tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post798018222474976859..comments2023-08-10T08:24:08.460-06:00Comments on Mama Needs Coffee: New Year's Revolution Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07923751596148085363noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-47640377651723730422015-02-04T04:05:16.235-07:002015-02-04T04:05:16.235-07:00Wow, great insights. For a while now, my prayer h...Wow, great insights. For a while now, my prayer has been, "Purify my intentions, oh Lord. Help me to pay off my debts and relieve the poor."Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09683674751076218614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-57905756237721822432015-01-18T19:20:41.463-07:002015-01-18T19:20:41.463-07:00Or maybe your husband could go for diapers and pul...Or maybe your husband could go for diapers and pull-ups? My husband is lightning fast in stores. Like, by the time I would just be finishing produce shopping (the area I usually begin) he is already in the check-out line.<br /><br />I really like this post. Suzettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17595294800560372520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-50614550147315046862015-01-18T19:19:17.878-07:002015-01-18T19:19:17.878-07:00LOVE THIS!LOVE THIS!Suzettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17595294800560372520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-67137330153641385852015-01-17T12:24:45.268-07:002015-01-17T12:24:45.268-07:00You can order diapers from target online! Free shi...You can order diapers from target online! Free shipping over $50 that way you won't be tempted Chris and Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08619066995483721151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-62254029980894299962015-01-08T14:57:23.510-07:002015-01-08T14:57:23.510-07:00You can do this! It seems like if you can pull of...You can do this! It seems like if you can pull off NFP, you can totally do a budget. And, it really does feel wonderful. The thing I found was that it became a tangible connection to faith. We committed to setting aside 10% of our income to charitable giving which was scary. The budget seemed so tight! It was not uncommon for me to pray in the car before I went to the grocery store. Now, we had wiggle room. We didn't actually cut up our credit cards. I was quite willing to pull from the clothing envelope if the cupboards were bare. But, I was amazed at how often I found just what I really needed to make that week's meals work out on manager's special. I couldn't believe how just when things were getting a little grim, my husband would suddenly be offered some consulting work that would bridge the gap. I don't think it's solid theology to assume that there is some sort of tit for tat thing where if you tithe, God blesses or anything like that. But, I will say that I think sticking to a budget is easier if you invite God into the effort in the same way you might invite him into your procreative choices. It also helps veer your thinking so that instead of leaping to "once we pay off this debt, we can afford All The Things" to "once we pay off this debt, just think of all the good this money can be doing for others!"Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09963493181798474313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-38388528739919067132015-01-08T14:30:31.268-07:002015-01-08T14:30:31.268-07:00I gave up Target months ago whenever their system ...I gave up Target months ago whenever their system compromised personal information. When I go back in there (once every six months, maybe), I remind myself of their #fail, which helps to restrain myself from buying anything more than what is absolutely necessary. Like others mentioned, you might be able to order your diapers online and still get the good deal, especially if there is away around paying for shipping. Maybe the Cartwheel app or even Retail Me Not can help too. Best wishes for your budgeting - it sounds like you have some really stellar plans laid out. Lauren @ Here We Geauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11969093662089695547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-70083153920177815642015-01-03T18:03:46.055-07:002015-01-03T18:03:46.055-07:00Do you guys have Aldi? I know there's a sunflo...Do you guys have Aldi? I know there's a sunflower market in Arvada that is apparently similar, but better, but don't know what part of the mile high meca you're in. <br /><br />when we had to drastically reduce our budget a couple years ago, I had to do the target ban as well. Considering I dropped $100 there last night on bananas... ;) not quite-it was a planned and controlled burn, but I'm still eyeing that stocking cap I intentionally left the tags on and evaluating it's need. Keep us posted on your progress/withdrawals. maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627680593366631585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-52938421536826590162015-01-03T08:17:35.970-07:002015-01-03T08:17:35.970-07:00I love that you are writing about this!! I'm ...I love that you are writing about this!! I'm sure writing about it will help with the sticking to it part...maybe I should blog about this...maybe we should start an online support group... :) Best of luck this year!!Jamiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05091560568905689257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-54791341965728888702015-01-01T18:03:58.778-07:002015-01-01T18:03:58.778-07:00Yay you!!! We were thisclose to being debt free a ...Yay you!!! We were thisclose to being debt free a few years ago, before an international