Thank you guys for all the ideas posted. I have read them all and agree with everything said. The changes I have made are below.
I went from the 250 channel package on my satelitte to the 120 package. It is 50 less a month. And hopefully i won't even notice the difference. It still has to two channels i watch plus all of my local programming. I also dropped the HD channels. I won't miss that as my tv is so old that it doesn't even look like HD.
I also looked into cancelling my home phone. However to have internet service, the price would be the same as what I am paying now. The price of just internet is the same as the price for internet + phone. So I kept the home phone. They tried to sell me a larger internet package for $10 more a month but I stood my ground and refused it.
I have made a decision to reduce my eating out/grocery money. Starting on Friday I am only going to buy things we are out of. We will eat from our massive supply of food. The freezer needs to be cleaned out anyway
I changed my cell phone package as well. I went from 2100 minutes to 1400 minutes. I am nervous about this. We haven't gone over 1400 minutes in month but now that I changed I am scared that we will go over the minutes. I will just have to keep an eye on it.
Many of you mentioned having my kids help with meal planning. My DS doesn't live at home anymore and DD already does most of the cooking. We are both going to make an effort to eat at home more often and eat out not at all.
This is the beginning of changes that Iplan to make. Hopefully it will all lead to more money into the budget.
Changes Made in my Finances
July 25th, 2012 at 02:14 pm
July 25th, 2012 at 02:21 pm 1343226086
Good for you! I think that once you start making little changes, it will be easier to make bigger ones, ultimately taking away the stress caused from budget deficits. Give your tenants thirty days notice in writing that you want them out. That change alone will help you out immensely.
July 25th, 2012 at 02:33 pm 1343226786
July 25th, 2012 at 02:35 pm 1343226944
July 25th, 2012 at 03:00 pm 1343228416
July 25th, 2012 at 03:11 pm 1343229118
Combat your urge to eat out by reminding yourself that it those bites add inches & chemicals. Most important is to quit smoking because we want you to preserve your health. There are lots of smoke cessation programs, go through every one of them until you find the one that works for you! You'll feel better, you'll smell better, your home will be cleaner, your car will be a less dangerous place, you'll be giving a far better message to your children and all the people that love and care about you.
You've reduced cell phone hours from 35 to 23 hours. Do you remember what life was like when we managed with land phones?
July 25th, 2012 at 03:16 pm 1343229393
July 25th, 2012 at 06:38 pm 1343241503
July 25th, 2012 at 07:18 pm 1343243936
Right now I think everybody is using you and your mom as a fiscal lifeboat. Right now all parties have to construct their own fiscal lifeboats. Not to say that everybody can't lash their lifeboats together, but to say that if a party cannot get it together, you can't be the one to save 'em.
July 26th, 2012 at 03:01 am 1343271670