After reading a couple of posts I got inspired and collected all of the unused items that needed to be returned. Much to my delight it adds up to over $240! Since I have already paid off my credit cards that were used to buy these items, it's like found money in the bank to me!
Next I'll need to go through my coupon organizer and chuck all the out of date slips, and do some reorganizing.

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Children Learn What They Live, And Live What They Learn.
What have you taught your child today?
When life throws you a curve ball...it's up to you how you catch it!

Passing up some good Christmas deals I found at BigLots - I kept telling myself again and again "You don't have room to store this junk.. you want to DECLUTTER not add to your stuff.. be conservative... be conservative" I managed to walk out of there spending $3 in chocolate that was 50% off, and not $15 in christmas tins/boxes and other junk. Sure, I did spend the $3, but I haven't had chocolate all holiday season b'c it's so expensive (for my budget) and so at 50% off, I grabbed a few bags of it for a special treat.

I'm making a menu book, with lists of recipes for each main ingredient: a whole list of recipes that use chicken, a list of those that use pork, beef, no meat, etc. I'm going to use that freezer stockpile until it's gone! (My freezer is PACKED full with tons of meat.) The next few pay periods will have me spending a fraction of my grocery allotment.

The remaining money that doesn't get spent goes into a christmas can that wasn't used for a gift this year.. I already found $13 cash in a load of laundry (yea it was a huge surprise for me too!) that went straight into the can. Out of sight out of mind. And maybe when we have a problem or need money suddenly for something that can't be squished into our budget (medications, oil change, etc), the money will be there to pay for it or significantly reduce the cost. And if we don't have too many of those things, we may just start to build up a little savings.

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~~Amanda~~ Mommy to one Little Man (3 1/2 yrs old), TTC #2

WE'RE ADOPTING!!!
http://daughterinthedistance.blogspot.com/

I labeled 2 notebooks-1 is 2007 spending plan and I've started the budget for January-should be done tonight, 2 notebook is labeled spending diary.

I listed all our credit cards/debts, APR, balance, and minimums. I plotted out a debt reduction plan/snowball effect plan.

I also have a page labeled emergency plan so I can track deposits and interest.

I have organized Jan bills.