Just this week I was looking over my finances....
As I've mentioned hub and I are in the midst of a "only buy used" month as our one green change this month (although I did give him the okay to buy a new spiral notebook for his notes for school....after encouraging him to buy a recycled paper one so it's somewhat "used"). But I'm also hopeful that this experience and next month's proposed buy-nothing month, will help us cut back on our free spending ways.
In life before hub, I was a phenomenal budgeter and rarely bought anything unless it was a true necessity, as I was entirely focused on paying off debt and living to the great quote of "living simply so that others may simply live." I was the gal who would walk parched for two miles rather than spend $1 on a bottle of something. I cringed going out to dinner or coffee with friends when I could host them in my house instead for cheaper (and without as much waste). I cried over Christmas presents. Then, in walked my handsome-mister-wonderful, who also happened to be like most soldiers and spend his paycheck til it was gone. Over the last two years while we've paid off quite a bit of debt between the two of us, we definitely have also gotten into the habit of being able to spend very freely. Where I could happily live on a lot less, there is another person in this house who likes to be able to buy rewarding things as he desires them, which in turn leaves me spending more cause I just plain don't want to be the only one going without. This isn't always a bad thing, but I'm well aware that a lot of money gets "wasted" on Starbucks, special cheeses, and random Amazon purchases between the two of us. (And I have to admit that I'm much better off when I stay out of Target!)
That all being said, we've done a great job of being mindful of where future gaps might be. Hub receives a housing stipend that is pro-rated for each day that he is in school as part of his military education benefits. However in months such as September, December, January, March, and June, that amount is less as he's not in school for the entirety of those months due to breaks. He also won't go to school during the summer, so that leaves summers without a housing stipend. Thus part of what I save for during the year is to be able to cover the gaps and our summer housing needs.
I think I've mentioned that hub and I keep our finances separate, as it makes it easier and much more pleasant for us. So beyond saving for gaps in housing payments, I also focus on paying our vehicle payments, my student loan, and anything I've aquired on my credit card, and as much as I can extra for each of those monthly bills. (I've taken to paying for gas, any groceries I buy, etc on the credit card as it grants a very small amount of cash back....and then I pay it off at the end of the month.) I also pay the car insurance when it comes due every six months. Hub pays our cell phones, our utility bills (natural gas, electricity, water/sewer, garbage), our DirecTV (since he's the one that wanted it) and internet, most the monthly groceries, and generally buys at least one meal out and one tank of gas for me each month. He buys his own gas for his truck and anything else he wants/needs. We don't ask questions where the rest of the money goes and after implementing this method for our budgeting, it's actually worked out well for us. Thus far, we've always paid our bills on time, paid stuff down faster, been able to budget ahead of upcoming trips or major purchases, and have been able to save for when we knew there would be short-comings.
With the new part-time job, we're definitely in a much better financial situation then we might have been. (But the reality is that we'll be okay if/when I go back to just one of the positions, and in talking to my boss today for that one position, my job and hence finances should be secure through at least the next academic year.....). We've also gotten to the point where when friends come into town, we're able to treat them to dinner and/or drinks, especially since they've generally already paid a decent amount in plane tickets or gas to get here. It's nice to be in a position to take care of others as we see fit or as is needed. (Although we've also had several conversations about what all this should look like and encompass....there's sometimes a difference between what we can and what we should do....and between what might be expected of us in other situations.)
Regardless of the overall finances however, one thing I have been incredibly mindful of since our return to Oregon is to donate each month to organizations that support my beliefs. As a Christian, I believe it's my duty to donate/tithe each month, in order to give back to God's greater work, and honestly it's just a nice thing to do....period. My needs are more than met and I feel incredibly fortunate/blessed to have the jobs and home that I do. I have no question as to God's providence in my life and know that He has provided enough for me to be pass it on to others. I will readily admit that I'm not donating 10% of my income, which is the Biblical mandate, but I'm giving more at times than I am sometimes comfortable with.....and amazingly He always provides more than I could have ever imagined. Most my monthly donation goes toward an international social justice organization and then to an environmental organization, but we also were blessed with an incredible rental situation at a slightly lower-than-expected rate so I also try to donate an extra amount to support the mission account created in memory of the mother of our landlords.
....and I just have to reiterate that every single time He continues to provide. I don't give in expectation of getting back, but it never ceases to amaze me that every time we've been nearer a pinch, something else has arrived just when we needed it. Case in point: this month I'd saved and budgeted to cover rent (as hub's been on break), my regular bills, and a smaller than usual amount to cover any other expenses, while only expecting to have 1/3 the amount that I usually receive coming in (since there's a break between teaching and thus checks.....). However today I discovered that they'd changed up the way our teaching was paid this term and I have another check sitting in my account. Score! Here goes another donation check and the rest is going to savings for this summer!
I know that everyone has their own way of mananging finances, and there's still much that hub and I could improve on and change. At some point, hub will want to buy a house, so we'll need a down payment, but for right now I'm just focusing on paying off our vehicles and attempting to pay down my quarter-of-a-mortage sized grad loan.
What are your finance secrets? Any good ones to share? Any good frugally green tips for our monthly goals this year or ways to help increase incentives for decreased free spending?
