Back to Frugal

My New Years Resolution is to get back to my frugal roots. I am Ann and I like to shop, I have enough. The years without has caused me to spoil my children, grandchildren in ways we couldn't before.  I need to get organized after 4 years of Mackie watching every minute.   We have two financial goals, to pull together a substantial downpayment on a Lakehome for our use now and to retire in 10 years and to save money all the while paying down our debts.

Back to blogging and with it, holding myself accountable!

We are pre qualified for a mortgage on a second home.  With Kristy and Chris up at the lake and Nathan and Stacey spending so much time at her parents lake cabin, it made us think that we needed a place away from work for the Doc.  A place to spend time with family and extended family. Time is moving forward and spending time with family and peacefulness is what is most important.  Besides saving for our retirement home and putting it into savings doesn't bring much to the table. But by buying now, and we can have the tax deductions of the interest, taxes etc. which will save on our huge yearly tax bills.   So Uncle Sam helps subsidize our earnings and we can work on paying it off in the meantime.

With a good chunk of change and finding out that we need twice that, I am in huge savings mode.
I think I can do it. But going cold turkey and not allowing for anything I know is not feasible.  So couponing and coupling it with deals and freebies will give me a challenge.

But it will require willpower, and I have been really good at spending money.

Day 1:  Free BluRay Video Rental at redbox.com by using code: NEWYEAR.  Savings $1.50

Used my Kohls cash $110 plus my Kohls MVC rewards $70 and bought new sheets, new cool comfort pillows.  Paid $14.69  savings: $375.00 off retail after Kohls Cash and Kohls MVC Rewards. Ebates: a mere $.30 but every penny adds up.  My Christmas shopping at Kohls has paid off and put to good use with a need.  The Master Bedroom bottom sheet got a big tear. The old set will hit the trash and the thrift shop. My pillows need replacing.  The new in and the old out!

Paid $6.99 for a downloadable pattern and one FREE pattern at Pixie Faire.com  I have fabric on hand and plan to sew this month.  Someone's birthday is coming up in February.  Pixie Faire offers a FREE pattern download on Fridays.  Savings $5.99

Total spent today: $21.68  Savings $382.49. Rebate from Ebates: $.30

Looked at the blogs and found a few stock-up deals which we will pick up this weekend.

So far so good...

Now to just make savings and using what we have and only getting what we need to make our dream come true.