Budgeting Problems??

Hi K.
You have gotten really good responses here but what really helped me and my husband cut back was to keep a note pad with you at all times and write down anytime you spend money(item,Amount) so if you put gas in and buy a pop write it down. This really helped us see where we could stop spending money. also start to buy generic brands of the items you normally buy most of them are as good or better.

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Check out Dave Ramsay's Total Money Makeover or Financial Peace. There are great budgeting/money saving tips as well as worksheets for the budget (including budgeting for unexpected expenses, etc.
Also for food--shop ALDI and checkout www.angelfoodministries.com--no minimum income requirements--open to anyone!
Good luck!

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A huge money saver for me has been meal planning. I plan all of our meals one week in advance (I used to do one month, but it depends on each household) and then make the shopping list from the meals I am going to cook that week. When I go to the grocery store, I only buy from the list - no impulse items :) Also, I do 75% of my shopping at Aldi. I don't know that there is one near you (Omaha maybe?), but even if it is a fair distance away, you could plan to shop once a month for the month. The other 25% I do at a discount chain store like Cub (Aldi's doesn't carry a few things that I need). I don't do coupons or "sale shopping" - I don't seem to have the time for that. However, I must be doing "OK" since I spend $300 or so a month on groceries and household products for a family of 6 :) When I started meal planning years ago, I used the $1/$3/$5 plan - spend $1 for breakfast, $3 for lunch and $5 for dinner - not per person, but per meal. I still use it and can pretty much stick to it. I will buy a ham for $9 at Aldi, but I can get 5 meals out of it between a ham dinner, a ham casserole, ham sandwiches, ham and cheese omelets and jambayla.

A couple of other "tricks" I have: I make my own laundry soap - it is cheap and works good. Go through your utilities/cable/phone etc and see if there are ways to cut back. I do the "budget plan" for my gas and electric and while that doesn't technically save money, it does help me plan my budget better since there are no peaks and valleys. I have combined my cell phone with other family members rather than each paying our own account. My cable is turned down to the "lowest setting," and here it is cheaper to bundle (don't know about your area). Think about using cloth diapers - even if you don't totally switch, you will still save money when you do use them (especially if you are using homemade laundry soap to wash them in). Shop your insurance (car and home/renters) around to see if you can get a better deal. Stop eating out - we NEVER eat out anymore and what a HUGE difference that makes.

As far as garage sales and stuff goes, I don't do those anymore either - I ended up buying more stuff that I didn't need than I did need! My kids do get alot of hand me downs between other family members and friends. We have a trading system between us so all the clothing gets passed around as much as possible. For new clothing, I shop at Kohls. Between the discounts, sales racks, coupons, and buying off season, I spend less than $200 a year on clothing (including shoes and outerwear) for everyone! I do have a Kohls card, but as soon as I make my purchase, I go straight to customer service and pay it off.

If you turn your budgeting into a "challenge" it can be fun to see how little money you can spend. To give yourself an incentive, start putting a little of the money you are saving each week into a jar for a special event! For me, the incentive has been to be debt free with $10,000 in savings - I own my home free and clear (4 bed/2 bath), have 1.5 yrs left on my car, have 1/2 of the money saved, and have ZERO credit card debt. You can do it too!

Good luck!

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I have an Excel spreadsheet that i have been updating for the last 10 years. I list all the bills that have to be paid monthly down the side and pay dates along the top (weekly, biweekly or monthly - however you are paid in your houshold). At the end of each year i make a new sspreadsheet for the following year - many bills are constant (mortgage, gas electric, insurance, daycare etc) and our wages are fairly constant so we can see where we are at and if we can afford to splurge on anything. We also use budget wise billing on our utilities so that the bills are the same every month - no fluctuations. Online banking and bill pay then ensures that everything is paid ontime so we don't waste any money on late fees. We coupon shop and try to stay to about $50 per week on groceries (we are long done with diapers) - sometimes, when we have extra money we will do a big shop at Sams club to supplement the weekly shop. It's not a perfect plan but it keeps us on track. Good luck.

