tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post1330783286142451864..comments2024-03-28T15:55:53.792+10:00Comments on down to earth: Budgeting - getting it all togetherUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-88432928890566156112016-01-19T11:28:51.550+10:002016-01-19T11:28:51.550+10:00One of the best things a mother like me can do is ...One of the best things a mother like me can do is <a href="javascript:void(0);" rel="nofollow">budgeting</a>. I want and need that skill.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04309606859355933955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-60154649173872418082015-06-10T11:05:21.160+10:002015-06-10T11:05:21.160+10:00How wonderful. This is clear and effective and I a...How wonderful. This is clear and effective and I am going to apply this. Thank you.Mrs. Chrissy Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09516870555452352931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-55357208455364123122008-07-07T07:48:00.000+10:002008-07-07T07:48:00.000+10:00Hi Lindsay, the chemist is the pharmacy (drug stor...Hi Lindsay, the chemist is the pharmacy (drug store).Rhonda Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00175785349529109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-66816780255119091942008-07-05T02:57:00.000+10:002008-07-05T02:57:00.000+10:00great post, just one question though, what's a Che...great post, just one question though, what's a Chemist? I mean I know what Chemistry is but that definition doesn't seem to fit.Linds84https://www.blogger.com/profile/00966226397960302903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-36579797404021590542008-07-03T13:16:00.000+10:002008-07-03T13:16:00.000+10:00We've been budgeting for a long time but only in t...We've been budgeting for a long time but only in the last 8 months have we been living frugally and really sticking to our goals. We are renters even though the bank has qualified us for a large mortgage (real estate is insane here) but it's too much debt to take on. So we rent, which we can do for less than half the cost of a mortgage. And we save our money and wait for the inevitable (and now fast approaching) downturn in the market. IMHO most people take on way too much mortgage under the often-mistaken belief that it is better than renting (economically speaking). It often isn't if you are willing to wait a few more years to buy. It is hard to be a renter because there is a stigma about it (like you haven't "made it" if you haven't bought). But you can't let emotions get in the way of smart money-management.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-75214945541967155902008-07-03T06:45:00.000+10:002008-07-03T06:45:00.000+10:00Hi anajz, welcome. Thanks for your kind words and...Hi anajz, welcome. Thanks for your kind words and the award.Rhonda Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00175785349529109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-5008515669064857622008-07-03T06:39:00.000+10:002008-07-03T06:39:00.000+10:00Hi Lou, it is a large amount. When I wrote 'vitame...Hi Lou, it is a large amount. When I wrote 'vitamens' I meant emu oil, which we both take for the Omega oils, Q10 and a few other odds and ends.<BR/><BR/>Celt, welcome. I dyed my hair when I was younger but when I started going grey, I stopped. I want to look my age. For some reason my photos hide the grey. I still have a lot of brown, but I also have a lot of grey, specially over my temples. It's kind of salt and pepper all over but greyer at the front. I think there are a lot of harmful chemicals in hair dye. Have you tried Henna? It's a natural product.Rhonda Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00175785349529109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-8398521000602458952008-07-03T06:04:00.000+10:002008-07-03T06:04:00.000+10:00I really appreciate the time you took to share all...I really appreciate the time you took to share all that!<BR/><BR/>My dh and I are probably the most frugal people <I>we</I> know (in person, not on blogs). We're on a pretty limited income, which is fixed, with the exception of occasional computer work I do for an online company. Though that money is good when I get it, it's sporadic, and therefore cannot be <I>counted</I> on. <BR/><BR/>We are already doing alot of the things you suggested, but I can see room for improvement. You are doing some things we hadn't considered (primarily, the savings plan and budgeting our 'play' money).<BR/><BR/>After you've finished your posts on this, I'm going to print off much of it to share with Hubby, so we can make some changes. :-)Rennahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03628198694622790891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-50929236088677895762008-07-03T03:39:00.000+10:002008-07-03T03:39:00.000+10:00Hello Rhonda Jean--Though I do not comment, I do r...Hello Rhonda Jean--<BR/>Though I do not comment, I do read your blog on a regular basis. I just love it here! <BR/>I have a little something for you over at my place to thank you.anajzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02795297435621647487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-39255626419862490882008-07-03T02:34:00.000+10:002008-07-03T02:34:00.000+10:00I get paid this week and I am going to start doing...I get paid this week and I am going to start doing all of these