Getting my arms around the problem

My friends used to call my then-boyfriend, now-husband and I DINKs.

That's dual-income, no kids.

This meant that we could take spontaneous trips to Las Vegas, and even reserve a pool cabana. We splurged on seven course chef's menus. I had designer purses -- though only ever from the outlets. Certainly, this wasn't every day or every week. But, a couple times a year we could show ourselves a really fantastic time. It also didn't hurt that we were living in bargain rentals -- and sharing a rent-controlled home for a while. The extra cash meant this extra fun, but it also meant there was a day-to-day security.

After years working long hours at a newspaper -- and staying awake long hours at night worrying about how my bills would be paid -- I changed careers. I didn't worry anymore. There was always money enough for all the bills, and all the fun I wanted to have.

Then came a baby and marriage and the barrage of responsibilites that come with that. We moved into a bigger place, that has a reasonable rent each month, but it certainly isn't the absolute steal we were living in before. Formula. Diapers. Daycare. More formula. Even with the absolute god-send of all daycares -- extremely affordable and wonderful care to boot -- it's still roughly the equivalent of a 50 percent rent hike. It seems nearly impossible to get out of Target without spending $100.

Suddenly, that nagging feeling is back. I'm staying awake wondering how I will get that next bill paid. We are the classic example of a dual-income family with plenty of income, but it's going out more quickly than we can count it. It used to be I could let some on-going charge slip out of my account unnoticed.

Those days are over.

So, the question and the challenge is can I reform? Can I reform my penny -- and sometimes pound -- foolish ways and get my budget looking more like my pre-baby body did: Still a work-in-progress, but certainly more svelte than it is today.

Now, we begin phase one: The Blood-letting.

Can I make at least one major cut a week, plus find one daily way to save money? Challenge accepted.