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Other small ideas:
1. If you absolutely have to go out to eat, choose one with a coupon or look for "kids eat free" (right now your baby can eat off your plate but in the future, it's worth at least considering).
2. Buy a rotisserie chicken & once you're done, use the carcasse to make homemade chix stock. When I made any veggie dish were I cut off ends or have scrapes, I put them in a bag I keep in my freezer & use them for the stock. If you have a pressure cooker, you can make the stock in less than an hour!
3. Plant an herb garden.
4. Use healthy scrapes as treats for your pet (cut up the core of an apple, without seeds). You can find a list of things online.
5. Invest in a good insulative to-go container for coffee or soda so you don't get sucked into Starbucks.
6. Keep snacks in your glove compartment (kind that won't melt), so if you get hungry, you can eat a small snack & not buy something. Ex (pretzels, Nutragrain bar, nuts).
7. Make your own laundry detergent. I do & it works just as good as the kind you get in the store. Find a recipe online.
8. Second hand stores or garage sales for baby clothes & toys. You'll save a ton & your baby doesn't know any different (right now). Just buy for the kid & you won't overspend.

Good Luck! One of the keys to saving money is to focus on the small things b/c they add up. It's no difference than losing weight. Every little bit helps and over time, it can amount to a huge saving. Good Luck!

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Coupons and sales! It takes more time, but it totally worth it to go through the ads for each grocery store nearby and buy only what is on sale the cheapest of all the stores. I will sometimes hit all 5 local grocery stores for deals. It does take more time (and no, I'm not a SAHM. I work 50 hrs/wk and my hubby works nights), but it saves a ton of money. We also have a big freezer, so I stock up on meat and frozen goods when they're on sale and only really have to buy produce and sides when I do my regular shopping.
Organizing your coupons as they come in is a huge help in actually using them. I have envelopes for Groceries, Household Items, Baby Stuff, Fast Food, Restaurants, Entertainment, Services and specific stores like Babies 'R Us, Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond. I "file" coupons as they come in and grab my envelope before I head out shopping. Signing up for email from Pampers/Huggies, Babies 'R Us, etc. also can save you a ton of money. If I shop at a store, I'm on their email list so I know when sales are happening, get extra coupons and am in on exclusive email-only sales.
My last tip is that I only buy my daughter clothes when they're on sale/clearance and if I can add a coupon to that also, fantastic! I buy her clothes not as she needs them, but in advance, sometimes 2-3 sizes ahead. No sense in paying full price for winter clothes when I can buy the majority of her clothes on clearance in the spring/summer and just supplement later on. My daughter wears 12-18 months now, but I've been buying 24 mths/2T clothes for next spring/summer while I can get them really cheap. Again, Babies 'R Us is great for their clearance, especially when they add an additional 30-50% off the clearance price. Can't beat an outfit for $3! Carter's is also fabulous for their sales/coupons/clearance, if you have a Carter's boutique near you. Same goes for diapers-I buy a size ahead of what she's wearing when they're on sale (BRU often offers a $10 gift card with 2 value boxes and you can use coupons on top of that) and then I never have to buy them at full price.
I wish you lots of luck and lots of good deals!

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I agree with Denise. Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover is key. You can check his books out at the library, and really take his advice to heart. We used to wonder where our money went; now that we have a budget, we tell our money where to go. Using a budget doesn't have to be difficult. In fact, I have never been so stress-free about money and bill paying as I am since starting the Total Money Makeover. I even see an end in sight to my dreaded student loan...which is our last debt before we're debt free!

Using cash is the biggest key to the whole plan. It will make you spend much more wisely, shop sales, and use coupons. On the diaper front, Costco is our answer. With a 2 year old and a 6 month old, we spend around $80 per month to keep them clean and dry. We love the Kirkland diapers and wipes.

(Just a little "Dave" hint: Eating out probably won't be a part of your budget.)

Good luck :)

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Congratulations and making that budget. So many people avoid it.

If your not using coupons, that's a great place to start.

Stop buying baby food. At 11 months your son should be able to eat 90% of the same foods you and your husband eat, just be sure to cut them up into very tiny pieces.

Where to do you shop? The grocery store 2 blocks from my house is one of the most expensive in the city. It's great when you only need to pick up an item or two, or I often stop in for sale items. But I never shop there. By going across town, I can save at least $25 a week. Also, do you belong to a warehouse club like BJ's. There are tons of savings there. You may want to look into it.

Stock up on sale items.

Avoid convenience. I was shocked when my friend (on a very strick budget) bought some gerber snacks in a fancy container for her granddaughter. For the same price she could have bought a large box of cereal and used her own fancy plastic containers.

Alway have something quick and easy to make for dinner on hand. That way you'll avoid the there's nothing to make for dinner, lets go out syndrome.

