As I mentioned in my recent article on Budget Cuts, I’m trying to find more ways to cut back on some categories of my budget. I want to be able to shift those savings in budget categories for snowflake payments on my debts. As I’ve mentioned, one of the categories I want to cut down on is gifts. I’ve found that you have to buy out-of-season. One of my recent deals is a great example of that!
As a new teacher last year, I signed up for Scholastic’s “New Teacher Survival Guide” e-mail. When I received my most recent e-mail, it had a coupon code for 25% off. I was so excited! I failed to notice the fine print…it was only on Scholastic’s new teacher collections. Some coupon! So I didn’t get to use the coupon.
But I went to Scholastic’s teacher store website, and they have their $1 sale up and running on several books. I spent $14.23, but I’m happy to say that I bought eight books for my little sister for upcoming holidays, a book for myself on crocheting for kids (Hey, if it can teach a kid to crochet, surely I can learn!), a book to use in an upcoming unit on the First World War, and a Japanese flag accent ($1.99) to use in units in both of my world history classes.
Here’s how the books break down for my little sister:
Two books for her Easter basket
A book about Little Critter and his dad for her to give to my dad for Father’s Day
A Clifford book about Halloween for her treat bag
Three books for her Christmas stocking
Overall, looking at the breakdown, I spent about 15% of my classroom budget for the month, 36% of my gifts budget for the month (I counted shipping in with this category), and about 4% of my miscellaneous budget for the month.
I started this article a couple of weeks ago and finally just finished it! Sorry for the delay...it's been crazy around here!
This morning, while reading in my Google feed reader, I came across a gem from Frugal Hacks. Merchant Ships wrote an article entitled “Budget Ruts: 5 No-So-Radical Cuts”. If you haven’t read this article yet, I highly recommend it! If you’re a devotee of Dave Ramsey, you’re probably always studying your budget, looking for more ways to cut back so you can snowball more! I know I am! This morning, after reading Merchant Ships’ article, I looked at my budget. In fact, this led to me entirely redoing my budget! Right now, I want to focus on three categories where I think I can trim my expenses.
GIFTS: This is a category I’ve wanted to reduce for a while. Every year, my intention is to make more gifts, and this year, I’d really like to commit to this. If I could halve my gift budget, it would help tremendously! I already dropped my gift budget $10 for next month, and I’m going to track my spending on gifts for the next three months. You can look forward to a series soon on how we all can cut back on what we spend on gifts.
HAIR CARE: This part of my budget will be slashed dramatically this year! Last year, I had my hair colored every couple of months. This year, I’ve decided to be happy with what the good Lord gave me, and stop coloring my hair. I’m also anxious to see if this impacts my headaches…I do have concerns about how the chemical affect my health, including my headaches and facial breakouts.
CRAFTS: I used to spend a lot of money on craft supplies! I had a bad habit of buying scrapbooking supplies and then letting things pile up! I don’t buy all the supplies now, but I’m still behind in scrapbooking! I’ve especially devoted a section of my budget to craft supplies, but I’m going to look for ways in 2010 that I can save on supplies by making the most of what I already have on hand.
I’ve found that the Dollar Tree stores are a great resource for craft supplies! Last year, I found skeins of “homespun” baby yarn on sale. I bought every skein they had left (five skeins = $5), which should be enough to make two simple baby blankets. That will also fit nicely with my goal for the gifts category of my budget! By using what I have on hand to make gifts, I’ll be able to save money!
I'll keep you posted on how my budget cuts work out! How are you altering your budget in 2010? Let me know in the comments below!
Recently, I shared with you my resolutions for 2010. How do we stay true to our resolutions? It’s such a battle, isn’t it? Discussing resolutions with my friends and family, I’ve found that most people admit that they chuck their resolutions by the end of January or February. I thought we might spend most of this week looking at goals and resolutions and how we can hold each other accountable in the blogging world!
I’m starting a new series about new resolutions for 2010, and how we can stick to them! Let’s make this year the year we really do it! By posting my progress here at the Frugal Bookworm, you, dear readers, will be holding me accountable. Let’s see if we can’t help one another reach our goals!
What makes us give up on our resolutions? I used my Facebook status message to ask my friends and loved ones this very question. The general consensus from their responses is that people set their resolutions and expectations for those resolutions too high. Then, by the end of January, if he or she has not obtained their goals, they chuck them by the wayside. For example, for those resolving to lose g weight, my friend Becky pointed to the pitfalls associated with the chocolate-laden holiday of Valentine’s Day. If you fall “off the wagon” at Valentine’s Day, then you might give up on your goal for the rest of the year.
