Kitchen remodeling for dummies

We have been talking about remodeling our kitchen since we purchased our home, 4 years ago. We didn't have any plans to do it anytime soon due to the slumped economy and atrocious housing market. However, due to circumstances beyond our control (although I am sure that there are people - perhaps living in my own house - who believe that in light of a grease fire in our kitchen, a particular queen bee needs never to fry chicken again...) we need to remodel our kitchen. A.S.A.P.

Kitchen remodeling (or any major renovations to one's home) should never be rushed into or taken lightly. A kitchen can make or break a home, or a pocket book. Needless to say, our budget for this year did NOT include kitchen remodeling and our insurance check, while better than nothing, is just enough to do pretty much nothing.

Enter IKEA. Now, Ikea products range widely in both cost and quality, but their kitchens come with a 25 year limited warranty - which is pretty awesome considering that they are very cost effective. Also, although they have a wide range of cabinet styles and doors - most of their products are in-stock - so you avoid the 4 - 6 week waiting time for custom cabinets. Their website offers many planning tools and their sales people, while not certified kitchen designers, are very helpful as well. Ikea cabinets are easily assembled, but professional assembly is available for the less adventurous types.

Even with all of the assistance Ikea provides, this is a very daunting experience. I hope that we are able to prioritize and get what we really want now, because I hope to never go through this (especially the climbing flames!) ever again.

I'll keep you updated!

We got off track, but we'll get back on!

I am sure you are wondering where I have been. Actually, I've been a little too embarrassed by the dismal job we have done on our household budget for the months of February and March. Of course, I do have an explanation... albeit a lame one. Our family has two birthdays (and Valentine's Day) in February and two birthdays in March. Our budget did not include allowances for birthday dinners and gifts, or birthday parties. I would like to say that those situations have been the only cause of our budget blunders, but I can not tell a lie. The truth is once we started making exceptions to our budget, it became easier and easier to make more.

We are really trying to get back on track, but considering we have eaten at McDonalds 3 times this weekend alone (and we hadn't eaten anywhere but home for the entire month of January), it has not gone well...so far.

Far be it from me to concede defeat! We just need to refocus and redevelop our game plan: IRS audit, kitchen fire and birthday extravaganza not withstanding. After Sprite's 6th b-day shindig this weekend (and only after - I'm being realistic here) we will examine our budget again and re-commit ourselves. I'll keep you all updated!

1 Month Down, 11 To Go!

We are a little more than a month into 2008 and by this time many of us are realizing that our New Year's Resolutions were not as realistic as we thought. Not this Queen Bee (not yet anyway). Although I have had a few moments of weakness, I have not given into temptation. That's right ladies and gentlemen, I have not spent one red cent on fast food, gourmet coffee, movies, clothes or ANYTHING. OK, I spent a dollar on macaroni and cheese during lunch a couple of weeks back, but it won't happen again. Probably.

Anyway, we are doing great with our savings and the following things have made our New Year's Resolution take flight, instead of being dead in the water:

• Get a Partner - My husband and I are working together on this: "Did you buy that Vitamin Water? Am I in this by myself or are we together?" "You bought Rice Krispy Treats? Did you stay within the grocery budget?"
• Keep a log and review your progress - Generate a goal based on your resolution. Keep some sort of log that you review on a regular basis and keep track of how well you are (or are not) doing.
• Set Realistic Goals - Make sure that what you are trying to do makes sense for your life. Take into account all the variables that you can imagine, or be flexible enough to adjust your goal based on real life.

We were doing so well that I was thinking, maybe I could get those yellow satin mary-jane pumps as a reward for all my good work! I didn't. It is a good thing too as next month I will be blogging about "How to survive an IRS audit". Keep up the good work Queen Bees!