Try generic brands. For example store brand bread to me is just as good as the top brands.

Good luck!!

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I agree with coupons but I only use them on items I would usually buy. I also cook 1 item that can be used for more than one meal. Ex: Roast: first meal - roast w/vegetables - next meal BBQ beef sandwhiches. Grilled chicken - grill enough for 2 meals: first meal grilled chicken - second meal -chicken fajitas. Walmart is not my fav but if I want the cheapest that's where I shop. Alot of people mention Aldi, but it must be an area thing, I always find cheaper prices at Walmart. Ex. this week: Aldi had bag of 6 oranges $1.99, got them at WM for .38/ea. Strawberries $1.69, WM had them for $1.50. Stalks of eared corn pkg 4 for $1.19, .20/ea at WM. Gallon milk for $1.48, at WM $1.32. Pkg sliced cheese $1.99, name brand (Kraft) at WM for $1.89. Pkg of frozen chicken breast (off brand 3 lb) $5.99 at Aldi, 5 lb frozen Tyson $6.99. Eggs were cheaper at Aldi dz .77, .99 at WM. Like I said it must be an area thing because I just don't see the savings at Aldi??

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We have a budget for food and incidentals of $100/family of 4. Couponing at the store is key. Many stores have a double coupon day where they will double your coupons up to a dollar. Don't be brand loyal. Oftentimes the genaric is made by the same companies that make the regular product. Sign up at company websites for coupons. Usually on Sunday's I sit down with the store flyer and plan our meals for the week. Meat usually is on sale on Monday's and we also buy a big bag of boneless chicken breast every week.
We used Luv's and you can find those at Target or Walmart at a low price. Formula-Similac has a website where they send you free cans of formula and coupons. We used Walmart formula. It has the same ingredients at a much lower price.
We don't eat out unless we have a coupon. Sites like restaurant.com sell gift certificates for $2 for $25.00 off a meal. If you like pizza eat at Papa Murphys. Much cheaper than the bigger chains.
If you have a budget stick to it. That's the main thing. Look for places where you can cut costs like cable service or telephone service. Hope this helps.

I also agree with the people that talked about Dave Ramsey. He's AMAZING! We use the envelope system, which Dave talks about. What you do is take out that money in cash and only spend your cash on the things that you have budgeted them for. We have a 1 year old and only spend 250 a month on groceries...maybe 300 with household items included. We use Aldi's as our main grocery store because it's so much cheaper! Another thing that has saved us a ton of money is making a food schedule for the month so that way you know exactly what you need to buy for groceries. We don't buy any junk or snack food. If we want snacks, my husband usually makes hummus and we'll eat them with bread or occasionally chips. Once you get in a good routine it's easy to continue...it's the starting that's hard :) Good luck!!! Go listen to Dave Ramsey!!!!

Oh and we use cloth diapers which save SOOOO much money!!! My husband even likes them, so you know they're not bad when a man likes them too :)

The things that helped us the most was that hubby takes lunch to work at least 3 days per week (versus eating out every day). That alone saved around $20 per week. Another thing that helps us is to make a menu for the week and then shop only for that menu and for other "essentials". This way, I am only going into the store once per week and I have a strict list that I shop for. This cuts down on random purchases for things that may or may not actually get used. I'm pretty sure it is a proven fact that fewer trips into the store equals less money spent. Try to shop sales on meat and things that can be frozen and then make your menus for the week to use up that stuff so that you don't have to buy the meat at full price. If you haven't read or heard anything by Dave Ramsey, I highly recommend it. Read his Total Money Makeover book or take the Financial Peace University. Many churches offer this course. It is an excellent lesson in how to manage your finances and payoff debt so that you can live debt free. We have managed to payoff all of our debt, including both cars (bought a minivan with cash in December) and we now own 20% of our home. ANYONE can do this! Just tracking what you're spending can help a lot too. Keep EVERY receipt and track the actuals in your budget so that you can figure out where your money is really going. You may just be surprised. I wish you the best of luck.

Hi! I like to make a budget plan. I found I function best with a three-ring notebook with 12 dividers - like from Staples - one for each month. There are also budget plan books for fill-in at Staples. Have done both. Also there are computer plans. Look for what fits with you and your hubby. For the plan I make, I write income on the left column/page and expenses on the right column/page. I usually copy a number of copies of the plan so I have one like in my purse if I want to refer to it. Do your best. Have fun!

