Update on budget.

We came in UNDER budget even with being over budget with food buys

Our electric company doesn't do budget payments. They do leveling payments and every 3 months your payment changes.  I figured out what we averaged and then pay that amount each month. So we have a "credit" on the months the electric runs high like Dec and Jan with Christmas lights (even though they are LED) and electric lights that we don't use at all during the sunnier months.

I have been ordering 8 bags of salt instead of just a fill of 6 bags for delivery for our water softener. It's cheaper for us to rent and get it replaced every 2 yrs with the hard water we have, than buy a new one every 2 yrs. That cuts down on how many times I pay for a delivery charge by 2 times a year saving $5 a month. Hubby can handle pouring a bag of salt in the softener and when he can't E has offered to come over and do it for us as he does it for 2 other senior citizen neighbors.

I had our home/auto insurance checked and they lowered the cost by $5 a month based on where we live.

This month the new billing for internet/landline came in after Hubby called last month. Saving us $25 a month which is lower than what they quoted him.

Since my health OOP (out of pocket) is paid in full I had a credit at the chiropractic office of $175... they have been using it to pay Hubby's when he goes. I save $70/ month since I have my OOP paid...a 3 day stay at the hospital from my Crohn's wiped it out.

My primary doctor ordered my mammogram and dexa study(bone test) for this month since I do have the OOP paid I won't have to pay for these tests.

I will have my back injections this month and those will be paid for saving me $220.

We pay off credit cards in full each month to incur not interest charge.

Hubby was able to skip a payment (every 12 months the bank allows it) on his truck and we chose to make the payment. The bank said if we didn't use any of the skip payments it we would end up paying truck off 7-10 months early. That is a lot of interest saved.

We filled the jeep up once instead of twice as budgeted. We filled the old truck aka dog truck as it's the one we take the dogs in up twice instead of three times as budgeted. I do NOT budget the 350 truck. Hubby's hobby pays for EVERYTHING on that truck and the trailers. If he can't cover the cost he can sale the stuff right along with that truck according to him.

I used the dog food bags twice instead of trash bags. As long as I tape them shut they will accept it. Saves me 20 cents a month for something I was throwing away anyways.

We decided to not renew our Sam's club membership until we actually need it...if we need it. Walmart in our area has been beating the prices for the same amount. I am going to check out Gordan Food Service also as my brother said he buy a lot of bulk from them for his brother in law's youth church.

We will be using Daddy's whole house humidifier. I cleaned it the other day when it was warm outside and then looked for filters. I don't think Daddy or brother thought to replace the filter EVER. I found several sites with them, priced it out and got the best buy at Amazon with buying 3 instead of 1. This humidifier allows you to use softened water instead of distilled. SAVINGS will be $32 a month by using Daddy's over what we had. So that's a savings to look forward to, even better we won't have to go to town to get distilled water.

The baking soda that was in the refrigerators was used to clean with and to dump down drains with vinegar when I replaced it.

I asked M if she had any tips as I was trying to cut the budget. She uses Mr Clean, bleach, vinegar and baking soda for cleaning. She makes her own laundry soap (same recipe as mine). Uses a clothes line and drying rack for all. Keeps curtains closed on dark and cold  days,opens them up on sunny days (reverse that during the summer) and closes them BEFORE dusk to keep the warmth in. She bakes her desserts and cookies before her breads....that I don't do. I asked why and she said that way the kitchen is warmer so her bread rises easier.Getting bread to raise in this kitchen even in the hottest day of summer has been an issue. Mending was also mentioned and on a daily bases. Something I am behind on HA HA. She makes her own yogurt, catsup, mayo, butter, buttermilk, pancakes mix, harvest and cook down their maple syrup from their own trees. Offered to tap our trees next year. Saving for things or going without was two more mentions. Doing a routine cleaning lets her keep track of things that need fixed or replaced. Also not having a lot "pretties" keeps her time down on cleaning. She does use doilies or cloth to cover furniture to keep the dust down also. Less to wipe. She cleans windows weekly, let the sun in better so she uses less kerosene to burn lamps along with cleaning her lamps daily. I also clean my lamps daily and used to do the windows weekly. I replaced my squeegee this week when it was on sale 50 % off. I got two so I wouldn't go without again.

We are still talking over the grocery budget.