I think the reason I always give up trying to be frugal is because I can't see it. I mean, at the end of the month I don't have anything to show for it...we have a little more in checking and so we...go out to dinner!

Anyone have a 'plan' for REALLY seeing your savings? If I'm going to be more frugal, I definitely want to see the results clearly!

I have gotten into the habit of saving every single receipt, and paid bill. At the end of the week/month, I add it all up and you can SEE where your money is going and how much you can save, or where it can be saved. This has really helped us alot.

If you make a monthly budget and include savings in that, you will have even more money leftover at the end of the month. My goal for 2007 and to build a savings acct, I plan on taking $20 out of each paycheck and $40 out of dh's and save it. By the end of the year, we should have a pretty good savings going!

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~Missy~Mommy
Meghan8.Samantha7,Cameron4

I have everything in an excel spreadsheet. I also have a printable for my shopping list and what the price is before and after coupons. Also I've been usuing cash and I think you tend to stretch it when you have cash. Also a written budget. I have a spreadsheet that I complete every month, for every expense, to see what's higher and lower and were I can do better. My bad categories are food, becuase I tend to shop sales becuase I'm afraid I'll run out and too, misc. just running to mcdonald's instead of grabbing something at the house.

this year I am doing a speed sheet so DH can see everything. He would like to be more in the budget. We did good this year. But I think we can do better.

DH has been on my case about knowing more about the budget so he and I need to sit down and do that. That's my new years resolution, to get him more into the budget, that way he knows how much his little splurges really add up and hurt us in the long run.