The verdict is in

 After much worry and speculation my new net pay amount has been unveiled.  My old paycheck was for $1194.15 and now, with the addition of $16 coming out per pay for our medical flexible spending account, it is $1134.78.  I can handle $120 less per month.  It doesn't make me want to jump back handsprings or anything but it could have been worse.

This means I can scurry around and figure out how I'll be tweaking next month's budget.  A little less on gas?  A bit off the grocery budget?  It is definitely a challenge since we're living pretty bare bones already.  One bright spot is knowing that GJS will have a three paycheck month in August.  That kind of influx is something we don't budget for, it's just gravy when it arrives.  But of course, August is a long way off...

I'm sad to report I don't think we'll be able to get the mortgage down to $50,000 in January.  The numbers are just not adding up to meet that goal.  I'll know for sure as soon as GJS has access to his last paycheck information (Janaury 28th) but it isn't looking good using my best estimates.  I'll transfer money from our baby savings account to make it work if the numbers are off by less than $100.  But I know full well that this idea is my last resort and I don't hold out much hope.

We also are facing the fact that we only have $125 of grocery money to get us through the rest of the month.  I fear that both of us living on uber healthy diets has made it even more difficult to keep to the budget.  I'm plotting a grocery run this weekend that consists of brown rice, black beans and cheap produce.  Hopefully we can eek out the month without going over.  Time to peruse my recipe books for vegetarian soup ideas.