How are you doing on one income???

[Faithful Mumma]

Yeah, we are finding it a bit tough after christmas, more so because we had a car break down before christmas that ate all of the savings that we were beginning to build, and then because I work for myself, and haven't worked for the last couple of weeks, I don't get paid, and we live of DH's wage!! I have been watching every penny.
I am so, so glad that I set up automatic payments to ALL of my utilities in my Net banking ages ago. It means even though we might not have much cash at the moment, I know my bills are up to date which is a big relief.
Every thursday I have:
$55 come out for Net, Mobile and Home Phone Bill.
$15 come out for Water
$11 come out for Gas (bill smoothing with AGL)
$28 come out for electricity
$50 come out for rates.
I found that because it is automatic, they all actually get paid each week, where as if I had to do it manually, I would keep putting it off and procrastinating and then use the cash for something else... I actually set this up at a time where I had loads and loads of bills, and didn't think it was really a good time to pay bills "that didn't really need paying yet" because they were not overdue, as opposed to paying the overdue ones, but it was the best thing I have ever done.


And, I have been trying to do my own $21 challenge, and was so proud of myself the other night. All I had was some chicken, no casserole bases or vegies other than carrots left. Normally I woul hot foot it down to the supermarket and buy something for dinner along with $50 worth of other stuff I didn't really need...
But, I didn't, instead I made the BEST chicken stir fry I have ever tasted with chicken, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, a tin of pineapple and the juice, fresh chives and fresh lime juice, fresh carrots. It was DELICIOUS. I would normally use a jar of Chicken Tonight etc. But I had ALL the ingredients in my cupboard. I served it on rice.

I start back at work this week, and will be back into the full swing of it in Feb, so I know the cash will start to flow again, and I am very blessed to be able to work it around myself and the kids and school etc, so I am not complaining. Anyway, I am totally believing in God this year for supernatural restoration of our finances.