Anyone want to do a Well-Trained Wallet January thread? - JOIN THE WEEKLY THREAD

[EmilyGF]

I've been cleaning up my budget, and, ouch. November and December were brutal in terms of spending. We went on a cross-country vacation, bought a lot of clothing and gifts, eat out some, bought international flight tickets, etc. 

Anyone want to do a Well-Trained Wallet this coming month?

I know about the Frutalistas thread, but there are so many posts of cheap things that I ended up spending more money, not less, when on it. 🙂 And this is just one month. I see this more as a reset and reconsideration than as a lifestyle.

For me, my Well-Trained Wallet month is about being honest and thoughtful about spending. I'll be eating through my extensive pantry and freezer with $50 cash/week to buy fresh veggies and fruits (whatever is $1/lb or less at our produce store). If I want to buy something besides that, I'll add it to a list that I'll consider in February. 

I want to not use my credit card until February 15, as we've used it way too much and I want pay it off and stop being near the limit. We do pay it off each month, but we're also spending too much. The one exception is for gas. 

Also, I have some big purchases coming up: braces for dd14, braces for ds17, and a violin. I want to put aside more money for upcoming big expenses and spend less on spur-of-the-moment purchases.

Finally, I want to get on top of my budget, meaning entering every transaction quickly, which is easier with less spending. I do not have a smart phone, nor do I want one, so I can't do this while out.

ETA: I want to get on top of all my financial issues - specifically, getting a credit card in my name only. I don't care to spend more, but I've always been on my dad's or husband's credit card. Time to build my own credit.

Anyone want to join? This isn't a no-spend challenge, but, for me, a thoughtful 4-6 weeks of getting my financial house on better order. For me, that means some time without using the credit card.

Come join the weekly thread -

Emily

Edited January 1, 2023 by EmilyGF

[BlsdMama]

I love the idea. I don’t do “no spend” because it just frustrates me, lol, and isn’t realistic so the no spend concept is really frustrating but we have some big shifts coming. We will have zero medical costs this year. (Gasp! Can’t fathom because medical out of pocket has been five figures for us for the past five years!)

 We also have two sons going off our car insurance. So I’d like to be very intentional about our next few steps. 

[EmilyGF]

My to-dos currently:

1. Get YNAB up-to-date by categorizing every purchase.
2. Get off the email lists that tempt me to buy stuff!
3. Cancel subscriptions I am not using, or find alternatives. I canceled Audible and downloaded Libby.

[Kidlit]

I'm interested.  I changed jobs (started this week), going from high-stress-and-time-intensive (teaching) to a much lower key position (public children's librarian) just this week.  My dh still has a very demanding job in education, but the majority of financial stuff has fallen to him our entire marriage. It's time for me to pick up the reins a bit, or at least share them more.  We are implementing YNAB (again!), and the accountability to keep up with it would be helpful for me. 

[Hilltopmom]

I’m in. I agree that “no spend” would stress me too much because there are some things we need to get this month.

But getting a grip and a budget going again would be great. I need to consciously think about spending, categories, etc.

Edited December 30, 2022 by Hilltopmom

[Carrie12345]

Interested! I haven’t been able to get back into an actual frugal mindset, but I’m very determined to pull back on the reins and be more purposeful about my spending.

We’re also facing probable braces, custom orthotics, PT on a new deductible cycle, more dog-related expenses, and a few new house projects to be done. And maybe starting a business.    
Hopefully, most of that will come from selling the old house and I can, 🤞, keep our regular finances tightened up!

[Brittany1116]

I'm in for a separate spot of accountability and tracking.

[ScoutTN]

I’m in. Lots of shifts this year. Dh has a new job, so new insurance too. Our older child will be headed to college. Our younger one will hopefully become a driver. I hope to earn more money.

We need to move back into active budgeting rather than reactive expense tracking.

[NorthernBeth]

I want to try.  We are a 2 household family this year, and it is requiring a lot more active planning and discussions regarding money to ensure one person doens't accidentally spend money intended for something else.  So trying to get ontop of spending is a key goal for this year for our family.

[EmilyGF]

6 hours ago, ScoutTN said:

I’m in. Lots of shifts this year. Dh has a new job, so new insurance too. Our older child will be headed to college. Our younger one will hopefully become a driver. I hope to earn more money.

