Newbie w/ Questions

**aspoiled** · 10-22-2006, 09:22 AM

Hello! First I would like to thank you all for you warm welcome. A little about me I am a divorced mother of a very spirited 15 yr. old daughter. In my life I have overcome alot. I have been through a 10 yr. abusive marriage, thank God he never hurt my dauhgter. I had back surgery 18 months ago. Lost my home due to this. Was placed on medical leave through this whole thing and then had to resign from my hospice position due to the fact I can not lift over 15 pounds.

I have been working steadily and part of my settlement is they will pay for me to go back to school to have get a new degree, which I have chosen HealthCare Management. I only have 2 yrs. to be enrolled or I will have to pay. So that puts alot of stress considering I am the only one who supports my daughter, her father is a herione addict and is no longer able to see her or have contact with her. N.C. laws are great for that one. So he states if he can't see her he want pay. Oh! well I will and have always made it for the past 7 yrs. without him..

So it is like I am having to take babysteps to recover from the surgery it is like starting all over again.
Here are my questions:

1. What are the monthly goals I have read about?
2. How do you come up with grocery totals?
3. Change jar I know what they are how do you utilize them in this forum?

Thanks to those who respond so I don't feel totally clueless

**emily_hope** · 10-22-2006, 12:56 PM

The way I get my grocery totals......everything I buy is included. Food, cleaning products, personal hygiene. Some people only include their food.

Each individual person has their own monthyly goals that they try to reach. Myself...I've been trying to put $50 a month in my Emergency Fund. Different people have different goals. We just like to state our goals and then post on how well we are coming along with them. Keeps us accountable and other people help encourage.

I just keep saving the change in my jars. I was using my quarters for debt, but we recently paid off all of our credit cards. I used some of my change back during the summer months for gas for our vacation. You can use it for whatever you feel you need it for.

Hope this helps. I'm sure someone else will come along that might be better able to inform you.

**Neeley** · 10-22-2006, 02:03 PM

I also count all people food, animal food, cleaning products, etc..in my grocery budget. I have always had a general idea about what I spend on groceroes for a month so I set my first budget around that number and have begun to reduce the budget amount every month to try and force myself to spend less.
I also set a monthly goal about eating out. This was a huge issue for us. Both of my kids eat like adults and are adult size so going out even for just an inexpensive meal never ran less than $30.00. We were eating out several times a week. The money we have saved by not eating out has made a huge difference. At one time we were spending as much as $200.00 a week on eating out. Now we are down to about $50.00 a month.
Other people set goals for "no spend " days. These are just like it says days that no money is spent. I am not sure if they include bill paying in this or what. I have found this to be one I am not ready to tackle yet. Maybe someone else can help tell you more about this one.
As far as the change jar fund - that is whatever you decide. Some use them for paying debt, like Emily Hope did. Some have bought big ticket items for their homes like storm doors. Soe use it to pay bills when they are in a pinch. For me, I have always saved my change and it is a fun way to watch your coins add up to dollars.

Hope this helps a little!!

**Nada.Leona** · 10-22-2006, 09:28 PM

to the Village!

**homemaker66** · 10-23-2006, 07:04 AM

Welcome to the family. Just remember we are all here for you.

**MTS04** · 10-24-2006, 09:19 AM

Hello and welcome!!

**FrugalMomof3** · 10-24-2006, 09:39 AM

1. What are the monthly goals I have read about? This is our goal to spend for the month but no more, so we clip and save coupons and stuff like that to make sure we dont go over our monthly goal, I find that shopping at outlet stores like Aldi's and Ollies are great for saving on groceries and Ollies even has other things besides food like cleaning supplies, pet foods, etc... cheap.

2. How do you come up with grocery totals? As for the totals, you make the total as far as your budget goes, if you can afford $100 a month then that would be the total GOAL to spend for the month if you go over you can try again next month OR raise the amount, your choice. I personally stick to under $100 and that includes non-food goods, dog food, etc..

3. Change jar I know what they are how do you utilize them in this forum?
Most of us on this forum have a change jar, each time you get some change add it to the jar, when it's full count it up and you have to decide what to do with it. If you have a debt, use the change to pay it off, put it towards your Emergency Fund, or put it in savings, your choice.

I dont have a change jar right now since I just put my bills, pennies and silver coins all together, at the end of the month or even every 2 weeks I add it up and deposit it into the bank to use as an Emergency Fund. While my EF isn't big right now, I finally got some motivation to stop dipping into it and I really want to save to have something to fall back on.

Good luck and we are here if you need us!