I realize that we’re almost two months into 2013, but I’d still like to go over our 2012 goals and recap how we did. I also need to set up some 2013 goals!

1. Set up a savings account for the baby. We opened a savings account with ING (now Capital One 360) for the baby a few months after she was born.  We put any birthday/gift money into it for her.  I need to research 529 plans and see if that is something we’d like to do.

2. Figure out life insurance. We have some life insurance though Mr. Money’s employer but should probably look into getting more.

3. Change beneficiaries.  Did this!  It was very easy once we got the baby’s social security number.

4. Make more money blogging/working from home. Looking back, this was quite a lofty goal.  I mainly focused on taking care of my high needs baby while trying to keep the house clean.  It was a little crazy.  Although I didn’t quite achieve this goal, I don’t feel one ounce of guilt about it.  I am doing what I love and couldn’t be happier.  I did watch my friend’s 10 month old daughter for a few weeks for her and it was nuts.  I did make a little extra money though.

5. Stay debt free. Yay! No new debt.

6. Finish up all house projects that need to be done. Ha. Who didn’t see this one coming?!  I can’t get any house projects done with my crazy baby.  :)  I did manage to paint our bathroom though!

7. Learn to relax and not worry so darn much. Having a baby really makes you stop and think about what really is important.  2012 was the best year of my life, and I would do it all over again in a second!  I can’t wait to watch Penny learn and grow over the years!

I do need to work on our 2013 goals and figure out what we want to accomplish.  I’m looking forward to great things!

It’s been way too long, and I owe you guys an update.

-Mr. Money got a job! He is the chef of a restaurant again, working noon to midnights, but he has benefits! It is awesome.  We are so, so thankful.  We were able to spend Thanksgiving with my family and my sister came to spend Christmas with us so that was nice.

-Penny celebrated her first birthday last month.  I cannot believe my baby is a year old!  She is now walking and babbling and busy being cute.

-I’m hoping we get a tax refund this year.  Hopefully with my lack of income and us having Penny will help.  I’m confused on how many exemptions Mr. Money should claim, so I’m trying to figure that out.

I have so many things I’d like to blog about, but it is so hard to find time when caring for a baby basically by myself.  I’m so thankful that Penny is such a joy to be with.  We spend  a lot of time at home playing with toys and hanging out.

I’ll try my hardest to update again soon! Thank you all for the support!

Obviously, with Mr. Money unemployed, we’re adopting a bare bones budget.  Here’s our budget and what we’ve done so far:

Mortgage- $793.00 (Can’t change this)
Escrow- $220.00 (Can’t change this)
Gas & Electric- $140.00- Since we budget this ourselves, we currently have a surplus.  If things get really bad I can use up all the money in our electricity account and start contributing again when Mr. Money has a job.  I’ve started line-drying all the clothes and we’ve turned the thermostat down a little.  Hopefully those two things will help.
Car Insurance- $92.00- I can shop around for quotes but since we bundle our homeowners insurance with it, I don’t know how much cheaper I can get it.
Groceries- $300.00 I cut this a lot, and it makes me sad.  I am hoping we can actually make it on $300 a  month for groceries.
Cell Phone- $43.00- Mr. Money is going to take over my phone since he’s losing his company phone.  I’ll go without until I get a prepaid.
Cable, Phone, Internet- $145.00- I’m going to call to see if we can get it cheaper.  I have to have a home phone and we need the internet so Mr. Money can search for a job.
Gas- $150.00- We cut this a lot since there isn’t a need to drive every day.
Retirement- put on hold
Savings- put on hold
Health Insurance- $240.00- we have to pay this all ourselves now each month.
Dogs- $70.00
Water Bill- $22.00

I won’t lie, I’m really scared right now.  Hopefully he will be able to start collecting unemployment soon. He had three interviews with one company last Monday but hasn’t heard anything back yet  I think I’ll be less stressed once I know we’ll have some money coming in.  I’m still trying to come up with some ideas of things I can do from home to bring in money.

It seems as though everything I can think of is already being done or just not a good idea.

I’m hoping Mr. Money will line up a good paying job with benefits soon. The unknown is so scary!

