Tried to post it yesterday but Blogger wouldn't let me. Another attempt!
With November already here it's definitely time to create a budget. For the past two months we didn't really stick to any budget. We just kind of stayed low-low-low. But we also had a few trips and extra jobs that constantly tweaked our plans.
For November it's hard to create a real budget too because we don't know yet how much my husband will bring in with every paycheck but, man, it feels nice to expect one :) He starts working on the 11th, and we should finally breath a little easier. But, honestly, even though his salary will be a little higher than before, we are planning on saving most of the difference. One of the most important reasons to save is definitely my Mom's treatment. She started her second round of chemo yesterday but she's struggling overall. The disease really damaged her kidneys, and we are not sure what's ahead. But we are really hopeful that the treatment will work, and she'll get some relief.
I really want to have a nice chunk saved so I can go back and also help to pay for some of her meds. So far it wasn't outrageously expensive but I know that some of the very advanced (aka last chance if everything fails) drugs can cost up to $10000!! So it's important for us to be prepared!
We won't stop living ourselves but our life will stay just as frugal as it was before. We will keep putting money aside for other goals and save until we are ready to buy/use it. We have two big things that we want to save for next year that we really need - a new fridge and a mattress. Our refrigerator is, probably, about 20 years old and it's on its' last leg. Honestly, they don't even make the size we have any more!! And when the light bulb went out in it, we couldn't even find the replacement. We are grateful it lasted through this year but we both know it's not for much longer.
Our mattress is not new either. We "inherited" it from my BIL and it was pretty bad even when it was new. But now, about 15 years later, no turning and flipping can help it... So it's definitely on our "savings" list. On that note, what kind of mattress do you have/prefer/would recommend??
But these are more of 2014 year plans. Gong back to the November budget, we can't really plan everything but I know for sure that I want to bump our grocery budget back to $280 to take advantage of holiday sales and stock up a bit. Our pantry stock depleted quite a bit over the last four months, it needs a little boost :)
It will be nice to get our budget into some order and actually have one for a change.
What are your financial goals for the rest of this year?
Your family is in our prayers. I am spending as little as possible in the next two months and then come December I have to sit down and really work out a tough and tight budget for 2014.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad your husband was able to find a job!
My number 1 goal for the end of the year was to save our half of my daughters community college tuttion. I accomplished that this week. The next goal is to pay off the last of our credit card debt and to finish our Christmas shopping. Both of which should also be accomplished soon! I am so happy for you all Lena tha your husband found a job!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad things worked out with your husband finding a job! That is great to save to go back and see your mom, I think that is really important for you to be able to do. We have a Sterns & Foster mattress we got about 4 years ago and it is quite comfortable. We had a Sealy before that and liked it too.
ReplyDeleteRhonda
I'm so sorry about your mom. I will say a prayer!
ReplyDeleteI like IKEA foam mattresses. In fact, I have one for under $300 and I like it better than a pillow-top $1000 mattress on my bed that was from a furniture store.
Go to a store that has a tempur pedic mattresses to test one out.
ReplyDeleteIf you like them, go to Overstock and buy a generic foam mattress there for a lot less!
That's what we did and we will NEVER go back to a traditional inner spring/box spring mattress again.
We also have a generic Tempurpedic mattress and will never go back. However, they take a little getting used to--even the new ones with advanced technology. You will be hot sleeping on them for the first week or two. Then all is good.
ReplyDeleteKeeping your mom in my prayers. Get a new mattress ASAP your back is worth it!
ReplyDeletesaving $ sounds like my kind of plan. We definitely live WAY below our income, and I absolutely love that. It's freeing to know you have some room for the unexpected and emergencies. Glad your husband is going to start working again
ReplyDeleteI really, really need to get focused on my monthly goals, as well as clearing out the 2013 goals. Life has thrown us a bunch of curve balls, so we need to reconfigure our financial plans & get moving in our new direction
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to hear of your husband's employment! Now there's an awesome praise report. :) Your goals sound great, and I know you'll reach them. Love getting these updates from you. XOXO
ReplyDeleteYou guys have been so brave with all that you have faced together the past few months!!!! I know hubby is ready to get back to work and start a new chapter for your family. I would love to be along on that first BIG grocery shopping trip, I am sure you will have a grin ear to ear.
ReplyDeleteI'm really happy to hear that you guys will finally have a bit of a respite after this period of unemployment. That's awesome you guys will be saving some of the difference for goals, and that you already have a few goals in mind to help you stay on track. I don't think I've ever slept on a new bed, as most of ours were second-hand ones carefully selected. But I can totally understand the dilemma of flipping and flipping the bed, to no avail. It sucks! Hope you guys can reach those two goals sooner rather than later. It'd be awful if the fridge gives out on you before you're ready to replace it. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWe are finalizing our Christmas shopping plan. I think we have convinced the boys to have a really lean Christmas individually so that we can get the kids a computer. Kidney stones really put a dent in the discretionary spending.
ReplyDeleteMy financial goals are to keep thanksgiving and Xmas costs low. We don't really celebrate Xmas anyway so I'm not too concerned about overspending. I want to continue to build up my savings and watch our household bills so that they stay low. I have some stuff that I'm selling on CL and Amazon so I want to get rid of that. I also need to revamp my budget, which I've been working on, so that we can really increase 401k savings to the max again next year. Oh and KMart stores are shutting down all over the place. Our local one finally shut down this weekend but they had great savings on appliances, no kidding. I saw a fridge for $250! Any Kmarts nearby? Best wishes to your mom too. I hope the treatments are successful for her.
ReplyDeleteI'm so impressed with your family! It sounds like you really work together and support each other on your goals-good for you! And you have a wonderful, positive attitude about your mom! You inspire me!
ReplyDeleteI'm praying for your family :)
Susan
Lena, in so happy for you. That's awesome news about the job. You pretty much have to gave a fridge. I hope you get a good deal. I don't have any mattress advice.
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering how your mother has been. I'm sorry to here she's struggling. Am so impressed with your ability to save and plan ahead as you do. I seem to go in good/bad spurts. I have to admit that we got a pretty expensive mattress a few years ago and love it (love it so much I can't think of the brand!). The mattress we were using was one my husband got when he was in the 8th grade!! Yikes! So it was 15 years when we passed it down to our oldest... he just turned 7... so it's good for him still. We did purchase a nice mattress pad a few years before we upgraded and that seemed to help a bit.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing to see the progress that you have made and the positive attitude that never left you.
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