A really great tip my weight watchers leader gave us at a meeting that works is to only shop on the outer ring of the store. if you go into a store and make an immediate right or left just follow the outer wall of the store, there will be meat / produce / breads and dairy. the middle of the store is all processed /canned /boxes /bottles. those things cost more and are not as good as making it your self. of course you will have to get some stuff in the middle but the more shopping you do with basics the more healthy and cheaper it is for you. I go to places like Sams club to get large packages of meat once a month. We get huge packages of chicken breasts, pork chops, hamburger and on a flush month steaks lol. these get divided into 2 or sometimes 3 meals for each big package. freeze them in good freezer bags (I like the ziplock) then pull one out each morning to thaw. whatever meal I am making I usually save the veggies and left over meat as that later in the week will make a casserole or stew and depending on how the meat was prepared we may have a salad with it. grilled chicken is great for salads, or soups or casseroles. left over porkchops can make really great sandwiches etc... a roast will make 3 meals for us. first as a roast, then as sandwiches and then as soup. the key is to buy a big enough pc of meat to do that.

It sounds like you are on the right track--just figuring a budget. Using coupons is good but can be very time consuming. To make it VERY useful and easy start following couponging blogs. Razors, shampoo, conditioner--I don't pay any money for this stuff. You can get tons of food for very cheap if you know when and how. These sights will help. Stock up when they are cheap. Also, try freezer (OAMC) cooking. It helps cut food costs and reduces eating out temptation.
My favorite couponing blog is hip2save. I don't know what grocery stores you have in NE but I am sure there are some people who also blog about your local deals.
Finally, you can make your own household cleaners for very cheap and they work great. (Or again, you can get a lot of cleaners for free just watching the deals).

Do you still want advice? Its gonna at least make you wince.

Are you in Minnesota? I use the pocketyourdollars site. It matches up coupons and what is on sale that week. Last week at Rainbow I spent $54.34 and saved $70.74!!! It takes a little work, but it is definately worth the savings.

Coupons, coupons, coupons! We have a family of 6 and a dog and I love a bargain, even on groceries. I hav been a coupon clipper for a few years now and also became a memeber of The Grocery Game website which helps you use your coupons when they are most valuable. I even scan store end caps for groceries and toiletries that are clearanced out, but not expired. On average, I probably spend about $600 per month on groceries, including dog food, diapers, wipes, cleaning/laundry supplies and toiletries. Not bad! I also stock up when things are super cheap! Good luck and I hope this helps!

Hi K. -
I am also a big fan of Dave Ramsey and very big on budget. It is great that you have sat down to do a budget. I have helped many to get a budget going - if you need assistance, feel free to contact me ____@____.com

Good for you and your husband for making a budget together! That is very important. We have three children and here's how our family saves:
* Cloth diapers (the pre-fold kind with vinyl covers) that we wash ourselves
* Make some of our own baby food (mostly fruits)
* Shop rummage sales, Goodwill, clearance sales for clothing
* Warehouse stores (Costco, Sams, Aldi's) have good deals on pet food and bulk non-perishable things.
That's all I can think of for now. Best of luck with budgeting. :)

My favorite corner cutter is the Dollar General. You can buy things like Crest, Saran Wrap, TP, Hand Soap for just a buck. The other dollar stores aren't really a dollar. That has helped us save a lot.

Making more things from scratch will help. Buying things that are cheap on sale in larger quantities is great. Making out a menu a week before so you can plan, maybe using things you have in the house or things that are on sale that week. If you have a freezer its great to buy larger quantities of meat when its on sale and freeze them into meal size portions. Use generic items when possible. Watch this though because sometimes they can be more expensive then nongeneric, especially when on sale or have a coupon. Take a calcualtor with you and don't go when hungary. You spend more money when you are hungry when you are not. Shop with a grocery list and don't deviate from it usless you find a great unadvertised special. Good luck.

I just bought Dave Ramsey's book Total Money Makeover .

It may also help to consider a home business!

http://K..myshaklee.com

On top of the one hundred per week i spend another eighty bucks or so per week!!

What are you spending the $80 on? That would be a good place to start.