Do you see anything in our budget you think I should change?

I had to unsubscribe from the feed of one of my favorite home decorating blogs this morning.  I’ve been reading it for years, but lately I’ve noticed that their pictures of beautiful rooms and neat projects was making me feel like my house was greatly inferior.  Years ago I was embarrassed of my house, and while the feeling is still there sometimes, for the most part I am proud of how I’ve fixed up and decorated.  It really feels like home now, and I love the size and layout.  I have such a hard time reading blogs and looking at pictures online and not comparing them to my house.  It’s hard to picture the houses not picture-perfect (and I’m sure that most of the houses aren’t immaculate all the time).  I realized that by reading all these house blogs I was setting unrealistic expectations of my own house and had to change something.  It was stressing me out when anything in my house was out of place or dirty.  With Penny, it’s harder for me to do things than in used to be, and I’d rather spend time with her than spend all my days cleaning.

I’ve also noticed the more time I spend on Pinterest, the more I feel overwhelmed and not good enough.  I see all these pictures of beautiful, perfect birthday parties for kids and think of how I want Penny’s birthday to be perfect.  However, I know as long as we’re spending the day with her I know it will it be perfect.  I really don’t need to spend hundreds on decorations for her to have a good birthday.

The fact is, I need to learn to be content with what I have, especially now that Mr. Money is unemployed.  I need to stop making lists of everything in my house that I would like to upgrade and just be happy with how it is.  I have to stop comparing things to others, because a lot of things online aren’t really how they are in real life.  I’ve got a great house, beautiful family, and a lot to be thankful for.  I’ll be focusing on that instead of thinking of all the things I’d like to have.  That should help me find some contentment with what I have.  At this point, as long as all of our family has all of our needs met, I’ll be happy.  I can’t ask for much more than that.

So, this is a post I never thought I would be writing.  After seven years of working for the same company, Mr. Money lost his job.  I think we’re both still in shock and will try to figure out what is the best plan for our family.  I am so thankful that we have always been able to live on not a lot of money, so it’s not like we’re going to feel a huge lifestyle downgrade.

I hope he is able to find a job quickly and that it is even better than the last one he had.  Benefits would be amazing!  Right now we have to pay for our really crappy health insurance ourselves and it’s expensive and doesn’t cover a lot.  Better health insurance and a 401k plan would be amazing.  While we’re at it, I’ll take good hours too.

I’m trying to come up with some ideas to make money from home for myself.  I could start babysitting now that Mr. Money is home to help but after he goes back to work it may be difficult.  I am sure I will come up with something that will help.  For right now, we’re trimming our budget down to the necessities and seeing how we can save money each month.  We had to stop our retirement contributions temporarily too.

I’m trying to stay positive.  It’s scary when you are a one income family with a baby and your one source of income is eliminated.    We’ve gotten through everything before, so I’m confident that we will come ahead out of this and things will all work out just fine.

We’re exactly three months away from Christmas.  Yikes.  I’m already planning because this is my first Christmas as a stay-at-home mom, and my lack of income is going to make it more interesting to purchase Christmas gifts.  I’m sure we’ll be fine though, and it will just spur me to be more creative.  Here are some things I’m working on to make our Christmas season a good one without over spending!

1. Make gifts. This is an obvious.  I need to get a move on this because if I’m going to knit things, it is going to take time.  And with an 8 month old baby, I’m going to have to find time first!  My plan is to knit a ton of dish cloths while I’m riding in the car and when I have some down time.  I think that will be the easiest.  I’d also like to knit some socks for people and maybe some new cute things for Penny.

2. Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a great way to make a little extra money for me.  What I do is use the search engine every time I need to search for something, and when I accumulate enough Swagbucks I cash them in for $5 Amazon gift cards. I am banking them right now to buy Christmas presents.  I think I may also get some Target gift cards so I can do some shopping in person!  I make sure to do some of the easy things to earn more Swagbucks too.  Sign up and start earning.

3. Doing an activity versus purchasing items for people. One of my best friends has two girls and we were discussing Christmas and how it’s going to be different this year.  We decided that instead of exchanging gifts (since our girls are going to get tons of things from other people any way) we’re going to do a special outing or make a nice dinner and spend time together.  That will be very enjoyable, and will save us each money and clutter.

