*Budgeting* Month 5--$267.50 spent!

5TH Month of Household Budgeting

(APRIL 2011)

3/31 PUBLIX- $85.58
4/1 CVS- $1.97
4/6 DG- $7.62
4/6 PUBLIX- $55.17
4/7 DG- $1.09
4/12 WM- $25.62
4/12 CVS- $4.08
4/16 CVS- $4.24
4/16 WM-$55.48
4/18 PUBLIX- $2.64 (Thanks to $100 Gift Card!)
4/18 CVS- $1.16
4/21 WM- $22.85

I know there is still a week left in this month, but we will not be making any more purchases until next month. So, I wanted to go on and share how we are doing on our budget in Month 5 of our journey! Remember this is only what was spent on groceries and household items including diapers and all things baby, toiletries, and dish and laundry detergents .This does NOT include the few times we enjoyed lunch or dinner outside the home.

$267.50 / 4 weeks = $66.88 per week!

Had I not had the gift card, I would not have gotten as much as I did in that last trip to Publix. In fact, I would not have gone at all. So, I am not going to add that total ($100) in to see what I would have spent had I not had the gift card. It was the work of Almighty God above that we were blessed with what we "needed" to get groceries and other household items this week and we are very Thankful!

You know, sometimes when you balance your checkbook, the numbers don't quite add up the way you'd like them to. With gas prices soaring and those things that "have" to be done, living on 1 income is hard. Okay, living on 2 incomes is probably hard too, but I have learned that there IS help! I used to sit and pray after balancing the checkbook (paying all the bills to see what we had left to buy groceries). I would ask God, "How in the world are we gonna make it?" I never heard a response, or so I thought. He always provided, and we always survived! Then, one day I saw a segment on Rachel Ray about coupons. I used to watch all sorts of cooking shows when I was learning how to cook and prepare meals, healthy meals, for my family. The guy on there said that so many billions of dollars worth of coupons were available last year (that year being 2008) and only a few thousand were redeemed. There were websites mentioned to go to for more information, but at the time I did not have a computer. I saw this show in 2009 and now 2 years later, I do have a computer (well actually 2 computers including my laptop), the internet, and a printer. I have learned how to go to the store and get SO MUCH MORE and even have extras to share. I have a stocked pantry and we almost never run out of anything, besides milk and bread...LOL! I also have this blog that I hope is showing YOU that it IS possible to stretch your budget AND that when you pray to God and think He doesn't answer, just patiently wait. He IS hearing you and He does answer...It may not be the answer you want, but the one you NEED. He takes care of His children when we rely upon Him. That's just it...You have to surrender and admit that you can't do it without Him. Let Him have it, and I promise the outcome will be so worth it and much more than you ever expected!