August Goals

[karnic3881]

I thought maybe we could each post what our personal goals are for the upcoming month, and maybe also 'challenge' each other at the same time...

My goals for this month are:

1. Pay $31 more on both debts (in addition to my regular payments), each time I make a payment (I pay every 2 weeks).

2. Put $31 extra into both my ING and Emigrant accounts.

3. Keep weekly spending to no more than $105 a week.

*I chose 31 for the # of days August has... when you think of it only as a dollar more a day, it doesn't seem so bad.

This is all I came up with, and I may be able to put more than that toward each payment, but I figured it'll be something that will stick with me and remind me to meet the challenge.

[34saving]

Well, step 1 is to fight with the doctor/insurance company and win . . .hmmm . . .that might take all month . . . .

[Snoopy2645]

Mine are to pay of balances on CC's I got about 3 with small balances & to keep out of getting more debt too of course. And I will have to buy dd back to school supplies & a few pairs of jeans so I will try to stay out of debt buying her back to school stuff. She has shoes & shirts & everthing she just needs jeans & the basics like pencils & stuff for school.

[obi_positive]

A. We've also got the medical bills and EOBs to sort through. Our insurance company paid $650 to a doctor we've never used for a visit never made. Seems his practice made an error with the charts. Need to verify all charges for other EOBs/bills. Paperwork.

B. My employer will reimburse me for part of my deductible. I just need to find all the proof that we paid it. More paperwork.

C. Also need to look for receipts to submit for my medical savings plan. Still more paperwork.

[Bluezy]

To save like a madwoman!! Build up my Emigrant account for immediate needs and look into trust accounts for my son.

[pennywise]

34 saving: why do you need to fight the doctor and insurance company? I may be able to help you here with the medical terminology and diagnostic information to win. I need more data. I fought my doctor once and the insurance company and they paid. I am a health care provider and would like to help.

Goals: this is tough because we are very limited now to just my husband's income and my budget has been put to the tightest we have ever been on.

1) learn from all of you. I need to learn how to get free things, please teach me.
2) my weekly spending is at 100 per week; hope to beat it to save. This is groceries and gas.
3) keep my utilities as low as possible to save here. My electric is okay but with a child who wants to stare at TV when she can. You just can't cut all TV. Spouse need light to study. I like the computer to talk with you all. School starts for me soon also. Gas, we will use cold water as much as possible, shower at gymnastics, cook using cheaper methods (like the toaster oven - thanks ladies and gents).
4) only debt is mortgage, so lets try to shoot for add 100 to the payment for August.

Want to hear a silly: In Michigan with the bottle deposit law, I ride my bike and carry a bag to pick up any cans I find. I have amassed over 100 dollars so far this summer. I hope this will continue to be promising, but there is competition.

[karnic3881]

pennywise, I would check out all the freebies Kimmie lists right here on SavingAdvice - she truly is the freebie queen! Also check out FatWallet.com, they have deals and freebie forums, hmmm, startsampling.com, and also try doing a search on sampling companies...tons of ways But that's just in regards to samples.

Check out Freecycle.org, lots of people list really great free items on this forum.

[jmjj215]

My goal is to have some online tutorials finished, get the store up and running, finish my summer term project, and integrate my blog into my website seamlessly. Also, to finalize a presentation I may be giving.

Our ongoing goal is to try and sock away $900 / month for the house downpayment (which means keping our expenses at or below $1300 per month).

[34saving]

DH went to the doctor's for a throat culture (we were afraid he had strep and might transmit to infant dd). NEVER saw the doc. -- just the lab tec. for the culture. Less than 5 minutes. Office turned in bill to wrong (expired) insurance. Insurance denied. They billed us $46. Told them to turn in correct insurance. Insurance accepts. They bill us $64. 1/2 for throat culture and 1/2 for doctor's visit (that never happened) At this point I know the time won't be worth the money, but my goodness . . .it's the principle! Turns out another August goal will be to find a good deal on new central AC. We're having fun now!