Let’s look at a few ways we might be able to stick to our resolutions.
Make attainable resolutions. You don’t have to shoot for the stars! In education, one thing we are consistently instructed to do is make “measurable” objectives. Think about your resolutions as objective. Ask yourself some important questions: “How can I measure my progress?” Looking at my list of resolutions, some of the resolutions will be easier to measure than others. “Read 30 books in 2010” “Lose 30 pounds in 2010”, and “Finish all craft projects in progress in 2010” are easy enough…I can simply make a list, and check them off as I complete each of these tasks. “Clean out and organize closet”, one of the resolutions I completed, is a bit trickier. Yes, I have already fulfilled this resolution; however, I will have to maintain my closet throughout the year. The two major time periods that cause my closet to get messy are when we switch out our wardrobes for spring/ summer and fall/winter. If I can develop a plan ahead of time, then I should be able to make those transitions a bit easier, thus keeping my resolution.
Find an accountability partner. My readers and friends will hold me accountable for my ten resolutions in 2010. Who will hold you accountable? Ask a friend or your spouse to help you keep a check on how you progress in your resolutions for 2010. Write in a journal and frequently review your entries. Start a blog! If you’re blogging about your progress on your resolutions, please let me know! I would love to encourage you as we reach our goals for this year!
Develop a plan! Write out a list of things you can do to help you reach your resolution. Set yourself some mini-goals and rewards along the way! Plan a special treat for yourself for when you reach your resolution. In my next part of the series, we’ll break down my resolutions into a few plans, and we’ll pick one of my resolutions to develop a more in-depth plan about.
What is your resolution for 2010? Please vote in my sidebar poll! Let me know what you resolve to change in 2010! Please join me soon as we continue this series, “Commitment to Change!”
This is a guest post from the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE), a non-profit dedicated to improving the financial literacy of all Americans. NEFE operates the site Smart About Money and have developed a series of articles filled with tips to help you make 2010 the year of financial freedom. You can also find Economic Survival Tips, worksheets and articles focused on financial education related to housing, spending, credit and job change. Follow NEFE on Twitter at @nefe_org
1.Control spending: If you spend less you'll have more money available to pay down debt and save for the future. Write down your expenses for a month to see where your money is going. You might be surprised by how easy it is to find places to scale back.
2.Create a debt repayment plan: If you carry credit card debt, write down everything you owe and make a plan to pay it off. Start with small items you can act on right away–it will make tackling the bigger debt easier. Also, try buying with cash only. It’s a sure-fire way to prevent increases in your credit card debt.
3.Set up auto-savings plans: Arrange with your bank or another financial institution to have a set amount deducted from your checking account to a savings account each pay period. Of the Americans who have been able to contribute to emergency savings funds, automatic withdrawal is the most popular method, according to the Consumer Federation of America.
4.Boost retirement savings: If your employer offers a 401(k) plan, increase your contributions. If you don't have an employer plan, open an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and arrange for contributions to be made automatically from your checking or savings account.
5.Create a long-term plan: Write a list of your long-term goals, such as buying a home or saving for college or retirement. Visit the Life Events section of Smart About Money for concrete tips on accomplishing those goals.
6.Protect Yourself: Be prepared for the unexpected by making sure you, your family, your assets and investments are insured and fully covered. If you do not have a will, make 2010 the year you establish a life plan.
7.Find a financial buddy: Share your financial resolutions with a friend, colleague, or family member, and you’ll be more likely to keep them. Find someone else who wants to turn around their debt or cut their spending, and establish a mutual support system.
Twenty-ten—2010.It’s a New Year, and 2010 has special significance.At the end of January, I’ll hit the big 3-0!I also like to describe it as “the first anniversary of my 29th birthday”.For so many people, turning thirty is a death sentence milestone.I have that typical mixture of dread and excitement.I don’t feel like I’m near 30…I don’t feel a day over 25!With it being 2010, or “twenty-ten” as many describe it, and my looming birthday, I’m emphasizing the significance of the number 30 this year.You’ll see a lot of blogs focused on the number thirty this year, from tips to goals and lists of projects.
With the theme of 30, I thought 30 New Years’ Resolutions might be a little overwhelming.Ten resolutions seem more manageable, and I will revisit these goals each month to let you know my progress.My financial goals will be another blog entry.
1. Clean out and organize closet!
With the snow and days off from work this week, I was able to accomplish this task within two or three days.
2. Get the Frugal Bookworm blog back up and running.
I think we’re making progress on this, don’t you?
