Money goals for August

[HoneySpider]

Anyone want to set money goals for next month? I figure we can check back at the end of August to see how we did. 

[HoneySpider]

My big goal for August is to stay within budget in our "living" category (aka most of our expenses). We went way over this month and I have to dip into the slush fund....which isn't the end of the world since that's what it's there for but I hate dipping into it and I know I could have done better.

In particular, I need to be more mindful when grocery shopping. Now that I can drive to multiple stores and not just walk to one, I am going more often and buying more stuff. I need to get back to sticking to a list and really limiting those impulse buys.

[travelbug]

Yes!! Can we do this every month, please!!!

get back to meal planning/cooking. No eating out! This grocery shop on Monday is going to be pricey due to not having any food because of moving, but we can't spend money on restaurants, we did WAY too much this week!

Save, save, save!!! Only spend $$$ on a few house essentials that we need like command hooks to hang stuff. No fluff stuff. I really want to buy a few clothes and books but I need to hold off until fall.

Not a financial goal, but get all the address change stuff done this week, and return old Comcast router.

[estrellita]

I have to figure out what's going on with my medical bills. I sent a message to my insurance company asking about the OOP max and they haven't gotten back to me yet about it. I hope i don't have to pay that much but either way I'll have to set up a payment plan.

Bring lunch as much as possible. I did pretty well this week! I also want to make some things in advance so we have quick meals that aren't just pizza, lol.

We've been paying my parents back for the washer and dryer so I'm thinking of paying the rest of that from our savings and putting that money towards either the medical bills or student loans. We already started putting the payment for the loan we paid off towards my smallest one (only like 40 extra but it helps!). I just want to get rid of these loans so we can start doing things with the house!

[awick14]

-Only eating out 2x max.

-figuring out a budget for when we move into ILs in sept

-use up the rest of our freezer food so we don't have to move it. (Also saves $$)

[amaranth]

-Don't buy any meat unless I use up everything in our freezers.

-Don't buy the kids any more clothes or toys.

-Set up new family budget based on new circumstances and new bills, etc.

[grover]

- upload reciepts into YNAB every week (I have slacked this month and only entered a few)
- don't go overboard with eating out (hard to do, once I'm craving something that's all I can think of eating!)
- find cash to pay for the second class
- turn in tuition reimbursement forms
- roll over H's old 401k
- figure out health insurance

[HoneySpider]

P.S. I might forget to revive this at the end of the month for a check in, so someone else feel free to do it

[Blue Moon]

Make and bring a bunch of food on vacation with my family so we don't spend too much money eating out all the time.

Pack up my whole house myself (well, H too) to avoid $$$ movers.

Negotiate with my boss why I really need to teach an extra course this semester. An extra $8K would really help.

[HoneySpider]

Bumping since it's the end of the month! How did everyone do?

[travelbug]

get back to meal planning/cooking. No eating out! This grocery shop on Monday is going to be pricey due to not having any food because of moving, but we can't spend money on restaurants, we did WAY too much this week!
Nope.... Fail! We probably only ate out 3 times, so not horrible. Meal planning town the toilet. I suck at it ha! 

Save, save, save!!! Only spend $$$ on a few house essentials that we need like command hooks to hang stuff. No fluff stuff. I really want to buy a few clothes and books but I need to hold off until fall.
YES! We've saved so much living in our new place and I'm already seeing it even just after a month, even though I got super sick and had those unexpected Walgreens costs lol. All the September bills have already been paid! Minus phone (28 dollars and Hulu 8 dollars) so that's pretty awesome! 

Not a financial goal, but get all the address change stuff done this week, and return old Comcast router.
Router = yes! Address change = epic fail!

[estrellita]

Well, I figured out what was going on with my medical bills. I've been mostly good about lunches. Much better than I've been in the past! So pretty well, although obviously now our financial situation is different than I thought it was..

[awick14]

Update: fail on almost all accounts. I have been using up freezer stuff, but failed the rest.


But we haven't spent as much on other things as expected so all in all its not too bad.

I think I am going to write out a list of sept goals and try to actually focus on them a lot more then I did for this month.

[HoneySpider]

I went over on spending BUT did pretty well with groceries...overspending was more a result of unusual purchases (ie: almost $100 for parking at the hospital) So a win I guess?

With my unexpected teaching salary it gives us more wiggle room to go over right now.

[travelbug]

I'm liking the follow up posts for the positive aspects in them

[bk1]

Okay so I didn't post in this originally but I thought I would do a check in.

Groceries : 510.xx
Feeling okay with this. I would like to lower it but I also know that included cleaning products, paper goods, etc.

Eating out : 364.xx
Highest it has been in a few months. This needs to be lowered for sure.

Medical : 500.xx
Again an extremely high month for us. this has to be lowered. It is being paid from savings as is. I already have another $175 we owe the allergy clinic and $465 we owe the OB office in September. I'm going to have to talk to the OB office and make payments on that if all possible because our savings has been taking terrible hits the past few months.

[amaranth]

-Don't buy any meat unless I use up everything in our freezers.
SCORE. Totally accomplished, and still have meat left and might be able to go all the way through September. 


-Don't buy the kids any more clothes or toys.
Tiny Fail. I bought M a toy at the zoo today, but it was only $5 and he was SO excited that I don't feel guilty.  It's a chomping dinosaur and he even took it to bed tonight. 


-Set up new family budget based on new circumstances and new bills, etc. Success. Following it... eh, not totally sure yet, but I've at least stayed on top of checking it. lol.