We need to move back into active budgeting rather than reactive expense tracking.

That's a great way to put it! I've been tracking after-the-fact instead of having my stated values guide my spending.

Another aspect for me of getting my financial house in order is to get a credit card in my own name! I've always been with my dad or husband. What if DH dies and I can't qualify for a credit card!?! Doing that today.

Also, I'm getting the teens their own checking accounts next week so that they can get paid directly. I already made an appointment for that at our bank.

[ScoutTN]

I need to add Dd as an authorized user on my credit card so that she has a plan B in case of an emergency on her trip to Europe this summer.

She has a checking account and a debit card. 

[Kalmia]

I'll join in. With inflation and two college tuitions and and me not working the burden is laying heavily on my husband's shoulders and he's tiring of it, understandably. My goal is to make my money-saving efforts and what little income I can bring in help even out the burden in our marriage.

#1 Make a price book and keep it updated. I will be buying more store brands, shopping sales and stocking up at sale prices, and buying in bulk from Azure Standard, whichever I calculate to be cheapest for each product we use. I will still be buying a lot of organic and local items in the meat category, though. I also need to steer my love of buying (books and kitchen gadgets) into buying food at the lowest price.

#2 We don't drive frivolously so it would be hard to save in this category. I drive to town for errands (18 minutes round trip) twice a week. I drive to my parents' house (2 hour round trip) once a week. And my husband and I each take one trip down to western MA to see his mother in the nursing home every month (so 2 trips/month) (20 hours total). I pick up and drop off my oldest at state college before and after each vacation (3 hours round trip). I pick up my youngest at college in Illinois in May and return her in August (68 hours total/year).

#3 Figure out how to earn money from home. I do not thrive emotionally in a traditional workplace. I have a lot of past experience developing curriculum and am educated in ecology and environmental studies, so I may begin to develop a natural history/nature study curriculum to sell to homeschoolers and others who might be interested. Sort of like Ellen McHenry does, only not hard science. Though I am not sure if the new homeschoolers even use curricula much these days. I do believe it would appeal to Charlotte Mason homeschoolers. 

#4 I, too, need a credit card in my own name. 

#5 Ramp up production in the garden and canning/dehydrating.

#6 Radically change my attitude about spending small amounts of money. "Oh, this book is only $15 and this slightly different funnel is only $5 and these wool dryer balls are only $11 and this greeting card is only $4..." and I have basically spent $35 in a week on stuff that was in-the-moment wants. Small things are my downfall.

Thanks for starting this thread.

 

 

Edited December 31, 2022 by Kalmia

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, EmilyGF said:

 

Another aspect for me of getting my financial house in order is to get a credit card in my own name! I've always been with my dad or husband. What if DH dies and I can't qualify for a credit card!?! Doing that today.

If you have a Costco membership under your name, the Citibank Costco Visa took me a 5mins phone call from them and I was approved with a high credit limit. I received my card very fast in the mail.

[BusyMom5]

I need to join!  I was just telling DH that we need to tighten our belts after an incredibly expensive December.  No Spend isn't realistic,  but I do need to try to track and lower some of our spending.  The food budget has been killing me- I spent $500 at Walmart yesterday.  $100 of that was medication,  vitamins, and gift wrap for next year.  $100 was meat, and the other $300 was other types of food.  We are a household of 8-9 who eat 3 meals a day at home.  No one is ready to curb the food,  so I'll look elsewhere in the budget, but food prices this year are just ridiculous. 

[Soror]

I've been reading along. I've looked at other financial groups online but haven't found one that is both active and fits my purposes. 

Our income was 25% less last year than the previous and it looks like it will be around the same in the coming year.

We took out a smallish loan last year for a building project. That is our first debt in a decade. I really don't like having debt. I thought we'd saved enough but it is very hard to forecast all the expenses for building projects when you're not a pro that does it all the time.

So-- we have a loan we'd like to pay off next year, continued reduce income, and inflation. Something has to give. 

I plan to get a job in the spring after dd1 gets her license. Dh has a FT college load this spring (on top of work) and dd is very busy. I don't think I can add on a job until after that point without being super stressed. Dd's birthday is mid spring and we finish homeschool mid-late spring so I won't have to stress about squeezing in homeschool to the schedule if I wait until then. 

