I fell victim to the "I'm lazies"!
We had two parent teachers conferences tonight, got out sorta late, and I ordered food in. I didn't want to, but I also didn't want to cook. My kitchen hates me. I know I need to get over this. It is killing my budjet.

For the next five months I will be saving my income for the $20 challenge. I have not been working since August, and I consider all that I earn to be "extra".
I think that toning down my cable and phone bill, I can come up with some spare change.
I also don't think that we will be eating out but three times a month. That is way better than three times a week.
I also am not going to buy any liquor or anything of the like. I will see how much better I feel with a month without the devil's water. If it is worth the sacrifice, I will continue and probably not even miss it. Since I haven't been going out with friends to drink, it will be super easy to give up for a while.
I spent $9.75 on $3.00 worth of gas this morning. I also couldn't bring myself to pay $3.69 for premium. I got regular for $3.45.
I have been taking the stairs at school for three days now. I want to count those steps and challenge myself to take five more steps daily. I don't know how well I will remember these numbers, but I will figure something out.

I made dinner tonight, including dessert.
It only took about twenty minutes, start to finish, and it smelled wonderful. That is worth it to me to continue to cook at home. I do have to work Friday and Sunday night, but I can cook at lunch time.
Save $30.00 on Chinese food that DH wanted for dinner towards the challenge and off I go to a high balance. I will deposit the money tomorrow.
Off to a great start.

Reading some money saving tips, I found some ways to cut corners in my budget. I can cut down on the "unnecessary trips" in my car to save gas. I will limit my alcohol consumption, even though I did save money staying home instead of going out. Cigarettes poses a bigger problem though.
I have signed my kids up for baseball this week, so in the coming months I will be spending time there rather than spending money somewhere else. I also live about 1/2 a block from the diamonds so we will pack lunch and drinks to drag there. Concession stand prices are crazy.
I know I have told myself this before, but we really HAVE TO QUIT EATING TAKEOUT!
Since I have a big grocery budget, I need to use it a little more wisely. I also can make all the foods we like to eat out at home. Us parents just need to quit being lazy. I am more guilty of it, as Daddy works early to late Monday through Friday. He should be tired. He gets up over an hour before we do.
I subscribed to recipe site that sends me weeks worth of food, the shopping list and all, but I have yet to implement it into our daily lives.
When I save up enough for my chest freezer, I know that I will use the cook and freeze a week method more. Right now my little freezer is full of crap.
I buy the healthy foods for us, and they go to waste. I think that is why I don't cook as much. Fast food tastes better. I love a homemade hamburger better, but my children are used to the flat, tasteless patty.
I also want to grill out at least twice a week this summer. That will be entertaining, and good for us. Outside in the sun, running and laughing; I can't wait.
If anyone has any suggestions on how I can make myself STOP the fast food route, PLEASE let me know. I tried doing it, complaining when Daddy brought it home, but I ate it and was glad he did. I would love to get out of that trap. Telling myself how much more money it costs isn't helping.
Also, I need to do the freeze it meals because I work nights and weekends, and DH works days. If I want both of us to quit buying, I need to have it ready for him to thaw or nuke and serve.

Veggies and Fruit are our least favorite. I want to add more of that into my children's diet. Grown ups too. So maybe I can buy a chocolate dip for them to have. Marshmallow sounds good too.