1 month down! ...11 to go.

So, here's how we did for the month:
Rule #1 - nothing new - not broken! Kasen did get a pair of new shoes, but I looked for used first & got them suuuuper cheap. He's allowed new shoes if I look for used first, so that wasn't breaking any rules. He also got new socks, but those are allowed. :)

Rule #2 - no frivolous spending - not broken! We didn't buy ANYTHING.
Rule #3 - less eating out - broken. *sigh* The rule was we could each eat out ONCE per week, and we could have 2 family meals out during the month. We did great didn't eat out at all until this last week. Luke had a guy's night out, which he spent a bit more than he should on, but that was okay. BUT, Luke also went out at lunch one day the same week. That broke the rules. (I was so sure it would be ME that broke the rules, not him!)
Rule #4 - outings - not broken! We didn't take advantage of our one family outing this month.

So, while rule #3 was broken, we still did great. We spent just under $35 on meals out (which is a drastic change from what we spent monthly in 2008!), and I spent about $15 on 2 pairs of shoes & a pack of socks for Kasen. The only other money we spent was grocery related.

27 transactions: 11 gas, 2 restaurant, 9 grocery (which includes trips just to buy milk & keep in mind I buy some things at Kroger, some a Sprouts, so it gets funky...) 5 other (my tire, oil filters, 2 CVS trips, Kasen socks/shoes, & doctor) Plus $10 in cash spent.

versus 53 transactions in December! (A few were Christmas related, but not that many...) Plus, who knows how much cash was blown in December. We've really made a change in our lives & it's totally gonna pay off! Yay!