If I Could be a Spokesperson...

I haven't always been really mindful about money- saving, spending, etc. I never really had a "budget" or anything like that. Then, I got married. Praise the Lord that I married a man who is so wise about how to be a good steward with the gifts and money God provides for us. After a few rocky months of getting used to this whole "budget" thing, I will be the first to tell you that it is so important and makes your marriage and life so much simpler and easier.  BUT, I did say there were some rocky months right? Staying within budget is HARD! It takes discipline, time, and practice, and by NO means am I an expert! In fact, I'm still learning and will always be learning how to be better about spending/saving.  With that in mind, I want to share with you 2 tools that I LOVE to tell people about.

So, If I Could be a Spokesperson...

I'd represent Mint.com. This is a FREE online budgeting tool that is wonderful! You can upload any/all of your bank accounts onto it and track your spending each month. It's nice to see how much you spend on gas, food, rent/mortgage, clothing, etc. each month. I love it because before the month even starts, we have a set amount we want to spend in each category. Hunter or I will check it weekly throughout the month, and we can track to see how much we have left to spend. It's nice to have a limit or else, knowing my spending nature, I'd spend more than I should! Check out the website. It is easy to navigate and is also very secure.

Another great tool is E-Mealz. I am very new at this but I can already tell that I LOVE it. You pay $15 every three months ($5/month), and you sign up to download a menu/shopping list for a week's worth of dinners from your favorite grocery store. I shop at Aldi a lot, so I chose the option "Aldi For 2". There are family options, low fat options, point system options, and they have most common grocery stores (Publix, Walmart, Kroger, etc.)
I can't stop talking about E-Mealz because: A) It has a list of 5 yummy meals I can make that week... and do I cook 5 times a week? No. I usually cook about 3 and then have leftovers. SO, I can usually spend less than $50 for about two week's worth of dinners!B) It has the grocery items that you need listed already, and how much you should plan on spending (and by where you find them in the store)C) I don't have to rack my brain for good/exciting/different meals. They do it for me! Yes, no more going to the pantry/freezer, seeing a ton of food, and saying, "Hm, what should we have for dinner." It's so easy. I love it... and I can already tell that Hunter does, too!