Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

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alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

BevMoore wrote: Sat Jul 07, 2018 7:28 pm Thank you Janet, you have been so helpful! I am off work for another 5 weeks so I am looking for little things to make some extra cash during this hot weather. Even when school starts again I am probably going to have to limit my yard duty gigs. I am just finding it so hard on me to be outdoors when it is so hot. I do enjoy working part time. Besides the extra money it gets me out and about and around people of all ages. It keeps one healthy.

I used to get e-mails from My Points but I don't anymore. I guess I should go into their website and find out why.

Bev
They have dropped me too. I am not sure if everyone has been dropped or just people of a certain age.. A while back the My Points survey asked me how old I was and when I told them 73 they said "are your sure?" Really people I think I know how old I am and I am not senile yet nor would you say you are 73 if you are younger. They responded back with "less than 1% of people your age are online." I do not know where they get their information but most of the people my age that I know are on line
Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by Dgflorida »

I know what you mean, Janet. I was dropped by some surveys because I was "not in the age group they were interested in". Kind of an ouch.
BevMoore
Posts: 1012
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 11:04 pm

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by BevMoore »

I signed up with My Points again so I will explore and see what there is to do. I guess the problem with surveys is they want the spenders which I am not because there is nothing I need.

Bev
Momof2Still
Posts: 173
Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 10:05 pm

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by Momof2Still »

I am doing well with my “challenge” of using up freezer items from my kitchen freezer at this time. Things that have been in the kitchen freezer get freezer burn much faster than items in my chest freezer and some in the kitchen freezer were not exactly packaged for longish term storage.

I made Scalloped Potatoes with some Ham (used up some potatoes and the majority of the ham from the freezer, or at least this pkg.). It was better than I thought it would be since I did not use my normal recipe and used the cream gravy that I pulled from the freezer along with adding more milk and thickening it up a little more. I used up all the zucchini and yellow squash along with the partial red potato, partial red onion, and the left-over pork loin in the “Hibachi” style Pork. It was very good, but in my haste to use up the squash, I forgot I needed one for the vegetable fajitas I am making later in the week. Oh well, I have other veggies in the freezer I can use instead. I made extra rice and froze it to use in stuffing the pepper I placed in the freezer over the weekend so that went on my list to use within this month.

Last night to go with the scalloped potatoes, I used the rest of the apples to make applesauce. RM was impressed I could make applesauce which is funny considering how simple it is to make applesauce. I baked the last sweet potato and used it to make twice backed sweet potatoes which will be a side for lunch tomorrow- I have another friend coming over for lunch and needed another side dish.

RM ate the last of the pizza for lunch on Sunday and finished off the rest of the opened box of cereal. I used the going stale hot dog and hamburger buns to make croutons once we ate the hot dogs and hamburgers and baked a loaf of English muffin bread in my bread-machine.We have been eating that with jam for breakfast and to make sandwiches at lunch. I used the frozen fries from the freezer to go with the left-over hamburgers and hot dogs, so all that is now gone.

RM and I finished the mini apple pies I made last week. I made a small pan of brownies, and kept four- the rest I gave away. The rabbit is still happily eating away at the lettuce, carrots, and celery.

Tonight we will use the rest of the ham and some of the Focaccia bread I baked Friday night along with some cheese for Ham and Cheese Panini(s). We will also have corn on the cob and some watermelon since that needs using soon too.
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

Momof2 Sounds like you are doing a great job of using things up and making some yummy food. I always look forward to reading what yummy food you have made. Keep up the good work.

My bunny, Ginger, loved cilantro

Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

I have been making some adjustments in my budget and decided to downgrade my TV package. I went with the lowest one available and now saving 22.00 a month. I have, on occasion, put my TV on pause for$ 5.00 a month but I really enjoy some of the programs I cannot get with my air-wave receiver. Since I live in a rural area and really do not get out much I feel keeping the minimum is right for me at this time. Maybe some time down the road I might look in to some other types of receivers but I do not have the cash flow right now to buy anything new. I have Dish satellite and every month they do switch around and give you some free channels to watch.. This past week-end they gave us two movie channels free for 4 days and I taped a lot of movies for future viewing.

Received my auto renewal from Allstate. They have a computer in my car that gives them an indication of how well I drive so they have gave me a 24% decrease in my monthly premium for the next 6 months. Not much over the last 6 months which was a 22% decrease. The grand total is $1.77.. However I am going to use that savings to go back to treating myself to half and half for my coffee.. I do miss it and with the extra $22.00 a month from the TV downsizing I have a little bit more wiggle room on what I call luxury items.

I am using up some of the things from my freezer. I am making chicken fajitas for dinner.. I have a lot of bell peppers red, yellow, and green that I bought on sale but they need to be used. The chicken is from a good sale at Save-a-lot. fresh chicken leg quarters .99 cents a pound.They are huge. Teddi and I are sharing them. I baked two the other day and froze two for later. I made broth with the skin and bones last night and need to either freeze it or make something with it. I found a container of avocados (2) .39 cents each bought at Aldi's a while back and I made a batch of guacamole adding some fresh cilantro, onion, a packet of True lime, and some seasonings. I did not have a packet of fajitas seasoning mix so went on line and found one.. I always have a nice supply of herbs and spices but once in a blue moon will pick up a prepared packet of seasoning mix if on sale. Using corn tortillas from the freezer for the fajitas.. Also used some with my tuna salad for lunch today. The tuna was free from Amazon. I had some yesterday and today. Yesterday I used the large outer leaves of my iceberg lettuce to wrap my tuna salad. I added some pickled jalapeno peppers to the wraps to give them a little bit more zip and bite.. The pickled jalapenos were 1.99 a jar on sale. Usually they are $3.50 so I stocked up when they were on sale. I made an Asian salad dressing for my salad the other day.. It is tasty and a nice change of pace from my usual homemade ranch.. Low in carbs and easy to throw together in a hurry. I like to keep some Asian ingredients on hand for a quick Asian style dish.

I have been hydrating dried strawberries from my emergency pantry but one large can is about to be used up. I still have two more. They have really been a big help in stretching things but they are coming close to the end of their best by date of 10 years. I am still thinking of opening a can of dehydrated pork chops but I seem to be doing ok for now with protein needs. They have a 30 year shelf life so have plenty of time to use them up. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
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