Quilter's Money Saving and No Waste Challenge.

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

Re: Quilter's Money Saving and No Waste Challenge.

Post by HappyDaze »

Quilter51 wrote: Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:09 am I pulled out all my scraps and fabric to use for my working valentine projects. I will need a backing (I don't have nearly the stash that Jackie does or probably even Maggie does because i downsized everything before the move) and perhaps a border for one item, but with that I will have a quilted table cloth and covers for my side tables as well as ornaments for my tree and napkins. This may seem excessive to some, but I love to decorate for every season and compared to the stuff at Koh'ls my costs are minimal and go from year to year. I already have wall hangings made other years.

I have been eating from stuff on hand and have been doing a much better job of purchasing (I do get salad bowls instead of just the ingredients, I need to figure a use for the bowls). I'll go off that this afternoon, because of my irish music plans, but I''be back on tomorrow (KfC and biscuits and coleslaw are calling me). I also will donae some already make muffins to church coffee hour.

LIke Sheila, I did a double payment (this time on my wireless bill) but I just figure that's money I'll have next month.
Quilter, I find I do better buying the salad bowls or bagged kits than the individual ingredients - it is easier for me to be sure there isn't any waste.

I think your projects sound wonderful and do double duty - they keep you occupied doing something you enjoy and then serve their purpose for many years/seasons to come!
"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
Quilter51
Posts: 2815
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 6:04 pm

Re: Quilter's Money Saving and No Waste Challenge.

Post by Quilter51 »

Today is a no spend day is planned.

Yesterday was a low spend day, simply because I had a return at Walmart and while there I purchased atkins protein shakes to up my protein level (and their breakfast cookies) and got neosporin and bandaids while in Walmart because I realized my first aid supplies were at the drop dead level. I also allow myself one pre-order book a month purchased (it is part of my entertianment budget) and so that was part of my spending.

I made the meatball casserole for the freezer but I am going to have a hard time dividing it up as I really used to much sauce. It's still such an easy recipe though, frozen italian meatballs, sauce and cheese (you can add pasta but I am trying to be a little more low carb). I should have at least four freezer meals now that I have let it sit overnight to set so that I can divide it up. In the next couple days I am going to make a chicken and cornbread stuffing casserole. Using my days when I have more spoons to fill the freezer and reduce fast food temptaion. I have a budget for ordering in, but I hate it to be fast food.

I went though my closet and got rid of all my not loved stuff, except for a few sweaters to wear over nightgowns and such. Im making a list of things I need to put on my phone to take when I do my thifting. Right now everything is in a pile to see what I can use and how I can use them. I have some vision for sweater pieces but still working on the others. I am also sewing from what is on hand so far.

I continue to work on the seeing of what I can lower monthly expense wise.

Im going to start a "taking from checking" savings program where one of my financial institutions take "change" and puts it in a savings account. Since do not generally use cash, this is my version of the change jar I guess.

Yesterday I got a fanastic freebie from my buy nothing group and will probably gift it to my daugher (february birthday). Officially it's one of those scrapbooking suitcases on wheels. But I figure she can either use it for all her cricut supplies (did I mention her husband got her the newest one and all the accessories for Christmas) and/or to take all her jewelry supplies and display items to craft fairs. I love my buynothing group!!
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Jackielou
Posts: 13425
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:51 pm

Re: Quilter's Money Saving and No Waste Challenge.

Post by Jackielou »

Quilter51 wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 11:40 am Today is a no spend day is planned.

Yesterday was a low spend day, simply because I had a return at Walmart and while there I purchased atkins protein shakes to up my protein level (and their breakfast cookies) and got neosporin and bandaids while in Walmart because I realized my first aid supplies were at the drop dead level. I also allow myself one pre-order book a month purchased (it is part of my entertianment budget) and so that was part of my spending.

I made the meatball casserole for the freezer but I am going to have a hard time dividing it up as I really used to much sauce. It's still such an easy recipe though, frozen italian meatballs, sauce and cheese (you can add pasta but I am trying to be a little more low carb). I should have at least four freezer meals now that I have let it sit overnight to set so that I can divide it up. In the next couple days I am going to make a chicken and cornbread stuffing casserole. Using my days when I have more spoons to fill the freezer and reduce fast food temptaion. I have a budget for ordering in, but I hate it to be fast food.

I went though my closet and got rid of all my not loved stuff, except for a few sweaters to wear over nightgowns and such. Im making a list of things I need to put on my phone to take when I do my thifting. Right now everything is in a pile to see what I can use and how I can use them. I have some vision for sweater pieces but still working on the others. I am also sewing from what is on hand so far.