I've been bracing the family that you are just going to have to suck it up on groceries. I'm not Jesus. I cannot multiply the loaves and fishes. You have to fill up on less expensive foods. I can only stretch things so far. I keep reducing meat serving sizes for health and the budget. There will also be more meatless meals. I've started watching loss leaders again after getting very sporadic with it. I primarily shop Aldi's as they are usually the cheapest on most things. But loss leaders at other stores sometimes beat Aldi's so I need to be diligent each week and check. I also need to venture back to the discount store. This used to be a good place to get the kids snacks on the cheap but the last few times I went the selection wasn't great. I need to at least try again. I need to make sure I hit Kroger at least weekly to also check for mark-downs. I need to look around town to see if there are any other locations that I'm missing that have good prices. I've been updating my prices but still don't have an extensive list after my app got wiped out. I use Out of Milk to make my grocery and price list so when I make my list I have an idea of cost.

I've been making monthly menus since November and that has really helped. I've not decreased spending yet but have been able to divert more to stocking up on various things. I need to go through the pantry and inventory to see where I'm lacking and prioritize.

We spend a stupid amount on gas. Dh spends a large chunk of that with his college commute and work schedule. I also spend more than I like with taking dd all over the place. It will continue to be high until dd can drive (and pay her own gas) and dh finishes the semester. 

I have just a bit of wiggle room elsewhere. I think I can maybe squeeze out a 100? I need to finish January's budget and see where it stands. I have to pow wow with dh and see if there are any upcoming expenses that I'm not aware of (house and car maint he keeps track of). I will have some medical expenses coming up too and I think that will likely take any extra I can squeeze out. 

[EmilyGF]

If you've been thinking about getting your teens their own checking accounts, there is good motivation to do it this year.

The IRS is going to start having sites like Venmo and Paypal send 1099 forms for $600+ through third-party payment systems in 2023. My DC earn money via babysitting, teaching music, and dog-walking, and up until now, they have had that money sent to me and then transferred to their savings accounts. I don't want to deal with that anymore, especially with the new IRS form rules. I've wanted to do this for a while, but this is lighting a fire under me.

Emily

[EmilyGF]

2 hours ago, Soror said:

I've been bracing the family that you are just going to have to suck it up on groceries. I'm not Jesus. I cannot multiply the loaves and fishes. You have to fill up on less expensive foods. I can only stretch things so far. I keep reducing meat serving sizes for health and the budget. There will also be more meatless meals. I've started watching loss leaders again after getting very sporadic with it. I primarily shop Aldi's as they are usually the cheapest on most things. But loss leaders at other stores sometimes beat Aldi's so I need to be diligent each week and check. I also need to venture back to the discount store. This used to be a good place to get the kids snacks on the cheap but the last few times I went the selection wasn't great. I need to at least try again. I need to make sure I hit Kroger at least weekly to also check for mark-downs. I need to look around town to see if there are any other locations that I'm missing that have good prices. I've been updating my prices but still don't have an extensive list after my app got wiped out. I use Out of Milk to make my grocery and price list so when I make my list I have an idea of cost.
 

This is absolutely true. I had only been shopping at Aldi's for a while, but then I started perusing another store when my kids were at youth group. I found that, if I were to shop that other store's meat and produce specials, I could probably save $50-$100/month while eating better. Since I go there every other week anyways while the kids are at youth group, I'll be making that change once I work through our freezer food. 🙂

Emily

[Carrie12345]

I used to be great at planning multiple grocery stops, and then I got lazy. (It takes serious planning in order to not lose the savings in gas costs here.)

Last week, I made the impulse decision to get a BJs membership for $30 simply because Ds’s appointment in the area got messed up. Sigh. But now I have a membership for a year and can try to carefully squeeze some deals out of it. 🤷‍♀️

My Aldi and Walmart are near each other, so I try to snag the best values between the two. My regular supermarket’s sales lean better, but it’s in the opposite direction. And BJs is in a 3rd direction, farther than the rest.  
However, it looks like my zip code may be eligible for BJs delivery, even though it’s not for the closer stores! So I have to run my numbers on that, too. And not do dumb things like buy 100 frozen pancakes when we’re plenty capable of making pancakes. 😛 

[Serenade]

I'd like to join in on this thread.  We are trying to recover after 5 years of underemployment, which means paying back debt and re-funding our retirement account. We also still have one kid in college. Ugh.  The first payment for spring came out yesterday. 

