Okay, this is very inspiring. Here are our goals:
-Cancel cable TV (keep internet). My husband suggested this (after my suggesting it for years. I guess there are finally enough "alternatives" for him to buy the 1-2 shows he watches). I originally poo-pooed it since I'm going on maternity leave this year, and the Food Network was my guilty pleasure last time.
-Eat mostly out of our pantry, and shop only for things we run out of and NEED (fruit, milk). MY pantry is pretty well stocked.
-Eat out very little. We likely can't make it zero - we're going on vacation for Spring break and will be hanging out with some friends. However, I can get far in this one. We are spending 3 nights in the San Jose area. Our hotel has free breakfast, a microwave, and a fridge. Hopefully we will be cooking with friends at their homes for dinners. We all have kids - it's just easier. We are spending 2-3 nights in Yosemite, and have rented a duplex. It is $23/night cheaper than the Yosemite lodge/hotel. Staying in the hotel means you are stuck eating the overpriced cafeteria style food, or cold food (there is a fridge). Staying in a duplex means we can cook our meals. We will be taking our thermo-electric cooler on this trip, and I'll pack sandwiches for the day the boys go skiing.
-Biking to work...we used to bike 2x a week (I ride to work, hubby takes the car and his bike, I drive home, he bikes home). We drive 20 miles round trip. The difficulty in carpooling is that we work different hours - offset them due to the school schedule. Now that I'm pregnant, we've stopped. But I'm thinking we can do a carpool/bike combo - at least try it out. Carpool to work and hubby can bike home. I'll have to work late a couple of days to make up for the lost hours on those days though. Considering I just spent $43.88 to fill up my CIVIC, I think it will be worth it.
-This is also my son's birthday month. The birthday celebration is small this year, and easy. We've rented a couple of bowling lanes and it's in the afternoon, so no need to provide lunch or dinner - just water and cupcakes (which we'll bake, of course). We will cover the bowling shoe rental on the kids who are invited. If the parents want to bowl too, they're on their own.
-The gym. I'm not going to cancel the gym. But I realized that it's a 9 mile round trip, which is $1.50 in gas each time we go. On Weds and Sundays, when the whole family goes swimming, it's worth it (carpooling!) But I'm thinking that at least one of my 2 other days, I may have to try packing up all my work stuff and go directly to work from there (it's on the way). I used to do this all the time. It just gets to be a pain when I get home on Thursday to unload the car - kids, CSA veggies, work bag, gym bag. And I'd have to pack lunch AND breakfast on those days.
We'll see what else I can come up with as the month goes on.