Womanly Wisdom: Budgeting for Groceries & Household Expenses

Source

So I didn’t get the job (damn it!) Which is probably good since I’m 7 months pregnant and I don’t feel much like working. :) Ah well, the Lord knows what we can handle and what we can’t (I’m spiritual don’t ya know and psychic).

But, I WAS still a bit bummed out that I didn’t get it. I was looking forward to buying my LV purse with the extra income, as well as investing the rest for the future. But it’s fate. Since husband and I won’t have extra income to play with, we’ve decided that we should really get a handle on our budget and stop spending here, there, and everywhere. Mindless exorbitant spending is NOT the way to boost and bolster your nest egg! And it’s NOT the way to get to a vacation home in Northern France!

So the first thing I’ve done is create a

Budget for Groceries & Household Expenses.

Creating a budget may not sound like much…but my husband and I (just the two of us) spend over $1,000 each month on groceries, eating out, and buying “needed” items. It’s just ridiculous and it’s because we’re not really mindful of our spending. And my husband likes to shop and he also likes to give me nice things: books, dresses, and treats. But he’s promised not to spend any money except for gas, and I’ve promised not to ask for anything since he “has a hard time saying no to me.” (such a sweetie) We’ve decided to cut our grocery/restaurant/household bill down substantially, from around $1000 a month to $300 a month. Why? We could save/invest that money instead of blowing it.

In order to do this, I’ve decided that on the 1^st and 15^th of every month we will go grocery shopping. On each date, we will only spend $150 on groceries, toiletries, household supplies.   As a buffer, we have $50 “breathing room” for the month ($25 per 2 weeks) that we can use if we REALLY need/want something.  

 So on grocery day, if we spend LESS than $150 on grocery day, that money is put in our $25 per week “breathing room” which we use for eating out/extra expenses. If we don’t use the $25 during those 2 week, or only use some of it, the $25 is then put in our nest egg. And other than that, we are immediately putting a couple hundred into our nest egg on the 1^st of each month, but have the potential of putting in an extra $50 into the nest egg at the end of each month if we don’t use any of our “breathing room” money.

Get it?  For example:

August 1^st

put a couple hundred immediately into our nest egg

use $150 to buy groceries, toiletries, household items- to last at least 2 weeks.

set aside $25 for “breathing room”

August 15^th

put $25 into nest egg (or whatever is left of it)

use $150 to buy groceries, toiletries, household items-to last at least 2 weeks.

set aside $25 more dollars for breathing room

August 31^st 

put all “breathing room” money that’s left over, into next egg.

September 1st- start again

Now this might seem simple, but it takes some planning. If you’re going to buy groceries that are to last for 2 weeks, you need to buy things that are going to make all the meals you’ll eat for 2 weeks!

For 2 weeks, $150's worth of food has to supply:

14 breakfasts

14 lunches

10 dinners

38 drinks

42 snacks

Taking into consideration that our Friday and Saturday meals need to be FUN& date-like while Husband wants Sunday meals to be traditional Italian/Sicilian.

So week 1:

I just concentrated on dinners.

Mon/Tuesday-Cheesy chicken & spinach enchiladas

Wed/Thursday-Cobb Salad w/ French fries

Friday- Homemade Cheeseburger pizza

Saturday- …I’m drawing a blank actually

Sunday- Some sort of pasta dish

It was too overwhelming to try and plan 38 meals.

So I’ve got 5 meals planned.

We also bought a 2liter of Coca, a 2liter of Ginger ale, and will make lemonade and iced tea. We also bought snacks: tortilla chips, grapes, carrot nibs, etc.

I'm totally BEAT after explaining all of that! I'm going to lay down! 

But before I go....

Do you want to joint my BUDGETING CHALLENGE?           

IF YES, why? Are you saving for something or just wanting to fatten up your coffers? ;)

Moving to the French/Italian Alps

Chateau de Vizille Park, Swan Lake, French Alps by Walter Bibikow

Wow, right?

