Living on a Budget

One day when it seemed as if we were so in over our head I looked at our life.  To look at us from the outside you would think we had it all.  I mean most of the time we do.  But that does not mean we don't struggle.  We struggle and that causes problems for sure.  When you struggle you rob peter to pay Paul.  Then forget to pay Paul and say screw peter.  Then forget it, you lost the battle.  Your relationship suffers for sure.  It cant be helped.  You hide this from your friends and family.  Most of all you never let your children know they cant have something or you cant afford something.  If you did that you would have to give in to the fact your in over your head.  Well I believe most families are in this same place and have yet to admit it.  Well, we finally did.  We said enough of this fighting over money.  We still fight over money for sure that will never change.  We have a different perspective on what is a need and a want sometimes.  But for the most part we both came to agree what we want at the end of our life together as a family.  Before we buy anything now we talk about it and talk about it for days even months.  We never buy something on an impulse.  We never buy something without being an informed shopper.  I say informed shopper, that means we research the Internet, stores and any way we think to try to find the best price.  That is after we have decided it to be a need for our family and it will have a purpose for our life.  Even food, I don't buy alot of junk food that we don't need.  I mean sometimes my husband will say I want munchies.  Well if that happens we makes some from scratch.  The kids love to bake and cook and it brings us together as a family activity.  And most of the time its the cost of some flour and oats.  A much healthier munchies than normal.  I buy flour in bulk at Sam's club and we use it all the time.  I never buy bread anymore.  We always make our own bread another way to save big time.  Just think of how much you spend on a loaf a bread.  Add that up and see how much you spend a year on bread it is crazy.  Homemade bread is delicious and easy to make.  I use a bread machine to do the needing and then I take it out and put it in my own pan and bake it in my oven.  I make two loafs at a time and freeze one.  A bread machine can be expencive, but worth the price.  But one place to find them cheap is at a second hand store.  A lot of people buy one and never use them then donate them out.  I bought two for ony $14 each.  That was a steal.  Now I have an extra for when I burn one out.  Or I can make two at a time.  I have made a utube video showing how easy it is to make follow this link  and you will see how easy it is http://youtu.be/k8gGFQjVz7Q this should take you to the recipe and how to make it.
We go shopping once a month at Sam's club and fill the freezer.  We eat a well balanced meal every night.  It cost so much less than shopping at the local super market or even Walmart.  I do buy some things at Walmart.  Like cereal, most of the time I make waffles for the family, but we do have cereal on hand for a quick breakfast.  When I say we make waffles, that is from scratch of course.  Again using flour and a few other household staples.  It cost pennies.  We make extra and feeze them when they are needed just pop them in toaster oven.  Always a hot breakfast on hand.
Shopping at Sam's club we can feed the family each day for under $20 a day.  That is for the whole day and the whole family.  That includes my husbands lunch at work.  He never eats out during the day.  He always takes a lunch from home.  A good homemade lunch usually left overs from our dinners.  Some homemade snacks and drinks.   That is better than take out, any day. 
Now our dinners don't include fancy steak but we eat alot of chicken, pork, and beef meals.  We all watch the food network on TV and pick different ways to cook it.

 Pasta is always a family favorite and of course with our homemade sauce. I don't even eat meat myself I eat a vegan diet and we have enough veggies and beans for my meals in that budget.  I could go on and on about what I buy and don't buy to try to save.  Please ask me questions about my shopping habits if you want I will be glad to comment. 
One thing we don't have anymore is car payments.  We both at one time or another worked in the car business.  My husband still does.  It was always hard for us not to have a nice car.  My husband really likes a nice car and when he was making good money we would justify driving around in a nice car.  I mean you have to look a certain way, I think that is the way we would think.  Well when we looked at our budget years ago that was the first things to go.  We didnt need the fancy cars.  We both new they were the worst investment someone could ever make.  We seen that everyday when someone would try to trade one in and they would owe more than its worth.  So good thing we were not in that position and we were able to sell our vehicles and pay them off.  Then we bought used cars without a car payment.  I mean they are old cars.  They need work every now and then.  My husband does as much work on them  himself as he can.  We are lucky he works in a dealership so he has help when he needs it.  But we save thousands a year owning our cars outright.  Who cares what they look like, they get us around and they are paid for. 
Next was credit cards.  Well our motto is, if we cant afford it we dont buy it.  If we dont have the cash in hand we dont get it.  We have stopped living beyond our means.  That is the hardest thing.  You always want more.  In a fast world you try to make excuses why you deserve things now rather than waiting.   But if it is that important you wait.  I looked at my grandparents,  they were the dearest people in my life.  I know they never had a credit card.  I dont think they ever financed a car.  They lived their whole life without owing a sole.  They lived into their 90's.  Respected by all.  With a nice home and a great family and even money to leave behind for their children.  I want that to be me.  I want that to be my family. 
Now that we have started on our road to living on our budget and always really trying to stick with it.  Now dont get me wrong, nobody is perfect.  I am sure we have strayed here or there.  But we are on track to making the most out of our life.  We hope to next start using our land and home to raise some livestock to suppliment our food source.  First chickens, my daughter cant wait.  I want the fresh eggs to cook with.  Next we will try some pigs.  Then we will take it from there.  We will also start a garden for all my veggies hopfully enough for the full year.  We will plan on canning them and feeding them to the animals.  We hope to use our resources wisely. 
One thing I know, if we can do this anyone can.  You just have to know you want a better way of life for you and your family.  Then take it one step at a time.  You will get there.  We look so forward to Maine being our forever homestead.