One tip I have is to check in your area for salvage food stores -- it sounds worse than it is!  You have to be OK with foods past their sell-by dates, which I know is a no-go for some people, but we do it all the time.  Some salvage foods stores have fresh and frozen things, but most are just grocery items.  Alas for me, we don't really have any in my area -- I used to stop at one in Asheville and in Waynesville, NC taking my son to and from college.  That son has graduated, so I won't be able to do this anymore.

Edited December 31, 2022 by Serenade

[historically accurate]

I'm in. I am kicking around the phrase "Reclaiming Me in 2023". I've been caretaker to 3 kids with high medical needs for about 5 years, and I need to re-find joy in my life, and keeping a budget will definitely be a huge part of that. I really don't want more debt this year. Currently saving for a trip to Mayo for one kid. 

[Just Kate]

I’m in! We just had a very expensive December and due to some crappy changes with my husband’s job, we really need to focus more on intentional spending in the new year. 
 

I know the one thing that would help me the most, yet I can’t seem to ever make it happen - meal planning. I don’t know why I stink at it, but I do. I made meal planning my focus for 2022 and I failed miserably. I asked for help here, read blogs, etc. and still couldn’t make it work. We overspend at the grocery, then with no plan, we eat out too often. It is awful! I know that I have to get a handle on this and it would really help with my finances. 
 

This is a great thread and I really need it. Thanks for starting it!

[Kidlit]

Dh and I finally sat down and looked at YNAB together and started a good conversation about our plans. 🎉

[Soror]

3 hours ago, Just Kate said:

I know the one thing that would help me the most, yet I can’t seem to ever make it happen - meal planning. I don’t know why I stink at it, but I do. I made meal planning my focus for 2022 and I failed miserably. I asked for help here, read blogs, etc. and still couldn’t make it work. We overspend at the grocery, then with no plan, we eat out too often. 

In case it helps and is not redundant. When I started doing menus I did a lot of repeats. A friend used to a monthly menu on repeat all the time. You don't have to have different dishes every night. People often eat the same thing all the time anyway. If you have a template you can mix things when you have time and inspiration. Also, the plan can be buy frozen pizzas or a rotisserie chicken and bagged salad. That's still cheaper than a family meal out. It doesn't have to be all homemade.

It can be as simple as-- spaghetti with salad, tacos, stir fry, frozen pizza, baked fish and roasted veggies, chili, roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans. 

Just pick some family favorites. Pick easy meals for busy nights. 

[itsheresomewhere]

I’m in.  We have a small bit of debt that needs to be taken care of.  Along with building back our savings.  

[EmilyGF]

38 minutes ago, Soror said:

In case it helps and is not redundant. When I started doing menus I did a lot of repeats. A friend used to a monthly menu on repeat all the time. You don't have to have different dishes every night. People often eat the same thing all the time anyway. If you have a template you can mix things when you have time and inspiration. Also, the plan can be buy frozen pizzas or a rotisserie chicken and bagged salad. That's still cheaper than a family meal out. It doesn't have to be all homemade.

It can be as simple as-- spaghetti with salad, tacos, stir fry, frozen pizza, baked fish and roasted veggies, chili, roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans. 

Just pick some family favorites. Pick easy meals for busy nights. 

This is great advice. Thanks!

[stephanier.1765]

My version of "no spend" doesn't mean not to spend money outside of bills and groceries but not to spend money on things we don't need. So say I'm grocery shopping and get thirsty, no spends means I do not get to grab a cold drink out of the case. I wait until I get home for a drink. Or there is a really good sale on embroidery thread at Joanns, no spend means I do not get to stock up on all the most used colors. But, if I'm working on a cross stitch project and run out of black, I can go buy a skein of black but that's it. I can only walk out of that store with that one skein. That's a hard one for me. No spend also means no eating out or outside entertainment. No haircuts or pedicures. If we need it, we get it, otherwise no.

