The Beginning of 2009

Well I am starting this blog in order to keep myself responsible for our "budgets and goals for 2009."

We have several goals for this new year including to pay off our truck, lawn mover, and van hopefully by December 2009 and if not definitely by February 2010. We also are setting up a grocery budget of $300.00 per month using the cash only system, this includes us four and my daycare food which I provide 2 meals and 2 snacks per day with. I will be documenting what is bought along with amount spent. Another goal we have is to become closer to God- I know I personally fail in this area constantly so I want to plan to set more time apart which I can spend with God in order to know him better. My Beast has a goal of going back to truck driving by the end of the year- which will mean that I will probably stop working and become a SAHM who home schools. My other goal for this year is to buy 1 $25.00 gift card to CVS to use for the next 3-6 months with ECB. My ultimate goal is to pay as little OOP as possible and get everything I would normally consider in my "grocery list." Since Little Belle is still in diapers- I try to get them for pretty cheap at CVS but my $25.00 gift card does not necessarily have to cover diapers if we are in a pinch and have to have them. Right now I have a stockpile of 136 diapers so by my calculations we will not have to have diapers until the end of January.

Hopefully this was not too overwhelming... Next post what I have spent so far in January on groceries and what I have left.