this is cut and pasted from a church magazine. But I thought it was a neat thing to share with you all....

Tawnya


Needs or Wants

Rebecca Swegle, “Needs or Wants,” Ensign, Aug. 2007, 75

During our marriage, we have managed to stick to a budget through a variety of methods. We carefully track our finances with budgeting software and have designated one person to be in charge. This doesn’t mean that person has to become the “money police” and approve all purchases. It just means that person informs the family if we’re going over budget in any areas.

It’s also important to adequately designate “needs” and “wants.” To remedy unnecessary spending, we first ask ourselves some of the following questions:

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• Am I spending this money just to impress someone else?
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• Is the old item worn out or beyond repair?
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• Can I do this project myself instead of paying someone to do it?
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• Do I have money to pay cash for this right now, or will it require going into debt?
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• Is a gift necessary, or should I just send a card?

Rebecca Swegle, Arizona

It's so good to hear from you Tawnya! We miss you.

I really think that's the key. Really THINKING before spending, instead of automatically buying what we think we need.

We just hauled a filing cabinet that Naomi was using for a dresser out to the curb because the kids had put Noah in their a few times as his crib in a game where he was the baby. LOL. So it would still work as a filing cabinet with hanging files, but not for holding clothes because the bottom was loose now.

Anyway, I was going to go to the thrift store and get a dresser for her today. I figured we'd be able to get a cheap one. But then I realized she has a big bookcase in there that just looks disastrous piled with books and papers and miscellaneous collections. So we cleared it off, sorted and folder her clothes and put them on the shelves, and it works just fine.

It will work until I happen upon a dresser for cheap or free. It means everything's visible and doesn't have to be dumped out to see what's underneath. It's not ideal, but oh well. It's free!


Kerri

good questions!

Before I buy something, and when I'm decluttering I always ask myself these three questions.

Do I love it?

Do I need it?

Do (will) I use it?

If I cant answer yes to at least one of those questions, I dont buy it or it gets tossed. It's really helped me be ruthless.

This is great, Tawnya. Good to see you!

It's so good to hear from you Tawnya! We miss you.

I really think that's the key. Really THINKING before spending, instead of automatically buying what we think we need.

We just hauled a filing cabinet that Naomi was using for a dresser out to the curb because the kids had put Noah in their a few times as his crib in a game where he was the baby. LOL. So it would still work as a filing cabinet with hanging files, but not for holding clothes because the bottom was loose now.

Anyway, I was going to go to the thrift store and get a dresser for her today. I figured we'd be able to get a cheap one. But then I realized she has a big bookcase in there that just looks disastrous piled with books and papers and miscellaneous collections. So we cleared it off, sorted and folder her clothes and put them on the shelves, and it works just fine.

It will work until I happen upon a dresser for cheap or free. It means everything's visible and doesn't have to be dumped out to see what's underneath. It's not ideal, but oh well. It's free!


Kerri

Kerri, we prefer that method here!