Well, Husband and I always thought we'd eventually move back to the Midwest. We're from the Midwest, we met & fell in love there, and most of our family lives in the Midwest now. We love the friendly and easy-going pace of life. But, to be honest, I don't feel a strong pull to live there anymore.

After I moved to New England for my career years ago, the Midwest became my idol-area, my golden beacon, calling me back. New England was too fast, too rude, too business and no heart. I missed the cows, the smell of hay, heck...after awhile I was even nostalgic for the smell of skunk. Being secluded and in an entirely different culture will do that to a person. -_-'

But, perhaps now that I'm pregnant, or maybe because I'm not so Midwest-idealistic anymore...I just don't feel the frantic need to get back there. I guess...I don't think the Midwest is "perfect" anymore. I know that there is no perfection, unless it's where you want to be.

I'm also honestly thinking of issues surrounding racism, community, job prospects, and being an interracial/multi-cultural family. Growing up I dealt with a bit of racism, but like a sweet Midwestern Brown girl, I was a little hesitant to call it by name. I just thought that there were some misguided people in the world, desperately in need of friends, and that I shouldn't take their slights personally.

I'm not sure if that was a good outlook to have or not; I'm not sure how it prepared me for the nuances of broader American society where racism was more blatant and hurtful.

But now I'm thinking about how it will be for our kids to grow up in America, in the Midwest, as biracial. I'm also thinking about American culture and media and how I don't like how it's degrading towards women. Wherever we move, we won't have a television. (Please excuse how rambling this email might become...it's a serpentine and convoluted topic for me)

So, I asked my Sicilian what he thought about moving to Europe, since I didn't feel a strong pull to the Midwest anymore and he said "Sure." 

My brain reacted thusly: ".... did that really happen? Did he just say yes?"


So I asked him again, and again he confirmed and said he was open to it.

Now don't get me wrong: I'd miss my family, I'd really miss Husband's family, and I'd miss the rolling hills of fresh lushness found in the Midwest; those are the only things that could keep us in the States. But hey, family could visit us. ;) And lushness is everywhere. If we can't find it in the landscape of Europe, I'm sure Husband and I could find it in the dips and curves of our bodies as we enjoy matrimonial bliss.

(Back from a short fantasy about my Sicilian ;)
So, I work remotely as a Writer and Editor and I plan to continue doing so since I'm going to become a Mother. So, I can work anywhere.  Husband is a Scientist and those are needed all over the Earth. So I think after 4-5 years, we could be moving to Europe, permanently; at least that's one of the ideas we're throwing around.

So why the French/Italian Alps? Well, I speak French, I love French culture, I'm comfortable in France. Why the Italian Alps? Well, we'll have Italian citizenship, our kids will be basically 1/2 Italian and my Husband is Italian (and Sicilian); so it'll be nice for them to have a direct link to one of their cultures. Husband also still has family in Italy.

There's so much I want for the future, for myself and for my family.

via chateaudelille.blogspot.com

For my family: I want a calm life. My Sicilian has the tendency to overwork. He's a scientist, which is a great career, but he's also very spiritual and needs to be outside. He's very manly and needs close and immediate access to the wilderness. I also want the country for our family. I want our babies to have a big area to run and play. I want animals, I'd love to have some sheep. And I'd just love to have LOTS of babies and lots of room for babies, Husband said he'd like 5 children, I'd like that too. I'd like our cappuccino colored babies to live in an area with nice neighbors where I won't have to worry about having to kick someone's ass for being rude to our babies; don't tell me I won't find that place! It's illegal to burst a pregnant woman's bubble!
(Sorry, "turn the other cheek" is great, but I will always protect and confront on my children's behalf).

For myself, I want to continue my classical art education focusing on figure painting and I want to then go to graduate school for Masters or PhD. I'd like to do my PhD at a university in the States and then finish it in Europe. I also want to continue my hobby of playing the violin. So many dreams!

ps. I've found where we should live! I'll save that for a later post!

DO YOU have a dream-place you'd like to move???