 

[ScoutTN]

8 hours ago, EmilyGF said:

If you've been thinking about getting your teens their own checking accounts, there is good motivation to do it this year.

The IRS is going to start having sites like Venmo and Paypal send 1099 forms for $600+ through third-party payment systems in 2023. My DC earn money via babysitting, teaching music, and dog-walking, and up until now, they have had that money sent to me and then transferred to their savings accounts. I don't want to deal with that anymore, especially with the new IRS form rules. I've wanted to do this for a while, but this is lighting a fire under me.

Emily

Ugh! 
Thanks for the heads-up. 

[ScoutTN]

1 hour ago, Soror said:

In case it helps and is not redundant. When I started doing menus I did a lot of repeats. A friend used to a monthly menu on repeat all the time. You don't have to have different dishes every night. People often eat the same thing all the time anyway. If you have a template you can mix things when you have time and inspiration. Also, the plan can be buy frozen pizzas or a rotisserie chicken and bagged salad. That's still cheaper than a family meal out. It doesn't have to be all homemade.

It can be as simple as-- spaghetti with salad, tacos, stir fry, frozen pizza, baked fish and roasted veggies, chili, roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans. 

Just pick some family favorites. Pick easy meals for busy nights. 

Yes. Repeats, soup, fast/easy, and make-ahead. We have Mexican every week, but the exact form varies. Tacos with ground beef and black beans, chx fajitas, chx tortilla soup, etc. We have leftovers for dinner twice a week usually.

[Soror]

This is our January menu. I scrawled it out in less than an hour because I was short on time. It's mostly old favorites that I know people like and do not take forever to cook. I have just 3 new dishes. I ask for requests at the start of the month and look at old plans for ideas too. I only plan main dishes. Veggies and side dishes are based on what is on sale and sounds good. Everything is either made gluten free or with gluten free alternative for me (dairy free as well). I am aiming for one meat free and fish dish a week but am short the first week and have mostly meat free the last week. The vast majority of dishes I don't just have meat on its own (only 5 for the month) as it takes too much if I do. I usually try to vary things better but didn't have time this month.

[mommyoffive]

7 minutes ago, Soror said:

This is our January menu. I scrawled it out in less than an hour because I was short on time. It's mostly old favorites that I know people like and do not take forever to cook. I have just 3 new dishes. I ask for requests at the start of the month and look at old plans for ideas too. I only plan main dishes. Veggies and side dishes are based on what is on sale and sounds good. Everything is either made gluten free or with gluten free alternative for me (dairy free as well). I am aiming for one meat free and fish dish a week but am short the first week and have mostly meat free the last week. The vast majority of dishes I don't just have meat on its own (only 5 for the month) as it takes too much if I do. I usually try to vary things better but didn't have time this month.

Do you have any recipes for your meals?

[Brittany1116]

Is this the thread for progress, or will a new one be started tomorrow?

[EmilyGF]

7 minutes ago, Brittany1116 said:

Is this the thread for progress, or will a new one be started tomorrow?

I will run weekly threads this month, since this is a January "focus" challenge!

[Soror]

17 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Do you have any recipes for your meals?

Yes, most of them. You'll see notes on the side of a few to indicate the website for new ones. Otherwise I don't use a recipe or they are in my binder. Looking for a particular one?

[BusyMom5]

I don't meal plan for the month, but I do for the week.  I try to look at my activities and figure out which meal fits each days needs.   If I'm going to be gone, crockpot meal.  If its 55+ in the winter, I grill.  My family also thinks lunch=leftovers,  so I tend to make really big batches of stuff some nights so that I have extra.  I try to keep a few easy meals that I can do quickly or we can do for lunch- like tacos 🌮   In the summer I do tacos Tuesday and Hamburgers are "Friday Night Special" so those 2 days are usually the same. 

[Hilltopmom]

I bought a spiral notebook today and wrote out budget categories/ filled in the fixed amount things. BUT, I also bought dh an iPad while picking up my  $2 notebook so that’s probably a fail 😂 

(in my defense, I got the little kids iPads this year for Xmas and dh loves it so much that he keeps taking it away from ds to use it for games so I decided to get him his own. It was a previous years version, at least, so cheaper)

[Meriwether]

1 kid in college this year, 2 next

1 person in the family competing internationally this year, 2 next

1 kid with Invisalign this year, 1 with Invisalign and 1 with traditional braces next

Something has got to give. I may or may not contribute to the thread, but I am definitely needing to make our money do more things.

