2009 - With a budget!

I'm getting back into the swing of things. I sort of felt like I had December off because there were only a few very specific sales I targeted. January is here and I'm jumping back in with 2 feet. We are on a very strict cash budget for 2009 and couponing is how I plan to make that money stretch just a little (or a lot) further. We're planning on paying off the rest of 2008's medical expenses this year and paying off a few other things as well.

I was going to bore you with pictures from my Walgreens shopping trips this week but changed my mind. I see no reason to repeat all of the information that is already out there. I'm doing the same deals as everyone else and at some point it just becomes redundant. Oh I'm sure there will be more pictures, just not from this week.

I will however, keep a running total of what I spend and save. Let me clarify how I am calculating my savings. I am not including our dining out in the budget here. If you only knew what a bad habit that is that we are attempting to break. Don't get me started. So the point is that we have a separate budget for "dining out."

When I tally the savings I am including the savings for the sale price if it is automatically included in the receipt that way. I know it's inconsistent but it's just easier. Also...my theory is that if I weren't shopping sales and stocking up with coupons and I needed something immediately, that is the price I'd pay. Shoot, up until I started couponing that probably was the price I paid. I, like most Americans, bought what we needed when we needed it without giving much attention to sales, etc. My budget/savings total will include diapers, wipes & formula.

Don't be shocked when you see my first savings total here: It includes 2 glucose meters which is probably an equivalent to $180 saved since I got them both for free.