My, my. Where did August go? It FLEW!! I'm SUPER glad that September is here, as fall is SO my favorite time of year! Here's an update on how last month's goals went...
Financial Goals...
...Get credit card debt completely paid off!
It is getting so incredibly frustrating waiting for this check to show up so we can finally finish paying off credit card debt! We've called our tax preparer on several occaisons, and they are no help whatsoever. So we continue to play the waiting game. If it takes much longer to show up, I'm going to have to do another budget revamp so we can start making large payments out of our paychecks each pay period instead of sending that money to savings or our house loan.
...Make triple payments on house once CC debt is paid off
This is finally going to start happening in November! I started working again in the end of July, part time. I quickly got bumped to full time and a small raise. We were also ecstatic to discover that we don't need my paychecks to pay bills! We got so used to living on just hubs' income that we've adjusted to it quite well! Since I get paid 2x per month, the plan is to have the first of my two paychecks go into savings and the second onto the house loan. My paycheck is equal to the amount of two payments on the house loan, and we will also continue making one payment per month out of hubs' paycheck like usual. So triple payments will begin! It has to wait so long however, because this month we are using my paychecks to pay 100% down for new carpet in our main floor hallway and bedrooms, and the first paycheck of October has to pay for our vehicle registrations while the second will pay for new tires on our SUV! Then in November we will start snowballing at loans and savings with my checks! yay!
....Find new ways to make money from home.
This has again gone on the back burner. Now that I'm working and my paychecks are purely "extra" money, I've not been as concerned about this goal. I still do the same things as in the past, YouData, Swagbucks, MyPoints, etc. I just haven't been into researching new techniques. ....Get emergency savings account built up to one years expenses
All extra income is continuing to go into savings. As well as one paycheck per month starting in November. I've been trying to send out a large amount of rebates each month as all rebate checks go to savings as well. They have really been helping to bump our savings up!
Couponing Goals...
...Accumulate as many gift cards as possible
This month I only earned $10 in Amazon gift cards from Swagbucks. I've decided that I'm saving these gift cards up for a pressure canner so next year when I garden I will be able to can most of the goodies for winter and not have to worry about my precious freezer space! I also got a gift card to Menards for my birthday, which will be going towards some tools and such (I've turned into quite a decorating diva lately! So some power tools are much needed for the projects that I'll soon be taking on! Watch for a new series to start...Decorating Tuesdays!). ....Get back in the rebate game
I sent out 3 rebates in August totaling $22.74. I recieved $47.94 in checks for rebates sent out previously.
August Goals Update...
...Get things really figured out. Rework goals according to the new financial situation..
I finally feel in control of our finances again! Things are really working out well and we aren't struggling, while only having to use one of our incomes and being able to use the other for things needed/savings/debt payment. It's incredibly exciting!
..Start setting money aside so I don't have to take out any more student loans
Plans have changed, and I've decided that when I graduate with my generals degree this December I will be done with school. I've decided that working in a daycare is my true calling in life (after being a sahm...someday, hopefully). I was going to get my bachelors in early childhood, but once the 3 year old teacher told me that she only has a 2 year degree in sales and marketing (which is exactly what I currently have!) I decided to just call it quits for a while. So now I just need to worry about student loan repayment and not future expenses!
September Goals...
...Start planning shopping trips better. Know my prices better and do a better job of trading for coupons more to go with the sales. I'd like to see my after coupon/rebates/RR/ECB/gift cards totals below 10% on the dollar most of the time (so a 90%+ savings rate most of the time)
...Begin evaluating winter needs (i.e. weatherization this house will need, planning for higher electric bills due to heat being on, etc.)
...Add 10% to savings (which means 10% of what we currently have is the amount that I would like to add)
...Prepare for hubs' work trip to Florida in October (he will be gone for 5 days, with most all expenses paid except for personal items like souveniers, etc. so all we'll really have to plan for is anything extra he wants to pack to take along, getting a nationwide cell phone plan, etc.)
T0tal OOP before coupons - $7.50
Total OOP before coupons - $52.49
Total OOP before coupons & RR earned - $26.64
**not pictured, 2.35 pounds of grapes** 
