March 2012 Goal Update

Lets see how we did with our goals for the month of March:

Here are our 2012 Goals: (in no particular order)

1) To not eat out or at least to not pay out of pocket, with the exception of tips. If we want to treat the family to a meal out, we will make sure we have a gift card to cover all of us.
We did fabulous with this goal.

2) Pay off 2 credit cards
We are so excited that one of our credit cards will be paid off next month- so close and so excited- will explain tomorrow:)

3) Not to use any of our credit cards for 2012. To pay cash for everything.
We did great with this and used cash for our purchases in March.

4) To lower our grocery budget. Our current grocery budget is $400 month for our family of 6. Our goal is to lower that amount and to save the remainder.
We went over last month by about $25.  We are working hard this month to stay below budget by having alot of bean and rice meals, which the boys love:)  Plus we hope to stay below budget even helping our church stock the food pantry.

5) To create a monthly meal plan for our family, to use leftovers more efficiently and to make use of everything in our pantry and freezer.
Doing great with this for March- use leftovers wisely and wasting less. With 4 boys, leftovers are not being left over as much.

6) Unclutter the house and become more organized:)
We are doing great with this.  I consigned alot of baby stuff in March.  Still have alot of baby stuff that will go into the fall consignment sale.  I have made a list of must declutter areas and have broken them down into smaller jobs. That makes me feel not so overwhelmed. I have a tendency to look at my massive to do list and have no clue where to start and then nothing gets done. So, I have made a big to do list and broken it down into smaller chores for myself. So far so good.

7) Lose weight- I need to get motivated to lose this baby weight- my goal is to lose 20 lbs this year.
I was excited last month when I thought I lost 4 pounds- wrong.  Someone messed with my scale- so not nice.  But I am happy that I have lost 2 pounds.  I also have found a kick boxing video and an exercise dance video on Netflix that I am loving and am doing everyday, along with going to the gym 6 times a week:)

8) Morning devotions, prayer time and more bible reading
Doing great with this:)

9) Monthly date night with hubby- whether we go out or stay at home, pop popcorn and rent a movie
Didn't do so well with this in March.


10) To spend quality family time together. With everyones schedule and us running all over creation, I would love to spend more quality time together- no tv- us playing games, talking, enjoying each others company.
Not so great with this goal- will make more of an effort to make this happen.

11) Not to use our dryer to save on electricity and lower our electricity bill
Doing fabulous with this goal and when our electric bill came in it was $15 lower- YEA!!

12) To make a better effort to blog more regularly and to make a blogging schedule
Started out doing great with this but then surgeries, doc/dentist appointments, etc came up and made blogging more difficult. But everything is quiet so far, so I have been consistent in blogging:)

13) To make much needed house repairs
Making a list of house repairs to do when the weather warms up

14) To fix the car that is sitting in our driveway so that whoever gets their drivers license first will have a car to drive or share if they both get their license at the same time
We are actually going to nix this goal as we are going to sell the car.  My father is going to sell me my mom's van.  It is too painful for him to have around the house, so we are not going to need the car after all.  We soon will have 2 vans:)

15) To do 1 project a month and blog about it- will post the list of projects soon
Doing great and having a blast with this.  March project done and successful:)