In January we'll be traveling to Memphis for competition. The Airbnb is already paid as are the tournament fees. I'd like to pay for the gas and food out of our regular budget. I use the term budget loosely. Dh hasn't ever wanted an official budget. In March we'll be competing in Dallas, Minneapolis, and possibly Chicago? I can't remember if Chicago is March or April, but Omaha is one and Chicago is the other. Anyhow, tournament fees have been paid for Dallas as well as part of the Airbnb. I'm hoping to pay all the rest of the tournament fees and travel expenses from the regular budget as well. But that will be tricky, especially if Chicago is one of the three tournaments in March.

[mommyoffive]

34 minutes ago, Meriwether said:

1 kid in college this year, 2 next

1 person in the family competing internationally this year, 2 next

1 kid with Invisalign this year, 1 with Invisalign and 1 with traditional braces next

Something has got to give. I may or may not contribute to the thread, but I am definitely needing to make our money do more things.

In January we'll be traveling to Memphis for competition. The Airbnb is already paid as are the tournament fees. I'd like to pay for the gas and food out of our regular budget. I use the term budget loosely. Dh hasn't ever wanted an official budget. In March we'll be competing in Dallas, Minneapolis, and possibly Chicago? I can't remember if Chicago is March or April, but Omaha is one and Chicago is the other. Anyhow, tournament fees have been paid for Dallas as well as part of the Airbnb. I'm hoping to pay all the rest of the tournament fees and travel expenses from the regular budget as well. But that will be tricky, especially if Chicago is one of the three tournaments in March.

I have 2 kids in Invis and one with braces and expanders this year.  Just waiting for kid 4 to lose more teeth.  Probably 4 in ortho next year.  😞

Do you travel hack for your travel?

[73349]

I'd like to play. My goals in 2023 are to put more money in savings and spend more on charity.

[Meriwether]

2 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

I have 2 kids in Invis and one with braces and expanders this year.  Just waiting for kid 4 to lose more teeth.  Probably 4 in ortho next year.  😞

Do you travel hack for your travel?

I'm not sure what you mean by travel hack, but I try to do it as cheaply as possible. We have 4 competitors and me, plus we sometimes take someone from our school along. I will sleep on the floor of the hotel room (Before anyone tells me how terrible this is, this is my choice against the objections of my family. We drive up to 24 hours one way to compete and I want the competitors to sleep as well as possible.) If we are there multiple days we get an Airbnb, because it is usually cheaper and we have more space. Also, I can cook. In the calendar year, we usually eat at a restaurant 2 times for TKD, both bonding things with the competition team. I pack food, get McDonald's on the road, and cook when possible. If we don't have someone to stay with (we'll stay with my parents on the way to/from Memphis and Dallas, for example), we'll drive straight through to save on hotels. I'd love to save more money, but gas costs what it costs (we do try to hit Sam's so we get a cheaper price plus the cash back) and I don't know of a good way to cut food and lodging more than we do, except to cut the traditional after tournament ice cream. We can be at a tournament up to 12 hours. I pack decent snacks - nuts, jerky (making our own is a possibleway to save since my parentsgive us beef), applesause, veggies, but they really look forward to their ice cream after a long day.

[Meriwether]

And 4 kids at the same time! That is a lot.

[mommyoffive]

16 minutes ago, Meriwether said:

I'm not sure what you mean by travel hack, but I try to do it as cheaply as possible. We have 4 competitors and me, plus we sometimes take someone from our school along. I will sleep on the floor of the hotel room (Before anyone tells me how terrible this is, this is my choice against the objections of my family. We drive up to 24 hours one way to compete and I want the competitors to sleep as well as possible.) If we are there multiple days we get an Airbnb, because it is usually cheaper and we have more space. Also, I can cook. In the calendar year, we usually eat at a restaurant 2 times for TKD, both bonding things with the competition team. I pack food, get McDonald's on the road, and cook when possible. If we don't have someone to stay with (we'll stay with my parents on the way to/from Memphis and Dallas, for example), we'll drive straight through to save on hotels. I'd love to save more money, but gas costs what it costs (we do try to hit Sam's so we get a cheaper price plus the cash back) and I don't know of a good way to cut food and lodging more than we do, except to cut the traditional after tournament ice cream. We can be at a tournament up to 12 hours. I pack decent snacks - nuts, jerky (making our own is a possibleway to save since my parentsgive us beef), applesause, veggies, but they really look forward to their ice cream after a long day.