4. Stashing away a little extra cash whenever I’ve got it. $20 here and there adds up, and I’ve been taking $20 from each paycheck for months now and saving that in our Christmas fund.  Also, when I sell things on Craigslist or online, I separate that money and save it for Christmas.

Have you started thinking about Christmas yet?

I love wearing Penny, and to be honest, sometimes it’s the only way I’m able to get things done! Either she’s fussy and just wants to be held, or I want to keep her from getting into trouble while I try to do laundry or clean. Babywearing helps me in so many ways, and it also benefits Penny! I’ve tried a few different styles of baby carriers so far (it’s addicting!) and one of my favorites is the Boba 3g. Here are some of the features I love about this soft structured carrier (SSC).

Picture courtesy of Boba

-It’s super easy to use. Once you adjust it to your personal settings, you just clip two buckles (one at the waist and one at the shoulders) and it is secure. My dad has used the Boba 3g Carrier, and you just let out the straps (or take them in) and it’s good to go for another person.

-The comfort is amazing. My mother was skeptical about the Boba Carrier hurting her back.  She tried it and loved it!  I have worn Penny for hours at a parade and had no discomfort at all.  The straps are padded so they are very comfortable.  The baby’s weight seems to be evenly distributed so you don’t feel any pressure points.

-You can use it for newborns with no separate insert. Other SSC carriers you have to purchase a “newborn insert” to use it for babies 7-15 pounds.  With the Boba 3g, you just flip up the bottom, snap it, and it makes a little pocket to put the baby in.  It’s safe, and it works.  Since Penny is tiny at around 13 pounds, I’ve used this carry with her and she really likes it because she can see over the carrier.

-Purse holding strap and pockets. The Boba 3g carrier has a little snap-able purse holding strap. It is harder to carry your purse while using a baby carrier sometimes and having the purse holding strap is not only great for convenience, it’s wonderful for safety as well.  Since it snaps, it would be harder for someone to steal your purse.  The Boba also has nice little zipping pockets that you can put keys or other small items in if you need storage.  I think this is awesome!  I like to take Penny for walks around the neighborhood, and it’s nice to be able to store my keys in the carrier versus having to carry them in my hand.

-It’s beautiful and 100% cotton. I chose the “Soho” print and love it.  I really like that it is eye-catching, and when I go out in public I know it turns heads.  The all-cotton fabric is so nice because it is breathable.  I haven’t felt really hot while wearing Penny because of it.  We have been baby wearing all summer, despite the 100 degree heat!

-The hood is so convenient. The Boba 3g comes with a hood that goes into a small pocket at the top of the carrier.  I have used the hood to protect Penny from the sun, and also when she naps.  If I forget a hat or sunglasses (or she just doesn’t want to leave them on!) I don’t worry because I can just flip the hood up.  No big deal!

-The high back and foot straps. The carrier is nice and high, which makes it secure for small babies as well as larger toddlers.  With the Boba 3g Carrier, you can use it from newborn to toddler without having to buy a new carrier.  I think this is a great investment.

Enter for your chance to win a Boba Baby Carrier, and one of two Boba Wraps! All products can be seen at www.bobafamily.com. With Boba products it is easier than ever to enjoy Freedom Together as a family and Boba wants YOU to get a chance to use their products. To enter to win, “Like” them on Facebook and for an additional two entries, follow them on Twitter.
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I received a Boba 3g Carrier to review.  No other compensation was received, and all views are my own.

As you can imagine, we received many gifts when we found out we were expecting Penny and also after her birth.  I’ve said before that I didn’t want a ton of baby “things” and that still holds true.  However, my mother never got that memo (well, she did but she’s an excited grandmother) and went completely overboard.  I appreciate her gesture, but it is overwhelming to go through numerous garbage bags full of baby clothes and toys multiple times.  I’ve gone through and donated items to some less fortunate mamas and that makes me feel good.  Now that Penny is 5 months old I’m starting to go through and evaluate what we want to keep for future babies.  Here are some of the things we have, and what we plan on doing with them.

