A Budget System? What is that?

One of the most popular forms of budgeting is the “envelope system” you take a set amount of envelopes and name them certain categories ex. groceries, toiletries, gas etc and at the beginning of each week you take out a set amount of money and divide it into your envelopes.

To tell you truth we’ve tried to do it once before with the “envelope” system and it just didn’t work for us.  We’d cheat and take money out of envelopes that weren’t for that one specific thing. Everyone has their own system that works for them! Check out my friend’s blog If A Tree Were To Fall, Alicia explains how the “envelope system” works for her family!

Our system just happens to be we have a  spreadsheet made up in excel and ANYTHING we purchase with our credit card goes into that spreadsheet. I carry a small notepad with me and anytime i make a purchase i jot it down in the notepad until i can get home and edit the spread sheet. It can be as small as a $0.50 candy bar, but EVERYTHING gets put into the budget. I know some people think it’s foolish to use a credit card to do a budget because it’s just to easy to spend the money. Well there are a few reasons we use our credit cards over cash.

1. WE EARN CASHBACK-Yep in fact we’re using the money we got back from Christmas shopping to go out and eat for Valentine’s Day!
   
2. IT’S EASIER TO TRACK OUR SPENDING-If we lose a receipt from a purchase we can always go back and look something up on our online credit card statement.
3. NOT AS EASY TO LOSE-If you happened to lose your credit card you could dispute the charges!  If you have an envelope full of cash laying around and it gets lost or stolen your tough outta luck!
4. CONVENIENCE-Your not having to run to the bank every week and take money out. Plus if you use cash your bound to have change left over that will eventually have to be taken to the bank and cashed in. You don’t have to worry about sorting change when your using your credit card.

Now these are all reasons our Budgeting System works for us, that’s not to say they will work for everyone else.

DO YOU HAVE A BUDGET?

I’d love to hear your system and what works for you

I have been wanting a Dyson for what seems like FOREVER! lol My son has horrible allergies and i’d heard such great things about Dyson products helping with allergy sufferers. Even the allergist asked me what kind of vacuum i owned and recommended the Dyson brand!  But I just couldn’t justify paying $450 dollars for just a vacuum! (Ok let me just say this is NOT “Just A Vacuum” it’s a MACHINE!) So my hubby came through for me at Christmas and I got a KILLER deal on a  Dyson DC17 Animal from JcPenney I decided to go with the Animal model after my son’s allergist recommended it and since we do have a dog and she doesn’t shed a ton but I figured this model was best suited for us. This thing has more suction than my poor Hoover Windtunnel ever dreamed of having! Several people told me once i got a Dyson that I’d have to do the “Dyson Test” So I did  I vacuumed using my old Hoover and then vacuumed again with the Dyson and I’m serisously grossed out and excited all at the same time with the reslults!

My Dyson pulled up all this gunk AFTER I had just vacuumed using my old Hoover Windtunnel! It made me sick to think I let my son play in a floor that was soo nasty! (even though i thought it was clean at the time) I was REALLY grossed out that my old vaccume left so much behind but I was really excited that my new vacuume was picking up the slack This thing serisously ROCKS and was totally worth every penny, I only wished I would’ve bought it sooner! I feel so much cleaner after I get done using it because I know it’s really getting everything deep down and not leaving anything behind! (To think i used to feel clean after using my Hoover..YIKES!! lol)

I’d like to hear your Dyson Reviews! Do you have a Dyson? Do you LOVE it HATE it or just think they’re overrated? I’m currious to know since i’m completely SOLD on mine

If you think you’d like to look into getting a Dyson, check out this KILLER deal at Kohls! Right now you can get a  Dyson DC33 Multi Floor Upright Vacuum for ONLY $254.99!!! (Deal valid through January 19th.) The ONLY reason i got the Animal model is b/c  it was recommended for my son’s allergies otherwise i was going to go with this model. If you’d rather get the Animal Model it’s a little more but you can use the same code as below and get is for 30% off  

Here’s the Deal:

Head over to Kohls.com

Add the Dyson DC33 Multi Floor Upright Vacuum to your cart.

At checkout enter coupon code: LOVE2SAVE30 (this will deduct 30% dropping your total $314.99)

Add Sales Tax (for me it was 6% - $18.90)

FINAL TOTAL: $333.89 (this price includes 6% sales tax)

Now i know your asking $333.89 isn’t $254.99 how did she come up with that? Well you see Kohls has a thing called Kohls Cash and for every $50 you spend in store or online you get $10 back in Kohls Cash to spend at a later date! Well with this purchase you’ll get $60 back in Kohls Cash!! Pretty much like FREE money to spend on whatever you want in-store or online. So after the $60 Kohls cash it’s like your getting the Dyson for $254.99! You can redeem your earned Kohls Cash between: January 17th through January 29th!

Breakdown of price:

*You’ll get $60 back in Kohls Cash!

$314.99 (before sales tax price with the 30% off code)-$60 (kohls cash)=$254.99 for the Dyson

The next few days are going to be VERY BUSY to say the least! I probably won’t be posting many deals, but i wanted to tell all of you how much I truly appreciate the support you’ve shown Brooke’s Bargains! This has been an amazing year  and I’m already looking forward to the New Year and all the GREAT deals

Here’s wishing you and yours a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Year!!!

God Bless,

Brooke