I continue to work on the seeing of what I can lower monthly expense wise.

Im going to start a "taking from checking" savings program where one of my financial institutions take "change" and puts it in a savings account. Since do not generally use cash, this is my version of the change jar I guess.

Yesterday I got a fanastic freebie from my buy nothing group and will probably gift it to my daugher (february birthday). Officially it's one of those scrapbooking suitcases on wheels. But I figure she can either use it for all her cricut supplies (did I mention her husband got her the newest one and all the accessories for Christmas) and/or to take all her jewelry supplies and display items to craft fairs. I love my buynothing group!!
Love my Cricut. One can do so much from cards to balsa wood figures. I have been looking at the mug press....
Jackie
http://inthelandofthelivingskiesii.blogspot.ca/
Quilter51
Posts: 2815
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 6:04 pm

Re: Quilter's Money Saving and No Waste Challenge.

Post by Quilter51 »

Jackie, he went over the top and she is loving all of it (she also makes jewelry and does the hand knitting with the loop yarn and crochets, so she is following in footsteps) I know she has decorated a mug, and cut things out of card stock with many layers and made some mandalas. she is having fun experimenting.

Today I bought a 20 inch hand tossed pizza and had it delivered. Frugal fail, but I have half of it for another day and was busy sewing. At least all other food was all stuff on hand, and I did not have to cook while sewing. Tomorrow I will need a few things (I have gone through my huge stash of shampoo and conditioner and glasses cleaner and have none and did not know it, lol) but I will pay with cash. I also have my weekly girl's outing which is happy hour this week, but that is budgeted for with cash. Then back into my nest until Sunday, lol.

Found out that my health insurance provides a gym membership for me for 25 a month (WE dont get silver sneakers but I have Federal insurance and we get alot of freebies, and I do mean alot). Think I'm going to stick with my walking forty minutes to anhour one day and walking around the house and doing wieght training the other day as it's working. I have youtube if I need group exercise.

On the waste front, tomorrow I believe I have no food to add to themix from freezer or pantry, which is pretty good for me.
Quilter51
Posts: 2815
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 6:04 pm

Re: Quilter's Money Saving and No Waste Challenge.

Post by Quilter51 »

I took the executive chair from my sewing room and sat down in the kitchen and looked in the back of my fridge and then my pantry. There were a very few waste items in my pantry thankfully. Better than the last time, but I will be more careful still. I did make a bin with snack items (hummus and pita, cottage cheese and fruit cups and the flavored cream cheese I use on my crackers and stuff, and put the leftovers where I can find them (I got some of those divided storage dishes).

After doing the math. groceries to date were 240 out of my 350 budget. A little high for this time of the month, but I let it go down over the christmas holidays so I can bake. So I just placed a hundred dollar order and barring some produce, I am good plus adding meals to my freezer as I cook.

My milk is turning past the date before I use it all, so I am going to try reconstituting evaporated milk for oatmeal, mashed potatoes and baking. I'll let you know.

I still have about 130 in my cash spending. I might need gas, we will see, but I doubt it. So this will get my craft items and personal spending if any and one lunch between now and the 6th.

I also have about fifty bucks in paypal which I let sit (I have a paypal debit card) except for needs and once I do my Amazon returns will have a hundred dollars there. Those two pots will probably go towards the two kids birthdays in February.
Quilter51
Posts: 2815
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 6:04 pm

Re: Quilter's Money Saving and No Waste Challenge.

Post by Quilter51 »

On friday after I posted I purchased a rolling cart at Joannes from my "spending cash". I sit in two different places (one for tv watching and one for looking out the window and door) and dont want to have to drag baskets of projects to and fru. So that counts as a spend I guess.

Today I went and picked up five items that were out of stock on Friday in the aforementioned budgeted order so no extra spending but an out of the house trip.

I've been working and planning with fabric on hand and cutting strips up to make patchwork hearts for a wreath and using other items for sewing and my painted quilt. Eventually I will have about five tops to finish and will need batting and backing or a sheet. Most of my quilts not for me are for foster kids and they need to have new batting.

In not crafty entertainment, I have more free books than I can read before I turn them in, the new york times crossword (an allowed subscritpion) and utube videos on german and weaving.

For now at least I have saved my budgeted entertainment for this week. Its going to be too poopy for couple days for me to either do the five dollar Otto movie or take a small drive, and lunch this week is cancelled.

On friday I will have my monthly quilting meeting all day at the local quilt shop and we'll see how I get through that. I also buckled and spend ten dollars to contribute to my neighborhood and got two boxes of girl scout cookies which I will take to coffee hour on Sunday (after I have had one or two of each).
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