-Baby swing: keeping.  Penny still uses it, and it was a shower gift brand new, so it stays.  The only time it gets used is when I shower, and then it’s presence is invaluable.

- Pack N Play:keeping. We’ve used this as a changing table and I’m anticipating using it as Penny grows.

-Bouncer: Not sure.  We got a pink bouncer brand new (we wanted the big items all gender neutral, which they are) but I don’t know if it is worth storing for 2-3 years or so.

-Bumbo Baby Seat: Probably selling.  They can easily be purchased on Craigslist usually.

-Crib: keeping, as it was purchased brand new with an organic crib mattress.

-Outgrown clothing: keeping some of it, donating the excess and items I wouldn’t use anyway.  There’s no sense in keeping a million baby clothes.

All of the larger items that were purchased new and that are gender neutral we’ll most likely keep.  Items that were purchased second hand that still have life left will most likely be sold on Craigslist or gifted to a friend.  There are so many baby items that you can buy second hand it’s not even funny.

What really gets me is that people say you need a ton of things for baby, and having babies is so expensive, when really, you can do it so cheaply.  Pretty much the only things we’ve really needed and used for Penny are cloth diapers, boobies (for milk), a wrap or carrier. clothes, and a safe place to sleep.  It truly is amazing how little you really need.  It is nice to have somewhere to set them down when you need to, but you can always lay them on a blanket on the floor.

What baby items did you decide to keep, and which ones did you get rid of?

For the past 5 months I’ve been a stay at home mom.  There are a lot of things that I’ve noticed over these past few months about our money spending habits.  Before I quit my job, Mr. Money and I enjoyed eating out frequently.  It was our hobby I guess.  Well, after we had the baby we’d find ourselves so tired that we’d grab take out or just go out for dinner.  Looking over our budget and bank balance, I’ve realized that’s got to change.  We just can’t afford to go out to eat like we used to and still be able to meet our savings goals and stay on budget.  I’m going to make a conscious effort to meal plan a bit better and make sure that we aren’t just being lazy when we go out to eat.  Maybe it would help to have a set night to go out to dinner?

I get the moving itch every few weeks or so.  It is hard having a baby and not being around family!  The reason is probably not what most people assume: I don’t feel overwhelmed taking care of the baby.  I prefer to be the one taking care of her.  I just feel like my family is missing out on watching her grow up and that makes me sad.  Sometimes I dream about Mr. Money finding a new job in Michigan, us selling our house and buying a new one up there with a few acres to grow food and have animals.  That would be fabulous.

We’ve got a nice garden growing this year, and that is thanks to Mr. Money. I can’t wait to be able to eat the yummy veggies right from our backyard. We’ve got squash, green beans, watermelon, tomatoes, red raspberries, carrots, beets, swiss chard, and broccoli growing.  Yay!

I am really enjoying not working outside of the home.  I feel like this was just meant to be and I am happier than I have ever been.  It is worth every sacrifice!

I’m starting to realize that before I had a baby, I was pretty much a tightwad.  Since my baby’s been born, I’ve loosened up a little.  For instance, I’ve purchased a few new outfits for her that didn’t come from a thrift store.  I’ve purchased new cloth diapers that I didn’t really need just because I wanted to try them or they are cute (I can also re-sell them if I don’t like them, or when I’m done with them).  We’ve used the dishwasher and dryer more times than I’d like.  We probably aren’t saving quite as much money as we could (but we’re still saving).

I’m happy.  Spending a little money on things that are important to me makes me happy.  Hoarding my money doesn’t do me any good if I’m miserable.  One of my 2012 financial goals was to find a nice balance, and I’m still working hard to achieve that.  It’s a constant struggle for me, because most of the time I think I should live as cheaply as possible in order to save the most amount of money that I can.

Sometimes it’s overwhelming thinking about all the things we need to save for: unexpected expenses, retirement, the baby’s college, new vehicles, etc.  I have to tell myself as long as we’re saving something, we’re doing okay. Life is about experiencing things and living life to its fullest.  Having a baby really makes you have a new take on life, and I never imagined it would be this good.