{ Re-Evaluating Pennies }

In this economy it's important for us to pay attention to the details. In our home we make ok money...especially since I returned to full time work last year. We're not rich but we're not living week to week either. But the budget that was carefully constructed late last year is completely out the window with gas and food prices and our efforts to create a savings safety net of six months of income has faltered. So, I've been evaluating everything. In my classic, throw everything out to the middle of the room, leave no stone unturned, I am reevaluating everything in an effort to get back on financial track. Here's what became obvious in the first round of Operation Budget Restoration:
1. We don't need to drive to the Park and Ride station when we can take the bus instead.
2. Luckily in our community we have a limited number of eating out options but we've eliminated that completely unless we are invited by friends, entertaining guests or want to celebrate a special event...you know like it was when we were growing up.
3. Food is a huge part of our budget. There's only two of us so we can and need to eat more simply. This couples nicely with our recent efforts to eat whole foods, to buy fresh local produce from local farmers and our own new veggie garden endeavor.
4. Our veggie garden has cost about one months worth of food budget to put in but we are hoping to be able to produce three to six months of food. We have purchased an eigth of beef from a local beef grower, have arranged our salmon needs with a friend who fishes and are getting farm fresh eggs for $1.50 a dozen less than the grocery stores. This type of food prep and planning takes more time and effort but I can turn off the tv and do this because it reconnects me to a part of my life that has benefits beyond the budget.
5. I'm a self employed person who visits clients daily. In setting up my May calendar, I tried to schedule clients in similar geographic locations on the same days. I can't always do this, but with a little effort I calculated that I saved myself about half a tank of gas in the coming months.

All of these efforts may or may not save us money but the added benefit of being more connected to my life instead of muddling through without conscientious thought may be the larger reward.