Budgeting, budgeting, and more budgeting!

This year I have been trying to stick to budgets for everything. Well if you budget, then you know that sometimes we can be tempted by things that screw up our budget or just fall off all together. I will admit that there were 2 months where I bought some things I KNOW I didn't and don't need, but I said, "I work hard and I deserve this" (I want this, screw my savings!). Well, thinking back, I should've said, "I work hard, I deserve to save and not screw my future retired life over by not sticking to my budget". I'm going to try to keep reminding myself of this statement going forward when I'm tempted. I've also tried to come up with ways to get some stuff I want without it coming out of my allocated budgets.

• Save gift cards that I get from others for holidays and special occasions, and use these to buy the extras
• Earn more reward points from survey sites I use, redeem them for gift cards and use those to buy the extras
• Shop online directly through Ebates and get cash back checks/PayPal deposits quarterly
• When the parents ask me if I want something while we are out shopping, go for the extras:) (Yes, I'm still spoiled)
• Selling clothes/shoes/accessories I don't and won't wear anymore
• Selling DVDs I don't watch anymore or that Grant already has

NOTE: These things might seem minimal to you, but let me tell you that I have gotten so much money from all of these. Few dollars/gift cards for small amounts here and there definitely add up quick if you don't touch/spend them, which is the hard part:)

I will say that there have been some things I needed that I saved for and was able to get because of my budgets, so there are definitely way more pros than cons to budgeting. And in case you don't already, create a SMALL budget for Just Because spending, and you will give yourself some wiggle room and not seem so tensed about it:) With this upcoming wedding, we have a budget for every sector of it and my goal is to beat each one of those budgets, so by the wedding I can say that I spent less and put that extra money in our Future Home savings:) I plan to post about my wedding budgets soon and how I have been finding ways to get what we want but pay less. So keep checking back for that!

Until next time, don't spent those pennies!

Solar 40