3. Start history blog this year.
I hope by late spring / early summer to have this blog up and going.I want to have a blog that is a resource for history teachers, as well as for homeschool moms, and I’ll be sharing and selling some of my own teacher-created materials.
4. Finish all craft projects in progress (30 projects for 2010).
I’ll be sharing this list in a future blog entry!I already have one major project finished, and two more on the knitting needles.
5. Read 30 books in 2010.
I have named 2010 as the year of biographies.I just started with Anne Somerset’s biography of Elizabeth I, one of my favorite historical figures.Stay tuned for short reviews of each of the biographies I read!
6. Lose 30 pounds in 2010.
This is a health goal I intend to accomplish in 2010, and it will get me very close to my goal weight.I’ll keep you posted on my progress!I will warn you, however, I’m not exactly going about this frugally, as my family and I are sticking with the Jenny Craig program.
7. Start exercising at least 30 minutes a week.
I know I should exercise 30 minutes at least three times a week, as doctors recommend.Fitting that into my schedule, however, is a problem.This is a resolution I intended to change as the year goes forward.Maybe by the end of 2010, we’ll see that moved up to 30 minutes three times a week!
8. Complete the couch potato to 5k program and run my first 5k.
This program requires an hour a week, so it will accomplish resolution number 7.And thankfully, I have a wonderful friend, Whitney, who has promised to run my first 5k with me.Now I’m waiting for the snow to melt so it’s safe enough to run outside!I might also be bribing my dad to help me move the treadmill back into the house too!
9. Finish what you start!
This will be a goal that’s very hard to measure!I have a bad tendency to start books or start craft projects and then lose focus.Many of the 30 books and 30 craft projects will be finishing things I’ve already started.I’ve decided to start journaling again this year as well, and I’ll be keeping a journal that I started nearly five years ago!I hope that many of my blogging buddies will help keep me focused as I journey through 2010.
10. Make my health a top priority!
This is another resolution that will be hard to measure.I get caught up in work, so I tend to make myself and “me time” less of a priority.I’m going to make a checklist of things I can do weekly and monthly to try to make myself a little more of a priority.
Stay tuned for more as I keep you updated about my New Years’ Resolutions and the different ways I plan to attack them!What are your resolutions for 2010?How do you plan to attack your resolutions?
Welcome back to the Frugal Bookworm!My blog has been tragically dormant for well over a year now.What happened?Life!In 2008, just a few days before school started, I got a phone call which changed my life.The principal of our town’s high school called and asked if I could take a job immediately.To make a long story short, I started as a long-term substitute, was hired full-time in December 2008 and the rest is history!I am now in my second year of teaching high school history, and I love it!As the first year was baptism by fire, unfortunately I had to let a lot of things slide, including the Frugal Bookworm.It is a new year, however, and in 2010, I am committed to dusting off the Frugal Bookworm and getting right back to where we left off!
In the past few months, you, my dear readers, have been on my mind a lot.Before I took my extended blogging break, I struggled to find my niche in the blogging world.Many of you are already devoted readers of Crystal Paine’s MoneySavingMom and Heather’s Freebies4Mom, so I don’t want to be repetitive.I’ve decided to focus the Frugal Bookworm on three major themes:“the frugal”, “the bookworm”, and “the Frugal Bookworm.”
Okay, so at the risk of sounding very simplistic, let explain.In focusing on “the frugal”, I’m going to talk a lot about my experiences with personal finance and frugality.I’ve had some great successes but I also have had some failures, and I hope I can help you by sharing my personal journey.As far as “the bookworm” goes, I am a self-proclaimed nerd (and proud of it)!I am proud of my status as a “bookworm”, so I will be sharing some of my adventures as a bookworm.I am fascinated with personal productivity and improvement…how can I change my life to be more efficient and effective in the things I do?Some of my bright ideas work out really great, and some blow up in my face!And finally, “The Frugal Bookworm”…well, that’s me!I’ll share with you some of my personal goals and resolutions for 2010.There’s going to be a major theme emerging in some of my goals, focusing on “30”…yes, I hit the big 3-0 this year!
What can you expect weekly at the Frugal Bookworm?You can expect at least three blogs a week, each focusing on one of the themes I just mentioned.Some weeks, I might miss an entry, and some weeks, you might get more entries than you bargained for…such is the life of a schoolteacher!In fact, right now we’re in the middle of two major snowstorms, so you can expect a busy week of blogging!Please, leave comments and let me know what you think!I’m so excited about the new direction of the Frugal Bookworm, and I can’t wait to hear what you have to say!
