Budgeting....

Life without a job, living on my own, has inspired me to do a little research on planning the future of my budget, especially since I'm looking for a good job. There are literally millions of websites and books on the subject, so there's no way you could read them all or even make a dent.

While looking for some tips, I found a blog that was pretty inspiring, it's called Blissful and Domestic and the woman who writes it talks about what to buy at big stores like Costco and things to avoid. She only buys groceries once a month, saving her from those "quick" trips to the store for a "few things" that always end up costing more than you expected because you see something else you want.

My personal shopping habit is to go to the Dollar Tree first. They have all kinds of food, cleaning supplies, beauty products like shampoo and make up, school supplies, gift supplies, and kitchen things like utensils, ziplock bags, plastic wrap, and dishes. The store near my old house even had a refrigerated section. The only problem that you have to watch out for there is the amount you're buying. Paying less often means getting less, but not on everything; you just have to pay attention. I've been getting pasta, canned veggies (two for a dollar), and little snacky things like crackers.

Until I am actually traveling to my job everyday, I won't know about a few things I need to budget for, like gas, but I'm still working on a flexible budget. I'm gonna be honest, this is pretty intimidating.

Ultimately, I think I've learned that planning is the key to it all. Planning meals, planning what to buy, planning room for a little splurge, planning a schedule...I have a feeling that until my student loans are paid off, I'll be planning like this for a while.