Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

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

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by Momof2Still »

Janet, I was sorry to hear about your fall. I am glad it was not more serious and that Teddi is doing better. I have not posted in a while, but I do enjoy reading although sometimes I have a few days of posts to read. It also motivates me to stay on track with my spending.

I have been super busy lately. I knew changes were coming to my work life this year, I just didn’t know how soon. I currently work in an administration position, which just is not for me. I very much love being in the classroom setting and teaching children as opposed to working with adults. Anyway, an opening at a school I have always wanted to teach at, but the timing was never right, came available, and I applied for and got the job. I will be a second grade teacher beginning next month. All that entailed a LOT of paperwork and time, but well worth it. Now, my home looks like a storage unit with boxes and books stacked around. I am in the two week notice phase at my current job, and am bringing boxes home daily. I think I have about half removed, and should have the rest out by this coming weekend. At night I spend a couple of hours sorting through the items (I have worked with students ranging from Kindergarten up to 8th grade) keeping the items I can use in my classroom here until I can take them to my new classroom, and placing the items that will not work for 2nd graders into my storage unit. I am so excited to go back into the classroom and it is fun to go through my items that I could not utilize in my current position.

I have managed to not waste too much food. I did have a partial pkg. of sliced cheese go bad- it got lost in the back of the meat/cheese drawer). I have a couple of items I am not certain will be used before they go bad, but I am trying to either use them or freeze them. Food certainly goes further when only cooking for one. I made a pasta dish late last week that supposedly serves 4 to 6. I cut the recipe in half, and still got 6 servings out of it. Yikes, glad I cut it in half.

Speaking of new recipes. I have tried several from this site and have very much enjoyed them all so far. The recipes are also very frugal. I think I found it through another site.

https://www.budgetbytes.com/

With the job comes extra spending (fingerprints and urinalysis costs) along with a few items for the classroom that will be needed, so I am grateful for all the food in house and being able to skip shopping except for fresh items. Of course that is the part I am struggling with. I have a difficult time using the fresh items before they go bad now that I am cooking for just myself. I just need to further adjust and realize that I cannot buy several different fruits and veggies or they may go bad. Most fruits can be frozen for future smoothies, but I am being overrun by frozen fruit and with the weather being cool, smoothies do not appeal to me at this time. Oh well, there are certainly worse problems to have than having too much food. .

All my fur-babies are well. One thinks all the extra stuff is here for him as a toy. I think he will be disappointed when it is all put where it belongs. Well, off to continue sorting. Have a great day.
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

Momof2Still wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:57 am Janet, I was sorry to hear about your fall. I am glad it was not more serious and that Teddi is doing better. I have not posted in a while, but I do enjoy reading although sometimes I have a few days of posts to read. It also motivates me to stay on track with my spending.

I have been super busy lately. I knew changes were coming to my work life this year, I just didn’t know how soon. I currently work in an administration position, which just is not for me. I very much love being in the classroom setting and teaching children as opposed to working with adults. Anyway, an opening at a school I have always wanted to teach at, but the timing was never right, came available, and I applied for and got the job. I will be a second grade teacher beginning next month. All that entailed a LOT of paperwork and time, but well worth it. Now, my home looks like a storage unit with boxes and books stacked around. I am in the two week notice phase at my current job, and am bringing boxes home daily. I think I have about half removed, and should have the rest out by this coming weekend. At night I spend a couple of hours sorting through the items (I have worked with students ranging from Kindergarten up to 8th grade) keeping the items I can use in my classroom here until I can take them to my new classroom, and placing the items that will not work for 2nd graders into my storage unit. I am so excited to go back into the classroom and it is fun to go through my items that I could not utilize in my current position.

I have managed to not waste too much food. I did have a partial pkg. of sliced cheese go bad- it got lost in the back of the meat/cheese drawer). I have a couple of items I am not certain will be used before they go bad, but I am trying to either use them or freeze them. Food certainly goes further when only cooking for one. I made a pasta dish late last week that supposedly serves 4 to 6. I cut the recipe in half, and still got 6 servings out of it. Yikes, glad I cut it in half.