things. <BR/>I can't wait! thanks so much!Kristin-Homemaker@Hearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17751048113535010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-54765357403621184262008-07-03T01:41:00.000+10:002008-07-03T01:41:00.000+10:00Hi Rhonda. I noticed a different photo on the home...Hi Rhonda. I noticed a different photo on the home page. I wondered if I could ask a personal question, do you dye your hair? I am 42 and quite gray and spend about $150 every 6 weeks on cutting and dying it so I don't look so old. I am becomingly increasingly worried about the chemicals I use on my hair. I know there are organic dyes and wondered your thoughts on the subject. Apologies if you feel my question is cheeky! Regards KAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-91334610848534074932008-07-02T19:54:00.000+10:002008-07-02T19:54:00.000+10:00Great post Rhonda, a timely reminder for all of us...Great post Rhonda, a timely reminder for all of us. We are going to be debt free by Christmas 2009 (except the mortgages). I am on maternity leave this year so can't make much head way clearing debt yet. We use the envelope strategy too and we have halved our expenditure in the last few months. Looking forward to more ideas, thanks for your inspirational posts<BR/>RuthAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-42715196690973645662008-07-02T16:08:00.000+10:002008-07-02T16:08:00.000+10:00Thank you for this post. I got a lot of great ide...Thank you for this post. I got a lot of great ideas. We are trying to push our numbers lower and lower. I posted my budget and totals on my blog today. Thank yo ufor the motivation! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-7150580768596087992008-07-02T13:49:00.000+10:002008-07-02T13:49:00.000+10:00This is my first post here. Thank you. We are cu...This is my first post here. Thank you. We are currently working on being debt free. It will take a few years, we have a house payment that will take at least 15 years to pay off. Our credit cards are paid off though. We are in the process of decluttering and simplfying our life. I came across your post about a week ago. Have enjoyed it. Thank you.Blessed Mommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06906946058388625128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-19302545217818612862008-07-02T12:48:00.000+10:002008-07-02T12:48:00.000+10:00Thank you Rhonda, We are working on this and will ...Thank you Rhonda, We are working on this and will be able to be debt free (except mortgage) with an emergency fund by Christmas. It is hard work. Our home has not sold so we are looking at plan b. Selling stuff and working on a better goal system to increase our retirement and the kids college fund as well.Donettahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13530145585581721795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-8306129126865014912008-07-02T12:17:00.000+10:002008-07-02T12:17:00.000+10:00Hi Rhonda,I'm enjoying your posts on budgeting eve...Hi Rhonda,<BR/>I'm enjoying your posts on budgeting even though I'm something of a budget diva myself. I just wanted to pass on this comment my daughter made some years ago. She was attempting to pay off her student and computer loan and couldn't see how she'd ever get out of debt. We sat down and itemised all her fixed expenses even those that seemed quite trivial. Like you I encouraged her to draw money from the bank once a week so that she wasn't spending so much on bank charges. Bank charges often slip by us and can be quite substantial. After about three months she commented on how she felt that she had control on her money, that she could see that she'd be able to pay off the loan and that she always had money in her bank account come pay day.<BR/>I just thought I'd post this to encourage those new to budgeting that being debt free is possible.<BR/>PearlPearlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756539841911336855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-91973655356467844722008-07-02T11:18:00.000+10:002008-07-02T11:18:00.000+10:00Just wanted to jump in and say how I paid off my h...Just wanted to jump in and say how I paid off my house. At first I doubled my mortgage payment and that worked for a while. Then, I realized I had no emergency fund and finances were getting tighter. So I started and emergency fund and made sure I had at least $1000. in it. Then on to save money in my savings account or cd's for paying off the house. Finally, over many years I had enough. I could have bought many things as I had 1 tv and my used car was 8 years old. But I paid off the house and I'm now debt free. I have a 10 year old car that still runs well and 1 TV and as gas prices/groceries climb it helps to be debt free. Now, I'm paying off a credit card that was up to $7,000. and now has $800. Soon I will save for retirement (or not working away from home) as it is just around the corner.Ritahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07287238810628574373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-18336530333522831132008-07-02T10:37:00.000+10:002008-07-02T10:37:00.000+10:00Hi RhondaI'm curious, with all the fresh food you ...Hi Rhonda<BR/><BR/>I'm curious, with all the fresh food you eat and great diet, why do you spend $80 a month on vitamins? Sorry to be nosey, and I don't mean to be rude, it just stood out as a huge amount to me.