Desperately Seeking Savings...

Just the other day, I was talking with Danny on the phone...he was telling me about this customer that he met that day while working. This friendly guy gave Danny some great advice. He said to retire as soon as he possibly can...and spend the kids' inheritance on your own adventures! Looking back on his life now...at 80, and unable to use his legs like he used to...it was the best thing him and his wife ever did!

**I WANT THIS FOR US!!!**

Now to just figure out how to make it happen!!

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Desperately Seeking Savings...

I had an awesome opportunity to hang out with some fellow homeschooling moms at my favorite coffee shop. We met up to talk about our upcoming Project Linus get togethers, and Operation: Going Green/Saving Green.

While talking with my friends about what we did to recycle and save our pennies...I shared with them how frustrated I can get when trying to find "new" ways to spend less and save more. I go looking on websites and they give advice like:

**Cut out your DAILY latte {I'm LUCKY if, on average, I make it to my favorite coffee shop once a month, or even Speedway for a 1.29 cappuccino 1x a week}

**Cut back on eating out {Our "eating out" as a family happens MAYBE 1x a month...and it's the $16 chicken special at Wal Mart's Deli...brought home to enjoy}

**Wait longer in between hair cuts {again, I'm LUCKY if I get my own hair cut 1x a YEAR}.

I'm sure this advice would be helpful to some...but not really so much for our family. We've tried our best to be as thrifty as we can be for a long time now. So where does one have to go to find maybe a little more "hard core" thriftiness tips and ideas?

I have learned over time that the words you have to use in Google searches DOES matter. I've had to switch to words like "homesteading" and "self reliant" and "self-sufficient" to come up with some good ideas for spending less. Searching with "frugal" just isn't cutting it anymore.

Here are three GREAT links for some good sites that I would like to share. The first one is Mother Earth News...LOVE this magazine!! Many, many great articles on their website. The second is Path to Freedom...a VERY inspirational website! I would LOVE this lifestyle for MY family! The third is just a list of things to be more self sufficient...

LOVE this magazine and all the online articles it has...
http://www.motherearthnews.com/

Path to Freedom
http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/

One of many lists that you can find on "Things you can do to be more self sufficient..."
http://www.daycreek.com/dc/html/DC_ss_thingsyoucando.htm

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So What's Next???

A 12-year plan perhaps?? Liam is 6 now...so in 12 years we have the possibility to be "empty nesters". Where do we want to be at that point in our lives? We will be starting a whole new milestone in our marriage and life together. What do we want that life to look like?

I definitely want Danny to be AT LEAST to the point by then that he does not have to work overtime...or maybe even able to only work part time somewhere just for a little extra spending money. Our DREAM goal would be he would be retired, or soon ready to retire by then. I get just a HUGE smile on my face just thinking about my Husband being able to be at home with me everyday!! I would be so very happy!!

Trying to get Danny retired in 12 years is going to be a HUGE accomplishment...and we are going to have to put a lot of hard work into achieving this goal. First off starting to find new places in our budget to spend less and save more.

We could follow the instructions of Dave Ramsey....

*Build a $1000 Emergency Fund
*Pay off all debt
*3 to 6 months in Savings
*Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRS's & pretax retirement
*Pay home off early
*Build wealth & give

I've always thought this plan was GREAT. They say you should follow it EXACTLY in this order though...and who knows, they may be right...but I believe I will make up a list with these same type of things that we can do, but not in this exact order! You know what a rebel I am! :)

I will be looking into new ways to save on our budget, and hopefully work our way closer and closer to our goals. I will post in future journal entries what we've been doing....what we are trying...what is working...what wasn't working.

I will also be looking to put our 12 year plan down in "black and white". That way I can post it on our fridge so we can look at it EVERYday to help keep us moving forward AND on the right track!

Looking forward to beginning this journey!