Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Want to up your frugal game? Join one of our challenges.
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

floridacatlover wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2018 5:53 pm Here is a blog I am following that might be of interest and give encouragement.

http://achallengingyearonawelshhillside.blogspot.com/

I have followed this lady’s other blog (now on hiatus) for awhile. They live in Wales. She has a huge garden and is a vegetarian but her husband is a meat eater. She and her husband are trying to spend almost nothing this year in order to pay off their mortgage on a retirement flat they’ve purchased. It sounds like they are going to follow the meals that were common during WW2 when things were very hard in the UK.
Florida Cat.. thanks for sharing this site. It looks interesting. I have a cook booklet that my Mom gave me from WWII. She received it from an insurance company way back when food rationing was just starting. I also have a cook book that has recipes from WWII. I think it is called Wartime Cook Book.. cannot remember off hand the exact title. I do know that the foods are ok but not something I can deal with due to my gluten free diet.. I was born in Jan 1945 and I remember my Uncle was still maintaining what they called the Victory Garden well in to when we moved out of town around the age of 7. People can do amazing things when they put their minds to it.. Looking forward to reading the site.. Thanks again for sharing. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
snowangel729
Posts: 348
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2015 9:19 am

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by snowangel729 »

No spend today, I went shopping yesterday and stayed inside today as it is way too cold for me to be out.
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

snowangel729 wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2018 8:49 pm No spend today, I went shopping yesterday and stayed inside today as it is way too cold for me to be out.
Snowangel good to hear from you.. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
Momof2
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 4:42 pm

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by Momof2 »

I also have a wartime cookbook. It is called Grandma's Wartime Cookbook.
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 wrote: Mon Jan 01, 2018 9:57 pm I also have a wartime cookbook. It is called Grandma's Wartime Cookbook.
That is the same book I have.. Janet Alliesmama
Janet Alliesmama
NoisyPorkchop
Posts: 183
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: In the middle of the Willamette Valley, Oregon.

Re: Starting our 2018 No Spend Challenge

Post by NoisyPorkchop »

Glad to be a part of this challenge. I have done frugal challenges for myself with some success but to be part of a group is something new for me and I really look forward to it!

New Years Eve's dinner was a hash-up of all the leftovers in the fridge that turned out quite tasty. Last nights dinner was me using up as many leftover veggies that I had lingering in the veg drawer as a stir-fry and adding a small portion of sliced pork and some rice. My Hubs is a big meat-eater (he's also a professional meat-cutter working in a grocery store) so he was raised as a real meat-and-potatoes type. He liked the stirfry; however a few hours later he was feeling "snacky", aka found him in the kitchen opening the fridge and peering in and poking around through the cupboards. This usually is the part in the past where he starts making suggestions of Taco Bell or Dairy Queen but I reeled him him in and cut him off at the pass and offered him a tasty bowl of (generic) Raisin Bran as a healthy snack or, if he really wanted, I had some Death By Chocolate (Winco brand) ice cream in the freezer. He actually opted for the cereal *whew*!

I have a plan this year to help cut down on the purchases of meat, which can get spendy, by incorporating one meatless dinner once a week. I have to be really careful as I can't tip off the "boss" I am doing this ;) as he will have none of it! So, I have to make sure my meals are hearty. If I try to serve him a plate of fluffy quinoa and veggies he will immediately be on to me and will put up a fuss about the missing meat and it will be game over for the idea of meatless meals. My other option I am implementing, which I did last night, was to cut down on the amount of meat I put in a dish. I put less pork in last nights dinner; smaller portion and sliced it smaller too. I have a list of some meatless meals I have put together and will keep you all posted on how they turned out and if Hubby didn't notice, tee hee!

I am going to the grocery store today, I have a very small list in hand and I will be sticking to it, so there is some controlled spending in my grocery budget. I do have a $10 Kohl's cash coupon for a purchase I want to use, however, the only thing I can think of that would be about $10 is a pack or two of warmer socks. I really can't think of anything more than that which would then just cause me to spend way more than $10. I would be ok if I had to spend a dollar or two more as that would still be a good deal for a pack of socks but I don't want to go over that. Defeats the whole "no spend" challenge. Worst case scenario....I walk out of the store without my socks and the coupon expires in a few more days.

Breakfast will probably be some nice warm oatmeal and toast. Hubby talked to DSD (his biological daughter) last nite on the phone and she said she would stop by for a visit at some point today. He said we could all go out for a burger for lunch. Hubs got a nice $50 gift certificate from his boss at work during Christmas for a local burger place here in town that we really like so no money spent there. I plan on going though my receipts for the local Home Depot and finding the ones that match some returns of remodeling items I never used. A can of texture, can of white primer paint and a few other little things and get my money back. Score! Got to stop by the Bottle Drop recycle place and redeem my $14.00 that I need to claim for my recyclables. Score! Do have to sit down and pay a few bills; CC balance is to be paid off for the month and I see our electric bill is here too. Boooo! Oh well, gotta pay those bills.

That is about it as far as the beginning of my frugal 2018. May you all have a frugal day and will be checking in again soon. Take care!
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