<BR/><BR/>LouAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-54070867486508306472008-07-02T10:10:00.000+10:002008-07-02T10:10:00.000+10:00m going to post today about our new (financial) ye...m going to post today about our new (financial) year's resolutions and new budget. After a weekend spent away from home, I am so happy to be back and inspired to look over our finances.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-19376545254025238192008-07-02T10:04:00.000+10:002008-07-02T10:04:00.000+10:00Hi Cathy. Good to hear you're working hard on red...Hi Cathy. Good to hear you're working hard on reducing your house debt.<BR/><BR/>Beulah, if you use ziplock bags, you don't need to go back to your budget to see you have money left over. That's the beuaty of this system - you actually see the money as it goes during the month. If ther is money left over, it's still in the bags when you get your following week/month's allocation.<BR/><BR/>Renee, we paid our home off in eight years by making double payments and by putting spare money into extra payments. It's really tough doing this because it seems to take forever to come to the end of payments, but now that I look back on it, it didn't take long at all.<BR/><BR/>I'll be writing about how we came up with our figures tomorrow.<BR/><BR/>Don't be sad, Scrub Creek. YOU, my dear, are exactly the kind of person who will benefit from this. You sound a lot like me - we were keepig chooks, stockpiling, cooking from scratch all while we were spending like kings. You can turn your spending around. All it takes is the willingness to do it and the determination to not give up when things get tough. (And they will.)<BR/><BR/>Hi Jess, welcome. As you can see above, we got rid of our mortgage quickly by increasing our payments.<BR/><BR/>Hello Christine, welcome and thank you for your kind words. I hope you find the life you long for and I hope I can show you part of the way to get there.Rhonda Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00175785349529109084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-87696855393136628422008-07-02T09:37:00.000+10:002008-07-02T09:37:00.000+10:00As I am reading yesterday and today on July 1st an...As I am reading yesterday and today on July 1st and have committd today to tracking all money spent again I have to say thank you for providing such timly information to me you always seem to know where I am in life. Blessings on your road as you help all of us out here in cyber space.<BR/>KymAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-5968015830112563962008-07-02T08:32:00.000+10:002008-07-02T08:32:00.000+10:00Hi Rhonda,I am one of your newbies :) and I must s...Hi Rhonda,<BR/>I am one of your newbies :) and I must say that being a young woman with a young family, I was still living the way I was bought up. (show everyone how much money you have through your flashy things). I know now that this just doesn't work, with you showing me how to get my life on the right track, I am starting to feel as though I can live a great life with a lot less!. Your blogs have taught me a lot already. Keep up the great work, because althought you might not know it, you are changing a lot of lives for the better. Big HugsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-48065720433362942702008-07-02T08:25:00.000+10:002008-07-02T08:25:00.000+10:00I am new to your blog, so I'm not sure where to lo...I am new to your blog, so I'm not sure where to look for things. Have you written about how you came to have no mortgage? Will you tell me more about it or direct me to the post that tells about it? Your simple living idea sounds great, but it seems unrealistic for us to not have a mortgage payment right now... <BR/><BR/>Thanks.Matt Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18041594847893211978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-53301737941573993292008-07-02T07:46:00.000+10:002008-07-02T07:46:00.000+10:00Well, I'm back - even after yesterday's post when ...Well, I'm back - even after yesterday's post when you informed the uncommitted "good bye,it was nice knowing you". I got really sad then, Rhonda because I KNOW I have a terrible relationship with money. Even though we garden, have chickens (chooks to you), raise our own meat - still we are penny wise, dollar foolish. So I have my little notebook and I'm still here. Don't say goodbye!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089828552519076506.post-47559165462898909932008-07-02T07:36:00.000+10:002008-07-02T07:36:00.000+10:00Rhonda,We are still debt free although we are stil...Rhonda,<BR/><BR/>We are still debt free although we are still paying off our home. I have been adding "extra" each month to our payment. My husband I are learning alot about money in our Sunday School class. I just found out there are 1000 homes that are in forclosure in 3/4 of a mile from our church. <BR/><BR/>I want to get our home paid off as soon as possible. Do you have any tips on this? How fast did you get your home paid off? <BR/><BR/>I was also interested on how you came up with the number of how much money you need per week? Did you just divided everything by two? I have never looked into how much we needed or spent per week:) Very interesting:)<BR/><BR/>Blessings,<BR/><BR/>ReneeKnitters Notebookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11828971476334676496noreply@blogger.com