Also, here are some great tools to help you:

http://www.crown.org/Tools/

we took a dave ramsey class.

fact of the matter is; most families are NOT spending money or budgeting money wisely. most are living on credit, which only creates more stress! dave ramsey is very matter-of-fact about debt and he is firm that it is not a good thing! that being said, he has a lot of great tools and steps to get you into a better financial picture. you can go to his website and find a class in your area. they do cost money (because you get a kit with books, cds, etc) but we went to ours not being able to afford it and someone paid our fee for us. so have faith! :)
either way check it out.
he has steps that might help you:
1. get 1000$ in savings. (cut dinners out, cut coupons, be strict about the fact that you put NECESSITIES first; food house, utilities)
2. snowball your debt; this means list your debt smallest to largest; start paying as much as you can of any free money on that smallest debt. when paid off; put that amount on the next smallest debt, and so on, until you are debt free, or at least debt free with a mortgage.
3. get 3-6 months income in that savings acct. remember dont touch it. if you mess with the 1000 before you snowball off debt (its for emergencies!) then fill it back up before proceeding with debt snowball)

anyway, there are more steps, but these are basics, and they might take a while.

using budgeting software will help you; it adds it up for you. try to start your month or pay period by putting in your income; then creating a budget that outlines EXACTLY where your money will be going until there is 0$ left over. i find this VERY hard, but it helps you prioritize. when you think "well, ill just buy ___" you can look at your budget and say "if i buy ____ i wont be able to pay ___". it might help you; though even we are in a learning stage!

anyway, dave ramsey's class is inspiring! check it out!

We went from a two income family to a one income family in December 2008, and have managed quite nicely.....even with the addition of twin boys and another on the way! The main thing that we did was to have one person manage the budget. I have a notebook that I write down all the bills in and the dates they are due on. I also mark down my husband's pay days. We buy only what is needed, and neither of us carries any cash. It's much easier to keep track of what we're spending our money on when you have to make sure not to loose the recite! We no longer have any credit cards (these are dangerous, and it's too easy to lose control of spending). We didn't have a savings before, and were actually overextended when we were both working. We now have a small savings and are able to put some money away out of every paycheck, even if it's only $20. We no longer buy things at the grocery store that aren't on sale or aren't store brand, and we cut down on eating out. I have actually found that we are much happier with less "stuff" in our lives now than we were before.
The main thing is that you both have to be able to stick to the budget that is made up, so sit down with your husband and go over everything. Making a budget can be stressful, so try to do it when you are both a bit more relaxed, and not right after a hard day of work.
Good luck to you!

Thanks for the question as I love to read how other moms are saving money and I am always looking for any other ways to save money also. Angel Food Ministries has been a god send. You can feed a family of 4 for $30. It will include frozen meat, veggies and a few other items like a meal that just goes in the oven. You also get a dozen eggs, shelf stable milk and usually potatoes, onions, rice, things like that and you also get a dessert. It truly is awesome.
I am in total agreement with going CASH. You can't overspend if you don't have it and it makes you use your money so much more wisely. It changed me and I had never been on a budget before in my life.
Also.....garage sales. We have been able to save so much money by buying clothing for the kids and so much more. I just bought a beautiful two handset phone with answering machine for $8 and it would have cost me at least $75 in the store. We usually pray for the things that we need and it is amazing how God leads us to the right sales.

I'm not really into couponing, but there are some great websites out there for that. Be willing to shop at different stores to get the best prices on staples such as dog food, diapers, wipes, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, kleenex, paper towels, baking needs, etc. Buy that stuff in bulk. If you don't already have one, invest in a chest or upright extra freezer for the basement or garage. I don't know where you are, but I'm sure you can find an outlet bakery. There's a Gardners in Madison that has all the best breads you will find in the store for $3, and you pay only $1. I go there once a month and stock up and freeze it. Same for meat -- find a meat market and stock up and freeze. You can buy a 1/4-a whole cow at once from local farmers, same for pigs; buy eggs that way too.

The only downside to this is that you have to spend more money upfront, either once a month, every quarter, twice a year, once a year. But you end up saving a lot in the long run.

You will end up spending money every week on milk and other dairy, produce, etc (stuff you can't buy in bulk). Once you take the time to do a little homework and shop around, it'll become easier. Good luck!

Go to Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. (Google Dave Ramsey and type in your zip) It will change both of your lives so positively, you will be amazed! We did it a year ago, during challenging times and we not only survived, but thrived and now a year later, we are completely out of consumer debt except for the mortgage which will be paid off in about 8 years. Whatever your situation is, this program will help your money have more muscle, you will be in charge, and you will be able to do more than you thought. It is a must!
Good luck!

