Monthly Financial Update

So here is the update, next month we will add in his truck being paid off as a financial goal.

• Credit cards paid off by August - Done in 6/11
• Can I just say how happy I am not to have to pay any credit cards this month!!!! That is so exciting for me!
• Save money, approx. $10,000, for a new truck for Doug.
  • Update - Since we now can't save (since we already bought it), maybe we can pay this much off.  Our plan right now is to make payments of $500.  This is about $150 over the required payment. 
• Use tax refund to pay off one of our two remaining credit cards.
  • DONE 5/11
• Use my debate coach pay for credit cards - Done 6/11 
  • The check came and went, before I even got to touch any of it :(.  I can't wait until we have a tax return or a any other kind of big check that I actually get to do something with it other than pay bills. 
• Build Christmas gift fund of $1000 to include food too.
  • Not working so well right now.  I keep raiding it.  We currently have $200.
• Keep food budget at $400 a month ($100 a week).
  • Tried this, but then adjusted it to $500 and it seemed to work better.  However, during much of March & April we have been only spending slightly over $100 a week and doing pretty well. We may need to adjust it back to $400.
  • In truth, since mid June when we got back from vacation I have had a ton of trouble sticking to $125 and holding to my principles of healthy food.  Wish me luck, I need it!
• Take a small vacation, around $700, paid in cash from daycare money (we don't have to pay daycare during the summer since the kids stay home with me).
  • We are headed to Florida soon!  We already paid for the condo, which is mainly why we are behind in our credit cards.  We have also saved a decent amount of spending money, but we still need some more.
  • We did it!!!!  It was wonderful.  I have not relaxed and had fun like that since I became a mother & how awesome is it that it is all paid for!

A few late additions to our financial goals. 

• Up the kids college savings to $100 a month. - Done, now we just need to keep it there!!!
• Begin building an emergency fund by saving $500 a month, which would mean $3000 by the end of the year.
• We have never had an emergency fund.  Our credit cards have been our emergency fund and I am kind of worried about what we will think about actually having money in the bank.  I am really afraid that our emergency fund will become our "Oh my gosh, that is an awesome deal and I want it now" fund.  I'm afraid my husband will use it to buy another flat screen t.v. and that I will use it for the leather living room furniture I have been drooling over.  Wish us luck because we are going to need it.
• Finally, we have a new budget.  This goal is to simply stick to it.  We will see how it goes, this is the first month.