New Year, New Budget Plan

Althought it's 25 days into 2012, it's never too late to start a new budget plan.  I've never really stuck to any budget persay, but since I've been ungainfully unemployed since mid-October, I figured it was time for a change.

My budget should be pretty easy to follow as there are only a few things that I really need to focus heavily on:

• PSE&G bills - to keep the electric/gas on so we have electricity and heat.
• Verizon bills - to keep our Fios TV/Phone/Internet connected.
• FOOD! - we can't survive on crackers and cheese every night.  (We have crackers and cheese but we're not specifically just eating THAT.
• Car & Insurance Payments - without both of these, we might as well say good bye to money for food, tv/phone/internet, and electricity/gas. 

I've been coupon clipping with the best of them, but it's tough.  I want to be able to be an "extreme couponer" so that I don't have to pay an arm and a leg for food.  I've been watching "Extreme Couponers" on TLC to get some insite.  I still don't understand how to pair up coupons with sales flyers, but I'm learning.  I've been able to get toothpaste and toothbrushes for free.  Now to expand to food items!  Slowly but surely, I'll get there.

My to-do list to get THERE is as follows:

• Find a couponing group to meet with and swap coupons.
• Figure out how to get more coupons (possibly from my son's school? Ask for teachers and other students to send in un-wanted/un-expired coupons??)
• Clip coupons and actually USE them before they expire.  I just threw out about $300.00 worth of expired coupons!!! Not cool!
• Shop and actually save money.  Keeping in mind that I have X amount of money to spend and the coupons have better get me to that or I'm SCREWED!
• Find a job so I can actually have some disposable income to pay for food/stocking up.
• Be patient with myself. I tend to overreact to EVERYTHING, especially money.

I'm sure there are other things that I need to do to get there, but right now my mind is not fully functioning.  I feel like I've been run over by a truck and have my giant breed dog sitting on my chest.  YUCK.  Thanks to my wonderful boyfriend for passing on his cold/flu.  YUCK.  I still love him dearly though!

Time to get couponing and searching. 

Momma