Ok, so this month- well next month (april), I plan on learning how to spend less money. We have a lot of things to pay off, and I really want to stop throwing so much money away and paying off our debts quicker. Laura, bill's cousin, lent me some books about how to figure out a better budget- which I am going to read as soon as tax season is over and I have time.

Our biggest problem is groceries...we spend WAY too much in groceries. I know I need to use more coupons, I just "forget" to by the paper, and then when I actually do cut coupons, I forget to use them.

My question is, what is a modest amount of money to budget for food for one month? I feel completely stupid asking this, but I really want to know what people spend on groceries a month so I know where I need to be. Also, does anyone else know any other really good places for coupons?

Not too much else going on. Bill is sick, and I am shooting Vitamin C through my veins to try and keep from getting sick myself. Tonight we have our "last" pre-marriage class- I use last in quotations because we have to make up week two in may. Last week, was an interesting class. They talked about the church's views on using birth control. I of course, laughed in my head and slightly out loud. I know at one point I looked at bill and said, "and are they going to be paying for my formula and daycare bills?" Then, I became slightly enlightened. They talked about natural family planning. If have never heard of it, basically it involves the woman learning exactly when she is ovulating and she and her husband staying abstinent for that day- and for the day or two surrounding it. Apparently, it really is an exact science, and it is extremely successful. I talked to Bill, and I think we are seriously considering it. Not only would we save money because we wouldn't be buying BC pills, or other forms of protection -which can get expensive, but we could actually plan when we want our children to be born. That is very attractive. Not to mention, Jack is proof that those things are not fail proof either. They talk a lot about how much the church holds such an importance on married couples having sex....A LOT...almost to the point where I look around and make sure I am still in the Diocese and this is still my pre-marriage class for the catholic church.