tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959918163454225829.post6189485663176833467..comments2024-03-28T19:30:08.871-04:00Comments on Blue House Journal: Time for Change: Making Our Money Work Harder For Usterricheneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06865436021565986224noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959918163454225829.post-10286205162712866772016-10-31T21:46:54.514-04:002016-10-31T21:46:54.514-04:00I can so relate to you my friend. We are facing s...I can so relate to you my friend. We are facing some big bills too so I am cutting back where I can. I just posted my personal grocery budget challenge for the month of November on my blog and how I hope to keep within it. Praying for you.Debbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16449564619872452771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959918163454225829.post-34831934798241704492016-10-31T20:28:53.329-04:002016-10-31T20:28:53.329-04:00It's great that you know the areas needing fix...It's great that you know the areas needing fixing and are looking at a new plan. Sometimes trying something new is the only way to determine whether it will work. I'm facing a similar thing, but I haven't sat down to figure out how to fix it. I know it's not going to make me happy lol.Debby in KShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10678580135625880717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959918163454225829.post-15323080895729970012016-10-31T20:20:53.784-04:002016-10-31T20:20:53.784-04:00Ugh! Sorry about that insurance bill. We have don...Ugh! Sorry about that insurance bill. We have done our car insurance monthly for years and need to remedy that but hubby prefers it on a monthly plan from something that happened a long time ago. <br /><br />When we paid off our house I set up an escrow fund of our own to cover taxes and insurance each year and that money is automatically transferred to savings each month. This gets recorded in my budget ledger sheet so that I know how much is in that account. I know that we are putting too much in that fund each month but hubby wants it to stay that way so that we do not fall short. So be it. It does give me peace of mind since those are major bills every year. Our property was reassessed by the county this year so I am hoping our taxes do not skyrocket.<br /><br />I am always quite surprised by how little I actually need to buy when I have made my menus and then my grocery list each week. I have been working hard on reducing how much I keep on hand here for over 6 months because it was too much. This month I did spend all of my grocery money and I suspect it will be that way through the end of the year. I really have to guard against overbuying for the holidays. Everything just looks so good on those beautiful holiday displays and they know that they are making us overspend! <br /><br />Today when I did the budget for November I skimmed over bloated budget categories where we have not been spending much lately and have enough now to buy a new washing machine. Ours is dying a very painful death. We have to hold it down for it to spin anything heavy or it is banging and walking all over the place. Now I only wash things like that when hubby is home to hold it down. I am afraid it will destroy the new flooring in the laundry room. I have been determined to save enough for a Speed Queen since they are supposed to last 25 years. I am done spending $400-500 every 6 years for one that does not last. Our appliance repairman said that he has only ever been on a call to fix two of them in 14 years since they rarely need service. Here's hoping he is right but we do trust him since he has proven himself here and online reviews support his claim. Lanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09380649410508372279noreply@blogger.com