2023 Savings Challenge

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

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

Today's grocery trip was worse than I expected - I wandered that store endlessly and the deals were few and far between. I spent $44.66 out of pocket for food and $6.43 out of pocket on the pets. I am expecting $7.50 back from Ibotta.

I did get two loaves of store brand white bread for .75 each. I am not a big fan of the stuff but it will make good croutons for soup, crumbs for veggie burgers, peanut butter toast, etc.

Found a couple other things on the mark down shelf - some salsa that is usually $6.90 for .90 cents and some whole wheat wraps for $1.80 - regular price $5.39.

I need to work up a menu for the week. I know I will be making soup today from leftover brussels sprouts and broccoli and a pouch of instant potatoes; also veggie burgers and some egg rolls using finely shredded cabbage and carrots and some soy sauce and garlic powder.

I still have plenty of pasta, sauce, frozen vegetables, oatmeal, cold cereal, rice, coffee, baking supplies, etc. In good shape food wise going into February and should be able to stay well within my $150.00 budget goal.

I was going to go to Dollar Tree to see if they had any cans of Progresso soup that are vegetarian but they weren't open yet - and I'm not going back out today.
"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
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

Today I moved $905 from checking to savings - $899 from my tax refund and $6.00 earned from doing a survey.

I got a free lunch today. Someone asked did I want to order Mexican, I said no thank you, they said "boss is buying for the whole team", I said "okay".

I am still debating my new laptop decision - it will be more fiscally prudent to pay to get the password reset on ex's old laptop - which is really only 7-ish years old and other than I can't log into it, it works fine. I mean the laptop I am on now has to be 15 years old - I got it in 2008 at Walmart!!

I am debating doing something different for my trash service - $34 a month is a lot to pay for the little bit of trash we have - I need to do some thinking on that and discuss options with the kiddos. Taking it to the landfill will be about half price - between the 3 of us we have about 5 bags a month and they charge $3 a bag.
"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
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

$449 spent today to pay for a trip I'm taking over a couple of days in May. No regrets, I would rather economize and even scrimp elsewhere. Other than some camping on my friend's property and WORK trips and day trips, I have put off any kind of travel for more than 6 years!!

I paid for the trip right from my checking account - I'm not touching my savings for anything frivolous. The next couple weeks will be a wee bit tight after I pay bills but I have everything I need budgeted for, down to gas and groceries and pet food.
"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
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Jackielou
Posts: 13424
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by Jackielou »

HappyDaze wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 9:00 pm $449 spent today to pay for a trip I'm taking over a couple of days in May. No regrets, I would rather economize and even scrimp elsewhere. Other than some camping on my friend's property and WORK trips and day trips, I have put off any kind of travel for more than 6 years!!

I paid for the trip right from my checking account - I'm not touching my savings for anything frivolous. The next couple weeks will be a wee bit tight after I pay bills but I have everything I need budgeted for, down to gas and groceries and pet food.
Good for you, you completely deserve to have a nice getaway.
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

I might have been a bit over-zealous in moving that $905 to savings. With paying for my trip and spending more on groceries than I had planned and DD's SO's birthday being this month, I may have to move some money back into checking - UGH!!

It will "all come out in the wash" when I get paid again on the 24th - sometimes the way the paychecks fall and the way the bills fall, things can look a little tight - or it can look like I have a big surplus of funds.

Had I not purchased that trip, I would be fine but I'm not sorry - I've so looking forward to it - and someone else is doing the driving, I just have to sit back, relax and enjoy!!!
"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
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: 2023 Savings Challenge

Post by HappyDaze »

Yep, I did move $200 back out of savings and into checking - just to make myself really comfortable/confident. Then I got my $50 payout from the Digital Reflection Panel and put the $50 into savings.

I need to get really creative with meals through the end of the month. I have plenty of food, don't get me wrong - I just need a plan and some cooking ambition - but there is NO MORE grocery spending this month.

I CAVED to some "pressure" at work and ordered TWENTY FOUR DANG DOLLARS worth of chocolate from my coworkers kid - a fundraiser for the PTA. So far I have resisted every fundraiser for about the last 10 years so it isn't all bad but why I could not just SAY SOMETHING - ANYTHING - like "I'm sorry, that is too pricey for my budget..." I just don't know. UGH. I may put the candy away for my Mom's birthday/mother's day gift - then it's in the gift budget, not the "I AM AN IDIOT" budget.

I spent about $30 at Family Dollar today - mostly in the "pets" category. Other than that - and this candy fiasco, the last several days have been no-spend.
"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
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