Well...blogs are really taking over aren't they? I keep a knitting blog too...but this might be fun.
Currently, this is what's happening in my financial world.
I'm a divorced mother of 2, supporting this family of 3 (and 3 pets) on one income. I keep my expenses to a bare minimum, to scrape by.
Recently, my ex husband has started to buy the food for both houses, and I reciprocate, by teaching him how to shop intellegently, how to stock up, and I share my cooking with his house...if i make a large batch of something, I share.
This is what my budget looks like:
I bring home $1000.00 every two weeks. ($100 of this is net wages for 3 hrs of OT each week, in which I clean the offices where I work)
**INCOME** $2000.00
$44.00 repayment to employer for oil prebuy..(onyl 200 gallons, this will occur for the next 23 paychecks)
$684.00 mortgage/taxes/insurance
$35.00 electricity
$25.00 water ($150 +/- every 6 mths)
$50.00 firewood (two more payments)
$25.00 old medical bill (two or three more payments)
$200.00 gas for car
$35.00 (roughly, every 2 mths for propane, hot water)
$18.00 trash removal
$152.00 car payment
$61.00 car insurance
$415.00 debt repayment (3 yrs 3 months left)
In 3 years and 3 months I will be debt free, with the exception of my mortgage. Even my car will be paid off.
If you do the math, you'll see that I end up with just $256.00 a month "leftover" I'm currently working on NOT spending that on lunches out (the deli next door to work, mediocre food, high prices....just a very bad habit)
The following are some of the things I"m able to do to "get by"
1. I've recently lost a large amount of weight, and ALL of my clothes are too big for me, I have not purchased new ones.
2. I do not have cable tv.
3. I do not have internet
4. I do not have a cell phone, or house phone. My ex husband provides a cell ph for me in exchange for picking the kids up at his house a few nights on "his" weeks, as he drives a gas guzzling truck. Penny for penny, this benefits me more than him...I was paying him $35.00 a month for that phone.
5. I do not take my children out to dinner. Once in a GREAT while, we order a pizza.
6. I've tempered myself to cool showers, to cut down on how much hot water I use.
7. I wash in cold, except for a once per month SMALL Load of bleached hot water whites
8. I cook from scratch a lot, and keep my cupboard pretty well stocked with basic staples.
9. I use coupons when I find them...i'm not a fanatic about it.
10. I AM a fanatic about electricity. I will sit on my porch and knit at night, or inside too, until it's too dark to see before I will turn on a light...
I've read the Tightwad Gazette (all 3 books) a zillion times, I review them at least once a year, my 10 year old son likes to read them too!...
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Dear Unregistered,
Now that you are on board to creating and following your budget, it's time to take it one step further; it's time to include the rest of the family in the financial picture. Many people are against involving their children in financial discussions, for numerous reasons. 
This home offers a large level lot over 1 1/2 acres with privacy trees,...
