Monday, March 1, 2010

Spending freeze update

I've had some people ask me how our "spending freeze" went this last month so I thought I better get on here and update. I have been really busy trying to stay on top of my two Bible studies I'm doing plus my 90 day read through the Bible I really feel very busy. Plus Kiah and I were sick off and on for ten days and finally started feeling better last weds. The one area in my life where I have fallen off the wagon... working out EVERY DAY... or every other day or every other other day..... Yeah so I need to order my chalean workout I really want but I'm torn becasue I still haven't seen a price I want to pay.

Ok here's how Feb went. Our CC bill was about half of what it usually is. Most of the bill was gas (kjell went to Colorado for a weekend to ski with one of his friends, and we went to CO to watch the KSU game this was Kjell's Christmas present) and groceries, for my cooking day that was supposed to be held before we started this freeze. Kjell also needed an oil change for his car, our only "frivolus" purchase on our CC was a bill for 6.77 for the dinner we had when we were in CO for the basketball game, we ate at noodles & co drank water and I had a buy one get one free coupon. Now I'm going to review our bank account. (I've got the accounts open so I can see what we spent) Justus had to have a hair cut and I am not going to cut his hair (yet) so that was 10 dollars, we also ate a meal before one of the HS basketball games and that cost us $15 I also had to pay the eye doctor for Kjell and my appointments and my year supply of contacts. An extra 235 that won't be spent monthly. All in all I was pretty impressed. When I added what we had made and what we had spent we had 450 dollars left over. The first 150 goes into savings for our car insurance and house taxes so we have that money when they come due every six months. Then the rest was divided four ways. our house payment, money we owed for our home renovations, into savings for the new baby dr bills, and our envelops which I think I have mentioned before. I just want to let people know that we are trying to save money but it is EXTREMLY important to Kjell and I that at least a tenth of our income goes straight to God, it always has and always will, He has blessed us with everything we have and if we tried to save money by stealing from Him... no it's not going to happen. I don't want anyone to think I am trying to sound holier than thou I just want people to know you can live on 90% of what you make and still be fine. Have I ever looked at that money and though man that extra money would be nice to go here or here or here.. yeah but there is a reason that our money seems to be like the widow's oil and flour in the Bible and it just keeps coming and coming and coming, it'ts because we do have faith that no matter what God is always faithful that we have enough and often more than enough.

Well I already know that that March will not be quite as good as Feb, why we came to Topeka and Topeka always means shopping, Kjell needed new shoes for work and found some he really liked at payless and he used his spending money to pay for half, I also won another party to host with a new product but it's a sandwich party and they basically provided the bread so with all the extras I have had to buy to make it a meal I will have spent about 40 dollars on that. Plus we did run out of some food in our pantry amazingly enough. We had to stock up on our ranch dressing at aldi!

I'll try to sit down when we get home from KC/Topeka and let you know about my freebies for the month. oh my survey totals will impress no one this month. I made a measly $13 dollars but there are months like that (more months like that than the other) but they do help you get to those $165 dollar months!

Please pray with us as tomorrow is Kiah's appointment with the laser specialist at children's mercy. My prayer is that they will be able to do the treatment, and that they will tell us it is the lower of the two costs we were quoted. As of right now insurance has denied covering the treatment because they don't find it nessicary. I plan to appeal their decision but will wait to write my letter when we get home. Some dr in california got to decide all this even though our dr said it was needed. Gotta love st funded health care.. Probably should start with the politics ;) but they knew we had the appointment for three months and only told us last week they were going to deny us, make me made. The hospital wanted us to cancel our appointment but we have been planning the trip for 3 months (it's a 7 hour trip it takes some planning) and weren't about to cancel it two days before we were suppposed to leave. We have saved some money and should be able to cover at least one treatment but I just have a feeling they won't be able to turn down my appeal. I can write a pretty convincing letter.

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