My husband and I do the envelope method for groceries, gas, and spending money. We also cancelled all credit cards so that there is no potential to spend what we don't have. Of course we also put money in the bank for a true emergency, unfortunately buying fabric is not an emergency! I wish it was....

My husband and I recently had to close our business of 12 years due to this crazy economy and it has been quite an adjustment. Luckily I had a pretty large stash of fabric. Quilting has helped me deal with the stress. I have tops galore but no batting. When thing loosen up I will be quilting like a mad woman!!LOL

Oh my goodness yes.. I have lived on a pretty tight budget all my life.. I don't mind, I have enough and some to share.. that's all I need..

Now we are retired and have only one income it has been a learning curve which brought me right back to when my children were young and I paid cash for everything as as you say if you don't have it, you don't spend it. Also used to have money in envelopes for the bills as they arrived or for school uniforms. I managed ok and didn't feel I was losing out on anything.

we're on a tight budget too. I'm a teacher so there's an immediate need to budget. Then my DH's car died and we now have car payments as well as the mortgage and regular bills. I've been doing a lot of shopping from my stash so far!

Yes, I am on a budget, I think I learned to be thrifty after watching my parents struggle with 6 kids and only my fathers wage coming in, there are many things which I would love to buy but at the end of the day I don't really need them!
My husband and I are pretty good at budgeting, we make all our own meals fresh, we don't eat out, we buy second hand and over the net on trade me, I use recycled clothing mostly for my quilts, or fabric from op shops etc. We do not have credit cards and pay all bills as soon as they hit the mat.
We do not owe anyone anything money wise, we live a fairly simple life style which suits us. I have been a sewer all my life beginning with making my own clothes from the age of about 15 and going on to make things for the home like curtains and bed covers cushions rugs etc. We enjoy our life style, being as we are we have managed to pay off our wee cottage own a couple of cars, put our daughter through college and son through polytechnic. We have also put a bit by for our retirement and when my husband retires next year we shall be better off so that is something to look forward to!

Gal

I am always on a budget. I only spend very little. I get excited when I get what I am needing for just a few $. One time I left the LQS and only spent $1.xx. =) I do work but what DH and I make goes to pay for everything. We do have a family of 7. With 5 kids I don't like to spend money on myself so I just try to spend very little. I try to go to the shop as little as possible. This way the temptation is not there. We don't have credit cards either so that is good!

yep, I am talking "fabric budget" this is apparently my weakness!

A lady I know doesn't buy anything at all unless it is on sale and she has a coupon! I stopped in the fabric store last nite and looked and looked. Didn't buy a thing, decided to go home and look thru my stash again!

If you are married at a young age such as I and you are a stay at home Mom as I was you would understand. I had my own Business when my DD were at home. I was a dog groomer for over 20 years. It just took so much to take care of 2 DD give them what they needed,Braces,material things there really was not much to put up for savings. I sewed my DD play clothes ETC. I worked As A Vet. Tech. a county job,had benefits. Quit that one aft. 4 yrs. Then became a Paraprofessional for 15 yers. had 19 yrs in FL. Retirement. So I have a small income other that SS. I am one of the lucky ones. There are more people on SS only than you realize and you are one lucky person if you don't ever have to be one of them. If you have kids to feed you can't even put up 10%. Most would love to save or be able to put into a 401K. I for one could not find a way to do so until my kids were grown and gone. That is when I was able to work for 20 yrs for a retirment to supplement my SS. not the other way around. :shock: Just my 2 cents worth. OOOPS!! forgot My DH was a very good provider and He has a retirement also to Supplement SS like me. We both are retired He is disabled. But we did the best we could We feel blessed that we have what we do :wink: BillsBonBon

