. If I still want the item in a year (for major purchases over $100) then I buy it when it comes on sale. For lesser amounts (under $100) my waiting time is 6 months.

This gives me time to think about the purchase, it’s necessity, and if I still NEED it after a year, I’ll buy it without guilt.

The exception is garage sales – my main shopping. If I find the item at a price of 10% of new, I’ll buy it before the time is up. Last weekend I found a $149 video/dvd storage cabinet at a rummage sale for $5 in like new condition. Of course, I grabbed it :)

The physical list shows me just how much I have on it at any one time – and whether my needs are really just wants that I can live without.

I would also suggest going to a cash basis – if you don’t have the paper currency in your wallet, don’t buy it. Works for me. I have $300 cash each month for groceries and gas and garage sales. I can’t go too far off course sticking to cash. Good Luck!

By: Finally Frugal

Finally Frugal — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:47:08 +0000

Frugal Babe, I think another motivator is to write a list of goals, and put them in a place you will see them on a daily basis. One of my goals is to reduce my spending. I have a chart posted on my closet that shows both my monthly income and my monthly expenses. I just recently added a line that shows the increase in my savings!

It feels great to watch the lines diverge as my income either stays the same or increases and my spending decreases.

Best of luck with the renovations! That’s hard work, but sweat equity is the best!

By: MITBeta @ Don't Feed the Alligators

MITBeta @ Don't Feed the Alligators — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:27:42 +0000

I find that there is momentum in a lot of things in life:

Sleep begets sleep. Eating begets eating. Spending begets spending.

Once you start doing something, you have removed the barriers to continuing to do it, or doing it again. I think you’ve got the right approach to stepping back, assessing where you are, and then planning to move forward in the most prudent manner.

All of these things require applying the brakes from time to time, but it’s our self awareness that allows us to recognize when things are getting out of control and to apply the brake.

Good luck!