move and a baby... but the good news is, we're also on track to be back in the clear a year from now! Switching to a cash system was HUGE for me. Purging our house of clutter (...starting with my closet...) has been another surprisingly good way to reduce our spending -- feeling the freedom of clearing out a bunch of stuff we didn't need has made me a lot more reluctant to invite new stuff into our space! Finally, the number one question I ask myself when considering a purchase is: Who made this? Followed by: Where did it come from? May seem odd, but picturing the human cost/investment really changed my attitudes about, say, impulse buys at Target. In any case, three cheers for Dave Ramsey! And three cheers for you, too :)emyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04648914862063566166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-21351232964414420962015-01-01T13:22:12.716-07:002015-01-01T13:22:12.716-07:00Wow. I will pray for your resolve and I will pray ...Wow. I will pray for your resolve and I will pray for it to rub off on me! Though I am also wondering where the diapers will come from...King Soopers is my guess? Wherever it may be, go team!!!MCHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13440072854625467223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-85458446644664098842014-12-31T22:41:39.966-07:002014-12-31T22:41:39.966-07:00Ok, so if you're cancelling Prime and not goin...Ok, so if you're cancelling Prime and not going to Target...how do you plan to buy stuff? #confused #proudofyourselfcontrol #inspiredCajuntexasmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10263671910880235017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-5618302771251014012014-12-31T22:01:14.249-07:002014-12-31T22:01:14.249-07:00Awesome! Five years ago when we purchased our hom...Awesome! Five years ago when we purchased our home, our intention was to pay it off in 5 years. We had already cleared all of our debt and had a couple months saved up in an emergency fund. And then this year...we just lost our intensity. Our five year mark is up this Spring...our goal now is to pay the house off in 2015 period...but that's going to take some SERIOUS financial intensity. We've done it before, we can do it again and your post just added to my excitement and intensity...as in--I may need to cut Target out completely...COMPLETELY. Thanks for the inspiration and encouragement.Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01680470602835526738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-75936525520514791102014-12-31T18:57:15.394-07:002014-12-31T18:57:15.394-07:00We never go into Target, Costco or the like. But A...We never go into Target, Costco or the like. But Amazon Prime and Google Shopping Express are our Achilles Heel -- we can get all that stuff but don't even have to leave the house. Our New Year's resolution for this year is no online purchases for the month of January, and for me it's no eating out. We don't have debt but Iv'e been trying to economize and mainly get rid of clutter. To me the main problem with buying so much stuff is the amount of work it takes to maintain it.Tiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12464171818759850598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-3171254383069222462014-12-31T12:09:32.571-07:002014-12-31T12:09:32.571-07:00Jenny, awesome! Question though, what things did y...Jenny, awesome! Question though, what things did you and Dave put in place to be a source of joy, fun, "need a break", de-stress or decompress, need to get out, etc. I know you and your personality (we are similar) and things like a date night out or the occasional swing thru Target are MUCH more to us than buying things...a year is long and the stresses will come...I think a second list of what you're going to do ir where you're going to go when things get stressful, when your marriage needs attention, when the kids are driving you crazy (etc etc) is important for staying the course that long. Stephanie Weinerthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01004406177837288917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-44655716726109546972014-12-31T11:28:39.724-07:002014-12-31T11:28:39.724-07:00I just finished reading a Dave Ramsey book so I to...I just finished reading a Dave Ramsey book so I totally support the "making tough decisions for a big result" plan. And wow! No Target?? I don't think I could ever completely give that up since I buy pretty much all our toiletries there as well as diapers, wipes, and other actual necessities. Even though we cloth diaper and don't go through many of those. I did ban myself from the Dollar Spot...and I was pretty proud of that. Very impressed. Good luck! Dianahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13555510746799656781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-76247297422333010252014-12-30T22:46:58.484-07:002014-12-30T22:46:58.484-07:00Cloth diapers were game-changers for us. They'...Cloth diapers were game-changers for us. They're gross. Hosing poop off them makes me grumpy. But we've used them on four kids by this point and have saved thousands of dollars. Win!EWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02976023509476805803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-81885823878038593872014-12-30T22:19:15.082-07:002014-12-30T22:19:15.082-07:00Aldi = cheap diapers ;-) In my opinion, Dollar Tre...Aldi = cheap diapers ;-) In my opinion, Dollar Tree baby wipes are amazing, too!Michele Chronisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05328455640818231923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-54351912636248214212014-12-30T21:10:31.444-07:002014-12-30T21:10:31.444-07:00It