The Beginning

I have decided to write a financial blog for 2010.

My goal is to save 10% of our income by the end of the year. This means that I am going to have to record all of my expenditures, money saving tips and challenges. My plan is to end the year with savings, less clutter and more sanity.

My intent is to write something every day, even if I do not have any expenditures. I am not a financial expert, nor am I wealthy. My husband and I are Middle Class. We have two daughters, they are both teenagers.

I am a shopper, a spender and I have excellent (i.e.: expensive) taste. My goal for this year is to learn to control my spending habits and learn how to actually save money.

I do have the ability to save for a specific purpose (a trip with my family where I need X amount, to buy some large item, etc.) this is a skill that I have only learned over the past two years. Prior to that most stuff I wanted I put on a credit card. I have almost broken this habit completely.

I am the financial caretaker for our family and I really need to get control of the situation. As of right now, we only have about 2.5% of our annual income in savings and that is definitely not working. We should be saving at least 10% every year and my goal this year is to make that a reality by living below our means.

I do have a few purchases to make this year, but I want to do it frugally. I want to get rid of the clutter in our home and have some nice pieces of furniture that will last us for years to come. One thing that I have learned over the course of my life is that "You get what you pay for!" especially when it comes to furniture.

Here is the list of things that I will pay for this year:
Daughter's trip to Washington DC = $1,500 (I get to go, too, and this includes spending money.)
Desk for myself = $300 (hopefully I can find a great used one)
Dining chairs (6) = $1000 (Totally fabric, to go with the great table I got last year.)
Small Round Dining Room Table & 4 chairs = $500 (for the formal dining area)
Living room chair = $200
Family room furniture = $1000

There may be other items that come up as the year progresses, but I think that this is a large list for now.

The goal is to get the things that I want (need), get our credit card paid off, not have our quality of life change, and save 10% of our income.

I hope that anyone reading this enjoys my money and time saving tips and quips.