Speaking of new recipes. I have tried several from this site and have very much enjoyed them all so far. The recipes are also very frugal. I think I found it through another site.

https://www.budgetbytes.com/

With the job comes extra spending (fingerprints and urinalysis costs) along with a few items for the classroom that will be needed, so I am grateful for all the food in house and being able to skip shopping except for fresh items. Of course that is the part I am struggling with. I have a difficult time using the fresh items before they go bad now that I am cooking for just myself. I just need to further adjust and realize that I cannot buy several different fruits and veggies or they may go bad. Most fruits can be frozen for future smoothies, but I am being overrun by frozen fruit and with the weather being cool, smoothies do not appeal to me at this time. Oh well, there are certainly worse problems to have than having too much food. .

All my fur-babies are well. One thinks all the extra stuff is here for him as a toy. I think he will be disappointed when it is all put where it belongs. Well, off to continue sorting. Have a great day.
Momof2 .. Congrats on your new job at the school you have been wanting to work for. It always makes things so much better if you love going to work and love what you do. Teaching is hard work. Hope your new job goes smoothly.

Thanks for the frugal recipe site. Always looking for new ideas..Janet
Janet Alliesmama
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

Momof2 Thanks for the recipe site. I just looked at it and it has some yummy recipes I am thinking of making in the near future.

I have been in cooking mode. Yesterday I cooked a little over 1 pound of ground chuck. With tax it came to around $4.26 for the whole package. I added a packet of Taco seasoning from Dollar Tree. Before making the taco meat I cut off some of the meat to make hamburger patties. I cooked them and froze them for later. They came to around 2 oz each. I do not like thick patties. When I eat them I will add an oz of cheese and that will equal the 3 oz I usually eat for a sandwich. After cooking the taco meat I made three tacos using Taco shells from Dollar Tree. Added lettuce, onion, sour cream and cheese. I figured each taco cost was about .41 cents. The remainder of the taco meat was measured out to be frozen for later.. I used 1 oz of taco meat to a taco. Saved 2 oz for a taco salad for lunch today and it was the perfect amount. In the past I would reheat the meat and glob some on my salad but today with the measured meat it was just the right amount. Also added cheese, onions, sour cream and pickled jalapeno peppers. I am not measuring to be frugal but need to measure more for dietary concerns. However looks like I will be saving calories as well as money.

Yesterday made keto sausage gravy. I froze half for later. This morning that is all I had for breakfast. It is so good it is filling and you do not really need the biscuit. I was being lazy since the biscuit is made with almond flour and it can be a bit of work to make. Lunch was the taco salad. Dinner I made a spinach quiche (no crust) and cornmeal muffins.. I am still phasing out my carbs.. I have enough of everything to make several meals without cooking.

Yesterday I finished the last of my fresh apples and the used the last of my lettuce today for my taco salad. I am trying to not buy anything the rest of the month in the way of groceries. I will have at least $30.00 in free food from Walmart next week due to earned gift cards and their $10.00 off offer for using their curbside pick up.

However I guess there is always a want that somehow overrides my best efforts to not spend money. I bought an air fryer today. HSN was having a kitchen clearance and I decided to go for it since I have saved extra money this month. I did not use my gas money for my car. That is $20.00 and I saved about $8.00 off of my water bill and have slush fund money that will cover the up front payment for today. The rest will be paid off at $9.99 a month for several months. I figure I will save what is needed from other areas and I will not feel the pinch. I do like the fact that they allow budget billing without charging interest. Also I kept my grocery buying under budget and hopefully will not spend much next month due to the free groceries from Walmart. Teddi's medical bill was an unexpected need so I did spend more than I had planned on this month but it was all paid for in cash so no debt involved. I am trying to cook as much as I can at home and as healthy as possible so if an air fryer will help I say go for it. That's my story and I am sticking to it..lol.
Janet Alliesmama
Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by Dgflorida »

Congrats and good luck on the new job.
Dgflorida
Posts: 4381
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by Dgflorida »

I know about the extra costs of fur baby health. Kitty was an unexpected expense.
alliesmama4
Posts: 8591
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 10:10 pm
Location: Southern IL

Re: Our 2019 No Spend Challenge

Post by alliesmama4 »

Dgflorida wrote: Tue Feb 19, 2019 5:46 am I know about the extra costs of fur baby health. Kitty was an unexpected expense.
Yes they can cost more than a bowl of food and a treat like some people think but they are worth it.
Janet Alliesmama
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