As I've mentioned hub and I are in the midst of a "only buy used" month as our one green change this month (although I did give him the okay to buy a new spiral notebook for his notes for school....after encouraging him to buy a recycled paper one so it's somewhat "used"). But I'm also hopeful that this experience and next month's proposed buy-nothing month, will help us cut back on our free spending ways.
In life before hub, I was a phenomenal budgeter and rarely bought anything unless it was a true necessity, as I was entirely focused on paying off debt and living to the great quote of "living simply so that others may simply live." I was the gal who would walk parched for two miles rather than spend $1 on a bottle of something. I cringed going out to dinner or coffee with friends when I could host them in my house instead for cheaper (and without as much waste). I cried over Christmas presents. Then, in walked my handsome-mister-wonderful, who also happened to be like most soldiers and spend his paycheck til it was gone. Over the last two years while we've paid off quite a bit of debt between the two of us, we definitely have also gotten into the habit of being able to spend very freely. Where I could happily live on a lot less, there is another person in this house who likes to be able to buy rewarding things as he desires them, which in turn leaves me spending more cause I just plain don't want to be the only one going without. This isn't always a bad thing, but I'm well aware that a lot of money gets "wasted" on Starbucks, special cheeses, and random Amazon purchases between the two of us. (And I have to admit that I'm much better off when I stay out of Target!)
That all being said, we've done a great job of being mindful of where future gaps might be. Hub receives a housing stipend that is pro-rated for each day that he is in school as part of his military education benefits. However in months such as September, December, January, March, and June, that amount is less as he's not in school for the entirety of those months due to breaks. He also won't go to school during the summer, so that leaves summers without a housing stipend. Thus part of what I save for during the year is to be able to cover the gaps and our summer housing needs.
I think I've mentioned that hub and I keep our finances separate, as it makes it easier and much more pleasant for us. So beyond saving for gaps in housing payments, I also focus on paying our vehicle payments, my student loan, and anything I've aquired on my credit card, and as much as I can extra for each of those monthly bills. (I've taken to paying for gas, any groceries I buy, etc on the credit card as it grants a very small amount of cash back....and then I pay it off at the end of the month.) I also pay the car insurance when it comes due every six months. Hub pays our cell phones, our utility bills (natural gas, electricity, water/sewer, garbage), our DirecTV (since he's the one that wanted it) and internet, most the monthly groceries, and generally buys at least one meal out and one tank of gas for me each month. He buys his own gas for his truck and anything else he wants/needs. We don't ask questions where the rest of the money goes and after implementing this method for our budgeting, it's actually worked out well for us. Thus far, we've always paid our bills on time, paid stuff down faster, been able to budget ahead of upcoming trips or major purchases, and have been able to save for when we knew there would be short-comings.
With the new part-time job, we're definitely in a much better financial situation then we might have been. (But the reality is that we'll be okay if/when I go back to just one of the positions, and in talking to my boss today for that one position, my job and hence finances should be secure through at least the next academic year.....). We've also gotten to the point where when friends come into town, we're able to treat them to dinner and/or drinks, especially since they've generally already paid a decent amount in plane tickets or gas to get here. It's nice to be in a position to take care of others as we see fit or as is needed. (Although we've also had several conversations about what all this should look like and encompass....there's sometimes a difference between what we can and what we should do....and between what might be expected of us in other situations.)
Regardless of the overall finances however, one thing I have been incredibly mindful of since our return to Oregon is to donate each month to organizations that support my beliefs. As a Christian, I believe it's my duty to donate/tithe each month, in order to give back to God's greater work, and honestly it's just a nice thing to do....period. My needs are more than met and I feel incredibly fortunate/blessed to have the jobs and home that I do. I have no question as to God's providence in my life and know that He has provided enough for me to be pass it on to others. I will readily admit that I'm not donating 10% of my income, which is the Biblical mandate, but I'm giving more at times than I am sometimes comfortable with.....and amazingly He always provides more than I could have ever imagined. Most my monthly donation goes toward an international social justice organization and then to an environmental organization, but we also were blessed with an incredible rental situation at a slightly lower-than-expected rate so I also try to donate an extra amount to support the mission account created in memory of the mother of our landlords.
....and I just have to reiterate that every single time He continues to provide. I don't give in expectation of getting back, but it never ceases to amaze me that every time we've been nearer a pinch, something else has arrived just when we needed it. Case in point: this month I'd saved and budgeted to cover rent (as hub's been on break), my regular bills, and a smaller than usual amount to cover any other expenses, while only expecting to have 1/3 the amount that I usually receive coming in (since there's a break between teaching and thus checks.....). However today I discovered that they'd changed up the way our teaching was paid this term and I have another check sitting in my account. Score! Here goes another donation check and the rest is going to savings for this summer!
I know that everyone has their own way of mananging finances, and there's still much that hub and I could improve on and change. At some point, hub will want to buy a house, so we'll need a down payment, but for right now I'm just focusing on paying off our vehicles and attempting to pay down my quarter-of-a-mortage sized grad loan.
What are your finance secrets? Any good ones to share? Any good frugally green tips for our monthly goals this year or ways to help increase incentives for decreased free spending?
