Frugal Friday With Marsha--Income Tax Refund Time

For those of you like us who receive a refund, I'm sure it's an exciting time for you to get that chunk of money, but what do you do with it?

We usually pretty much blow it (which isn't necessarily frugal).  We treat ourselves to eating out a couple of times as well as a good stock up shopping trip to Aldi.
Then we buy something we want, but really don't need.  One year hubby bought a smoker.  One year we bought a porch swing and a patio set.  Some years ago we used it to buy a swimming pool for the back yard.

This past year hubby and I have taken on loans we shouldn't have. I hope a hard lesson learned on getting things that we didn't need--for example, new windows for the front of the house.   So, this year we are using our refund to catch the bills up to date.   Let's hope that hubby and I can KEEP the bills paid once they are paid up to date.  I will say wish us luck!

I have downloaded an ebook by Dave Ramsey and will send the file to my husband to read.  With that said, he will actually have to take the time to read it and implement the information to start working ourselves out of the debt hole we have dug.

What I would like to do from here on out for these Friday posts is to share different things we have done throughout each week that are frugal.  The motivation of knowing that I am going to be posting to you all will make me more mind conscience of what we are doing each week.  This will help us, and hopefully also give some of you some ideas of how to save and live a frugal life.

I will start this week with how I am saving money for something that I want.  The something that I want is to be able to attend the local quilt retreats.  I know this is a want and not a need to go to these.  But, at the same time, it is a need.  A need for me to get away from the chaos of our house....a need to be out socializing with others who share the same interests as me.....a need for the dedicated time to just sit and work on projects.
After each retreat I start my savings jar again.  I save all of my change.  I also save $1 from every check I might get or every time I get some babysitting money.  It works for me.  They are local in town retreats so cost from $50 to $65 to attend.
Each October I work a couple of days at the quilt shop for the shop hop.  That pays $50 of their fall retreat.

I will stop babbling now and prepare a notepad to take notes all week of what I want to share with you.  Until then, have a frugal week!

I will leave you with a link to Dave Ramsey's site for those interested in checking out what he has to offer.  I didn't pay for the ebook I downloaded, and if I can find where I was able to get it free, I will be sure to share it.  If you know where to find it free, please share it in the comments section.
http://www.daveramsey.com/home/

Frugal Friday With Marsha 3/22/13

It's Friday already??  This week hasn't been near as busy as last week, but there were a few things thrown into my schedule that I didn't expect.  
Again the paycheck didn't last the week----here's your shopping tip for this week:  Don't send your hubby to the store!   Wait, I think I've warned you about that before.
I did just that Saturday evening because I was working the whole day at our church helping with pictures for the church directory.
He picked nutrionally (sort of)--pigs in the blanket made with turkey hot dogs and reduced fat crescent rolls, pork and beans, low fat cottage cheese and sugar free peach slices.  However, other than a gallon of milk, that is all he bought.
Again, I called him at work and asked him to pick up a few things on his way home---he came home with nothing.  There wasn't enough left in his account to pay for the groceries!  Thankfully we still had enough supper type foods to make it through the week from my stockpile.  In fact, we still have a few meals worth.  It is nice to know that some of my massive coupon shopping of the past has paid off.

So......this week, I am going to ask that you comment with suggestions on how I can get hubby to stop over spending and to actually keep track of his checking account!!   I have already had him sign up for an online account, the problem is that he checks and sees there is a balance and spends.  He doesn't keep in mind the things that I have told him will be coming out automatically.  We've had $90 is overdraft fees this month and that could have been a LOT of groceries!  HELP!!!  (Admittedly, this taking the mom's out to eat on Friday nights has been a mutual decision and an expense we really can't afford.  I'm rethinking how we had went to it before, which was me doing all the work and having them to our house for supper)

This week I got in a few freebies:  Soft Scrub Advanced to try and review,  Dial Kids Hair and Body wash to try and review, sample of Tide togo stain eraser, shampoo and conditioner samples and several magazines from free subscriptions.  

Your turn!  Share away please.