has NEVER crossed my mind to abstain from Targe...It has NEVER crossed my mind to abstain from Target for a year. You are brilliant. I bet I could save So. Much. Money. if I refrained from crossing their threshold. Gah. That might be my New Years resolution.Christinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09310712364228768562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-9512315656855068362014-12-30T19:58:19.135-07:002014-12-30T19:58:19.135-07:00let freeeeeeedom ring!! go you guys! so awesome. i...let freeeeeeedom ring!! go you guys! so awesome. i'm excited for you. i quit target like a while ago and until i read this?? didn't miss it. honestly. i cant NOT overspend. sooo no beuno. i did gasp at groceries "in cash" because that is my open wound. i cant get my grocery bill down for the life of me. i blow 300 bucks. need more groceries like MINUTES later. kills me. then i starve my family and refuse to grocery and make them eat everything in the pantry - oh! you didnt want tilapia. applesauce. mac n cheese and little debbies for saturday night dinner?? well. sorry. because we are cleaning out the pantry!! Its awful. anxious to see how this goes for you. go go go go team. as for this household - NY reso - i get up at 5 AM 90% of the time and stick with my 15 minutes of prayer probably 75% of the time. so the goal is 5 AM. coffee and prayer time, 100% of the time. and get a PR in a 5k. definitely shooting high there! ugh. my buns burn already.Ruth Almeterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04917865252357986236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-49537480607748173512014-12-30T19:53:58.370-07:002014-12-30T19:53:58.370-07:00(Sorry if this is a double comment...) Way to go! ...(Sorry if this is a double comment...) Way to go! You can totally do it! But my heart hurts for you at the thought of not having Up and Up diapers. Do you have a red card? It's NOT a credit card, it links directly to your debit account. And you can use to get free shipping (no minimum) and 5% Target.com. What if only Dave knew the Target password and card pin number and ordered diapers offline? Because if you're like me, then the website is almost as alluring as the actual store!Kaitlin @ More Like Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02260649249438520187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-2339056421071287622014-12-30T18:51:29.904-07:002014-12-30T18:51:29.904-07:00I laughed at the Target comment! Target is new her...I laughed at the Target comment! Target is new here (only recently came to Canada) and I've already fallen into it's grips! It's crazy how I can't leave there without buying way more than I went there for. Our finances also need a major overhaul, and cutting out Target is part of that.Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03986920187652559863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-86982991862568650802014-12-30T18:21:09.923-07:002014-12-30T18:21:09.923-07:00we are doing the get out of debt plan too. Prayi...we are doing the get out of debt plan too. Praying we can be debt free by Feb. 2016Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17718669992489223382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-41126767429369748002014-12-30T18:20:16.770-07:002014-12-30T18:20:16.770-07:00When I had to slash our budget, I limited myself t...When I had to slash our budget, I limited myself to Target only once a month, and only what was on my list. And no cart. Not getting the cart is huge. We still needed boring things like underwear and that was the cheapest place to get it. Amazing when I had to keep a list of things we needed and limit myself to once a month, how much I didn't buy. You could also order diapers online and have them shipped to the house - that might allow you to still get the Target brand. Good for you for setting this goal - 14 months is a short period of time to be austere, and think of all the financial freedom you will have once the debt is paid off. Do you guys have Aldi in Denver? HUGE grocery savings. I have a spreadsheet if you're interested...!Krishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02999838147173390906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-10839676690086472942014-12-30T17:12:25.338-07:002014-12-30T17:12:25.338-07:00Good for you, Jenny. This time last year we were ...Good for you, Jenny. This time last year we were hurting after an international move, a medical insurance blunder, and years of bad financial habits. Last January we began FPU and this has been the best year of our marriage by far. If we don't have any major issues this year (like a car that goes kaput) we might be out of debt about the same time as you. Keep up the amazing work. Micaela Darrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04601442850363152303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1669762298855511295.post-80735099147529251302014-12-30T16:43:27.416-07:002014-12-30T16:43:27.416-07:00We've eaten out "never" (well except...We've eaten out "never" (well except a few times when family takes us out) for a few years now and it gets easier once you get out of the habit. The more you cook, the easier it is to learn how to cook things that are nutritious and easy ona super quick basis. It really is something that takes practice but I honestly don't miss eating out at all, because I know I can make something just as good at home. It does take some planing to deal with being oujt of the house but even that gets easier as you practice. Amelia Bentruphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04289052534608175705noreply@blogger.com