Regarding groceries and necessities: learn effective couponing! Where I live there's a site pocketyourdollars.com You may find one that deals more specifically with stores in your area. It takes a little bit of time but not too much and can really cut your bills without having to damage the nutrition value of your diet. Plenty of deals on household supplies and personal care items, too.

Really reduce the amount of meat in your diet - it's healthier for you and will save money, too.

Consider investing in a freezer if you don't have one - you can stock up on things when you find a good sale. The tricky part is to know when to stop stocking up and when to eat all the stuff in the freezer. :)

You can also bake your own bread pretty easily - artisanbreadinfive.com is a pretty simple method. Get your flour on sale with a coupon and you can have 10 loaves of homemade bread for about $3 or $4.

Great Question, and I too was curious as to what the response was.
Things I have done that helped.

Opened a second account (that does not have any banking fee's) and deposited all required $ for bills and had my bills automatically deducted (some give you a discount for doing this, like insurance). The other $ is deposited into our "operating" account where misc things are paid like groceries, clothing, gas, etc.

Clip Coupons and watch sale ads. I use a wallet type coupon holder - look to see what is on sale, see if I have a coupon and then plan meals for the week around what is on sale. You can save a ton on groceries by purchasing sale items and/or generic. Most stores offer a really good deal on something in order to entise you to shop there (for instance around Easter stores were selling hams really cheap - limit 1 in hopes that you would also buy your other groceries there) Take advantage of these sales and stock up. Freezers are helpful - I also read someone suggest you purchase your beef/pork in bulk from farmers. We do this too. You have to save for the purchase (we pay about $800 for 1/2 a beef) but we don't worry about purchasing beef from stores for about a year and save a ton per pound. I do, however, still watch when they have sales and take advantage of huge beef sales even if I have a freezer full.

We purchase a ton of our clothes from pathways/good will. Often our local "store" will have a bag sale and we take advantage of that. I have 3 teenage girls and they don't mind that their clothes are not new. Not a one of their friends can tell they are wearing second hand clothes and my 14 daughter has been labeled as quite the fashion diva. Often she is proud of the fact that she can make some cute outfits out of second hand items that no one else will have.

Last thing. I work full time and so does my husband, however, with teenage girls and school, etc there is always "extra" stuff. Like school sports fees, music lessons, etc. I began working with a direct sales company and have been able to earn additional $ in order to justify and pay for these "extras". The benefits: You can choose how often and when to work as opposed being "scheduled". Most direct sale companies/party plan have very minimal start up fees and most offer very generous commission. Here is an example: I typically work 4-5 days extra per month. I usually like to host 2-3 open houses/parties and the other days are for "paper work". About 20-25 hours per month and about 10 hours of that is at home on my computer, phone, etc. I average an extra $200 -$300+ per month by doing this. If this is something you would like to check into, I would be happy to share what I know about each company (I have been in direct sales for over 10 years) and help you choose a company that might be best for you.

Best of luck with your budget - sometimes it is very rewarding to feel like you saved money and it does become kind of a fun challenge.

C.
www.snowflakegems.com

I read what people had to say, because I too am curious. We have two boys and spend almost 200/week on that stuff, and I honestly can't imagine how people spend less. A friend does mostly organic/local and spends 100/week...but I know her boys eat a LOT less than mine do. Anyway...one thing that we have done that helps in the long run is get a freezer. We try to buy our beef and pork by the animal or half or quarter animal, and it saves a ton of money. We bought a half pig for 280 (including smoking for hams) and it was a little over 2/pound. The pigs are "naturally" raised (not organic, but far fewer chemicals) and I have the joy of knowing my food was locally raised...supported local businesses...and it was cheaper than store bought. BUT...obviously we needed a freezer. Having a freezer also allows me to stock up on bread and other items--chicken, when it's on sale--and allows me to buy at 2/loaf instead of 3.80/loaf.

I'm still trying to create a budget, but I suggest Mint.com. It's free and helps me show my husband how much is actually spent on him. It's also about wanting to do it. I've saved more money now than 3 years ago when I was working too. We're in the mind frame of saving money. We mess up sometimes, but it's much better than before. Also, I buy the target/walmart brand diapers to help cut cost. They work just fine for me.

Aldis, buying in bulk and sticking to a list. Cook from scratch.
$100 is not much if you include diapers. Do you have a blender, you could make your own baby food.
Good luck,
S.
PS: Never shop when you are hungry, and shop alone when it is less crowded and you can add as you shop.