You’re doing so great! I love seeing this all planned out. Makes me want to go budget! I love that you did the deliberation station! I recently heard that our brains get the same dopamine hit from writing it on a list as buying it- crazy! But I bet it will help with impulse purchases- that’s fantastic that you’ve already written stuff on it- it’s like a record of how much you’re saving by NOT buying. On the extra principal- that’s ridiculous that they make you call every time! But I’m glad you caught it. I bet you’re right - they probably are NOT doing that with your extra payment & I absolutely would call every single month just to make sure. At first my bank told me to call, then the next time they said I could online, so maybe have your husband confirm a couple times - maybe you could mail it? I used to do that and write a separate check, clearly marked, and I would make sure they applied it correctly. On the surgery & trees- you’re doing great. Your budget is very tight. Could you cut your grocery budget down for just a couple weeks to scratch up a few hundred? Like do a pantry challenge & eat up everything in the house before buying more? It’s amazing how long we can go when I do this& it can be kind of fun. I know you’re trying for protein- could you add in eggs to supplement instead of meat for a few meals? Tuna salad? Clearance rotisserie chicken? If you can’t cut that section down, the only option I see is to bring in more income. Kudos to your husband for the boat cushions! Christine from Frugal Fit Mom has a great video on side hustles. Since you’re home anyway, I wonder could you babysit any neighbor kids just for the summer? I’ll try to link the video… You’re doing awesome. I’ll pray God gives ideas & wisdom!
