Back to basics with money

Friday's going for a ride on Connor's motorbike

Doesn't he look comfortable?

And of course, what's a motorbike ride without some tea? :)

So I've been feeling a little out of control with money the last couple of months but I've been brushing it off until something happened.

I just couldn't account for a really large sum of money (basically between all the accounts almost one of our salaries).

Anyway, after playing with the spreadsheets and looking for this missing money for a few days (long for me as I lack patience), I just wrote it off on my spreadsheets and we started afresh.

Then today at our strat we watched a very short but very powerful TED talk clip.

I think his name was Richard St John and he said you do all these things to get successful. Then when you get there, you get lazy and stop doing those things. Of course, you then slip back into that unsuccessful state.

WOW.

It really spoke to me. (in the area of money and weight/ health and fitness)

Not that I've reached the success pinacle or anything like that but....I am just very happy with our current money situation.

It wasn't always like this but tithing plus wisdom plus good old common sense plus carefully tracking spending and being intentional with our money led us here and I'd like us to stay secure.

We still do everything except I've only been tracking spending every 6 - 8 weeks or so and I used to do it every two weeks.

So tonight I did the budget and here's what I learned:

1. We (I) spend way too much on groceries. We do the weekly shop at P&P and then occasionally I pop into Woolworths and I basically do the equivalent of a weekly shop again. This may be normal for some of you but it freaks me out.
2. The babies' spending is even less than before - yay! 
3. We're eating out a lot again. We went through a patch when the babies were AWFUL out and we just stayed in rather than have kids flinging pizza all over the restaurant. They have been good for such a long stretch now and you can see it on my credit card statement.
4. I spend a LOT at Mr Price Home. Hopefully this will calm down now that I have all the babies' new linen.
5. I'm also spending a lot on myself. This is nothing new, generally speaking, but these days it's on hair and hair products (WITSH? - what in the Sam Hill?!) - Brazilian, shampoo and a wash and blow on average every 3 weeks.
6. It would be irresponsible to do a trip at the end of April and then again in July, so we'll just laze around Jhb next month.

I've transferred money here, there and everywhere like a crazy woman tonight and now all the savings accounts balance, and now we need to make what's left work for the rest of the month.

If you're thinking, "oh, that's only 3 days", um no, the way our month works, it's 3 weeks! :) I will not dip into my savings account.

I like having this blog to keep me accountable so I'll let you know how it all goes.

Do you track your spending?


Are you happy with your money situation? (not amounts, but how thoughtful you are about it and the spending thereof)


PS By the way, it would cost us more to put both of them in school, even half day, than what a full-time nanny costs. We would also have to get a cleaning lady on another 2 days a week (besides the one Nester already does) to keep up with the kids' laundry and cleaning the house. By my calculations, I could pay the equivalent of 3 kids going to school, at the very least.
PPS Claudia, GREAT comment on the last post. Thank you for challenging me. I am mulling it over but will respond.