Happy New Year

I hope your 2009 was fabulous and that 2010 will be even better!

It's a new year and we all know that it is a time to make new goals! 
I am always looking to try and reduce what we spend here.  Since we run a business we can't trim off our home phone or internet...but we can get rid of that darn cable.  So, our goal for January is to get rid of that monthly bill.  Our plan is to hook up our tv's to the computer.  That way we can stream from netflix anything we want, and we also then stream tv programs.  Seems like a great plan to us.  We just need to find the right wireless device to hook up to.  We are still in research mode, but hope to find what we want by the end of the month.

Next, we all know that our grocery budget can creep up if we aren't careful.  I have a goal to spend $220.00 per month.  I am working toward that goal, so it may take me a while to get there.  This month I set my budget to $290.00, and anything that is left, I take and stash away for what ever I want!

I plan on doing a weekly spending recap to keep up to date on my grocery budget.  I will add that to the left hand column.

So far this month I am off to a great start.  One thing I am going to make sure and do each week is pick up cash to use on my grocery purchases.  Makes my check book accounting much easier, and I won't over spend because once the cash is gone...it is gone!

I picked up on some great deals already this month.

Safeway was running a deal for Nabisco crackers.  I picked up $10 boxes used $6 in coupons and paid $4.40, then I am going to submit for a rebate for $10.00 when you buy 10 nabisco crackers.  Total profit on this deal of $5.60.  I will add my rebate money back into my grocery budget when I receive it.

Target seems to be my favorite place these days.
I spent $29.93
I bought: (1) bag Tostitos chips...request of the hubby $4.00
(1) Saltine Crackers $2.04
(4) Special K Granola (fabulous deal...$.56 for all 4 boxes)  Need (4) Target coupons for $1.00 off the granola, and the MFQ for $5 off 4 Kellogg's cereal.  These are all available on Target.com
(4) Special K Cereals $2.56
(1) Juicy Juice (TQ for $1.00 off on target.com and a MFQ on JuicyJuice.com
Peanut Butter $2.14
Ketchup $1.35
Annie's Mac and Cheese $1.00
Tortillas $1.50
(4) Special K Cereal bars $3.56 (Target.com has coupons along with the Sunday inserts
Black Beans $.62
2 pints blueberries $2.99 (had coupons from Special K if you bought one cereal and one cereal bar, get $2.00 off, had two coupons!)
2lbs of bananas $.51 (same produce deal...but only $.50 off)
(3) Lean Cuisines $2.75
(2) Silk Soy milks $1.38
(1) 4 pack of GE light bulbs $.50 after MFQ of $1.50 off 1 (available on Target.com)

Total savings at Target: $34.89 or 62.14%