Cash Only

Since Alice was born and I returned to work - and our family expenses expanded to include a nanny - Michael and I have created a new budget for ourselves. And to help us stick with it, we've decided to use cash only. I thought I would hate this new approach. But, in fact, it has been pretty fun! Cash only makes purchasing decisions feel like a game, and we see our financial trade-offs before we buy anything. We each have a little bit of fun money to spend on ourselves, and then a family pot from which groceries, diapers and other household items come.

Part of this new budget has meant that we eat at home almost every night. While this is boring sometimes - often, I guess - it has been fun to expand my list of ready-to-make recipes. And I feel like I'm solving a puzzle if I'm able to re-use leftovers in a fun and exciting way. Tonight, for example, I made burritos using the best of Chipotle (salt, cilantro and lime juice on rice) and last night's steak. Plus all this cooking has given me more confidence in my skills! AND we're eating healthier!

So there! Some pleasant surprises in a tough financial situation!