tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post937922010406297483..comments2023-10-29T03:56:40.697-04:00Comments on The "Cent"sible Sawyer: Keepin' My Money TuesdayDenise Sawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02110608099871491668noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-53260067077612914542008-07-19T20:04:00.000-04:002008-07-19T20:04:00.000-04:00I keep an Excel spreadsheet labeled "Bills", and e...I keep an Excel spreadsheet labeled "Bills", and each month is a seperate tab. I list our bills, minimum payment, interest rate, balance, and the amount that we actually pay towards each bill that month. Excel is wonderful for putting in formulas, so I total everything up and see exactly what we HAVE to have going out each month, and what we DO have going out. I list my husband's and my Beccahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04171904574440741280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-59471352658355914432008-06-14T21:13:00.000-04:002008-06-14T21:13:00.000-04:00I'm new to SERIOUS budgeting. Like you, I knew how...I'm new to SERIOUS budgeting. Like you, I knew how much my fixed bills were and just let what was left pay for groceries, eating out, misc expenses, etc. About three months ago I started putting EVERYTHING on paper. Nearly every cent is accounted for now. Sure, it takes more time, but it really keeps me in check. I've just completed my June grocery budget (based on my pay periods) and I'm $.56 Marthahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04616026640479446313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-40617152742845345092008-06-11T14:16:00.000-04:002008-06-11T14:16:00.000-04:00I want to second the use of Microsoft Money. It wa...I want to second the use of Microsoft Money. It was free on our computer and I've been using it for almost 10 years now. At first we just tracked where our money was going and it was amazing! (My husband's runs to Starbucks took an immediate hit!)<BR/><BR/>Now I use it to track all of our spending and have tweaked the reports and categories to match our needs. I can't imagine using any other toolKansas Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-52467537240558470492008-06-11T11:11:00.000-04:002008-06-11T11:11:00.000-04:00I reallly like this thread! I agree that Mary Hunt...I reallly like this thread! I agree that Mary Hunt is great for getting out of debt.<BR/>Denise how does it work when blogs post other peoples weekly articles or links etc? I am so cluelessEBhasADDitudehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17134427094753222998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-58588670649291270162008-06-11T10:12:00.000-04:002008-06-11T10:12:00.000-04:00I am glad to see I am not the ONLY one just gettin...I am glad to see I am not the ONLY one just getting started:-) We started Dave Ramsey's TMMO last month, and we are slowly getting there. We also have DEBT to pay, but it is so nice to have a plan! I've found his website and radio show very helpful. Also, I LOVE this site. I am new to couponing, and am enjoying the "game." Looking forward to sharing in your journey. Take care!Tarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08210925145456140392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-66732939815085072802008-06-10T23:10:00.000-04:002008-06-10T23:10:00.000-04:00Like others, I suggest Dave Ramsey. You might be ...Like others, I suggest Dave Ramsey. You might be able to take a Financial Peace University class in your area, or you can check out his books/website. I was skeptical about his ways, but my husband was not. It has taken me a while. For a while we did just the budget, no cash envelopes. Now we do cash envelopes. Hated it at first, now I love it. CHeck it out!SmlTwnLdyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00332418400527292725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-53860845262002416862008-06-10T22:47:00.000-04:002008-06-10T22:47:00.000-04:00Just wanted to encourage you that if you want to s...Just wanted to encourage you that if you want to stay home, you absolutely can regardless of income or debt. Trust me...we did it. When our first child was born my husband made $8 AN HOUR. I quit working. It's over 7 years later, we have 3 children (one is special needs) and I have been home the entire time. And while he makes a little more now, we are far from rich, and no, I do not have some tammyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01913964856548792032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-27197547952542260072008-06-10T22:43:00.000-04:002008-06-10T22:43:00.000-04:00First of all, I really enjoy reading your blog and...First of all, I really enjoy reading your blog and all of the great deals and ideas you post, thanks! When I read your post today, I wrote a short post on my blog about budgeting. I had been thinking about this topic anyway, and decided to write about it today. We have used resources at http://www.crown.org to help us create our budget. If you want, you can read my post at my blog <A HREF="Carlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14640250555169902649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-45428178703495789362008-06-10T22:09:00.000-04:002008-06-10T22:09:00.000-04:00Denise, your honesty is refreshing and brave.We've...Denise, your honesty is refreshing and brave.<BR/><BR/>We've got our share of debt to pay down here at my house, too. We took back-to-back losses on two houses in less than three years - we had to move for my dh's career.<BR/><BR/>There's many budget sheets out there you can use along with the Dave Ramsey system (which I admire but don't use 100%); heck, use the online search from MS Excel (MThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02657624957929650534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-31693960768459924432008-06-10T21:05:00.000-04:002008-06-10T21:05:00.000-04:00That picture cracked me up!I've been learning as I...That picture cracked me up!