Don't get me started about why adoptions cost so much. It really, really gets me mad, and I think sometimes about not adopting just to boycott the whole system, but I can't do that. I want a baby, even if that means I have to "pay" for one.
Before we decided to adopt, I had been entertaining the idea and started a savings account. I hardly put any money in the account, thinking that Adam wouldn't ever allow me to do anything but give it thought and would never let me act on it.
Now things have dramatically changed in the budget world. Adam has set up a high-interest savings account with a company called Betterment, so it will be "out of sight, out of mind", and so we cannot take money out of the account for any reason at all.
We have been on a "fun money" budget for several months now, and it's been going really good. Every two weeks, when Adam gets paid, $100 dollars would be deposited into my account, and $100 into his account. This money would be used for ANYTHING fun related. That means going out to lunch, even if it's $2 at McDonalds, going on a date night, soda and chocolate at the grocery store, getting coffee at the gas station, clothing, and for me that means crafty stuff. Anything at Hobby Lobby comes out of the fun money account. I've cut down my spending ridiculously and tremendously since the start of this budget plan!
With this new development though, we have changed (halved) the amount of money allocated to our fun money accounts. This means a lot less Subway meals for Adam, and a lot less product from Hobby Lobby and Amazon for me. One hundred dollars a month is not very much money, if you ask me! That should allow me to just restock the essentials - glue, tape, maybe a spool of ribbon because I'm obsessed and.... probably that's it! No new stamps, no new patterned paper stacks, no beautiful fabric.
With this new development though, we have changed (halved) the amount of money allocated to our fun money accounts. This means a lot less Subway meals for Adam, and a lot less product from Hobby Lobby and Amazon for me. One hundred dollars a month is not very much money, if you ask me! That should allow me to just restock the essentials - glue, tape, maybe a spool of ribbon because I'm obsessed and.... probably that's it! No new stamps, no new patterned paper stacks, no beautiful fabric.
Does anyone else have any dramatic money savings tips?
Much love, cupcakes, hearts and kittens,
T
Much love, cupcakes, hearts and kittens,
T
$100 a month sounds like HEAPS to me, Tessa! My budgeting tip (which I follow) is to really think about how I will use the thing that I want to buy. I am not a person who buys clothes that never get worn, my clothes get worn out. I have very few shoes, and those I have are years old. I do not buy crafting items that I store for a while before using, I buy them when I am going to use them, not just because they are pretty or because I think I might use them some time. I think the cost of adoption is very small in the context of what kids cost to raise. Food, clothes, shoes, childcare costs, schooling needs, medical, dental, activities/sports - these all add up to a LOT. It sounds like you are on your way, and with your careful budgeting you'll save that money in no time. ;-)
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