Shred the Credit

In the past we were debt free except for a mortgage.  Now we need to struggle to get back to that comfortable position.  What lead up to the making less than you spend and needing to rely on credit?  Loss of a job, give birth to twins, rely on additional income that is not an annual occurrence, medical plan changes, middle age, children involved in more organized activities, expanding family means larger home, larger grocery bills, more expensive healthcare plans and more expensive utilities.
Our home
1998 we moved to our first home.  In 2008 we moved to our 2nd home. In 2009 we sold our first home.  In 2009 we had twins.  In 2012 my husband changed jobs. In 2013 he was laid off from the new job.  Two months later he had a new job.  During this time we started charging items but not paying off the balance because there was a promotional 0% interest rate.  After the lay off I think we were unsure how long the lay off would last and did not focus on paying down our credit card prior to our interest rate going up.
Now in 2015 we are trying to get back on track.  We did this once before.  In 2005 we had just bought and leased two cars and no other debt.  In 2008 we were on our way to paying off our first house in approximately four years.  Our cars were paid off and we were handling our financial donations very well.
The problem was we were still relying on our credit cards to pay our extra expenses.  Today we shredded our credit cards.  No fan fare just a simple shredding.

My husband asked that we use cash and debit card exclusively so we have no need for a credit card.  I have thought of one instance where it could be a problem.  That would be an unmanned gas station and all that you have is cash.  I guess we will need to get all our gas during daylight hours.

Summer Movie 2014

Planes: Fire & Rescue may be the best movie about determination, friendship and that life is not always what you expect. Glad we had an opportunity to see it.

Travel Video For a Friend July 2014

Bowling for 6

The deal was $60 for two hours of bowling, shoes, 2 slices of pizza each and a pitcher of a soft drink.  I did not feel satisfied with my purchase when we only got thru one game of bowling during the 1 and 1/2 hours that we were there.  I guess 60 frames on one lane in an hour and a half works.  I am not sure how much it would have been to buy everything separately.  The other alternative would have been to reserve two lanes so that we could finish a game faster.  Live and learn.
Fast forward two years and we had two lanes for 7 people. Due to bowling alley problems with one of the lanes we saved money on the shoes. Due to a web site coupon we had a two free pitchers of fruit punch. With our savings we were able to buy a pizza to serve all 7. We also splurged on vending machine items. The price might have worked out similar but we only needed to spend $30 and we bowled and had beverages. 

Day 1 Evening

At the suggestion of a friend, I am trying to reduce our intake of processed foods.  That is going to be more possible once all the cookies etc are gone. 
Our evening meal consisted of a hamburger without a roll, lettuce, carrots and cantaloupe for dessert.
7 family members
5 ate the hamburgers, one needed ketchup and cheese on the hamburger
4 ate the cantaloupe

I am feeling full or satisfied.  Guess I need to do some shopping. 

Desserts on a Budget

Do you ever find yourself craving something?
I made three desserts yesterday with the help of the Internet.  I rearranged my cabinets recently and I knew what ingredients I had and where all the measuring spoons were located.
I was able to search in house ingredients to search out what I could make. 
I found many recipes for chocolate brownies and peanut butter.  I choose a recipe that would produce cupcakes.  I have never made anything with a brownies mix except the actual pan of brownies.  Cupcake brownies with peanut butter was a success.  I also choose an additional recipe on a box that was supposed to make cake bars.  I added additional water and an egg so my intended bars were a cake instead.  No problem.  I might try that one again without the extra water and egg.  This cake had peanut butter in it also.  My children figured I was craving chocolate and peanut butter. 
My third dessert was an pineapple upside down cake.  Most of my children enjoy pineapple so they were willing to try it.
Now on to main meals.  I have cream of chicken soup but no additional chicken so I was trying to find a recipe for that.  I also have canned green beans and was looking at some version of a green bean casserole.  Other ingredients on hand include graham crackers and rice.  I am trying to use up some of my extra pantry items.  3 cake mixes seem like a lot.  I also had an enormous amount of peanut butter.  I am also fully stocked with red sauce and types of spaghetti. 
My craving was really for some more space in the cabinets and to try new things.
Best wishes for a fulfilling day.

Monthly Expenses

Maybe the best way to tackle monthly expenses is to discuss them. Recently I asked a group online if my expenses seemed in line.  Auto insurance stuck out as something that could be worked on to be lowered.  If you have friends or relatives living in the same area try to compare your expenses.  While you might feel that you are a great negotiator and got the best price you might be wrong.  My husband thinks that our cell phone plan can't be beat.  That might be true but we don't have the best Internet access by a long shot. 
The reality is that a savings of $10 a month can really add up over the years.  Please take the time to look at your expenses and try to compare your expenses either with a competitor or with a neighbor.  Your might be surprised.  Many people switch their cable company every few years.  My oil prices are literally thru the roof.  Each year they seem to be a much bigger financial drain on our finances. 
Good luck with your decisions.  Easy adjustments include things that are not necessary, extra auto insurance, too many unused minutes each month on your cell phone and a land line that includes long distance when you primarily use your cell phone.