Day 8: Create a Debt Spreadsheet

Mommysavers suggests to make a Spreadsheet of our debt using the following columns.

Column A- Name of Debtor
Column B - Interest Rate
Column C - Balance
Column D - Minimum Payment
Column E - Budgeted Payment

Then Add up Column C to find out how much you owe and Column D to find out how much your minimum payment due every month is.

Ours was what I already knew it would be I hope yours is too! My goal is to pay it by at least 10% this year!

Day 7: Plan Ahead

Plan Ahead to be Frugal! Who would have thought! I know when we do things at the last minute we don't usually save as much as we could have if we had planned ahead and found coupons, went when there was a promotion or even done something free!

Mommysavers gives a few more examples of how to do things frugally here when you plan ahead.

We are planning our weekend frugally, are you? This weekend we are having a movie night Friday using the free Redbox code I got from Frugal Living and Having Fun. We are also bbqing at the house on Saturday and Sunday we have a birthday party to go to after church!

How is your spending going? If all goes well this weekend we shouldn't have to spend anything! We did good this week and today I only bought the planner I had budgeted for and was under Budget on it!!

Day 4: Create a List of Goals/Dreams

Today we are supposed to create a list of goals/ dreams. I created a list of 101 to do in 1001 days here, so I will refer to some of those for this list and add to it.

My main long term goal is to pay off our house! That will be such a relief! Another is to not get a divorce. I have seen what it does to families and kids and do not want to put my babies through that. God help me with these!

Here is my list for this year.

Day 3: Create a Family Mission Statement

For help on creating your Family Mission Statement check out Mommysavers post here.

This was a hard one for me to do. So here is a rough draft. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

As a family we are at our best when we work together and concentrate on putting our family first.
We will try to prevent times when we try and please everyone else and spend too much time apart.
We will find more time with each other to spend time as a family playing in the back yard, go to the lake, be with our family and spend time with friends.
We will help each family member by doing things for each other and by thinking before we speak.
We will help others by volunteering and taking meals to our friends in need.
We will stop procrastinating and start working on: concentrating on ourselves and not worrying about everyone else. We need to spend more time with our family and quit having to have everyone around all the time.
We will be viewed as a family that being there for each other no matter what, honest, always helping those that need help and caring.
We will fill our home with happiness.
We will make choices and decisions based on: honesty, kindness, love, trust, giving to others, caring, strong, secure.

We will constantly renew ourselves by focusing on:

* Showing how much we care about each other with our words, hugs, and kisses.
* Strive to keep each other in check.
* Not only attending church but also volunteering our service as needed
* Living for God.
* Challenging and teaching each other through all we do.
* Having friends and family that know we are real.


We envision success for each family member Our 10 year goals are as follows:

* Monty: will be a wonderful father who is always there for his family. he will be admired and respected for the children he has raised and for being there for them. He will have provided and continue to provide financial security for his family and his children have always known how much they mean to him.
* Brandi: will be a class mom and on the PTA. She will have been a stay at home mom that proved to her family how much she cares for them, not through working, but through love. She will have graduated college and be working part time so she can continue to be there for her family.
* Makynzi: Will be a 13 year old princess and will be active and social. At home, she will be respected because of the respect she shows. she will be caring and loving. At school and in sports she will give it her all.
* Jaxon: Will be ten years old and all boy. He will be playing sports and excelling because he will practice and give it his all. He will be social and admired for the way he treats others at home and away.

Day 2: Create a Net Worth

How to create a Net Worth you may ask? Mommysavers walks you through it here.

This was our first time ever creating one and we are doing great I think. According the the national average per age group, we should have a NW of appx $2000. Our NW is that of a 40-45 year old! WTG us!!

Day 1: Create an Approved Spending List:

Here is more about our Challenge.



My list seems really long:

Necessary Groceries (and meat) we haven't been to the store except for perishables in since before Christmas. Budgeting $200 for the 3 weeks (we usually do 300)
Car Maintenance: oil change, inspection sticker, tune up, Gas
Puppy Food 35.00
Diapers 40.00
Taxes and Bills that are due (obviously)
School and books
A 2010 Planner ( I have been looking and looking and can't find the one I am wanting)
And any Medical/Copays we may have this month
Gift card purchases
$40.00 allowance/ week for Monty on the road. (that includes his Dip)
$40.00 allowance for me and the kids per week. But I will try not to use it all and put the rest down on the house note.


Spending today:
$7.00 Monty Dip

What is it?

What is "Forgetting the Joneses" you ask? Do you remember the old Country song that says " We've been so busy keeping up w/ the Jones. A four car garage and we're still building on. Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of life" ? Well That's what "Forgetting the Joneses" is all about. Getting back to the basics. The journey starts on Jan 1, 2010 and ends on January 21, 2010. It's only a 21 day challenge but we are planning to learn from it and carry it through out the year and our lifetime. Let's get started!!