I have always been on a budget. I allow myself x amount every month. Most months I don't spend at all. But if I don't have it for a new project I'll go get it. Lately the only thing I have needed is batting. And I purchase that with a coupon. And I buy in king size. I am conservative in all areas. But there's also room for improvement. My dh got laid off 2 yrs ago. After 17 yrs and no pension.Our eyes really opened. We only had 401 and our savings. Luckly he was offered another job right away. The company he's with now has a pension plan and that really helps. So he has to be employed with them for 8 yrs to be fully invested. He has 6 to go. I work also but only part time. What I do for me is I take 1 paycheck a month(I get paid every 2 weeks)... and I get a savings bond. I am 48 yrs old. Have been doing this for 8 years. This is my pension. I want to be able to stop working by the time I'm 53. And this will help me do it. Always looking to save my silver change too! And have!! I have cashed in my change after 7 months collecting and I had 520.00 Saving my change really helps! :thumbup: :thumbup:

I am on a very strict budget and it is HARD. I have to buy the material for a quilt a little bit at a time. I don't have a "stash" of any kind. I now have a quilt top and I am waiting until I have an extra $20 to buy the border and binding material. Then I will get the money for the batting and backing. I see people posting 2-3 quilts they have already finished this year and I am patiently waiting to buy what I need for the one and only I am working on. Then I remind myself I am lucky to have a safe, dry home to live in etc....

I am trying real hard to stay in my fabric budget. Luckily I built a bit of a stash from garage sales, estate sales & great sales at fabric stores this last year. I love to find bargains. That is on my agenda for this year!

That is what I am doing also. It is so easy to get caught up in quilting and get carried away on spending. I think the cash in the envelope thing is working for me so far, but then this is my first month!

Budget??

I am on a budget since I live on a small income. Am always looking for bargains and can hardly wait for the garage sales to start when the wether gets better.

We have the same sort of budget in our quilt shop. We keep 6 of each color and no more, and I only buy what will fit on our fabric shelves,no bags or boxes in the floor. That way it looks neater and better to the customer and is better for our business finances. I make sure that we don't mix personal money with business money.

I think we will all have to be. I couldn't believe it when I saw fabric at walmarts today for 10 and 12 dollars a yard. My lqs and johanns is cheaper than that. What a shocker.

good idea.

I have a budget of $125.00 a month. But I have a quilt shop. That amount has to cover fabric to restock what I used to build back up the shelves for the customers to choose from, thread,rotary blades,batting,everything I need to make quilts with for the next month even tracing paper or chalk refills.I won't mix my money with the shop money. That is the only way I can tell how much money I'm actually making.

I do that with my left over pension money. It goes into a Christmas account and I only use the pension money I receive every fortnight. I have been able to save big money and I save for something particular like my new for me Brother Embroidery machine. I only but fabric when I need it lately.

I've started using cash instead of the credit card. I also never spend change & put it in a pickle jar. I've done this for 4 yrs. but, this yr., I find that my credit union now charges 5% to run it through their counting machine. I felt ripped off but have no choice. I could hardly lift that jar. They said it was to maintain the machine but I still hated it. Still beats rolling all of it I guess.

The bank I use has a change counter machine and it's free to use if you have an account there. The total goes right into your account or cash. It's amazing how fast change adds up.

I am usually on a budget but have been spending more than normal since the news of fabric prices going to raise.

Gee, I have that book! I had better read read it! I don't have to put myself on a budget, it is more like I want too! A person can get out of control, when you know all the clerks on first name basi at all the LQS's might be a clue! Seemed like a good idea.

That is a great idea!

Ok, I spent the last of my envelope money today! Went .05 cents over budget! I can deal with that!Happy though with my controlled budget! Still have 10 days to go, but don't need anything and I got some fabric money rolling back into the envelope Saturday! Yea, I like this game!

I agree. Have worked since I was 16, knowing I was going to have to support myself in some way better than just Social Sacurity. I remember my grandmother, in the 60's getting a tiny amount to live on. I'm 62, and will work to 66 to finally reap the beneit of the full amount. Hope it's still there.

I understand that! My biggest habit is this sewing thing and a person can drop a bunch of money on this so easily. Last week I went into the lqs to buy a pack of needles, yikes. I spent $32. They had a great sale, so I got more than needles, this is a hard budget to stay on for sure!
Not sure how long I will work, but I want to work as long as I can. The better off we would be.