TUESAY'S TIP budget fun!

Okay, so I know you are all just dying to know this, but my tip today is something I've actually tried, and it works fabulously for me.

See this little envelope-sized expandable file? Well, I have one of these, carry it everywhere, and it has made my budgeting life much, much easier. I got mine at Smiths Marketplace in January, but I'm sure you could also get one at Target or any office supply store. Why is this little gadget so wonderful you ask? Well, let me tell you.



Pre-budget I was not a happy women. Sure, I was a well-dressed woman with lots of crap, but there was so much spending, and shopping remorse about my purchases, that I decided it was time to go on the ever-dreaded budget. But you know what? It has been really, really fantastic.


So, since I have such a small little mind and can't really see beyond a few days, my budget is planned out weekly, rather than monthly. If I were to see all that money at the beginning of the month, I would never be able to ration it well. I'd purchase some fabulous things at the beginning of the month, then we'd be eating Top Ramen for the entire last week. So, instead I just hit up Wells Fargo every Monday, withdraw my allotted cash, divy it amongst my files and walla, organization and saving all at once.

So here is the way I break down my budget, in case any of you out there care.

• So, my first file of my little folder is for gift cards, punch cards (Hello Rio) and any coupons I might have randomly clipped for some odd reason. They are there any time I need them and super accessible. This has been awesome for me, cause I used to just keep these at home, and then randomly look through them like every six months and be like, "Dang, I just bought X at Y, when I had $25 free buckaroos at Y." (Does this remind you of geometry? I am ashamed to admit that I watched 20 whole minutes of "Geometry Today" today on channel 9. My life is sad.)

• The second tab, or file, is for the grocery store. Mine says Smiths, but really it is just for any purchases or food/stuff you would buy at the supermarket. I usually always have money left over in this tab, since I now winder dairy (LOVE IT! and go to Costco every other week.) But it's good to know if I want to have friends over for a little barby, I can. Oh, I also take my Emma money out of this tab/file. Emma is my favorite lady. She comes every week and, confession time, cleans my house (said in a muffled voice). I know, I know. You may roll your eyes all you want, but this is the BEST $36 dollars I spend all week. I hate, hate, hate to clean, and really, so does Hubs. Plus, even though Emma comes, trust me when I say, I still clean. A lot. I have two kids after all. Plus, I realized if I just worked it into the budget, there was no reason to feel guilty. Some people spend money on cigarettes. Some on booze, some on gambling, some on manicures/pedicures. Not me. For $36 bucks once a week, for a few minutes my house sparkles like a Spic & Span commercial. And I can't tell you how much joy this brings me. And, Hubs and I no longer fight about who's turn it is to clean the toilet. Yay.

• The next tab says Fun. I know, fun already? But yes. This money is spent for dinners out, the occasional movie or a fun family night spent mini-golfing. (By the way, is there such a thing? Last time we went, Thing 1 kept golfing into the players in front of us. Fun times. For us, not them. And Thing 2 thought her golf club was a weapon. Turns out, it was.)

• Next is our Gift tab. Each week I put a certain amount in here for gifts. Baby showers, weddings, birthdays, Father's Day (here is your reminder), and anything left over at the end of the week stays put and goes toward Christmas. And I can already tell you that Christmas this year is almost completely paid for (based on what we spent last year). And I can't tell you the amount of stress this has lifted from my shoulders, not to mention Hubs'. Plus, it is only June, so really, if you are a relative and we draw you this year, your gift could be pretty sweet. You can thank my budgeting ways for your good fortune.

• Then, the next four tabs are labeled Amy, Hubs, Thing 1 & Thing 2. This is our own personal spending money. For clothes, shoes, whatever. And it is completely our own. No questions asked. It really doesn't matter if Hubs thinks I have enough jeans. This little tab has been a life saver. No more fighting about random purchases. And honestly, it's been good for me to see just how many "random purchases" there were. Now there are not nearly so many. Hubs--you are welcome. Plus, it's good for me to have a mini-budget for Thing 2. Otherwise I would spend ridonculous amounts on cute little crap for girls.

• The next tab is for extra cash. I keep 50 dollars in ones, so I can break money in other tabs if I need too. Any cash taken out of this tab is replaced from another. This is just cause I've found working life with only cash, sometimes it's nice to have something smaller than a twenty.
• And the last tab is for receipts.

And that is pretty much how it works. Everything I spend weekly is spent in cash. That way, if I don't have any, I can't get it. And anything left over in any tabs except the gift tab, goes into a savings account for our "big purchases" (remodelling our house, vacations, new couches, etc.)I do carry around my Amex--so I can pay at Costco when I go there every other week, but even there I have a budget. I can't spend over $200. Which really, seems like a lot of money, but isn't--trust me. I could spend millions at Costco. I just love that place. Which is why I am only allowed in there every other week.

All of our other larger expenses, like our mortgage payment, car insurance, health insurance, and utilities all come directly out of our online billpay so I don't really even deal with that.

And this my friends, really is the best tip I could give you. It is funny how much I resisted a budget. Thought it would be very restrictive, and boring, and no fun. But it has been really fun and rewarding to see our savings grow. It also is really nice to not worry so much about spending and our finances any more. I thought it would be restrictive, but it really has brought about a lot of freedom.