Coupon Armageddon Part 6: Make Your Goals

Why do you need goals to grocery shop??  You don't.  But, when you're able to save oodles of money, I think it's possible to  really change either your budget or what you do with what you have.  Here are some of my goals, how they've changed, and why they get me excited.  I have enjoyed shopping with purpose and knowing that I'm saving for a purpose (or several).

My Goals
1. Save on our monthly budget.
2. Save the excess for a vacation fund.
3. Start buying local and organic meats and produce.
4. Give a box of toiletries and non-perishables every month to an organization in need, like a women's shelter, food bank, or homeless shelter.

I got really excited about saving for our vacation first of all, and am sad that our number 1 goal has replaced the number 2.  (Not that they're actually in any order--they just came out how I was thinking about them this morning.)  I also lost the first $50 I saved and hope that I'll find it one day, hidden in a "special place" in our house.  The reality is that with this summer of fridge and car and medical bills from Lincoln trouble, we just need to really quickly cut our budget in a large way.  The good news is, we cut it down by $30 and I was still able to save something like $10-15 toward vacation this week.  So it is possible to cut the budget AND still set savings aside!

I'm also SUPER excited about the last goal, because I love that saving more allows me to give more.  I think that I can, without going outside our budget, donate a huge box of things each month to organizations that help those in need.  I love that!  I will definitely take a picture of my first box and post where I get to share it.  I think that being able to give out of what we've been given is an amazing and exciting thing.

As for number 3...I had wanted to start buying local, and then I saw Food, Inc.  I can't talk about that in this post because this post will go on for pages, so I will write another post about it.  Suffice to say that I feel even more strongly about that idea and will write more about it later.

So, whether you're couponing along with me or trying to save a buck here and there, what are your savings goals??  If you've never thought about having any, let me tell you that it transforms the shopping and saving experience!