Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Project Minivan

I have many financial goals in mind that I'd like to work towards. I think it would be nice to make a really big effort towards saving for a home and saving up 6 months of living expenses. I think it would be wise for us to have a will and get some life insurance (things we've been meaning to do but haven't gotten around to). However, the main goal I'd like to work towards this year is Project Minivan. This is what I've decided to call our efforts to get a bigger vehicle to hold all 3 carseats. It's debatable whether or not we could smoosh an infant carseat into our Honda, but even if we could, trips to MN would be about impossible and it would be difficult to be this smooshed even for trips around town; especially with the kids poking the newborn who was between them.

So, right now, it seems to me that a bigger vehicle is a need and we've been praying about it. We don't want to take a loan to buy a van or bigger vehicle so we figure we will need about $3,000 for a decent used minivan.

Here are the goals I have towards getting one in 6 months or less:

1. Pray daily about this need and ask for God's provision. Pray about ways of earning extra money for this project and pray that a really good deal would come to us at the right time.

2. Be entrepreneurial and look for ways to earn extra money. I'm tossing around some ideas right now but I also realize that the two kids and one in utero that I already have keep me so busy that it's not wise that I start anything big or get over-committed in this area. I want to be very careful about not taking on too much when it comes to money-making ideas. Ideas I'm tossing around: Blogging ads, writing projects, selling leather shoes, etc.

3. Cut corners and save as much as we can. If my husband can work it in, I'd like to commit to saving $100 monthly to Project Minivan; more if possible. In addition to this I will be continually trying to trim the grocery budget and my goal is to cut us down $20 per week to $85 a week so that we can put an addition $80-$100 a month into Project Minivan. (Though our weekly budget may look like a lot to some, I buy diapers, stamps for my newsletter (costs anywhere from $30-$50 per month), household products, gifts, medicines, and clothing out of this grocery budget. I also have two kids who are voracious eaters!)

4. Put our tax bonus that is supposedly coming towards Project Minivan.

5. Sell our Toyota Camry, which we could probably get $500 for.

6. Put any extra gift bonuses towards P.M. If hubby gets a raise or a bonus for some overtime hours or if someone just happens to randomly give us money (when does that ever happen?) we will put it into P.M.

I'll keep you posted on Project Minivan as the weeks and months go on. Having this posted on my blog will help keep me accountable to this endeavor.

6 comments:

Peggy said...

Hi Mrs. Jo! Go Project Mini-van!

Mrs. Taft said...

Hooray for Project Minivan! I had a project minivan of my own, and prayed steadily for a year. It seemed like every time I saved up some money, *something* would happen and we'd be back at square one. But I kept praying and hoping, and amazingly, God provided a 1995 Ford Winstar in amazing condition for FREE. A couple who we are loosely friends with had just had their last kid leave the nest, and they wanted to bless someone, and the Lord brought us to their mind. So I pray that God will do a similar miracle for you; that whatever you are able to save will be enough by the time you need it, or that He will inspire someone to give you one!

Our Home to Yours said...

This sounds great Lindsey!
We did this last year, and I'm sorry to say we took out a loan instead, but just paid it off this spring! I am soooo happy to be out of debt..
Now we're talking about our own "Project Lawnmower" because once we get our house here, we will have almost 3 acres of lawn to mow!!! Would be nice.. :)
Hope it all goes well for you and your project! (I'd be very willing to support your infant shoe business!)

Anonymous said...

I loved your step #1 to pray for your need every day. I definitely need to be more diligent in praying for the needs that we have. Thanks for sharing.

Monkey Girl said...

Yay! I'm excited to see how God provides for your wonderful family. :)

Chris, Tasha, Dawson & Lainey said...

May God bless you and your family! I would totally support the shoe buying!! I did buy the pattern to make these, but the only place I could find leather was a kind of spendy place downtown...and they didn't have much to choose from at all. I just purchased the smallest scrapes that would work...and it still came out to be higher than I had hoped. I have the pattern cut out, but with working close to full time, and spending as much time as I can with my family, and entertaining, and resting when I can as well as doing the other household things and finishing a nearly 2000 sq ft basement I am finding little time to sew lately. I love to see your shoes on your blog and I would certainly purchase a few pairs from you so count me in! In fact it is funny you mention it as I have been meaning to send you a little message asking if you would be willing to sell them :-) Is this our mighty Lord working?! God Bless!

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