Christmas gifts

I have been working really hard on getting all my shopping done this week - for the kids and Brandon.  And my other big goal this year is to purchase 99% of the things online so I don't have to deal with the stores.

Brandon heard a little saying last year on KLOVE (an awesome radio station - if you don't know about it, google it.  It will change your life!):

Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear
Something to read

So I have adopted this little rhyme to help me purchase gifts for the kids (plus one from SN).  Honestly, buying presents for your kids can get crazy.  And overwhelming.  Because you want them to have cool stuff, but that ends up just breaking the bank. Here's what I have so far for the kids:

JJ:
Want - STUMPED (first two things on this child's list was an iPad and an iPhone - yea, not gonna happen)
Need - Checkers game with the floor mat (so the big checkers)
Wear - A new A&M 12th Man Jersey
Read - Two books on incredible fishing stories for us to read at bed time

Currently at around $85 for those 3 items.  

MJ #1:
Want - Her very own Disney Princess Magazine subscription (she gets so upset every time JJ gets a magazine in the mail.  He has subscriptions to 4 magazines.  Yes, 4. And he's only 6).
Need - the Leap Frog Jr. Tag Pen
Wear - a cool new pair of Keen sandles
Read - 3 books to accompany her Tag Pen

Around $100 for these 4 items.  Keen shoes were sort-of free.  They were purchased with a gift card that Keen gave us for some faulty shoes.

MJ #2:
Nothing for this girl yet - I mean, what does a 2 month old really need?  Diapers? Paci's? How cheesy would it be to wrap those up!?

And then there is the stockings.  I tried to get these between JJ and MJ#1 very similar because they are two little dramas if they do not get exactly what the other one got.  Here's where they're currently at:

JJ Stocking:
Lego Christmas Tree
$15 iTunes gift card
Stuffed Scooby Doo
Scooby Doo Wii Game
And probably some random candy

MJ#1 Stocking:
Snow White Lego Set
$15 iTunes gift card
Stuffed Phineas (because she LOVES her brothers - and there are quite a few fights over him)
Dora Wii Game
And random candy

MJ#2 Stocking:
Yep - nothing yet!  Probably some teething toys or something.  Poor kid. Haha. At least I have a stocking with her name on it hanging from the mantel!

So honestly, I'm not doing too shabby!  Sort of proud of myself. I have or have placed the order for everything listed above (except candy and iTunes cards).  So I feel like I'm ahead of the game.  I also like blogging about this so next year I can remember what I did for them.  Now if I can just remember to take pictures of the Christmas decorations I've put up so next year that won't be so difficult!!!

Let the cash experiment begin.

This morning as I was driving to the grocery store with both kids I started to think about our finances.  They are all kinds of out of whack right now.  With us traveling to Texas for 2.5 weeks and now Brandon going on his 2nd business trip in a month we have had no consistency with our bank account.  Its hard to really determine what is coming in and going out and why. 

So instead of feeling overwhelmed about it, I decided to just pull out cash to pay for groceries this morning.  I pulled out $100 for the week, hoping that it will last until next Sunday.

Of course when I made this decision the first ATM I went to was out of order.  Then while driving to the second ATM I encountered 2 accidents in less than 5 miles.  It was like the financial gods were saying "NO.  YOU CANNOT TRY TO BECOME FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE".  I didn't listen.  I just drove until I found an ATM (of course an ATM from our bank so I wouldn't have to pay a fee).

Some people probably do not understand the concept of paying with cash.  Others are probably very familiar with it.  I look at it as being able to SEE where my money is going.  When I just use the debit card I'm not visually getting an idea of how much money I'm spending.  So buying that pack of ho-ho's is not that important anymore when I can see where the money is going (I don't buy ho-ho's but you get the drift).  And then I can SEE how much I have left.  If I just swipe a card, in my mind I know how much I have left, but I can't SEE it so I end up overspending for the week.

My leftover money after shopping will need to be saved for any other subsequent grocery store trips.  Also, any eating out that we end up doing will also come out of this.  And if you eat out you know that $100 wouldn't go a long way with 2 adults and 2 kids. 

I went to Kroger and purchased my groceries for the menu I posted yesterday along with lunch items and some fruits and vegetables.  Total bill: $58.51.  So for the rest of the week if I need anything I have $41.49 left.  Let the games begin.

Well, I tried.

So keeping on a budget is just harder than you can ever anticipate.  You just don't think about little minor expenses you might encounter during the week.  Yesterday alone, I added these expenses:

Home Depot (2 tomato cages, flashlights, and chalkboard paint): $21.00
Papa Johns (because the kids wore me out yesterday): $23.00

So, my $84 trip to the store Monday lasted 2 days.  Bummer. And already this morning I had more purchases:

Walgreens (Father's Day Cards, Milk): $12.00
Krogers (prescription): $5
Whataburger (because I have wanted a Taquito for I can't tell you how long): $6.40

Yep.  A wash.  Maybe $100 is unrealistic for our family?  I'm back on the cooking wagon tonight. 

I need to be a little more tough too.  I know we can do it, but I give in too easy (Brandon is probably laughing at that comment).  So I need to reevaluate my plan of action.  If not eating out lunch once a week is not possible, then maybe I need to just budget for it.  Its gonna happen so might as well admit to it and just put it on paper.

We'll see - this is a work in progress, an experiment.  Hopefully we'll make positive progress in the weeks to come.

Frustrated with online shopping.

So today is the last day my Kohl's 30% off coupon will work.  I received $50 in Kohl's cash this past weekend and am able to use it today as well as the 30% off to make a super good deal. 

Having said all that, we live about 50 miles from the closest Kohl's  So solution? Shop online.  I tried yesterday but a few things weren't there (shoe sizes, shirt sizes) so I thought I would check one more time this morning and BAM!  Everything was restocked!  Oh, glorious day.  So I fill up my shopping cart, make sure I get at least $75 after my 30% discount for free shipping and then plug in my Kohl's Cash.  $14.95 in shipping, please.  WHAT?!  I mean seriously.  They were charging me shipping on my original subtotal of $111?! Ummm, why? So frustrated I just cancelled the entire order.  That's fine if you want to charge me shipping on the final total, but why in the subtotal?  I will pay $5, but not $15?!

So I'm sad I won't be receiving the cute shoes and shirts for me, MJ, and JJ. :( Its tough living in the middle of no where sometimes.