http://www.strocel.com/a-new-fiscal-year/ Keeping it real in the suburbs Sun, 01 Aug 2010 08:36:22 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 http://www.strocel.com/a-new-fiscal-year/comment-page-1/#comment-37810 Nan Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:00:08 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=2346#comment-37810 With retirement ahead, I'm counting on the principle that you spend what you have will also work in reverse! LOL! With retirement ahead, I’m counting on the principle that you spend what you have will also work in reverse! LOL!

]]> http://www.strocel.com/a-new-fiscal-year/comment-page-1/#comment-37807 Lady M Sat, 03 Jan 2009 23:29:50 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=2346#comment-37807 Good luck with that - a good new year's endeavour! Good luck with that – a good new year’s endeavour!

]]> http://www.strocel.com/a-new-fiscal-year/comment-page-1/#comment-37805 Late Bloomer Sat, 03 Jan 2009 19:59:01 +0000 http://www.strocel.com/?p=2346#comment-37805 My hubby is a spreadsheet fanatic - I could probably tell you what we spent on clothing in 1995...he seems to like/need security in much the same way you do. I'm...getting better at it...saving, managing, tracking...relatively new skills for me. I also resolved to do a budget this year based on what we spent in previous years...but cut almost in half in most areas. As far as groceries go, I order mine online and have them delivered. I know exactly what I've bought/spent before I hit "enter" and there isn't the opportunity for impulse buys. Some of the items (local/organic)are pricier per item than their grocery store counterparts (not all) but overall I'm spending less than I did when I shopped at Save-On or other similar stores. Shopping this way also cuts out a lot of prepared foods, so we eat healthier meals. You might want to consider a backyard garden or a local CSA share to help cut some of the costs too. $500 for the growing season (25 weeks or so) brought more farm-fresh vegetables than our family of five could eat most weeks. As a result, we shared with neighbours and I learned how to preserve some things. We also "discovered" foods that we'd not previously tried...and loved them! I highly recommend a CSA as an option. Anyway...long comment, but it's worked for us. Can't wait to hear how your budget goes. My hubby is a spreadsheet fanatic – I could probably tell you what we spent on clothing in 1995…he seems to like/need security in much the same way you do. I’m…getting better at it…saving, managing, tracking…relatively new skills for me.
I also resolved to do a budget this year based on what we spent in previous years…but cut almost in half in most areas.
As far as groceries go, I order mine online and have them delivered. I know exactly what I’ve bought/spent before I hit “enter” and there isn’t the opportunity for impulse buys. Some of the items (local/organic)are pricier per item than their grocery store counterparts (not all) but overall I’m spending less than I did when I shopped at Save-On or other similar stores. Shopping this way also cuts out a lot of prepared foods, so we eat healthier meals. You might want to consider a backyard garden or a local CSA share to help cut some of the costs too. $500 for the growing season (25 weeks or so) brought more farm-fresh vegetables than our family of five could eat most weeks. As a result, we shared with neighbours and I learned how to preserve some things. We also “discovered” foods that we’d not previously tried…and loved them! I highly recommend a CSA as an option.
Anyway…long comment, but it’s worked for us. Can’t wait to hear how your budget goes.

]]>