My 6 Month No Spend/Must Save Money Challenge

No more Paycheck to Paycheck! Going through life living this way is a real bust. Paid on Friday broke by Monday, and you still have to make it for another 2 weeks until you get paid again. Does this sound familiar to anyone? This is the position that I have found myself in for years. As much as I have used coupons and shop store deals, I have realized that these things alone will not be enough to stop this paycheck to paycheck hamster wheel that I am living in. I knew I had to make a change when I noticed that my kids would always say " Mama can we get this when you get paid?" or "Did you get paid this weekend?" I felt so bad, I realized that unknowingly, I am teaching my kids how to live a paycheck to paycheck lifestyle. I knew that something had to change. I do not want my kids to grow up with this distorted concept of money. This got me to thinking that some serious and dire sacrifices are in order in my life effective immediately, which led me to this challenge that I will start that will run from 01/01/2016 until 07/01/2016. I wanted to give it an end date so I don't feel overwhelmed and defeated before I even start, but my plan is that once I have been doing this for 6 months, it will become a way of life for me. Now I know that some things will need to be tweaked along the way, but for 6 solid months this will be my life:

• No more eating out: Meals will be cooked at home, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
• No shopping: Whether it be clothes, shoes, hair products, makeup, NOTHING! Unless it is something that is absolutely necessary, and there is no substitute for it.
• Create a menu plan weekly: make a grocery list from that menu, grocery shop only from the list, and continue to use my coupons to help lower the cost of my groceries.
• Limit my grocery spending: I am challenging myself to only spend $125/week for all groceries, paper products, toiletries, and coupon deals(stock pile items), for my family of 3.
• Save $250/pay month: Dave Ramsey stated that everyone should have a $1000 emergency fund, for the rainy days that will come. This is on the top of my list, and should have been my first bullet point, but I have to do the previous 4 things in order to be able to save that amount. I'm hoping to meet this savings goal in 4 months (wish me luck)
• A small release: I have decided that I will allow $20 for family activities for the month, and $20 for pampering myself...now I know, I know, I'm supposed to be saving, but for me, it will seem easier to do, if the kids and I have something small to look forward to each month. 

Well that's it guys, this is the rules that I am challenging myself with, I would love if you guys could come along with me and make some savings/spending changes as well. Feel free to alter these goals to fit your lifestyle. Please comment below and let me know what your 2016 financial goals will be. If you can only do one goal, that is okay, it is one goal in the right direction. I will like to do weekly check ins on my progress on Saturdays, so tune in. Well that's all I have for now guys, until next time, I'm signing off, OSM.