<BR/><BR/>I've been learning as I go about finances. Sometimes, I make mistakes, but luckily none of them have been too expensive. <BR/><BR/>It's almost a game at times, figuring out how to do a little better than before!Kaciehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03068520824047487960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-63834765967518375872008-06-10T20:43:00.000-04:002008-06-10T20:43:00.000-04:00Debt Proof Living by Mary Hunt helped me tremendou...Debt Proof Living by Mary Hunt helped me tremendously when I needed to get out of debt and set up a spending plan. Thanks for the blog. It has enriched my life.Theresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14800729113430720821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-26775563497358331422008-06-10T19:29:00.000-04:002008-06-10T19:29:00.000-04:00Thanks for all the good links :) I'm gonna check t...Thanks for all the good links :) I'm gonna check them out!OnlyOnSalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401701120905053718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-43308826497739977082008-06-10T18:49:00.000-04:002008-06-10T18:49:00.000-04:00For me budgeting has been like dieting. I start of...For me budgeting has been like dieting. I start off strong then over time fade back to old habits. But I've started using coupons and doing the CVS things and I'm doing well and saving money! Now I just have to get the budget in shape. Thanks for the help.couponRNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11522348365553120951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-13287597065446722582008-06-10T17:32:00.000-04:002008-06-10T17:32:00.000-04:00I, like many, have heard so much about the Dave Ra...I, like many, have heard so much about the Dave Ramsey thing but haven't had much time to dedicate to it yet. I feel like we are very much alike in this. I am trying as well to get the budget thing down and you have been a huge help in cutting where I can. Please share your successes in this as I have much to learn about budgeting. I have a pen and a note pad at the time, and I know I should Jes A. Bellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17433941792732263296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-55555825217906212402008-06-10T17:07:00.000-04:002008-06-10T17:07:00.000-04:00DAVE RAMSEY - try it! Its very challenging and it...DAVE RAMSEY - try it! Its very challenging and it worked for us! I was pregnant with our 2nd child (our first was 10) and was planning on returning to work but God had other plans. We went from 2 NICE incomes to 1. Since then we've added 2 more to our family.... bought a bigger house... paid off 2 cars and rearranged our way of thinking... like you said seperating your needs from wants. But Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15789637790038943974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-503928777475385782008-06-10T16:43:00.000-04:002008-06-10T16:43:00.000-04:00I posted the following at my blog:http://homemaker...I posted the following at my blog:<BR/>http://homemakersresource.blogspot.com/2008/06/freedom-friday-6608.html<BR/><BR/>When we bought our house several years back, we wracked up a good amount of debt. We had several sizable personal loans plus credit card debt.<BR/><BR/>Well, we were able to pay off our first and largest personal loan after about two years. This was before we started on our The Homemaker's Resourcehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00635883847150534461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-86621506475220617792008-06-10T15:52:00.000-04:002008-06-10T15:52:00.000-04:00Love the photo!We celebrate 20 years of marriage n...Love the photo!<BR/><BR/>We celebrate 20 years of marriage next month and all of that time we have lived on a budget and without debt. I am still finding new ways to further keep my money. If you can reduce many things by a dollar or two it adds up. Start hanging clothes to dry, plant a tomato plant in a container, take off your good clothes when they aren't dirty and rewear, cut up a chicken andSouthernerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00742517323759698146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-76148063220473985622008-06-10T15:51:00.000-04:002008-06-10T15:51:00.000-04:00I'm somewhat new to all of this. I've been coupon...I'm somewhat new to all of this. I've been couponing for about a year and a half now, but its just been lately that hubby and I have decided to really hit debt hard. With 7 kiddos I've had to learn really quickly!agapesmansionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06468585496031350204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-3393033720353087492008-06-10T15:33:00.000-04:002008-06-10T15:33:00.000-04:00"We live like nobody else so someday we can live l..."We live like nobody else so someday we can live like nobody else"-Dave Ramsey. We have been living the "Dave Way" for a few years now, but it's just now sinking in with me. Some things we do is I have so much grocery money that I spend every week-I take cash in of course. Then my husband gets me a gift card that I use to get gas on and it has so much he loads on it every month. Of course with Lorihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10916294014142616869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-77346632662455207412008-06-10T14:24:00.000-04:002008-06-10T14:24:00.000-04:00Thank you for your information! Last week my husb...Thank you for your information! Last week my husband and I decided we needed to try to find ways to stop spending so much. I came across your blog and all I can say is thank you for inspiring me! I have started doing the CVS thing and couponing. And the CVS thing is hard to start with!!! But thanks to your advice and links, I think I'm going to be able to save us lots and get back on track!jollytammyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12647421025399455986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-72342494258758212922008-06-10T14:15:00.000-04:002008-06-10T14:15:00.000-04:00Hi. I've started to follow your blog recently for ...Hi. I've started to follow your blog recently for all the great day to day freebies and deals. I've had a budget for a while now, and I keep it by using Microsoft Money 2006...it really does everything. I was happy to hear that you're so set on starting and sticking to a budget. I'm currently in the process of creating a blog about this myself. Feel free to <A HREF="http://The Math Guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06826413586514604324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529176767722539918.post-80319722621681784412008-06-10T14:02:00.000-04:002008-06-10T14:02:00.000-04:00Dave Ramsey has an EXCELLENT budget help on http:/...Dave Ramsey has an EXCELLENT budget help on http://www.mytotalmoneymakeover.com/friend. If you use that link you can get a free 30 day membership. I created my budget using his format, and it has completely changed our financial life! It really keeps us on track, and I always know where my money is going, which is something I was never able to do on my own with pen/paper or spreadsheet! :)<BR/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com