Travel hack means opening travel credit cards that have bonuses on them that you then use to pay for your travel.  Airline cards are great for flights.  Hotel cards are great for hotel stays.  But then there are just general credit cards that give you points and you can transfer to airlines, hotels, pay for airbnbs, and erase travel charges.  We have travel hacked trips for our whole family for years and years.  Gotten many a free flights to Europe for the family of 7 doing this.  We have done the same for a lot of domestic trips.    Very easy to do and I wish we would have started before we did.  We pay our credit cards  off monthly, but we put everything on them.  We currently have close to a million miles and points spread across things and that is after using a ton this summer.

I can link some sites to get started reading on this if you want.

[mommyoffive]

9 minutes ago, Meriwether said:

And 4 kids at the same time! That is a lot.

Yes it is.  I am sad because I bet all my kids will end up needing them.  There is a little bit of hope for the youngest.  I am really hoping one of mine doesn't need more than phase 1.    I try not to think about it.  🙂

[scholastica]

On 12/31/2022 at 7:03 AM, EmilyGF said:

If you've been thinking about getting your teens their own checking accounts, there is good motivation to do it this year.

The IRS is going to start having sites like Venmo and Paypal send 1099 forms for $600+ through third-party payment systems in 2023. My DC earn money via babysitting, teaching music, and dog-walking, and up until now, they have had that money sent to me and then transferred to their savings accounts. I don't want to deal with that anymore, especially with the new IRS form rules. I've wanted to do this for a while, but this is lighting a fire under me.

Emily

IRS has postponed this rule, but kids should still get their own accounts.

[Serenade]

I'm setting myself a goal of not spending more than $500 the rest of the month.  Mostly what I need to pay for is groceries, gas, and other household necessities. (This does not count money my husband spends on the monthly bills and his needs) We have one birthday this month, but most of the gifts have already been purchased.  We will have two meals out this month that DH will pay for. One is a promised college graduation meal/celebration because we weren't actually able to go out on graduation day, and the other is the birthday meal out to an inexpensive local Italian place which will cap off an outing to a free local movie. 

Edited January 2, 2023 by Serenade

[EmilyGF]

12 hours ago, scholastica said:

IRS has postponed this rule, but kids should still get their own accounts.

I think they postponed it to 2023 (it was originally scheduled for 2022), which helps me be motivated to get those accounts set up this week. 🙂

[plansrme]

I have so much to learn about not spending money (and wish I'd implemented some of what I do now, earlier), but one thing that has really surprised me is how much I have been able to affect our utility bills. I used to think of them as fixed expenses, and they are not. My utility expenses have gone down 30-50% since I've started harping on them. What we do: (1) we bundle up inside when it's cold and run the heat only when it's crazy-cold outside, and almost never at night; (2) I shower at my gym 4 mornings a week, which seems to have affected our water bill; (3) we had some leaks in our irrigation system repaired; (4) I have no idea if it helps, but I started unplugging stuff that is not being used; (5) I blew some additional insulation into our attic; it was leftover from what I blew into my daughter's attic, so it really cost me nothing but had an immediate effect on our electric bill; it is completely doable as a DIY project; (6) I changed our natural gas rate plan (I know not an option everywhere); (7) we moved our internet from Comcast to T Mobile ($40+/month difference); and (8) if you count cell phones as utilities, I revisited our cell phone plan and cut that bill by about $70/month. I also canceled several of our streaming services. The couple of months that I worked on hacking our monthly bills was quite empowering. My husband probably gets tired of hearing me tell him how much our power/gas/water bill is compared this month last year, but it is a little "atta girl" every time I open one and see lower year-over-year usage.