Impulse buying

Today's Daily Goal with frugally sustainable challenge is to plan how not to impulse buy.

I am pretty good about staying out of the stores but I JUST, as in two minutes ago, realized that I have made 3 purchases from Amazon.com in a week. I ordered a book for my son yesterday and I got the book in the mail today- it hasn't even come out of the account yet! See I justified ordering from Amazon because I discovered that I didn't have to use a credit card and could basically use my debit card. 13 dollars here and 14 dollars there... this week I spent over $40!
That can't happen anymore!

Now grocery shopping is where I impulse buy. I have to be ready with my menu plan and grocery list in hand and all by myself. I spend more when my Hubby is along, if I go with my girlfriends or my kiddos. Today I did veer off the list because I got a good deal on a product I use all the time. It is being discontinued and the price was knocked down from 16.99 to 9.99 for 101oz can of olive oil. I'm actually excited about the find! I did some bad impulse shopping too. I bought fried chicken at the deli and a soda... I could probably lose some body clutter as well if I would stop that kind of impulse shopping/eating!

Well, it is really chilly here today. I am going to pop a chicken in a pot and make some broth for next weeks soup. I'm going to get rid of some books and go through the boys clothes and pack a few bags for good will. I even have a lift chair I need to find a new home. Wish I knew someone who needed it--

Going to the Dr is being frugal?!

I thought about it over and over. I hate going to the Dr. I'm a big procrastinator and cheap.
I think there is a difference between being frugal and being cheap. When I think of frugal, I think of being discerning. Being frugal is thinking about what your spending your money on and making good choices. Cheap is going without because you don't want to make an effort to make good choices.

Getting regular check ups is a way to be frugal. Taking care of yourself, eating right, getting exercise all saves money. Because if you let yourself go, you end up sick and unhealthy and having to go through a pile of medical expenses.

So, I'm going to the doctor today. I'm hoping that I'm not too late and that my issue is not life threatening. Not only am I a procrastinator and cheap, I have the "ignore it and it will go away" attitude. Doctors don't appreciate that.

If we will get regular check ups, if there is a problem, and it can be caught early and dealt with, then life can continue with just a blip of interruption. When we skip regular check ups and only go to the doctor when the issue is already interrupting our lives, that leads to many visits, more expenses and an upheaval in not just our own lives but of our family's lives.

So pray for me today as I go to the doctor this morning to have a lump on my back examined.



Update----- Dr. visit went well. It is a cyst and nothing to worry about. Thank you God!

Time management

I was thinking of different ways to be frugal. Time management seems to be what I keep focusing on. I am a big time waster. I get sucked into the computer, drawn to junk TV if it's on, and THE PHONE!

So, I'm making a plan. Consciously spending my time. If I had a job outside of the home I would have a schedule, a list of duties needed to be done. I am doing that for myself at home. I have to be flexible but have a general plan so I can make the most of my day.

5:30- Up and dressed.
make list for the day of what needs to be done. Drink my coffee read my Bible (God and caffeine)

6:15- Wake up the kids
Farm Chores
Make breakfast and get them moving for the day.

7:00 Kids on the Bus
Computer time- returning emails and blogging

8:00 general house cleaning
laundry

10:00 Errands
Try to keep errands in an order and in one area for that day.

12:00 lunch
start working on dinner preparations
mending,sewing,repairs/maintenance (whatever needs to be done)

2:30 first round of kids come home
homework/snack

3:30 second round
homework
finish cooking dinner

4:00 Farm Chores

5-6:30 Dinner depending on evening schedule

6:30- 8:30 Evening activities
Scouts, baseball, picking up daughter from work
Family time

8:30-9:00 Bedtime

10:30 My bedtime



So that is what I'm going to work on for the next 30 days. Making this schedule a habit and not allowing myself to spend three hours on the computer, not getting sucked into TV and if I'm on the phone, making sure I'm multi-tasking and getting my work done. I can also keep myself from those activities by leaving them off.