tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1353730255656122542.post4644689412510386974..comments2023-08-01T01:21:52.450-07:00Comments on Bodine Jibber-Jabber: frugal living & financial goalsTiffanie and Jeff Bodinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02259486132132441702noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1353730255656122542.post-90129097862328513202009-02-11T12:28:00.000-08:002009-02-11T12:28:00.000-08:00You know how I am about our budget . . . obsessive...You know how I am about our budget . . . obsessive! We have had conversations - - so you know this subject is dear to my heart! Maybe I was the "family friend" who told you about using credit cards and paying it off every month. That is certainly what we do. I tell people, though, you have to be extremely vigilant- In my mind, keeping a balance is not even an option- like it is the end of the world to pay a finance charge (this is honestly how I feel!). The way I keep track is on our budget - each week (well, mostly every week) I record our purchases and check it against our budget. If I am getting too close to the limit for the month, I know to hold back on a purchase or two. As long as we are staying in our budget, using the credit card is fine, because I know I will be able to pay off the entire balance. I love getting free stuff! We have earned over the years things like Disneyworld Tickets (half of the cost for 7 days for our whole family!), several years of Halloween Costumes and other Disney items, countless books and movies from Amazon, and cash back. BUT I wouldn't recommend it if you aren't really good at sticking with a budget- AND keeping track- AND paying ON TIME. The internet is my best friend- I just look up recent charges and record them in Microsoft Money, and it automatically shows me where I am on my budget.<BR/><BR/>What I want to learn is how to coupon and ad shop. I know people can save so much money doing that, and I don't really know how to do it without spending too much time. I also hate going to more than one store, so end up at Wal Mart all the time (shudder). <BR/><BR/>Value Village is also my friend- they actually have really decent clothing for kids for cheap. We also drive dang old cars (wouldn't recommend THAT though), we don't eat out much, AND I don't buy expensive processed food either. So- I think you are doing great! Better than me in a lot of ways! I don't think I have much more advice!Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17077590286438038457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1353730255656122542.post-56114614517835047772009-02-09T23:14:00.000-08:002009-02-09T23:14:00.000-08:00I like your money saving ideas -- you should have ...I like your money saving ideas -- you should have posted them on my blog! :) <BR/>CCCS... we too are clients. I enjoy seeing my monthly balances go down and feel a sense of relief that "if we can't afford it, we don't get it" because we can't charge it. Plus we don't have to worry about paying it off (with interest) later.Melissa DeLeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17947401818517933075noreply@blogger.com