Budget, What Budget?

Budget, what budget?  That is what I am feeling these days.  Since we have taken a break from school we have a little bit of extra money.  We are not paying for piano, ice skating, and a few other things due to the summer break.  We do have fishing trips and fun stuff planned though and that all takes money too.  We have taken to eating out more than usual also.  Eating out is a treat that I love, no shopping, planning, cooking, or clean-up.  Having a family our size takes a lot out of our budget even if we decide to go to a cheapy old fast food place. (Dave Ramsey would be appaulled) I am starting to feel the need to tighten that money belt a bit.

I am planning on going through our checkbook and looking at the last several months to add up how much money we have wasted on eating out. (Dave Ramsey would be proud) After I pick myself up off the floor from the shock that I know is to come I will share this revelation with the family.  Then we will think of all the things that we could have spent that money on until we are all convinced that eating out really is not that wonderful a thing.  (Dave Ramsey would be proud)  Then we will celebrate with a nice dinner at the Chinese place in town.  (Dave Ramsey would be appaulled once again)  Oops, did I just say that out loud???

I have not been “real” grocery shopping in probably 2 months. These every other day runs to the store are a budget killer too.  I always seem to find something to buy that wasn’t on the list!  I am in desperate need of a trip to the butcher shop and to Costco.  I think this shopping trip will bust the budget as well because I have not kept our stock up.  I just need to do it though to get back on track.  I am planing on making a LARGE purchase at the butcher shop and hopefully it will last almost all year.  Hubby went deep sea fishing and brought home halibut and rockfish.  We are going at the end of the month to go salmon fishing.  Hubs is also planning a caribou hunt and a bear hunt.  I think meat should be covered for the year! Then it will only be keeping stock up in the pantry.  Costco runs will cover that.  Those runs are not too bad as long as I keep on top of it because not everything runs out at the same time.  It is when I let the supply dwindle and have to restock EVERYTHING at once that is gets unbearable.

So my day will consist of menu planning and list writing.  Oh yeah, and adding up the wasted money that we have “eaten” up these past few months.  (Dave Ramsey would be proud once again)  If I am not back to blogging soon then you will know I hit my head when I fainted from the total!

Am I the only one who has a hard time keeping that food budget under control?  Or I should say, just following the food budget!