Finanical Check-Up for March

Financial Check-Up

 12 Money Saving Goals for 2012

1. Make Laundry Detergent (http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm)

Will be done this week!!! I will let you know how I like it.

2. Make Dishwasher Detergent ( http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/02/2011-do-it-yourself-experiment-2-homemade-dishwashing-detergent.html)

This turned out great!!! It cleans better than the store bought stuff!!!

3. Make Fabric Softener (http://acontentedcommonlife.blogspot.com/2011/08/for-love-of-things-homemade.html)

I am making my second around of this fabric softener this week, I am using a different scent this time. I want to change this up a bit.

4. Make Baby food (http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/05/freezing-homemade-baby-food.html)

I made 80 servings of baby food this month and Katie-Beth loves it!!! Made all the 80 serves for $20. I saved a total of $28 by making it myself.

       As you can see, she likes it!!!

5. Make rice and oatmeal cereal (http://www.homemadeginger.com/2011/02/homemade-whole-grain-baby-cereal.html)

I made this, but I didn’t like the texture. I am going to give it another try

6. Make baby wipes (http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/06/how-to-make-homemade-reusable-baby-wipes.html)

7. Cut grocery bill by $50 biweekly (http://moneysavingmom.com/31-days-to-a-better-budget-series)

I cut our grocery bill by about $200 this month!!!

8. Spend $0 on K3 curriculum(http://moneysavingmom.com/category/series/15-favorite-preschool-kindergarten-resources?orderby=date&order=ASC)
(http://teachbesideme.blogspot.com/2011/03/learning-alphabet.html)

I have started writing the Bible portion of the K3 cirriculum

9. Learn how to coupon, save $20 monthly (http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/08/couponing-an-investment-in-our-family.html)

10. Buy almost all clothes at thrift shops(http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/06/lessons-learned-from-my-first-thrift-store-shopping-experience.html)

I am changing the name of this one to buying everything at thrift stores. I have fallen in love with the concept of buying everything (except shoes and swim wear and things like that) thrift stores. This month I have purchased all clothing at Good Will, salvation Army, Rhea Lana(consignment), or Simon Says(consignment).

11. Only eat out 2x a month or less!
12. Take an inexpensive vacation
If I can accomplish these goals we have the potential of saving about $3500 a year!!!! That is motivation enough!!!!

IT IS FINISHED!!!

Alrighty, I finished the challenge and I have to say that I feel amazing!!! I am never finished anything! This Friday will be 2 weeks since I finished this life changing challenge. Since finishing I have only taken the time to put makeup on 4 days!!! I have to say I like myself better without it!! Man, that is a change! If you remember back to when I first started this whole thing, I would not look people in the eyes when I would speak to them and was just utterly ashamed of what I looked like without makeup, but God has delivered me from that. I know Satan is going to attack me extra hard because I just said that(or typed it, whatever). Any who, I want to thank the women and teen girls that went on this journey with me. Lori, thank you keeping me accountable through this, thank you for sharing you struggles with me, and thanks for letting God rock your world!  Rachel, thank you for being such an encouragement through this, I do not know what I would have done without you! Marshall, thank you for being you, thank you for being beautiful on the inside and outside, you are an encourager, and a pretty stinkin' amazing girl and I know God is going to do pretty amazing things through you. Keep it up! Madison, thank you for being an amazing Godly girl, I learn things from you all the time, God is going to do amazing things through you! Jordan, even through you only did the challenge for a short time, I am very proud of you! I am proud that you did it and God was able to show you things in your life that you need to work on.
     Okay ladies(and guys if you wear makeup), I want to challenge you now!! Do this challenge, it is life changing. I know what some of you are thinking, makeup, really? Yes, makeup! No matter how attached or not attached you are to makeup, God can use this challenge to show you things. Think of it as a fast because in reality it is a fast. You will be amazed! Please leave a comment if you feel the pressing upon your heart to do this challenge, I want to be able to encourage and pray for you and I will even do this challenge again if need be.