{Money Matters Monday}

This is a follow up to my "Finances and Such" post from last week...

Here are some tips and things that we  have "downsized" on. Over time, you don't realize they are gone but it makes a difference.

PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN NO WAY BITTER ABOUT OUR CUT BACKS AND THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT POST...We realize that right now...we are in a time of downsizing, for the good of our little family. Plus we realize that it's a little more "do-able" since the kids are little and will not remember that we didn't have extras as they grew up.

Let's begin.... 

We no longer have:

1. Cable {Only Internet for Ric's school}
2. A home telephone {Does anyone?}
3. Someone who cleans our house {Shame on me..I know...}
4. A Yard guy {We limit the amount of times the yard guys come}
5. A Car note {and we don't plan on having one until next year when Ric' God willing finishes school!}

Things we no longer do:

1. Go to the movies {we Red Box baby!}
2. Go out to eat {Rarely}
3. Have people over constantly {We used to host pretty large crowds at our house but we don't anymore}
4. Have long vacations {We do shorts trips here and there, when we can, only}
5. Go out with friends {Not that we don't love you guys, just that we can't afford it right now..that's all}
6. Go shopping {We don't buy clothes or shoes often or on a whim anymore...}

We only shop:

1. For needs not wants {house and kids; food and school}
2. If it's on sale {we stock up!}
3. With coupons {We are DEFINITELY Coupons clippers, and I will be that person holding up the lane, so move on please...}
4. With lists and meal plans in minds {My Husband is the King of list making....more than me!}

We just don't:

1. We don't have Internet on our phones or expensive data plans. {My only splurge is $10.00 a month for unlimited texting...}
2. We don't have fancy phones or gadgets {We did spend on an electric can opener...::shrugs shoulders:: HA.}
3. I don't go to the hair salon and have not gone in years...except for a trim, I don't get my nails done {rarely I get a pedicure}, I don't get my eyebrows done {I do my own}, and I don't shop for clothes or shoes unless it's for work.

Don't get me wrong, we are NOT totally deprived of these extras and there are times when we do try to gets things that we want, and as much as we try not to eat out for dinner, we do spend on lunch. We definitely try our best to live within our means and according to our budget. Also, we are so very Blessed to have amazing Mom's who can help us. Ricardo's Mom watches our kids...FOR FREE. Nuff said! My Mom serves as my car pool, she lives close to my job so I drive to her house park there and she brings me into downtown, that saves me about $6 to $12 a day on parking.

{PLEASE NOTE: Ricardo and I are NOT financial experts and what we do may NOT work for everyone. I am simply sharing our system in hopes that what we do does help someone out there.}

Next week.... Coupon Clippers!