Pennywise -- It's great to be picking up cans! (I even have known people who come to MN to pick up the ones labeled with a MI deposit -- that's not as good . . .)

[terry1156]

Originally Posted by pennywise

Want to hear a silly: In Michigan with the bottle deposit law, I ride my bike and carry a bag to pick up any cans I find. I have amassed over 100 dollars so far this summer. I hope this will continue to be promising, but there is competition.

My two grandsons made a killing this past 4th of July. Their city puts on a firework show and while all the people were watching the show, they set out with bags and collected all the cans people left lying around. Came away with over $100 for a nights work.

[Tree0164]

1) Eating out only twice this month. We just came back from vacation and ate out almost every day.

2) Keep the food budget to $300 this month.

3) Watch the electricity bill. Bill was at $200 last month. Want to make sure we are turning off lights and tv when not in use.

4) Plan a new budget for September. Got preschool costs added to the budget.

[PrincessPerky]

1. Make it to Pgh without going over budget (gonna be pretty hard since we have a camp site and extra food to add in, plus a trip to the renfest)

2. Cook more, (no the microwave doesn't count) spend less on food. but it is hot! icky.

3. NOT put DHs bridge on the CC. _ done, no way we are putting $900 on it and no way we have it, so no work

[akaivyleaf]

1. No Eating Out this month! I have one meal already scheduled that I cannot back out of , but aside from that, go home and cook, and carry lunch/snacks with me.

2. take advantage of Emigrant Direct's 3.5% interest rate with money saved from eating out

3. Pay off a 1200 bill from last month.

[pennywise]

Hurray!! I have surpassed my august goal. I will apply $200 extra to the mortgage. This will save me 45 dollars over the life of the mortgage (3.5 more years). I will not grocery shop this week as the household inventory is high. I am learning from the business - must decrease inventory. I would like this posting monthly as it will encourage us to meet our goals. Revelations of not meeting the goal should be told and examined by peers for suggestions to make the goal.

[DivaJen]

I'll add mine:

Stay at or under budget for food spending. We have $295 budgeted for groceries and $157 for dining out. DD and I will be going out of state for a reunion, and I already know I'll have to pay for our meals at the party, but I don't think it will be that expensive.

My other goal is less concrete and harder to measure, but I want to keep an eye on my spending and how much is spent on 'wants', especially with all of the back-to-school sales going on. Love those school supplies!

[kashi]

Goals for August:
$150 to emergency savings fund
$50 to family savings fund
$100 to Roth IRA
$100 to Christmas gift savings fund
$100 to smaller college loan
get my car fixed (approx $430)

[pennywise]

DivaJen: what we do when we travel is go to the local grocery to buy cereal, pb and jelly, bread, small qty milk, etc and eat in the hotel room. Will this help keep your travel budget in line.

[DivaJen]

Originally Posted by pennywise

DivaJen: what we do when we travel is go to the local grocery to buy cereal, pb and jelly, bread, small qty milk, etc and eat in the hotel room. Will this help keep your travel budget in line.

Oh, I know. DH and I do that too whenever we can.

I should clarify - I'll be staying at my grandmother's house. I'll have to spend money at the actual reunion, as it's being held at a restuarant. But thanks for the ideas.

[meaghanchan]

Hi! This is my first post here, so hello everyone...

My August goals:

1. Go see an accountant and figure out all my tax stuff. I'm supposed to pay quarterly. Paid April 15th, forgot June 15th, need to pay Sept. 15th. I think I'm WAY overpaying and this could save me a lot of money.

2. Don't spend more than $100 during my week off. (Other than essential appointments-- accountant, optometrist) I'm not bringing money in, I shouldn't be spending it.

3. Put $1000 in my ING account. Might be more depending on what taxes come out to be.

4. Take lunch to work every day.

[fiffer010]

Aug. goals

1. Find a place to start a Roth IRA ( any suggestions?)
2. Sell last semesters textbooks that I dont need
3. put 1000 in my emigrant direct before end of month
4. Try to spend less then 50 a week