Lately, Oprah has been replaying her debt diet shows and  I am totally motivated to save money! I am only going to buy the bare essentials this year. I'm going to buy food, some needed clothes for the boys, and THAT'S IT! I'm going to think and rethink all purchases that I make from here on out.

I've even started thinking about what I buy at the market and even the COST of each meal I make at home (something that I've never done before). My goal is to only buy take out once a week for dinner and all other meals will be made by me! I will give myself a weekly budget for groceries and follow it!

Also, I need to stop going here and there with the boys. I always think that is what my boys need, but really they are happy at the park and library. Oprah said it best when she said that kids just want to spend TIME with their parents. That hit home to me because I am always thinking of where I can take the boys next. What show or movie would they want to watch? What amusement park/museum should they go to next? I'm not saying that I don't want to spend money on these things, but I need to remind myself that they don't need that much of it and that what they really want is TIME with us. It's the simple things in life that my boys want ...an evening walk around the block, breakfast outside on the patio, a swim in the kiddie pool, etc. Man, now I even rethinking going to San Diego this weekend! See how fickle I am!

Well, next summer, I will let you know how I do (I say "I" because I do all things "financial" in this house). It's a shift in how I think about money and spending...I'm totally excited! :)