In my last
Getting Back to Basics post, I talked about cutting the necessary items out of
your budget! Well, more specifically....your groceries. I want to quickly cap
up on this before moving on!
In
addition to bringing down our groceries, we had to truly look elsewhere too!
Firstly, petrol (gas) was an issue. When we received our car, we already knew
it was going to be tight on petrol. How were we going to fit this in? We knew
quickly that joy riding wasn’t going to work!
We’d love
to take the boys for a night time car ride when they just won’t quiet
down...and I’d jump for joy if Hubby could always take me where I needed to be!
However, I have two legs that work just fine and my kids need to learn to sleep
in their beds!
I walked a
lot before we had a car and I can still do it! If I have an appointment within
walking distance (for me that is the whole town but I’d say ideally you should
be able to cover 5km walking anywhere!) then I walk! It saves us a lot of
petrol otherwise wasted!
Instead of
Hubby making an extra trip to the grocery store for fresh foods, I get dropped
off there after work, get what I need and walk home!
We also
still carpool when available. Going to braais out of town or me getting to
work....we club in! It saves with everyone!
We also
took a look at our TV. It was and IS NOT necessary to have a full package on
your cable! If your provider offers a smaller package, grab it! For us it was a
R500 difference! That almost fills our tank in petrol! Almost a WHOLE tank of
petrol people! Yea, sometimes we feel there is nothing on TV but honestly 90%
of the time you have 500 channels and watch 3 of them!
There are
going to be areas you just cannot slack on! I could put the boys in a different
school. The other schools charge for full day what I am now paying for half
day! Because LJ is too small to attend the after care classes, that means I
have to still employ a full time nanny!
This does
make it sound like we have money....but for us this wasn’t something we can
slack on! We tried three other schools with Lil Mister in the first two years
of his life. He was not happy NOR did he excel in any of them! He is doing
amazing in the current school! He is happy to go there each day and excited to
tell us what he did when he gets home. The school makes a genuine effort to
involve the parents and discusses changes and what is happening with us
regularly, seriously considering our opinions on everything!
Additionally,
the school supports and encourages our lifestyle choices. They are a Christian
school and up hold those values to all costs! Because we have chosen this
school, I at the end pay double what I would at another school because of
keeping Maggy employed. It is worth the exchange! I can do without a lot of
things but my children will have a proper education! Have I mentioned that this
school is from 1 years old until they graduate high school! Same school,
teachers, expectations, and head master....through their entire education!
Again...worth the sacrifice!
Surprisingly,
pre-made food items can also sometimes be cheaper here. We’ve swapped making
tomato/onion sauces from scratch because it is cheaper for us to do it via a
canned item. However, I refuse to give up my children's fruits and yogurts
(again notice the children's point)! I am proud that I have a child that will
beg for fresh corn on the cob in the grocery store over sweets! Lil Mister
wants those strawberries that cost my last R30....fine! He isn’t asking for
junk! LJ wants to eat 3 bananas a day (I’m serious people)...no complaints from
this Mama!
I guess my
point is that this step is a very personal process. There are no right or
wrongs. Some of you would look at my shopping and view my budget and say shave
here or shave a little there. But....the bottom line is we can ALL shave
somewhere. And you...yes YOU have to decide where those straggling points are
and cut them loose!
Have you
considered letting some things go? What did you cut loose lately and how has it
changed things for you? Is there anything you’re considering cutting back on
but are scared to take that plunge? Why?
Check out my highlight sponsor this month!!
XOXxx
Shana Danae..
We got rid of cable last summer and don't miss it. We have Netflix and that works fine for movies and such. We really only watch network tv anyway. I grew up without cable, so it's not really that big of a deal to me. I like the fact that we save $60/month! We work together so we carpool to work most days too.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have any kind of network TV here....to watch any tv you have to get DSTV which is basically cable. So we take a very small package! I'm glad you've also been able to cut down! Less TV= More Family Time!
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