My Six Month Challenge

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Beverley
Posts: 552
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:33 am

Re: My Six Month Challenge

Post by Beverley »

I went to my TOPS meeting this morning. I was disappointed to find I only lost 1/4 pound in a month in spite of all my cutting back! I know I should count calories so I don't exceed the 1000 a day i need to lose weight. But tracking and counting gets so frustrating. Its hard when you combine foods instead of always having separate food items. Plus the thought of having to write down everything including amount of calories, serving size etc, drives me crazy. But I enjoy going to the meetings and seeing everyone.

I had 1/4 tank of gas in my van this morning so I went to Costco after TOPS to fill up. $71.00 for 3/4 tank! At least I will get discount points besides it being the cheapest place in town to get gas. This is why I don't run around to different stores chasing deals. Factor in gas usage and the savings on groceries would be negligible. I will try a different grocery store if they have a good sale and I happen to be in the area. But using much in the way of gas isn't going to happen. I had $60.00 in my envelope budgeted for gas so I ended up pulling the $11.00 ovrage from PayPal. My PayPal balance is now $1.00. I am trying to do as many surveys as i can to feed that account (and me) but with a slow computer and internet speed it's difficult.

After TOPS there was the monthly lunch which this time was at Olive Garden. I love their food but I passed. Lots of calories I do not need. Plus eating out anywhere is off the radar for the next six months. That means no $30.00 lunch and meeting with the widow's group. But there are other less expensive activites I will participate in.

There are some card games that go on at Mike's Pizza by my house. I will call to see what the cost is and the food options and if its affordable I will go since I will not use very much gas at all to get there and back.

Tomorrow I will stay home. I think I will go through all of my gift cards and list the amounts so I can start using them. I also need to figure out how to print my Costco rewards certificate. My printer and connection do not work very well. I may call and see if a certificate can be snail mailed to my address because computer and printer repairs are not going to happen for awhile either.

Thursday afternoon I will pack a lunch and go to a friends house to play Hand and Foot. We did that a lot before the pandemic and it was a lot of fun. It will take a little bit more gas to get there and back.

Cleaning the kitchen this afternoon and doing as many surveys as I can are on the agenda.

Bev
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: My Six Month Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

Bev, you are doing great and your 6-month challenge is inspiring!

I'm glad you are still planning to get out and do things in the midst of this challenge.

I've been frustrated about my car issues but I have not missed paying for gas. I need to be very disciplined about not driving when I can walk, once I start driving again. What is the gas price where you are? I have no idea how much it is here - I will probably faint at the pump!
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
Beverley
Posts: 552
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:33 am

Re: My Six Month Challenge

Post by Beverley »

Thank you! Yesterday DS and his friend decided they wanted the two rib-eye steaks I had stashed in the freezer before I started the challenge. I buy all of my meats red sticker (marked down). I went ahead and cooked them both so I would not have to clean up the cooking mess twice. I divided it up three ways and have some left in the fridge. It was a nice treat since I can't purchase that any more (way too expensive) and high calorie.

Today for breakfast I had a bowl of left over yellow lentils. I have enough for about two more meals. I will serve some of it do DS along with some leftover steak from yesterday.

I do not have to be anywhere today. I love days like this! I have already done a few sureys and will do more throughout the day. I am enjoying the unemployment and continue to get the rest I need. I'm not sure if I will do much today; I am a little fatigued already due to the wind blowing.

The envelope system and tracking are going well. I really wish my state income tax return would show up at the agency. I know its sitting around somewhere because the check still has not been cashed, nothing has been posted to my account and the mailed return has not been sent back to me (no reason why it should - I put enough postage on the envelope.)

Gas prices - price per gallon at the station down the street from me is $5.69 per gallon. Down from $5.89 last week. I paid $5.19 per gallon at Costco yesterday. Yes California gas prices are among the highest in the country - which is why I rarely go out.

I have been reading the 2021 and 2022 challenges Janet has posted. Sooo many good ideas and motivation from there!

Bev
Beverley
Posts: 552
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:33 am

Re: My Six Month Challenge

Post by Beverley »

Ii have not posted here for a few days because nothing much is going on. I am still watching my bank and credit card accounts and all is well. I will be paying my first installment on my new HVAC in about a week or so. The five more after that. i have stayed home and have not spent any money. I will get a small check from the school district next month for the final hours I worked. That will be it until I decide to take on some more gigs. Right now I am not interested. I am loving my time staying home.

Saturday I got so much done that I wore myself out and rested yesterday. But I have deep cleaned my bedroom and hoe I can get rid of dust as it comes in. Today it is drizzly outside and cooler than it has been. I will pick another room to deep clean, probably the big bedroom. As I get these rooms done I will be making it a point to run a robovac everday to hoopefully keep the dit under control. We get a lot of it here.

Along with workiing in the bedroom today I will continue to declutter my e-mails and unsubscribe to things I do not need. I don't know if that will imprve my computer speed or not but its worth a try.

Bev
Beverley
Posts: 552
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:33 am

Re: My Six Month Challenge

Post by Beverley »

I went to DS's neighborhood store for my weekly dose of sticker shock. Things continue to go up in price but I can still find red sticker cuts of meat. The packages are the perfect size for two people. I also fuond three boxes of pork coating marked down. I don't eat pork as a general rule but who says this won't work on chicken or other cuts of meat. I also bought 2 boxes of Dixie Fry because it is my favorite and inexpensive.

I needed eggs so I bought an 18 pack of cage free organic eggs. They were almost $8.00 (!) But I am real picky about the eggs I use so I bit the bullet and bought it. I still have some free scrambled egg entre's from work in my freezer. I bought a few things for DS that are portion sized so hopefully he can get his over eating under control. Those went in the freezer along with the meats.

So far I have spent slightly over $200.00 at the grocery store this month. I will be spending about another $124.00 throughout the month for Schwans and fresh produce delivered to my door. Gotta get going on those surveys. I try to do some each day.

Still I'm on track to pay my first installment on my HVAC. I should have this paid off by the end of August. That will give me a month of breathing room to make sure al of my payments get to the lender and this loan will be paid off.

So I am still trying to shop as frugally as possible like I always have. Unfortunately the recent cash receipts don't reflect that since things keep juming in price.

Bev
Beverley
Posts: 552
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:33 am

Re: My Six Month Challenge

Post by Beverley »

They found me LOL. After approx. three weeks of laying low the Pre-K department in the district office has called me and asked me to do an assignment through the end of the school year. Since it's on a traditional schedule (as opposed to year round) it will only be for six weeks. The first week in May wil be spent subing for my replacement; it will be fun to see the kids again. The rest of the time will be spent working at a school I have worked at before as both para educator and yard supervisor. Then I will be on summer break. After that....who knows?

Six month challenge is still going well but the extra money from working the next 6 weeks will definitely come in handy for food, etc. So far I have been making this all work. TBH I was starting to get a little lazy...watching a lot of TV and a little bit around the house. So it will be good to get out and move a little. Then by the time the hot summer days come I will be ready to sit under a fan to stay cool.

DD's college loan will have another forebearance extension until the end of August. That will also help. Other than getting called back to work there is not much else to report. Still no spending this month except for food and filling my gas tank.

Bev
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